Volume 1 Chapter 12: Zhizhi Baby, I’m Back
Compared to Shang Shiyan’s restraint, Shu Yang couldn’t hold it in at all.
She planted her hands on her hips, practically wanting to curse Chu Qinyan’s ancestors back eighteen generations.
“That scheming bitch, all she does day in and day out is snatch, snatch, snatch! Was she a stray dog in her past life? I’ve never seen anyone so shameless! She has no connection to the Meng family whatsoever, yet she insists on clinging to them like a stubborn piece of plaster that won’t come off no matter how hard you try. I really wonder what kind of parents could raise a daughter like that…”
The moment she thought about how her baby’s injury might have been caused by Chu Qinyan, Shu Yang’s whole body trembled with rage, and no amount of cursing could vent her fury.
Beside her, Duan Yang watched her fierce demeanor, startled into quickly lowering his head and imperceptibly shuffling backward.
Shu Yang wasn’t done after cursing Chu Qinyan—she went on to berate the muddle-headed Meng parents as well.
Almost every sentence was different from the last, leaving Duan Yang dumbfounded.
“The missus was actually recovering quite well… I wonder if it’s because of Young Master Shang…”
He spoke weakly, his words laden with insinuation.
“What? That scumbag still dares to come bother Zhizhi? He’s got some nerve…”
Duan Yang’s words were like a fuse igniting a bomb, sending Shu Yang’s barely calmed fury surging back up.
Just as she was cursing up a storm, she looked up and caught sight of Meng Zhi nestled softly and delicately in Shang Shiyan’s arms, looking tiny and small.
Shang Shiyan’s movements were gentle, extremely patient.
Watching her smile sweetly and act coy toward Shang Shiyan, Shu Yang’s anger dissipated in an instant.
After a brief moment of shock, a wave of sourness rose in Shu Yang’s nose, and she felt like tears were about to rush to the top of her head.
It felt like she hadn’t seen Zhizhi express her emotions so openly in a long time.
There was once a time when she too had been a pampered young girl, doted on by her parents and cared for by her friends.
But somewhere along the way, she had grown quiet, losing her former vitality.
Thinking of her forced “maturity,” Shu Yang felt even more wronged on her behalf, and couldn’t help but blame herself.
She shouldn’t have had that unexpected delay in graduating.
If she could have come back a year earlier, stayed by her side from the start—would she have avoided running into all this messy nonsense?
On the other side, as Meng Zhi’s pain gradually subsided, she noticed there was an extra person in the hospital room.
She furrowed her brows slightly, staying nestled in Shang Shiyan’s arms without moving, but a hint of confusion crept into her eyes.
Although Shu Yang had mentally prepared herself, discovering that Meng Zhi didn’t recognize her still shattered her composure.
She had originally wanted to sniffle her way over to Meng Zhi for a hug and some cuddles.
But when Shang Shiyan shot her a cold look, she was instantly enveloped in a chill, her hands and feet going stiff.
Once she pulled herself together, Shu Yang took several deep breaths to steady herself, then calmly introduced herself to her baby.
“Zhizhi, I’m Shu Yang, your best friend.”
Shu Yang watched Meng Zhi look at her with curious yet slightly bewildered eyes, and her heart nearly melted.
So soft and adorable—she just wanted to squish her!
If Shang Shiyan weren’t there, Shu Yang would have walked right up and pinched her cheeks.
Hearing that the beautiful woman before her claimed to be her close bestie, Meng Zhi tilted her head up to look at Shang Shiyan.
She softly called him “hubby,” as if seeking confirmation from him.
After all, she truly couldn’t recall anything about this beauty in front of her.
The word “hubby” seemed to carry a looping effect, echoing over and over in Shu Yang’s ears.
She stared wide-eyed at the two people across from her, feeling as though she were seeing things and hearing ringing in her ears.
Shang Shiyan paid no attention to her reaction—his dark eyes were fixed entirely on Meng Zhi.
The man looked at the girl’s confused expression, a faint smile curving at his lips as he gave her a firm, reassuring nod.
After confirming with Shang Shiyan, the wariness in Meng Zhi’s eyes toward Shu Yang visibly lessened.
Especially when she saw the genuine worry and concern in Shu Yang’s eyes—so completely different from the man who had claimed to be her fiancé yet showed not a trace of care—Meng Zhi trusted her a little more.
She pressed her lips together, and under the beautiful woman’s expectant gaze, tentatively tried calling out, “Yangyang?”
Seeing how easily Meng Zhi accepted her, Shu Yang’s clenched fist loosened slightly as she let out a long breath.
“Zhizhi, baby…”
In her excitement, Shu Yang couldn’t restrain her true nature.
Realizing what she’d said, she looked at Meng Zhi with a worried gaze, only to find that the other girl hadn’t been startled by her.
Only then did Shu Yang break into a smile again.
Looking at the beautiful woman before her—her brows curved like crescent moons, tears glistening in her smiling eyes—Meng Zhi felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Seeing her tears made Meng Zhi’s heart ache.
She struggled to lift her hand, wanting to gently wipe them away.
That single gesture made Shu Yang’s heart ache even more.
Her baby was so good—how dare those people hurt her like that!
The pain was unbearable, as if something were pounding inside her chest again and again until it was raw and bloody.
Shu Yang was dying of grief, yet facing Meng Zhi’s clear, innocent gaze, she could only suppress her sorrow, not wanting to make her worry too much.
Shang Shiyan knew that after their long separation, they must have so much to say to each other.
He carefully helped Meng Zhi lie back down on the bed, slowly raising the headrest to ensure she was in a comfortable position.
Before leaving, Shang Shiyan gave Shu Yang a deep, lingering look.
That cold, heavy gaze seemed to remind her not to get too emotional, and to remember what she should and shouldn’t say.
Once Shang Shiyan had completely left, the last taut string in Shu Yang’s mind finally relaxed.
She took two quick steps to the bedside, looking over Meng Zhi from head to toe again and again with a heartbroken gaze.
Shu Yang was stunningly beautiful—even without makeup, with her eyes swollen from crying, she was still breathtakingly gorgeous.
If anything, she seemed less sharp than before, carrying instead a tender, heartbroken softness.
She gripped Meng Zhi’s hand tightly, her voice trembling beyond control as she spoke.
“Zhizhi, baby, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault for not coming back sooner, letting you suffer so much…”
Those goddamn bastards!
How could they be so blind and heartless!
Looking at Meng Zhi’s small face, unable to find a single trace of extra flesh, Shu Yang’s fury was instantly ignited and blazed.
Shu Yang gritted her teeth, rage surging in her eyes.
She wished she could kill every one of those bastards who had hurt Meng Zhi.
At the same time, she felt even more guilt and self-blame, hating herself for not coming back immediately when she heard those rumors after going abroad.
Every time Shu Yang called Meng Zhi, she told her that if she was ever wronged, she had to speak up—but every time, Meng Zhi just smiled and said everything was fine.
She must have been so helpless back then.
Her mind had probably already been damaged, perhaps even to the point of despair where she’d given up on seeking help.
She used calmness to mask her inner helplessness and despair, and Shu Yang hadn’t noticed a single sign.
Shu Yang merely imagined what she might have gone through, and she wished she could slap herself twice.
“Zhizhi, baby, I’m back. Don’t worry, from now on I’ll never let anyone bully you again.”
Although Meng Zhi didn’t understand what she meant by that, her eyes still uncontrollably welled up with tears when she heard it.