Chapter 79: Have You Got the Marriage Certificate Yet?

Crossing the ocean, as they arrived on the other side of the world, Ruan Li suddenly realized she hadn’t asked how Shi Mu found her address faster than even Fu Huaizhou.

“I asked Ye Mian,” Shi Mu admitted openly. “When I showed her the DNA test results, she knew it was serious and told me right away.”

“Rest assured, when I left, Ye Mian promised she’d only tell me. Not even Ye Ze knows.”

Ruan Li nodded slightly. At this point, even if Fu Huaizhou found out, it didn’t matter. She was already on the flight with Shi Mu. Her own abilities weren’t enough to cover her tracks, but with Shi Mu’s help, it would definitely be hard for Fu Huaizhou to trace her.

After they got off the plane, Ruan Li watched Shi Mu call a car to drive straight to a hospital. Curious, she asked, “Why are we going to the hospital? Didn’t we already do the DNA test?”

There was a brief silence. Shi Mu looked at her with a complex expression. “Actually… Shi Xun is currently in the hospital.”

“Why? He said he was going abroad for further studies. Why is he in the hospital?”

Shi Mu hesitated for a moment. Now that they were family, there was no reason to hide the truth from Ruan Li. “I didn’t tell you the full story earlier. Shi Xun was injured during that family attack. He was shot, and a fragment has remained lodged in his heart ever since. The doctors back then said they’d done all they could, and the rest was up to fate.”

Ruan Li’s mind spun slowly. Over the years, she had never heard of Shi Xun having any health issues. He always seemed carefree and dedicated to his acting roles.

“Why is he suddenly in the hospital now? He’s been fine all these years,” she asked, her voice anxious.

“It’s like a ticking time bomb,” Shi Mu said, his tone somber. “Recently, we got word of a specialized team that might be able to handle it. But… there’s a high risk. If successful, he’ll be just like any other person. If not…”

“But Shi Xun wants to live without that constant threat, so he insisted on having the surgery. I respect his decision.”

Though he didn’t finish his sentence, Ruan Li understood the implication.

It felt like the universe was playing a cruel joke. Just when she found her family, she learned that her only friend and newfound family member, Shi Xun, was facing a life-or-death situation.

“Don’t worry,” Shi Mu tried to comfort her, seeing her pale face. “I’ve gathered top experts to ensure the surgery goes as smoothly as possible.”

There was nothing more she could do except quietly pray.

Inside the hospital room, as Shi Mu opened the door, the person who had been lying in bed immediately leapt up like a monkey, craning his neck to look behind Shi Mu. “Where’s Ruan Li? I’ve been waiting forever. You were too slow, big brother.”

Peeking out from behind Shi Mu’s shoulder, Ruan Li revealed her face. “You already knew, huh?”

Shi Xun pushed his elder brother aside and placed his hands on Ruan Li’s shoulders, scrutinizing her closely like it was the first time they had met. His voice was filled with disbelief.

“You’re actually my sister? When my brother told me, I couldn’t believe it. You’ve been right in front of me all this time, and I never noticed?”

Ruan Li relaxed slightly, seeing that he was as lively as ever, and responded with mild exasperation.

“I was only a month old when I disappeared. If you could recognize me now, you should become a master of bone-reading.”

All three burst into laughter.

As Ruan Li studied Shi Xun, she couldn’t help but marvel. There had been comments at events saying they looked a bit alike. Back then, she’d dismissed it as a common trait among attractive people. She never imagined it would be true.

“Why aren’t you resting properly?” Ruan Li scolded, remembering Shi Mu’s earlier explanation. No wonder Shi Xun had insisted on leaving the capital, even at the risk of upsetting Ye Mian.

Shi Xun patted his chest. “I’m fine. My brother’s exaggerating. It’s just a minor surgery. I’ll be back soon.”

Ruan Li nodded, though she didn’t believe him for a second. If it were minor, he wouldn’t have quietly left the capital. Clearly, he was only sharing good news, not bad.

“Speaking of which, what happened between you and third brother? As soon as I went abroad, I heard you dumped him?” Shi Xun leaned in, gossip written all over his face.

All three sat down on the hospital room’s couch, and Ruan Li felt embarrassed under the scrutiny of her two brothers. It was one thing when she considered them Fu Huaizhou’s friends, but now that they were family, she felt guilty, as if being judged by relatives.

“Nothing much… we just had a fight, and I don’t want to deal with him right now.” Ruan Li’s lips tightened. Just as she spoke, a faint smell of alcohol hit her nose, making her gag.

The two men’s faces darkened instantly. Their gazes fell in unison on Ruan Li’s stomach, noticing for the first time that it was slightly swollen.

“Is it Fu Huaizhou’s?” Shi Mu asked with a frown, his voice low.

Ruan Li nodded. Would anyone believe it if she said it wasn’t?

As soon as she confirmed it, the room’s temperature seemed to drop noticeably.

“Does Fu Huaizhou know? He let you travel alone like this? Did you get the marriage certificate?” Shi Mu went straight to the point, no longer seeing himself as merely Fu Huaizhou’s friend.

Ruan Li looked guilty. “He didn’t know before, but he should’ve just found out.”

Based on her response, Shi Mu could already piece together the situation: the Fu family’s impending arranged marriage, Ruan Li’s reaction to it, and her sudden departure.

“It’s not a big deal,” Shi Mu reassured, not wanting her to feel pressured. From the Shi family’s perspective, raising a child would be no trouble at all. With him around, she wouldn’t need to worry about societal judgment. “I’ll arrange for someone to take care of your health. You and Shi Xun should stay here for now.”

“What about Fu Huaizhou? What are you planning to do?” he asked.

Ruan Li bit her lip. “I’ll let him worry for a while. We’ll deal with it later.”

Shi Mu nodded in agreement. He’d already silently cursed Fu Huaizhou multiple times for getting a young woman pregnant without even getting a marriage certificate.

Watching this exchange, Shi Xun, who had a more nuanced view of Ruan Li and Fu Huaizhou’s relationship, felt relieved. “Great! Now I’ll have company in the hospital. Otherwise, I’d be bored to death.”

Shi Mu allowed himself a rare smile. “I’ve only just become a brother again, and now I’m already about to be an uncle.”

Something inside Ruan Li’s heart melted. She was no longer an orphan with no one to rely on. Now she had family to discuss things with and support her unconditionally.

“How many months?” Shi Xun asked curiously. His memories of their mother being pregnant with his younger sister were vague, and seeing Ruan Li like this was a novelty.

“Almost three months,” Ruan Li replied, gently touching her belly. Suddenly, she remembered the day she got pregnant at the hotel and realized a key culprit had been overlooked. She shot a pointed look at the man beside her.

Shi Xun noticed her resentful gaze and felt confused. “Why are you looking at me like that? What does this have to do with me?”

Ruan Li scoffed and, disregarding his current status as a patient, tossed a pillow at his face. “You were the one who helped Fu Huaizhou trick me into getting into his car! If it weren’t for that, none of this would’ve happened!”