Meanwhile, Wen Wan changed into an ordinary floral dress and put on a pair of plain glasses as a disguise before heading to the Municipal Hospital.
Xu Zhiguo came here for his annual physical examinations, and Aunt Li, who worked in the hospital archives department, had been her mother’s closest friend.
“Wanwan?”
Aunt Li was both surprised and delighted to see her.
“Why are you dressed like this?”
Wen Wan removed her glasses and took Aunt Li’s hand.
“Aunt Li, I’d like to see my father-in-law’s medical records.”
Aunt Li immediately shook her head.
“That’s against regulations.”
“Aunt Li.”
Tears welled in Wen Wan’s eyes.
“Ever since my mother passed away, I’ve always thought of you as family.”
Looking at the face that so closely resembled her late friend’s, Aunt Li’s heart softened.
“Just this once.”
She sighed.
“And never again.”
Ten minutes later, Wen Wan obtained both the original report and a copy of Xu Zhiguo’s physical examination records.
She quickly scanned the contents.
Xu Zhiguo suffered from chronic prostatitis, and his sperm motility was already below average.
Picking up a pen, she carefully altered the copy.
“Sperm motility below average” became “extremely low sperm motility.”
The diagnosis was changed to severe oligospermia, with an extremely low probability of fertility.
She also adjusted several test values downward, making the forgery appear more convincing.
“Thank you, Aunt Li.”
Wen Wan returned the original file and slipped the copy into her handbag.
“As for this matter—”
“I didn’t see anything.”
Aunt Li waved her hand, though concern lingered in her eyes.
“Wanwan, the Xu family is dangerous. Be careful.”
Leaving the archive room, Wen Wan felt considerably better.
She wondered whether Xu Zhiguo would enjoy this little gift tomorrow.
Lost in thought, she turned a corner and nearly collided with someone.
“Sister-in-law?”
The man sounded surprised.
Wen Wan looked up and her heart immediately sank.
Xu Hao.
Xu Zhiguo’s nephew.
A doctor at the Municipal Hospital.
One of the few genuinely decent people in the Xu family.
In her previous life, when she had been publicly denounced and humiliated, Xu Hao had secretly brought her food.
Xu Hao looked at her curiously.
“Sister-in-law, what are you doing here? Feeling unwell?”
Wen Wan unconsciously tightened her grip on her handbag.
Her heart pounded.
“I came to get some medicine for insomnia. I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
As she spoke, she pretended to feel dizzy and swayed slightly.
“Sister-in-law!”
Xu Hao hurried forward to support her.
Just as she was about to touch his arm, a pair of strong hands caught her from the side.
A familiar scent of mint and tobacco filled the air.
Wen Wan looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
It was him again.
The man who had forcibly kissed her in the car and claimed he was carrying out a mission.
Today he wore a white coat and glasses, looking every bit the doctor.
But Wen Wan recognized him instantly.
“Is this comrade alright?”
His voice was low and gentle, completely different from the commanding tone he had used before.
The sharpness in his features had softened into apparent concern.
Xu Hao frowned and immediately shoved the man away.
“Let go of my sister-in-law!”
Pulling Wen Wan behind him protectively, he glared at the stranger.
“What department are you from? Why haven’t I seen you before?”
The man stepped back half a step and raised his hands peacefully.
“I’m Doctor Liu from Internal Medicine. I saw this lady almost faint.”
“That’s none of your business.”
Xu Hao cut him off.
Turning back to Wen Wan, he asked anxiously,
“Sister-in-law, are you alright? Let me take you for an examination.”
A trace of disappointment flickered across the man’s eyes.
So she was married.
And judging by her closeness with this “brother-in-law,” they seemed quite familiar.
He gave a slight nod and walked away.
“I’m fine.”
Wen Wan forced a smile.
“Just a little low blood sugar.”
Xu Hao reached into his pocket and pulled out a milk candy.
“Here.”
Wen Wan accepted it, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth.
“Thank you. I should get going now.”
Xu Hao followed after her.
“I’ll drive you.”
The setting sun painted the sky crimson as Xu Hao’s car rolled down a tree-lined avenue.
The windows were slightly open, allowing the fragrant early-summer breeze to drift inside.
Yet the atmosphere in the car remained heavy.
“Sister-in-law.”
Xu Hao finally broke the silence.
“I heard about what happened to Cousin Mingzhe.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
“The dog bite… down there.”
The young man’s ears turned slightly red.
“The doctors say it may affect his ability to have children.”
Wen Wan lowered her gaze.
“Mm.”
“Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand.”
Anger flashed across Xu Hao’s face.
“I’m not defending him.”
He clenched the steering wheel.
“He deserved it. The way he’s always treated you…”
Then, suddenly, he interrupted himself.
“Divorce him.”
The car pulled over to the roadside.
Xu Hao turned to face her directly.
“You’re still young. You shouldn’t waste your life hanging yourself on Mingzhe’s tree.”
Wen Wan froze.
His eyes were sincere and burning with emotion.
The feelings hidden within them made her heart skip a beat.
This wasn’t ordinary concern from a younger brother-in-law.
It was something more.
“Xu Hao, you…”
Instinctively, she leaned back.
“I haven’t thought about that.”
“I know this isn’t the right time.”
Xu Hao took a deep breath.
“But I don’t want to see you suffer.”
His gaze never left hers.
“Cousin Mingzhe has never deserved you. Not once.”
The glow of sunset streamed through the car window, illuminating his youthful face and making him appear even more determined.
Only then did Wen Wan realize that the young man she had always regarded as a younger brother had quietly grown into a dependable man.
“Thank you for your concern.”
She looked away.
Her voice was gentle but firm.
“But I don’t intend to remarry.”
“Once everything is over, I’m leaving for Hong Kong with my father and brothers.”
“This time, I won’t allow history to repeat itself.”
Xu Hao leaned forward anxiously.
“Sister-in-law, not every man is like Cousin Mingzhe!”
Wen Wan remained silent.
He stared at her for a long time before finally smiling.
“That’s okay.”
His voice was calm.
“I can wait.”
“Three years. Five years.”
His smile softened.
“Even ten years.”
“Xu Hao!”
Wen Wan frowned.
“Don’t do this. I’m your sister-in-law.”
“Not for much longer.”
He started the engine again.
Then, as if casually changing the subject, he added,
“Actually, Cousin Mingzhe has a mistress outside. They even have a child together.”
Wen Wan shook her head helplessly.
Yet warmth stirred faintly in her heart.
In the darkest days of her previous life, Xu Hao had helped her just as selflessly.
She would always remember that kindness.
But love?
The current Wen Wan no longer dared to trust it so easily.
The car stopped in front of the Wen family estate.
As Wen Wan stepped out, Xu Hao suddenly caught her wrist.
“Sister-in-law.”
His eyes were serious.
“I mean everything I said.”
Gently freeing herself, Wen Wan smiled faintly.
“Xu Hao, find yourself a good girl and fall in love.”
Without looking back, she walked through the gates.
She never saw the mixture of disappointment and determination lingering in Xu Hao’s eyes.
Elsewhere, Lin Xiaoman clicked down the hospital corridor in her high heels.
A fruit basket swung from her arm.
The smile on her face was impossible to hide.
She had originally come to complain about Wen Wan to Xu Mingzhe.
Instead, she learned that he had been bitten by a dog and might lose his fertility.
To her, it was wonderful news.
If that happened, then her own son would become the sole heir of the Xu family.
Her promotion to Mrs. Xu would only be a matter of time.
Wen Wan, let’s see how arrogant you can remain now.
Despite her excitement, she arranged her face into an expression of concern.
Pushing open the hospital room door, she immediately looked as though she were on the verge of tears.
“Mingzhe!”
She rushed inside.
“How could you be hurt so badly?”
Xu Mingzhe reclined against the hospital bed, pale and exhausted.
A complicated expression crossed his face when he saw her.
“Why are you here?”
“I heard you were injured.”
Lin Xiaoman set down the fruit basket and sat beside him.
“I was worried sick.”
She reached out to touch his face.
“Does it hurt?”
Xu Mingzhe avoided her hand.
Tears immediately filled her eyes.
Throwing herself into his arms, she sobbed,
“I already know everything. No matter what happens, I’ll stay by your side.”
A trace of emotion softened Xu Mingzhe’s expression.
He gently stroked her back.
“Xiaoman, you’re so good to me.”
Unlike Wen Wan.
After his accident, she had simply run back to her parents’ home and never even visited him.
Lin Xiaoman buried her face against his chest so he couldn’t see the calculation in her eyes.
“Mingzhe.”
She looked up, tears glistening in her eyes.
“I actually have some good news.”
Her hand slowly rested on her stomach.
“There’s another baby in here.”
She smiled through her tears.
“Two months along.”