Chapter 37

Wei Xue felt reassured after speaking with Lin Shu and Xu Shijia, and she looked noticeably better.

“I’ll go to the hospital today for a check-up and schedule the abortion as soon as possible. The longer I wait, the more stressful it becomes.”

“Alright. If you need someone to accompany you or help with anything, feel free to reach out to me.”

After expressing her gratitude to Lin Shu and Xu Shijia multiple times, Wei Xue finally left to go to a nearby hospital for the check-up and to make the appointment.

Thinking this legal aid case had reached a temporary conclusion and that it was now a matter of following the standard procedures, Lin Shu was about to start her next task. But before long, a commotion broke out in the main office area outside her office.

Moments later, Xu Shijia entered her office, his lips pressed together tightly.

“Zhang Jianyi’s parents, Zhang Tao and Wang Juan, have shown up here and are causing a scene.”

As if to confirm this, Wang Juan’s loud wailing pierced through Lin Shu’s office door when Xu Shijia opened it:

“Oh, heaven! Heaven, please give our Zhang family a descendant!”

“This heartless law firm! How could you be pushing my daughter-in-law to divorce my son?”

…

Didn’t they look down on Wei Xue and always try to get rid of her?

Why are they suddenly so invested in maintaining their son and daughter-in-law’s marriage?

“What’s going on?” Lin Shu asked.

Xu Shijia gave a helpless look. “You’d better see for yourself. It’s too complicated to explain.”

When Lin Shu stepped into the lobby, she immediately understood what he meant.

There, with bloodshot eyes and hollow expressions yet an almost manic energy, Zhang Tao and Wang Juan rushed forward as soon as they saw Lin Shu. Wang Juan practically lunged toward her.

“Lawyer, where is my daughter-in-law? I can’t get in touch with her! She said she’s going to divorce my son. Are you tricking her for lawyer fees?” She screamed, crying, “This law firm has no morals! Everyone says breaking up marriages is worse than tearing down temples, but you lawyers have no humanity! All you care about is money!”

…

Before Lin Shu could respond, Xu Shijia stepped forward and stopped Wang Juan sharply: “Wei Xue’s case is legal aid. We’re not charging her anything. You’re recording, and we also have cameras in this office. If you continue to slander our lawyers or my supervisor, we’ll file a defamation suit.”

With his height and stern expression, Xu Shijia’s intimidating presence managed to quiet them down—at least for a moment.

After making their scene, Zhang Tao and Wang Juan suddenly switched to a pitiable act. Wang Juan even got down on her knees in front of Lin Shu and bowed her head.

“Lawyer, you have to help us! We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have to. We just can’t reach Wei Xue. We want to see her and apologize. It was all a misunderstanding before. We want her to come back and live with us again!”

What kind of strange turn of events was this?

Lin Shu distinctly remembered how domineering Wang Juan had been before, practically accusing Wei Xue of being unfaithful and insulting her unborn child.

Lin Shu was baffled. “It was your son Zhang Jianyi who cheated with Zhou Xin and even had a child with her. Wei Xue can’t accept this marriage anymore.”

“We absolutely won’t acknowledge Zhou Xin’s child! In our hearts, our only true grandchild will be the one born to Xiao Xue! No matter what, Xiao Xue is the legitimate wife!”

If they hadn’t looked so serious, Lin Shu might have thought they were quoting a script from a soap opera.

This was the modern day, yet here they were talking about “true heirs” and “legitimate wives.” It felt like something out of a historical drama.

What left her truly speechless was their total change in attitude.

Even Zhang Tao, who had previously been so aggressive, had softened completely, pleading, “Lawyer, please. Could you help us contact Xiao Xue? We just want to talk to her. We’re absolutely against a divorce. We’re even willing to transfer some assets to her. The properties we received after the resettlement—we’ll add Xiao Xue’s name to them. And we’ll give her a monthly allowance. Her family wanted a dowry before, right? We’ll pay it.”

Knowing Zhang Tao and Wang Juan’s previous behavior, Lin Shu doubted they had genuinely changed. It seemed more likely that something had happened within the Zhang family to make these two change their tune so drastically.

“No matter what, although you’re Zhang Jianyi’s parents, you’re not parties to this marriage. Whether or not to repair the relationship is a decision that belongs to Zhang Jianyi and Wei Xue. It’s their right to make this choice freely.”

Lin Shu continued politely, “If Zhang Jianyi truly wants to change and cut off ties with Zhou Xin, he should be the one to reach out and discuss things with Wei Xue.”

“Our role as lawyers is only to provide our client with legal counsel and solutions. We don’t influence our clients’ choices. If you need to discuss something, it’s best to leave it to the involved parties.”

Unfortunately, Zhang Tao and Wang Juan ignored everything Lin Shu said. They insisted, “Our stance is the same as Jianyi’s! We can fully represent him. Besides, the child Xiao Xue is carrying is our grandchild. Once the child is born, we’ll help care for it! Jianyi is our son—of course, he’ll listen to his parents. We can decide this!”

Their sudden shift in demeanor felt suspicious. Zhang Tao and Wang Juan had some hidden motive, Lin Shu was sure.

She remained polite but firm in refusing their demands, while Xu Shijia also backed her up, making it clear that if they continued to cause trouble, the police would be called.

Finally realizing they couldn’t corner Wei Xue at the law office and seeing no opening with Lin Shu, Wang Juan signaled to Zhang Tao. They whispered to each other before reluctantly leaving the firm.

Right then, Lin Shu received a call from Wei Xue.

“Attorney Lin, I finished my check-up. The doctor says I’m in good health and since the pregnancy is still early, I can take medication for the abortion. I scheduled a simple outpatient procedure this afternoon.”

Though Wei Xue sounded strong, Lin Shu felt concerned.

After hanging up, Lin Shu checked the time and decided to buy a fruit basket and visit the hospital with Xu Shijia to ensure that Wei Xue completed her registration smoothly.

Although a medication-induced abortion was relatively straightforward, it still carried risks. If Wei Xue didn’t have friends to stay with her, it was crucial she at least hired a nurse. Going through such an ordeal alone was difficult, both physically and emotionally.

When Lin Shu and Xu Shijia arrived at the hospital, they were relieved to find Wei Xue in good spirits.

After reminding her of a few things, Lin Shu mentioned the scene that Zhang Tao and Wang Juan had caused at the law firm.

“They’ve been blowing up my phone with calls and messages too,” Wei Xue replied, unsurprised. “But I don’t want anything more to do with them. I blocked all their numbers. I don’t want to see them ever again.”

Before Wei Xue could finish saying she didn’t want to see them, Zhang Tao and Wang Juan’s voices suddenly rang out.

“Xiao Xue! We finally found you!”

Wang Juan’s face was full of excitement, clearly relieved as if she’d regained something precious. “If I hadn’t followed the lawyer, I’d have never known where you went!”

“My dear child, how could you be so impulsive and not give me a chance to explain!” Wang Juan put on a motherly expression, repeatedly calling herself “Mom,” as affectionate as could be.

Zhang Tao also wore a doting fatherly look, eyeing Wei Xue’s stomach. “You’re about to be a mother now; you need to be more careful. Coming to the hospital—is your stomach feeling unwell? Is there any issue with the baby? Is everything fine?”

Like Lin Shu and Xu Shijia, Wei Xue looked momentarily stunned, then quickly became wary.

She clearly didn’t understand why Zhang Tao and Wang Juan’s attitudes had suddenly changed so drastically.

Finally, seeing Wei Xue in person, Wang Juan’s voice rose excitedly. “Xiao Xue, don’t worry! We’ll go VIP for all your prenatal checkups. If you want to stay in a postnatal care center after the baby’s born, I’ll arrange it! If you need a nanny or a childcare assistant, just say the word! You can relax; we’ll pay for everything. We won’t let you suffer one bit! If it’ll make you feel more secure, we’ll add your name to the house title, and I’ll even manage all the family’s expenses for you!”

“My dear daughter-in-law, you’re the only one we recognize!”

“We were all deceived before, even Zhang Jianyi was fooled. Thinking it over, you’re our true daughter-in-law. Don’t worry; we’ll never accept Zhou Xin! When we’re gone, only you can light incense for us!”

Xu Shijia couldn’t help but whisper to Lin Shu, “Do you think Zhou Xin’s child turned out not to be a boy?”

Not just Xu Shijia—Lin Shu was also suspecting this.

After all, ultrasound gender predictions can be wrong, and hospitals typically don’t provide fetal gender tests. Who knows how the Zhang family previously learned Zhou Xin was expecting a boy?

With this drastic change in Zhang Tao and Wang Juan’s attitudes, it seemed likely that Zhou Xin’s child was actually a girl. Now they were pinning their hopes on Wei Xue—what if her baby turned out to be a boy?

Previously, Wang Juan had fully supported Zhou Xin, thinking she was carrying a Zhang family male heir. Now, she was cursing Zhou Xin left and right, saying, “Zhou Xin is just a shameless homewrecker who seduced our son! She’s nothing compared to our legally wedded daughter-in-law!”

“Dad! Mom! How can you say that about me!”

Before Wei Xue could respond, a female voice cut through the scene.

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia turned to see that it was none other than Zhou Xin.

However, she appeared haggard and was bundled up tightly, wearing a hat even though the weather wasn’t cold. She looked like a new mother still recovering.

Her next words confirmed Lin Shu’s suspicions.

“I just gave birth to Jianyi’s child, and you’re already insulting me like this!”

Zhou Xin burst in like a storm, her voice full of indignation as she shouted, “Everyone in the hospital, listen up! I gave them a grandson, and they’re treating me this way! I just gave birth yesterday, and already they’re refusing to pay for my hospital costs!”

Lin Shu exchanged a look with Xu Shijia. If Zhou Xin had given birth to a boy, why were Zhang Tao and Wang Juan acting like this?

Before she could ponder further, Wang Juan’s face turned furious. “You shameless woman! How dare you speak like this? Do you think you gave birth to a Zhang family child? That child is nothing but a bastard!”

“What do you mean ‘bastard’? This is Jianyi’s child—it’s just that he happens to be a bit darker-skinned!”

…

Lin Shu and the others still hadn’t figured out the whole story, but luckily, a few nurses nearby had started whispering to each other.

“Oh my goodness, is this family acting out a soap opera?”

“That woman has some nerve. ‘A bit darker-skinned’? That child is clearly mixed-race, probably African, not part of their family at all, and she’s shameless enough to keep insisting!”

“And that man isn’t much better, is he? Didn’t you hear that old lady shouting? That girl over there is actually their proper daughter-in-law and is pregnant too. And while his wife is expecting, their son went off and got his mistress pregnant.”

“It’s satisfying to see the tables turned. The mistress gave the guy a taste of his own medicine. After all this time, he thought he’d be getting a son from her, only to end up with someone else’s child. Now he’s running back to his wife? That poor daughter-in-law must have suffered so much under that awful family.”

“Is the husband okay with being cheated on? Why isn’t he here?”

One of the nurses gestured to silence the others. “The guy couldn’t come.”

“What happened?”

“He got carbon monoxide poisoning last night. They found him too late, and though he was revived, he’s still in a coma. They sent him to our hospital’s hyperbaric chamber, but the doctor doesn’t think he’ll regain consciousness. If he stays in a coma, it’s going to cost a fortune, and who knows if his family can afford it.”

“Last night, I was with one of my patients when I saw the mistress with the guy’s parents in a panic as they rushed him in. In the commotion, she even fell and her water broke, so she had to give birth here. But the baby was born… mixed-race.”

…

Now Lin Shu understood.

No wonder Zhang Tao and Wang Juan’s attitudes had changed so drastically.

It turned out that Zhang Jianyi had fallen into a deep coma, and Zhou Xin’s child was clearly not his. Fearing that their family line might end with Jianyi, the Zhangs were now desperately trying to win Wei Xue back.

Zhang Tao and Wang Juan clearly hadn’t wanted the full story to come out, but with Zhou Xin causing a scene and onlookers gossiping, there was no way to hide it anymore.

The eccentric couple threw themselves in front of Wei Xue, dropping to their knees with a thud.

“Xiao Xue, we’re begging you! Jianyi is lying in the hospital room, and we don’t know if he’ll ever wake up. The child in your belly is the last hope for the Zhang family! If you don’t divorce and let the child be born with the Zhang surname, don’t worry—your and the child’s expenses will be fully covered by us. We’ll even give you a sum of money, and we’ll cover the costs for your brother to build a house and get married!”

Wang Juan’s eyes gleamed with desperate hope. “I’ve already spoken to your mother. Once she heard what I said, she agreed you shouldn’t divorce. This child is the Zhang family’s last hope—our eldest grandchild! Your mother said she would persuade you to keep the baby for us!”

At the mention of her mother, Wei Xue’s expression turned colder.

She glanced at Wang Juan and Zhang Tao. “The baby I’m carrying may not be a boy, and might not be your eldest grandson.”

Zhang Tao quickly interjected, “But we only have one son, Jianyi, and now he’s like this. In this life, we’ll have only this one grandchild, the one you’re carrying. And you know we have several properties from housing compensation; after his mother and I pass away, all of this will go to you and your child.”

Wang Juan added, “And why would you assume the baby isn’t a boy? You should just focus on the pregnancy. Later, I’ll arrange for a housekeeper for you so you won’t have to lift a finger around the house.”

Wang Juan kept piling on the promises, feeling certain her generous offer, combined with her mother-in-law’s support, would be enough to sway Wei Xue, whom she had always seen as timid and easy to control.

But Wei Xue, interrupting her with surprising calm, said, “You asked if I was here because I felt unwell?”

“Yes?” Wang Juan and Zhang Tao looked hopeful, momentarily relieved that she seemed fine.

“I came to the hospital,” Wei Xue continued, “to terminate this pregnancy.”

“You won’t have a grandson or a granddaughter.”

“This kind of toxic family doesn’t deserve descendants. After everything Jianyi has done to me, it’s only fitting his bloodline ends with him.”

For the first time, Wei Xue didn’t cower or placate them. She looked small, but her determination radiated strength.

“I refuse to be a begging dog in your family just for some money or perks. I want to build my life on my own terms, not depend on your charity. I know the kind of people you are. As long as you’re getting your way, you’re pleasant enough. But once the child is born, who knows if you’ll just turn your back and make life harder for me?”

“I won’t let Jianyi’s flawed genes stay in this world. His fate was always his own, and yours is to end here too.”

Wang Juan was speechless, her jaw dropping as if in shock. “But your mother agreed! You can’t just ignore her!”

Wei Xue scoffed, “If my mother agreed, then why don’t you ask her to carry your child for you?”

Desperate, Wang Juan added, “Name your price. Whatever it is, we’ll pay! Just keep the baby…”

“I’m not saying this to negotiate,” Wei Xue replied firmly. “I’ll be terminating this pregnancy today. No child would be happy in such a family.”

“Don’t bother me anymore. I’ve already decided on a divorce.”

Wang Juan and Zhang Tao’s faces twisted in panic, and they tried one last time to sway her.

“You can’t terminate this pregnancy!” Wang Juan cried. “That’s like committing murder!”

Zhang Tao, equally emotional, shouted, “It’s your fault that our son’s in this condition! He came to your rental last night because of you—because you took our family’s money to rent that place and kept pushing for a divorce! Jianyi went there because he couldn’t take it anymore!”

Wang Juan jumped in. “And he only got carbon monoxide poisoning because he took a hot shower in that shabby apartment of yours! The ventilation was poor, and the gas line was faulty!”

The couple didn’t care they were in a hospital, loudly wailing and causing a scene.

“Wei Xue! Give us back our son and grandson! That baby in your belly belongs to Jianyi, too! You have no right to terminate the pregnancy without his consent. This is murder! You should be arrested!”

Wei Xue looked shocked, then turned to Lin Shu, whispering, “Last night, I did receive harassing messages from Jianyi, saying he was moving into my rental and would make use of everything since I used ‘his money’ to rent the place…”

The situation was now obvious. Zhang Jianyi, a miser through and through, couldn’t stand the thought of “wasting” money on Wei Xue’s rental and utilities, so he’d stubbornly decided to go there himself. Because the rental’s bathroom had poor ventilation and an old gas heater, he’d suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

As the old saying goes, “A clever plan can end in a fool’s death.”

Wang Juan, still undeterred, continued yelling, “Who’s going to want you if you terminate this baby? You’ll forever be marked as carrying death in your womb! Do you think your mother will stand by you? She’s only ever cared about your brother, which is why she practically sold you off for a bride price! Leave the Zhang family, and you’ll have no one!”

Before the shouting could escalate further, Xu Shijia stepped in, blocking Wang Juan and Zhang Tao’s access to Wei Xue and Lin Shu. Her expression was cold, her voice unyielding.

“I’ve already called the police. Your actions are disturbing hospital operations, and your accusations and harassment of my client are defamatory.”

“The ones who first cheated, threatened divorce, and forced my client to consider an abortion were you. And now you’re turning the blame on her.”

“Women have the freedom to choose whether to bear children or not. Even a married woman has the right to make decisions about her body, including the choice not to have a child. Please refrain from further harassment of my client. If any legal matters arise, you can contact me directly, and I will pass them along to her.”

“Before being anyone’s wife, daughter-in-law, mother, or daughter, Wei Xue is first and foremost her own person. Her decisions and voice deserve respect and should be heard.”

Before Lin Shu could step forward, Xu Shijia already took on the role of Wei Xue’s attorney, standing firm against Wang Juan and Zhang Tao, shouldering their fury. Thanks to her intervention, Lin Shu managed to escort Wei Xue out of the lobby.

Shortly after, Xu Shijia rejoined Lin Shu and Wei Xue.

“This family is shameless,” she said, visibly more relaxed. “Fortunately, the police arrived quickly. Meanwhile, Zhou Xin shamelessly clung to Zhang Tao and Wang Juan, insisting that the child was Jianyi’s. She even claimed the child’s dark complexion was due to ancestral genes in the Zhang family, saying that all humans trace their roots to Africa, so an African heritage is natural.”

Recalling the scene, Xu Shijia shook her head in disbelief. “I thought the Zhang family’s audacity was unmatched, but Zhou Xin took it to another level. And do you know what happened next? After causing a scene at the hospital, she abruptly turned and disappeared.”

“Zhang Tao and Wang Juan assumed she fled at the sight of the police, so they started arguing with me. But just moments later, a nurse from the hyperbaric chamber came over to say that Zhou Xin had left her newborn child outside Jianyi’s hospital room and vanished.”

“Zhang Tao and Wang Juan were furious but couldn’t find her anywhere. It turned out that Zhou Xin, who had been with Jianyi all this time, was using a fake name, with all her information falsified. She likely always intended to take off with some money.”

This turn of events was beyond Lin Shu’s expectations.

It seemed fitting that the Zhang family, plagued by their own schemes, had met someone just as deceitful. In the end, it was a classic case of “dog-eat-dog.”

“You still intend to proceed with the divorce?” Xu Shijia asked Wei Xue.

Wei Xue nodded firmly. “At first, I was a bit hesitant because of the child. But after witnessing that chaos, I’m letting go of everything. Bringing a child into the Zhang family would be a nightmare, considering their influence. That environment is no place to raise a child.”

“No amount of money would make me sell my child’s future like my mother did with me.”

“So I’ll stick to my appointment this afternoon and terminate the pregnancy.”

Wei Xue’s decision was clear, leaving no need for further discussion.

Xu Shijia nodded. “Jianyi’s still in a coma, so there’s no way to reach a divorce settlement. We’ll have to file for divorce through the courts. I’ll start preparing the paperwork.”

For efficiency, Xu Shijia returned to the law firm to draft the divorce documents, while Lin Shu stayed at the hospital to support Wei Xue.

But unexpectedly, Xu Shijia’s first divorce case was resolved before it could go to court.

Zhang Jianyi died.

He had gone to Wei Xue’s rental apartment, likely intent on using the water and gas, believing it would be wasteful not to. He stayed too long, and with his parents thinking he was with Zhou Xin, no one checked on him. By the time he was discovered, he had been exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide for too long, and his prognosis was dire.

Initially kept alive by a ventilator, his condition deteriorated rapidly, and despite doctors’ best efforts, they couldn’t save him.

“When he died, his parents didn’t rush to him; they went to the police station to demand Zhou Xin’s whereabouts.”

This update came from a nurse who had witnessed everything. With a mixture of disgust, she explained that Jianyi had been transferring his cash to Zhou Xin, under the guise of “repaying a loan” to prevent Wei Xue from claiming it during a divorce. Zhou Xin took off with the money, leaving nothing behind. Because it was marked as “loan repayment,” the legal battle to retrieve it would be complex.

Wei Xue turned to Lin Shu. “Jianyi probably transferred those funds to Zhou Xin to prevent me from getting anything in a divorce. He disguised it as loan repayment so I couldn’t trace it back.”

It was a perfect example of how clever schemes could backfire.

The nurse shook her head. “Their son is now in the morgue, but his parents aren’t even there to dress him for burial. In a few hours, his body will stiffen, and they won’t be able to change him anymore.”

Lin Shu hadn’t foreseen this outcome.

But now Wei Xue wouldn’t have to endure a lengthy divorce process to escape Zhang Jianyi’s grasp.

Since there was no time for a divorce, she was simply a widow now.

And with Zhang Jianyi deceased and without a will, Wei Xue, as his lawful spouse, was entitled to inherit his premarital property as well as the family’s post-marital housing compensation rights.

As Wei Xue’s attorney, Xu Shijia was steadier than Lin Shu had expected. After a brief moment of surprise, he began a professional assessment of the current situation.

Widowhood, compared to divorce, would offer Wei Xue a more favorable share of assets.

The Zhang family owned numerous compensation properties, mostly acquired before marriage. However, with Zhang Jianyi’s death, his parents and Wei Xue as the spouse would equally share his estate.

With these assets, Wei Xue would have enough transitional funds to support herself and secure her future.

“Given the changed circumstances, there’s something else I need to inform you as your attorney,” Xu Shijia continued. “If you give birth to this child, they will also have an equal right to inherit.”

Looking Wei Xue in the eyes, Xu Shijia explained, “In other words, without this child, you would receive only one-third of the estate; with the child, however, you and the child together would inherit half, with the remaining half going to Zhang Tao and Wang Juan.”

“By keeping the child, you’d have ample resources to raise them independently, without relying on Zhang Jianyi for support. So, if you change your mind and decide to keep the child, we’ll proceed with this inheritance plan.”

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia had reviewed Zhang Jianyi’s premarital assets before. Despite his frugality, he had six post-demolition compensation properties in his name, all of which would increase Wei Xue’s inheritance share considerably if she had the child.

Many people might change their decisions when faced with such a significant financial benefit.

But Wei Xue didn’t.

She shook her head without hesitation. “Thank you, Attorneys Xu and Lin, but I won’t keep the child. I’m not someone driven by money. I was satisfied with the small share of property acquired during the marriage. Now, with Zhang Jianyi’s unexpected death, what I’ll receive is already far beyond my expectations.”

Wei Xue left it at that, but Lin Shu understood.

She had originally married Zhang Jianyi because of his family’s favorable financial situation, but it wasn’t due to greed. Her mother had influenced her to secure money from his family to support her own. Wei Xue herself was never particularly materialistic.

“I’m young, healthy, without the burden of children, and now have an inheritance. It’s time for me to think about the life I truly want and to work for it with my own hands.”