Chapter 777: Liu Yimei's Pregnancy
The suspension of the Premier League and the halt of club training meant players were required to stay home in isolation, leaving Bruno feeling somewhat idle.
One day, Bruno and Vanessa were in their Wilmslow villa discussing the placement of furniture.
Having lived in the villa for nearly four years, some furniture had grown old. Vanessa suggested replacing them, and she even considered fully redecorating the villa if not for the escalating pandemic.
Bruno agreed that the furniture could use an upgrade, leaving the decisions to Vanessa.
Previously too busy with training and matches, Bruno hadn't had the time to entertain such domestic matters. But with the league on pause, Vanessa seized the opportunity to involve him, insisting he give his opinions.
After looking over the furniture Vanessa had picked, Bruno criticized her choices harshly, leaving Vanessa frustrated and ready to defend her taste.
For Bruno, engaging in such trivial arguments about household matters with Vanessa was a refreshing change of pace, providing a brief mental respite from the stress of recent events.
While they were bickering, Bruno's phone rang. He checked the caller ID—it was Liu Yimei's mother, Liu Lili.
Signaling Vanessa to quiet down, Bruno answered the call.
"Wonderful news, Bruno! Wonderful news!" Liu Lili's excited voice rang out as soon as the call connected.
"Oh? What's the news?" Bruno asked curiously, surprised by Liu Lili's uncharacteristic enthusiasm.
"Guess!" she teased, clearly delighted to share.
"Let me see... Did you win the Mega Millions lottery?" Bruno joked.
Mega Millions, a popular American lottery, is known for its staggering difficulty to win but equally massive jackpots.
"Of course not!" Liu Lili replied with a playful scoff, her tone still bubbling with excitement.
Vanessa, curious about the conversation, nudged Bruno, silently asking what was happening. Bruno shrugged and said into the phone, "Come on, Mom, don't keep me in suspense. Just tell me."
Since marrying Liu Yimei, Bruno had started calling Liu Lili "Mom."
Initially, Liu Lili had reservations about Bruno, particularly when she learned he had married both her daughter and another woman. It was a situation she found difficult to accept.
However, Liu Yimei was resolute in her decision, and Bruno publicly acknowledged Liu Yimei as his wife. Faced with her daughter's determination, Liu Lili reluctantly accepted the marriage.
From her joyous tone on the call, though, it was clear any lingering dissatisfaction had melted away.
"Haha, Bruno, it's about Yimei!" Liu Lili said, laughing. "She's pregnant!"
"What… What did you say?" Bruno asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"I'm saying your Yimei is expecting your baby. Isn't that incredible news, Bruno?" Liu Lili laughed. "Congratulations, you're going to be a father!"
It was such an unexpected announcement that Bruno froze, utterly stunned.
"Hello? Bruno? Bruno!" Liu Lili's voice carried concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Bruno finally snapped out of his daze, though he was still overwhelmed.
"Mom, can you say it again? Are you sure Yimei is pregnant?" Bruno's joy was palpable, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Yes!" Liu Lili confirmed emphatically. "Last week, Yimei mentioned she didn't have much of an appetite, and her meals were much smaller than usual. At first, I thought she was just adjusting to life in the U.S. and didn't think much of it. But then she started vomiting over the next few days—dry heaving mostly. That's when I suspected what it could be.
"Today, I took her to a local hospital for a checkup, and it turns out my guess was right. Yimei is pregnant, Bruno—it's real, absolutely certain!"
"That's amazing—so amazing!" Bruno exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement. "Is she there now? I… I need to talk to her."
His voice trembled with happiness, and he could barely form his words.
At this moment, Vanessa, who had been listening nearby, finally understood what was happening. Seeing Bruno's excited expression, she pursed her lips and huffed silently to herself: "It's just a baby… What's the big deal? One day, I'll have one myself. Hmph!"
Despite her close relationship with Liu Yimei, Vanessa couldn't help but feel jealous at Bruno's concern for Yimei.
After all, she had been with Bruno longer, spending nearly every day together over the years. Liu Yimei, on the other hand, only visited the UK occasionally. Yet, Yimei was the first to conceive Bruno's child—a fact that left Vanessa feeling bitter.
"Um… Yimei… she's not here right now," Liu Lili hesitated on the phone. "Actually, she didn't want me to tell you yet. She was worried you'd get distracted with everything you're dealing with right now. But I thought this is such great news—how could I not tell you? Haha… Bruno, you must be so happy right now!"
"Happy? I'm ecstatic!" Bruno replied, grinning from ear to ear. He could barely contain his joy.
"We're planning to fly to the UK the day after tomorrow. You can come pick us up then," Liu Lili said.
"What? You're not coming until the day after tomorrow?" Bruno, eager to see Liu Yimei as soon as possible, felt a pang of disappointment.
Scratching his head, he considered for a moment and then said, "How about this—I'll call the airport and see if I can arrange a flight route. I'll fly over to meet you right away. Haha…"
Under normal circumstances, Bruno could arrange a private flight to the U.S. at any time. However, the pandemic had severely disrupted the aviation industry, making flight arrangements more challenging than usual.
Liu Yimei and Liu Lili had spent the Lunar New Year with Bruno in the UK. In early March, Yimei returned to the U.S. to address some issues related to a Disney movie she had been involved in.
Bruno suspected that Yimei's pregnancy must have happened during their time together before she left for America.
"Is that so?" Liu Lili hesitated on the other end of the line before laughing. "Alright, I think Yimei will be overjoyed to see you coming all this way. Haha…"
As one of the world's top football superstars, Bruno wielded considerable influence. After some coordination, he successfully secured a direct flight from Manchester to Los Angeles.
When Bruno, grinning from ear to ear, put down his phone, Vanessa couldn't hide her jealousy. "So, you're just leaving for the U.S. now?" she asked with a sour expression.
Learning that Yimei was pregnant, Vanessa didn't want to be left behind. She bit her lip and said, "Then I'm coming too!"
"What would you do there?" Bruno shook his head. "You'd just get in the way. Besides, you need to finish organizing things here. I'll bring Yimei back, and then we can all settle in together."
The flight from Manchester to Los Angeles spans approximately 8,500 kilometers, a distance easily handled by Bruno's Gulfstream G550. With a cruising speed of 0.85 Mach, the flight took just over nine hours.
When Bruno arrived at Beverly Hills, it was close to midnight.
Beverly Hills is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the U.S. and is world-renowned. Many Hollywood stars reside there.
The cool Los Angeles night breeze felt refreshing. Bruno's face was alight with joy—he was moments away from seeing Yimei. He hadn't felt this happy in a long time.
Getting out of the car, he walked along the cobblestone path to the villa, feeling a rare sense of tranquility. Here, there were no battles for fame or fortune—only the warmth and joy of family.
As Bruno approached the villa's door, he pulled out his phone. Seeing that it was just past midnight, he wondered if Liu Lili and Yimei were still awake.
He dialed Liu Lili's number.
"Hello?" Liu Lili's voice was filled with anticipation. "Bruno? Where are you now?"
She clearly hadn't gone to bed, knowing Bruno was on his way.
"Haha… I just got off the plane. I'm almost there. Are you all asleep yet?" Bruno teased, planning to surprise Yimei.
"No, we're all still up, waiting for you," Liu Lili said happily. "Come quickly—Yimei will be thrilled to see you!"
"Oh, really?" Bruno said with a smile, already pressing the doorbell. Seeing the villa lights brightly lit, he added, "Then why don't you hurry up and open the door for me? Haha…"
"What?" Liu Lili exclaimed in surprise. "Bruno, you're already here?"
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