Chapter 273: Chapter 273 She Really is Pregnant

The doctor summoned her into the consultation room.

As Lin Qi entered the consultation room, the doctor was reviewing her blood test report with her head down. Lin Qi took a seat opposite the doctor.

“Doctor, how are the results of the examination?”

The doctor circled the values of her HCG and progesterone with a pen and gently pointed it out, “You are clearly pregnant.”

Lin Qi was completely stunned, “Pregnant? That’s impossible.”

She showed a troubled expression.

The doctor asked, “What’s wrong? According to your information, you’re already 28 years old, at the right age for childbearing.”

Lin Qi replied, “I… I’ve always been very careful with protection.”

The doctor questioned, “Are you married?”

Lin Qi said, “I’m divorced, and currently… have a steady partner.”

The doctor probed, “You just mentioned you’ve always been cautious with protection measures. What exactly did you do?”

Lin Qi thought for a moment: “Apart from using condoms… I’ve also taken birth control pills. And, I rarely… engage in intercourse during my fertile window.”

The doctor frowned slightly, “Considering your age, you should know that ovulation is not fixed, and so-called safe and dangerous periods are not reliable. You say you take pills and use condoms, but none of these are 100% effective. It depends on both the male and female partners–if the woman is prone to getting pregnant and the man’s sperm are particularly active, then the likelihood of conception is higher.”

The more Lin Qi listened, the redder her face became, “So, are you sure I’m pregnant?”

The doctor replied, “Otherwise, why would these three values be so high?”

He pointed to the three indicators on the report.

HCG, progesterone, and estradiol.

All three values were already above normal levels.

Lin Qi asked, “Should I… have an ultrasound to confirm it?”

The doctor responded, “Don’t be so hasty to get an ultrasound, it’s not good to do it too often. Are you planning to keep the child? If so, come back in a week for a recheck. In the meantime, go home and use a test strip to check for yourself. After a week, get an ultrasound to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. If you don’t want to keep the child, then it’s better to terminate the pregnancy sooner rather than later.”

Lin Qi listened in a daze.

She nodded, “Okay.”

Lin Qi picked up her report, walking out of the consultation room in a bewildered state.

She was pregnant!?

Suddenly remembering something, she turned back to the consultation room.

The doctor looked up and asked, “What’s wrong now?”

Lin Qi inquired, “Doctor, sorry to ask, but if I got pregnant while taking medicine, could it have any adverse effects on the fetus?”

After all, the gestational sac is fragile.

Drugs can easily cause fetal abnormalities.

Lin Qi explained, “Because… if this really is a pregnancy, it was unplanned. I wasn’t preparing for a pregnancy. Before this, I’ve taken medicine for a cold, birth control pills as well, and even drank a little alcohol, and was exposed to some secondhand smoke…”

The doctor waved her off, interrupting her, “The progress of the fetus generally follows the ‘all-or-none’ principle. If a one-month-old embryo is affected by drugs, radiation, or some pathogens, it will be naturally aborted or result in a biochemical pregnancy, that’s the rule of natural selection. If the gestational sac ultimately forms, then it means, for the time being, the sac is healthy. As for the effects you mentioned…”

He paused, then explained, “Fetal abnormalities need to be monitored through regular prenatal check-ups, Down syndrome screening, and various scans for anomalies. Some people prepare for pregnancy with great care and still encounter problems with the fetus, while others drink and smoke, yet their children are born healthy. In the end, these things involve a certain degree of chance.”

Lin Qi nodded, “I see.”

The doctor said, “Don’t worry about these things for now. Come back for a recheck after a week!”

Lin Qi left the gynecology department to pick up Lili.

The nanny had already packed Lili’s belongings.

Lili was both happy and anxious when she saw Lin Qi.

Happy because she was finally healed and could be discharged from the hospital.

Anxious because Lin Qi was taking her home, to a new environment, which understandably made her nervous.

Lin Qi noticed her unease, “Lili, your room has already been set up for you, don’t be nervous, you’ll definitely like your new home!”

Lili asked, “Does Uncle Huo welcome me?”

She was smart and clearly understood that Huo Tingdong wasn’t very keen on adopting her.

She also wanted to be considerate, but she was very dependent on Lin Qi, hence she felt conflicted.

Lin Qi said, “Of course, welcome. Your room was prepared by Uncle Huo!”

Upon hearing this, the worry on Lili’s face dissipated.

Lin Qi said, “Auntie has recently found a new job, so after we go for lunch, and after eating, Auntie will send you home and then go to the office. Momo and Han went to school, can you take good care of yourself at home?”

Although there was a nanny at home, Lin Qi worried that Lili would feel lonely. She had arranged her room in advance, filled it with books, dolls, and toys.

Lili obediently nodded, “Lili will wait for Aunt Qiqi to come home!”

“Mm!”

After having lunch with Lili, Lin Qi sent her home. She put away the medical report into a drawer before heading to the office.

All the way to work, she was somewhat out of sorts.

She was pregnant.

Should she keep the baby in her belly?

She already had Momo and Han, and now with Lili adopted, she hadn’t thought about having another child before.

Though, financially, there wouldn’t be any burden in having this child with Huo Tingdong, but…

The child had come so unexpectedly, she was completely unprepared mentally.

Lin Qi arrived at the company, clocked in, and returned to her desk.

Zhou Xiaoying suddenly approached her desk, “Lin Qi, can we talk alone?”

Lin Qi had a good impression of Zhou Xiaoying.

She had heard about her achievements soon after joining the company.

Well known as the Iron Lady of the project team with impressive business skills.

Lin Qi followed her to the coffee bar.

Zhou Xiaoying offered, “Let me buy you a coffee, what would you like?”

Lin Qi declined with a gesture, “I’ll just have milk, I don’t drink coffee.”

She was pregnant, so she couldn’t have caffeine.

Zhou Xiaoying ordered her a glass of milk.

“Lin Qi, have you considered which team you’ll join after you become permanent?”

New employees faced group selection after their probation period.

Currently, Huace’s entire project team structure, apart from the core team which was directly under the executive office, consisted of various smaller groups, each managing their own projects.

And Zhou Xiaoying was mainly in charge of the financial blockchain project.

Lin Qi tactfully expressed, “Ms. Zhou, I actually admire your personal abilities. I know you’re primarily responsible for the financial blockchain project, but I am not very adept in the field of blockchain.”

Zhou Xiaoying said, “I’ve reviewed your resume. You were at the top of the science exams 10 years ago. When you entered university, you had the opportunity to pursue a combined master’s and Ph.D. program. Ten years ago, under the ‘Thousand Talents Plan’, the chief mentor, academician Cheng Hongfei, had only one spot for a student, and you were the only candidate who passed.”