Chapter 22 - Yeah, it's not bad

Han Ye did not let his thoughts betray him. He kept a calm expression on as he asked,

"Yes, sure. But may I know the reason? You seem fine with it yesterday."

"No reason. Just… I don't think I can be a good surrogate mother. I'm just a street kid with no identity of my own. Who knows what kind of bad genes I carry with me? I should have thought more about it."

When she was showering earlier, she saw the scars on her body that were reflected in the huge mirror in the bathroom. Along with those that she got from her less than beautiful past, the accident from twenty years ago had left its mark on her as well. Even though most of it had faded with the passing of time, they still reminded her of how dangerous it was to expose herself.

And to carry the child of Shenlong Xun and Luo Guang Ying? It was basically to carry the risk of having her identity exposed. She doubted that they would protect her and her son once they found out who she was. After all, she was not related to any of them.

And if her identity was exposed, not only those from her family but those from her past would come looking for her as well. That crazy man from her past as well… She regretted what she did to him, but it was necessary.

Just thinking about him made her shivered.

"Ms. Xiao Lei."

Xiao Lei looked up at Han Ye and shook her head. "Just Xiao Lei is fine."

"As you wish. Xiao Lei, Mr. Luo chose you because he likes you. As for Director Shenlong… Between the two of us," said Han Ye as he stood up so that his neck would not hurt from looking up the whole time, "he doesn't have any say nor that he cares. As long as Mr. Luo likes you, Director Shenlong doesn't care that you don't have a formal identity. Based on your reaction previously, I'm sure you know just how powerful he is. He can easily create one for you."

She knew about that obviously. Still, she shook her head and with a determined expression, she maintained, "I've made up my mind."

Han Ye nodded. "Alright then. If that's your wish, I'll let them know. I'm sure Director Shenlong and Mr. Luo will understand."

Xiao Lei glanced around the room before asking meekly, "As for the hotel room…"

"Don't worry about it. They won't mind it."

Xiao Lei breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing it. Some people might not be so kind and if they were to force her to pay, she doubted she would be able to pay for the room even after working for years. "Please help me thank them… and tell them that I'm sorry."

Han Ye nodded. However, deep inside his heart, he felt a little disappointed for those two since he knew that they had been searching for the perfect mother for their child. Especially Callum.

Han Ye knew that the man spent a lot of effort before he managed to convince Guang Ying to have a child with him.

If Guang Ying suddenly changed his mind again, Han Ye was sure that Callum would cry out loud like a baby. If people knew that the heir of Shenlong House was such a crybaby in private, they would be thoroughly disappointed.

Still, even then, he could not force the woman to be the surrogate mother if she did not want to, and he knew that those two men would not want to force anybody either. Callum might try to convince her with money and gifts, but Han Ye doubted that Guang Ying would allow the man to do so.

With the same calm and collected expression that he showed to everyone outside of his personal life, Han Ye nodded. "Yeah, sure... Then, please eat your breakfast. I'll send you home once you're done."

At the mention of breakfast, Xiao Lei smiled genuinely, "Thanks… Han Ye."

This might be the last time she would be able to eat to her fill for a while, so she wanted to enjoy it.

Han Ye was a little stunned when Xiao Lei showed him such a bright smile. However, he did not say much.

Instead, he watched as she walked to the dining table and the smile on her face grew wider when she saw that there was a huge selection of food on it.

Not only porridge and cuc.u.mber slices, but there were also some cold cuts, butter and bread, different selection of cheese with crackers on the side, a glass of milk, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of water. Everything was carefully placed on the table for her.

Xiao Lei was about to eat when she noticed that Han Ye was looking at her. She then quickly cleared her throat before asking, "Han Ye, would you like to join me for breakfast?"

Han Ye hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I can eat a little…"

And he only managed to eat a little. He had only eaten a slice of bread slattered with organic butter and was about to reach out for another when he saw how fast Xiao Lei was eating.

"Did someone starve her in her past life?" thought Han Ye as he looked at her with an amused expression. His amus.e.m.e.nt turned to surprise as he watched the woman cleaned the entire table.

Once she was done eating, Xiao Lei patted her stomach and gave Han Ye a huge grin. "Free food is the best, isn't it?"

Han Ye was still slightly stunned that such a thin woman could eat so much, and it took him a few seconds to register that she asked him a question.

He faked a cough before replying her, "Yeah, it's not bad."

...

When they were at the lift, Xiao Lei told Han Ye that she would meet him at the lobby. "I left something in the room," she said before she jogged back into the room.

"Alright. I'll wait near the reception counter."

…

At the reception counter, Han Ye was chatting with the receptionist when from the corner of his eyes, he saw Head Manager Han talking to an old woman at a corner.

"Who is that?" Han Ye asked the receptionist.

The receptionist took a glance before she shrugged.

"Lately, she's been coming here every few days looking for Head Manager Han. I don't know who she is, but Head Manager Han told us to say that he's unavailable if she asked for him. She caught him today when he was sending one of our prestigious clients out earlier."

When Head Manager Han turned away from the woman and saw Han Ye looking at him, he immediately grabbed the old woman's arm and led her out of the hotel.

Han Ye frowned. It was unlike Head Manager Han to be so rough with someone in the hotel.