Chapter Sixteen: Younger Brother

After listening, Chen Da nodded and said, “Legally, that’s correct. If the wife is pregnant or within the gestation period, divorce is not permitted. There’s nothing I can do about that.”

Zhang Fanfan, furious, jabbed a finger at the medical report. “That child isn’t mine!”

“At present, there’s no way to prove the parentage of the child. Divorce is still not allowed.”

Li Ran, hearing this answer, smiled triumphantly. She knew it was impossible for them to force her out and take the house.

Zhang Fanfan had never even considered this issue. He could only watch helplessly as Chen Da gathered his things and left.

Li Ran sneered at him. “Zhang Fanfan, why didn’t you clarify things with your lawyer before hiring him? Now look what’s happened. You can’t get a divorce, and you won’t be able to be with your little mistress.”

“How can you be so malicious? You’re carrying some bastard’s child and still refuse to divorce our Fanfan! Are you planning to ruin his whole life?” Zhang Nan pointed at her face and cursed.

“Don’t point fingers at me! As if all of this is my fault. Why don’t you mention that your son cheated first? He openly brought his mistress home, and I tolerated it. Now you’re both conspiring to fabricate evidence of my infidelity to force a divorce! Don’t think I don’t know what you’re after. Let me tell you, you can forget about ever getting this house!”

Li Ran stood in the living room, her eyes red as she glared at the mother and son.

From the moment she had witnessed Zhang Fanfan’s betrayal with her own eyes, everything had changed. She never imagined things would escalate so quickly; the man who once shared her bed and the woman who was half a mother to her were now united against her.

“Li Ran!” Zhang Fanfan strode over, grabbing her by the collar and raising his hand as if to strike.

“Zhang Fanfan! I dare you to lay a hand on me!”

“Don’t think you can fool me. I haven’t even settled with you about slapping An Qi yesterday!”

“Go ahead, if you have the guts. I’m sure Lawyer Chen hasn’t gone far. Let him see what a man who commits domestic violence is like—see if that’s any advantage for you in a divorce!”

Li Ran tilted her head back, meeting his gaze without the slightest fear. Zhang Fanfan’s hand hovered in midair, but didn’t come down.

He was weighing his options. If he really hit her, he’d be branded as an abuser, giving Li Ran the upper hand.

He could not, under any circumstances, afford to do something so self-defeating.

“Who dares lay a hand on my sister? Do you think I don’t exist?” A familiar voice sounded from outside the door. Li Ran turned and a smile appeared on her face.

Standing at the threshold was none other than Qiao Shiluo, her younger brother, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.

Zhang Fanfan immediately let go and stepped back to stand with Zhang Nan. He always felt a certain fear when facing Li Ran’s brother, even though there was no blood relation between them.

“Are you alright, sis?” Qiao Shiluo hurried over to check on Li Ran, and only relaxed when he saw she was unharmed. He turned a cold gaze on Zhang Fanfan and his mother. “I just got back and already see you bullying her. Is this what you do when I’m not around—push things even further?”

“This has nothing to do with us. She’s the one who’s shameless! Carrying some bastard’s—” Zhang Nan tried to argue, but her voice faded as she met Qiao Shiluo’s icy stare.

“I think the problem is with you two. My sister would never do such a thing. I’m warning you: now that I’m back, I won’t let you bully her again!” With that, he put his arm around Li Ran’s shoulders. “Come on, sis, let’s go.”

Zhang Fanfan didn’t say a word from beginning to end. The thought of Qiao Shiluo’s return made him realize that divorcing Li Ran would only become more difficult.

As the two reached the doorway, Li Ran suddenly clutched her stomach and squatted down. Qiao Shiluo looked at her in alarm. “Sis, what’s wrong?”

A dull ache throbbed in her lower abdomen. Perhaps the distress had disturbed the pregnancy. She waved a weak hand. “I’m fine, just a bit of stomach pain.”