128: Chapter 229 Settling Down in Spring City to Prepare for Childbirth

The weekend weather was clear and bright, as if specially paving a golden backdrop for this secret "migration."

Yu Bo drove himself, taking Tang Guo as they headed south all the way to that city where spring lasts all year round.

He brought no entourage, only her and him, like an ordinary couple out for a trip.

It was already evening when they arrived in Spring City.

The setting sun gilded this city, known for its flowers and warm sunshine, with a gentle golden rim.

The air was filled with a faint floral fragrance and the scent of moist earth, a stark contrast to the biting autumn chill of the north.

Yu Bo did not take her to a hotel, but drove straight into a high-end villa complex located at the junction of the city suburbs, where the environment was quiet and secluded.

The houses here were all detached, modern Chinese-style homes with white walls and black tiles, deep courtyards, and excellent privacy.

The car stopped in front of one of them.

"We're here. See if you like it." Yu Bo got out of the car, opened the door for her, and naturally took her hand.

The courtyard was larger and more exquisite than it had looked in the photos.

The front yard featured a meticulously manicured lawn and a small fountain; the side yard was planted with several tall banana trees and camellias; and the backyard had a small glass sunroom and a koi pond.

The three-story main building was decorated in a new Chinese style, elegant yet modern, with all furniture and appliances fully equipped, clearly having been carefully arranged in advance.

"It's not far from the city center, but it's quiet enough."

"The property management is run by an acquaintance, very reliable; no one will come to disturb you."

"I've already hired a nanny who will start work tomorrow. She's a local auntie who has been doing this for decades, is very experienced in taking care of pregnant women, is neat and efficient, and doesn't talk much." Yu Bo took her on a tour of the upstairs and downstairs, introducing the purpose of each room in a tone as calm as if he were introducing an investment property.

Tang Guo followed silently, her fingers brushing over the smooth solid wood banister, looking at the spacious and bright bedrooms, the fully equipped kitchen, and the terrace filled with green plants... This place was better and more comfortable than she had imagined, almost worthy of the warm appearance of a "home."

However, the more it felt like that, the heavier the chill in her heart became.

It didn't look like a temporary refuge, but rather like... an exquisite, long-term cage tailor-made for her.

The more thoroughly he prepared, the more it meant he had no intention of "solving" the problem in the short term, or rather, he intended to "solve" it in a more "comprehensive" way.

"Do you like it?" Yu Bo stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the master bedroom, turning to ask her.

The afterglow of the sunset edged his tall, straight figure with a golden rim; his face wore a gentle smile, but the depths of his eyes held a profoundness she could not understand.

"...It's very nice." Tang Guo lowered her head and said softly.

Could she say she didn't like it?

"That's good. From now on, this is your home in Spring City." Yu Bo walked over, put his arm around her shoulders, and brought her to the window to watch the twilight rising in the courtyard outside and the twinkling lights of the city in the distance together. "Settle down and don't think about anything."

"If you need anything, tell the nanny directly, or tell me."

"I've also contacted the hospital and doctor for your regular prenatal check-ups; it's the best private maternity hospital in the area, and it's absolutely confidential."

"You just need to focus on resting well, staying in a good mood, and giving birth to our little one in good health, that's all."

"Our little one"... This term made Tang Guo's heart tremble, stirring up a complex sense of bitterness.

He said it so naturally at this moment, as if he were truly looking forward to the arrival of this child.

Yet she knew that behind this anticipation lay cold calculations and unknown risks.

Dinner was cooked by Yu Bo himself, a few simple but exquisite dishes, light in flavor, suitable for a pregnant woman.

During the meal, he stopped bringing up those heavy topics, instead chatting idly about the weather, food, and customs of Spring City, even planning where he could take the child once he was a little older.

The atmosphere was so warm it almost made one hallucinate, as if they were truly a loving and ordinary couple about to welcome a new life.

At night, Yu Bo naturally stayed in the master bedroom.

His embrace remained powerful, his kisses lingering, even more gentle and meticulous than before, full of a sense of care.

But behind that intoxicating tenderness, Tang Guo could always feel a hint of scrutiny, a hint of assessment, as if he were confirming whether she was truly "behaving" and whether the "thing" in her belly was "all right."

Over the next few days, Yu Bo did not leave immediately.

He accompanied Tang Guo to familiarize herself with the environment, took her to the scheduled hospital for her first official prenatal check-up (the results were all normal, about 8 weeks pregnant), met the nanny, Aunt Zhang, who was quiet but efficient, and even went shopping together at a maternity and infant supply store, buying some maternity clothes and basic baby supplies.

He performed impeccably—patient, thoughtful, and generous—playing the role of a perfect "father-to-be."

Tang Guo also tried hard to cooperate, doing her best to make herself look "at ease" and "dependent."

She no longer shed tears, no longer questioned him, and even began to try smiling at Yu Bo, accepting his arrangements and intimacy.

But the string deep within her heart remained taut.

She could not truly relax, could not enjoy this seemingly "comfortable" life awaiting childbirth.

Every night, after Yu Bo fell asleep, she would quietly open her eyes, staring at the luxurious yet unfamiliar ceiling in the darkness, feeling the faint fetal movements in her abdomen, her heart filled with boundless fear and confusion about the future.

Would Yu Bo really keep his promise?

Could this child be born safely?

What kind of fate would the child face after birth?

And she, trapped in this magnificent cage, isolated from the world, how long could she hold on?

Three days later.

"There's an urgent matter at the company that I must go back to handle."

"I'll be back soon, in a week at most."

"Be good, listen to Aunt Zhang, eat and rest on time, and go for your regular prenatal check-ups."

"If you feel any discomfort, call me immediately, or have Aunt Zhang contact Dr. Zhao."

Tang Guo leaned in his arms, smelling the familiar, crisp scent on him, and gave a soft "Mm," with no extra words.

Yu Bo seemed very satisfied with her "obedience," kissed her again, and then turned to leave.

Listening to the sound of the car engine fading away, finally disappearing outside the villa area, Tang Guo stood in the empty living room and suddenly felt a chill all over her body.

This magnificent and comfortable "home" now seemed incomparably vast and cold.

Aunt Zhang was quietly busy in the kitchen, as if completely unaware of everything.

Tang Guo slowly walked back to the bedroom, closed the door, leaned her back against the cold door panel, and slowly slid down to the floor.

She buried her face in her knees, her shoulders heaving silently.

There was no sound of crying, only hot tears that quickly soaked her clothes.

She knew that Yu Bo's temporary departure did not mean any relaxation.

It was more like a test—a test to see if she would "behave herself" when he was "not looking."

Or perhaps, he left to handle some more "critical" matters related to her and the child.

She wiped away her tears, walked to the window, and looked at the excessively quiet path outside the courtyard.

The sunshine in Spring City was bright and warm, but it could not shine into the winter in her heart.

She stroked her slightly rounded, still not-so-obvious abdomen, where there was a fragile little life—her only, and most fragile, link to this world at this moment.

"Baby, what should Mommy do..." she murmured softly, her voice drifting into the empty room, with no one to answer.