Li Tingshen’s call came right after. Yin Luoxue composed herself and answered the phone, her voice soft as water, “Ting Shen…”
“What’s with the video?”
“What do you mean? You were drunk, I was just wiping your face.”
She had deliberately fallen to frame Gu Mian only after confirming there were no cameras in the hallway, but she never expected there’d be a hidden camera in the private room!
“Does wiping someone’s face require getting that close?” Li Tingshen questioned displeased. “And from the doorway, it looked like we were embracing. No wonder Gu Mian said we were kissing.”
Yin Luoxue bit her lower lip hard. “I was simply wiping your face. I didn’t know Gu Mian would come, nor that she’d misunderstand…”
“You know I prefer honest people.” Li Tingshen sat behind his desk, took a drag of his cigarette, and said calmly, “I’ve already inquired—you had someone call Gu Mian to the club. You wanted her to see that scene.”
“Ting Shen, I didn’t…”
“The club manager has been fired. Don’t pull such tricks again.” Li Tingshen’s voice turned cold. “No matter what, Gu Mian is my wife. I don’t want misunderstandings causing turmoil at home.”
Yin Luoxue accused tearfully, “Even if she misunderstood, did she have to push me?”
“You were at fault first. Can’t blame her for reacting. Since you’re not hurt, let’s drop it.”
Yin Luoxue was stunned. He was weighing right and wrong instead of siding with her!
Her hands clenched the hem of her clothes tightly. “Ting Shen, have you fallen for Gu Mian?”
Without hesitation, Li Tingshen replied, “You’re overthinking it.”
Yin Luoxue breathed a sigh of relief. “I understand. I won’t do anything so foolish to upset you again.”
“Good.”
“Ting Shen, since Gu Mian wants a divorce, does that mean she refuses to give me blood transfusions? She still wants me dead, doesn’t she?”
Li Tingshen took another drag. “I’m stepping up efforts to find Divine Doctor Lu Ming. Once he cures your illness and your legs, we won’t need to rely on Gu Mian for blood transfusions, and you’ll be able to stand and live a normal life.”
“Ting Shen, you’re so good to me…”
Hanging up the phone, a happy smile spread across Yin Luoxue’s face.
It seemed she had worried for nothing. How could Li Tingshen ever fall for an ex-con like Gu Mian!
But before her illness is cured, she will make sure Gu Mian dies!
Three years as Mrs. Li—Gu Mian got off too easy!
The title of Mrs. Li will belong to Yin Luoxue alone from now on!
…
Gu Mian slept until daybreak. When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in the master bedroom at Yun Yue Bay, greeted by a devastatingly handsome sleeping face.
She glanced down and saw she was wearing a silk camisole nightgown, her face instantly flushing!
But after carefully assessing, her body felt no soreness—apparently, Li Tingshen hadn’t touched her.
Gu Mian secretly sighed in relief and tried to get up, but the man’s arm suddenly tightened around her, pulling her closer until their faces were almost touching!
“Awake?” His deep voice, tinged with sleep, was lethally seductive. “Sleep well?”
Gu Mian pushed against his arm. “Let me go.”
Li Tingshen smirked. “But last night, you kept snuggling into my embrace.”
Without a second thought, Gu Mian retorted, “Impossible!”
“How is that impossible? Don’t you know how clingy you are in bed?”
Gu Mian’s face instantly flushed red to the tips of her ears. “That was before!”
Before, only during their most intimate moments could she feel that he belonged to her, so she would cling to him especially tightly.
Even after it ended, she would still cling to him, not letting him leave.
But now it was different. Remembering what happened at the club last night, she felt extremely uncomfortable and instinctively pushed him away.
“Still angry?” Li Tingshen reached for his phone on the nightstand and opened a video to show her.
Gu Mian stared at the video, stunned.
“I didn’t kiss Luoxue. The video proves it.” Li Tingshen pulled Gu Mian into his arms, his thin lips close to her ear, his low, husky voice carrying a seductive tone. “Satisfying you is already exhausting enough. I couldn’t possibly sneak around outside.”
Gu Mian: “……!!!”
Her face instantly turned so red it seemed like it could drip blood. She hurriedly pushed him away, got up, and rushed into the bathroom.
Gu Mian splashed cold water on her face, finally calming down after some effort.
It had been three years of marriage, and this was the first time Li Tingshen had ever explained himself to her.
But so what?
Yin Luoxue was still between them, and he still couldn’t accept the child in her womb.
By the time Gu Mian finished washing up and came out, Li Tingshen was no longer in bed.
She went to the walk-in closet, found an outfit to change into, and when she went downstairs, Aunt Yang immediately came up to her. “Good morning, Mrs. Li. Hurry and have some breakfast.”
“No need.”
“Mr. Li isn’t here.” Aunt Yang smiled warmly. “You two woke up late today. Mr. Li was in a hurry to get to a meeting at the group, so he didn’t have breakfast at home.”
Only then did Gu Mian follow Aunt Yang into the dining room.
Aunt Yang served Gu Mian a bowl of porridge and said, “Mrs. Li, it seems to me that Mr. Li doesn’t want to divorce you. Is he really against having a child?”
“I have no reason to lie to you.” Gu Mian took a sip of porridge and said calmly, “He said if I had a child, I wouldn’t be able to donate blood to Yin Luoxue anymore.”
Aunt Yang was instantly furious. “That Yin Xiao Jie is deliberately targeting you! She claims the blood from the blood bank is of unknown origin and unclean, insisting she’ll only use your blood. Even an empress isn’t as demanding as her!”
Gu Mian smiled faintly. “Anyway, from now on, I won’t be donating blood to her anymore.”
“But Mrs. Li, once you’re divorced, how will you manage raising a child all by yourself…?”
“It’ll be fine.” Gu Mian looked down at her flat stomach, a gentle smile spreading in her eyes. “I’ll find a job and raise my child well.”
Her phone suddenly rang. Gu Mian answered it and was surprised to hear it was a private hospital inviting her for an interview.
Overjoyed, Gu Mian ate a few bites quickly and headed out.
Strangely, the interview wasn’t at the hospital but at a nearby café.
Gu Mian arrived at the café at the scheduled time. Aside from the waitstaff, only Yin Luoxue was sitting by the window.
Gu Mian guessed what was happening and turned to leave, but Yin Luoxue’s voice came from behind her. “Gu Mian, if you walk out of here today, I’ll make sure you never find a job in the Imperial Capital again. Believe me?”
Gu Mian stopped, turned around, and walked up to her. “What do you want?”
“Sit down. What would you like to drink? My treat.”
Gu Mian sat down across from her. “I’m not thirsty.”
Yin Luoxue took a sip of her warm coffee and spoke unhurriedly, “The hospital you’re interviewing at was opened by my uncle. Normally, someone like you—a former convict—wouldn’t have a chance to become a doctor. But if I ask my uncle for a favor, that might change.”
“No need,” Gu Mian refused outright. “I don’t want your false compassion.”
Yin Luoxue laughed. “So you’re not genuinely looking for a job? You’re just pretending to be independent to get a divorce and deliberately catch Ting Shen’s attention?”
“I’m not as theatrical as you. If I say I want a divorce, I mean it.” Gu Mian replied, “I’ve told you—I’m stepping down from the position of Mrs. Li. It’s yours now.”
“Do I need you to give it to me? That position was always meant to be mine.” Yin Luoxue chuckled lightly. “Gu Mian, you’re truly pitiable. Even though you’re married, Ting Shen’s heart has always been with me. I asked him yesterday—he doesn’t love you at all. Forgive my bluntness, but you’ve been a complete failure as Mrs. Li…”
Gu Mian’s heart ached as if sliced by a knife.
She was indeed a failure—not only had she failed to win Li Tingshen’s love, but even her child was unloved.
If Yin Luoxue were the one pregnant, Li Tingshen would surely be overjoyed.
Suppressing the stabbing pain in her heart, Gu Mian said, “Then please convince him to finalize the divorce quickly. Don’t let me stand in the way of you two being together.”
“If it weren’t for needing your blood, Ting Shen would have divorced you long ago.” Yin Luoxue raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry—once Ting Shen finds Divine Doctor Lu Ming to cure my illness, he’ll kick you to the curb immediately. But for now, you must obediently stay in the Li family as my backup blood supply.”
Beneath the table, Gu Mian’s hands slowly clenched into fists.
Just as she was about to speak, a wave of nausea surged in her stomach. She hurriedly stood up and rushed to the restroom, dry heaving over the sink!
From behind her came Yin Luoxue’s suspicious voice, “Gu Mian, are you pregnant?”