Photos were sent by Lu Ma.
Lu Mingzhe, dressed in a sharp suit and exuding a refined and elegant demeanor, was seated in a high-end Western restaurant, having dinner with a graceful and charming lady.
All the photos featured the two of them.
From their postures, Xiang Wan could tell that after the meal, the woman left the restaurant with her arm linked through his. They got into a car together and entered a hotel together.
Xiang Wan looked at the image of them checking in at the hotel reception, and although she knew it was likely Lu Ma trying to sow discord, and that the photos might be faked, her hands still trembled uncontrollably.
Even if Lu Mingzhe was being morally blackmailed by Mrs. Lu into having dinner with a woman he had no close relationship with, why did they have to go to a hotel together?
As if reading her mind, Lu Ma quickly sent another message.
"They are in room 8808 at the Wan Baolai Hotel. Do you want to go see for yourself?"
Regardless of what Lu Mingzhe was doing at that moment, Lu Ma's message instantly filled her with disgust.
At his age, she still monitored his every move, even spying on him sharing a hotel room with a woman.
Her control over her son had clearly become pathological!
Oblivious, Lu Ma continued to send messages.
"I told you, he's just interested in you for a while, he won't love you forever. Do you believe me now?"
"When a woman is pregnant, she's inconvenient. He's young and virile, he can't possibly stay faithful to you for months."
"If you don't believe me, keep reading."
With that, she sent another set of photos.
They were all of Lu Mingzhe's hotel spending records.
Xiang Wan had never known he frequented hotels so much.
He had registered at different hotels almost every other day.
Just half a month ago, on the night Xiang Wan couldn't find him, people had told her that while Lu Mingzhe was away in the countryside for a few days, he had even registered at hotels in other cities.
Xiang Wan was stunned.
Lu Mingzhe, who came home every night acting loving and professing his love for her, was so busy during the day.
Was he busy dating a different person every day, or was he taking patients to hotels for psychological treatment every time?
Clearly, the latter explanation didn't make sense.
She felt lost.
Suddenly, she couldn't tell how much of what Lu Ma said was true.
She also couldn't fathom Lu Mingzhe's heart anymore.
If he was so desperate, he could simply not look for a steady girlfriend, constantly changing partners, and just satisfying his needs.
Why was he coaxing her to have his child, saying he must have it?
Or was it that he simply saw her as a surrogate, with no intention of marriage?
Just as Tang Haichao had said, once the child was born, everything would be revealed, and conflicts would arise endlessly?
If so, why her among so many women in Nan Cheng?
Oh, she remembered.
She had been the one to initiate their relationship in the first place.
For the past few years, Lu Mingzhe had been indifferent to her. It was only recently that he had suddenly shown interest.
Xiang Wan had naively believed that after getting to know her better, her personality had won him over, causing him to fall in love with her.
Now, it seemed...
A woman who made no demands on him, who had stayed around for years despite his indifference, and who believed his every lie like gospel – any man would keep such a foolish woman around, wouldn't he?
Without marriage, without paying for surrogacy, he could openly have a child. Lu Mingzhe's plan was so obvious, yet she remained oblivious.
Even worse, she was lost in her own fantasies, thinking he did so much for her, that he couldn't live without her...
He was so smart, why was he so oblivious to all the excessive things his mother did to her?
Or perhaps, he simply didn't want to notice?
Xiang Wan dared not think too deeply.
With this mother and son acting in tandem, back and forth, she now even suspected that it was all a setup.
The mother creates obstacles, and the son appears as a hero to save the damsel.
She was being sold out, yet she was foolishly helping them count the money.
Overthinking was truly a drain on one's will.
At three in the morning, to stop herself from overthinking and sinking into endless sorrow, Xiang Wan quietly got up, went to the living room, and turned on the projector.
She used to do this to relax.
After finishing a day's work, she would come home, order her favorite food, pour a glass of elegant red wine, curl up on the sofa, and watch a comedy.
Life could still be happy without a man.
And now...
Although she couldn't focus on the movie at all, and the sound was so low it was almost inaudible, she felt that being accompanied by these vibrant images somewhat eased her loneliness.
After watching a movie, the sky began to show the first light of dawn. She finally felt sleepy and prepared to go back to bed.
However, she heard a soft sound at the door.
She pricked up her ears, stared at the door, and after a long wait, Lu Mingzhe finally returned.
He was still in the same suit, but his tie was gone.
Three buttons of his shirt were undone, his hair was a bit messy, and he looked very tired, as if he had been busy all night.
Lu Mingzhe had indeed been busy all night.
His mother had visited his studio for several consecutive days, and he had avoided her. So, she had made an appointment with him under the guise of a patient, asking for his help.
The daughter of Uncle Zhang, who grew up in the same compound and whom Lu Mingzhe had known since childhood, had immigrated abroad for university and later settled there, getting married and having children.
She had two children when she discovered her husband was gay and had a male partner all along.
She couldn't accept it and demanded a divorce. However, her husband was a very successful lawyer and had intentionally deceived her into marriage, stipulating terms that were very favorable to him.
Miss Zhang had been fighting a lawsuit for over a year without regaining custody of her children and was now suffering from severe depression.
She was alone abroad, her emotions had broken down several times, and she had attempted suicide. Uncle Zhang had no choice but to send someone to bring her back.
She stayed cooped up at home, refusing to go out. A few days ago, she had shown suicidal tendencies again, prompting Aunt Zhang to swallow her pride and explain the situation.
She hoped Lu Mingzhe could help her.
Miss Zhang was beautiful, had been an excellent student since childhood, and was very proud.
She used to bicker with Lu Mingzhe often when they were children and looked down on people like him.
If they met as patient and doctor, she would surely be resistant.
Therefore, Lu Mingzhe arranged a dinner party for them to meet as old friends, discuss their respective situations, and encourage her to open up.
Miss Zhang was very distressed and complained to him for several hours.
They drank quite a bit. After he took her back to the hotel, she had been crying. Lu Mingzhe, fearing she might do something drastic, stayed in her room and provided psychological counseling for several hours.
At the same time, he promised to find the best lawyers in the country for her and assured her that they would win back her children. He only left after she had fallen asleep.
Unexpectedly, upon entering the apartment, he saw Xiang Wan.
"Are you up already, or haven't you slept? Why are your eyes so wide open?"
He put down his phone, took off his shoes, walked over to Xiang Wan, and tiredly rested his head on her neck.
"I'm exhausted. I worked overtime all night yesterday."