Chapter 19: Enjoy the Process

After leaving the company, Lu Yanchuan turned on his phone and went online, finally discovering what had happened.

It turned out that Xie Wan’ning had been spreading false rumors about Song Qingyu online, triggering a wave of controversy.

Enraged, he headed straight for Xie Wan’ning’s residence.

Last night, Xie Wan’ning had exhausted herself trying to conceive. Still catching up on sleep, she was completely unaware of the storm brewing on the internet.

Lu Yanchuan barged into her room with such force that the noise startled her awake.

“Yanchuan? Why are you here at this hour?” Xie Wan’ning reached out to embrace him, her voice sultry as she rubbed against him seductively.

“Are you in the mood again?”

Lu Yanchuan shoved her away without hesitation. “Was it you who smeared Song Qingyu online?”

Xie Wan’ning froze for a moment before her eyes welled up with tears. “So you came rushing over in a rage… because of Song Qingyu? I knew it! You act indifferent, but deep down, you still can’t let her go! If you love her so much, why don’t you just remarry her?”

“How could this be about me not letting her go? Look for yourself and see what’s happened!” Lu Yanchuan pulled up a video from the internet and thrust his phone toward Xie Wan’ning.

“Take a good look. We were already divorced and had nothing to do with each other, but you just had to go out of your way to provoke her. Now, she’s making a scene over my infidelity during our marriage, and it’s damaging both my reputation and the Lu Corporation’s! My father is even threatening to kick me out of the company!”

Xie Wan’ning had only intended to give Song Qingyu a warning—she never expected things to spiral out of control, let alone drag Lu Yanchuan into the mess.

“I… Yanchuan, I’m sorry. I was just angry that she kept clinging to you and wanted to teach her a lesson. I didn’t think it would turn out like this.” She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her voice soft and pleading. “Don’t be mad, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Lu Yanchuan pried her hands away and walked to the window, lighting a cigarette.

As the cigarette burned down, a sudden thought struck him.

“Wan’ning, how did you know that I received Song Qingyu’s medical report on my wedding day?”

He had never told anyone about it. In fact, he had burned that report long ago.

Yet, the anonymous online exposé had described it in vivid detail, as if the person had witnessed it firsthand.

Xie Wan’ning’s gaze flickered, avoiding his.

Lu Yanchuan’s brows furrowed. He stepped toward her, his voice low and pressing. “Did you arrange for that report to be delivered to me?”

“No, Yanchuan, I…”

“I suggest you tell me the truth!” Lu Yanchuan glared at her. “Was it you or not?”

Xie Wan’ning knew she couldn’t hide it any longer. Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded.

“It was me… But Yanchuan, I was afraid of losing you! I was scared that if you had Song Qingyu, you’d forget about me! I didn’t want you to marry her, and I didn’t want you to touch her. I wanted you to belong only to me!”

“Yanchuan, do you have any idea how much I love you?” She clutched her chest with trembling hands, her voice filled with desperation. “Even though I was abroad these past few years, my heart was always with you—only you!”

As she spoke, the silver bells on her wrist jingled softly, their crisp chime ringing through the room.

A buzzing filled Lu Yanchuan’s mind.

So that medical report had been fake.

So for the past three years, he had completely misunderstood Song Qingyu.

No wonder she had cried so bitterly in front of him at the golf course yesterday.

A wave of regret surged through his chest, suffocating him. He wanted to blame Xie Wan’ning, to hate her for deceiving him.

But then his eyes fell on the bells on her wrist.

And suddenly, he couldn’t bring himself to.

After all, Xie Wan’ning had once saved his life.

After all, she had only done this because she loved him too much.

“Yanchuan, are you starting to pity Song Qingyu?” Xie Wan’ning’s voice trembled with urgency. “Don’t be foolish! After the divorce, she’s only trying to win public sympathy so she can return to the entertainment industry and make money. That’s why she leaked our video online—to manipulate public opinion against you! She never loved you. The only one who truly loves you is me!”

She saw that Lu Yanchuan remained unmoved, and in desperation, she grabbed his hand and pressed it against her lower abdomen.

“Yanchuan, I’m pregnant with your child!”

**

Lu Yanchuan’s expression shifted instantly.

“You’re pregnant?”

Xie Wan’ning lowered her gaze shyly and nodded. “Yes. After you left this morning, I ordered breakfast from Fu Man Lou. But as soon as I smelled it, I felt nauseous. I happened to have a pregnancy test at home, so I took it… and it showed two lines.”

“Where’s the pregnancy test? Let me see it!” Lu Yanchuan was visibly excited.

Xie Wan’ning’s eyes flickered before she quickly responded, “I was so overwhelmed that I accidentally dropped it into the toilet.” Then, as if remembering something, she added, “But I took a photo! I have it on my phone—I’ll show you.”

“Alright, hurry up and show me.”

Xie Wan’ning pulled up a picture from her album and handed the phone to Lu Yanchuan.

He glanced at the screen. Two clear lines.

Without hesitation, he tossed the phone aside and pulled Xie Wan’ning into a tight embrace.

“Wan’ning, we’re having a baby! We’re really having a baby!”

The joy of impending fatherhood clouded his thoughts. At this moment, nothing else seemed to matter—neither the chaos online, nor his father’s slap, nor Song Qingyu’s grievances.

Xie Wan’ning nestled against his chest and tentatively asked, “Then… do you still blame me for sending you that fake medical report about Song Qingyu?”

“Of course not.” Lu Yanchuan tightened his arms around her. “Wan’ning, nothing is more important than you.”

Xie Wan’ning leaned against Lu Yanchuan’s chest, still filled with worry. “But what about everything online? Is your father really going to kick you out of the company because of this?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle the situation online. As for my father, he’s just speaking out of anger. He wouldn’t dare actually do it. I have my uncle and the Li family backing me—he won’t be able to touch me for now.” Lu Yanchuan pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You rest first. I’m going home to have my mother talk to my uncle.”

“Alright… I’m sorry, Yanchuan. This is all my fault for making things so complicated…”

“Enough, baby. No more of that. Just focus on taking care of yourself and the baby. Once everything settles down, I’ll marry you.”

Xie Wan’ning’s eyes lit up with joy. “Really?”

“Really.”

Lu Yanchuan left in high spirits.

Xie Wan’ning walked to the window, watching as his car exited the residential complex. Then, she picked up her phone and dialed a number.

“We have a problem. Smearing her online didn’t work—it backfired and even exposed the fake medical report I made for Song Qingyu back then. I barely got out of it by claiming I was pregnant. You need to find me a reliable man with a strong body as soon as possible. Lu Yanchuan is too weak—I need to get pregnant for real, and fast.”

“Got it.”

**

Li Xianglan had been in a good mood today—after all, her daughter, Lu You’an, had finally been released.

Although she had outwardly played the role of a strict and righteous mother, saying that her daughter needed to suffer a little to learn her lesson, in truth, she had secretly spent an untold amount of money pulling strings behind the scenes.

“Your father really said he’s sending you abroad?” Li Xianglan’s blood pressure spiked upon hearing Lu Yanchuan’s complaint. “Has he lost his mind? That little bastard must have fed him some kind of bewitching potion to have him wrapped around her finger like this! Come, we’re going to see your uncle. With him backing you, even if the sky falls, your father won’t dare lay a finger on you.”

Without hesitation, Li Xianglan dragged Lu Yanchuan straight to the Li Corporation.

Li Huaidong had just finished a video conference and was about to call Gao Yang and Chu Yu in to go over the next day’s schedule when the door swung open.

“Huaidong! You have to stand up for Yanchuan!” Li Xianglan wasted no time in airing her grievances the moment she stepped inside. “Your brother-in-law has completely lost his senses! Just because of this divorce nonsense, he actually wants to kick Yanchuan out of the company!”

“Just the divorce?” Li Huaidong shot Lu Yanchuan a cold glance. “You really think that’s the only reason your father is furious?”

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Lu Yanchuan’s face—he had no idea how to respond.

“Cheating during marriage is a stain on a man’s character. Slandering your ex-wife in such a disgraceful manner after the divorce? This isn’t just a matter of morality anymore—how are you any different from an animal?”

Li Huaidong was always composed and level-headed, rarely losing his temper. Yet today, he lashed out so bluntly that Lu Yanchuan felt momentarily unfamiliar with this version of his uncle. Had he come at the wrong time? Why was his uncle so hostile today?

“Uncle, I know I was wrong,” Lu Yanchuan admitted, trying to contain his frustration. “But I don’t want to leave Lu Corporation and let that bastard Lu Shiyan inherit everything. Please, show me a way out.”

Li Huaidong’s expression remained ice-cold. “Are you the man in that viral video?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Did you, in fact, cheat during your marriage?”

“Uncle…”

“Answer yes or no.”

Li Huaidong’s commanding presence left Lu Yanchuan no room to evade. He hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yes.”

“In that case, admit your mistake and publicly apologize to Song Qingyu.”

“I will not!” Lu Yanchuan’s voice rose in defiance.

Guilt toward Song Qingyu? Yes, he had plenty. But his pride wouldn’t allow him to bow his head like that.

“Huaidong, I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Li Xianglan interjected.

“In this industry, how many married men fool around outside? Have you ever seen any of them step forward and publicly apologize? If Yanchuan admits his mistake, he’ll be a laughingstock! His father will look down on him even more, and the position of Lu Corporation’s successor will be even further out of reach!”

“Then what does Big Sister think would be the best course of action?” Li Huaidong lifted his gaze, his tone calm.

“The public opinion storm has already erupted. If you don’t apologize immediately to quell the controversy, and this continues to escalate—truly affecting the company’s reputation and stock price—then Big Brother-in-law will have every reason to kick Yanchuan out of the Lu Corporation. Instead of letting it reach that point, it would be better to issue a public apology now. Hire some online commentators to spin it as ‘owning up to one’s mistakes,’ and maybe he can turn this crisis into an opportunity.”

Mother and son exchanged looks. Even though they both resented the idea of publicly apologizing to Song Qingyu, they had to admit that Li Huaidong’s suggestion was the most viable solution at the moment.

“Fine, I’ll apologize.”

When Song Qingyu saw Lu Yanchuan’s public apology to her on Weibo while browsing the internet, her first reaction was—had the sun risen from the west?

In their three years of marriage, the disparity in their social status and the fact that she had fallen in love first had always left Song Qingyu feeling inferior.

She had grown used to yielding and enduring in silence, while Lu Yanchuan had grown accustomed to standing above her in the marriage. No matter what he did wrong, he had never once softened toward her, never once said “I’m sorry.”

Even when she caught him cheating red-handed, he had the audacity to declare, “Wan’ning is the one I’ve always loved. You should be grateful for being Mrs. Lu for three years.”

And now, this man—who had always looked down on her—had actually issued a public apology.

A surge of emotions welled up in Song Qingyu’s heart.

Perhaps it was time for her to apologize to her past self as well.

She could have been a queen, yet for love, she had chosen to be a prisoner of humility for three years.

Now, she finally understood—true love was always mutual. If love had no response, then the first lesson was to learn to love oneself.

As Song Qingyu repeatedly read through Lu Yanchuan’s apology statement, Li Huaidong returned home from work.

The moment he stepped inside and saw the bright smile on her face, he immediately knew why she was happy.

“Satisfied?” he asked.

“Satisfied.”

The words slipped from Song Qingyu’s lips before she even realized it, and only then did she become aware of how seamlessly their conversation flowed.

He hadn’t said much, yet she understood exactly what he meant.

And in the next instant, another realization struck her—there was no way Lu Yanchuan would have humbled himself enough to publicly apologize on his own.

Behind this, it had to be Li Huaidong’s doing.

Otherwise, how else could he have walked in and immediately known what had pleased her so much?

Li Huaidong had helped her too many times—just saying “thank you” no longer felt sufficient to express her gratitude.

But besides gratitude, what else could she give him? He lacked nothing.

It seemed that the only thing she could offer… was herself.

“What are you thinking about?” Li Huaidong waved a hand in front of her when he noticed she was lost in thought.

“Nothing.”

“Then get ready for dinner.”

“Alright.”

The meals at Taoyuan were always home-style dishes, with a different menu each week. Yet every night, several dishes would always be ones Song Qingyu liked.

Tonight’s spread included stir-fried lotus root with vegetables, braised taro with scallions, king oyster mushrooms in sauce, tomato-braised beef brisket, lotus duck, pan-seared cod, and a pork rib soup.

But Song Qingyu was preoccupied, lost in her own thoughts. She didn’t have much of an appetite.

Seeing that she wasn’t eating much, Li Huaidong picked up a slice of lotus root and placed it in her bowl.

“The dishes aren’t to your taste?”

“No.”

“Then why aren’t you eating?”

“I’m just not very hungry.”

“Have some soup, then.” He ladled a bowl of soup for her.

Song Qingyu watched as Li Huaidong tended to every little detail, and a thought crossed her mind—if she set emotions aside, having a husband like him, one who commanded storms outside yet was gentle and considerate at home, wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Besides, he was skilled in that area as well. He wasn’t the type of man who only sought his own pleasure—he respected a woman’s feelings, making sure she truly enjoyed the experience.

Of course, most importantly… he was incredibly handsome. His well-maintained physique, honed through years of training, was the pinnacle of male perfection—

“Why do you keep zoning out today?” Li Huaidong waved his hand in front of her eyes again, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“It’s nothing.”

She couldn’t possibly tell him that she kept spacing out because she was trying to convince herself to sleep with him.

“If you really can’t eat, then don’t force yourself,” Li Huaidong said, still assuming it was the food.

“If there’s something you’d prefer, you can request it from the kitchen in advance. There’s no need to feel constrained or worry about troubling anyone. Their salaries are more than enough to make them willingly provide you with any service you need.”

“Mm.”

After dinner, Li Huaidong went upstairs to his study.

Song Qingyu took a walk around the courtyard, her mind in turmoil. Because in truth, the only thing she could give Li Huaidong—the only thing he might actually want—was herself.

Should she sleep with him?

Yes?

No?

Song Qingyu picked a small flower, intending to pluck its petals one by one to find her answer.

But before she even finished, she suddenly made up her mind.

Why not? They were a legally married couple—nothing illicit about it. And besides, Li Huaidong was ridiculously good-looking.

She wasn’t exactly getting the short end of the stick.