Wen Zhan had just slipped his legs under the covers when his expression instantly turned cold at her words. He turned his gaze toward the back of her head and asked, “Why should I go to another room?”
“Don’t misunderstand—I’m not trying to drive you away. I just think you don’t have to force yourself. Or… I could sleep in the guest room instead.”
Mu Wanqing considered things from his perspective and felt he was rather pitiable. The woman he loved had married his close friend, and he was forced to build a family with a woman he didn’t love, having to share a bed with her every night—surely that would give him nightmares, wouldn’t it?
As her words faded, she sat up, preparing to get out of bed. But she had barely shifted when a cold voice from behind asked, “Who is that man? How did you meet him?”
“Huh?” The abrupt question startled Mu Wanqing. She turned her head, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes widening in surprise. “What man? What are you talking about?”
Wen Zhan’s thin lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. “Still pretending? Out of nowhere, you suddenly want a divorce and even suggest sleeping separately. Isn’t it because there’s someone else in your heart?”
“I…” Mu Wanqing’s eyes widened even further. Her lips parted but then closed, leaving her momentarily speechless. After a pause, she finally spoke, “The reason I brought up divorce is because of… you and Lu Kejun…”
“She’s already married. She has nothing to do with me.”
“Ha!” Mu Wanqing found it utterly ridiculous. Suddenly throwing caution to the wind, she mimicked his tone and retorted, “What are you pretending for? The way you look at her—lasers couldn’t cut it—and you say she has nothing to do with you?”
Wen Zhan’s expression froze, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Mu Wanqing shifted her position, turning to face him directly. “I thought you were suffering in this marriage and wanted to set you free sooner. If you don’t appreciate it, fine, but don’t go around making baseless accusations against me!”
In every confrontation between them, Mu Wanqing would start off cautious and timid, but once provoked, she would become sharp-tongued and unleash her full firepower.
Wen Zhan had noticed this about her.
It was as if two different personalities resided within her.
The gentle, obedient, serene, and elegant facade was just that—a surface appearance.
In reality, she was resolute, courageous, clear-minded, and even her comebacks were uniquely sharp, never showing a trace of fear.
Compared to the first image—like a porcelain doll kept in a box and displayed on a shelf—he inexplicably found the second personality far more captivating.
Vibrant, clever, brave, and even a little fiery, as if she might leap up at any moment to pick a fight.
Wen Zhan stared at her intently, studying her face seriously for the first time.
Her features were well-proportioned: a full forehead, thick eyebrows and large eyes, a straight and delicate nose, and lips red as cherries against fair teeth.
Hers was not the trendy, sharply defined face of the moment, but rather the kind of dignified, grand beauty rooted in traditional aesthetics—the type that evoked a sense of national peace and prosperity, and one that grew more appealing the longer you looked.
When he first met her, her difficult living conditions had left her with a somewhat rustic air.
But after years of being nurtured by wealth and luxury, her skin had grown fairer, her demeanor refined, and even without a trace of makeup, her beauty was striking enough to captivate at first glance.
Wen Zhan thought to himself that if she weren’t so duplicitous, scheming, and calculating, he would have been willing to try making their marriage work for the sake of their two children.
But now, before he could even convince himself to accept her, she was the one who brought up divorce first.
As if staying in this household was unbearable for her.
How ungrateful!
Mu Wanqing, noticing his fixed gaze—so different from his usual dismissive look—suddenly felt uneasy, her heart pounding nervously.
“Why… why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, her voice lacking confidence.
Wen Zhan slightly furrowed his brows, withdrawing his distracted thoughts as he pulled up the covers to lie down. “It’s nothing. I just don’t believe you’d be so kind-hearted. I’m afraid it’s another trap.”
“I…” Mu Wanqing was truly furious, resolved to confront him openly tonight. “Explain yourself clearly. When have I ever set a trap for you? Convicting someone requires evidence!”
The angrier she became, the more satisfaction Wen Zhan felt inwardly, though his expression remained neutral, betraying no emotion.
He lay down and said leisurely, “The evidence is in your arms every day. Do I need to present it?”
“…” The woman gritted her teeth. She knew it—this matter again!
After a pause, she straightened up and raised her right hand, her face serious and her tone solemn yet mocking: “Mr. Wen, I swear to heaven, the night after that incident, I really took the morning-after pill the next day. If I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning!”
Wen Zhan opened his eyes. Though lying down and physically at a disadvantage, his arrogant and aloof demeanor remained dominant. “If swearing worked, the God of Thunder and Goddess of Lightning would have been overwhelmed long ago.”
“…” Mu Wanqing felt she was on the verge of fainting from anger.
The man continued unhurriedly, “Actually, if you’d just admit it frankly, I’d accept it. After all, at my age, it’s time to become a father—what I despise is how you clearly did it yet…”
“I didn’t! Why should I admit to something that never happened? The doctor said no contraceptive method is 100% effective. I was just the exception!” Mu Wanqing rudely interrupted him, defending herself once more.
Wen Zhan studied her with a probing gaze, intrigued by her indignant attitude. He sat up again, leaning against the headboard, and asked calmly, “The doctor said if you had taken the morning-after pill, it wouldn’t be advisable to keep the baby due to the risk of deformities—yet you were adamant about keeping it. Doesn’t that prove you never took the pill? Otherwise, why would you risk giving birth to a potentially deformed child? What would be the point?”
Mu Wanqing took a deep breath. “When I found out I was pregnant, my first thought was also to abort it. Though cruel, there was no choice—we couldn’t take that risk. But during the checkup, the doctor said it was double gestational sacs, meaning twins.”
She looked into the man’s deep, shadowy eyes and declared firmly, “Twins—two lives! No one could bear to abort them! I thought, with today’s advanced medical technology, I could take a chance. If later tests showed the fetuses had problems, I could still opt for induced labor. If not, it would be a double blessing. And it turns out, I gambled correctly!”
The man parted his lips to speak but was cut off again: “Besides, you were the one who made the mistake. Why should I bear the consequences? Do you think abortion isn’t harmful? What if something went wrong and I could never have children again? Now the babies are born safely, I’ve become a mother, and I’ve accomplished the most important thing in life. I’m grateful for my decision back then. Even if you wrong me and slander me, I don’t regret it!”
After delivering these resolute words, Mu Wanqing stood up angrily and got out of bed. “I think it’s better if we keep our distance. If I keep getting this angry around you, my milk supply will dry up!”
She got out of bed and walked halfway around the footboard when she suddenly remembered something. Stopping, she turned to look at the man: “By the way, I didn’t take the morning-after pill this time. That kind of medication is very harmful to the body. I’m breastfeeding and can’t risk the children’s health.”
Wen Zhan frowned, finally recalling this crucial matter.
Looking at the woman’s livid face, he uttered an uncharacteristically hesitant remark: “You… shouldn’t get pregnant again now, right?”