Lin Mei's mind went blank for a moment. Disbelief painted her face, which seconds later contorted into a mocking smile. Unable to move, she pressed her ear against the study door, trying to catch what he was saying to Wen Ke. The next instant, she heard his voice, "I've decided not to tell her. I'll have the abortion without her knowledge."
Abortion. The keywords made Lin Mei frown, a chill creeping through her body. Without a second thought, she knew the person Xing Zheng was referring to was her.
Abortion... Lin Mei immediately recalled the inexplicable check-ups she'd undergone recently, the four tubes of blood drawn, the so-called full physicals – all so random. Yet, she had never considered the possibility of being pregnant.
She touched her belly, bending to look. Was there another child here? The last child she lost was an unmentionable wound in her heart, buried in a corner, causing sharp pain whenever it was touched. She had sworn that if she ever had another child, she would never repeat the same mistakes. But what did Xing Zheng mean by this?
"Do you want to reconsider?" Wen Ke still disagreed with Xing Zheng's decision. "This will easily push your relationship to a dead end. Think it over carefully."
"There's no need to reconsider. This child cannot be kept," Xing Zheng's attitude was resolute. He had thought about it for days, deliberating repeatedly before making this decision.
"Then what reason do you plan to give her to go to the hospital?" Wen Ke asked.
Lin Mei was an adult. How could she be easily deceived? Going to the hospital would require a reason. Xing Zheng had already thought of one. "Surgery for gastroenteritis. She won't ask too many questions." Last time she went for a check-up, she was distracted and wouldn't have paid much attention.
Wen Ke was helpless but knew she couldn't persuade Xing Zheng. She could only say, "Then you arrange it yourself. If you change your mind, come find me. If Lin Mei is unwilling to communicate, both Senior Brother and I can help you."
Xing Zheng grunted, "Mm, I know."
After the call, Xing Zheng felt restless. He smoked several cigarettes, finding brief relief. He stubbed out the cigarette butts and walked towards the study door. As soon as he opened it, he saw a pair of fair, bare feet. Xing Zheng's mind went on high alert. His gaze moved upward, and he saw Lin Mei's deathly pale face. Judging by her appearance, she must have been standing there for a long time.
Xing Zheng's eyelids twitched. "Why aren't you sleeping? The floor is cold. I'll carry you back."
As he spoke, he reached out to pick her up, but she took a step back, evading him. Her refusal was clear. Xing Zheng was certain she had overheard.
The next moment, her question confirmed his thoughts, "I'm pregnant?"
Xing Zheng felt as if something was blocking his throat. He wanted to speak but couldn't utter a sound. When he didn't answer, she continued, "How long?"
He still couldn't answer. In her eyes, this was the most obvious refusal. Lin Mei began to tremble, her eyes reddening. She said to him, "I won't let you kill him. I'm leaving." With that, she moved to find her phone.
Xing Zheng wanted to kill the child in her womb. If she stayed with him, her life would be threatened. Leaving him was the right choice. At this moment, Lin Mei was no longer rational.
Xing Zheng knew he couldn't remain silent any longer. He pulled Lin Mei towards him, embracing her forcefully. "Let's go back to the bedroom first. I'll explain slowly, okay?"
Lin Mei refused, "I'm leaving. Don't touch me."
Ignoring her protests and struggles, Xing Zheng forcibly carried her back to the bedroom. Although Lin Mei thrashed all the way, the disparity in strength meant she couldn't win against Xing Zheng. She was eventually placed on the bedroom bed. He sat down, and they were close together. Lin Mei shrank away, creating distance between them, as if avoiding a dangerous plague.
Though Xing Zheng felt pained, he didn't move closer. His gaze fell on her lower abdomen. "You are indeed pregnant. It happened when we were in Xiangxi."
Lin Mei looked confused. They had been intimate several times without protection during those days, but she had taken medication afterward. How could she still be pregnant?
Xing Zheng seemed to read her confusion. "The morning-after pill isn't 100% effective." Who would have thought such a rare occurrence would happen to them?
After explaining, Xing Zheng said to Lin Mei again, "This child cannot be kept."
"Why not?!" Before his words had even fallen, Lin Mei questioned him, her tone sharper than ever, as if she were about to lash out at him. "He's in my womb. Why should you decide his fate?"
"You are currently taking medication, which could lead to fetal deformities or congenital diseases. Carrying him will also affect your subsequent treatment." Having no other choice, Xing Zheng revealed all the risks to her. "We can have children in the future. Your health is the most important thing now. Let's resolve this as soon as possible, okay?"
His tone was gentle, but his words were exceptionally cruel. He wanted to take a life, yet he framed it as being "for her own good."
"I don't want surgery." Lin Mei's stance was equally firm. She knew well that medication during pregnancy must be taken with extreme caution, and psychotropic drugs were definitely not to be taken. However, even so, she still wanted to keep this child.
Xing Zheng gazed at her in silence. Tears welled in her eyes, but her gaze was exceptionally resolute. After a long pause, he asked her, "Didn't you not want children?"
"Last time, when I asked you to keep the child, and you got rid of it, I thought you hated my child." That incident wasn't just her suffering alone; he also felt immense pain whenever he recalled it. If he hadn't been desperate, how could he have resorted to such a method to persuade her to give up the child in her womb?
She understood his accusation. Lin Mei chuckled, tears falling with it. She had long witnessed the heartless way men withdrew. As Lan Lan had said, when they didn't love, everything could become an excuse they readily used.
Lin Mei's laughter was eerie, and Xing Zheng involuntarily knitted his brows. "Be good. Let's not keep this child for now. Your health is the most important thing at this stage."
"Do you not want this child because of my health, or because you don't want me anymore?" Lin Mei remembered his conversation with Wen Ke. She was right in front of him, yet he had focused all his attention on his phone.
"What do you mean, 'don't want you'?" Xing Zheng retorted, "Do you think I could possibly not want you?"
He had pursued her for so many years and finally found her. How could she think like this?
"Isn't it? I feel disgusted looking at myself like this now." She laughed again. "You think it's because of you that I've become like this, and you feel guilty, so you can't abandon me, right?"
"Actually, you could abandon me. I don't need your pity."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Xing Zheng was enraged and pushed her onto the bed.