Possibly due to extreme fatigue and the effects of the medication, Zhan Mohan soon closed his eyes again. Wei Yumeng adjusted the room's air conditioning to warm, prepared a basin of water, and occasionally helped him wipe down his body.
After a long period of fussing, he slept soundly, showing no reaction even when a cool towel was placed on him.
Wei Yumeng felt immense heartache. While he was fast asleep, she gently clasped his hand, interlocking their fingers with palms facing each other. She had heard that this way, their hearts would be closer.
It wasn't until the sky began to lighten with the first signs of dawn that she touched Zhan Mohan's forehead and found he was no longer feverish. She checked his temperature, which had returned to normal, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After a night of care, she had barely moved. Now, as she relaxed, her back and whole body ached with fatigue.
Unconsciously, she leaned her head against his chest and fell asleep.
When Zhan Mohan woke up, the first thing he saw was the dark crown of her hair, and his palm still held her soft, small hand.
Hearing her steady breathing, he moved slightly, but she didn't stir. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes and that her shoes were still on, and they were still wet.
Zhan Mohan quickly got out of bed and carefully removed her shoes. Her once fair feet were wrinkled and even pale from being soaked in rainwater. Zhan Mohan's heart gave a sharp pang.
After drying the rainwater from her feet, he moved her to the bed, covered her with the quilt, and then sat by the bedside, gazing at her intently. His thumb gently caressed her cheek, his eyes filled with the tenderness she had always yearned to see.
Perhaps still worried about Zhan Mohan's condition, Wei Yumeng felt something moving on her face and woke up. Seeing her frown, Zhan Mohan withdrew his hand, waiting for her to open her eyes.
She let out a huge yawn. Wei Yumeng seemed a little dazed. After a moment of realization, she noticed something was wrong and sat up abruptly. Zhan Mohan quickly steadied her waist, fearing she might strain her back.
"How did I end up lying down?"
She clearly remembered sitting by Zhan Mohan's side, so how was it that upon opening her eyes, they had switched places?
Zhan Mohan placed his hands on her shoulders and tucked her back under the covers. "You need to rest. Go take a bath after you've slept enough."
Having been drenched in rain yesterday, she must feel uncomfortable. Zhan Mohan, too, had sweated profusely last night and felt sticky. He then got up and went to the bathroom.
Wei Yumeng was indeed extremely tired, having stayed up almost the entire night. Listening to the sound of water from the bathroom, she fell asleep once more. When Zhan Mohan emerged, he saw she was already asleep. He quietly left the room and closed the door.
The video conference from yesterday had not been concluded, and he had a lot of work to handle today.
By the time Wei Yumeng woke up, it was past nine in the morning. She felt uncomfortable without having showered after being in the rain. However, after her bath, she discovered there were no pajamas in the room. After much searching, she took a white shirt belonging to Zhan Mohan from the closet to wear.
Seeing Zhan Mohan working in the study, she wisely refrained from disturbing him and decided to make breakfast in the kitchen instead.
Although it was a bit late for breakfast, she thought about how Zhan Mohan had missed an entire evening and would likely have a bland taste in his mouth. With nothing else to do, it was also a good way to pass the time.
Just as she was about to take the fried eggs and milk to Zhan Mohan, the doorbell rang.
Knowing that Zhan Mohan's place would not be frequented by reporters or angry netizens, she casually put down the breakfast and went to open the door. To her surprise, the visitor was Jiang Siyu, dressed elegantly.
The moment they saw each other, their eyes were unfriendly. Jiang Siyu, in particular, seeing Wei Yumeng wearing Zhan Mohan's shirt, looked as if she wanted to tear it off her.
Wei Yumeng, at this moment, could not stand by and be insulted. She retorted, "Miss Jiang, I am carrying Zhan Mohan's child, after all. And what is your relationship with him now?"
When the child was mentioned, Jiang Siyu found herself unable to come up with a good retort for Wei Yumeng. She could only glare at Wei Yumeng resentfully and asked directly, "Where is A'Han?"
She then scanned the room and sat down on the sofa, making it seem as if she were the owner.
Wei Yumeng was naturally displeased. Crossing her arms, she looked down at Jiang Siyu. "Miss Jiang, I don't believe I gave you permission to enter."
Jiang Siyu shrugged indifferently. "Does it matter? This isn't your house, and I'm not here for you. Why would I need your permission to enter?"
Wei Yumeng was speechless. It was true that she and Zhan Mohan were no longer legally related, and she did not have the right to reside in this apartment.
Seeing her silence, Jiang Siyu's face lit up with triumph, and she continued to provoke her. "If I'm not mistaken, you must have been forced into a corner and begged A'Han to take you in, right? The power of the netizens is immense, and the video of you pestering Xin Ran is still trending."
"Also, I heard you fled the hospital yesterday in disgrace. So, I thought I'd kindly remind you that reporters won't give up unless they find a scoop. You might escape this time, but you might not escape the next."
Wei Yumeng was so angry she almost laughed. "So, you mean I should thank you for the reminder?"
"That's not necessary," Jiang Siyu said, waving her hand. "I just want to tell you that instead of trying so hard to stay, you'd be better off finding a hotel."
"Oh, I forgot, you quit your job and have no income. But that's okay, you don't have to stay in a fancy one. A cheaper place might be better. Perhaps the worse the conditions, the harder it will be for reporters to find you."
She laughed heartily, as if she could already see Wei Yumeng living on the streets, being chased and reviled.
Wei Yumeng took a deep breath and retorted, "Then I really must thank you for thinking of me so thoroughly. But I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I'm staying here because Zhan Mohan requested it. My departure from the hospital was also carefully arranged by him. He's been helping me all along."
Knowing that the thing Jiang Siyu could least tolerate was her closeness with Zhan Mohan, Wei Yumeng struck where it hurt the most.
Seeing Wei Yumeng's smug expression, Jiang Siyu felt an urge to lunge at her and start a fight. Coupled with the shirt she was wearing, she was already consumed by jealousy.
"Wei Yumeng, what are you so proud of? Don't forget, you and A'Han are divorced. You've been holding onto the divorce certificate until it's warm, and you still haven't accepted reality? A'Han doesn't want you anymore. A woman like you, who is promiscuous, doesn't deserve to stand by his side."
Jiang Siyu's words were like a sharp blade, cruelly exposing the truth she was most unwilling to face. Yes, she still remembered the feeling of holding that divorce certificate in her hand all too clearly. She and Zhan Mohan were no longer husband and wife.
Perhaps Zhan Mohan's explanation of what happened that night had given her a subconscious belief that she was more important to Zhan Mohan than Jiang Siyu. Thus, she had momentarily forgotten that in comparison, she didn't seem to have much of an advantage.
Moreover, what was the point of a man fought for and won?
The loneliness in her eyes was undeniable, and seeing it, Jiang Siyu finally felt a surge of triumph.
However, before her triumphant smile could fully materialize, Zhan Mohan's voice sounded from behind her.
"When did we get divorced?"
She turned around and saw Zhan Mohan staring at her, his eyes full of menace. Instantly, she dared not even breathe. This matter had been concealed from Zhan Mohan by Grandfather Zhan, and he still didn't know about it.
Now that she had revealed it to Zhan Mohan, not only would he demand an explanation, but she wouldn't be able to account for it to Grandfather either.
After all, Grandfather hadn't said anything precisely because he feared Zhan Mohan would rebel.
She immediately panicked, taking several steps back. "A'Han, listen to me, actually..."
Zhan Mohan raised his hand, signaling her to be quiet. He turned to Wei Yumeng. "When did we get divorced?"
Wei Yumeng was also somewhat puzzled. Did Zhan Mohan not know about the divorce? Seeing Jiang Siyu's reaction, she vaguely guessed what was happening. A slight tension and excitement welled up within her. Could it be that Zhan Mohan had never intended to divorce her?
Zhan Mohan stared intently at her. She had nothing to hide, so she told him the truth. "The divorce certificate was delivered to me long ago."
After a moment of thought, Zhan Mohan understood. He turned his head to look at Jiang Siyu, his expression clearly filled with anger, which made Jiang Siyu's heart pound. "Was it Grandpa's arrangement?"