Chapter 18 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 18

Ji Xiu felt his wife was acting very strange today. Strange from the moment they woke up.

Due to their different schedules—he often worked late while she had poor health and needed early sleep—they had lived in separate rooms for two years. They usually only stayed together when there were physical needs to attend to. Most of the time, he slept in the bedroom next to the study, and Song Ruyue stayed in the master suite.

That morning, Ji Xiu woke up, freshened up, and went downstairs for breakfast. His son, Ji Ze, and daughter, Ji Wu, were already at the table, but Song Ruyue was missing.

"Why isn't Mommy here yet?" Five-year-old Ji Wu, already quite calculating, knew how to please the household's true authority. She hopped off her chair. "I'll go find her."

Ji Xiu stopped her. "Eat your breakfast quickly or you'll be late for kindergarten. I'll go." He had been busy preparing for the company's IPO and hadn't seen much of his wife lately; he wanted to see her.

He went upstairs and knocked on the master bedroom door. "Ruyue? Are you feeling unwell?"

The door swung open instantly. Song Ruyue stood there in her pajamas, hair unkempt, staring at him with a dazed, shocked expression. "Ji Xiu?"

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Song Ruyue murmured to herself in disbelief, "It... it wasn't a dream?" She stared at him for a long while before suddenly grabbing his hand, her eyes reddening. "As long as you're here."

Ji Xiu was stunned. Having his wife proactively reach for him felt like a pauper suddenly winning the lottery. He patted her hand gently. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she gave a tearful laugh and nodded. "Yes. I dreamed you didn't want me anymore."

Ji Xiu smiled helplessly. "How could that be? Go freshen up. I'll never leave you unless you leave me first."

Song Ruyue fell silent. She remembered her past life... she was the one who told him to get out first. Fortunately, she had a chance to make amends now. Everything was still beautiful. She looked at her husband’s young face and acted spoiled. "Can you come in with me? I need to see you to feel at ease."

Ji Xiu’s heart softened. He helped her run the bathwater, squeezed her toothpaste, and even picked out her outfit. When they finally went downstairs, she was still clutching his arm tightly.

At the table, the children greeted her. Song Ruyue gave them a brief, cold glance before turning her gaze back to Ji Xiu, terrified he would vanish if she looked away. Ji Xiu was surprised; she used to spend all her time doting on Ji Wu.

During breakfast, Ji Xiu mentioned, "Ruyue, isn't today the day the physical exam reports come out? You said you were going to pick them up."

Song Ruyue froze. She checked the clock. Today. In her past life, she found out today that Ji Wu wasn't their biological child. She had initially suspected Ji Xiu of cheating and planned to use the report to kick him out with nothing. When she realized Ji Wu wasn't related to either of them, she hid the truth to avoid a scandal—a decision that cost her everything: her husband's love, her son's respect, and her biological daughter's affection.

God had given her a second chance to fix this before the mistake was made.

…

Ji Xiu was heading to work, and Song Ruyue insisted on going with him. He was flattered; she usually avoided the company. When they arrived, the veterans of the firm tried to drive a wedge between them as usual, suggesting Ji Xiu was power-hungry.

In the past, Song Ruyue would have listened to them. Today, she snapped, "Manager Wu, if you think Ji Xiu is doing a bad job, why don't you retire early so you don't have to worry about it?"

Ji Xiu was deeply moved. He held her hand, feeling a mix of surprise and joy.

On the way home, they stopped at the hospital. Ji Xiu was driving, so Song Ruyue opened the reports. She feigned hesitation. "Husband... Ji Wu’s blood type... there's an issue. We are both Type O, but she is Type AB."

Ji Xiu slammed on the brakes. He pulled over to check the charts. "That's impossible. Two O-type parents can only have an O-type child."

"Are you... having an affair?" Song Ruyue teased, playing her old role.

Ji Xiu quickly explained genetics to her. "It’s not possible for her to be mine or yours. Was there a mix-up at the hospital when she was born?"

Song Ruyue nodded. "That sounds plausible."

…

Ji Xiu immediately sent people to investigate. Just like in the previous life, they found Zhou Qingqing. This time, the couple went together. They caught the Zhou family in the act of child abuse, called the police, and brought Qingqing home.

Qingqing was renamed Ji Mingzhu. Eight-year-old Ji Ze doted on her just as he had before. However, the five-year-old Ji Wu was still jealous and tried to frame Mingzhu.

In the past life, Song Ruyue’s rejection of Mingzhu had made Ji Xiu insist on sending Ji Wu away. In this life, because Song Ruyue was welcoming to Mingzhu, Ji Xiu felt more lenient. "The child is innocent. We can raise both as long as we teach them well."

Song Ruyue didn't argue. She only cared about Ji Xiu now. She accepted Ji Wu as an adopted daughter.

But some children are born with a wicked nature. Six months later, after another incident, Ji Xiu was forced to send Ji Wu back to the Zhou family himself. Song Ruyue watched calmly, offering no protest.

She had her husband, her biological daughter, and her son. She would never let anyone come between her and Ji Xiu again.