After the person was escorted away, Han Shi simply smiled and continued to greet the other guests as if nothing had happened.

For the women present, some lightly commented, “She doesn’t know her limits,” while others more harshly called her “foolish.” But that was the extent of it, and they no longer paid any attention.

Wu Yaru’s husband, Song, hurried over with a maid in tow, but he didn’t even see Han Shi. He was immediately led to a guest room, and on the way, Han Shi’s maid informed him of the whole situation.

Song’s expression turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. Although the Song family was not as prestigious as the Wenren family, they were still above the Wu family. While his family did want an alliance with the Wenrens, it was far from the point where they would grovel and fawn. His family’s bloodline, in Wu Yaru’s eyes, was of less importance than making a single visit to the Wenren household? Furious, Song stormed into the room, which was eerily quiet…

Neither Wu Yaru nor Wu Han Shi received even a hint of a pleasant expression from Song.

“Husband…” Wu Yaru pitifully reached out to tug at Song’s sleeve.

Song shook her off forcefully. “Wu Yaru, in front of my mother, you paint yourself as a dutiful daughter-in-law. In front of me, you act coy and play the fool. Outwardly, you seem sensible, and for certain things, I’ve let you have your way. But how dare you not take the child in your womb seriously!”

“Husband, it’s not like that, it’s not like that—this child was so difficult to conceive. How could I not take it seriously…”

“Take it seriously? And you hid it from everyone? Take it seriously, and you came to the Wenren household despite being in poor health?” His fury was sky-high.

“No, no, no…” Wu Yaru shook her head repeatedly, crying miserably.

“What’s ‘no’? Or are you saying you’ve been wrongly accused?”

“Son-in-law, please calm down. Yaru, she—”

“Shut up,” Song snapped, his eyes piercing into Wu Han Shi like sharp swords. “A woman raised by a concubine raises her daughter to behave just the same.”

Wu Han Shi’s face turned completely black. She had known for a long time that this son-in-law looked down on her. During their rare encounters, he was only superficially polite. But as long as her daughter was happy, she didn’t mind. Yet now, for him to speak so rudely, she was trembling with rage, though in the end, she held it in.

Song let out a contemptuous snort, fully disdainful of her submissive demeanor.

“Husband, how … how could you say such things?” Wu Yaru, completely incredulous, stared at him with wide eyes.

“Did I say anything wrong? Listen carefully, Wu Yaru—if nothing happens to the child, fine. But if anything does…”

Wu Yaru, looking grief-stricken, suddenly clutched her stomach. “Husband, it hurts. My stomach really hurts…”

After all, it was a child they had been hoping for over two years, and Song’s anxiety flared up. He roared towards the door, “Where’s the doctor? Has the doctor arrived?”

Fetching a doctor from outside certainly wasn’t that quick, so the anxious people inside had no choice but to fret.

Wu Yaru had indeed felt some pain in her abdomen, though it wasn’t unbearable. Half of her cries were genuine, the other half a ploy for sympathy from her husband. Yet as time passed, there was no need to pretend anymore. Wu Yaru even felt a warm sensation under her skirt. Now she truly panicked. If the child was lost… “Husband, husband…”

She regretted it—truly regretted it. She shouldn’t have been so concerned that if time dragged on, Wenren Ying might grow closer to her sister, making it harder to act against her later. That fear led her to take this risk. Not only had she failed to achieve her goal, but she seemed to have angered her aunt. If the child was lost, it wouldn’t just be a case of losing both face and favor—it would be far worse than that.

Seeing Wu Yaru in such a state, Song’s anger momentarily subsided, but he was helpless beyond pacing back and forth like a caged beast, shouting every so often about where the doctor was.

Wu Yaru’s cold sweat matted her hair, her makeup barely concealing her pallor. She kept reaching out, calling for her “husband,” but Song, far from holding her or comforting her, even occasionally looked over with an unmistakable flash of disdain in his eyes. Wu Yaru felt utterly despondent, and the emotional waves only worsened her condition.

Yet even in such dire straits, Wu Yaru failed to think about Xiao Cao. Perhaps some things were simply never in her heart.

Luckily, the wait wasn’t long, though for the anxious, it felt like an eternity.

The doctor who arrived was someone the Wenren household frequently used. Wu Yaru had visited the Wenren family many times, and this wasn’t the first time this doctor had treated her.

Doctors in these times often had specialized skills, though not as pigeonholed as in Xiao Cao’s previous life. Typically, they were regarded as well-rounded, multi-disciplinary experts.

Being a physician accustomed to visiting high-ranking households, he naturally was cautious about what he said and did, ingraining courtesy deep in his bones. He knew what he should and shouldn’t say; if not perfectly, he could at least gauge about seventy to eighty percent. Normally, such a doctor would always leave some room for maneuver in his words, but today, this physician was particularly righteous, with his only concern being the patient. He became outright angry, chiding the patient for doing something she shouldn’t have—

“…You have an excess of liver fire, are easily agitated, suffer dizziness, insomnia, and poor appetite. These haven’t been symptoms of just one or two days. After taking medicine, you should have been resting at home. Furthermore, with a child in your womb, you should be even more cautious. When you were still a young lady, you were obedient and well-behaved. Why the sudden rashness after all this time?” The old doctor stroked his beard and sighed, “It’s fortunate, for now, that the child is safe. Madam, you mustn’t act recklessly again. Otherwise… Every doctor prescribes differently. Do you plan to continue using your previous doctor’s prescription, or would you like me to change it? If you want me to adjust the treatment, showing me the previous prescription will take time.”

Song’s suppressed anger surged even higher. They hadn’t consulted a doctor at home for some time, which explained why he had no idea about her condition. This woman, who usually cried for a doctor over the smallest headache or fever, had hidden such serious symptoms this time. Before, he had thought her physical ailments weren’t too serious, but in truth… How dare she? How could she!?

Wu Yaru finally felt as if she had fallen into an icy abyss. She shivered uncontrollably, failing even to wonder why the old doctor had suddenly been so candid. She only dared to glance urgently at her husband, yet his knife-like gaze nearly scared the soul out of her. “Husband…”

Song withdrew his gaze indifferently and turned to the doctor, his attitude suddenly earnest, “Doctor, my wife hasn’t seen any other physicians previously. The fault is mine for not paying attention to her condition. Please, begin the treatment immediately and ensure the child is safe.”

The old doctor was surprised and took a glance at Wu Yaru before sighing, “In the end, one’s body is one’s own.”

After prescribing the medicine, the old doctor left. Song followed him out immediately, completely ignoring Wu Yaru’s sobs and cries, not even sparing her a glance. His cruelty was cold and absolute.