"I'm doing this for your own good. Believe me or not, it's all for you. Zhan Mohan doesn't truly care about you. The only reason he hasn't divorced you yet is because Jiang Siyu hasn't returned."
Xin Ran finished speaking. Seeing that Wei Yumeng remained unmoved, he took out the files and placed them in front of her.
"This is the date Jiang Siyu is returning to the country. It's next month. She'll be back then, and they will definitely get back together. If you stay by Zhan Mohan's side, he'll only find you an eyesore."
If he hadn't known that Zhan Mohan had another woman before and still couldn't forget her after all these years, he wouldn't have resorted to this desperate measure, risking Wei Yumeng's resentment. Why was he doing this? Wasn't it all for her?
Wei Yumeng lowered her gaze slightly. She saw the information on the documents, detailing when Jiang Siyu left and when she was scheduled to return, all clearly recorded.
She and Zhan Mohan were university classmates, and at that time, they were the 'best couple' who were the talk of the campus. After dating for a few years, following Zhan Mohan's car accident, Jiang Siyu also seized a rare opportunity abroad and chose to leave Zhan Mohan at that time, heading overseas alone.
Seeing that she finally showed some reaction, Xin Ran continued.
"I heard from their former roommates that Zhan Mohan used to often carry a photo of Jiang Siyu in the inner pocket of his wallet. I don't know if he still does now."
As Xin Ran spoke, Wei Yumeng suddenly felt a desire to confirm this. She just didn't voice it to Xin Ran.
Before Wei Yumeng stood up, she asked Xin Ran again, "Are you absolutely sure that something happened between us?"
Xin Ran looked at her serious and earnest gaze, thinking about Jiang Siyu's imminent return and how her situation would only become more difficult. Coupled with the fact that Zhan Mohan didn't believe her this time, staying any longer would only cause her greater pain.
He nodded very seriously.
"Yes. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do. If you insist that nothing happened between us, that's fine too, as long as you can deceive yourself."
"Then let me ask you again, did you drug me?"
Given her alcohol tolerance, it was impossible for her to become unconscious after just one or two drinks. She clearly remembered feeling a wave of dizziness after drinking that glass of wine, almost unable to stand, her body weak, and then everything went black.
In that state, Xin Ran could have simply sent her back. Why take her to a hotel? And why did Zhan Mohan happen to appear at that exact moment? These seemingly coincidental events were likely orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.
"All of this, it was all your doing, wasn't it? You drugged me, took me to the hotel, and then notified Zhan Mohan to witness the scene. Is that it?"
Her analysis was so coherent that Xin Ran found no room to refute it.
Since he had decided to do this back then, he had no regrets.
He admitted frankly, "That's right, it was all me."
The next second, Wei Yumeng picked up the orange juice in front of him and splashed it onto his face. Xin Ran closed his eyes tightly and gasped.
Anger contorted Wei Yumeng's face as she stood up.
"Xin Ran, from today onwards, we are no longer friends. I don't need a friend who constantly schemes against me."
He had disappointed her too much. Besides Gu Shuyi, he was the person she trusted the most. In the end, she never expected that the one who hurt her the most would be someone she trusted so deeply.
Xin Ran remained silent. The moment he decided to do all this, he had anticipated all the consequences and her reactions.
But he didn't regret it. Staying with Zhan Mohan would lead nowhere. That man's temperament was unfathomable, coupled with a scheming stepmother. How could Wei Yumeng survive in such a complicated family?
Not to mention Zhan Mohan treating her well, if Jiang Siyu returned, he would immediately cast her aside. How would Wei Yumeng cope then?
As Wei Yumeng was about to turn and leave, Xin Ran stood up and said something to her retreating back.
"You seem to have forgotten what your aunt told you. What did she say to you before? She told you to leave Zhan Mohan. It's impossible between the two of you. His grandfather killed your grandmother. You are destined to be enemies."
Wei Yumeng trembled all over and turned around in surprise.
"How do you know about this?"
"Of course, your aunt told me. She wants me to take care of your future."
"I don't need it. Even if I don't end up with Zhan Mohan, I don't need you to take care of me."
With that, she fled out of the coffee shop in a hurry. She ran for a long distance until her legs felt weak before stopping.
Xin Ran's words echoed in her mind. Her grandmother was killed by Zhan Mohan's grandfather. This old incident was likely known by very few people. She had also learned about it from Gu Shuyi.
In the past, Old Master Zhan met her grandmother when he was working in the countryside. They quickly fell in love. However, after Old Master Zhan returned to Pengcheng, he never contacted her grandmother again. Her grandmother was ridiculed by the villagers, and even the strongest person couldn't withstand the gossip.
Her grandmother's family also pressured her, looking down on her. Later, they arranged for a man who was an alcoholic to marry her grandmother. Her grandmother was often beaten. Combined with her constant longing for Old Master Zhan, one day, her grandmother suddenly ran away, intending to go to Pengcheng to find Old Master Zhan.
Along the way, she was assaulted by several men... Later, her grandmother committed suicide.
Hearing this heart-wrenching account, she could even imagine how her grandmother, with her broken heart, had ended her life.
The despair and desolation made her have no more attachment to this world.
Wei Yumeng could imagine what kind of state her grandmother was in when she committed suicide. Everyone disdained her, and she felt no warmth in this world.
All she felt was the pressure and blame from her own family. When she was at her most vulnerable, no one stood by her side, holding her hand tightly, telling her, "It's okay, everything will pass, I'll be with you."
No, none of that happened. That's why her grandmother ultimately chose to end her life in such a manner, also ending her love.
She took a deep breath, tilted her head to look at the clear blue sky, and a thought suddenly struck her: would Zhan Mohan treat her the same way?
Xin Ran's words had indeed given her pause for thought. If Zhan Mohan were to openly show affection with Jiang Siyu upon her return, where would that leave her?
She covered her face, suddenly unsure of what to do.
It seemed there was only one path laid out before her: divorce.
When she returned to the hospital, Zhan Mohan was still by Old Master Zhan's side. She hadn't wanted to come back, but she had promised Zhan Mohan. Wen Yulan was also present at the time, and she had to stay with Zhan Mohan to guard Old Master Zhan for the night.
There was another reason: she wanted to confirm whether Zhan Mohan's wallet truly contained Jiang Siyu's photograph.
To cover up her meeting with Xin Ran, she bought some fruit on the way.
She reached out and offered it, "Have some."
Zhan Mohan took it, "Mm."
He took out an apple and then paused, raising an eyebrow.
"You just went to buy fruit?"
"Mm, and I went out for some fresh air." Wei Yumeng walked to the water dispenser, filled a cup, and turned to hand it to Zhan Mohan.
Just as Zhan Mohan was about to reach for it, Wei Yumeng's fingers loosened slightly, and the cup fell to the ground, spilling water onto Zhan Mohan's jacket. Wei Yumeng frantically tried to dab at the water stains.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to."
Zhan Mohan frowned and patted himself down.
"Why don't you take it off first? I'll take it out to air dry it."
The man didn't think much of it and directly took it off. Wei Yumeng took it and then handed him a tissue from the side.
When she took it out and stood in the hallway, she reached into Zhan Mohan's inner pocket, took out his wallet, opened it, and flipped to the inner compartment.
What greeted her eyes was a photograph. Wei Yumeng's pupils contracted sharply, her heart plummeting as if falling off a cliff.
Xin Ran wasn't wrong. It turned out she was just a spare tire during his emotionally empty period.