Mu Linjing was not someone with an absolutely terrible relationship with her colleagues in the office. Naturally, she had colleagues who supported her. At times like these, as long as someone spoke up in response, even if some people were unwilling, they would follow the crowd.
Only after receiving a response did she nod with satisfaction. Even though she knew some people's sincerity was questionable, she believed she could change things with time.
Back in her own office, she had just sat down when the reception desk called.
"Sister Linjing, a Ms. Qiao just asked for Young Master Zhan's office and has already gone up."
Everyone in the company knew about the near-marriage between Zhan Yichen and Qiao Ningzhi. And today, Zhan Yichen had publicly acknowledged his relationship with Mu Linjing. Naturally, people would categorize Qiao Ningzhi and Mu Linjing as romantic rivals.
Just after the official announcement, a rival showed up. Driven by gossip, many people were eager to witness the drama.
Knowing that Qiao Ningzhi had come directly to the company to find Zhan Yichen, Mu Linjing guessed that something serious must have happened. Otherwise, given Qiao Ningzhi's personality, she wouldn't come to a place like the company to discuss private matters.
She had just assured everyone that she wouldn't date at the company, and less than an hour later, Qiao Ningzhi showed up.
This made it impossible for her to remain calm. After much deliberation, she was torn about whether to go and see what was happening.
In the end, unable to suppress her unease, she casually picked up a document and headed straight for Zhan Yichen's office.
She and Zhan Yichen had little work interaction, so taking a document was merely a flimsy excuse. Giving herself a pretext, she nervously knocked on Zhan Yichen's office door.
Not receiving permission to enter, her heart trembled violently. She pushed the office door open directly, and both people inside looked towards the entrance.
Qiao Ningzhi seemed startled by her arrival, and the item in her hand fell to the ground with a clatter. She quickly stepped forward to pick up what had fallen but accidentally burned her hands.
Looking at the pregnancy test in her hand, the two red lines on it felt like two scars etched onto her heart, causing her unbearable anguish.
"You... are pregnant?"
She asked the question word by word. The pregnancy test had already indicated everything, but she didn't know what she was hoping for; she just had to ask.
Qiao Ningzhi hadn't expected her to barge in, but she understood that this item must have hurt Mu Linjing.
However, there was no other way. She also needed to find the father of the child to discuss this matter.
Even if she wanted to abort this unclear pregnancy, this innocent life deserved to meet its father, and Zhan Yichen had every right to know that this child had existed.
But when she saw Mu Linjing, she realized how foolish her decision had been.
It was also her fault for panicking upon discovering her pregnancy, failing to calmly analyze the pros and cons. It was the same sense of brokenness in Mu Linjing's eyes, so similar to her own, that made her sober up, but it was too late.
"I'm sorry, Miss Mu, I..."
Mu Linjing waved her hand and, as if drained of all strength, collapsed onto the sofa. Zhan Yichen instinctively started to get up to catch her, but his movement stopped abruptly as their eyes met.
It wasn't Qiao Ningzhi who should have apologized; it was clearly him.
Mu Linjing sat with her head down for a long time, then suddenly stood up again. With red eyes, she grabbed Qiao Ningzhi's arm. "Pregnancy tests aren't always accurate. This thing might be expired. I'll take you to the hospital for a check-up."
She seemed deeply hurt, almost dragging Qiao Ningzhi.
Seeing this, Zhan Yichen quickly followed, "Linjing, why don't I take her?"
"In what capacity would you take her?"
Mu Linjing almost whispered a roar. What kind of relationship would allow a man to accompany a woman for a gynecological examination, if not as a husband? She wouldn't let Zhan Yichen accompany another woman like that.
Hearing her low roar, Zhan Yichen stopped in his tracks. He looked at her stubborn back, feeling both angry and heartbroken.
He could only follow secretly, and he didn't forget to call Wei Yumeng.
Wei Yumeng, who was watching the children at home, was so startled when he told her that Qiao Ningzhi was pregnant that she knocked over the milk bottle.
"Where is Linjing? Does Linjing know yet?"
She was only concerned about Mu Linjing's situation. She had just learned of their reconciliation that morning and was planning a celebration when this news struck her like a bolt from the blue.
Had things changed again in just a few hours?
"Sister-in-law, Linjing probably doesn't want to see me right now. Could you come and keep her company? I'm afraid I'll be very busy from now on."
Wei Yumeng had the same idea, but the two children would have to be sent back to the Zhan family for Old Master Zhan to look after personally.
Old Master Zhan saw through her flustered return and hasty departure and knew something had happened, so he stopped her.
"What exactly happened? Tell me truthfully, don't try to scare me with unpleasant words."
Knowing that Old Master Zhan could see through any attempt at concealment, Wei Yumeng had no choice but to tell the truth.
Upon hearing the news, Old Master Zhan rubbed his temples with a headache. "Forget it. You deal with it yourselves."
If these young people couldn't even handle matters of the heart, he truly wouldn't feel at ease handing over the Zhan Corporation entirely to these two brothers. This was an opportunity to test them.
Wei Yumeng followed the address Zhan Yichen had given to the hospital to find Mu Linjing. This was already the second hospital.
After the first hospital diagnosed Qiao Ningzhi as seven weeks pregnant, Mu Linjing insisted the equipment was faulty and the doctors were incompetent, forcing her to take Qiao Ningzhi to another hospital.
At this moment, they were both waiting for the urine test results. Mu Linjing leaned against the wall with vacant eyes, staring at Qiao Ningzhi's belly, lost in thought.
Qiao Ningzhi didn't know why, but despite being the one who was inexplicably pregnant, seeing Mu Linjing in this state evoked a sense of pity in her.
When Wei Yumeng arrived, both women were silent. She took the lab report from the previous hospital from Qiao Ningzhi's hand. Wei Yumeng knew the news of the pregnancy was true, but Mu Linjing couldn't accept it and was stubbornly fighting against reality in this pathetic way, trying to reverse the tide.
Seeing Wei Yumeng, the facade Mu Linjing had been maintaining finally crumbled. She finally hugged Wei Yumeng and burst into tears.
She didn't say a word, but Wei Yumeng understood all her grievances.
Perhaps because they both came from humble backgrounds, she could empathize with the deep-seated inferiority complex Mu Linjing felt when facing Qiao Ningzhi.
Perhaps it was also because she and Mu Linjing were so close that she best understood how much courage Mu Linjing had mustered to choose Zhan Yichen again.
But this pregnancy test was enough to instantly shatter the resolve she had built just yesterday.