Inside Huichun Hall
"Cough, cough."
Seeing Ruan Jiu cough twice more, Chun Tao looked anxious and immediately asked, "Doctor Li, what illness does my cousin have?"
Doctor Li withdrew his hand from taking Ruan Jiu's pulse and his expression grew solemn.
He stroked his beard, thought for a while, and then said, "Judging from the young lady's pulse, there seems to be nothing amiss."
"How can there be nothing wrong?!" Chun Tao exclaimed.
Her voice drew many curious looks. She lowered her voice and said, "Cousin has been coughing for several days, and she even coughed up blood this morning."
Doctor Li frowned. "Perhaps the young lady has been over - stressed recently."
"What do you mean by 'perhaps'? You quack doctor!"
"Stop it, Chun Tao." Ruan Jiu's small face was deathly pale, looking extremely pitiful.
Then she continued, "Please prescribe some medicine for me, Doctor Li. The most effective kind. After all, I'm getting married in a few days. I can't go into my marriage looking sickly."
Just as she finished speaking, she saw a familiar figure running towards them.
"Who are you getting married to?"
Taking a closer look, it was Lu Wanrou who had spoken.
Seeing Lu Wanrou, there was not a trace of surprise in Ruan Jiu's eyes.
"Of course it's Xie Yanchuan. Didn't your Yanchuan tell you?"
"What?!" Lu Wanrou looked utterly incredulous and shook her head. "It's impossible!"
Although she hadn't seen Xie Yanchuan for almost a month, he would surely tell her if he was getting married.
Seeing that Lu Wanrou didn't believe her, Ruan Jiu decided to add fuel to the fire.
"Oh, right. Xie Yanchuan promised me that he would never take a concubine in his life."
"I don't believe it! Yanchuan said he would take care of me for a lifetime!" Lu Wanrou said firmly.
"How ridiculous." Ruan Jiu snorted.
She stood up, leaned close to Lu Wanrou's ear, and whispered, "You probably don't know this yet. Your Yanchuan is already planning to send you out of Qinzhou City."
"You're lying!" Lu Wanrou's eyes widened in shock.
At this moment, Chun Tao stepped forward and pushed Lu Wanrou away.
Pointing at Lu Wanrou, she scolded, "Just think about who you are! A brothel girl still daring to dream of marrying into a noble family. Maybe if you go and seduce those old men, you might be able to be a low - ranking concubine!
Oh, even if you want to be a concubine, it depends on whether your belly is up to it."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in Huichun Hall turned to look.
Many people pricked up their ears, their gossipy hearts burning with curiosity, waiting for what would happen next.
Seeing this, Ruan Jiu covered her mouth and sneered, her eyes full of contempt.
"Let's go, Chun Tao."
After leaving Huichun Hall, Chun Tao couldn't wait to seek praise from Ruan Jiu.
"How was my performance just now? I said everything you told me word for word."
"Yes, yes, yes. You're the smartest."
Hearing Ruan Jiu's praise, Chun Tao proudly raised her head.
Then she asked puzzledly, "But cousin, how did you know that Lu Wanrou would come to Huichun Hall today?"
Ruan Jiu just smiled without answering.
It was all thanks to Xie Jingchu's letter.
Ruan Jiu turned around and took a quick glance at Huichun Hall behind her.
Sure enough, Lu Wanrou didn't disappoint her.
As soon as she returned to the mansion, Lu Wanrou came crying and shouting at the door.
"What's going on?" Ruan Jiu feigned surprise.
Lu Wanrou was kneeling in the main hall, crying her heart out.
Old Master Xie was sitting upright in the middle, his face ashen.
Xie Jing and his wife beside him looked terrified.
Xie Yanchuan had his head buried low, not daring to look at her.
Only Xie Jingchu propped his head up, looking like he was watching a show.
Just then, Lu Wanrou crawled in front of Ruan Jiu, grabbed her skirt tightly, and cried, "Sister Ruan, I know I shouldn't have coveted Yanchuan, but the child in my belly is innocent!"
"What?!" Ruan Jiu looked at Lu Wanrou in disbelief. "What child?"
A flash of pride passed through Lu Wanrou's eyes. Then she stroked her belly and said, "This is Yanchuan's and my child. Didn't you see me in Huichun Hall today, Sister Ruan? The doctor said I've been pregnant for over a month."
Hearing this, Ruan Jiu felt weak in the knees and almost fell.
Thankfully, Chun Tao was standing beside her and quickly supported her.
"Xie Yanchuan, I want you to tell me personally. Is the child yours?"
Xie Yanchuan was startled. He looked up and met Ruan Jiu's blood - red eyes, his heart tightening.
Frowning, he said helplessly, "A Jiu, I was drunk that day, so I..."
Xie Yanchuan hung his head, not daring to look at Ruan Jiu anymore.
Over a month ago, he was feeling frustrated because his father was forcing him to break off the engagement with Ruan Jiu.
So he drank a few more cups in the restaurant. Unexpectedly, he met Lu Wanrou. Drunk, he mistook her for Ruan Jiu.
That's how he made a mistake.
After he sobered up, he had decided not to see Lu Wanrou again and was planning to send her away.
He never thought such a thing would happen now.
The atmosphere grew a bit solemn. Xie Jing had to step forward to smooth things over for Xie Yanchuan.
"Cousin... cousin, please don't be angry. Maybe the child in her belly isn't Yanchuan's."
Before Xie Yanchuan could say anything, Lu Wanrou exclaimed, "Uncle, what do you mean by that?"
Lu Wanrou glared at Xie Jing resentfully.
"You come from a brothel. Who knows if the child in your belly belongs to someone else." Xu Qing had never thought highly of Lu Wanrou, and now her tone was even more displeased.
Lu Wanrou looked at Xie Yanchuan pitifully. "I once saved Yanchuan. Thanks to his kindness, he redeemed me. Moreover, I was still a virgin when Yanchuan and I were together."
Hearing Lu Wanrou so bluntly talk about their intimate affairs, Xu Qing blushed with shame.
But seeing the expression on Xie Yanchuan's face, she immediately realized that Lu Wanrou was telling the truth.
This was a big problem. The child in Lu Wanrou's belly was of the Xie family.
They couldn't just tell her to abort it!
Xie Jing also looked troubled. He had to carefully ask Ruan Jiu, "Cousin, it was Yanchuan's fault. But after all, the child in her belly is Yanchuan's. So, what do you think about this..."
"What are you looking at?" Old Master Xie roared. "Give her a bowl of abortive medicine and some silver to send her away!"
He had always detested such things.
He still couldn't let go of the fact that someone had climbed into his bed when he was drunk all those years ago.
Lu Wanrou didn't expect Old Master Xie to be so heartless, but she definitely couldn't be driven out!
She was counting on this "child" to stay in the Xie Mansion.
So, Lu Wanrou knelt in front of Xie Yanchuan, her eyes full of grievance. "Yanchuan, I volunteered to save you. I also volunteered to give myself to you.
I know I'm of low birth and not worthy of you. If you insist on aborting our child, I won't complain.
But now everyone in Huichun Hall knows that I'm pregnant, and the news has probably spread throughout most of Qinzhou City by now.
I have no face to live in this world anymore. I can only hope that in my next life, I'll be of a clean background and can always be by your side."
Lu Wanrou's performance was so heartfelt that she was in floods of tears.
Truly, her story was enough to move the heart and bring tears to the eyes.
Seeing that Xie Yanchuan's expression was softening, Old Master Xie quickly told the servants to drag Lu Wanrou out.
Lu Wanrou clung tightly to the corner of Xie Yanchuan's robe and refused to let go.
Her eyes were filled with desolation.
Xie Yanchuan finally couldn't bear it.
He gritted his teeth.
"Enough!"