Chapter 1 The Child is Gone

Wen Wanzhi was not surprised at all when she was diagnosed with cancer.

Her mother had passed away from the same disease, and she had prepared herself mentally.

At least her mother had given birth to her.

But the small life inside her, it probably couldn't be saved.

"… Miss Wen? Miss Wen?"

Dr. Chen called several times before Wen Wanzhi came back to reality, her voice hoarse as she spoke, "Sorry."

She had suddenly fainted and was brought to the hospital by passers-by, now suffering from ongoing abdominal pain.

Dr. Chen glanced at the door and hesitated to speak.

The slender woman lay isolated on the hospital bed with no family members visiting.

"Based on your current blood work and physical condition, we must immediately perform surgery to terminate the pregnancy, or you could be in life-threatening danger at any time. Please call a family member to come over, we need to arrange the surgery right away."

Family member?

Wenzhi's expression darkened.

"Can you issue a consent and release form? I'll sign it myself."

Dr. Chen crossed his arms, his face stern, "Do you understand how risky the surgery is? We can't take that responsibility!"

Wanzhi took her phone, hesitated for a moment, then dialed a familiar number.

Once, no matter the issue, one phone call was all it took for Bao Yancheng to rush to her side.

She hadn't expected things to change so quickly.

After seven or eight rings, the call was finally answered.

The man spoke in a low voice, his tone impatient.

"What is it?"

A chill transmitted through the receiver; Wen Wanzhi gripped the phone, her fingertips turning white as she endured the intense pain in her abdomen.

"Yancheng, I'm at First Hospital. Could you… come and sign something?"

She didn't want to tell him that she had cancer and that the baby couldn't be saved.

She was still hopeful, betting on a possibility.

"I can't get away."

Bao Yancheng was accompanying Xiang Yiran to a psychological counseling session. His words were harsh, and he was about to hang up.

Wenzhi's lips turned white, her shoulders trembled slightly, and her complexion grew even paler.

"If you come and sign, I'll divorce you."

Bao Yancheng chuckled, his deep, husky voice carrying a sting.

"Don't waste your effort, Wen Wanzhi. I've already said, we will divorce after the child is born. It's not up to you."

In the quiet hospital room, the voice from the phone was especially clear.

Dr. Chen looked over with sympathy, but Wen Wanzhi pretended not to see it.

Indeed, Yancheng was willing to maintain the marriage solely for the unborn child.

She had put aside her pride and refused to divorce for the hope that the baby wouldn't grow up fatherless like she did.

Now the child was gone.

This marriage had lost its meaning for both Wen Wanzhi and Bao Yancheng.

Wen Wanzhi's heart clenched in pain, her nose sour and eyes welling with tears. Just as she was about to speak, she was interrupted by a voice from the phone.

"Who is Miss Xiang Yiran's family member?"

Bao Yancheng responded immediately, his voice firm and calm, "It's me."

Wen Wanzhi's body shook, tears blurred her vision, yet she faintly smiled.

Her entire being, like a tightened string, finally snapped.

Everything went black before Wen Wanzhi's eyes, and the smell of blood permeated the hospital room.

"The patient is in shock from severe hemorrhaging, prep the OR in gynecology immediately!"

Bao Yancheng was about to hang up when he faintly heard the commotion through the phone, followed by a busy tone.

The man brushed aside a hint of concern from his brow, his expression as sharp and composed as always, and walked into the consultation room.

First Hospital.

Wen Wanzhi felt as if she had had a very long dream, in which she cried incessantly.

But the tears, they all fell into the warm palm of Bao Yancheng.

The man cooed to her gently, tirelessly, as if he had endless patience.

Amidst intense pain, Wen Wanzi woke up to blinding white light, which made it hard for her to open her eyes.

She couldn't tell which hurt more, her body or her heart.

Yes, she and Bao Yancheng were about to get divorced.

What was the point of all those years of love?

There had been a time when a simple fall would have had Bao Yancheng carrying her so her feet never touched the ground.

But now, as she was wheeled into the operating room, he could remain unconcerned.

The nurse came in, performing her routine rounds, "Miss Wen, you're awake? Are you feeling any discomfort?"

Wen Wanzi shook her head, her face as pale as paper, looking fragile enough to disappear.

The nurse cranked up the hospital bed and adjusted the drip rate, "Your family member has arrived, he's outside handling the paperwork and will be over in a moment."

Wen Wanzi looked up in surprise, a small flame of hope kindling in her eyes.

He came?

Footsteps approached, and Dr. Chen's voice was heard at the door of the ward.

"...come earlier next time; your wife is like this, don't throw a tantrum anymore."

The door opened, and Wen Wanzi's heart leapt into her throat.

The man followed behind Dr. Chen, hesitating as if he had much to say.

At the sight of Wen Wanzi, his expression brightened.

"Sister Wanzhi, you're awake?"

Seeing who it was, Wen Wanzi froze for a moment, something quietly shattering inside her.

It wasn't him; how could it possibly be Bao Yancheng.

And yet she had still harbored hope.

Wen Wanzi hid the emotion in her eyes and managed a weak smile.

"Xiao Zhou, why are you here?"

The visitor was her grandfather's caretaker, Ye Yazhou.

The tall boy was dressed in jeans and a gray hoodie, typical college student attire.

He held a stack of bills and lab results, seemingly having run here, his forehead beaded with sweat.

Wen Wanzi's momentary fading light in her eyes, he saw it.

He knew he wasn't the person Wen Wanzi was waiting for.

Ye Yazhou tried to look upbeat and smiled, "I've arranged for someone at the nursing home, don't worry about grandfather."

Wen Wanzi took the warm water he handed her and nodded, "Thank you."

Dr. Chen gave a few instructions and then left the room.

Silence filled the ward.

Ye Yazhou sat by the bed, trying to sound casual.

"Your illness... Dr. Chen told me about it, start with medication, then chemotherapy if necessary, we'll find a bone marrow match gradually."

Wen Wanzi looked away, out the window, her eyes as still as dead water.

"Finding a match is like looking for a needle in a haystack, it's not necessary anymore."

Wen Wanzi never dared to touch her now-flattened belly.

She had lost another loved one.

After her mother passed away, her grandfather was her only family.

Yet most of the time, her grandfather couldn't even recognize her.

In this lonely world, Bao Yancheng had once been her only beacon of light.

A year ago, when the Bao Family's adopted daughter, Xiang Yiran, had an accident, she herself became the alleged attempted murderer in her mouth!

Bao Yancheng, who had always been her strongest defender, believed it without a doubt and proposed divorce.

Wen Wanzi looked down at her empty palms.

Wasn't she also bereft of kin?

Ye Yazhou watched the weariness on Wen Wanzi's face and remained silent, rising to tuck in the corners of her blanket.

Suddenly, the ward door was pushed open, and footsteps halted at the entrance.

Wen Wanzi peered over Ye Yazhou's shoulder to see a man in an all-black suit, a displeased look on his face, standing in the doorway of the ward.

Bao Yancheng's deep voice carried anger, his eagle-like gaze fixed on the man by the bed, his expression frighteningly cold and mocking.

"Wen Wanzi, is this your reason for getting rid of the child?"