novellhall Chapter 200: The Truth Surfaces
Chapter 200: The Truth Surfaces
"The professor asked me to come help. What are you so nervous about? It’s not like I was following you."
Shanshan rolled her eyes, not bothering to beat around the bush with her.
She didn’t plan on asking about the contents of the form, but Yuan Zhihe’s reaction said it all.
Yuan Zhihe was skeptical, but she didn’t have time to argue. She quickly stuffed the form into her bag and glared viciously at Shanshan.
"I don’t care if you’re here to work or just wander around. If you dare follow me, you’ll regret it!"
After spitting out the threat, she turned and left, her steps so hurried she nearly tripped.
Watching her pathetic, scurrying figure, Shanshan narrowed her eyes, a suspicion forming in her mind.
She didn’t chase after her or show any particular emotion. She just stood there quietly until the elevator doors closed.
A quick mental calculation, and the truth immediately came to light.
About six weeks pregnant, a first prenatal check-up is needed, including a complete blood count, urinalysis, and an ultrasound to confirm an intrauterine pregnancy.
And the form Yuan Zhihe had been holding had a clear barcode and department number, which was standard for this type of examination request.
Combined with her abnormal behavior and evasive eyes, it was probably about more than just a single form.
’Heh, isn’t the show about to begin?’
After returning from the hospital, Yuan Zhihe, plagued by a guilty conscience, started causing all sorts of trouble for Shanshan.
For example, when passing by her desk, she’d pretend her hand slipped and spill a whole cup of water on her books.
It was such a clumsy trick that even a fool could see it was intentional.
Shanshan looked up at her, said nothing, and silently pulled out a few tissues to place on the pages to soak up the water.
Shanshan knew exactly what she was after, but she didn’t want to stoop to arguing with a pregnant woman.
The child had done nothing wrong. If she made a move and harmed the fetus, all the good karma she had accumulated would be destroyed.
Her grandmother had taught her from a young age to always leave people a way out, and to be especially tolerant of the weak.
Even though Yuan Zhihe made things difficult for her in every possible way, she always restrained herself from fighting back.
She could ignore the provocations and forgive an offense once or twice, but only on the condition that the other person didn’t cross the line.
"Junior Sister Yuan, your hands are shaking so much. You aren’t sick, are you? You should get that checked out at the hospital soon, before it turns into something serious."
"If you dare say a single word about this to anyone, I’ll make you wish you hadn’t!"
The moment Yuan Zhihe heard this, she flew into a rage. Seeing that Shanshan was cornering her, she immediately bit back.
Several classmates looked up to watch the drama, but she paid them no mind, continuing to threaten in a hushed voice, "You’d better remember what you just said! Or else—"
"Oh? Then let’s just wait and see who ends up being utterly humiliated."
Shanshan returned the threat with a cold smile, not backing down an inch.
She slowly stood up, picked up her book, and walked to the front of the classroom, placing it on the professor’s desk.
She didn’t glance at Yuan Zhihe again the entire time, but that blatant disregard was more unsettling than direct eye contact.
Yuan Zhihe’s greatest fear was losing face, especially over something like getting pregnant before marriage, which would bring shame to her entire family.
If this got out, forget about her post-graduation job assignment—she might not even get her degree certificate.
That day, she didn’t even stay for the whole class. She rushed out and headed straight for Cao Daqiang’s workplace.
After getting out of the car, she quickened her pace through the office building’s lobby, took the elevator straight to the fifteenth floor, and walked toward the office area like she knew the place well.
"Daqiang! We have a problem with Ling Xueshan! She saw me getting a prenatal check-up. This... you have to make her take this secret to her grave and never mention it again!"
"Whoa there, Zhihe, don’t panic. Take a deep breath. Come, come, sit on the sofa and rest for a bit. Have some water to calm your nerves."
Cao Daqiang soothed her with his words, but his hands were restless, pushing her down onto the soft cushions.
The room fell silent for a moment, the only sound being Yuan Zhihe’s sharp, ragged breaths.
"Be good now. Don’t frighten the baby. I’m here. I’ll handle anything for you, no matter how big."
His other hand rested on her lower abdomen, his palm flat against the fabric in a gesture that seemed gentle but was laced with control.
"SOB, SOB... Daqiang, I’m so scared. That woman, Ling Xueshan... she smirked at me in the hospital and even said, ’This is quite interesting.’ She won’t tell anyone, will she? Do you think she will?"
Tears and snot streamed down Yuan Zhihe’s face. She curled into a ball, looking quite pitiful.
"Don’t you worry one bit. How could I let word of this get out? Absolutely no one will know before we’re married. Am I going to let some little brat ruin my plans?"
Cao Daqiang’s tone was firm as he pulled out a tissue to wipe her face.
"Really?"
She shot her head up, clutching the corner of his shirt.
"Then go talk to her. Make her keep her mouth shut. Otherwise... otherwise, I don’t know if I’ll be able to carry this baby to term safely..."
After saying this, she lowered her head.
Cao Daqiang sighed, comforting her while agreeing to her request.
Yuan Zhihe nodded amidst her sobs, only stopping after he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her a few times.
As the sun began to set, Cao Daqiang cornered Ling Xueshan at the school gate.
"Shanshan, I’m your father, your own flesh and blood. Can’t you show me some respect and just get along with Zhihe..."
"Stop!"
She immediately raised a hand to stop him.
Students around them glanced over, but she didn’t care in the slightest.
"Don’t call me Shanshan, and don’t you dare try to pull that family card on me. Who’s Yuan Zhihe? She has nothing to do with me. I don’t care who you marry, who you keep, or who you hide. I couldn’t be bothered."
"How did you become like this? I’m still your biological father!"
"Mr. Cao, please use my full name. The name ’Shanshan’ doesn’t deserve to come from your mouth."
She stood her ground, her gaze level, staring straight into his eyes.
Cao Daqiang’s face fell instantly, and he clenched his jaw.
His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, but in the end, he restrained the impulse to strike her.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as if he were swallowing a harsh retort.
"Fine. You win. But I’m only warning you once—you’d better not breathe a single word about Zhihe’s situation."
Ling Xueshan didn’t even have the interest to retort. She simply turned and walked away.
What she didn’t see was the gaze behind her, so dark it could practically drip poison.
Cao Daqiang stood frozen in place, his fists clenched so tight they cracked.
He stared down at the ground, his eyes dark, his breathing slightly heavy.
’The more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel.
That girl is smart and holds a grudge. She’s never let herself be taken advantage of, not once in her life. She’s methodical, and her methods aren’t soft.
In the past, she could handle being given a hard time by her elders at banquets with ease, let alone now that she can protect herself.
What if she uses this as leverage later on?
If this gets out, not only will my reputation be damaged, but my career will be affected too.
All those people waiting to see me fail would be thrilled to get their hands on something to use against me, to kick me while I’m down.
It would be cleaner to just have someone take care of it. An accident. Make it so she can never speak again.
Choosing a secluded stretch of road and faking a traffic accident would be the safest bet.
There are plenty of surveillance blind spots, making an investigation difficult. Even if someone gets suspicious, they won’t find any evidence.
As long as it’s handled properly, it won’t be traced back to me.
The dead keep secrets best, don’t they?’
For the next few days, Ling Xueshan always felt a prickling sensation whenever she went out, as if needles were stabbing her. A chill would run down her spine, but when she turned around, there was nothing there.
She thought it was just fatigue from studying and stress.
Exams were approaching, her workload had increased, and she was getting less than six hours of sleep a night.
She had gone to the school clinic to check her blood pressure and heart rate, but the readings were all within the normal range.
The doctor advised her to get more rest and not put too much pressure on herself.
But on her way home from school that day, the feeling of being watched was too strong to ignore.