She did, however, receive a set of photos from Lu's mother.
Lu Mingzhe was impeccably dressed in a suit, looking refined and elegant as he sat in a high-end Western restaurant, having dinner with a graceful and beautiful lady.
All the photos featured the two of them.
From their poses, Xiang Wan could tell that after dinner, the woman left the restaurant with her arm linked through his, they got into a car together, and then into a hotel.
Watching the scene of them standing at the hotel reception, checking in, Xiang Wan knew very well that Lu's mother was likely trying to sow discord and that the photos might be fabricated.
But her hands still trembled uncontrollably.
Even if he was being morally blackmailed by Mrs. Lu to have dinner with a woman he had no deep connection with, why would he go to a hotel with her?
As if reading her mind, Mrs. Lu quickly sent another message.
"They are currently in room 8808 at the Wanbalai Hotel. Do you want to go see for yourself?"
Regardless of what Lu Mingzhe was doing at that moment, Mrs. Lu's words instantly filled her with disgust.
He was already an adult, yet she still monitored his every move, even peeking at him checking into a hotel with a woman.
Her control over her son had clearly become unhealthy!
Oblivious, Mrs. Lu continued to send messages.
"I told you, he's just infatuated with you for now, he won't love you forever. Do you believe me now?"
"A pregnant woman is inconvenient. He's young and vigorous, he can't possibly stay celibate for months for you."
"If you don't believe me, keep reading."
After saying that, she sent another set of photos.
They were all Lu Mingzhe's hotel consumption records.
Xiang Wan had never known he frequented hotels so much.
He was registered in different hotels almost every other day.
Just half a month ago, on the night Xiang Wan couldn't find him, people had told her that while Lu Mingzhe was away in the countryside for a few days, he even had registration records in other cities.
Xiang Wan was stunned.
Lu Mingzhe, who returned home every night, showering her with affection and proclaiming his love, was so busy during the day.
Was he busy changing his date every day and playing with life, or was he taking patients to hotels for psychological therapy each time?
Clearly, the latter explanation didn't hold water.
She was lost.
Suddenly, she couldn't tell how much of what Lu's mother said was true.
She also suddenly couldn't fathom Lu Mingzhe's heart.
If he was so lustful, he could just not find a steady girlfriend, constantly change partners, and simply satisfy his needs.
Why was he coaxing her to have a child for him, repeatedly?
Or was it that he simply saw her as a breeding machine and had no intention of marrying her?
Just as Tang Haichao had said, once the child was born, everything would be revealed, and conflicts would arise endlessly?
Then, why her among so many women in Nancheng?
Oh, she remembered.
The reason they started dating in the first place was that she had initiated it.
For the past few years, Lu Mingzhe had been indifferent to her. It was only recently that he had suddenly shown interest.
Xiang Wan had naively believed that after deeper interaction, her personal charm had conquered him, causing him to fall in love with her.
Now, looking back...
A foolish woman who had no demands on him, who had remained close yet distant for years, and who believed him as easily as anything with a simple lie, was someone any man wouldn't let go of.
No need for marriage, no need to pay for surrogacy, just openly have a child. Lu Mingzhe's calculations were adding up rapidly, and she was completely unaware.
Even worse, she was still immersed in her own fantasy, thinking he had done so much for her, that he couldn't live without her...
He was so smart, why was he so oblivious to all the excessive things his mother did to her?
Or was it that he simply didn't want to be aware?
Xiang Wan dared not think too deeply.
With this mother and son pair playing their roles, back and forth, she was even starting to suspect that it was all a setup they had orchestrated.
The mother sets obstacles, and the son appears as a hero to save the beauty.
She was being sold out and still foolishly helping them count the money.
Overthinking was truly draining her will.
At three in the morning, to stop herself from spiraling into endless sorrow, Xiang Wan quietly got up, went to the living room, and turned on the projector.
She often did this to relax herself.
After finishing a day's work, she would come home, order some food she liked, pour a glass of elegant red wine, curl up on the sofa, and watch a comedy.
Life could be happy without a man.
And now...
Although she couldn't focus on the movie at all, and the sound was so low she could barely hear it, she felt that being accompanied by these vivid images somewhat alleviated her loneliness.
After watching a movie, as the sky began to show the first light of dawn, she finally felt a bit sleepy and prepared to go back to bed.
However, she heard a soft sound from the doorway.
She pricked up her ears, stared at the door, and after a long gaze, Lu Mingzhe finally returned.
He was still in the same suit, but his tie was long gone.
Three buttons of his shirt were undone, his hair was a bit messy, and he looked very tired, as if he had been busy all night.
Lu Mingzhe had indeed been busy all night.
His mother had gone to his studio for several days, and he had avoided her. So, she had made an appointment with him under the guise of being a patient, asking him for a favor.
The daughter of Uncle Zhang, who grew up in the same compound and whom Lu Mingzhe had known since childhood, had emigrated abroad for university and later settled there, getting married and having children.
After having two children, she discovered her husband was gay and had a male partner abroad.
She couldn't accept it and wanted a divorce. However, her husband was a very successful lawyer, and having deliberately deceived her into marriage, he had drawn up terms very much in his favor.
After a year of lawsuits, Ms. Zhang hadn't managed to get her children back and was now suffering from severe depression.
Alone in a foreign country, her emotions had broken down several times, and she had attempted suicide. Uncle Zhang had no choice but to send someone to bring her back.
She stayed cooped up at home, refusing to go out. A few days ago, she had shown suicidal tendencies again, which prompted Auntie Zhang to put aside her pride and explain the situation.
She hoped Lu Mingzhe could help her.
Ms. Zhang was beautiful and had excelled in her studies since childhood, carrying herself with a great deal of pride.
As a child, she often argued with Lu Mingzhe, looking down on people like him.
If they were to meet as patient and doctor, she would undoubtedly be resistant.
Therefore, Lu Mingzhe arranged a dinner party where they could meet as old friends, chat about their respective situations, and encourage her to open up.
Ms. Zhang was very distressed and poured out her troubles to him for several hours.
They drank quite a bit. After sending her back to her hotel, she had been crying. Lu Mingzhe, afraid she might do something drastic, stayed in her room for several hours, providing psychological counseling until she finally fell asleep.
At the same time, he assured her that he would find her the best lawyers in the country and that they would definitely get her children back. Only then did he leave.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered, he saw Xiang Wan.
"Are you awake, or haven't you slept? Why are your eyes so wide open?"
He put down his phone, changed his shoes, walked over to Xiang Wan, and wearily rested his head on her neck.
"I'm exhausted, I worked overtime all night yesterday."