Chapter 2

Leaving the military district, Wei Yanzhen drove, carrying Deng Zhilan to the central hospital of Yue Province. His mother, Qin Ping, was the head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department there.

In the car, it was just the two of them.

Wei Yanzhen’s face grew increasingly grim. “Deng Zhilan, you can’t be so ruthless in what you do!”

Deng Zhilan sat in the passenger seat, catching a glimpse of the man’s sour expression out of the corner of her eye.

She said firmly, “I haven’t been with anyone else.”

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask Mom!”

“I haven’t spent a single night away from home these past few days.”

A month ago, although they had divorced, the original woman still lived in the Wei family home with nowhere else to go. So the news of their divorce had been kept from Wei’s parents.

The original plan was to tell the Wei family soon that she intended to marry her ‘little white face’ — her new lover.

But unexpectedly, Deng Zhilan ended up transmigrating into the story.

As a result, very few people knew about their divorce.

After that, they hardly spoke. But Wei Yanzhen gripped the steering wheel tightly and drove fast, a way of venting his anger.

Finally, they arrived at the central hospital of Yue Province.

The man’s expression calmed. He said, “Get out.”

After parking, Wei Yanzhen took Deng Zhilan straight to the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.

Qin Ping caught sight of the couple and rubbed her eyes, thinking she must be mistaken—it really was her son and daughter-in-law.

“What are you two doing here?”

“Is Xiaolan not feeling well?”

Deng Zhilan shook her head.

“Or is it you…”

Qin Ping’s eyes quickly darted down to her son’s lower half, making Wei Yanzhen shiver.

“Mom, don’t get the wrong idea!”

“It’s the middle of the day and not even a day off. Xiaolan coming to see me is one thing, but why did you leave the barracks and come here?”

Deng Zhilan spoke first, “Mom, I think I’m pregnant.”

A smile immediately lit up Qin Ping’s face.

She was busy at work and often at the hospital, neglecting to take care of her daughter-in-law. Xiaolan had been going out more lately; pregnancy was a huge joy and couldn’t be taken lightly.

“Come with me, let me check you!”

Wei Yanzhen also tried to follow inside.

With a sharp “slam,” Qin Ping shut the clinic door and snapped, “Have some sense! This is a woman’s examination, why are you tagging along? You’re just in the way!”

Qin Ping looked at her son with clear disdain.

Then, facing Deng Zhilan, she immediately switched to a gentle expression. “Xiaolan, tell me again, when was your last period?”

Deng Zhilan answered honestly.

She hadn’t expected this “fake” mother-in-law to actually like her, while being less patient with her own son.

Outside the clinic, Wei Yanzhen almost pressed his nose against the door.

He sat awkwardly in the hallway chair, waiting.

Half an hour later,

Qin Ping led Deng Zhilan out of the clinic.

She’d even changed out of her white coat and into casual clothes. Wei Yanzhen immediately understood — Deng Zhilan was definitely pregnant.

“Yanzhen, Xiaolan is three months pregnant.”

“You, as the husband, are so irresponsible. I haven’t seen you come home in almost a month…”

Qin Ping scolded Wei Yanzhen in a grumbling voice.

Deng Zhilan looked embarrassed — after all, it was the original woman’s mess that made Wei Yanzhen unable to come home.

“Mom, it’s not Yanzhen’s fault.”

“He’s a soldier and busy with military duties.”

Wei Yanzhen glanced at Deng Zhilan, his eyes still complicated. But he didn’t dare lose his temper in front of his mother.

“Hm, I’ll pay more attention from now on,” Wei Yanzhen said softly.

Qin Ping nodded in approval and took Deng Zhilan’s hand. “Xiaolan, you must take good care of yourself now. Whatever you want to eat, just tell Mom. I’ll cook for you.”

Deng Zhilan obediently nodded.

On the way home, the atmosphere in the car was heavy.

Wei Yanzhen drove quietly, carrying the two women away from the hospital.

Deng Zhilan closed her eyes and rested, mentally reviewing the Wei family situation.

Not only was Wei Yanzhen a soldier, but his father, Wei Xiaotian, was also a military man, serving as the commander of the Southern Military District.

They also had a younger daughter, Wei Jinyue, who was sixteen, four years younger than the original woman.

Calculating the timing, the Wei family was about to be reassigned in the coming days.

Although Wei Xiaotian held a high position, he was upright and unyielding, making enemies among some petty people. Those enemies banded together to frame Wei Xiaotian. Among them was the Song family, where the original woman’s best friend, Song Yitao, came from. After the Wei family was in trouble, the Song family completely cut ties.

Song Yitao…

Deng Zhilan thought of that person and sighed in frustration.

The original woman, the “big beauty of the compound,” had a very high status. Song Yitao’s ambitions wouldn’t allow her to be a supporting character just to highlight the original woman’s shine.

Most likely, the ‘little white face’ had been skimming money off the original woman, and Song Yitao was probably sharing the spoils behind the scenes.

…

When they got home, nobody was there.

Qin Ping enthusiastically started cooking, while Wei Yanzhen took Deng Zhilan upstairs.

The man pushed open the door and walked inside. The expected mess wasn’t there.

They’d only been married half a year, and the wedding decorations were still up. On the wall hung a big red “double happiness” character. There was a large two-meter bed, covered with a red embroidered quilt, perfectly smooth without a wrinkle.

There was a desk, which usually held various bottles and jars, now neatly arranged.

The curtains were thick cotton, in a simple solid color with modest embroidery. On the windowsill sat a glass vase holding pale lilies in full bloom.

Wei Yanzhen’s mood lightened somewhat.

But only for a moment. Then he turned and locked his sharp black eyes onto her.

“What do you want?”

Deng Zhilan looked confused, not immediately understanding.

Wei Yanzhen was straightforward: “The child is mine, and I will take responsibility.”

“If you want a divorce, I’ll agree.”

“If you’re going to have the child, lay all your conditions on the table.”

Only then did Deng Zhilan realize — in his eyes, her coming back, pregnant, was just another way to blackmail him, just like when she blackmailed him to divorce.

“What if I said I truly want to have this child?”

No sooner had she spoken than Wei Yanzhen unlocked a drawer of the desk and took out a thick stack of cash.

“This is 3,000 yuan. You give birth safely, and when the child is grown, send them back to the Wei family. My mom will take care of them.”

Having said this, Wei Yanzhen’s tone was resigned.

Deng Zhilan no longer dodged:

“Alright, I admit I have other motives for coming back.”

The man’s eyes instantly dimmed.

Disappointment was written all over his face; his mouth twitched down, carrying a bitter sadness hard to express.

“Deng Zhilan.”

His once firm jaw now slackened with exhaustion.

“You just want to ruin my reputation and destroy my future?”

“I’m not trying to do that. You misunderstood.”

Wei Yanzhen lost his cool.

His eyes reddened as he retorted, “Then what exactly do you want?”