“Would Ting Shen not know if she were pregnant? Would I be unaware? Do we need an outsider like you to remind us?” Madam Li’s expression grew even colder. “Mian Yatou has lost a lot of weight after spending a year in prison. I was concerned about her health, so I just invited Mr. Lu Lang to examine her.”
“Lu Lang said Mian Yatou suffers from both blood and energy deficiency, and her digestive system is very weak. She needs careful recuperation and must avoid spicy and greasy foods. This fish is too oily, which is why she felt nauseous. Is there a problem with that?”
Yin Luoxue immediately insisted, “I don’t believe it. Gu Mian must be pregnant. Grandma, this concerns the Li family’s reputation. You must conduct a thorough examination.”
“Since when do the Li family’s affairs require your belief?” Madam Li retorted coldly. “Are you questioning me, or are you questioning Mr. Lu Lang?”
Just as Yin Luoxue was about to speak, Li Hongxuan interjected, “Luoxue, my mother wouldn’t lie about such matters. Moreover, Mr. Lu Lang is the junior fellow apprentice of Divine Doctor Lu Ming. His medical skills are exceptional—he couldn’t possibly misdiagnose a pregnancy.”
Yin Luoxue gritted her teeth secretly, her heart filled with hatred for Gu Mian!
“I’ve already said that I don’t have the habit of sending guests away in the middle of a meal, but you’ve overstepped by publicly humiliating Mian Yatou.” Madam Li couldn’t conceal her anger. “Someone, escort Yin Xiao Jie home.”
Yin Luoxue widened her eyes in disbelief. “Grandma, are you sending me away?”
“Was I not clear enough?” Madam Li countered.
A maid immediately stepped forward. “Yin Xiao Jie, this way please.”
Feeling deeply humiliated, Yin Luoxue instinctively looked toward Li Tingshen, only to find him with downcast eyes, seemingly lost in thought, with no intention of helping her.
Not daring to confront Madam Li directly, Yin Luoxue could only angrily maneuver her wheelchair away.
Madam Li’s expression finally softened somewhat. “Why hasn’t this fish been taken away yet? Instruct the kitchen to prepare some light, stomach-nourishing dishes for the young madam.”
Gu Mian collected herself. “Thank you, Grandma.”
The meal left Gu Mian distracted.
It was true that Mr. Lu Lang had come earlier to conduct Madam Li’s routine check-up, and Madam Li had suggested examining Gu Mian’s pulse, but she had declined.
From the earlier situation, it was clear Yin Luoxue knew about her pregnancy. What Gu Mian hadn’t expected was that before she could figure out how to handle it, Madam Li had stepped forward to protect her.
And had even lied for her!
Gu Mian’s mind was in turmoil. To make matters worse, after dinner, Madam Li declared, “Ting Shen and Mian Yatou will stay here tonight instead of going back. Your room has long been cleaned and prepared.”
Wanting an opportunity to clarify things, Gu Mian nodded. “Alright, Grandma.”
She had intended to take a walk in the garden with Madam Li, but a servant suddenly approached. “Young Madam, the second young master says he’s still hungry after dinner and requests that you quickly make the cake.”
Gu Mian wasn’t particularly inclined to make it, but she disliked leaving tasks unfinished. Since this would be the last time anyway, she didn’t refuse and went straight to the kitchen to prepare the cake, then had a servant deliver it to Li Xingze.
As Gu Mian removed her apron and was about to find Madam Li, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
She turned to see Li Tingshen’s expressionless face.
“Come upstairs with me. We need to talk.”
The rooms of the Li family’s younger generation were all on the third floor. The two took the elevator to the third-floor room, where Li Tingshen closed the door and turned to face Gu Mian. “Are you pregnant?”
Gu Mian was taken aback for a moment before quickly responding, “Didn’t Grandma just say that I’m not pregnant? It’s just stomach discomfort.”
Li Tingshen frowned slightly. “Did you take the pill after that time over a month ago?”
Suppressing the ache in her heart, Gu Mian nodded. “Yes, I did. When have I ever missed taking it?”
Only then did Li Tingshen relax. “That’s good.”
Gu Mian’s heart felt sharply stung. “Are you that afraid of me getting pregnant?”
“I’ve told you before, Luoxue isn’t in good health. It’s not the right time for you to get pregnant.”
Gu Mian could no longer control herself, her voice rising unconsciously. “So whether I can have a child depends on Yin Luoxue? Don’t you find that ridiculous?”
“Gu Mian, don’t be unreasonable.” Li Tingshen’s deep voice carried a warning tone. “I didn’t stop Grandma from favoring you at the dinner table earlier. I didn’t even speak up for Luoxue—instead, I went along with Grandma to protect you. What more do you want?”
“So just because you didn’t side with Yin Luoxue, I should be grateful?” Gu Mian’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably. “Were you really protecting me, Gu Mian? You said it yourself—even if it were your dog that got hit, you would have stood up for it. So you weren’t protecting me; you were protecting your pride.”
Li Tingshen’s eyes grew colder. “Are you taking advantage of Grandma’s fondness for you to push your luck, hmm?”
Gu Mian turned to leave.
“Stop!” Li Tingshen caught up in two strides, grabbing her wrist. “Where are you going?”
“To find Grandma.”
Li Tingshen sneered. “Going to tattle to Grandma?”
Gu Mian glared at him. “No, I’m going to make things clear with Grandma. I want a divorce. If she agrees, you won’t be able to refuse to sign, will you?”
“You’re getting bolder, trying to use Grandma to pressure me into getting what you want?”
Gu Mian fought back tears. “That’s not what I’m thinking. I just want to leave you as soon as possible, to break free from this ridiculous and pathetic marriage!”
A sharp glint flashed in the man’s dark, profound eyes. “Break free? You think marrying me has wronged you?”
“That’s right! To me, the Li family is a cage!”
The fury in Li Tingshen’s chest burned even hotter, and his grip on her wrist tightened abruptly. “Gu Mian, don’t forget—you were the one who insisted on entering this cage. When we got married, I was unconscious. No one forced you!”
Gu Mian felt as though her wrist was about to be crushed and struggled fiercely. “Let go of me, it hurts…”
“This hurts? Perhaps you’ve never experienced what real pain feels like!”
Li Tingshen dragged her to the bedside. Before Gu Mian could react, the man pressed her down onto the soft bed. In the next moment, he loomed over her, pinning her beneath him.
Gu Mian sensed the dangerous atmosphere spreading and trembled uncontrollably. “What are you trying to do?”
“What do you think?” Li Tingshen tugged at his tie. “Since you think our marriage is a cage and you want to break free, let me remind you—as long as we’re not divorced, you must fulfill your duties as Mrs. Li!”
With a few swift movements, Li Tingshen tore off her clothes.
Gu Mian shook like a leaf, biting her lower lip tightly, struggling to maintain her composure and not lose herself in his seduction.
“Don’t… I don’t want this…”
The man smirked, his fingertip pressing against her lips. “Are you sure you don’t want it? Hmm?”
Gu Mian was both ashamed and annoyed. Her mind was clear, but she couldn’t control her body’s reactions.
After three years of marriage, this man had long since become intimately familiar with her body, knowing exactly how to make her quickly succumb.
Unable to resist, Gu Mian could only plead, “Ting Shen, please… we can’t…”
He was never satisfied, and sometimes when he got too intense, he would nearly lose control—he would definitely hurt the baby!
“Why can’t we?” Li Tingshen’s kisses lingered on her neck. “If you don’t want it, I do!”