C7 Painless Abortion

"What happened?" Zhuang Zijin stared at the stomach for a long time before a thought finally occurred to her. Not wanting it to be true, she forced herself to look into her daughter's eyes. "This child–did someone pay you to–"

After all, she wasn't stupid. After the car accident, her hospital expenses and her son's funeral expenses cost them a lot of money. She had initially thought that they weren't able to pay it off until her daughter showed up with a suitcase filled with cash–saying that it was the perpetrator's compensation.

Lin Xinyan stayed silent.

However, that was the only response that she needed. "How could you have done such a thing?" Zhuang Zijin trembled as she struggled to point at her. "How could you have betrayed yourself too–"

Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed ahold of her wrist. "You can't have this child! Come with me to the hospital right now!"

"What? But mom!" No matter how much she tried, she couldn't break free from her hold.

"If you give birth to that bastard's child, what would your life become?" Her daughter was already married, and it wasn't just to anyone. He was the most powerful man in the city. If anyone were to know about this, she'd already be ridiculed.

"But, mom, please–I want to give birth to this child. Let me..."

Lin Xinyan had begged her. She even tried pushing the older woman away. However, even as they were mere steps away from the hospital, Zhuang Zijin wouldn't even budge. Silent tears fell down her cheeks.

Now, she had no other choice.

If she wouldn't go through with the process, then she'd threaten both of their lives.

What other choice did she have? Even if she was adamant about having the baby, her mother wouldn't have agreed. "Wait here for your appointment," Zhuang Zijin had warned. "It will just be a painless abortion, so you should be fine."

The weight of her stomach became much heavier, and she sniffled.

What was wrong with the world?

"Hao, I'm fine. You shouldn't be so nervous, you know–it's just a little burn." From afar, a perfect couple stood in the midst. Bai Zhuwei was wearing a tight black dress that highlighted her curves and hips. Zong Jinghao had his sleeves rolled up, revealing his muscled arms.

"A burn could leave a scar if it isn't properly treated," he warned.

"If it scarred, would you hate me?"

"Nonsense!"

Of course. The man she loved wasn't a shallow person.

Lin Xinyan turned her head from the familiar voices.

There, she could see Bai Zhuwei and Zong Jinghao striding across the hallway. They were too busy conversing with each other that they couldn't even be bothered to notice the world around them.

They looked like a perfect couple.

It made her look even more like a clown. No wonder Zong Jinghao was disgusted with her. Not only had she lost her chastity at such a young age, but she had even borne that man a child. Hell, she didn't even know who the father was.

Suddenly, a call snapped her out of her reverie.

"Next patient." The operation door opened, and the nurse stood by the doorway. Behind her was another young woman, holding her stomach. "I thought it was painless. Why the hell was it so painful?" A shiver shot down Lin Xinyan's spine.

From the sound, Zong Jinghao turned to the side to see a familiar young woman waiting on the benches. When she stood in front of him, she acted as if she'd risk her life for the child. And now, she was planning to get rid of it? How the tables have turned.

He sneered.

Bai Zhuwei followed his gaze and looked over.

The moment she saw Lin Xinyan, a sense of familiarity rushed towards her, but she just couldn't pinpoint where she had seen her before. Glancing up at the man beside her, she tugged on his sleeves. "Do you know her?"

"No." Immediately, he withdrew his gaze.

He had already given her a lot of labels in his heart. She was just eighteen years old, and she figured out a way to knock herself up. She had professed how much she loved her kid, only to abort him in the next.

He didn't have time for hypocrites.

On the other side of the room, Lin Xinyan listened to the nurse droning on the protocols. She had only looked up when the woman had asked her a question, "Have you already thought it through?"

"I've thought it through." Did she really have any other choice?

"Then follow me in."

She lowered her head, not wanting to look at anyone as she followed the nurse into the operating room. She was unaware of the cold atmosphere that she had left behind as soon as the operation doors were closed.

Bai Zhuwei, however, felt it easily. Sensing the darkness that had shadowed over his expression, she slowly placed a hand on his upper arm. "Hao, are you...are you okay?" she asked hesitantly.

He didn't answer her question as he turned back. "Let's go."

She held his hand tighter as they walked away, but even then, she couldn't help but glance over at the closed door of the operating room. From his reaction, it didn't seem like he didn't know her. But after following him for so long, there had never been a woman by his side.

So, who was she?

And why was he so angry?

"Hao, the girl just now …"

Zong Jinghao simply wrapped her arm around her waist and looked away. "You don't need to worry about insignificant people."

"I...of course." Although she was curious, Bai Zhuwei kept her mouth shut and moved on. After all, if he said that she wasn't significant, then who was she to worry about such a thing?

In the operating room, Lin Xinyan shriveled at the sight of the cold instruments lying on the tray beside her. It was the wake-up call that she needed. "No," she murmured to herself, backing away. She couldn't do this. She couldn't abandon her child.

"Miss. I need you to lie down." The doctor hovered over her, and she immediately withdrew from their gazes.

"I...no!" Not knowing what to do, she turned her head and ran.

Lin Xinyan had sprinted too fast that she didn't even notice everything around her. All she wanted was to get away from it all, from the surgical tray, from the doctor, from the nurse, and even from her mother. Suddenly, she felt herself crashing into someone else.

"I–I'm so sorry–"

"Lin Xinyan?" He Ruize gazed at her. Unsure if it was really her, he called out her name.