My whirlwind marriage partner is a wealthy CEO

Chapter 231 Brother, this is your child

However, as time ticked by, Zhu Ziqing still did not appear.

"Qing'er, where are you?" Tan Haoyu murmured to himself, his voice hoarse and desperate.

He finally had to admit that the woman he loved so deeply was truly gone. But he couldn't accept this fact; the pain in his heart was like a surging tide, completely overwhelming him.

He began a frantic search, looking from the living room to the bedroom, from the balcony to the study, leaving no corner unchecked. He called out Zhu Ziqing's name, his voice echoing in the empty room, but received no response.

"Haoyu..." Suddenly, Zhu Ziqing's familiar voice rang out behind him, gentle and kind.

Tan Haoyu turned around abruptly, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes, but all he saw was an empty room.

Tan Haoyu slumped to the ground, tears welling up in his eyes again. His hands trembled as he picked up the pillow Zhu Ziqing used to sleep on and buried his face in it. The scent of her hair seemed to linger on it; the familiar aroma clenched his heart even tighter. Unconsciously, overcome with exhaustion and pain, he slowly drifted off to sleep, still clutching the pillow.

In his sleep, Zhu Ziqing's voice rang out again, softly whispering in his ear, and he even felt a hand gently poking his face. "Qing'er..." Tan Haoyu groggily reached out to grab her, but only grasped air. He woke up with a start, and the room was still empty except for his lonely figure. His heart felt empty, as if a piece of it had been ripped out.

Tan Haoyu dragged his heavy steps to Zhu Ziqing's desk. On the desk lay an unfinished painting, her life's work. Tan Haoyu sat down, picked up a paintbrush, and tried to complete the painting, as if that would preserve her presence. But the more he painted, the stronger the confusion and pain in his heart became. Each stroke seemed to remind him that the talented woman he knew was gone.

"What are you doing? You ruined my painting!" Zhu Ziqing's voice suddenly rang in his ears, tinged with anger. Tan Haoyu's hand trembled violently, and his paintbrush fell to the ground. He didn't want to talk to this illusory voice, but it persisted. "Haoyu, come out here, let me see you!"

"Qing'er, where are you? Why are you torturing me like this..." Tan Haoyu clutched his head in anguish, tears streaming down his face.

After an unknown amount of time, Tan Haoyu suddenly remembered that Zhu Ziqing had suggested moving back to Xinghe Shangcheng, the place they lived in during their honeymoon. As soon as this thought crossed his mind, he rushed out the door as if he had gone mad and headed straight for Xinghe Shangcheng.

Opening the familiar door, Tan Haoyu immediately saw the couple's slippers placed by the door, one large and one small, as if still telling the story of their past sweetness. His vision gradually blurred, and countless beautiful moments he had spent here with Zhu Ziqing floated into his mind.

Stepping into the house, it was clean and tidy, as if Zhu Ziqing had just left not long ago.

Tan Haoyu slowly walked towards the kitchen. In a daze, he seemed to see Zhu Ziqing wearing an apron, busy in the kitchen. "Haoyu, you're back. I made your favorite dishes today." Her voice rang in his ears, so real, yet so far away. Tan Haoyu stopped in his tracks. He dared not approach any further, afraid that this beautiful illusion would shatter in an instant.

Turning towards the bedroom, Tan Haoyu saw Zhu Ziqing standing at the door, looking at him nervously and shyly. "Haoyu, I want to have a child for you. We'll have a very happy home." Her voice was soft, filled with longing for the future.

Tan Haoyu's thoughts drifted back to their wedding night, when Zhu Ziqing nestled shyly yet boldly in his arms, her bashful appearance seemingly right before his eyes.

But now, everything has changed.

Zhu Ziqing left such a deep mark on his life, yet suddenly disappeared without a trace, causing Tan Haoyu immense pain.

He began to reflect on why he hadn't noticed Zhu Ziqing's lack of confidence in the future while she was alive. What had happened to her that made her so insecure?

"Qing'er, it's my fault. I should have guessed what was on your mind sooner." Tan Haoyu murmured remorsefully, "If I had cared for you more, could I have prevented all of this from happening?"

He was now filled with doubt, but he could no longer find the answers.

Because Zhu Ziqing has passed away, the truth that led to her death has also become an unsolved mystery forever.

……

Tan Haoyu stepped heavily into the room where he and Zhu Ziqing had lived together, each step feeling like he was walking through memories.

His gaze slowly swept over every corner of the room, finally settling on the wardrobe.

At that moment, sunlight streamed gently into the room through the window. Zhu Ziqing stood before him, her hands trembling slightly as she carefully tied his tie. Her cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes filled with shyness and affection, and she whispered, "Haoyu, I... I'm afraid I won't tie it well."

Tan Haoyu held her hand affectionately and replied gently, "Qing'er, I like anything you make."

Now, things have changed, and Tan Haoyu stroked the empty wardrobe, tears welling up in his eyes.

From then on, he began searching the room thoroughly, leaving no corner unchecked, trying to find any trace of Zhu Ziqing. He was immersed in a vortex of memories, losing track of day and night, and unaware of how many days had passed.

Suddenly, the cry of a baby came from outside the door. The sharp sound was like a heavy hammer, shattering Tan Haoyu's immersive memories.

He jolted, his eyes snapped to focus, and he hurriedly raised his hand to straighten his disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes before striding toward the door.

The moment the door opened, Tan Haoyu's heart pounded. He silently prayed that perhaps Qing'er was standing outside with the baby. As the door slowly opened, in that instant, he truly saw Zhu Ziqing, her face beaming with happiness, holding a tiny swaddled baby in her arms.

“Qing’er…” Tan Haoyu said, his voice trembling. However, in the blink of an eye, the scene before him shattered like a bubble.

In reality, standing at the door were Tan Xiaoxuan and a strange woman. The baby in the strange woman's arms was waving its little hand, and the crying gradually subsided.

Tan Haoyu's eyes dimmed instantly, but then he realized that this baby was his and Zhu Ziqing's child.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside me, a blend of sadness, joy, and longing.

"Brother, this is your child." Tan Xiaoxuan's voice was choked with emotion.

Tan Haoyu stretched out his hands, which trembled uncontrollably, as if bearing an endless weight.

He carefully took the child from the strange woman's arms. The moment the child was in his arms, something magical happened: the child stopped crying, though he still sobbed occasionally, his little face seeming to be telling him about his grievances.