Withdrawing her phone, Wei Yumeng felt as if her entire spirit had been drained, her gaze becoming somewhat vacant.
The scorching sun cast its golden rays upon her, yet it couldn't dispel the gloom in her heart.
"Beep!"
An ear-piercing honk yanked her back from her deep thoughts. The car in front of her stopped, and a man with an honest face alighted, looking anxious.
"I'm sorry, are you hurt? Let me see."
It was then that she realized her arm had a minor abrasion. If not for the startling reminder, she wouldn't have felt it at all.
"I'm fine."
Seeing her dejected mood, the driver was worried she might be in trouble, especially since she was pregnant.
"Come, let me take you to the hospital to get it bandaged."
The driver was indeed an honest person. Despite her repeated refusals, she was pulled into the car and taken to the hospital.
The bandaging process was not complicated. It was only as she gazed out the window that she could recall how resolutely Zhan Mohan had left her in this very spot.
"Where would you like to go? I'll take you back."
The driver, noticing her discomfort and unusual emotional state, offered to take her home. However, her mind was still preoccupied with those photos, her thoughts in a complete jumble.
"I'm alright now. Thank you for taking me to the hospital. I'll just take a taxi back."
The driver initially wanted to persuade her further, but she was quite insistent, so he had no choice but to agree.
Exiting the treatment room, she wandered aimlessly through the hospital, wondering if Zhan Mohan was still here attending to Jiang Siyu. She wondered if he had seen the news and would let it escalate, tacitly acknowledging his relationship with Jiang Siyu.
"Who do I see? Sister Siyu, is my former sister-in-law here to see you?"
Feng Shiming's mocking tone snapped Wei Yumeng, who had drifted off again, back to reality. She realized she was standing at the entrance of the inpatient building.
Turning around, she saw Feng Shiming linking arms with Jiang Siyu, looking at her with smug satisfaction. In contrast to her own desolation, Jiang Siyu appeared much more radiant.
Her clenched fists dug their nails deep into her palms, preventing her from showing too much emotion.
"What, Mo Han has divorced you, and you've realized your mistake and want to win him back?" Feng Shiming leaned in, as if trying to see through her every pore to uncover her hidden loneliness. "But don't forget, the child in your belly is the Xin family's."
If Wei Yumeng hadn't remained somewhat lucid, she would likely have been fainted by Feng Shiming's words.
"This is a hospital, I can come and go as I please. You have such a talent for imagining these dramas, it's a shame you're not a screenwriter."
She gazed calmly at Feng Shiming, hiding the turbulence beneath the surface.
"If A'Han knew you were still so sharp-tongued, he'd be overjoyed. Seeing that you're not affected by the news makes me feel much better."
While Feng Shiming only knew petty tricks, Jiang Siyu was like a dagger directly piercing Wei Yumeng's heart, striking precisely at her most vulnerable point.
"Is that so? The news is bound to be exaggerated, who doesn't understand the reporters' tactics? Instead of feigning concern for others, why not manage yourself?"
After speaking, she walked past them and left the hospital.
Previously, she had only felt sad, but seeing these two women had made her much clearer-headed. Zhan Mohan had explicitly clarified his relationship with Jiang Siyu earlier, and now these photos surfaced. It didn't seem like a mistake Zhan Mohan would make.
Since someone deliberately wanted to make her uncomfortable, she would live her life even better.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Zhan Mohan finally managed to have a few words with Jing Yan after dealing with a pile of documents that resembled a small mountain. Fang Xun brought him new tidings.
"Mr. Zhan, a set of photos of you and Miss Jiang has suddenly appeared online. Although the content isn't explicit, it's enough to cause misunderstanding about your relationship."
Upon hearing this, Zhan Mohan's brow, which had just unfurled, knitted together again.
Taking his phone from Fang Xun, he saw the high-definition pictures and couldn't help but take a deep breath. It seemed Jiang Siyu had not changed her ways and had paid no heed to his words.
"Go and find out which media outlet published this, and have all the news articles taken down."
He tossed the phone onto the table, pinching his brow in annoyance.
Jing Yan glanced at it and chuckled, "What's there to misunderstand about this? Fang Xun, you're exaggerating."
Fang Xun forced a smile. "I'm afraid for Mrs. ..."
He glanced at Zhan Mohan. Just a few days ago, Mr. Zhan had clarified their relationship, and then these photos were leaked. Anyone could tell it was Miss Jiang's doing. If Mr. Zhan didn't handle it, his relationship with Mrs. would only worsen.
Jing Yan, of course, knew what Zhan Mohan was thinking, but his advice was completely different from Fang Xun's.
"If you ask me, you shouldn't bother with this. The photos aren't a big deal. Just stay put for now and see how Wei Yumeng reacts."
These words made Zhan Mohan look up from his frustration. Wei Yumeng had been pushing him away, and being so stubborn, she refused to explain anything.
That day in the hospital, she had actually tried to explain herself. Did she also know she was wrong?
Thinking about this, he felt that Jing Yan's suggestion might not be infeasible.
"If you don't give her a nudge, you'll never know your true position in Wei Yumeng's heart. With this incident, it might help her gain some clarity. Anyway, your relationship is already this bad, how much worse can it get?"
Matters of the heart are always clearer to the bystander. Jing Yan's words made Zhan Mohan realize the truth, and he stopped asking Fang Xun to investigate.
Mu Linjing, upon returning from work,'s first concern was Wei Yumeng's emotional state. The photos online had already caused a stir, and there was no doubt Wei Yumeng had seen them.
However, seeing that she wasn't as dejected and sad as expected, Mu Linjing was somewhat surprised.
"Yumeng, what happened to your hand?"
Wei Yumeng gave a wry smile and truthfully recounted her day's experiences.
Mu Linjing couldn't help but feel concerned. "Why don't you take a few days off from work? Those people have loose tongues, and this matter will surely be discussed for a few more days. Your relationship with Mr. Zhan is so awkward right now, their remarks won't be very friendly."
This was true. News about Zhan Mohan was always a hot topic of gossip among the company employees. Her current status was indeed very awkward.
She looked at Mu Linjing and, after a long consideration, still shook her head. "No, I still have work to hand over. The sooner I finish, the sooner I can leave."
"But..."
"No 'buts'," she stated resolutely. "Since the matter has already happened, if I choose to evade it, I will only be hounded by gossip. Moreover, people have mouths, and we have no right to interfere with how they gossip. All we can do is manage ourselves."