Lu Shiyan sat ramrod straight. “I’ll take care of her.” His mother cut straight to the point. “So, when’s the wedding?” “Mom,” Lu Shiyan said, just that one word. It was enough. His mother understood what he meant. His father rubbed her back, soothing her agitation. “Calm down. We don’t even know anything about her yet. But rest assured, a Lu family child will not be abandoned.” The words seemed to finally register with his mother. That was true. She had no idea what kind of person this woman was. She didn't care about family background, but character was everything. “I got ahead of myself,” she admitted. “Son, go and get her settled tomorrow. Children don’t come easily to our family. Every one is precious. We can’t risk anything happening.” The Lu family’s struggle to produce heirs was an undisputed fact. Each generation had been blessed with a child late in life, and always just one, regardless of gender. And her son was already thirty. He’d always shown so little interest in women that she had started to worry he truly had no desire at all. Or worse, that his interests lay with men instead of women. Thank God. Thank God she was wrong. Her son had gotten lucky, having a child at thirty! The Lu family finally had a successor. “Mm,” Lu Shiyan acknowledged. He appeared calm, but inside, a flicker of anticipation ignited. He could hardly believe he was going to be a father. His mother, however, was far from calm. She immediately grabbed her husband and began scrolling through her phone, browsing for baby supplies from all the major brands. Her excitement made it clear just how much this meant to her. The next day. It was Saturday. Ye Shengsheng was up at five. While her roommates were still asleep, she slipped out of the room. She had called in to her part-time job, saying she wasn't feeling well. Her boss was kind, asking a few concerned questions and telling her to come back only when she felt better. She ate a steamed bun, drank some water, and headed for the hospital. Outside the hospital entrance, Ye Shengsheng hesitated. This was supposed to be a place of hope, but right now, it looked cold and terrifying. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. A moment later, her eyes hardened with resolve. She walked in, registered, and found the same doctor from the day before. There were necessary pre-operative checks to be done; the surgery could only proceed if everything was normal. Ye Shengsheng cut a lonely, helpless figure, with no one by her side. As she rushed from one test to another, word of her examination results and scheduled procedure reached the hospital director’s office. The director mulled it over. Yesterday, Mr. Lin had come for a routine inspection of the hospital, but the first thing he did was ask for this young woman’s medical file. Then he’d left in a hurry without even starting his inspection. The director had felt something was off. He had a gut feeling this young woman was important to Mr. Lin. For all he knew, the child in her belly could be the next heir to the Lin family. And now, to his astonishment, the girl was back today, asking for an abortion. The director didn't dare to delay. He immediately tried calling Mr. Lin, but the calls went unanswered. Sweating with anxiety, the only thing he could do was tell his staff to slow down the testing process. But the tests were nearly finished. Finally, after another frantic attempt, the call connected. “This had better be important!” Lin Zhiyuan’s voice was thick with irritation. The director’s heart leaped into his throat. “Mr. Lin, the young woman you asked about yesterday is back at the hospital.” Lin Zhiyuan was instantly alert. “What for?” “She’s here for… an abortion,” the director stammered. “What?” Lin Zhiyuan shot up in bed. “How far has it gone? Has she had the surgery?” “Not yet, she’s in pre-op checks now. I’ve had them stalled, but we can’t hold her for long. You need to get here quickly.” Lin Zhiyuan was already throwing on his clothes. “Stall her. If anything happens to that baby, I’ll have all your heads.” After hanging up, the director collapsed into his chair. It was a close call. Thank God he’d gotten through in time. If they’d actually performed the surgery, he’d be half-dead by now. Judging by the fire in Mr. Lin’s voice, those children were his. The director scrambled to his feet. He had to oversee this personally. The moment Lin Zhiyuan hung up, he dialed Lu Shiyan. “Shit, Lu, the girl’s at the hospital for the procedure! You need to get here, now!” he blurted out as soon as the line connected. “Understood.” Three words. Then Lu Shiyan hung up. Ye Shengsheng rushed back and forth alone, finally completing all the tests. When she returned to the doctor, he told her she met the conditions for surgery, but the morning schedule was full. She would have to wait until the afternoon and was told to sit quietly in the waiting area. Ye Shengsheng, suspecting nothing, obediently took a seat in the waiting area. But the call for her surgery never came. Instead, two men arrived. One of them was the man from that night. Ye Shengsheng looked up at him. He was tall, and from her seat, she had to crane her neck to see his face. This was a face she would never forget. If it weren’t for him and his talk about being sterile, she wouldn't be in this mess. No matter why he was here today, she had only one thought in her mind: he was going to pay for the surgery and the tests. He did this, so he had to pay. Ye Shengsheng stood up, forcing herself to meet his gaze. His presence was so overpowering that she couldn't help but feel a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. “Do you remember me?” Lu Shiyan looked down at her and nodded, his eyes dark and unreadable. She looked thinner. The realization sent a wave of irritation through him, and he had to consciously calm himself. Ye Shengsheng bit her lip, a flush of shame creeping up her neck. “Mister… I’m pregnant. But don’t worry… I’m having the surgery this afternoon. Um… the fee for the procedure… I need you to pay for it…” Three thousand bucks. For a man like this, it had to be pocket change. The fabric of his clothes looked expensive; he had to be rich. Her voice grew smaller with each word until her head was bowed low. His intense gaze made her skin crawl, and she didn't dare to look up. What if he refuses to pay? she thought frantically. What if he says it has nothing to do with him? Lu Shiyan watched her, his mind flashing back to that night, to the marks he’d left all over her small frame. His tone softened almost imperceptibly. “Let’s go. We’re doing some tests first.” He took her small hand in his, leading her away. Ye Shengsheng was forced to follow him through a battery of tests all over the hospital. She had no idea what he was doing or why these new tests were necessary. She wanted to ask, but every time the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back down. She was too afraid. Who was this man? How was he getting them into all these examinations without waiting in a single line? And he was so cold—when people spoke to him, he would only respond with a single, curt grunt. The other man with them, however, never stopped smiling. Lin Zhiyuan rolled his eyes. He couldn’t help it. Did this idiot Lu Shiyan really think the girl wasn’t scared of him with that permanent scowl on his face? Once the tests were done, they waited for the results in a VIP room. Ye Shengsheng’s hand was finally free. Lin Zhiyuan broke the silence with a grin. “Nice to meet you, sister-in-law. I’m Lin Zhiyuan, Lu’s best friend. Hope you’ll look out for me in the future.” Sis… sister-in-law? The words hit Ye Shengsheng with such force she felt her heart leap into her throat. She stared at him, her expression one of pure horror. “I… I’m not your sister-in-law! What are you people trying to do? You were supposed to pay for the surgery.” Finally, the words she had been holding back all this time came rushing out.