The atmosphere in the room was eerily quiet.
Zhan Mohan showed no intention of speaking or leaving, simply sitting in the hospital room without a word. Wei Yumeng, unsure of how to break the silence, picked up a book from beside her and began to read.
It wasn't until after work hours that Mu Linjing arrived at the hospital, prompting Zhan Mohan to finally rise and leave.
After he departed, Mu Linjing asked, "What's going on? Why was Mr. Zhan here?"
Wei Yumeng briefly recounted the afternoon's events. Mu Linjing pondered for a long time, her chin resting on her hand. "You don't think Mr. Zhan was deliberately waiting for you here, do you? He must have been afraid someone else would hurt you, which is why he wouldn't leave. Otherwise, why would he leave the moment I arrived? He just didn't want you to be alone."
Her analysis was so convincing that Wei Yumeng felt there might be some truth to it.
However, she was finding it increasingly difficult to decipher Zhan Mohan's thoughts, so she couldn't be entirely sure and could only offer herself some solace.
The two of them had dinner together, and Mu Linjing stayed to chat with Wei Yumeng. They were having a pleasant time when suddenly, a commotion erupted outside, as if a large crowd was charging towards them, causing the floor to tremble.
Mu Linjing frowned. "What's wrong with this hospital? Don't they know this will disturb the patients' rest?"
As she spoke, she got up to investigate. To her surprise, the moment she opened the door, she saw a throng of reporters rushing towards them down the hallway, their demeanor aggressive and hostile.
Terrified, she quickly shut and locked the door. Wei Yumeng, confused about the panic, felt the door behind her vibrate as someone pounded on it forcefully.
"Mrs. Zhan, we have a few questions for you. Could you please open the door?"
The reporters' voices filtered through the door. Mu Linjing's first instinct was to move the small sofa to barricade the door. These reporters didn't seem like they were there for an interview; they looked more like they were ready for a brawl.
"Linjing, what's happening outside?"
Wei Yumeng was still bewildered. Why were these reporters bothering her while she was supposed to be resting?
Mu Linjing was also confused, but she knew they couldn't let these people in.
"Don't worry, I'll call the hospital and have them escort everyone away."
She picked up the room's phone and dialed the nurses' station. Soon, a nurse's voice could be heard from outside.
"Reporters, this is a hospital. If you have any questions, please wait until the patient has recovered and been discharged to conduct your interviews. The hospital has a policy that unless the patient personally permits it, reporters are not allowed to force interviews. Please leave."
However, journalists, by nature, are driven to push forward with their cameras. If they couldn't get exclusive information, no amount of persuasion would make them leave. Even when the nurse threatened to call security, they remained steadfast at the door.
The commotion in the hospital drew out patients from other rooms. The crowd outside grew larger and larger, while the two people inside remained completely unaware of the reason.
Mu Linjing pressed her ear against the door, listening intently to their murmurs, and gradually began to understand.
It turned out that someone had uploaded a video of Zheng Yuanyuan's argument in the hospital to the internet. The title read: "Mr. Zhan's Wife Caught in a Hospital Rendezvous with Another Man's Fiancé."
Such topics always garnered significant attention, and with Zhan Mohan's involvement, the shares and views skyrocketed. After a few hours of fermentation, it had become the top headline. However, since Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing hadn't been looking at their phones much, they remained unaware.
Now understanding the cause, Mu Linjing immediately opened her phone. Indeed, the high-definition video was dominating the entire network. Clicking on any of the clips revealed thousands of comments.
"This is so disgusting. She's clearly already engaged, yet she continues to pester him. Such women are a disgrace to society."
"Exactly. And this woman already has a husband. I despise people who are unfaithful to their families the most."
"People like this disrupt two families. Everyone needs to expose her."
There wasn't a single comment beneath the video that was favorable to Wei Yumeng. In fact, many threatened to condemn her.
Mu Linjing looked at the surging crowd outside and felt the overwhelming power of netizens.
Moreover, as the crowd outside continued to grow, many of the patients currently hospitalized also joined the chorus of condemnation.
Although the hospital was trying to intervene, it hadn't escalated to the point of breaking down doors. However, if this continued, Wei Yumeng's delicate condition would surely not withstand it.
Mu Linjing paced anxiously by the door, while Wei Yumeng was also at a loss. Explanations in such online incidents often made things worse. Besides, given the complicated relationships between them, even an explanation might not clarify things.
Seeing Wei Yumeng's furrowed brow, Mu Linjing quickly called Zhan Mohan.
Meanwhile, Zhan Mohan had just seen the video himself. Even with an urgent public relations response, it was too late. This kind of drama, fueled by love and hate, was different from business dealings. A slight misstep could only fan the flames of public anger.
As Mu Linjing's call connected, Fang Xun rushed in from outside. "Mr. Zhan, something has happened with Mrs. Zhan."
"Mr. Zhan, our hospital room is now swarming with reporters and an incensed mob. If this continues, Yumeng won't be able to handle it. Please think of a solution!"
Although Mu Linjing knew their relationship was currently strained, she had no other options at this point and had to seek Zhan Mohan's help. After all, the child Wei Yumeng was carrying was Zhan Mohan's.
Understanding Wei Yumeng's predicament, Zhan Mohan immediately grabbed his coat and headed out. He instructed Mu Linjing over the phone, "I'll contact the hospital to help you get out. You take her back first."
After hanging up, Zhan Mohan immediately called the hospital. Shortly thereafter, several doctors knocked on the door. Mu Linjing let them in and quickly re-locked the door.
"Mr. Zhan has instructed us. You will now come with us to the operating room. There is a back exit from the operating room, and a car has been arranged to wait for you downstairs."
The doctors provided brief instructions, and Wei Yumeng was placed on a bed, then pushed out of the room by the medical staff.
"We apologize, reporters. The patient is in critical condition and requires immediate surgery. Please cooperate with the hospital's work."
After speaking, the doctors rushed to push the cart towards the operating room, with Mu Linjing following closely. The reporters, however, relentlessly pursued them, determined to stake out the operating room entrance even as they were being taken in.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Mu Linjing slipped into the operating room and escorted them to the back exit. It was only then that Wei Yumeng was able to get off the bed.
After thanking the doctors, the two of them quickly slipped away through the back.
The reporters, unaware that someone had disappeared in the confusion, remained stationed outside the operating room, staring at the red light above.
Mu Linjing supported Wei Yumeng, and the two of them, now on foot, finally reached the ground floor. The car Zhan Mohan had arranged pulled up immediately. It was only when they were inside the car that they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Mu Linjing anxiously asked, "Yumeng, how are you? Are you feeling unwell?"
She was supposed to be resting in bed. After this ordeal due to the video, Mu Linjing was worried about the safety of the child in her womb.
Wei Yumeng clutched her stomach and shook her head. She had been holding her belly the entire time, fearing any harm to the baby. Fortunately, she felt no ill effects.
"I'm fine. Let's go home. The sky isn't falling," she said.
Mu Linjing, still catching her breath, comforted Wei Yumeng. The incident had come out of nowhere, catching them completely off guard.
Their immediate priority was Wei Yumeng and the baby's well-being. As for the video, she was confident that Zhan Mohan would handle it.
The car dropped them off downstairs from Mu Linjing's apartment. Just as they were about to open the door, Wei Yumeng pulled her back and pointed outside, where a crowd had gathered.
"It's so late, why are so many people still gathered here?"
A sense of foreboding washed over both of them. They suspected they were being cornered. The power of netizens was immense; when they wanted to track someone down, they always started with their residential address. Clearly, Mu Linjing's home had been compromised. If they got out of the car now, they would be surrounded and verbally attacked.
Wei Yumeng looked apologetically at Mu Linjing. "I'm sorry, Linjing, for causing you trouble."
Mu Linjing was furious. She felt it was cruel for these people to indiscriminately surround someone at their doorstep without understanding the situation.
As they debated where to go, Zhan Mohan's call came through.
"I'm aware of the situation. Bring her to my apartment."