Become a mother in a night

Chapter 42

Michelle Xia was uncertain about what an appropriate gift would be for a male friend. In the end, she settled on something that she believed was a safe choice and unlikely to be misconstrued—tea leaves.
She wasn't sure if Alex Ye enjoyed tea, but she knew Eleanor Ye did. If Alex was exclusively a coffee drinker, then he could always pass the tea along to Eleanor.
She had chosen black tea, which was known for being gentle on the stomach. She had done her homework before making the purchase, opting for a high-end variety, confident that it wouldn't be looked down upon.
However...
This was her first time gifting something to a man who wasn't a family member, and she was undeniably nervous.
Especially given the nuanced relationship between them.
Michelle tried to maintain her composure, her smile graceful and poised, genuine in her gratitude towards Alex.
When she handed over the gift box with both hands, Alex glanced up at her.
He offered a subtle smile, accepting her gift with a slightly distracted tone, "You really didn't need to go to such lengths."
Michelle recalled how Alex, under the pretext of "thanking a friend for helping with the kids", had previously given her a bottle of perfume as a gift. Now, she felt like she was finally returning the gesture in kind.
She responded with a smile, "It's no trouble. Even as friends, I genuinely wanted to express my gratitude for the significant favor you've done for me."
Alex looked up at Michelle, picking up on the undertone in her words, referring to his previous forceful gifting. However, he sensed something else in her phrase, "Even as friends."
He simply nodded, replying with a nonchalant "Hmm," and chose not to elaborate further.
Once back in his study, he placed the gift box to one side and settled down to work on his computer.
His gaze drifted back to the box of tea leaves a few times, and by the time he refocused on his work, he realized that twenty minutes had passed.
Alex: "..."
Procrastinating during work hours was one thing, but doing so during overtime was just as shameful.
Michelle Xia's process of re-enrolling in school would still take some time, but she wasn't in a rush; she could wait.
Perhaps her return to academia had boosted her confidence, for Michelle found herself less resistant to the idea of writing once more. Thinking back, the memories weren't as agonizing as she had once perceived them to be.
Before she had put down her pen and taken up a pseudonym as a ghostwriter, she had some controversies tied to her name. The final straw that led to her decision to stop writing was when a colleague and close friend falsely accused her of plagiarism. The ensuing online backlash and her struggle with a writing block crushed her spirit, leading to her decision to withdraw from the writing community.
Even when others came forward to vindicate her, Michelle couldn't move past the trauma. The mere thought of writing filled her with dread. At most, she could ghostwrite for others.
Her rationale was simple: if her writings weren't published under her name, then any potential backlash wouldn't be directed at her. She wanted to avoid the toxicity of online hate.
Michelle began exploring original fiction websites in this world. She perused various writer forums and narrowed her choices down to two platforms: "ScribeSphere" and "LitConnect".
She inquired with her contact, fafa, "Hey, between ScribeSphere and LitConnect, which one do you think is better?"
Knowing Michelle's aspirations, fafa immediately began to pitch her own writing studio to Michelle.
However, Michelle was not keen on the studio's approach to creation. No matter how enticing fafa made it sound, Michelle was adamant about not joining.
In the end, fafa relented but made sure to mention the potential for collaboration in the future.
fafa gave a quick comparison of the two platforms: "ScribeSphere has a larger readership and better funding. But, it's also home to many prominent authors, making it hard for newbies to break through."
fafa continued, "LitConnect might not have the resources of ScribeSphere, but it has a more accepting readership. Unlike ScribeSphere, where readers are quick to criticize and sometimes downright abusive, leaving one questioning their life choices."
fafa added, "Both sites sign authors, and their contracts are straightforward with defined penalties. Personally, I'd recommend LitConnect. ScribeSphere might be popular, but mid-tier authors often get overshadowed."
Michelle responded with gratitude, "Thanks for the info, fafa."
Not giving up, fafa pressed on, "Sweetie, are you sure you don't want to join my studio?"
Michelle playfully retorted, "First, think about my current rates. Don't say I didn't give you a chance."
fafa laughed, "Always bringing up money. I see what you're made of."
Indeed, Michelle's rates were steep for fafa's studio. fafa recognized Michelle's talent and knew she couldn't retain her. But the two remained friends, often chatting and sharing advice.
However, fafa's recommendation fell on deaf ears, for Michelle had set her sights on ScribeSphere.
Michelle affirmed, "I've decided on ScribeSphere."
fafa sighed, "Whatever makes you happy."
Michelle simply replied, "Thank you."
Having settled on a platform, Michelle returned to the forums, eager to gather more insights into the industry.
She spent over two hours scrolling through the forum, and took several tours around the ScribeSphere website. Eventually, she had a rough idea and thought she might lie low for a while before making any decision.
Michelle wasn't in a rush. She had some savings to splurge on for a while.
Although both tasks involve writing, there's a distinct difference between original content and ghostwriting for her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to delve into original content creation yet.
Since Alex and Lizzy had mutually decided the previous night to continue watching cartoons this evening, Michelle had to reschedule her gym time to the afternoon. Post workout, she would pick up Lizzy from school.
Today, Michelle didn't see Aria. It was Nathan who came to pick up Sophie.
Michelle got along well with Aria, and not seeing her, Michelle thought back to when Aria mentioned her second pregnancy. She couldn't help but worry if something might have happened to Aria.
Michelle greeted Nathan and inquired about Aria's whereabouts.
Nathan explained to Michelle, "The kids at the kindergarten love to run around. We're worried someone might accidentally bump into her. So, for the foreseeable future, I'll be picking up Sophie."
Whenever Nathan spoke of Aria, the corners of his lips would involuntarily turn up, and even his eyes softened. Those who knew Nathan were well aware that his love for Aria ran deep.
Michelle wasn't close with Nathan, but in that moment, she understood why Aria had married so young.
Sophie, however, wasn't too fond of Nathan. Seeing him come to pick her up, she scowled and reluctantly approached him.
The two children greeted Michelle and Nathan respectively. Nathan was about to take Sophie home when Sophie started throwing a tantrum.
Sophie protested, "I want to play with Lizzy!"
In the end, Michelle went home with both kids in tow.
Michelle: "..."
Michelle hadn't expected Nathan to be as much of a workaholic as Alex.
When Nathan heard that Sophie wanted to visit their home, he placated her with a few soothing words, then confidently left her in Michelle's care before heading back to the office for overtime.
The two kids got along well, and they were usually well-behaved when playing together. Looking after them wasn't too taxing, so Michelle didn't mind Sophie coming over.
In fact, when Lizzy played with Sophie, Michelle found it even more relaxing. That's because Lizzy, the little clingy one, would be too engrossed in play to cling to her mother.
When Alex returned home and saw the two kids, he was momentarily surprised. However, knowing their close bond, he didn't find it strange.
He had specifically bought candies, cookies, and yogurt from the mall that day and now distributed them among the children.
The sight of treats naturally delighted the kids. With beaming smiles, they took their snacks and continued playing their games.
Kids of the same age always seem to have endless little tales to share. After discussing the day's events at kindergarten, Sophie began to share an almost top-secret piece of information with Lizzy about the baby brother in Aria's tummy.
With great seriousness, Sophie said, "Lizzy, let me tell you, the little brother in my mom's tummy is very naughty!"
Lizzy blinked her curious eyes, "How is he naughty?"
Sophie elaborated, "My dad told me. He said the little brother is naughty because he makes my mom feel sick all the time. Every time she eats, she throws up."
Sophie continued, "Because my mom has a baby brother in her tummy now, dad doesn't let her take me to the park anymore." She sighed dramatically, "Having a little brother is such a hassle."
Lizzy initially felt worried upon hearing that Aria would throw up every time she ate. But soon her emotion shifted to envy for Sophie.
Lizzy lamented, "I wish I had a little brother too." She pouted, "Why doesn't mommy have a brother in her tummy?"
In the living room, watching the news, Mr. Ye overheard every word of the kids' conversation.
Alex thought to himself: 'Stop dropping hints, stop dropping hints. Dad is still trying.'
Emerging from the room, Michelle overheard Lizzy's dramatic words and instinctively touched her waist.
Michelle thought, 'Don't even think about it. It's never happening in this lifetime.'