Chapter 81: Wen Ping'an's Father, Keep Your Son in Check and Stop Disturbing Others' Sleep in the Middle of the Night

"We are already divorced."

Chu Li stood by the window, his stern face cold and indifferent.

Qin Xingwan lowered her eyes, her heart aching like a rising tide; she remembered the words he had spoken on the day they received their divorce certificate.

If she were to beg him again, the outcome would be her total destruction.

Now, she had no choice but to shatter her own pride.

"You are the child's only hope."

"Chu Li, I beg you, save his life."

There was no warmth in the man's pitch-black eyes as he turned slightly to look at her.

"I have no obligation to do that."

They were no longer husband and wife, and furthermore, that was not his and her child.

Whether he saved him or not, he could justify it either way.

Qin Xingwan gripped the quilt tightly; she knew what Chu Li wanted.

He was waiting for her to submit.

To submit completely.

She knew that he had been harboring a grudge in his heart all along.

She closed her eyes, and in this moment, she cast aside all her dignity.

She was willing to bow her head.

"As long as you save him, I will agree to any condition."

Her voice trembled, suppressing the profound sorrow in her throat.

Chu Li laughed softly, full of mockery.

Mocking her for finally bowing her head after all.

Mocking himself for actually still wanting to possess her at this very moment.

"Have you thought it through?" he asked indifferently.

Qin Xingwan nodded, "Yes, I have thought it through. What is your condition?"

She was already mentally prepared.

It was nothing more than sleeping together.

She could accept that.

"A life for a life," Chu Li said slowly and deliberately, his expression deep and obscure.

Qin Xingwan did not understand, "What do you mean?"

Chu Li strode forward, walking leisurely and casually to the side of the hospital bed, lowered his head slightly, and pinched Qin Xingwan's chin, rubbing it forcefully.

"If you want to save Wen Ping'an's life, stay by my side. When you become pregnant, that is when I will nod and save him."

Qin Xingwan's eyes widened, and she instinctively refused.

"No."

She could not accept this.

He was getting engaged to Cheng Mingzhu tomorrow, and before long, the two would be married; at a time like this, he wanted her to get pregnant—what did he take her for, and what would her child be?

A mistress and an illegitimate child?

Chu Li released her chin, stepped back slowly, and a wicked smile played on his lips, "Miss Qin, the choice is yours."

He walked toward the door.

In the blink of an eye, one foot had already stepped out of the hospital room.

Suddenly, his sleeve was tugged from behind.

Qin Xingwan's voice was hoarse: "I agree to your terms."

She had finally softened.

Chu Li did not look back, only tossing out a single sentence: "Go to Beicheng Villa and wait for me."

He walked out.

Qin Xingwan covered her face, her restrained sobbing erupting without restraint.

In the end, she had returned to his side.

In an even more wretched status.

By the wall outside the door, Chu Li stood there, not moving a step for a long time.

He had finally kept her by his side.

Qin Xingwan went to Beicheng Villa, where the servants were already waiting for her.

Seeing her, they happily called her Madam.

Sadness welled up in Qin Xingwan's heart again, and she said softly: "We are already divorced, do not call me Madam anymore."

Besides, before long, there would be a new Madam by his side.

The servants dared not say anything more.

Qin Xingwan went to the master bedroom upstairs.

The room remained exactly as it had been before; her clothes were still in the closet, and even the positions of her skincare products had not changed.

A glimmer of warmth finally touched her sad and desperate heart.

She took her pajamas and went to take a shower.

She was too tired and soon fell asleep.

At dinner time, the servant called for her.

Qin Xingwan threw a coat over her pajamas before going downstairs, but Chu Li was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Mr. Chu?" she asked.

The servant hesitated, then finally said cautiously, "Sir said he needs to prepare for tomorrow's engagement ceremony, so he won't be coming back today."

Engagement?

That's right, he was going to get engaged to Cheng Mingzhu.

Qin Xingwan lowered her eyes and gave a calm "Mm."

She didn't have much of an appetite, so she ate a little food and set down her chopsticks.

The servant brought over a bowl of medicinal soup.

"This is..."

Before she could finish, Qin Xingwan had already taken it and drank it clean in two gulps.

Old Yu's medicine, to dispel cold and nourish the body.

She knew that.

The bitterness bloomed on the tip of her tongue and surged all the way into her stomach, feeling as uncomfortable as a churning sea.

Qin Xingwan couldn't hold it back; she rushed into the bathroom and vomited until she felt dizzy and disoriented.

Until her mouth was sour and bitter, and her stomach was completely empty.

She braced herself against the sink, looked at her disheveled and haggard self in the mirror, and gave a helpless, bitter smile.

Qin Xingwan, you really look awful!

A "knock-knock-knock" sound echoed at the door.

Qin Xingwan cupped water to wash her face before opening the door to go out.

At the doorway, Chu Li was looking at her with an expressionless face.

Qin Xingwan was slightly stunned; wasn't he not coming back?

Actually, she should have said something to ease the relationship between them, but in the end, she couldn't say anything at all.

She stood in silence.

Chu Li looked at her indifferently for a long while before moving his body aside to let her out.

"Drink another bowl of medicine," he said in a flat voice.

The feeling of nausea rose in Qin Xingwan's stomach again; she endured it and said "okay."

The servant placed the medicinal soup on the table, set down a spoon, and put a small plate of honey dates on the side.

Qin Xingwan picked up the spoon and was just about to drink it when Chu Li was already by her side: "If you vomit one bowl, you drink another."

Qin Xingwan endured it, took the spoon back, and began to drink in small sips.

The medicine was very bitter, but compared to drinking it all at once, the irritation was much less.

Paired with the honey dates, the bowl of medicine was finished once again.

Chu Li did not leave again.

He went to the study.

Eleven o'clock.

Qin Xingwan felt something unusual in her dazed state.

She opened her eyes and met Chu Li's handsome face, which was filled with desire.

He kissed her brows, her face, and her lips, his movements not exactly gentle.

"Chu... A Li?" she hesitated as she changed her form of address.

It felt somewhat awkward.

After all, their current relationship was truly something that couldn't see the light of day.

Chu Li kissed her with focused intensity, catching her wrists and pinning them to the pillow.

A tingling, numbing sensation darted through her body.

Qin Xingwan bit her lip, freed her wrists, and took the initiative to hook her arms around his neck.

The man, whose movements had been relatively gentle, instantly increased his strength.

Qin Xingwan felt as if she were being kneaded into his very bones and blood.

Those familiar sensations assaulted her, leaving her just as breathless.

Until the phone on the bedside table rang at a very inopportune moment.

"The phone." Qin Xingwan pushed Chu Li, wanting to reach out and grab it.

She was pulled back by Chu Li.

He kissed the back of her hand, moving down to her shoulder.

He couldn't wait even half a second.

The phone rang persistently.

It was quite a mood-killer.

Chu Li let go of Qin Xingwan, and she hurriedly grabbed the phone; seeing the caller ID, she answered immediately.

"Ping'an," she called out softly.

The child's crisp voice came through: "Mommy."

Chu Li's expression darkened for a moment.

Wen Ping'an said in a small, delicate voice, "Mommy, Ping'an misses you."

Qin Xingwan curled her lips, full of tenderness: "Mommy misses Ping'an too. Wait a few more days; Mommy will come to see you when I have time."

Wen Ping'an threw a tantrum: "I don't want that, I want Mommy to come right now."

"But..."

"Mommy, it hurts."

Qin Xingwan became anxious all at once, "Ping'an..."

Wen Lvzhong's gentle voice came through the phone, "Xingwan, Ping'an is fine, don't worry."

Before Qin Xingwan could speak, the phone had already been snatched away by Chu Li.

"Wen Lvzhong, keep your son in check and don't disturb others' sleep in the middle of the night."

He finished speaking and hung up directly.