"Young master." Tang Yueze looked blankly at Lu Jinxuan, "Miss Yu has run away!"

"What?"

Lu Jinxuan was stunned, simultaneously overwhelmed by a tidal wave of despair! Wanwan hadn't aborted the child, and now she'd run away again... Surely, things between them were becoming even more difficult!

...

On the road, Yu Sangwan received Le Zhengsheng's call.

"Wanwan!" Le Zhengsheng had gone to the hospital, and almost went insane with worry when he couldn't find her, "Where did you go?"

Yu Sangwan smiled, trying to calm him, "I'm fine, I'm heading back now. Wait for me at home, maybe we'll even meet on the way."

"Are you really okay?" Le Zhengsheng breathed a sigh of relief only after hearing her calm voice, "That's good. You almost scared me to death, you know?"

"Mhm."

After exchanging a few more words, they ended the call.

Tu Shanni smiled and said, "Was it Young Master Lezheng? Though he's young, he seems quite stable and treats you well."

"Mhm." Yu Sangwan pressed her lips together and nodded.

"Wanwan." Tu Shanni thought for a moment and asked, "Are you serious with Young Master Lezheng?"

Yu Sangwan was silent for a moment, then just sighed, "Lezheng treats me well, I... I want to give it a try."

"Ah..." Tu Shanni nodded, "Yes, a woman should find someone who treats her well... Then, what's the deal with you and Lu Jinxuan? Why did he want you to terminate the pregnancy?"

Yu Sangwan raised her hand to gently caress her slightly protruding belly.

With her eyes slightly lowered, her voice was light, "I think he can't accept that I am with someone else."

Suddenly, Yu Sangwan looked at Tu Shanni, "Why were you at the hospital today?"

"I..." Tu Shanni hesitated, "I came with Gong Xueyan."

"Oh!" Yu Sangwan nodded with a bitter smile, understanding, "Gong Xueyan... is pregnant, right?"

"..." Tu Shanni was startled, her grip on the steering wheel tightened, "You knew?"

"Mhm." Yu Sangwan tugged at the corners of her mouth, "Lu Jinxuan's."

Tu Shanni frowned, unsure how to comfort her daughter, "The past is the past, don't dwell on it anymore. Be careful next time, better to have Young Master Lezheng accompany you. No matter how unwilling or aggressive Lu Jinxuan gets, he has to show some respect to the Lezheng Family."

"Mhm."

Yu Sangwan felt bitter inside and didn't feel like talking anymore. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat.

Through the rearview mirror, Tu Shanni watched her daughter, shaking her head and sighing silently: as a woman, how could she not see it? Taotao's heart remained with Lu Jinxuan.

What should she do? Should she tell Lu Jinxuan? Wanwan... is Taotao?

But, no! If she said it, she would be finished!

... 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Back at the Gong Family, they heard Gong Xueyan complaining, "Mom, where did you go? Why didn't you say anything before you left? I spent half the day looking for you."

Tu Shanni smiled, "Sorry, I got a call from the studio at the last minute..."

Just as she was mentioning the call, the phone rang.

"Hello, this is the Gong Mansion." The butler answered the phone.

But within a few words, the tone changed, "Ah... Madam, the phone, the phone!"

Tu Shanni quickly stepped forward to take the phone, "Hello?"

"It's me!" Gong Hongming's deep, urgent voice came through, "Listen, I've gotten into trouble! It's definitely Fu Xianlin who returned! I was reported! I need money, I need to go into hiding!"

Tu Shanni was equally surprised, not expecting Fu Xianlin to act so quickly.

"Are you crazy?" Tu Shanni lowered her voice, "Running now? Isn't that as good as admitting it?"

"Don't run? Wait for Fu Xianlin to come back and destroy me?" Gong Hongming was clearly terrified, "He won't let me off! Blame it on me for not being thorough years ago! Fu Xianlin, that resilient bastard, even when forced to the brink of death, managed to rise again! No more nonsense, give me money! And about that evidence... it's all up to you now!"

Tu Shanni countered, "What can I do?"

"Hmph!" Gong Hongming sneered, "That's your problem! If I go down, I'll definitely drag you with me!"

"Hello, hello?"

Tu Shanni shouted into the phone, but Gong Hongming had already hung up.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Gong Xueyan sensed something was off and panicked, "What happened to dad?"

Tu Shanni shook her head in despair, "Your dad's done for..."

"Ah?" Gong Xueyan seemed electrocuted, "What exactly happened?"

Tu Shanni frowned, no time to explain, "I have something to do!"

"Mom..."

Tu Shanni rushed upstairs and entered the study. She had to find a way to raise money for Gong Hongming, but just as she entered, the phone on the desk rang.

Tu Shanni answered casually, "Hello?"

"..." There was a brief silence on the other end before an uncertain voice spoke, "Shanni?"

"..."

Instantly, Tu Shanni froze, her entire being turning to stone. That voice, that voice! It was Fu Xianlin!

"..." Tu Shanni held the receiver, her body trembling uncontrollably, her mouth opening and closing, unable to utter a single word.

"Heh." Fu Xianlin chuckled lightly, his tone as graceful and poised as ever, "Is it you, Shanni? After all these years, I still remember your voice distinctly..."

Tu Shanni's eyes widened, tears rolling down her face in streams.

"Do you know why?" Fu Xianlin asked leisurely, his tone like that of an old friend not seen in years.

Of course, he wasn't expecting a reply from Tu Shanni.

Fu Xianlin laughed, then abruptly tightened his tone, "Because, for these eighteen years, day and night, I've been consumed with the thought of returning to send my best brother and my dear wife to prison! How could I ever forget you both? The pain was so real, truly."

"Xianlin..." Tu Shanni cried tears of remorse, her knees giving way, collapsing with the receiver in hand.

"Listen, stop exhausting yourself."

Fu Xianlin's voice was devoid of warmth, each syllable falling like sharp hooks.

"I want you both dead! Annihilated with no chance of rebirth! Otherwise, how would I repay eighteen years of torment? How would I honor my brother Song Dasen's soul in heaven? And how would I give my daughter the life of wealth and beauty she deserved?"

"Ah..."

Tu Shanni clutched her heart tightly, "Xianlin, I was wrong, but I never harmed you, really, I didn't!"

"Hah."

Fu Xianlin laughed lightly, questioning her, "If you were in my place, would you believe it?"

"Ah..." Tu Shanni wept uncontrollably, "I am sorry, Xianlin, I should not have gone with him, and I truly regret it..."

"It's too late." Fu Xianlin coldly interrupted her, "I called to tell you, stop struggling, because you're doomed, the more you fight, the more pathetic you'll be."

The call ended with a click, leaving Tu Shanni screaming hysterically into the receiver.

"Xianlin! Spare me! I was wrong, really wrong! I beg you!"

Despair was already spreading.

No one understood more than she did how capable Fu Xianlin was! Someone like him would not make the same mistake twice in a lifetime. Now that he's back, none of them could escape!