Disheartened, I Fled from the CEO with Our Babies
Chapter 173 Coquetry

Chapter 173: Chapter 173 Coquetry

Young Master Huo’s voice was icy cold,

"Threatening me with death doesn’t work on me. Even if I have a bit of affection for you, if you defy me, you’re on your own path to ruin."

With these words, Huo Shaoyan threw down his chopsticks and left.

For three consecutive days, An Ge hadn’t seen him again.

She spent those three days in restless unease.

Three days later, Xiao Ye sent her a photo of Qin Huaisheng, an electronic photo from an ID card.

The photo was old, and the pixel quality was poor, but it was enough for An Ge.

After getting the photo, An Ge took her sketchbook and pencils, packed a backpack, and headed out.

After catching a ride at the door, she called Tang Jiuze.

Tang Jiuze, about to leave and attend an auction dinner that evening, answered her call with a teasing tone, "Seems like you need something from me, otherwise you wouldn’t call me on your own."

An Ge replied, "I want to meet your mother, Wen Qing. Can you arrange it?"

Tang Jiuze glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window at the early evening lights, his tone evasive, "I can," he paused, "Come find me at the charity dinner. I’ll send you the address."

An Ge hesitated to agree, needing to ensure that the charity event wouldn’t have Huo Shaoyan’s presence, as that would end disastrously for her.

After some inquiries confirmed that Huo Shaoyan was still on a business trip out of town, she affirmed to Tang Jiuze, "Alright."

An hour later, An Ge appeared at the charity dinner.

Meeting Tang Jiuze privately was not an agreeable matter for her, so before entering the banquet hall, she informed Huo Shaoyan of her actions.

"I’m attending a charity dinner with Nan Xiao. It’s almost the New Year, so I want to bid on a gift for you."

Her words were quite pleasing, and Huo Shaoyan, who had just stepped off a plane and into a car, felt rather content, "Have you figured things out?"

An Ge responded,

"It’s not that I’ve figured it out, but I have no other choice. You neither like me nor love me, your mind is set on avenging your ’White Moonlight,’ and going against you won’t end well for me. Plus, with my uncle now hidden by your men, I can’t confront you head-on. So, whatever you want to do, just do it."

An Ge’s words aroused suspicion in Huo Shaoyan.

He asked with a half-smile, "So obedient? Three days ago, you were defiant to the death..."

"President Huo, people are creatures that seek benefits and avoid harm. I’m not that stupid. I made this painful decision after weighing the pros and cons. If the child is yours, everyone wins. If not, I must suffer the consequences."

Huo Shaoyan pointedly remarked, "You’re not planning on running off with the baby behind my back, are you?"

Pricked by the thought, An Ge’s heart nearly leaped into her throat, but she quickly composed herself, saying,

"President Huo, I’d like to, but I don’t have that ability."

Huo Shaoyan said, "I’m relieved you have this self-awareness. If you see anything nice and want to bid for it, go ahead, I’ll pay. Enjoy yourself," he paused, his words layered with meaning, "Have fun."

After ending the call with Huo Shaoyan, An Ge clutched her wildly beating heart, struggling to calm down.

Huo Shaoyan was too daunting, making An Ge’s immediate plan of running off with the baby seem difficult.

Yet, if the DNA test results showed the child wasn’t Huo Shaoyan’s, he wouldn’t spare her child.

So, she had to plan her responses before Huo Shaoyan forced her into an abortion.

With a clear line of thinking, An Ge’s previously frantic heart settled into calmness.

Five minutes later, she met up with Nan Xiao, who arrived later than her.

Nan Xiao wasn’t alone; she was holding the hand of a little boy, around four or five, strikingly handsome, unmistakably Xiao Chaofeng’s child.

An Ge looked at Nan Xiao in surprise and asked, "He..."

Nan Xiao replied, "Picked him up on the street. Couldn’t shake him off."

Xiao Jincheng corrected Nan Xiao, "It’s not that I couldn’t be shaken off; I followed you because I like you."

Maybe it was the impending motherhood, but even upon first meeting, An Ge found herself fond of Xiao Jincheng.

She crouched down, asking gently, "What’s your name?"

Xiao Jincheng looked at her, proudly stating, "Xiao Jincheng. Since you’re friends with Nan Xiao, I allow you to call me Ah Chen."

An Ge chuckled, reaching out to pinch his cheek, but the little guy quickly backed away, hiding behind Nan Xiao,

"You women are terrifying! You see a handsome man and just want to touch him, no self-restraint!"

An Ge laughed out loud, her eyes curving into crescents like the moon.

From across the crowd, Tang Jiuze could see her beaming with joy.

It seemed ages since he’d seen her smiling so freely.

Tang Jiuze called his assistant, instructing him, "Go tell her that my mother is waiting for her in the VIP lounge."

After numerous clashes with Huo Shaoyan, Tang Jiuze had suffered considerably.

Experience taught him caution was necessary in public settings.

Five minutes later, An Ge followed Tang Jiuze’s assistant into a VIP lounge.

However, instead of meeting Wen Qing, she found Tang Jiuze waiting.

When An Ge saw Tang Jiuze, she tried to leave without hesitation, but Tang Jiuze, seated on the sofa, stopped her,

"Why rush? In such a setting, do you think I could harm you?"

An Ge halted, though she did not turn back.

Tang Jiuze Company had been under heavy pressure from Huo Shaoyan lately, which had been quite a headache for Tang Jiuze, leaving him with no such intentions toward An Ge.

He said, "Come sit, let’s talk for a while."

Then he paused, his tone hinting at something,

"I’ll have my assistant bring my mother over. It won’t take long."

Upon hearing this, An Ge turned, taking a seat on the sofa across from him.

The man seemed to have a headache, massaging his brow repeatedly, his expression showing a hint of fatigue.

Thinking for a moment, An Ge asked, "What’s wrong with you?"

"Old problem."

An Ge acknowledged with an "oh," then added, "If we’re going to talk, can we be frank?"

Tang Jiuze raised his eyes, looking at her intently, "Sure."

An Ge discreetly pressed the recording button on the pen hidden in her pocket, saying,

"Was it you or An Baoying spreading the rumor that I lost my virginity to you at sixteen and got pregnant?"

"It wasn’t me."

An Ge raised her eyebrows,

"It wasn’t you, yet you never outright denied it. By endlessly indulging An Baoying and the others, my reputation became tarnished. You’re an accomplice."

Tang Jiuze let out a sneer,

"So, you’re here to confront me?"

An Ge smirked,

"You took advantage of my memory loss after the fever, making me consistently question any unclear past we might have. In reality, besides the marriage agreement between our mothers, we probably have a cleaner slate than a blank page, don’t we?"

Tang Jiuze, with a faint smile, remarked,

"I indeed never touched you. One, because you were too young back then—even if I liked you, I couldn’t become such a morally corrupt beast; two, you were never an easy target. Before memory loss, you were strong-willed and fiery. I couldn’t possibly have acted that way."

After pausing briefly, he continued,

"However, cleaner than a blank page, not quite. That time you got kidnapped and almost violated by the kidnappers, I saved you when you were nearly naked."

An Ge’s face instantly flushed red to her ears.

Not just her ears—her eyes tinged red as well, seemingly out of shame, but also maybe anger.

Tang Jiuze took in her reaction completely, smiling with evident enjoyment,

"You were young then, like an unripe fruit, body-wise not much to marvel at."

An Ge: "..."

Strictly speaking, she wasn’t entirely exposed.

When Tang Jiuze rescued her from the kidnappers on the ship, she wore nothing but a thin veil over her underwear.

The veil was too sheer, barely concealing anything.

But, with her long hair draped over her front, it did cover much of what should remain unseen.

Tang Jiuze, seeing An Ge’s increasingly angered expression, turned the conversation to what mattered most to him,

"When are you divorcing Huo Shaoyan?"

An Ge replied, "I’d like to, but he won’t let go."

With an understanding look, Tang Jiuze said, "Then he still finds you amusing."

An Ge frowned, "Do you have to speak so unpleasantly?"

Tang Jiuze scoffed, "The truth is often unpleasant. Isn’t he playing with you, rather than loving you?"

Meanwhile, Huo Shaoyan, nearing the charity dinner’s location, pulled out his phone and dialed An Ge’s number.

He wondered if his sudden appearance would bring her delight, causing her to run into his arms, coquettishly asking for a hug.