The car drove into Lanwan and stopped in front of the largest and most luxurious villa.
The door opened automatically.
Lu Shaodong got out of the car, stood by the door, and looked at Song Wantang.
"Come on down."
Song Wantang held the car door as she got out, her feet touching the ground, still a bit weak.
She looked at the villa before her; its luxury exceeded her imagination. No wonder it was the home of the richest man in the capital!
A middle-aged woman walked out of the villa, dressed appropriately, with a kind face.
"Sir."
"Mm." Lu Shaodong tilted his chin toward Song Wantang. "This is Miss Song. She'll be staying here for a while. Make the arrangements."
The middle-aged woman was slightly taken aback but quickly returned to normal. "Very well, sir."
Song Wantang nodded politely at her. "Sorry for the trouble."
"You're too kind, Miss Song. Just call me Zhang Ma," Zhang Ma said with a smile. "Please, this way."
Song Wantang followed Zhang Ma inside, but after a few steps, she suddenly stopped.
She turned around.
"Mr. Lu... tonight... thank you."
Lu Shaodong didn't speak, only nodded slightly.
Song Wantang turned and went upstairs.
Little Dumpling's voice sounded again, this time laced with sleepiness:
"Mommy, I'm so tired... I talked so much today..."
"Good night, Mommy. Good night, Daddy."
"See you tomorrow."
Song Wantang's steps faltered.
She placed her hand on her lower abdomen and whispered softly in her heart: Good night, baby.
Behind her, Lu Shaodong stood there, watching the door close behind her.
The image of that night three months ago suddenly surfaced in his mind—
In the darkness, that woman was soft as water, her arms wrapped around his neck, her lips brushing against his Adam's apple.
She cried, her voice soft and hoarse, saying it hurt.
He paused for a moment.
Then she held him tighter.
A slight, almost imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of Lu Shaodong's mouth.
His phone rang.
He answered it.
"Did you find it?" he asked.
"Found it, President Lu." The voice on the other end was respectful. "That night three months ago at Qifeng Club, someone did drug Miss Song. The one who administered the drug was her stepsister, Song Yurou, and the mastermind behind it was Shen Mozhou. They originally arranged for three men, but Miss Song went into the wrong room—yours."
Lu Shaodong's gaze darkened.
"Also, Miss Song holds thirty percent of the shares in Song Corporation, left to her by her grandfather before he passed. Shen Mozhou married her just for those shares."
Lu Shaodong said nothing.
The voice on the other end waited a few seconds, then spoke cautiously: "President Lu, should we—"
"No need," Lu Shaodong said.
He hung up the phone, his eyes cold as ice.
Shen Mozhou.
Very well.
......
The next morning, Song Wantang woke up to the sunlight.
She opened her eyes and looked at the unfamiliar room, momentarily disoriented.
Memories of last night flooded back like a tide.
The wedding, breaking off the engagement, Lu Shaodong.
And... the child in her belly.
Song Wantang's hand instinctively went to her lower abdomen. It was still completely flat; she couldn't feel anything.
But she knew there was a tiny life in there, growing quietly.
A chatterbox, too.
At that thought, she couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.
"Mommy, you're awake?"
Little Dumpling's voice chimed in right on time, full of the satisfaction of a good sleep. "Good morning, good morning! Mommy is in such a good mood today!"
Song Wantang responded in her heart: Mm, good morning.
"Mommy, let me tell you, I secretly observed Daddy last night!" Little Dumpling's voice turned mysterious. "He was on the phone in the study the whole time, seemed like he was checking on something."
Song Wantang was taken aback.
Checking on what?
Checking on her?
"Don't worry, Mommy!" Little Dumpling quickly comforted her. "Daddy was checking on that scumbag! And that wicked woman! He had someone dig up everything about them!"
Song Wantang: "..."
So this child could not only hear her thoughts but also know what Lu Shaodong was doing?
"That's right, that's right!" Little Dumpling's voice was smug. "I just know! Hehe!"
Song Wantang was momentarily at a loss for what to say.
This child... was he here to repay kindness or to scare her?
Just then, her phone suddenly rang.
Song Wantang glanced at the caller ID—it was Song Changfeng.
She hesitated for a moment, then answered.
"Song Wantang! Where are you?!"
Song Changfeng's voice came from the other end, carrying suppressed anger. "You come back right now! About yesterday, you have to give the Shen family an explanation!"
Song Wantang held the phone, her voice very calm: "An explanation for what?"
Song Changfeng's voice immediately rose a few notches. "You broke off the engagement in front of everyone at the wedding, and you were spouting nonsense about Yurou being pregnant with Shen Mozhou's child. Do you know what the Shen family's attitude is now?! They say they're canceling the cooperation; the Song Corporation's project is going to fall through!"
Song Wantang let out a soft laugh.
"Have you ever thought, if Yurou really isn't pregnant with Shen Mozhou's child, why didn't she go to the hospital with me yesterday for verification?"
There was a pause on the other end.
"Don't change the subject!" Song Changfeng's voice was clearly lacking confidence. "Now you come back immediately, go to the Shen family and apologize, smooth this over!"
"Apologize?" Song Wantang's voice turned cold. "Dad, you want me to apologize to someone who tried to ruin my virtue?"
"What ruin your virtue? That's all your own nonsense! How could Mozhou do something like that?"
"Then have you asked him?"
Silence on the other end.
Song Wantang held the phone, suddenly feeling very tired.
This man she had called Dad for more than twenty years had never once believed her.
Every single time—every time—as long as Zhou Huiru or Song Yurou said something, he believed it.
And what her own biological daughter said was always nonsense and fuss in his eyes.
"Mommy, don't be sad. You still have me and Daddy!" Little Dumpling's voice sounded from her belly, this time without its usual playfulness, but with concern and comfort.
Song Wantang took a deep breath.
"If you're calling about this, then there's nothing more to say."
"You... you think you've got it made now? Really latched onto the Lu family? Just wait until you're abandoned..."
Song Wantang cut him off directly. "You don't need to worry about my affairs. If the Song Corporation's project falls through because of this, you should go find the real culprit, not me. After all, it was Shen Mozhou who first betrayed the engagement, and it was your precious stepdaughter who first got pregnant with his child."
With that, Song Wantang hung up the phone directly.
The phone rang a few more times; she didn't answer.
"Mommy, well done. Don't worry, Daddy won't abandon you," Little Dumpling said hastily.
Song Wantang smiled. Actually, she had already made up her mind.
From the moment she broke off the engagement, she had no hope left for the Song family.
That page was turned.
Just then, a soft knock came from the door.
✦✦✦