Jiang Nan Fang knew that if she didn't go back with Zhan Bei Jue today, Zhou Jin Bei and A Cheng would not have an easy time.
She wasn't a saint, but she couldn't bear to see others face Zhan Bei Jue's displeasure because of her. With a stern face, she got into the car with him.
In the car, neither of them spoke, but Zhan Bei Jue kept his right hand on her lower abdomen.
Jiang Nan Fang found it difficult to push him away, as the child was half his. They returned home in a strained silence.
It was past midnight. Zhan Bei Jue supported her stomach, and they silently went upstairs. As they rounded the corner of the staircase, they were startled.
In the third-floor corridor where they lived, Zhan's mother sat in her wheelchair with her back to them. Her half-white hair was being blown by the night wind, like Mei Chao Feng, and she was smoking a cigarette.
Zhan Bei Jue had never known she smoked, especially not at her age and in such poor health, and in the dead of night.
He had a headache. They say that only villains and women are hard to raise. These two women were going to drive him to death as soon as they met.
He let go of Jiang Nan Fang and walked over. He turned her wheelchair around, took the cigarette from her hand, and threw it into the trash can by the wall.
"You're really something. Why aren't you sleeping yet?"
Zhan's mother raised her wrist to check the time. "I slept too much in the afternoon, and the darkness allows me to calm my mind and think."
What was the difference between a terminally ill middle-aged woman deliberately smoking in the dark to ponder and a chuunibyou teenager trying too hard to act cool?
Zhan Bei Jue ignored whether she was deliberately seeking attention. He walked back to Jiang Nan Fang impatiently and took her wrist.
"You're not a three-year-old child, so I don't need to teach you basic principles. Therefore, I won't waste my breath."
"You can think during the day, and no one will disturb you. We're going back to sleep."
As the two of them walked past her, Jiang Nan Fang heard a soft "puff." She lit another cigarette.
The smell of smoke reached her nose. Jiang Nan Fang, enduring the discomfort, stopped and turned back.
"Although I don't particularly like you, and your living too long doesn't do me any good, I still want to remind you that when you have an attack, you're the one who will suffer."
Zhan Bei Jue's forehead twitched. As he glimpsed his mother turning her wheelchair, he quickly moved in front of Jiang Nan Fang.
To his surprise, his mother was unexpectedly amiable.
"Thank you for your reminder and your honesty. Although I don't like you either, I must commend you for being genuine and not hypocritical."
"In my life, I detest opponents who don't speak their minds."
Jiang Nan Fang smiled. "Since you appreciate honesty, may I ask a question I've been curious about for a long time?"
"Ask."
"Why don't you like me?"
Zhan's mother stared at her, her half-white hair continuing to flutter.
She was over sixty, her skin sagged, her under-eye bags drooped. Even though her nose bridge was still high and her double eyelids were obvious, the foundation of beauty remained, but she was worlds apart from the young Jiang Nan Fang.
After a few seconds, she shrugged.
"To tell you the truth, it's probably out of jealousy."
"You were poor, ugly, and incapable, yet the old man supported you and insisted you marry my son. That made me very unhappy."
"Later, I found out you were faking it and realized you were not simple. You reminded me of her back then, so..."
It was absolutely the truth. Although unpleasant, Jiang Nan Fang wasn't angry.
"I understand. But you don't need to be jealous of me."
"You have extraordinary skills that don't require relying on men for a living, a son with exceptionally high intelligence, a good physique, and who is handsome and gentlemanly, and a daughter who is super beautiful and has personality."
"You have inexhaustible wealth, an unshakeable social status, and are considered a winner in life by many, and the goal I aspire to in my life..."
Perhaps it was because Jiang Nan Fang spoke so sincerely, so much, and so suddenly.
Zhan's mother was suddenly amused by her.
"Is this a prepared speech or your true feelings? Are you trying to flatter me?"
In an instant, Jiang Nan Fang felt that their personalities were quite similar.
Women who are too strong-willed and tend to hide their feelings are usually not very likable.
She was like that herself, wasn't she?
"Yes. After all, you are my mother-in-law, and I still hope to have a good relationship with you. More importantly, I don't want outsiders to laugh at us."
Zhan's mother felt that her last sentence made some sense.
Moreover, she realized that as long as they talked calmly and properly, Jiang Nan Fang wasn't that detestable.
Perhaps, without realizing it, she had already accepted her in her heart.
"Alright then, since your attitude is good, I will try my best to get along with you from now on."
Back in the room, the door closed. Zhan Bei Jue hugged Jiang Nan Fang tightly from behind.
Resting his chin on her ear, he whispered gently and drunkenly, "Thank you."
Jiang Nan Fang pretended not to understand. "Thank you for what?"
"Thank you for everything. You are too good; having you is my blessing."
Jiang Nan Fang was pleased by his words. She turned her head to look at him.
The more she looked, the more she thought her husband was handsome. Without any makeup, his features were flawless.
More importantly, his physique was much better than those men who made a living from it.
She suddenly regretted spending so much money tonight.
Wouldn't it be better to save it to buy food and drinks for their child, or donate it to those in need?
She pinched Zhan Bei Jue's chin.
"The money spent tonight was completely worthless. I regret it. If you anger me again, I'll make you be a male model and dance for me."
"Okay, if I anger you again, I'll do whatever you say."
Zhan Bei Jue leaned in towards her lips.
"Are you still angry? If not, I can also make amends now."
Although she had been angry, Jiang Nan Fang felt much better now that she had improved her relationship with Zhan's mother.
Besides, it had been several days since she had been intimate with Zhan Bei Jue. He smiled and picked her up.
Zhan Bei Jue and Jiang Nan Fang had always lived a stable and warm life, but Lu Qing Xu and Mai Le Di were not doing as well.
After Mai Le Di agreed to go to the hospital for treatment with Lu Qing Xu, her body quickly showed adverse reactions.
She had never cared about her hair before, nor did she expect hair loss to actually happen to her.
But now it was truly happening.
She would lose a large handful of hair with each comb. Seeing her once thick hair thin to the point where her scalp was clearly visible, she dared not look in the mirror.
She felt like a female demon from a horror movie.
The anxiety and extreme dissatisfaction with one's appearance were something that people who hadn't experienced it themselves couldn't understand.
Lu Qing Xu encouraged her every day, saying that when her condition improved and she stopped taking medication, her hair would grow back.
If not, she could shave her head, and he would shave his head with her.
To avoid disappointing Lu Qing Xu, she tried not to look in the mirror and also tried not to wash her hair herself, living in denial.
Until the second course of treatment began, she went for another check-up.
After the results came out, the old professor asked her to leave so he could speak to Lu Qing Xu alone.