Rong Shu was lying on her side on the bed, one hand covering her lower abdomen as she felt the baby move. Gradually, her emotions settled.
Xie Anming’s words kept replaying in her mind. Sheng Tingchen truly despised the child in her belly.
Even if Old Madam Sheng cared about the baby, how much attention would her child receive once Miss An gave birth to a Sheng heir?
She really didn’t dare think any further.
She couldn’t leave the child behind to face a family that had no expectations for her alone. She was going to take the baby and leave. Rong Shu made up her mind.
Knock, knock, knock.
A series of knocks sounded at the door.
Rong Shu came to with a start. She slowly got out of bed and went to open the door, where she found Liu Lihua wearing a sharp, scornful expression.
“The Young Master wants you.”
When Rong Shu reached the living room, she saw the man sitting on the sofa, his expression grim. Her heart tightened. She had braced herself for this, but the sight of his face and the oppressive, icy aura surrounding him still filled her with fear.
Her steps grew stiff. She didn’t even dare look at him.
She stopped in front of him, expecting the reprimand she knew was coming. Instead, the man spoke with even more coldness and cruelty. “You can go to bed when you’ve finished dealing with these documents.”
With that, he lowered his long legs and strode toward the dining room.
Rong Shu looked at the thick stack of documents on the coffee table. He clearly had no intention of letting her rest tonight.
In his eyes, she wasn’t a pregnant woman—or even an ordinary person. Did he really hate and despise her that much?
Rong Shu clenched her fingers, then abruptly turned to face the man’s back. “I’ve already submitted my resignation. I quit.”
The man stopped and turned halfway around, fixing Rong Shu with a cold gaze.
Rong Shu summoned her courage and met his chilling, intimidating stare.
“I don’t want to repeat myself.”
Sheng Tingchen looked at Liu Lihua. “Go lock her bedroom door.”
At once, a smug smile spread across Liu Lihua’s face. “I’ll do it right now.”
She hurried toward Rong Shu’s room.
Rong Shu stood rigid in place as endless darkness seemed to close in around her, leaving her feeling suffocated.
Her heart ached unbearably, and tears once again slipped helplessly from the corners of her eyes.
The sight of her brought no warmth to Sheng Tingchen’s eyes.
He paid no heed to her feelings.
Watching the man’s cold, retreating figure, Rong Shu felt like a clown. A surge of emotion suddenly overwhelmed her.
She picked up the documents on the coffee table and threw them straight into the trash, then held her belly and walked out of the living room.
Sheng Tingchen stopped. His expression grew even colder.
Rong Shu left the villa. A gust of cold wind hit her. She wasn’t wearing a down jacket, and she shivered uncontrollably. Her phone and car keys were still in her room.
She glanced back at the villa. The cold wind dried the tears at the corners of her eyes. Hugging herself, she made no move to turn back. With red-rimmed eyes, she looked away and slowly walked toward the exit of the villa grounds.
Thinly dressed and carrying her large belly, she walked beneath the lonely streetlights, buffeted by the cold wind.
People in passing cars couldn’t help looking at her.
There were only eighteen villas in this neighborhood, and all their residents were wealthy and influential, belonging to the same social circle. They knew Rong Shu’s background, and they had also heard some rumors about why she and Sheng Tingchen had registered their marriage.
A man as handsome and perfect as Sheng Tingchen, paired with a woman like her—anyone would find it distasteful. No wonder he was hardly ever home.
Seeing her in such a wretched, humiliating state, they felt no sympathy for her.
Rong Shu walked for a while, then stopped, and started again. She had barely eaten at noon, and now she was cold and hungry. Her stomach began to feel uncomfortable.
After walking for more than half an hour, Rong Shu finally reached the gate.
As she was about to leave, the security guard stopped her. “Miss Rong, Mr. Sheng wants you to go back.”
Rong Shu froze. He certainly wasn’t asking her to return because he cared about her.
“I’m not going back,” she said, holding her belly as she tried to walk past him.
But the guard blocked her way. “We can’t let you leave either. You’re pregnant, and it’s cold at night. If anything happens, we’ll be held responsible. Please go back.”
Rong Shu looked up at the guard and breathed out a puff of warm air. Softening her tone, she asked, “Could I borrow your phone to make a call?”
“I’m sorry, Miss Rong.”
Rong Shu stood where she was, feeling her stomach grow even more uncomfortable.
Just then, a horn sounded behind her.
She turned instinctively and saw the person in the driver’s seat. The man seemed like a savior to her. Holding her belly, she limped over. Her knee still hadn’t recovered from the fall earlier, and the cold wind had made it hurt even more.
Qi Yanzhao rolled down the passenger-side window.
“Mr. Qi, could you take me away from here?” Rong Shu asked.
Qi Yanzhao didn’t ask questions. “Get in.”
“Thank you.”
Rong Shu opened the car door and got in.
The security guard didn’t dare stop her. He could only watch Qi Yanzhao drive away, then return to the security booth and call the intercom for Villa 8.
“Mr. Sheng, Miss Rong left in Mr. Qi’s car.”
“…”
Qi Yanzhao noticed Rong Shu didn’t look well. “Is your stomach bothering you?”
Rong Shu didn’t pretend she was fine. “Could you please take me to the hospital?”
Qi Yanzhao sped up.
During the drive, he received a call from Jiang Huaixu. The two of them had plans that evening, and Jiang Huaixu asked when he thought he would arrive.
“I ran into Rong Shu. I’m taking her to the hospital now.”
At the nearest hospital, Qi Yanzhao registered her for emergency care.
The doctor gave her a full examination and started her on an IV.
Qi Yanzhao noticed she was having trouble walking and mentioned it to the doctor. Rong Shu was wearing thick padded pants, which she had to take off for the examination, so Qi Yanzhao waited outside the ward.
Just then, he saw Jiang Huaixu walking toward them.
Jiang Huaixu came over and glanced into the ward. “What happened?”
“Looks like Sheng Tingchen upset her. She went outside in this cold without even a coat and got chilled. The main thing is that the cold affected the baby. It doesn’t seem serious.”
“Is the doctor still examining her?”
“I noticed she wasn’t walking properly, so the doctor’s checking her.”
As he finished speaking, the doctor came out.
“Doctor, how is she?”
“She’s injured her knee quite badly. Which of you is her husband?”
Jiang Huaixu explained, “She’s my student.”
The doctor didn’t press him. “I’ll prescribe some medicine for the sprain and bruising. One of you, come with me to pick it up.”
“I’ll go,” Qi Yanzhao said.
Jiang Huaixu entered the ward and saw Rong Shu lying motionless on the bed, her face pale.
“Professor Jiang,” Rong Shu said.
Jiang Huaixu pulled over a chair and sat down. “Whatever happened, you shouldn’t take the baby in your belly lightly.”
Rong Shu had completely calmed down by then. “I was impulsive today.”
What right did she have to lose her temper with Sheng Tingchen? In his eyes, she was nothing but a humiliating spectacle, and she would only make things more awkward for herself in front of him. He simply wouldn’t care about her feelings.