If Fu Yusen knew she was pregnant, what would his reaction be? Jiang Nuan sat quietly in the hospital corridor, her face a mix of laughter and tears, filled with endless bitterness. Half an hour later, she left the hospital and dialed her psychiatrist’s number. “Dr. Chen, can I take the medication you prescribed now that I’m pregnant?” “Absolutely not, Jiang Nuan, you must understand, given your condition, having a child is not allowed.” Jiang Nuan felt a sharp pain in her heart. After a long while, she spoke, her voice dispersing in the wind: “I understand.” A few days later, Jiang Nuan was summoned to Fu Yusen’s office. Fu Yusen, in a good mood, tossed a document onto the desk. “The recent project was well done. This is for personnel adjustments and bonuses, distribute them.” Jiang Nuan agreed, but as she flipped through the document, her fingers suddenly paused. It was that project… Now a great success, the deputy manager had been promoted to branch manager. Jiang Nuan’s heart felt like it had been pricked by a thorn, aching. Fu Yusen raised an eyebrow: “Any problem?” Jiang Nuan snapped the file shut with a slap, lowering her head submissively: “No.” She left the office, took a deep breath, and headed towards the finance room. Just as she reached the door, Jiang Nuan heard laughter from inside. “Have you heard? Fu has set a wedding date with Lin’s daughter.” “I know, truly a match made in heaven.” “What about Jiang Nuan, the special assistant?” “What can she do? When you’re done playing with a toy, you throw it away.” After this remark, a knowing laughter filled the room. Jiang Nuan felt as if she was nailed to the spot at the door. After a long moment, she turned and entered the bathroom. Looking at her pale reflection in the mirror, it seemed as if a voice was whispering: For the sake of the child, would it be worth stopping your medication? Fu Yusen wouldn’t even want him! Her hand instinctively touched her flat abdomen. In a daze, she thought she heard a faint yet strong heartbeat. Another voice whispered: He will be your only kin, even if everyone in this world despises you, he will love you. Jiang Nuan forced a smile at the corner of her mouth. She left the bathroom, opened the door to the finance room, and as the staff saw her, their expressions turned respectful. Jiang Nuan efficiently instructed them and then turned to leave. After work, Jiang Nuan left the company, only to see an unexpected person. Her mother approached, her next words were: “Give me money, I need to play cards with some ladies.” Jiang Nuan frowned: “Didn’t I transfer money to you last week?” “What can that little amount do? Do you know how much those women look down on me?” Jiang Nuan’s face was expressionless: “I don’t have money, that’s my salary for half a year.” Her mother spat curses: “You’re just like your father, good for nothing!” Jiang Nuan’s face turned icy: “You have no right to talk about my father.” “You dare talk back to me?!” Her mother, furious, slapped Jiang Nuan hard across the face! “If it weren’t for you, this burden, I could have given birth to a Fu heir.” Jiang Nuan staggered from the blow, her belongings scattering on the ground. Her mother, sharp-eyed, spotted the medical report. She was instantly ecstatic: “You’re pregnant! It’s Fu Yusen’s, right?!” The eagerness in her eyes sent shivers down Jiang Nuan’s spine. Jiang Nuan, somewhat panicked, picked up the report and shoved it back into her bag, coldly saying: “No! I’ll give you the money, now leave!” Her mother glanced at her bag and actually laughed: “Good, good, I’ll leave now.” Jiang Nuan watched her retreating figure, feeling extremely uneasy. That night, she returned home to find Fu Yusen, who had been missing all afternoon, waiting at her door. Jiang Nuan’s eyes flickered with surprise: “Why are you here?” Before she could finish, Fu Yusen stepped forward, his breath laced with the faint scent of alcohol, and pressed against her. Jiang Nuan’s voice caught for a moment. She opened the door and helped Fu Yusen inside. As soon as they entered, Fu Yusen wrapped his arms around her waist, his hot lips pecking at her ear, pushing her onto the couch. Jiang Nuan felt a tingle, stopping his wandering hand, and whispered: “No.” Fu Yusen paused, looking down at her. The overhead light cast a soft glow in his eyes, giving an illusion of tenderness. Jiang Nuan’s heart ached, slowly speaking: “If… if I were pregnant… what would you do?” “Pregnant?” Fu Yusen lifted his eyelids, his expression a mix of mockery: “Your bastard child, I find it filthy.” “I told you not to hit me, Lin Chao has been looking for me several times, he really has a thing for Jiang Nuan. Considering your relationship, I agreed to help him ask…”
Tang Beichan’s voice grew increasingly weak.
The air instantly turned cold and silent.
A flash of red crossed Fu Yumo’s eyes: “What does he plan to offer in exchange?”
At the office door, Jiang Nuan gripped the tie in her hand, her face pale as she stepped back.
Her ears were filled with a buzzing noise, she searched for her pill bottle but couldn’t remember she had taken the medicine home and locked it up days ago.
The buzzing grew clearer—
The angry shouts of her mother during an argument with her father: “Have I ever enjoyed any luxury with you? How much money can you make in a lifetime?”
The gossip at school when the rumor spread: “Jiang Nuan’s mom is actually a mistress? No wonder she stole her best friend’s boyfriend.”
After Zhao Yu’s death, the accusations from classmates: “Jiang Nuan is really ruthless, she pushed Zhao Yu into the fire and ran away!”
Jiang Nuan suddenly crouched down, clutching her head, screaming in despair: “Stop it, stop it!”
At that moment, Lin Bei’s voice came from in front of her: “Jiang Nuan, what’s wrong with you?”
Jiang Nuan snapped back to reality, staring blankly at her.
Lin Bei’s eyes suddenly focused, she strode over and grabbed Jiang Nuan’s wrist.
On her fair skin, the letters ‘LB’ were clearly visible as a tattoo.
There was a time in college when it was trendy for lovers to tattoo each other’s initials on their bodies.
Back then, Jiang Nuan and Lin Bei were so close they were almost like one person, naturally, they got tattoos of each other’s names.
Lin Bei paused, her face changing.
She flung Jiang Nuan’s hand away as if she had been electrocuted: “Why are you still keeping this? Isn’t it disgusting enough for me?”
Jiang Nuan’s hand trembled as she tried to hide the tattoo: “Lin Bei, I…”
She just couldn’t bear to lose this most beautiful memory of her life.
But Lin Bei didn’t want to listen, her gaze filled with utmost disgust: “Go wash it off, and I don’t want my future husband to be around someone like you!”
“Have some sense, get lost.”
With that, she stormed off.
Jiang Nuan watched her angry retreating figure, burying her head deep into her arms.
Late at night.
In the dark apartment, only the faint light from the computer illuminated Jiang Nuan’s pale face.
She stared at every word on the screen for a long, long time, then finally, with stiff fingers, she pressed the send button on the email.
Three seconds later, the email alert sounded.
—Your ‘Resignation Letter’ has been sent to Fu Yumo.
Chapter 8
The next day, Fu Yumo entered the top floor but didn’t see the familiar figure outside the office.
His brows furrowed unconsciously, feeling inexplicably irritable.
Checking the time, he instructed the secretary: “Tell Jiang Nuan, if she doesn’t arrive at the company within 10 minutes, her bonus for this month will be docked.”
“Yes.” The secretary smiled as she opened her work tablet, but her smile froze the next second.
“Mr. Fu…” she looked at the email, somehow finding it hard to speak.
“What?” Fu Yumo looked up coldly.
The secretary handed over the tablet: “Special Assistant Jiang… she resigned.”
