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"Master, if Miss Su's beloved is female, then whose child is she carrying in her womb?"

Chu Yuening gestured for silence and turned to the silent Su Xiuya, asking, "May I share this information?"

The details were a part of the client's privacy.

Considering the public impact and Su Xiuya's pregnancy, Chu Yuening decided to seek permission first.

If Su Xiuya declined to disclose, she would conclude the divination.

Unperturbed, Su Xiuya gently caressed her belly with a smile. "Master, since you have already discerned it, there's no harm in revealing it."

Upon hearing that the true reason was about to be disclosed, the neighbors pricked up their ears.

Shanpo, supporting Auntie Ding, tiptoed and strained her right ear towards the dessert stall.

Chu Yuening analyzed the birth dates. "In the characters, 'Tiger' signifies loneliness, and 'Dog' implies widowhood. Miss Su carries the destiny of being alone and without blood relatives. This means that the twins in her womb are not of her own bloodline."

Her words only served to confuse the crowd further once spoken.

Shanpo took down her peach wood comb and brushed through her white hair repeatedly, as if untangling a knotty problem.

"Miss Su's beloved is a woman, and the unborn child has no blood ties?"

As she combed, Shanpo silently placed the comb back into her hair, "Indeed, living for so long exposes one to all sorts of peculiarities."

Observing Su Xiuya's protruding belly, a neighbor asked, "Miss Su, the baby truly isn't yours?"

Su Xiuya gently caressed her belly, feeling the playful kicks of the fetus beneath. With a tender expression, she replied, "The baby indeed isn't mine."

The neighbor persisted, "If it's not yours, then whose is it?"

"It's Ai Rui's, my beloved," Su Xiuya stroked her belly, back and forth. "Though we are both women, love between us is just as genuine."

Upon learning the truth, everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

So, Ai Rui had borrowed Su Xiuya's womb to carry their child.

Essentially, it was a case of T (donor egg) and P (pregnant carrier).

"Master, is this really acceptable?"

"Oh right, Ning Ning, since Miss Su is carrying someone else's child, won't there be a risk of blood rejection?"

"It's indeed very risky to carry another person's baby in one's own body."

Su Xiuya felt a warm glow in her heart as she experienced such concern from her neighbors for the first time. The anger and sorrow she had over the intrusion of a third party had faded, replaced by a gentle smile on her lips.

"No worries. There are already stable techniques abroad that ensure no issues with my body."

"The risks aren't as high. But since the child isn't biologically yours, your body might experience rejection. Your pregnancy will likely be more challenging than for an average woman," Chu Yuening said, looking at Su Xiuya's belly. "How far along are you?"

Su Xiuya caressed her belly and smiled. "A little over three months. I just started feeling the baby move."

Chu Yuening commented, "Carrying twins is already tough for any woman. Is it worth it?"

Su Xiuya's belly, after three months, appeared as large as a typical six-month single pregnancy. Being an older expectant mother, coupled with her poor nutrition during childhood that she never managed to recover from, her body was drained of nutrients even further due to supporting two fetuses.

Aside from her swollen belly, Su Xiuya's complexion was sallow, and her hands and feet were as thin as twigs.

"It's worth it," Su Xiuya smiled. "I'd do anything for Ai Rui. As women, we naturally can't bear children ourselves."

"Ai Rui loves children, and her parents long for grandchildren. When she proposed this solution, I agreed so that we could be together forever."

"I'll carry her child, ensuring that there won't be any possibility of one party not loving the child once they're born."

Su Xiuya envisioned their blissful future life.

"We can pick up the kids from school together, play with them, and watch them grow, just like a typical family."

"Even if she's being unfaithful now?" Chu Yuening asked.

Su Xiuya pretended not to care. "I believe Ai Rui is just momentarily confused. Once I carry her child, she'll definitely return to our family. Mistakes aren't scary; it's about acknowledging and changing them."

Su Xiuya clutched the fabric of her clothes tightly, her voice trembling.

Women have a keen intuition. When she detected a different scent of perfume on Ai Rui's clothing upon her return home, when she found lipstick marks on her shirt, and when she noticed Ai Rui's bare nails, no one could comprehend her despair.

A drowning sensation tore through her being, engulfing her utterly.

Su Xiuya closed her eyes, unsure if she was trying to convince others or herself as she repeatedly said, "As long as the third party leaves, Ai Rui will definitely come back."

"She won't come back."

Chu Yuening's words snapped Su Xiuya's eyes open.

"Actually, if we follow the order of arrival, you're the one who came in later," Chu Yuening pointed out the fact.

"No... That can't be possible."

It was as if a basin of cold water had been poured over Su Xiuya on a frigid winter day.

"When I met Ai Rui, I confirmed that she was single," Su Xiuya defended.

"She would naturally give the impression of being single if she wanted to win you over," Chu Yuening observed, studying Su Xiuya's pale face and the hand caressing her belly.

Su Xiuya clasped her hands together tightly.

"In truth, she has had a long-term girlfriend for many years."

Su Xiuya's face turned pale as she shook her head. "No... It can't be."

Observing Su Xiuya's impending fate, Chu Yuening didn't hold back and disclosed the facts she had divined. "She only wants to deceive you into bearing her child."

"Ai Rui approached you with ulterior motives from the very beginning. She is a lesbian, but when she came out, her parents didn't approve. Facing their persistent demand for a grandson, she couldn't bear to see her original partner suffer. After discussion, they decided to find an unsuspecting woman outside to fulfill this purpose."