Chapter Eighteen: Endurance

"Get out of my way! Who are you to order me around?" In Li Ran's eyes, this Ye Huai was like a lunatic; nothing good ever happened when she encountered him, yet he insisted on meddling in her private life.

"If you want my help to get divorced smoothly, you'd better do as I say!" Ye Huai's eyes locked fiercely onto hers, his tone brooking no rejection.

Yet to Li Ran, his words sounded like a threat.

She sneered, looking him squarely in the eye, and solemnly reminded him, "Mr. Ye, I told you from the very beginning, I don't need your help. This is my personal matter—my own child and marriage. I'll handle it myself, so please don't trouble yourself."

She faced him stubbornly, her aura every bit as strong as his.

With that, she shoved him forcefully. Ye Huai, caught off guard, stumbled back two steps. Seeing the defiant look in her eyes, he suddenly gave a cold laugh, wondering if he was bewitched.

The situation with the child in Li Ran's belly was still uncertain, yet he had already lost control—so unlike his usual self.

After watching her for a few seconds, he said, "Very well. You have backbone."

With that, he stormed out of the hospital room.

Ding Lei, waiting outside, had no idea what had transpired, but one look at Ye Huai's gloomy face told him it couldn't have been pleasant. He didn't dare ask and simply followed him out.

Once they had gone, Li Ran breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, Chu Jing and Qiao Shiluo returned, seeing Li Ran looking unwell and immediately asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Are the test results out?"

Chu Jing handed her the report. "Nothing serious. Just as I said before, you need to rest more and avoid getting upset."

"Sis, maybe you should stay at my place for a while. It's best not to go back to that house," Qiao Shiluo said, visibly worried.

Li Ran was about to agree when her phone rang in her pocket—it was her mother, Qian Shan.

After her father passed away three years ago, her mother remarried, and since then they'd rarely kept in touch. Why was she calling today?

"Mom?"

"Li Ran, where have you been? I'm at your home right now—get back here immediately!" Qian Shan's tone was harsh, shouting into the phone.

"I understand, I'll be right back." Li Ran knew her mother's temper—always brash, and after her father's death, even more so. The slightest thing out of line would set her yelling.

She wondered what had prompted her mother to show up so suddenly today.

"I'm afraid I can't go with you. My mother is here, I need to head back first."

Qiao Shiluo was still uneasy, wanting to follow, but Li Ran stopped her. She understood Qian Shan's temperament all too well; she'd mentioned Qiao Shiluo before and been scolded for it. It was best not to stir things up.

"If anything happens, call me," Qiao Shiluo said, watching her get into the car.

As soon as she opened the door at home, Qian Shan dragged her into a room and scolded, "I heard everything just now. Have you been fooling around with some man outside and got caught?"

"What? Who told you that? When have I ever fooled around with any man?" Li Ran was baffled.

"How else would Fan Fan want a divorce? I've told you again and again that your sales job isn't suitable! Who knows what kind of people you meet every day—it's bound to ruin you one day, but you never believe me. See where it's gotten you!"

Qian Shan spoke as if she knew everything, lecturing earnestly.

Li Ran watched her helplessly. She'd never been close to her mother, and whenever something happened, Qian Shan was always the first to blame her.

Now, even after marriage, Qian Shan was the same—always believing others over her own daughter.

"Mom, the one fooling around is Zhang Fan Fan! I saw them myself, together in a room! Today, they got the lawyer to pressure me into divorce, wanting me to leave with nothing! You never even ask what really happened—you always blame me. Are you even my real mother?"

Qian Shan froze for a moment, then said, "What man doesn't fool around? As long as you're still his wife, he won't really do anything!"

"Mom, you..." Li Ran could hardly believe these words were coming from her own mother.

"Don't 'mom' me! Listen, this house was left by your father, and part of it belongs to me. No matter what, you can't let anyone take it! If this house falls into someone else's hands, I'll never forgive you!"

Qian Shan spoke with such conviction, as if everything was perfectly justified.

"Mom, I recall that when Dad passed, you weren't even around. What makes you think you have a share in this house?"

"You ungrateful girl! I raised you all these years—everything your father left is mine! I'm hungry, go make dinner for me!"

With that, Qian Shan hurried downstairs.

Li Ran sat alone on the edge of her bed, feeling miserable. From the moment Qian Shan entered to when she left, not once had she asked about Li Ran's health or shown any concern for the child she was carrying.

All she did was scold.

And to say that every man fools around—yet she was her mother, so Li Ran couldn't say anything.

With a sigh, Li Ran went downstairs to make dinner.

In the living room, Zhang Nan and Qian Shan were watching TV together, discussing the drama on screen.

Li Ran said nothing, quietly entering the kitchen, only to find Zhang Fan Fan there as well.

"What are you doing here?"

"Your mother came today—of course I'd be here," Zhang Fan Fan said, wearing an apron and preparing dinner, playing the role of a good husband.

But only Li Ran knew it was all an act.

"So you called my mother here? Hoping she’d persuade me, is that it?" Li Ran asked while peeling garlic. "Too bad—my mother told me not to get divorced. Your clever plan failed."

"An Qi's lease is up. She has nowhere to stay, so I'm letting her move in with us tomorrow."

Zhang Fan Fan seemed not to hear her, continuing with his own business.

Li Ran paused, turned to look at him. He remained calm, utterly unmoved.

"Zhang Fan Fan, do you even have a conscience? I already tolerated her staying here one night, and now you want her to move in? Do you really think I don’t exist?"

"If you can tolerate it once, you can tolerate it again. Li Ran, I want to see how much you can endure!"

Li Ran was so angry she threw the garlic into the trash. "Fine, you’re really something!"

...

After dinner, Qian Shan left first. Li Ran returned to her room, washed up, and went to bed.

Half-awake, she sensed someone climbing onto the bed, something heavy pressing down on her. She opened her eyes to find Zhang Fan Fan.

"Zhang Fan Fan, what are you doing in my room?"

"Isn't this room mine too?" Zhang Fan Fan said, pinning her arms so she couldn't move. His other hand reached out.

"Ah! Zhang Fan Fan, let go of me! I'm pregnant!" Li Ran cried.

"Li Ran, you're still my woman. Why shouldn't I touch my own wife?" His strength was overwhelming; Li Ran couldn't move or resist.

"Tell me, are you angry because I haven’t touched you? Is that it?"

Li Ran squeezed her eyes shut, brows furrowed, biting her lip, refusing to speak.

Her silence only made Zhang Fan Fan angrier, his actions rougher. Li Ran couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan...