Meeting Ning Shu’s gaze, Fu Yanshen felt an inexplicable moment of suffocation.
In his memory, Ning Shu had never seemed so haggard and weak before.
She had always been radiant, eager to please him, and exquisitely beautiful in his presence.
For the first time, he realized that the flawless, elegant makeup on Ning Shu’s face seemed… only a facade.
Suddenly, Fu Yanshen recalled Wen Hui’s earlier words—was it just an upset stomach, or… pregnancy?
At this thought, Fu Yanshen’s expression darkened further. He immediately extended his hand, his tone carrying a gentleness he himself hadn’t noticed before, and said, “Xiao Shu, let’s go to the hospital.”
But upon hearing this, Ning Shu’s pupils contracted sharply, and she immediately replied, “No need.”
Fu Yanshen was almost stunned. He hadn’t expected Ning Shu to refuse him.
If Ning Shu was refusing, then the idea of her fainting as an act clearly didn’t hold up.
If she were pretending to faint, shouldn’t she be eagerly urging him to carry her to the hospital?
At this moment, Ning Shu was tense. She knew she needed to get to the hospital quickly.
She knew something was wrong with her body, and she was deeply worried about the baby.
But going to the hospital with Fu Yanshen was out of the question.
For now, she didn’t want Fu Yanshen to know she was pregnant—with his child.
Just then, Xie Jinghong spoke to Fu Yanshen, “Ning Shu doesn’t need you. We’ll take her.”
Only then did Ning Shu realize she was being carried by Xie Jinghong.
Ning Shu looked at Xie Jinghong and, just as he was about to walk away, said, “Xie Jinghong, put me down.”
This caused Xie Jinghong, who had already lifted his foot, to silently lower it again. He glanced down and asked, “Hmm?”
He seemed somewhat taken aback as well.
His surprise seemed to stem from the thought, “Even in this state, you’re still like this?”
Or perhaps it was because… after all the tense confrontations earlier, when he had single-handedly helped her break through and fought on her behalf, as soon as Fu Yanshen arrived, she was already drawing a clear line between them?
Ning Shu frowned slightly, but before she could speak, Xie Jinghong said again, “Alright.”
The two “Hmm”s carried different meanings.
Xie Jinghong set Ning Shu down, but the discomfort in her lower abdomen remained impossible to ignore.
Ning Shu steadied herself on her feet, but a wave of dizziness washed over her, causing her to sway.
This time, however… it was Fu Yanshen who reached out.
Fu Yanshen stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Ning Shu.
As for Xie Jinghong, he retreated to the side, hands in his pockets, his face calm and expressionless, devoid of any emotion.
Once Ning Shu steadied herself, she frowned and took a step to the side, creating some distance between herself and Fu Yanshen.
Fu Yanshen also frowned, looking at her, and said, “If you’re not feeling well, go to the hospital. Don’t push yourself.”
After saying this, Fu Yanshen extended his hand toward Ning Shu.
Ning Shu froze. There was a time when she had dreamed of a scene like this.
Fu Yanshen reaching out to her, calling her name with a smile.
Then, she would place her hand in his, their fingers intertwining.
But now, Ning Shu stared at his hand.
That hand, in her heart, had always been so beautiful—knuckles distinct, fair and strong, slender and captivating.
Ning Shu remained silent for two seconds before refusing once more, “No need.”
Fu Yanshen’s eyes instantly filled with even greater disbelief.
He forced himself to remain patient and explained, “Xiao Shu, the child in Meng Xuan’s belly is Fang Chen’s. I want to do my part too. The baby cannot be at any risk.”
Ning Shu replied, “I understand, but no need.”
With just this simple sentence, Fu Yanshen was left speechless.
But he was also angry—furious.
So furious that he blurted out, “Ning Shu, can’t you just know when to stop?!”
Ning Shu had truly gone too far this time; no matter what he did, she remained unsatisfied.
He had already handed Meng Xuan’s matter over to Meng Lang and wanted to take Ning Shu to the hospital, yet she still refused.
Her tantrums were so severe that simply showing her kindness wouldn’t calm her down.
What she truly wanted was for Meng Xuan to “disappear.”
To stay out of her sight and not disturb her.
Just like back then, after they had each started their own families, there was little interaction between them.
When Fang Chen was still in the capital, they would only meet at friends’ gatherings.
They would chat normally, speak normally, and entertain normally, but each had their own territory.
So, was this what Ning Shu wanted?
Facing his anger, Ning Shu simply said, “Alright, President Fu.”
Fu Yanshen was stunned.
Ning Shu didn’t say anything more, nor did she look at him. Instead, she turned to Xie Jinghong and the others and said, “Take me to the hospital.”
Tang Yue’ai and Zhuang Fu immediately stepped forward to support Ning Shu by the arm.
Xie Jinghong nodded and took the lead, walking ahead.
Just like that, Fu Yanshen was left alone on the spot, watching as Tang Yue’ai and Zhuang Fu helped Ning Shu walk away.
And Ning Shu didn’t look back at him again.
Fu Yanshen’s handsome, thick eyebrows gradually furrowed. In his irritation, he took out a cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took several deep drags.
But the anger and frustration in his heart still wouldn’t dissipate.
Meanwhile.
The group got into the car, and Xie Jinghong started the engine and drove off.
The car was quite silent; no one said anything.
It didn’t seem appropriate to say anything either.
It was Ning Shu who spoke up, “I want… to eat something.”
Tang Yue’ai asked, “Are you hungry?”
Ning Shu nodded, “Yes.”
She wasn’t hungry, but she was afraid.
Her lower abdomen was still uncomfortable, and earlier she had felt something flowing out from below.
She knew her condition likely wouldn’t lead to an immediate miscarriage…
But it certainly wasn’t optimistic.
It would take at least half an hour to get to the nearest hospital from here.
The only solution she could think of was to eat something.
To replenish her strength, replenish her nutrients, keep the baby, and protect the baby.
“I’ll go buy something,” Xie Jinghong said.
There was a supermarket near the airport.
Zhuang Fu thought for a moment and suggested, “Xiao Shu, are you still feeling very unwell? It’ll take some time to get to the hospital from here. Why not check at the airport’s emergency center first?”
Zhuang Fu’s suggestion wasn’t unreasonable, as it was based on her not knowing Ning Shu was pregnant.
But Ning Shu definitely needed to go to the hospital for a thorough examination.
So she said, “No, I need to go to the hospital.”
Since the “patient” insisted on going to the hospital, Zhuang Fu nodded, “Alright.”
Xie Jinghong drove quite fast and soon left the airport, stopping in front of a nearby supermarket.
He got out of the car to buy food for Ning Shu.
Tang Yue’ai looked at Ning Shu, wanting to say something, but ultimately decided against it.
Perhaps it was better to let her have some quiet time alone.
Not long after, Xie Jinghong returned, carrying a large bag of items into the car. He handed it to the back seat and then continued driving straight to the hospital.
Ning Shu asked Tang Yue’ai and Zhuang Fu if they wanted to eat, but both shook their heads.
Ning Shu then took something to eat herself.
She first grabbed a bottle of milk, opened it, and drank it quickly.
After finishing it, she drank another bottle, then frowned and rummaged through the bag for two pieces of bread.
Xie Jinghong had specifically chosen expensive items.
The bread was fragrant, and Ning Shu stuffed it into her mouth, swallowing it in large bites.
She finished one piece of bread in no time.
She opened another and ate it voraciously, so much so that Tang Yue’ai and Zhuang Fu frowned.
Two bottles of milk, two loaves of bread—was she really that hungry?
Did she skip breakfast?
Or was it because her emotions were too turbulent, turning into an appetite for release?
Tang Yue’ai couldn’t help but take a tissue and hand it to Ning Shu, saying with concern, “Take it easy, eat slowly.”
Ning Shu nodded and accepted the tissue, but Tang Yue’ai was startled and said, “Why… are you crying?”
Xie Jinghong glanced at the rearview mirror, his brows instantly furrowing into a tight knot.
He saw Ning Shu stuffing bread into her mouth as if she hadn’t eaten for days, stuffing it in until tears streamed down her face…