Chapter 1 A Changing Family

• “Zhen, go to your father! He has gone up to the rooftop of the company building and he’s going to jump off! Please go and stop him quickly!”
• What!
• Zhong Zhen was shocked as she listened to her mother sobbing uncontrollably on the other end of the line. Without any delay, she rushed out of the female dormitory of the Performing Arts College with her phone in her hand. She couldn't care less about the cold and heavy rain falling on her as she dashed to the school gate.
• However, the college was located in the suburbs. There were hardly any cars on the road, let alone a cab in sight. Zhong Zhen was getting increasingly worried and impatient. She rushed to the middle of the road and opened her arms wide to stop a speeding car.
• Screech!
• Xiang Ming jammed on the brakes. The Bentley emitted a sharp, deafening noise as it came to a halt just 10 centimeters away from Zhong Zhen!
• “Are you okay, Mr. Feng?” Xiang Ming calmed himself down before turning around to check on his boss in the backseat.
• “I'm fine,” Feng Beichen answered with a frown.
• Meanwhile, Zhong Zhen had run to the car door and knocked on the window. She bent down to look inside and begged, “I have an emergency and I have to rush to the Ganyuan Building. Will you please take me there? Please!”
• Xiang Ming pressed a button and the car window wound down by itself slowly.
• Feng Beichen was a little startled as he stared at Zhong Zhen's face that was wet from the rain.
• Xiang Ming had intended to give Zhong Zhen a round of scolding but Feng Beichen spoke up, “Let her in.”
• “Yes, sir,” Xiang Ming answered in barely concealed surprise. He unlocked the car and watched as Zhong Zhen climbed into the passenger seat beside him.
• “Thank you! Thank you!” Zhong Zhen thanked them both repeatedly. She watched in worry as the Bentley drove off and made a left turn at the intersection up ahead.
• No one uttered a word as the car moved in complete silence.
• Feng Beichen gazed at Zhong Zhen's face as the flickering streetlights shone on it. He had a feeling that she resembled someone hidden deep in his heart.
• However, Zhong Zhen was so anxious about her father that she never looked back at him even once.
• After a quiet 20-minute drive, they finally reached the Ganyuan building.
• By that time, the plaza was already filled with noise with the ambulance and the fire engine gathered outside. The entrance of the lobby had been cordoned off and giant airbags were being inflated. Firefighters, security guards and the police got ready while the reporters carrying their cameras as well as onlookers were requested to stay away from the area.
• Before the car came to a complete stop, Zhong Zhen had pushed the door open and jumped out. Her skin felt cold and clammy as she stared at the scene in front of her.
• “Ah! He jumped!” Someone suddenly shouted, followed by more horrified screams from the crowd.
• Bang! A body fell straight down from the 38th floor. It hit the edge of a massive airbag with a heavy thud and rolled off the ground.
• The noise at the scene became more raucous and the crowd turned into a disorderly mob as everyone screamed in horror at the sight.
• “Oh my God! How tragic!”
• “I don't want to see this! Let's go quickly!”
• “Damn! His organs are all over the ground!”
• Zhong Zhen felt her legs give way as she ran over to the body lying lifelessly on the ground. As she reached it, she felt lightheaded and her field of vision started blacking out at the sight. “No! Please don’t! Dad…” Before she could finish her words, Zhong Zhen had fainted.
• One week later, in the towering building of Chenxing Group.
• Feng Beichen sat in the CEO's office on the top floor as he reviewed the weekly reports.
• Xiang Ming walked in and reported to him, “Mr. Feng, the screening results are out. Kindly have a look.” He passed over a copy of the results.
• “Get straight to the point.” Feng Beichen didn't even look up as he continued reviewing the reports emotionlessly. Clearly, he didn't want to be distracted by such a thing.
• Xiang Ming hesitated and took back the results, “The shortlisted candidate is Zhong Zhen. She’s nineteen this year and a sophomore at the Performing Arts College in this city...”
• “Zhong Zhen?” Feng Beichen repeated the name. It sounded rather familiar to him. The face of the girl who stopped his car in panic the other day came to mind.
• Seeing the look on Feng Beichen’s face, Xiang Ming felt that he had already remembered who Zhong Zhen was. He couldn't help but raise his voice and said, “Yes. She was the girl who stopped our car to rush to the Ganyuan Building that night. I’ve screened her and found that she meets your requirements. I've also been monitoring her family after the incident. Sure enough, she is now desperate after Zhong Ganyuan's demise...”
• The media had been reporting the happenings in Ganyuan Company and the Zhong family for the past few days. Feng Beichen raised his hand impatiently to stop Xiang Ming and said, “Okay, take her then. It’s settled. Remember to keep it confidential. Now get out.”
• He continued to review the reports with his head down without so much as glancing at Xiang Ming who was looking stunned in front of him.
• At 8 that night, Zhong Zhen had arrived at the designated place on time and waited anxiously.
• Tonight was the seventh day after her father's death. She was supposed to conduct prayers for him at home. Ever since her father's suicide, she and her mother had been hunted by creditors and had since gone into hiding. All their assets had been frozen.
• It was all thanks to the kindness and hospitality of their good friends that had kept the mother and daughter from living on the streets so far. However, their luck had run out after that. One day, when Zhong Zhen’s mother was rushing to borrow some money from a relative, she slipped and fell to the ground. Unfortunately, her head landed on a sharp rock which cracked her skull open. She was rushed to the hospital for surgery but had fallen into a state of coma ever since.
• The multiple unfortunate incidents had caused Zhong Zhen to become totally exhausted. Not only did she have to sort out her father's funeral, but she also had to take care of her mother who was now bedridden. But what troubled her most was the exorbitant costs for her mother’s surgery and treatment. Relying on her friends for money wasn't a great long-term solution, so she had mustered up enough courage to try and reach out to her boyfriend, Ji Yunxiao's family for help. But just as she had expected, she was rejected at the doorstep of their house as they dreaded to see her.
• Ever since her father’s suicide, neither Ji Yunxiao nor his family had visited or called. There was not even a single condolence text message from them. It was as if the man who had pursued her so passionately in the past had never existed!
• However, the most heartbreaking news had to be about her uncle and his family. They had disappeared overnight without a trace. They were nowhere to be found!
• If she couldn't raise money in time to pay for the hospital fees, her mother's treatment would have to be stopped and the outcome would be devastating. It was during this moment of despair that she received a mysterious call asking her if she would consider becoming a surrogate. The offer was two million!
• Seeing as she was left with no choice, Zhong Zhen agreed and went for a full body checkup. Then, she received another phone call in the afternoon informing her that she was eligible. As today was within her ovulation period, she was invited to go over to sign the agreement and obtain the deposit. Then, they would begin the process of surrogacy.
• Screech!
• The sound caught Zhong Zhen's attention and she turned around to see a black Mercedes stopping by the curb beside her. Her hands trembled slightly as her pale face turned toward the lowered car window.
• “Get in!” Xiang Ming gestured repeatedly to the dumbfounded Zhong Zhen from the driver seat. He was wearing a black baseball cap and a face mask to conceal his identity.
• Zhong Zhen walked toward the car, opened the door and got in. Xiang Ming had already prepared the agreement for her. “Ms. Zhong, please read through everything and then sign it. One million will be transferred to your account right after this agreement is signed, then another million will be paid to you after the baby is born. In order to guarantee a healthy baby and a successful conception, I hereby inform you that this will be a physical conception.”
• Physical conception? Zhong Zhen looked up and stared at Xiang Ming in shock. She suddenly realized those words meant that she was about to engage in intimate behavior with a stranger!