At twenty-five weeks pregnant, Rong Shu came upon her husband with his lover at the hospital.
The tall, handsome man in a black coat was shielding the delicate, beautiful girl in his arms. She wore a white fox-fur coat, her cheeks rosy, her small face wrapped in a soft wool scarf. Her features were as exquisite as a doll’s.
Rong Shu clenched the prenatal checkup report until her fingers turned white. The biting wind swept across her cheeks, but the ache in her heart was colder still.
Sheng Tingchen spotted her from a distance. His expression was indifferent, without the slightest shame at having his affair exposed. He personally opened the car door for the girl, his manner gentle.
The aloof, cold-hearted man who always seemed so far above everyone else had such a tender, protective side after all.
The girl seemed to notice Rong Shu. She paused, glanced at Rong Shu in confusion, then turned to Sheng Tingchen and asked, “Why does that auntie keep looking at you, Brother Chen? Do you know her?”
The wind howled in Rong Shu’s ears.
She couldn’t hear what the girl had said to Sheng Tingchen.
But she could tell from the girl’s lips that she had said “auntie.”
Auntie?
She must have meant Rong Shu.
Rong Shu gave a bitter laugh to herself.
She was only twenty-four.
But with her naturally plump figure and ordinary looks, bundled up in a black down jacket and black knitted hat, her late-pregnancy body swollen and cumbersome, and her face haggard, she really did look like a woman in her thirties or forties. How could she compare with a young, pretty girl?
Sheng Tingchen helped the girl into the car.
Rong Shu stood frozen in place, watching the car disappear into the distance.
She and Sheng Tingchen had married because she was pregnant. To a man like him, blessed with every advantage, this forced marriage was a stain on his life. The child in her womb was a tool she had used to coerce him.
He hated her.
She had been secretly in love with him for eight years, but Rong Shu knew she was nowhere near good enough for him. So she studied relentlessly, holding him up as the ideal she aspired to and following in his footsteps.
At last, she had achieved her wish and become his assistant, able to stand close beside him.
That night had destroyed more than just Sheng Tingchen. It had mercilessly shattered every last bit of pride and dignity she had in front of him, too.
She would never forget the disgust in his eyes afterward, as he stared at her as if he had touched something filthy and revolting.
Only a beautiful girl like that was worthy of him.
A hot tear slid from the corner of her eye. A moment later, a spasm of pain seized her lower abdomen. She hurriedly put a hand over her belly and braced herself against a stone pillar.
A passing nurse noticed her and rushed over to support her, taking her to an examination room.
The emotional turmoil had only caused a pregnancy scare.
Once she had recovered, Rong Shu left the hospital and drove home to Qianshui Bay alone, her body and mind utterly exhausted.
This was Sheng Tingchen’s villa.
Old Madam Sheng had arranged for experienced housekeepers from the Sheng family’s old residence to look after her.
At that moment, the two housekeepers assigned to care for her were sitting in the warm living room, eating and chatting as if they owned the villa.
Hearing a noise, one of them looked toward the entrance.
When she saw Rong Shu return, one of the housekeepers stood and came over to ask, “How did the prenatal checkup go?”
Her manner was arrogant, her tone contemptuous.
They were supposed to be looking after Rong Shu, but they acted more like masters sent to keep an eye on her.
Rong Shu gave the housekeeper a cool glance, said nothing, and headed straight for the stairs.
The housekeeper frowned in displeasure.
“I’m talking to you!”
Rong Shu still ignored her.
Watching Rong Shu’s back, the housekeeper spat, “She’s as fat as a pig. Does she really think she’s the Sheng family’s young madam? Why put on airs?”
Rong Shu returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed, feeling hollow and lost.
Neither Sheng Tingchen nor the Sheng family approved of her as their daughter-in-law.
Old Madam Sheng had arranged for her and Sheng Tingchen to register their marriage.
But it was only because Old Master Sheng was gravely ill and Rong Shu had shown up pregnant. To bring good fortune to Old Master Sheng, the family had arranged the wedding, making it a double celebration.
Whether by coincidence or because the wedding had truly brought him good fortune, Old Master Sheng’s condition gradually improved.
Only then did Old Madam Sheng’s attitude toward Rong Shu begin to soften.
The rest of the Sheng family, however, still looked down on her.
She had gone to the hospital that day to find out the sex of the baby she was carrying. It was a girl.
Madam Sheng had probably already received the hospital’s notification.
Just then, her phone began to vibrate.
Rong Shu pulled herself out of her thoughts.
She took her phone from her bag. Seeing who was calling, she froze for a moment. It was her advisor.
She answered.
“Professor Jiang.”
“There’s a spot available for doctoral studies at Stanford University. Would you like to try for it?”
At Jiang Huaixu’s words, Rong Shu sat stunned for a long moment.
When she didn’t respond, Jiang Huaixu continued, “You don’t have to—”
“I’ll go.”
Rong Shu came to her senses and answered decisively.
Jiang Huaixu fell silent instead.
He knew better than anyone how hard Rong Shu had worked to earn the right to stand beside Sheng Tingchen.
Now that she had finally gotten what she wanted—married and pregnant—how could she leave so easily?
He had a spot left and had only asked her on the off chance she might be interested.
“Professor Jiang,” Rong Shu said.
“Then come to my office at ten tomorrow morning.”
“All right.”
Jiang Huaixu said nothing more and hung up.
Rong Shu set down her phone and let out a long breath. Suddenly, she felt as if the clouds had parted and the moon had emerged, though a touch of wistfulness lingered.
It was time for her to wake up.
A man who didn’t love her wouldn’t be bound to her by the child she gave birth to. He wouldn’t turn around and look at her again—not even once.
She then received a call from Old Madam Sheng, asking her to come to the Sheng family’s old residence. Rong Shu agreed. It was probably about the baby.
Now she felt more energetic.
She went to the bathroom and had a proper bath.
Sitting at the dressing table, Rong Shu looked at herself in the mirror: a swollen, round face, dark circles, bags under her eyes, sunken eye sockets, and cheeks covered in spots.
Who wouldn’t find her repulsive looking like this?
How could someone like her deserve to stand beside a man as exceptional as Sheng Tingchen?
She put on makeup, changed into a pink down jacket, and donned a white round hat. She looked much more alert.
She had planned to drive herself to the old residence.
But just as she stepped outside, Sheng Tingchen called. His voice was as cool and detached as ever. “Come out.”
Rong Shu was startled.
Old Madam must have asked him to return to the old residence.
“All right,” she replied.
Outside the villa, the man’s Rolls-Royce was parked by the entrance. Two hours earlier, this same car had been used to pick up and drop off another woman.
Rong Shu took a deep breath, walked over, opened the door, and got in.
As soon as she was inside, she caught a faint scent of perfume—the sweet, fresh fragrance of a young girl. A pink teddy bear sat in the car, the sort of plush toy young girls liked.
When she looked up, she noticed the elastic band around the man’s wrist.
It was a way for a girl to mark her territory.
Sheng Tingchen must really like that girl.
Rong Shu pushed down the ache in her heart, took her seat, and fastened her seat belt.
The driver pulled away slowly.
Rong Shu gazed out the window without a word.
Before, whenever she had a chance to spend time with him alone, she would treasure it, trying to grow closer to him. Even when he showed his dislike for her, she would keep finding topics to talk about.
She had naively imagined that since they were already husband and wife and were expecting a child, they had a long life ahead of them. If she could just be a good wife and a good mother, perhaps one day Sheng Tingchen would look back at her.
But in the end, she had only been deluding herself.
The man paid no attention to her feelings. As cold as ever, he asked, “Is the baby a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a girl,” Rong Shu replied.
At that, Sheng Tingchen’s handsome, sharply defined features showed no change. In a flat voice, he said, “Once the baby’s born, we’ll divorce.”
His words made Rong Shu’s fingers tighten.
Her heart felt as though a pair of hands were squeezing it, and she struggled to breathe.
This marriage had never been meant to last. She had expected this, but now that he had said it himself, the pain was still unbearable.
She bit her lip and answered, “All right.”
Sheng Tingchen turned to look at her, seemingly surprised that she had agreed so readily.