Lin Zihao quickly steadied Zhou Huai'an. "Go home? You were unconscious for two weeks—you just woke up yesterday! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Zhou Huai'an frowned. "I promised Xiaoxiao I'd be back in a month. It's been almost three. She must be worried sick. I need to go."

Lin Zihao sighed in frustration. "Do you have any idea how badly you were injured? You think you can handle a long train ride? My advice is to recover here first. Let your parents know, and go back in a couple of weeks."

Zhou Huai'an refused to listen. "I'm fine. Just get the ticket. I promised her."

Lin Zihao couldn't understand why Zhou Huai'an was being so stubborn. Since when was a promise more important than his life? He compromised, "At least wait two more days. Alright?"

Zhou Huai'an fell silent, which Lin Zihao took as agreement.

Relieved, Lin Zihao relaxed a little. If Zhou Huai'an tried to travel now, he probably wouldn't make it home alive.

He changed the subject. "Hu Shiliang and Hu Yaozong have been arrested. You did well—taking down a long-term spy operative on the spot. His identity has been confirmed."

He still found it hard to believe that Zhou Huai'an, who'd always struggled with psychological barriers, had managed to eliminate the target despite his own severe injuries.

Zhou Huai'an didn't respond. His vision had been blurry at the time, but one thought had kept him going: he had to return. He couldn't leave Lin Xiaoxiao alone in this world.

After a pause, Lin Zihao asked, "Should we inform your parents? Let them come see you?"

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "No. They have enough to deal with right now. No need to worry them."

With Hu Yaozong arrested and Zhou Xiaohong legally married to him, the Zhou family was surely in turmoil.

When Zhou Zhennan learned the full story, he locked himself in his study for a long time, torn between anger and pity for his daughter.

Li Yunlan was also at a loss. Watching Zhou Xiaohong crying on the sofa, she sighed. "Let's get a divorce. Thankfully, there was no wedding ceremony. Almost no one knows."

Zhou Xiaohong wiped her tears. "How can I face anyone after this? The school is already investigating me because we're married—and Hu Yaozong's crimes are no small matter."

Li Yunlan could only sigh. "What's done is done. Just don't be so impulsive in the future."

Zhou Xiaohong broke down completely. "Mom, I know I was wrong! What am I going to do?"

If Hu Yaozong was convicted, she could lose her job. What would she do then?

Hearing her cries, Zhou Zhennan came out of his study. Despite himself, he was still angry. "Xiaohong, if only you'd listened to me back then, things wouldn't have come to this. You always think you're the victim, but who can you blame now?"

Zhou Xiaohong cried even harder. She regretted everything, but it was too late.

Li Yunlan's heart ached for her daughter. She patted her back. "We'll find a way to get the divorce first. Learn from this—be more careful next time."

Zhou Zhennan frowned. "That's all we can do now. And it's not just you—the whole family will be investigated. But if we've done nothing wrong, we have nothing to fear."

Zhou Xiaohong, overwhelmed and confused, suddenly blurted out, "It's all Zhou Huai'an's fault! Why did he—"

Before she could finish, Zhou Zhennan slapped her across the face—a blow filled with pain and utter disappointment. "Zhou Xiaohong! How dare you? Are you saying your brother shouldn't have exposed their crimes? How did we raise a child who doesn't know right from wrong?"

The slap jolted Zhou Xiaohong back to her senses. She didn't know what had come over her.

Li Yunlan was also stunned. She looked at her daughter with dismay. "Xiaohong, how could you say such a thing?"

Zhou Xiaohong shook her head wildly. "Mom, I didn't mean it! I—"

Zhou Zhennan pointed angrily toward the door. "Get out! Our family has no daughter like you.

Don't tell me it was a slip of the tongue—I'm sure that's what you really think. Get out!"

Tears streaming down her face, Zhou Xiaohong looked at her father. Usually so gentle, he was now trembling with rage, veins bulging at his temples. She finally realized how unforgivable her words had been.

She fell to her knees. "Dad, I was wrong! I shouldn't have said that! I didn't mean it..."

Zhou Zhennan didn't want to hear it. "Just go! From now on, act as if we never had a daughter.

Get out!"

Without another glance, he turned and went back to his study.

Li Yunlan also stood up. "Xiaohong, you should leave. No matter what we do, it's never enough for you. You're all grown up—you don't need your parents anymore. Go."

She followed her husband upstairs, her heart broken by her daughter's betrayal.

Zhou Xiaohong remained kneeling on the floor, weeping.

October arrived, and the weather turned cold almost overnight. None of Lin Xiaoxiao's old clothes fit anymore. Although she hadn't gained much weight, her waist and bust had expanded significantly.

Her belly, in particular, had rounded into a noticeable bump—like a small watermelon.

Even without experience, Lin Xiaoxiao knew enough about medicine to realize that a belly this size at this stage was unusual. Could she be carrying twins?

After all, twins did run in Zhou Huai'an's family.

The curiosity ate at her. She had to know.

Just in case, she became even more cautious and shared her suspicion with Zhou Xiaoling.

Zhou Xiaoling, who knew even less about pregnancy, immediately took it as fact. "Twins?! A boy and a girl? We haven't prepared enough! I need to call Mom."

Lin Xiaoxiao thought it wouldn't hurt to let them know. "They say it might snow in the next couple of days. Wait till the weather clears. But if it is twins, we'll need twice as much of everything."

Double the blankets, double the clothes—the thought was overwhelming.

Once again, she found herself annoyed at Zhou Huai'an for still being away.

Zhou Xiaoling gently touched Lin Xiaoxiao's belly. "If it is twins, have you thought about names?"

Lin Xiaoxiao shook her head. "We'll just pick something simple. Monday and Tuesday?"

Zhou Xiaoling burst out laughing. "That's even worse than Big Ox and Little Ox!"

Still irritated at her absent husband, Lin Xiaoxiao replied, "Big Ox and Little Ox would do just fine for nicknames."

That night, snow began to fall.

Wrapped in a padded coat, Lin Xiaoxiao stood in the yard watching the flakes drift down. "Snow in early October... How cold is winter going to be here?"