Ruan Mi was pushed into the VIP ward, still half-asleep and half-awake from the anesthesia.
From beside her ear came the conversation between her mother-in-law and Mu Xiubai.
“I haven’t been home for half a year—how was I supposed to know her stomach condition had gotten so severe?”
Mu Xiubai’s voice was low and heavy with exhaustion.
“You have the nerve to say that? If you hadn’t been so audacious as to bring that woman to that place, would Ruan Mi have been so enraged that she vomited blood and collapsed? I don’t care how much you adore Zhou Mei—the only Mrs. Mu is Ruan Mi.”
“Zhou Mei is already pregnant with my child. That child absolutely cannot be born under the label of an illegitimate son. If she wants to continue being Mrs. Mu, she has to accept this child.”
Mu Xiubai’s eyes were cold and deep. Since Ruan Mi already knew, it was better to make things clear now.
“You’re being foolish. The Mu Group still needs to establish itself in Didu. Ruan Mi is, after all, a member of the Ruan family. If you humiliate her like this, do you think the Ruan family will simply look the other way? Unless you have the power to surpass the Ruan family—then you can do whatever you want with Ruan Mi.”
With that, Gu Lanying’s voice softened. “Your mother knows your heart only has room for Zhou Mei, and the child in her belly is my grandson too. If you want Ruan Mi to accept it, you have to shut her mouth first. Just wait a little longer—after another month of taking that medicine, Ruan Mi will be completely unable to bear children. Then you can transfer Zhou Mei’s child to Ruan Mi’s name. As long as you’re a little kinder to her, she loves you so much that she’ll gladly accept it.”
“What did you say? Mother, what’s going on?” Mu Xiubai’s voice was laced with confusion.
Gu Lanying brushed it off with a placating tone. “Don’t worry about this. Just listen to me—it’ll be fine.”
The ward fell into dead silence, followed by the soft click of the door opening and closing.
Ruan Mi, now fully awake on the bed, felt as though her heart were wrapped in ice. It sank heavily, each beat pulling with a searing ache.
What a well-calculated scheme—the abacus beads were practically flicked right into her face. Not only did they want to destroy her, they wanted her to raise another woman’s child.
She, Ruan Mi, had compromised because she loved him. Since all her love had earned her was scheming, what was left for her to care about?
Ruan Mi snapped her eyes open, forcing down her fury.
“You’re awake? Is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable?”
Seeing her awake, Mu Xiubai’s brow relaxed slightly. Though his words were meant as concern, the expression on his face was utterly perfunctory.
Ruan Mi stared coldly at the ceiling, bitterness flooding her heart.
So it was true—as love faded, her eyes became clearer.
She slowly sat up and looked at the man she had loved for five years. He was still as handsome as ever, but in her eyes, he had become utterly repulsive.
“Mu Xiubai, since your first love is back and you two have a child together, let’s get a divorce so I can make way for you.”
“Divorce?”
Mu Xiubai let out a scoff, as if he had just heard something amusing.
“Ruan Mi, are you really willing to divorce? Back then, you were the one who shamelessly chased after me.”
“Yes, I won’t deny that I loved you back then. But now I don’t love you anymore. So—let’s divorce.”
Ruan Mi gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, her gaze fixed firmly on Mu Xiubai.
She had loved, and she didn’t regret it. But since it had been a mistake, she would correct it.
Mu Xiubai, however, looked utterly indifferent. “Ruan Mi, I’ll just take this as you being in a bad mood and throwing a tantrum. I won’t hold it against you.”
With that, he slid one hand into his pocket and strolled slowly to the bedside, bending slightly to meet Ruan Mi’s eyes.
“Ruan Mi, you were the one who said you were willing to be a body double. I also told you my heart only belongs to Mei’er, and you said you didn’t mind. So since that’s the case, just do your job as Mrs. Mu. This game isn’t something you can just call off whenever you want.”
He casually wiped the tear from the corner of Ruan Mi’s eye, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his lips.
“See? The moment divorce comes up, you cry so pitifully. As long as you behave, you’ll always be Mrs. Mu.”
With that, he straightened up and turned around, his eyes full of cold indifference.
“Stay in the hospital for the night. Tomorrow evening, go home and clear out the master bedroom—Mei’er needs plenty of sunlight. I’ll pick you up from the hospital tomorrow, and there will be many reporters around. You’re smart enough to know what you need to do to make me happy.”
Without waiting to see what expression Ruan Mi might have, he strode out of the room in large steps.
The ward door slammed shut with a sharp bang.
Ruan Mi’s heart kept sinking, her fingertips digging hard into her palms.
So he couldn’t wait to bring her into the house.
He was counting on her not wanting a divorce, counting on her to willingly compromise.
Even at a time like this, he still expected her to put on a good show for his sake.
What a beautiful dream.
She raised her hand and wiped away the last tear from the corner of her eye.
Then she picked up the phone and called her best friend, Bo Yuan.
Bo Yuan answered instantly, her crisp and urgent voice coming through the receiver.
“Mi Bao, I’ve been calling you and you wouldn’t pick up! I was about to call the police, you know that?”
Ruan Mi’s heart warmed, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
But the words she spoke next left Bo Yuan frozen in place.
“Find me a lawyer. I want a divorce from Mu Xiubai.”
“What did you say? Say that again.”
The voice on the other end suddenly changed pitch.
Faced with her best friend’s shock, Ruan Mi wasn’t surprised at all—because the old Ruan Mi had loved Mu Xiubai to the point of madness.
Forget divorce—if anyone dared to say a single bad word about Mu Xiubai, she would throw hands with them on the spot.
But if sincerity not only failed to be repaid in kind but also brought disaster upon herself, then Ruan Mi wasn’t so attached to that crimson mark on her heart that she couldn’t let it go.