Su Wantang sat alone in the empty living room, yet Zhang Fang’s words kept replaying incessantly in her mind.
If Zhang Fang’s words had only made her suspect that the other party was merely trying to scare her into giving up, then Gu Changsheng’s subsequent arrival forced her to consider her marriage with Gu Ciyuan more seriously.
Gu Changsheng himself served in the military and made it very clear to Su Wantang that if Gu Ciyuan insisted on marrying her, he would inevitably have to abandon everything he had now, with an uncertain future ahead.
This was despite him being Gu Ciyuan, Gu Changsheng’s own son.
Su Wantang was not only the daughter of a capitalist, but her father and sister had also recently attempted to flee overseas. Although they ultimately failed, Su’s Father and Su Ye had been sent down for re-education.
This was the first time Su Wantang had heard news about her father and sister since leaving Nan Province.
“I already publicly severed ties with them through the newspaper.”
This was the last thing she had done before leaving Nan Province, and now it seemed truly prescient.
“But you didn’t report them when they tried to flee overseas.”
Gu Changsheng’s hastily gathered information was incomplete – he didn’t know about Su’s Father attempting to sell Su Wantang to others in exchange for boat tickets.
So he reexamined the girl before him, concluding she was a formidable character.
She had schemed to get pregnant with Gu Ciyuan’s child, refused to leave with her father and sister, instead publicly severing ties with them through newspapers, then came alone to Jingdu to precisely manipulate his son!
“Additionally, you have an aunt who went overseas with her family when you were still a child.”
Compared to problematic class background, overseas connections were clearly more serious.
This was something even Su Wantang herself didn’t know.
She wanted to ask if there might be a mistake in the investigation, but judging by Gu Changsheng’s expression, whether it was mistaken or not, he didn’t seem inclined to let her off today.
“The child in your womb cannot stay. As long as you’re willing to cooperate, I’ll arrange a new identity for you and ensure your stability for the rest of your life.”
Though this child was also his grandson, saying these words naturally pained him greatly.
But compared to the family’s stability and his son’s future, an unborn grandson meant nothing.
Moreover, his other children already had both sons and daughters – he wasn’t lacking this one grandson.
When Li Cuiping first told him about this, he hadn’t suspected the child in Su Wantang’s womb was his son’s. But after Gu Ciyuan’s superior called to say the marriage application had been submitted, and encountering Zhang Fang on his way here, he realized the situation was even more serious.
Gu Ciyuan had always been stubborn and particularly enjoyed opposing him due to certain matters, making it impossible for him to listen to reason. Thus, Gu Changsheng could only approach Su Wantang instead.
Although he spoke the truth, Su Wantang had never considered aborting the child. Hearing such words repeatedly was still hard for her to accept.
After all, she was still young. Despite her stubbornness, tears inevitably welled in her eyes when she felt wronged.
“What if I’m unwilling?”
Su Wantang never expected that because of these words, Gu Changsheng would actually have people lay hands on her.
“Then you leave me no choice. If not for your scheming, this child shouldn’t have existed in this world to begin with. Making it leave now is better than letting it suffer later.”
Fine words indeed.
“So afraid of hardship and suffering, why not just go die yourself?”
But seeing Gu Changsheng call out and the guards outside preparing to take action against her, Su Wantang was genuinely frightened.
“I agree, I’ll cooperate with you.”
She could only temporarily yield.
“Then let’s go.”
Not even giving her time to prepare showed just how determined he was.
Gu Changsheng watched her get into the car and accompanied her all the way to the hospital.
Before getting in the car, she glanced around and happened to see Zhang Fang at the corner.
Just watching her being taken away without saying a word, only showing a trace of reluctance when their eyes met, then hardening her heart and looking away.
It seemed that apart from Gu Ciyuan, none of his family members accepted her or this child.
Gu Ciyuan was still on leave due to his injury, yet he’d been called away early this morning by his uncle Zhao Jun – probably to keep him out of the way.
She too had been foolish, thinking whether she was willing depended solely on him.
Since vomiting yesterday, the nausea had persisted, especially now. Perhaps due to emotional turmoil, she also felt a dull pain in her abdomen.
She quickly covered her mouth, letting the Spirit Spring Water from her Space flow into her mouth through her palm, which made her feel better.
She had discovered during this period that the Spirit Spring Water indeed had miraculous effects. Whenever she felt unwell, drinking some would make her body feel comfortable, and her skin had noticeably improved too.
Even the scars on her knees from childhood play had completely disappeared.
Seeing her cover her mouth, Gu Changsheng thought she was feeling distressed.
Forcing a young girl to have an abortion, especially when it was his own grandchild – he wasn’t a heartless beast, so he couldn’t help but soften.
But after much consideration, he couldn’t let the whole family suffer because of an unborn child.
“Don’t be too sad. You’re still young with many possibilities ahead. That boy has been stubborn since childhood, never bowing to anyone. With his temperament, even if you married him, you might not live comfortably.”
Su Wantang remained silent, constantly calculating how to escape once they reached the hospital.
An abortion was absolutely out of the question. Even if she couldn’t marry Gu Ciyuan, she would raise the child well alone, never letting it end up as a pool of blood like in the book’s storyline.
Since she had changed her own fate, she must change her child’s fate too.
…
Gu Ciyuan had been summoned to Zhao Jun’s workplace by his uncle. The so-called important matter turned out to be trivial issues that anyone could handle, hardly worth his trip.
By now, if he still couldn’t tell Zhao Jun had intentionally called him out, he’d be a fool.
Sitting across from Zhao Jun, he said, “Uncle, let’s not beat around the bush. Why did you call me out? Just say what you have to say.”
Zhao Jun had known he couldn’t fool this young man, and that his words alone wouldn’t change his mind.
As Gu Changsheng had said, Gu Ciyuan had been stubborn since childhood.
But he still had to say what needed to be said.
Although Gu Ciyuan was his wife’s nephew, he was like his own son.
The fact that he always stayed at their house whenever he returned showed their close relationship.
Though he needed to phrase things differently.
“Ciyuan, your uncle only asks you one question—are you truly certain the child in that girl’s belly is yours?” Zhao Jun said. “I know you regard her as a younger sister, but the two of you haven’t seen each other for years. When you parted, she was still a child. Even if her character was decent back then, who knows what she has grown into after all these years? Moreover, as you’ve said, her father and sister are trying to scheme against you. With such a father and sister, how can you be sure she remains the same person she once was?”
To make someone abandon their plans, one must speak to their heart and dismantle their original convictions.
Gu Ciyuan wanted to marry Su Wantang because he believed the child in her womb was his—but what if it wasn’t?
The girl wasn’t bad-looking; in fact, she could be described as exceptionally beautiful. She certainly wouldn’t lack admirers around her.
Having traveled alone from Nan Province to Jingdu, she was clearly someone with her own calculations.
Such a girl wouldn’t be naive. Perhaps she, too, harbored the same intentions as her father and sister.