012. She’s Pregnant.

When the waiter came to serve the dishes, he glanced outside and explained, “That man used to be the son of a landlord. After the landlord class was eliminated, he stayed here with his wife.”

Wen Shiyang looked at the drunken man and the woman who endured the beating without fighting back, and felt nothing but sorrow.

“Does that woman get beaten often?” Wen Shiyang asked.

The waiter finished serving the food, glanced at the commotion outside again, and shook his head helplessly. “It happens every few days. The neighbors are all used to it.”

“That bastard—beating a woman—what kind of man is that? He’s an animal!” Zhou Liang spat and rolled up his sleeves, ready to go fight.

Before the waiter could stop him, Lu Qingyan grabbed his arm. His thin, calm voice carried a note of seriousness. “Do you think beating him up once will solve the problem?”

What he meant was—if that could solve it, it would’ve been solved long ago!

That’s why so many people turned a blind eye—it wasn’t that no one had helped her, it was that they had, many times, but the result was always the same.

The root wasn’t anywhere else—it was in the fact that the man only became more violent, while the woman willingly endured it.

Hearing this, the waiter nodded in appreciation and agreement.

It wasn’t that they were cold-blooded—they had helped, but it hadn’t done any good.

If anything, it had only deepened the man’s hatred and the woman’s helplessness.

Zhou Liang still bristled with anger, shouting at Lu Qingyan, “But we can’t just watch him beat her like that! What if he kills her? That animal’s completely out of control!”

Wen Shiyang quietly watched, then felt a pair of eyes on her. She turned and unexpectedly fell into Lu Qingyan’s deep, dark gaze.

He seemed to be asking for her opinion.

After thinking for a moment, she lowered her head expressionlessly.

“We can help for a while, but not for a lifetime,” Wen Shiyang said.

Her meaning was clear—she stood on the same side as Lu Qingyan.

“I’ve been all over the north and south, but I’ve never seen anyone so brazen!” Zhou Liang grumbled, shoving a mouthful of food in as if to vent his anger through eating.

Lu Qingyan shot him a glance, handed him a flatbread, and said earnestly, “You really should work on that temper of yours. Otherwise, how will you do business? You’re here to make deals, not enemies.”

Zhou Liang took a big bite, calming down a little. “Fine, fine. I’ll remember.”

He knew he had a bad temper—but sometimes he just couldn’t help it. Once the fire was lit, he was like a firecracker—bang, and it was too late to stop.

Wen Shiyang picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of twice-cooked pork each into Dabao and Xiaobao’s bowls. “Eat more, Dabao, Xiaobao.”

Lu Qingyan also put food in her bowl. “Don’t just worry about them—eat. It won’t taste good when it’s cold.”

She smiled and nodded. “Mm, okay.”

Outside, the crowd had mostly dispersed.

Only the man was still waving a wine bottle and yelling, while the woman lay on the ground, sobbing.

Passersby had various looks—pity, disdain, or frustration at her weakness.

Wen Shiyang ate a few more bites, but couldn’t help glancing outside again. Just as she was about to look away, she saw the woman suddenly breathe rapidly, clutch her chest, and grimace in pain, as if she might faint any second.

Not good!

Wen Shiyang dropped her chopsticks and ran toward her.

“Get out of the way!”

She shoved the man aside and crouched down beside the woman. “What do you feel right now? Can you tell me?”

The woman’s eyes filled with tears. She opened her mouth but couldn’t catch her breath.

In pain, she furrowed her brow and forced out, “Can’t… can’t breathe… hurts…”

Wen Shiyang saw where she was clutching her chest, took a needle from her pocket, and pricked an acupuncture point on the woman’s middle finger.

The next second, black blood oozed out.

It was caused by extreme emotional distress.

The drunken man, startled by being pushed, grew furious—but before he could fight back, Lu Qingyan arrived and subdued him in seconds.

Zhou Liang, watching this scene, felt oddly satisfied. He pointed at the fearless couple and said proudly to the two kids, “See your parents? They talk tough, saying they won’t help—but they still jumped in.”

Dabao and Xiaobao glanced at each other, then shook their heads helplessly.

This Uncle Zhou is really childish.

The battered woman lay on the ground catching her breath, while Wen Shiyang took her pulse.

After only a few seconds, her brows furrowed.

Lu Qingyan noticed. “What’s wrong?”

Wen Shiyang looked at him, her gaze carrying a mix of complicated emotions and helplessness. “She’s pregnant.”

Pregnant?!

The words exploded in the ears of the three men.

“Wife! We’re gonna have a son?!” the drunken man suddenly sobered, shouting with joy at the stunned woman on the ground.

“You… are you serious?” The woman grabbed Wen Shiyang’s wrist, eyes brimming with tears.

Wen Shiyang’s gaze darkened, but she still nodded. She didn’t want to lie.

The woman really was pregnant.

Though she was only forty-six, her health was like that of a sixty-year-old.

That meant the baby might not survive—and even if it did, carrying it would cause immense, irreversible harm to her.

If all went well, there would be a happy family. If not… it could be two lives lost.

Looking at the woman’s tear-streaked face, Wen Shiyang didn’t want to crush her joy—but she still said, “Your health isn’t in good condition. Frankly speaking, you’re not fit for pregnancy. Whether to keep this child—you must think very, very carefully.”

She deliberately emphasized must and carefully.

The woman’s joy quickly shifted into hesitation.

But the man broke free from Lu Qingyan’s grip, staggered over, and said, “Don’t listen to her! We’re keeping it! This is our son—we’ve waited years for this!”

Hearing that, the woman’s hesitation vanished. She gave Wen Shiyang a guilty glance, then nodded firmly at the man. “Yes, don’t worry. I’ll keep it.”

The man wept with joy and hugged her tightly.

Wen Shiyang just gave a cold, knowing smile—this outcome was exactly what she had expected.

Lu Qingyan, seeing her discomfort, stepped forward, helped her up, and gently massaged her shoulder. “You’ve already done all you could. The choice is theirs.”

She smiled faintly. “I know.”

Even though her tone still carried helplessness and sadness.

Lu Qingyan led her back to the restaurant and winked at Dabao and Xiaobao.

The two kids immediately understood, jumped off their seats, and hugged her around the waist.

“Mom, you were amazing just now!” one said loudly.

“Mom was super, super brave!” Dabao chimed in.