Wei Yumeng paused, retracting her finger from the dial button.
"Why would Madam be looking for me?"
"I don't know. When you get there, Madam will tell you."
Wei Yumeng didn't think much of it, assuming Wen Yulan might want to talk about Zhan Mohan.
She followed the maid upstairs to Wen Yulan's room. The maid stepped aside, clearing a path for her.
"Go in."
For some reason, the maid's expression unsettled Wei Yumeng, but she reasoned that even if Wen Yulan had an issue with her, what could she do?
With that thought, she pushed the door open. The maid closed it behind her, a strange smile on her face.
Wei Yumeng stood still. The room was dark, giving her an eerie feeling. She turned to leave, her hand just reaching for the doorknob when she heard Wen Yulan's voice.
"Is it too late to leave now?"
Her heart skipped a beat. She turned to Wen Yulan.
"Aunt, what do you want to do?"
Wen Yulan smiled, then sat in a chair, exuding a chilling aura.
"What do I want to do? You're living in the Zhan family with that bastard in your belly, making everyone uncomfortable. If this gets out, how will Mohan face people in the future?"
Although Wei Yumeng didn't know Wen Yulan's exact motive, she understood from her words that she intended to harm her unborn child.
She grabbed the doorknob and tried to pull it open, but it wouldn't budge, as if it were locked from the outside.
Then, several more maids emerged from an inner room. A bad premonition washed over her as she defensively looked at Wen Yulan.
"Mohan already agreed to have me go to the hospital to have this child. Aunt, you don't need to do this."
Wen Yulan narrowed her eyes and suddenly let out a cold laugh.
"Do you think you can have an abortion like a normal person, without anyone caring? If word gets out, how many media outlets will be waiting to report on the scandal? You've been married to Mohan for less than a month and you're getting an abortion. Have you considered how they'll write about it?"
"Then what do you plan to do?"
Wen Yulan gestured to a maid, who stepped forward with a bowl.
"This is an abortifacient. If you drink it, the embryo will pass on its own. It will be a bit painful, but once this is over, I'll have someone help you recover. Don't worry."
Seeing the dark liquid in the bowl, Wei Yumeng's face turned ashen.
She then sneered, "Does Aunt think I'm too young to understand? Medical abortion is convenient, but if any placental residue is left behind, it can cause infection, and in severe cases, it can be life-threatening. It could also lead to lifelong infertility."
At that moment, this child would be her last.
Wen Yulan hadn't expected that Wei Yumeng, who seemed so naive, would know so much.
"Whether you can have children in the future or not, this child absolutely cannot be kept. You, seize her."
Wei Yumeng turned and frantically pounded on the door, shouting.
"Help! Help!"
"This is the Zhan family. Do you think anyone will come to save you? Don't be ridiculous! Be obedient, and I'll let you stay by Mohan's side peacefully. Otherwise, your family will suffer with you."
At this point, she couldn't afford to think of anything else. If this medicine was dangerous, she could lose her life. How could she protect her mother then?
Her back pressed against the door, she warned Wen Yulan.
"Aunt, I advise you to consider your actions. If Mohan finds out you're doing this behind his back, he'll be furious."
Wen Yulan's eyes suddenly flashed with fierceness as she swept a look at Wei Yumeng.
"You think you can provoke me and Mohan? Don't even think about it. The child in your belly belongs to another man, not Mohan's. Why would he blame me?"
Wei Yumeng panicked and blurted out, "My... my child is Mohan's."
Wen Yulan was shocked. "What did you say!"
"I said... my child is Mohan's. If you force me to take this medicine now and the child is gone, see if he still considers you his mother?"
The two of them weren't related by blood.
Wen Yulan scoffed, "You must be joking. Mohan is paralyzed from the waist down, he can't possibly have children. Besides, you were already pregnant long ago. How dare you lie to me about Mohan's condition!"
Wei Yumeng thought, since she had already made a mistake, she might as well go all the way and get through this difficult moment first.
"He's paralyzed from the waist down, but the doctor didn't say he couldn't be intimate."
"You mean... Mohan was with you, and you got pregnant? Then why didn't you say anything when the old man asked you?"
"I only found out recently. I haven't had time to inform you yet."
Wei Yumeng hoped Wen Yulan would believe her. Only then could she escape.
But Wen Yulan was not easily deceived. She knew far more inside information than Wei Yumeng.
She chuckled sinisterly, "Stop lying to me. You're clearly lying. I know Mohan's condition better than anyone. You just want to use this opportunity to keep that bastard."
After speaking, Wen Yulan ordered the maid beside her.
"Hold her down. If she refuses to drink the medicine, force it down."
"No, no..."
Meanwhile, Zhan Mohan, who was on his way to Ye City by car, felt an inexplicable unease.
"Is Grandpa home today?"
"The old man went out. He seemed to be going to a temple fair to pray for you."
Fang Xun had seen Old Master Zhan leave in the car early in the morning and had asked a maid for details.
"What about Wen Yulan?"
"She seemed to be boiling medicine in the kitchen this morning. Perhaps she's not feeling well."
"Boiling medicine?" Zhan Mohan remembered Wen Yulan had always been in good health, and hadn't seen her go to the hospital recently.
He looked up. "Can you ask the person in charge over there about the situation?"
"Okay."
Fang Xun called the other party and verified the information, uncovering a discrepancy.
"Didn't you say you needed President Zhan to come over?"
"Madam came over yesterday and said the workers weren't starting, and President Zhan was pressing for it, so we quickly held a meeting and decided to start today. The plan will still be as President Zhan proposed."
"But we didn't receive any notification?"
"Oh, yes. We notified Madam. She said President Zhan has been busy lately and asked to be informed of anything first, and she would relay it to President Zhan."
"Understood."
Fang Xun hung up. He found it strange, why would it go through Wen Yulan?
He turned to Zhan Mohan. "President Zhan, it seems... we don't need to go."
Zhan Mohan's gaze was complex, then he curved his lips into a sarcastic smile.
"Of course, we don't need to go. Wen Yulan set a trap for us. But why did she go to such lengths to send me to Ye City?"
Fang Xun shook his head, also unable to figure it out.
Zhan Mohan frowned, piecing his thoughts together, and spoke again.
"You just said Wen Yulan was boiling medicine this morning?"
"Yes," Fang Xun hadn't caught on yet.
Zhan Mohan's eyes sharpened. He suddenly said, "Not good, turn back immediately."
"Oh, okay." Fang Xun was startled by his sudden tone, but he turned the car around.
On the way back, Zhan Mohan called Wei Yumeng several times, but she didn't answer. His premonition grew stronger.
Fang Xun still hadn't fully grasped the situation. "President Zhan, why the urgent need to return?"
"I'm afraid Wen Yulan intends to harm Wei Yumeng. Her phone is unreachable, so something might have happened."
The Old Zhan Residence—
Wei Yumeng was held down by several maids, unable to move. A plump woman pinched her mouth, about to force the medicine down her throat. She shook her head desperately.
Wen Yulan saw her stubborn resistance.
"I underestimated you. Keeping that bastard in your belly will lead to an abortion sooner or later, so it's better to do it now and get it over with."
As the medicine was poured into her mouth, Wei Yumeng's eyes widened in terror, her heart turning to ice.