“You don't need to go,” Fang Xun said anxiously upon hearing she was going to the Zhan family. “Master Zhan is likely still angry. If you go, I'm afraid he won't treat you well.”
Wei Yumeng knew that Master Zhan wouldn’t be amiable to her. She had already angered him by refusing to hand over the child to the Zhan family. She was certain she wouldn’t receive a warm welcome this time, but Zhan Mohan’s situation was precarious, and she had to go and plead with Master Zhan.
“I must go and help him.”
Fang Xun understood Wei Yumeng’s personality. Since she had decided to go, she would insist on it. Knowing he couldn’t dissuade her, he decided to accompany her.
The two first took Mu Linjing back to her hotel before heading to the Zhan family’s residence.
Returning to the Zhan family’s home, Wei Yumeng felt a complex mix of emotions. However, her purpose was clear, and her steps were firm. She knew this was one of the rare times Zhan Mohan needed her protection.
As they entered, Master Zhan was nowhere to be seen in the living room. Instead, Feng Shiming and Wen Yulan were seated on the sofa.
Hearing the commotion at the door, they turned and were visibly surprised to see Wei Yumeng. They hadn't expected her to be at the Zhan residence.
Since Zhan Mohan now knew about their divorce, there was no need to hold back. Feng Shiming stood up first and asked, “What are you doing here?”
Wei Yumeng ignored her feelings, her sole desire being to see Master Zhan quickly.
Wen Yulan also looked at her displeasurably. She herself had just been confined to her home and couldn't go out. Now that Zhan Mohan was under house arrest by the elder, no one would protect Wei Yumeng, presenting her with an opportunity for revenge.
Seeing Wei Yumeng ignore Feng Shiming, Wen Yulan stood up, walked around the sofa, and approached her, giving the impression that she would continue to hover if ignored.
“Wei Yumeng, look carefully. This is the Zhan family. Since you and Mohan are divorced, you are no longer a daughter-in-law of the Zhan family. How can you come uninvited? Do you have no shame?”
Wen Yulan, with her arms crossed, paced back and forth beside her, scrutinizing her with a dismissive gaze.
Wei Yumeng narrowed her eyes with a hint of weariness. “What does it have to do with you if I’m here to see Master Zhan? What’s wrong with coming uninvited? The Zhan family’s entrance doesn’t say Wei Yumeng is not allowed in.”
Wen Yulan knew she was sharp-tongued. She had expected Wei Yumeng to be somewhat apprehensive in the Zhan family’s home, but she hadn't anticipated such a direct retort.
Seeing Wen Yulan flustered, Feng Shiming joined the conversation, as they now had a common enemy.
“Wei Yumeng, your skin is indeed thick. You know how much Grandpa dislikes you, yet you still come to see him. What if you anger Grandpa? Can you bear the responsibility?”
Wei Yumeng scoffed, “Then why don't you shut up? Deliberately arguing with me to make Master Zhan angry, what are your intentions?”
This was indeed shifting blame. Feng Shiming’s nostrils flared, and she pointed a finger at Wei Yumeng’s nose. “Don’t slander me. Mohan Gege isn't here now, so no one will back you up.”
If Zhan Mohan weren't absent, Wei Yumeng wouldn’t bother with such meaningless banter. She placed a hand on her waist and said, “Then you’d better be careful. I’m pregnant now. If you say anything unpleasant that upsets me, and something happens, I’ll hold you responsible to Zhan Mohan.”
Feng Shiming and Wen Yulan exchanged a glance, understanding the implications. However, the child was, in name, still a member of the Xin family and had no connection to Zhan Mohan.
Thus, Feng Shiming had more reason to curse. “Wei Yumeng, you’re not carrying Mohan Gege’s child. Why should he protect you? It’s good that this child is lost, so as not to bring shame to our Zhan family.”
They had expected Wei Yumeng to keep the truth to herself, but this time, they were wrong.
Upon hearing this, Wei Yumeng let out a cold laugh. “I’m truly sorry, I forgot to tell you. I’m carrying the Zhan family’s child. If you dare to harm my child, neither Zhan Mohan nor Master Zhan will let you off.”
Hearing this, Feng Shiming's confidence wavered. However, she was stubborn and enjoyed winning arguments.
Without thinking, she retorted, “Why should it be the Zhan family’s child just because you say so? If your illegitimate child can’t find a father, you want to foist it onto our Zhan family? We’re not fools. You can forget about it.”
“Exactly,” Wen Yulan chimed in. “You’re already divorced, yet you still want to extort money from the Zhan family. Don’t forget, with our Zhan family’s resources, Mohan can find any wife he wants. What do you think you are?”
Just as she finished speaking, a heavy cough echoed from behind them. Master Zhan stood at the top of the stairs, watching them, his face ashen. He had clearly overheard much of the conversation.
Feng Shiming’s breathing slowed in fear. She had just called the child in Wei Yumeng's womb illegitimate and wondered if Master Zhan had heard.
“Master Zhan,” Wei Yumeng called out from the doorway, her demeanor calm. Feng Shiming and Wen Yulan, however, looked visibly uncomfortable.
Master Zhan responded with a cold "En" and slowly walked from the stairs to the sofa, pausing slightly as he passed Wen Yulan and Feng Shiming with a displeased expression.
It was evident that their conversation had been overheard. The two exchanged glances and became much more subdued.
Once everyone was seated, the elder gestured to the seat opposite him and said to Wei Yumeng, “Sit down.”
After all, the child she was carrying was from the Zhan family, and Master Zhan did not want any accidents to occur.
This attitude clearly signaled to Feng Shiming and Wen Yulan that they should restrain themselves.
Wei Yumeng sat down and got straight to the point. “Master Zhan, my purpose here is simple. I hope you can release Zhan Mohan.”
Upon hearing this, Master Zhan laughed in anger. “Why do you think I would listen to you? How I handle him is a Zhan family matter, not something you, his ex-wife, can interfere with.”
The term “ex-wife” seemed to be a reminder of her severed connection with Zhan Mohan. Wei Yumeng understood Master Zhan’s intention: to make her leave Zhan Mohan voluntarily.
If this were before, when she believed Zhan Mohan’s heart belonged to Jiang Siyu, she might have left to fulfill their wishes.
But things were different now. Not only would she not leave, but she also wouldn’t hand over the child to the Zhan family without reason. She was here today to negotiate.
She placed a hand on her belly meaningfully. “I am an ex-wife, and an ex-wife who became so under unclear circumstances. However, I am carrying his child. The blood flowing in this child is ours. This is a bond between him and me that can never be erased.”
Looking at her bulging belly, Master Zhan was, for the first time, unsure how to respond, as she was not wrong.
“You’re lying,” Wen Yulan, pretending to be unaware, immediately refuted, as she always put on a good act. “The child in your belly is clearly from the Xin family, and now you claim it's from the Zhan family. Do you think Mohan is a fool?”
Before Master Zhan could speak, she began to deny it. Even Feng Shiming desperately signaled her, but she didn’t notice.
Wei Yumeng sneered. “Since you are so certain the child in my belly is from the Xin family, why did you go to such lengths to kidnap me and try to abort my child multiple times?”
Wei Yumeng was unsure if Master Zhan was aware of these events, but to ensure her and her child's safety, she needed to make those who wished her harm understand who the primary suspect would be if anything were to happen to her.
Wen Yulan’s face turned pale at this statement. She dared not look at Master Zhan’s expression and didn’t know how to defend herself.
Master Zhan paused for a few seconds, not pursuing the matter with Wen Yulan, but instead asked Wei Yumeng directly, “The Zhan family will naturally acknowledge this child. However, as I said before, I have my conditions. I thought you were a smart person and knew how to make a choice.”
She simply smiled lightly. “Your conditions hold no appeal to me, and as I’ve told you, my relationship with Zhan Mohan is not measured by material conditions.”
Master Zhan had clearly grown tired of such responses. In his view, these were the limits of what he could offer.
He even felt that his terms for Wei Yumeng’s separation from Zhan Mohan were quite considerate. In other words, he felt Wei Yumeng didn’t deserve better.
Therefore, his words were blunt. “Do you think you are in a position to bargain with me?”
Wei Yumeng did not wish to delve into these issues with him, but she had the leverage to present the conditions she wanted to discuss with Master Zhan.
“Master Zhan, I don’t think I am bargaining. From the very beginning, your proposed conditions held no interest for me. I have only one purpose in coming here today: I want you to release him. He does not deserve this punishment.”
Hearing this, Master Zhan’s anger intensified. How dare a junior dictate how he disciplined his own family? Moreover, Zhan Mohan’s greatest mistake was his refusal to give up on the woman in front of him. All these troubles stemmed from the person attempting to negotiate so-called conditions with him.
This time, he was determined to separate the two of them. Therefore, he showed no regard for the fact that Wei Yumeng was pregnant and needed a stable emotional state.
“All the punishment he is enduring is your fault. It’s very simple for you to have me release him: give birth to the child and then leave him. Without your interference in his life, he will live well and face no punishment.”
These words successfully placed all the blame on Wei Yumeng, as if her very existence was a mistake.
If not for witnessing Zhan Mohan’s protective attitude towards her, Wei Yumeng might have started to believe it herself.
Master Zhan’s resolute attitude made Feng Shiming and Wen Yulan’s anxious hearts finally settle. After all, they were members of the Zhan family, and Wei Yumeng was merely an outsider.
Consequently, Feng Shiming couldn't resist shouting again, “Wei Yumeng, don’t be ungrateful. Even if you’re carrying Mohan Gege’s child, don’t forget that your affair with Xin Ran is confirmed. Don’t think you can deny it. Why do you think Mohan Gege should be tied to a woman like you, who is so promiscuous?”
Feng Shiming’s role seemed to be to constantly remind Master Zhan that this woman had been disloyal to Zhan Mohan. Even if she was fortunate enough to be carrying the Zhan family’s child this time, it wouldn’t necessarily be the case next time.
The mention of Xin Ran reminded Master Zhan of the video circulating online a few days ago. He had watched it, and that boy Xin Ran had defended this woman so vehemently, even to the point of abandoning his fiancée.
Such a woman, in the past, would have been considered a seductive vixen who brought ruin to the country. He absolutely would not allow Zhan Mohan to spend the rest of his life with such a woman; otherwise, all his efforts would be in vain.
Thus, his stance became even more resolute. “Wei Yumeng, if you think you can get more benefits from me through such means, I advise you to give up this idea. Otherwise, I have plenty of ways to make you willingly return the child to the Zhan family.”
Yes, Wei Yumeng admitted that Master Zhan did possess such capabilities. For one, he could control her financial lifeline, making it impossible for her to find even a cleaner’s job in Pengcheng if she didn’t leave.
When her basic survival became an issue, she would naturally comply with Master Zhan’s conditions.
But she was unwilling to wait for that day. This time, she wanted to be in control.
On the way, she had already figured out that facing Master Zhan with her own abilities would be like an egg hitting a rock. However, she still had a bargaining chip: the child in her womb.
When the time came for the child to be born, she would be useless. Now was her only chance.
Although using her child felt somewhat despicable, she was forced into it and had no choice but to proceed.
Seeing that Master Zhan had lost all patience, it was time for her to reveal her trump card.
“Master Zhan, I know you are not merely making idle threats. However, this child is mine and Zhan Mohan’s. This is my bottom line. If you still insist on not releasing him, then I will have to go to the hospital and terminate the pregnancy.”
Upon hearing her words, Master Zhan finally lost his composure. “You dare to abort our Zhan family’s child?”
“If you want me to give birth to the child, then leave here, and find another woman to be his stepmother, I would rather he never came into this world.”
Her tone was resolute, her demeanor firm. Although aborting the child was just a threat to coerce Master Zhan, she knew it would be effective.
However, if she couldn’t see Master Zhan relent, she would have to persevere. Today, she was determined to see Zhan Mohan.
Now, the whole world knew this child was his, yet the biological father remained in the dark. Wei Yumeng couldn’t help but feel a pang of self-reproach.
In some matters, she had simply been too willful.
In the past, Zhan Mohan had fought to protect her. This time, it was her turn to stand against everyone to protect the person she loved.
“You can demand anything, but aborting the child is unacceptable!”
Master Zhan was clearly anxious. The child was their mutual bottom line. Seeing this, Wei Yumeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, realizing her decision had been correct.
However, Wen Yulan, upon hearing this, became agitated. “Anything”? Did that mean he might agree to release Zhan Mohan?
This wouldn’t do. If Zhan Mohan were released from his confinement, her son would undoubtedly become secondary to Zhan Mohan. How could they ever rise above their current status?
So, she immediately reminded Master Zhan, “Dad, you can’t agree to everything she says. This woman is insatiable. You’ve already offered her the best terms, and she’s still not satisfied. Does she want the Zhan family’s company as well?”
Wei Yumeng couldn’t help but sneer. “I have no interest in the company, unlike you, who are so ambitious.”
“Don’t slander me!”
Wen Yulan quickly retorted, as Wei Yumeng’s words had hit close to home.
Although she argued promptly, Master Zhan saw through her intentions, but chose not to expose them.
As if sensing Master Zhan’s gaze, Wen Yulan turned her head, her eyes conveying a deep message that seemed to suggest all her thoughts were being seen through.
Feeling guilty, she averted her gaze. “Dad, don’t believe her. She’s just upset because I said a few things to her earlier, so she’s deliberately trying to stir up trouble and disrupt our entire family’s peace. We can’t let a woman like this stay by Mohan’s side.”
“Oh, is that so? Then your suggestion is for her to abort the child in her belly?”
Master Zhan was already in a bad mood, and Wen Yulan’s incessant chatter struck a nerve.
This put her in a difficult position. She desperately wished Wei Yumeng would miscarry, thereby eliminating any threat to her and her son’s status within the Zhan family.
However, if she truly voiced this, she feared she herself would be confined.
She stammered for a long time, unable to come up with a response, and finally vaguely said, “Dad, I don’t have that many ideas. This family is yours to command. We will all listen to you.”
Master Zhan ignored her, and she finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Feng Shiming quickly signaled her to stop talking.
Although Feng Shiming also wished for Mohan Gege to be released, given the current situation, once he was out, he would learn that the child in Wei Yumeng’s womb was his. Wouldn’t all their previous efforts be in vain?
If things were to go smoothly, what if Wei Yumeng caused more trouble and forced Zhan Mohan to investigate, leading back to her? She would be finished.
Therefore, she chose to remain silent and minimize her presence, fearing Wei Yumeng’s retribution.
Master Zhan looked at Wei Yumeng and took a deep breath. Being threatened for the first time in his life felt extremely unpleasant.
However, Wei Yumeng’s leverage was precisely calculated, forcing him to compromise.
“Is that the extent of your demands?”
Wei Yumeng nodded firmly. “That is all.”
As for her relationship with Zhan Mohan, she did not wish for it to be tainted by any impurities.
Although she had been divorced without her knowledge, she believed that if there was a possibility of remarriage, it would be on the condition that they first resolved all their issues.
Whether it was Jiang Siyu or Xin Ran, or the love she was striving to prove, these unresolved matters from the past were something she did not want to encounter again in their future lives.