Shen Shuyuan watched Lu Zhiwei's expression and reached out to take Lu Zhiwei's arm: "My brother must be having nightmares again, sister-in-law, don't worry about it."

"It's okay, I've stopped caring about him." Lu Zhiwei scoffed.

“It’s windy tonight, and he didn’t close the door properly. I’ll go and close it for him.” Shen Shuyuan didn’t see a trace of anger or disappointment on Lu Zhiwei’s face, and was somewhat disappointed. She went over and gently closed Shen Jinmo’s door.

After reviewing the design draft, Lu Zhiwei handed it back to Shen Shuyuan: "Draw it to this standard."

"Okay, then sister-in-law, I'll head back now." Shen Shuyuan tidied up the pens and sketches on the table and got up to go downstairs.

A clap of thunder startled Shen Jinmo awake from his nightmare.

The lingering fear had not subsided.

He stared wide-eyed at the ceiling, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily.

In his dream, Lu Zhiwei slashed him with a knife 108 times, the last stab going straight into his heart—fast, ruthless, and precise.

His mouth was dry and parched, so he rolled off the bed and limped towards the door, leaning on the door for support.

I opened the door, intending to go to the living room to get a drink of water.

Lu Zhiwei stood there holding a glass of lemonade, wearing a white cotton nightgown with a jacket over her upper body, her legs were slender and white.

Hearing the door open, she turned around, holding her water glass, and looked at him, her clear eyes unfathomable.

Shen Jinmo recalled the innocent and harmless face in his dream, and the cold, resolute, and ruthless look on her face as she held the knife and plunged it into his heart.

He suddenly didn't feel so thirsty anymore.

...

The next day was the weekend.

Lu Zhiwei had intended to sleep in, but a phone call from the sanatorium woke her up.

The nursing home called to tell her to pack her grandmother's things.

Grandma's case remains unresolved, and they can't keep occupying this room indefinitely; they need to arrange for a new patient to move in.

Lu Zhiwei drove to the sanatorium, where the sanatorium refunded her the ten years' worth of sanatorium fees she had previously paid.

I entered my grandmother's hospital room.

Everything remained the same, but Grandma had very few belongings left: just a few sets of clothes in the wardrobe, an old thermos on the table, and two pairs of shoes.

Guilt filled my heart once again.

She didn't even have a chance to let her grandmother enjoy her retirement, and now the murderer is still at large.

Pack and organize everything.

As she stepped out the door, she caught a glimpse of the bunch of sunflowers in a vase on the desk by the window.

The sunlight no longer shines in, and the withered sunflowers have lost their original luster.

The old lady didn't know anything about flower arranging; the few sunflowers in the vase were just randomly stuck in, filling the vase completely.

Lu Zhiwei couldn't help but think of the old lady's simple and kind face; she must have been smiling while arranging flowers.

Lu Zhiwei walked over, picked up the vase, and took it away along with the withered sunflower.

I just put my things in the car and was about to drive away.

Ruan Jizhou's voice came from behind.

In the lush green courtyard, he was strolling arm in arm with an elegant woman.

"Weiwei, what brings you to the sanatorium?"

“I’ll pack up Grandma’s things,” Lu Zhiwei replied.

Ruan Qin gazed at Lu Zhiwei's slender figure and her bright, flamboyant yet non-threatening face with a smile.

"You must be the second young lady of the Lu family? My son often mentions you." Ruan Qin spoke first, her gentle smile making people feel at ease.

"Hello, Aunt Ruan." Lu Zhiwei nodded in greeting.

"Zhou'er bought some Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, would you like to try one?" Ruan Qin was carrying a box of steamed hairy crabs, and before she had even had a chance to eat them, she wanted to share them with Lu Zhiwei.

As soon as she picked up the box, a strong smell of seafood wafted into Lu Zhiwei's nose, and a wave of acid reflux rose in her stomach.

"No, Auntie, I don't eat crab." Afraid of being impolite in front of her elders, Lu Zhiwei waved her hand, covered her mouth, and rushed back into the ward building to find a restroom to vomit.

Ruan Qin was an open-minded and cheerful person who had given birth to two children for the Zhou family. Seeing Lu Zhiwei's appearance just now, she looked up at Ruan Jizhou beside her and asked, "How far have things progressed between you and this Miss Lu?"

Ruan Jizhou turned his face away somewhat embarrassedly: "Mom, can you please stop being so gossipy?"

"Have you done anything you should be responsible for?" Ruan Qin pressed on.

Ruan Jizhou sensed the implication in his mother's words. Looking in the direction Lu Zhiwei had run off to, he frowned slightly and asked, "Mom, do you mean she's pregnant?"

"Mom is just guessing. We Zhou family members can't be reckless. Getting married after getting pregnant means we have to take responsibility, understand?" Ruan Qin earnestly advised Ruan Jizhou.

Ruan Jizhou withdrew his gaze and smiled slightly. "Okay, I understand."

Lu Zhiwei came out of the restroom.

Ruan Qin was no longer by Ruan Jizhou's side. He leaned against her car, holding a box of bayberries, which had just come on the market in early spring.

"I bought this for you. I've washed it clean."

"Thank you." Lu Zhiwei took the box of bayberries, popped one into her mouth, and the sour taste masked her morning sickness.

"Was it discovered that night? It wasn't a tumor in your uterus, it was a baby?" Ruan Jizhou asked tentatively, his clear gaze fixed intently on Lu Zhiwei's features.

Lu Zhiwei spat out the pit, and the sour juice made her cough a few times.

Ruan Jizhou thoughtfully got her a bottle of water and even unscrewed the cap for her.

After taking a sip of water and barely recovering, Lu Zhiwei nodded: "Mm."

Does he know?

"I won't let him know." Lu Zhiwei opened the car door and prepared to get in.

Ruan Jizhou took the car keys from her hand: "Try to drive less in the future. I'll drive it when I'm here."

They started the car and left the sanatorium.

Ruan Jizhou asked her where she was going.

Lu Zhiwei received a follow-up appointment reminder from the hospital on her phone. It had indeed been a week since her last visit, and she didn't know if the little one in her belly was still alive.

"Go to the Lu family's hospital."

The car drove into the parking lot of Lu Family Hospital, and Ruan Jizhou put on a hat and mask and accompanied Lu Zhiwei out of the car.

"Have your assistant come pick you up. I can manage on my own." Lu Zhiwei wanted Ruan Jizhou to go back.

Ruan Jizhou remained unmoved: "I'll stay with you. I'm free today."

Lu Zhiwei thought Ruan Jizhou was gentle and modest, but she didn't expect that when he got stubborn, not even nine oxen could pull him away.

He insisted on accompanying her to the obstetrics and gynecology department.

Lu Zhiwei had her blood levels checked again, and then had another ultrasound scan.

Back in the clinic with the results, the head doctor smiled and pointed out the data on the ultrasound report to her: "There's a fetal heartbeat; the baby is developing well. You can register now."

Lu Zhiwei sat in the chair, her small hand gently stroking her lower abdomen. The thought of a vibrant little life beating inside her felt somewhat magical.

"The baby is about half a month smaller than normal for the gestational age, so I will calculate the gestational age based on the actual gestational age, not your last menstrual period, so that the due date will be more accurate." The doctor filled out a form for Lu Zhiwei.

“Okay.” Lu Zhiwei nodded in agreement.

"The child's father's name?" The expert looked up at Lu Zhiwei as they moved on to the next question.