C2 I Am Happy to be a Father!

"Married at the Civil Affairs Bureau? What's that supposed to mean?"

As Ann Lan stood up, Lin Chen's eyes were drawn to her protruding belly, and he leapt to his feet, his face contorted with the rage of feeling duped.

"Damn it, I came here to interview for a security job, not to sign up for fatherhood."

"You've got the wrong guy if you think I'm going to take the fall for this!"

It was understandable why Lin Chen was fuming. Nobody could keep their cool when unexpectedly thrust into the role of a father.

"Asshole, what are you blabbering about? This child is yours..." Ann Lan began, but cut herself off, barely holding back from spilling the truth to Lin Chen.

And besides, did she really care about marrying him if it wasn't just to silence the gossip?

With a deep breath to quell her irritation, Ann Lan tossed the contract onto the table in front of Lin Chen and flipped to the second page.

"Read this carefully. The contract clearly states... Once signed, the party agrees to accept everything from the other party, child included."

"During this time, the party must fulfill the roles of both husband and father."

"Should the other party be dissatisfied, it will constitute a breach of contract, incurring a penalty of ten million yuan."

Sun Lili chimed in, trying to calm Lin Chen down, "Don't get mad. The child may not be yours, but the wife is!"

"And let's face it, our Lanlan is gorgeous. You're not getting a bad deal."

Despite the child not being yours, the wife is!

Lin Chen nearly choked on his own outrage at the audacity of the statement. What kind of twisted logic was that?

"The contract is for one year. After that, we can divorce," Ann Lan interjected, offering a lifeline to Lin Chen who was on the verge of exploding.

Lin Chen, feigning dissatisfaction, protested, "That's not going to cut it. As the most handsome and eligible bachelor in our village, how can I face people if they think I'm eager to play daddy?"

"A monthly salary of fifty thousand yuan!"

"Isn't a year a bit too long?"

"One hundred thousand yuan a month!"

"It's a deal!" Lin Chen slapped his chest triumphantly, maintaining his moral high ground, "The money doesn't matter. I'm just a guy who likes to lend a helping hand."

"When a child is born, if they don't see their father, it's something they'll regret for a lifetime."

"That's why I've decided I'm going to be your child's dad!"

An hour later, the trio arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Lin Chen, clutching the red marriage booklet and contract, couldn't shake off a creeping sense of regret. What had come over him, letting money cloud his judgment like that?

She was gorgeous, with a stunning figure, but he was limited to just looking—no touching. It felt like a raw deal.

"Well done, Lin Chen."

"I, Sun Lili, have never bowed to heaven or earth, but I'll make an exception for a kind-hearted man like you!"

"From now on, focus on being a good dad to our Lanlan and taking care of her."

Back in the car, Sun Lili handed Lin Chen a bank card she had prepared earlier. Her face bore a look of respect and encouragement.

"Cut the crap," Lin Chen retorted with an eye roll, "I have one condition. During this contract, you can't meddle in my personal life."

"Otherwise, I'd rather breach the contract than play dad."

Ann Lan's face twisted in anger, biting back curses.

She was carrying Lin Chen's child, and this despicable man still had the nerve to think about affairs?

Just as Ann Lan was about to refuse, Sun Lili's designer bag buzzed with an incoming call.

"Hello... What's that? Someone was beaten up..."

After the call, Sun Lili glanced at Ann Lan in the rear seat, her face etched with hesitation.

She knew Ann Lan well enough to predict a furious reaction to such news, which could be dangerous for the pregnancy.

"What's going on?" Ann Lan demanded, sensing Sun Lili's reluctance.

She understood Sun Lili's intention to spare her stress, but with Ann's Group in turmoil, she couldn't afford to ignore the situation.

"Wang Sheng from the security department went to Prosperous Group to collect the 50 million from Sun Hao."

"Instead of paying up, Sun Hao not only refused but also resorted to violence. The worst injury... both legs broken..." Sun Lili's face darkened as she recounted the incident.

"Can the Prosperous Group really be this reckless? It's utterly outrageous!" Ann Lan slammed her fist onto the seat, her pretty face seething with rage.

But in the next moment, a sharp pain unexpectedly shot through her abdomen. Her complexion went ghostly pale, and a fine sheen of sweat beaded on her smooth forehead, clearly indicating the extent of her agony.

"Lanlan!" Sun Lili exclaimed, her voice laced with alarm. "Hang in there, I'm taking you to the hospital right now!" Without hesitation, she fired up the engine.

"Secretary Sun, your company's been having a rough time lately, hasn't it?" Lin Chen, seated next to Ann Lan, hinted with a pointed tone.

"How did you know?"

"Come on, you're Lanlan's husband now. She's in agony; the least you could do is lend a hand."

Catching Lin Chen's indifferent posture through the rearview mirror, his arms crossed in detachment, Sun Lili seethed with frustration.

"With a CEO as fiery as that, how could things be smooth?" Lin Chen quipped with a smirk. "If I were you, I'd have jumped ship a long time ago."

Sun Lili was well aware that Ann Lan's temperament had taken a sharp turn for the worse since her pregnancy, likely due to hormonal changes, causing her to inadvertently alienate many.

But now was not the time to delve into that.

Fixing Lin Chen with a stern gaze, Sun Lili warned, "Stop making things worse. If anything happens to Lanlan or my godson, I'll never let you off the hook!"

Lin Chen, having previously glimpsed with his Magical Third Eye that Ann Lan was carrying a girl, rolled his eyes at Sun Lili's words.

He gestured impatiently, "Pull over."

"Now's not the time to pull over; we need to get to the hospital!" Ann Lan snapped, the pain in her belly so intense that every movement required her utmost effort.

With a fierce glare, she threatened, "Lin Chen, I'm warning you. If anything happens to my child, you'll regret it for the rest of your life..."

Despite the impulsive nature of her pregnancy, the bond between mother and child was already deep. Ann Lan had come to cherish the unborn life within her as if it were her very own.

"If you want the child to make it, you'll follow my instructions." Lin Chen wasn't exactly thrilled about impending fatherhood, but he couldn't just ignore a matter of life or death.

"With the way things are now, the baby won't survive the trip to the hospital if you keep jostling around."

At his words, Sun Lili shuddered and carefully steered the car to the side of the road.

"Asshole! What the hell are you saying?" Ann Lan was furious, her anger nearly palpable. She might put up with Lin Chen's crap, but she wouldn't stand for him cursing her unborn child.

"Lin Chen, cut the crap."

"Just last time I went with Lanlan for a prenatal visit, the doctor said the baby was developing well."

Worried that Ann Lan might be provoked by Lin Chen's words, Sun Lili quickly turned to interject.

Lin Chen cast a glance at Sun Lili's chest where her seatbelt lay and spoke earnestly, "They say the face reflects the heart. Judging by her features, she's strong-willed yet inherently delicate."

"People like her are masters of disguise, whether it's their usual aloofness or the volatility in stressful situations, it's all a cover for their inner vulnerability."

"But the more they suppress it, the more likely it is that pent-up true emotions will affect the baby's development..."

Before he could finish, Ann Lan snapped, "Speak plainly!"

Lin Chen: "..."

"To put it simply, too much negative emotion can impact the fetus's hypothalamus. In severe cases, it could lead to mental health issues for the baby."

"Moreover, the baby could be born underweight, prone to restlessness, crying, and sleep deprivation."

"Right now... the little one just has a slight malposition."

After finishing, Lin Chen felt even more regret about agreeing to marry Ann Lan. It was bad enough worrying about her, but now there was the baby to consider, too.

And the worst part? The child wouldn't even be his. Who was he supposed to complain to?

But then again, considering the hundred-thousand-dollar monthly salary, he figured he could make this sacrifice.

"Just lie still; I've got this under control." Lin Chen didn't wait for Ann Lan to respond before taking charge.

"Stay still, I've got this," Lin Chen said, not waiting for Ann Lan to respond. His hand gently rested on the swell of her abdomen.

With the Magical Third Eye activated, Lin Chen could clearly see the little one inside Ann Lan's belly, who was grinning and playfully interacting with him, even offering a smile.

"Wow, I wonder whose kid this is? Those are some seriously strong genes!"

"Despite your mom bombarding you with negative vibes all day, you're still all smiles," Lin Chen murmured, skillfully massaging Ann Lan's belly.

As the pain subsided, Ann Lan looked at Lin Chen with astonishment. Did he really possess such a talent?

But as soon as she caught wind of Lin Chen's self-congratulatory remarks, she quickly turned her head away and huffed, "Ugh, how conceited!"

"What?" Lin Chen was taken aback. He was just admiring his daughter's genes; how did that make him conceited?