Chapter Six: Regret

“What do you mean? If this child isn’t yours, whose could it be?” Li Ran clutched her abdomen, half-collapsed on the floor. She hadn’t slept all night, and without breakfast, her body was utterly drained of strength.

Zhang Fanfan sneered. “I’m telling you, the child you’re carrying isn’t mine. Since we got married, I’ve never touched you—so how could you possibly be pregnant with my child?”

Li Ran sat in shock on the floor, her hand slipping weakly from the edge of the bed.

Unbothered, Zhang Fanfan withdrew his hand in disgust, leaving her sitting on the ground without a trace of concern.

“Son, what nonsense are you spouting? How could the child in Li Ran’s womb not be of our Zhang family’s blood?” Zhang Nan clearly didn’t believe a word.

“Mom, do you think I would lie about something like this?” Zhang Fanfan insisted coldly. “This concerns the bloodline of our family—I wouldn’t speak carelessly.”

Seeing how serious he was, Zhang Nan’s gaze toward Li Ran filled with doubt as well…

Li Ran remained dazed on the floor. She remembered clearly—it was her birthday that day, and Zhang Fanfan had said he had a gift for her.

She went to him, and the two of them spent a passionate night together. It was the happiest day since their marriage. And now he denied her outright—how could she accept that?

Their argument must have been loud, for Chu Jing, making rounds in the ward across the hall, hurried over upon hearing the commotion. Seeing Li Ran on the floor, she rushed to help her sit up.

“Ran Ran, you’re pregnant—you can’t be sitting on the floor like this. Come on, let’s get you up.” Turning, she scolded the mother and son, “Is this how you treat a pregnant woman as her family?”

After tucking Li Ran in and checking her over to ensure she was unharmed, Chu Jing finally relaxed.

Li Ran gradually came to herself and looked up at Zhang Fanfan. His face was expressionless, utterly devoid of warmth, which chilled her all the more.

“Zhang Fanfan, are you sure about what you just said?”

“What good would it do me to lie to you?” He replied, then, unwilling to linger, took Zhang Nan and left.

“A lot of good, actually…” Li Ran laughed bitterly, her words barely audible.

Seeing her so distraught, Chu Jing’s heart ached. She poured her a glass of water and set the breakfast Zhang Nan had brought in front of her. “Ran Ran, you’re not alone now. No matter what, you have to eat something—the child inside you needs nourishment too.”

“Chu Jing, what did I do wrong? Why is he treating me like this?” Li Ran looked at her, her eyes red and swollen.

“To be honest, I never approved of your marriage to Zhang Fanfan after you graduated. I never understood what you saw in him.”

That very question echoed in Li Ran’s mind. Thinking back, Zhang Fanfan’s family hadn’t been well-off, and there had been plenty of suitors vying for her at the time. Yet she had chosen him.

Perhaps it was because he’d seemed more mature and dependable than the others, giving her a sense of security.

Li Ran quietly asked herself whether these past three years had been good or bad—only she knew the answer.

“Chu Jing, I’d like to be alone for a while.”

“Alright.” Understanding her need for space, Chu Jing said nothing more and quietly closed the door behind her.

…

Li Ran spent the night in the hospital. Since Zhang Fanfan’s departure, she hadn’t received a single call or message—not a sign of his existence. It was as if he had vanished completely.

Chu Jing brought her breakfast before heading to a meeting, leaving Li Ran alone. She had just finished eating when her phone rang.