Chapter 5

I held on to my money and waited quietly for more than two months.

One day, just before dawn, Lei Wanjun messaged me.

[Qingqian's given birth. A boy. Three point six kilos.]

I stared at the screen for half a minute.

Then let out a long breath.

The lucky cat had resigned safely.

Time for the real accounts to be settled.

On the baby's third day, I took a fruit basket to the hospital.

Half price.

The fruit was reasonably fresh.

The wrapping respectable.

My rule with money was simple.

Save where possible.

Don't neglect the necessary courtesies.

Before going, I worked out the possibilities carefully.

If the DNA results were back, I'd be responsible for comforting Lei Wanjun.

Do it well enough, move him enough, and perhaps there'd be another "trouble fee."

I admitted it was a slightly wicked thought.

But money smelled so good.

The ward door wasn't quite closed.

I heard glass shatter.

His roar silenced the corridor.

"Bai Qingqian, tell me again. Whose child is this?"

I stopped outside and looked down at my basket.

Better on time than early.

Half-price fruit.

VIP seating.

Inside, she huddled at the head of the bed with the baby, her hair disheveled, her face white.

Lei Wanjun stood by the window, gripping two reports.

The first was the DNA test between him and the baby.

Paternity excluded.

The second was between the child and a man named Cheng Ye.

A biological relationship confirmed.

Cui stood nearby, looking dreadful.

He explained quietly.

"Mr. Lei thought something was wrong after the first result. He had us look into Ms. Bai's relationships around the time she became pregnant."

"Cheng Ye was the drummer in her old band. They'd never really broken things off."

"He went abroad later. We reached him and offered some money. He agreed to provide a sample."

Bai Qingqian cried and shook her head.

"Wanjun, tests can be wrong!"

"It only happened once with Cheng Ye. You're the one I've always loved!"

His hands shook with rage.

"You brought me another man's child and deceived me. And you're talking about love?"

"The baby's innocent!" she screamed.

"What's wrong with being his father? You have so much money. Raising one more child won't hurt you. Does blood really matter that much?"

That finished him.

For this unborn baby, he'd bought property.

Commissioned a gold lock.

Set up an education fund.

Recalculated names more than ten times.

Now she casually asked whether blood mattered.

"What did you tell me at the start? You said he was mine. You said I'd been the only man in your life!"

Cornered, she finally dropped the act.

"I didn't know whose it was!"

"Cheng Ye has no money and no house. What use was going to him when I was pregnant? You were willing to claim the baby. Of course I chose you."

"Besides, you're over forty. A son falls into your lap, and you still aren't satisfied. Why did you have to test anything?"

The nurses outside lowered their heads together.

Their shoulders shook.

Every trace of happiness had left Lei Wanjun's face.

He looked at the bassinet.

Then at her.

His voice dropped frighteningly low.

"You won't get another cent."

"The house. The car. The jewelry. Whatever I can recover, I'm taking back."

"The child has nothing to do with me. Raise him yourself."

She screamed and lunged to seize him.

"You can't leave! I've just given birth. Cheng Ye's abroad. How am I supposed to raise him?"

He shook off her hand and turned.

Straight toward me in the doorway.

Our eyes met.

I lifted the fruit basket and tried to look sorrowful.

"I came to see the baby."

His eyes reddened at once.

Bai Qingqian lunged toward me instead.

"Shu Wan! You knew all along, didn't you?"

I stepped back, shielding my chest with the basket.

"I don't know anything."

She tried again.

Cui stopped her.

Lei Wanjun came up to me and looked at me for a long time.

"Shu Wan, I was wrong to divorce you for her."

I sighed and handed Cui the fruit.

"What's done is done."

"As long as you're all right. Money can be earned again."

He took out his phone.

A moment later, I received eight million eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand yuan.

Memo: Voluntary gift. Thank you for the comfort.

Flowers bloomed inside me.

My face maintained its grief.

He hadn't disappointed me.

But before the money had even warmed up, Cui suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!"

He reached into a compartment of his briefcase and pulled out a kraft-paper envelope.