At that time, her physical and mental state were poor, and the doctor advised her to rest for a while, not to be overly stimulated, and that her emotions couldn't undergo huge fluctuations.

Since they didn't know if the child could be saved, Julian was afraid of giving Gu Roujia hope only for the child not to make it, which would be a devastating blow to her. So, he simply let Gu Roujia believe the child had died.

Gu Roujia gradually recovered, and then news came that Eva had died. When Julian found out, he thought Gu Roujia had done it all. Meanwhile, the child had been saved, but Julian felt Gu Roujia was too heartless and not fit to raise the child, so he didn't tell her.

He didn't know that Eva’s death was a fake, staged just to irritate the relationship between Gu Roujia and Julian.

"Even if I had believed one percent of what she said back then, things wouldn't have turned out this way. It’s my fault, and I have no right to defend myself."

"Baobao’s situation might be because you didn't investigate thoroughly, but Miss Gu’s second child—that happened because she left the hospital herself, causing the accident. That cannot be blamed on you."

Gu Roujia had overheard Julian preparing to give her a labor-induction injection and, fearing he didn't want the second child, she tried to escape, resulting in a car accident on the way. The baby she hadn't yet seen had suffocated and died in the womb. The second child was already dead, which was why Julian agreed to sign the abortion agreement with the doctor.

Gu Roujia was convinced that Julian didn't want the second child and forced her to miscarry, not knowing that Julian had made a choice born of helplessness.

"Everything, in the final analysis, is my fault," Julian sighed. "The decision to give the labor-induction injection was indeed mine."

"But that was because Baobao had leukemia and there was no suitable bone marrow match to be found in a short time. You had the doctor give Gu Roujia the labor-induction injection, wanting to save Baobao with the umbilical cord blood of the child in Miss Gu’s womb. If Miss Gu knew this, she would have chosen to do it too."

Julian glanced at him and said: "You are absolutely forbidden to mention any of this to Roujia—not a single word. Otherwise, you can pack your bags and leave."

He owed Gu Roujia, and he didn't want to find any excuses.

Furthermore, he didn't want Gu Roujia to feel guilty because of this. If someone had to be responsible for these sins, he would bear all the pain himself.

Chapter 40: The Child Needs a Father

Gu Roujia felt these days were the happiest of her life.

She poured all the love she had owed for the past several years into Baobao. Her love for the second child was added to Baobao; one could say Baobao was her everything, the only light in her world.

Before, she would have thought about living a happy life with her child and Julian, watching the child grow up, and growing old together. Now, she only wanted to spend a simple and happy time with Baobao in her short remaining life. If she could do that, she would have no regrets in this life.

"Mommy, I want to ride the carousel, but Daddy is always too busy. When you’re better, can you take me?" Baobao asked innocently, holding Gu Roujia’s hand.

Gu Roujia smiled, pinched Baobao’s cheek, and said: "Okay, Mommy wants to go play with Baobao too."

"Really?" Baobao asked, blinking her big eyes, looking incredibly cute.

Gu Roujia’s heart was melted by Baobao. She hugged the child and kissed her: "Really, how could Mommy lie to Baobao?"

"Hee hee, Mommy is better than Daddy," Baobao hugged Gu Roujia. "Every time Daddy says he’ll take me to play tomorrow, but after so many tomorrows, he never takes Baobao..." Baobao pouted, looking very dissatisfied.

Gu Roujia laughed, feeling very happy in her heart, and said: "Then Mommy will take you." She never mentioned Julian, only contenting herself with satisfying Baobao’s requests.

Gu Roujia actively cooperated with the doctor’s treatment for the sake of Baobao. She didn't have much time left and just wanted to give Baobao happy memories in this limited time, so that her life wouldn't be filled with regrets.

After learning Baobao was still alive, the death wish she once had vanished. Now she just wanted to live a bit longer to accompany Baobao well. If possible, Gu Roujia hoped to see Baobao grow into an adult, but unfortunately, this was only a fantasy.

"Mommy, Mommy, are you better today?" Baobao was brought over by the assistant and ran excitedly to Gu Roujia to ask. Gu Roujia gently pinched Baobao’s cheek: "With Baobao accompanying me every day, how could I not be better?"

"Hee hee, then when can we go play?" Baobao didn't know about Gu Roujia’s illness. She only hoped Gu Roujia would get better quickly, and then they could go play with Daddy.

"Soon," Gu Roujia said gently.

"Okay, okay! We’ll call Daddy when the time comes," Baobao said. "He won't play with me, but he’ll definitely be willing to play with Mommy!"

Gu Roujia smiled without speaking. Baobao climbed onto the bed with Gu Roujia’s help, leaned into her arms, and said: "Mommy, Daddy is such a nice person, why do you always not want to talk to Daddy?"

"Why don't you want to play with Daddy?" Baobao asked. "Baobao wants to play with Daddy, but he always cancels on me—it’s really frustrating."

Facing her daughter’s cleverness, Gu Roujia smiled but kept silent. The little one was very perceptive and had sensed the conflict between her and Julian, trying her best to repair their relationship by mentioning Julian intentionally or unintentionally.

Gu Roujia suddenly asked: "Baobao, Mommy wants to ask you a question."

Baobao’s eyes lit up, she raised her head and said: "Mommy, ask away! Baobao is number one in class, you know."

"If you could only choose one between me and your Daddy, who would you choose?" Gu Roujia asked softly.

When Baobao heard this question, she tilted her head in thought. After thinking for a while, she burst into tears.

"Wuwuwu... Baobao doesn't want to choose, Baobao wants Daddy and Mommy..." As soon as Baobao cried, Gu Roujia panicked, hugged the child, and said: "Okay, okay, no choosing then."

Baobao cried even louder: "Daddy and Mommy are not making up, you aren't together..." Gu Roujia’s eyes turned red as she hugged Baobao. She really couldn't resolve the conflict with Julian, but Baobao always hoped they would be together.

"My friends all have Daddy and Mommy, only I don't..." Baobao really, really wanted Gu Roujia and Julian to be together. Gu Roujia became silent upon hearing Baobao’s words, involuntarily recalling her own experience in the orphanage. She knew very well what children of this age needed most, especially children like Baobao who had been born without a mother—they craved a complete family.

"Baobao, don't cry, don't cry. Aren't Mommy and Daddy both here now?" Gu Roujia could only say this.

Baobao looked up, sobbing, tears hanging on her long eyelashes, pouting: "But... but... Mommy doesn't talk to Daddy... Daddy and Mommy aren't together... it doesn't count... it doesn't count..." She couldn't think of a word to describe it, but Gu Roujia understood what she meant.

"Okay, okay, Mommy knows. Baobao stop crying first, let Mommy think about it, okay?" Gu Roujia gently wiped Baobao’s tears.

Baobao pouted and asked: "Will you make up with Daddy after you think about it?"

Gu Roujia didn't answer. Baobao snuggled quietly in Gu Roujia’s arms. Gu Roujia thought about Baobao—only having a Daddy but no Mommy, it must be very sad, right? At kindergarten, she must envy other children so much.

She was an orphan herself; no one understood that loneliness better than she did.

When she was pregnant with Baobao, she swore she would never let her child suffer that feeling of being abandoned by the world, yet now...

Thinking of this, Gu Roujia’s heart wavered for the first time.

Chapter 41: But That’s Not Love

As her treatment progressed smoothly, Gu Roujia was already able to get out of bed and walk.

One night.

She saw a silhouette flicker past the window. Who could be outside so late? Gu Roujia wondered, deciding to go out and take a look.

As soon as she pushed open the door to her hospital room, she smelled the faint scent of tobacco.

Gu Roujia looked around but saw no one. However, the cigarette butts on the floor proved that someone had been there. But who could it be?

"Julian?" The first person Gu Roujia thought of was Julian, but he was so busy with his company and taking care of Baobao so late at night; he shouldn't be here. "It must be the family member of some other patient," she muttered to herself.