Afu's mind was in chaos, unsure how to react. He couldn't confirm if he was pregnant, and Madam Li suspected his and the master's chastity.
Afu felt his head would explode. How could he prove his innocence with the master? He was about to have his pulse taken, and his pregnancy would surely be revealed. What would happen to him then?
"Afu, extend your hand. Let Doctor Xie examine your pulse," Madam Li said, his face cold, suppressing his anger.
Seeing he couldn't refuse, Afu tremblingly extended his hand, awaiting the answer he already guessed.
"This young gentleman is indeed pregnant." Afu's pulse was very clear; Doctor Xie had detected it as soon as he touched it.
Upon hearing this news, Madam Li's vision went black, and his head buzzed as he slumped onto the table.
Afu couldn't sit still either and wanted to stand up to beg for forgiveness, but his legs were weak, and he couldn't get up. He felt like he was suffocating.
Madam Li, having weathered many storms, knew that for everyone's sake, this matter should not be spread. He quickly steadied himself and personally escorted Doctor Xie out. "Doctor, I implore you not to speak of today's events."
Doctor Xie, having practiced medicine for many years, was well aware of such matters. He neither asked, guessed, nor spoke of them.
"Tuan Yuan."
Tuan Yuan stood at a distance. Hearing Madam Li's call, he quickly approached. Receiving Madam Li's look, he immediately understood and slipped another bag of money to Doctor Xie.
Doctor Xie weighed the bag and smiled even more heartily, repeatedly assuring them he would remain silent.
Madam Li saw the doctor off and returned to the room. Afu was already kneeling on the floor, awaiting judgment.
Madam Li closed his eyes, walked past Afu, and sat on a stool. He couldn't help but ask, "Is this child Lu Yu's?"
"No! No, it's not the master's!"
Madam Li didn't want to believe it either. In his eyes, although Wang Tian later betrayed Shen Xuan, Wang Tian was Wang Tian, and Afu was Afu; they couldn't be conflated.
"Then whose is it?"
Seeing Afu stammering and unable to answer, Madam Li became dizzy with anger. "Whose is it! Tell me the truth!"
"It's truly not the master's. I have absolutely no improper relationship with the master, truly!"
"You won't say? Fine, I don't want to know who the mother is anymore." Madam Li didn't want to dwell on it further and loudly called Tuan Yuan from outside.
"Tuan Yuan! Go buy some abortion medicine."
"No! No!" Afu scrambled on his hands and feet, crawling to Madam Li, clutching his clothes, and begging incessantly.
He didn't know why, but although he didn't want any further involvement with Gu Yitong, upon learning he was carrying her child, he felt a pang of reluctance and wanted to keep the baby.
Afu's face was streaked with tears. His pitiful appearance made one's heart ache. Madam Li sighed, waved for Tuan Yuan to leave, and the two were left alone again.
Afu still clenched his teeth, unwilling to speak. Madam Li didn't press further, and for a time, only Afu's sobs and Madam Li's occasional sighs filled the room.
What should he do? What should he do...
This was a result he had never imagined.
"Tuan Yuan, why are you here?" Shen Xuan's voice from outside the door entered the room. Afu flinched.
"Call them both in!"
Grandfather is also in the room? Shen Xuan and Lu Yu exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in the other's eyes. What was going on?
The two had returned to the main hall to find their grandfather but hadn't succeeded. Shen Xuan had intended to take Lu Yu to see Afu's health first, not expecting to encounter his grandfather again.
The door opened, and only Lu Yu and Shen Xuan entered. Shen Xuan was about to speak when he saw Afu kneeling inside, still sobbing, and was immediately startled. He rushed to Afu's side, intending to help him up, but Afu refused to rise, and Madam Li remained silent.
"Grandfather, what happened?" Shen Xuan was utterly bewildered. What was going on?
"What happened? Ask him!" Madam Li, angered, clutched his chest and breathed heavily. Shen Xuan, fearing Madam Li's old illness would relapse, quickly got up to help him regulate his breathing and dared not ask further.
Lu Yu, receiving a signal from Shen Xuan, quickly stepped forward to take Madam Li's pulse and shook her head at Shen Xuan, mouthing "It's okay." Shen Xuan finally relaxed.
"Afu, what exactly happened? Tell me," Shen Xuan, not daring to ask Madam Li, crouched down and quietly inquired of Afu.
"I'm sorry, Young Master, I'm sorry." Afu could only apologize, his heart filled with guilt.
A male attendant by a young master was usually an unmarried young gentleman or a married man's spouse. It was impossible for him to be an attendant who had already conceived with someone before marriage. If this news spread, the young master would be ridiculed.
The actions of an attendant by a man's side represented the man's character. With what had happened to him, the young master would surely be criticized. It was all his fault.
"Get up first. Don't kneel. You're not well," Shen Xuan originally meant that Afu had been ill for the past two days, but unexpectedly, Afu cried even harder upon hearing this.
Helped onto a stool by Shen Xuan, Lu Yu received another signal from Shen Xuan and stepped forward to place her hand on Afu's wrist.
Afu was extremely sensitive now. Feeling Lu Yu about to take his pulse, he jolted and instinctively tried to pull his hand away, but Shen Xuan held it firmly. "Afu, no hiding."
As Lu Yu's hand touched Afu's wrist, her eyes widened in shock the next moment, and she looked up at Shen Xuan incredulously, unsure how to speak.
"Just tell Xuan'er what kind of pulse it is!" Madam Li's tone towards Lu Yu was not good due to this matter, but Lu Yu didn't mind.
"Afu's pulse is... a pregnancy pulse, and it's been over a month." Lu Yu said with difficulty. This matter was too shocking. Afu had always been with Xuan'er, how could he possibly be pregnant?
No! A month and a half ago!
"How is that possible? Afu has always been by my side, there's simply—"
His voice abruptly stopped. It was clear Shen Xuan had also thought of it. He exchanged a look with Lu Yu, confirming his thoughts, and slowly knelt before Afu, speaking softly, as if afraid of startling Afu, "Is this child Miss Gu's?"
Upon hearing the words "Miss Gu," Afu paused, then nodded.
"So, this child is truly not yours?" Madam Li interjected at the opportune moment, stunning both of them.
"Are you talking to me?" Lu Yu asked, disbelievingly.
"Nonsense, who else in this room besides you can get someone pregnant!"
That makes sense, it makes perfect sense! Grandfather speaks so wisely!