Chapter 198 Coercion

But as soon as she came out, the scene before her eyes made her heart sink.

Fang Wanyu was affectionately holding her mother-in-law's arm, her head resting slightly on her shoulder. The two chatted warmly, like a mother and daughter.

The bowl of dark-colored Chinese medicine was still sitting steadily on the coffee table, the liquid still steaming slightly, with wisps of white smoke rising up, as if silently waiting for her, or perhaps mocking her.

"Sister Wanyin, are you feeling better?"

Fang Wanyu immediately turned her head, her face beaming with a smile, and asked with concern.

Her eyes seemed gentle, but Qiao Wanyin sensed a hint of condescension in them.

"Mom said you refuse to take the medicine to prevent miscarriage? That won't do. The worst thing about being pregnant is harming your body."

She continued, her tone carrying an undeniable air of "goodwill."

Qiao Wanyin took a deep breath, her fingertips trembling slightly, but she tried to steady her emotions, her voice calm and restrained: "Thank you for your concern, I know my own situation."

How can you be so insensible?

Song Yazhi's face immediately darkened, and her voice suddenly rose, "Wanyu came all the way to see you for your own good, how can you not even say a polite word? She came all this way with gifts, and you still have this attitude?"

"Mom, didn't I say thank you?"

Qiao Wanyin raised her eyes, her gaze clear, and looked directly into Song Yazhi's eyes.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a hint of stubbornness, like a thin but resilient thread supporting her so she wouldn't fall.

Song Yazhi was taken aback, then became even more fierce, her brows furrowing tightly as she glared sharply at Qiao Wanyin, her voice suddenly rising: "Drink your medicine quickly! It'll be harder to swallow if it's cold, don't make me urge you again and again!"

Qiao Wanyin remained seated, her back ramrod straight, her hands clasped on her knees, her face calm yet exuding a chilling aura. She didn't utter a single word, as if the oppressive atmosphere around her had nothing to do with her.

Fang Wanyu blinked, her eyes sparkling, and a perfectly gentle smile appeared on her lips as she asked considerately, "Auntie, is the medicine too bitter? I remember my mother drank this kind of pregnancy-stabilizing medicine when she was pregnant with my brother. Adding some brown sugar makes it much better. Not only does it taste better, but it also replenishes qi and blood."

Song Yazhi clapped her hands suddenly, making a "smack" sound, as if she had suddenly remembered something important. "Oh dear, how could I forget about that!"

A look of sudden realization crossed her face. As she spoke, she hurriedly got up and walked towards the kitchen. "I'll get the sugar right away. Brown sugar is the best for neutralizing the medicinal properties, so it won't upset Wanyin's stomach."

As soon as my mother-in-law left, the living room instantly became quiet.

The gentleness on Fang Wanyu's face vanished instantly, her eyes turned cold, and the corners of her lips pressed down slightly, revealing a hint of sinister intent.

She leaned closer, her voice low, almost a whisper: "Qiao Wanyin, do you think having a child will put you in the Fu family's shoes? Don't dream about it."

Qiao Wanyin hadn't expected her to be so blunt, her tone so blatantly barbed. She couldn't help but raise her eyes, looking at her coldly, her gaze as piercing as ice water, yet without a trace of emotion.

Fang Wanyu sneered, her fingertips lightly tapping the edge of the mottled coffee table, making a soft "tap, tap" sound, slow and provocative: "Isn't Maidong protecting you now just because of the child? If it weren't for this pregnancy, do you think you deserve to sit in this position?"

"You know what men are thinking. Once the novelty wears off, they'll realize you're just an uncultured country bumpkin, speaking in a rustic way and dressing old-fashionedly. Do you think he'll still care about you? How long can you keep him?"

Qiao Wanyin smiled slightly, her expression calm, her tone unhurried yet clear: "Oh dear, Wanyu, you're so excited, your face is all red. Are you feeling jealous? Jealous that I'm carrying Maidong's child, while you can only watch helplessly from the sidelines?"

"No matter what happens in the future, one thing is clear—he chose me, not you, right? No matter how unwilling you are, he has already married me and made me his rightful wife."

Fang Wanyu's face turned pale with anger. She gritted her teeth, her fingers clenching the hem of her clothes, and her voice was squeezed out through clenched teeth: "His mother hates you so much, but you're the one who stubbornly refused to leave! If you hadn't been so persistent, how could Brother Maidong have ended up like this?"

Qiao Wanyin retorted, her tone still calm but carrying an undeniable sharpness: "His mother likes you, huh? Then tell me, since she likes you so much, why don't you just move in and give it a try? Wouldn't it be better to move in as the Fu family's prospective daughter-in-law?"

Fang Wanyu was about to retort, her lips moved, but she was interrupted by footsteps coming from the doorway.

Song Yazhi had already returned with the candy jar, her steps light and quick, a smile on her face as if she were showing off a treasure.

She immediately put on a sweet smile, turned to face her mother-in-law, and said in a soft, almost fawning voice, "Mom, I think we shouldn't let Wanyin drink this pregnancy-stabilizing medicine for now."

"She just said that she doesn't believe the prescription you gave her at all, and is afraid it will affect the fetus. I tried to persuade her for a long time, and said all the right things, but she still refused to drink it. Her attitude was very firm."

"They really don't appreciate kindness!"

Song Yazhi's face darkened, her brows furrowed, and anger surged in her eyes.

She grabbed the sugar jar and roughly poured a large spoonful of brown sugar into the medicine bowl. The brown medicine immediately rippled, the sugar granules not yet completely dissolved.

She stirred it vigorously a few times, the spoon hitting the bowl with a jarring sound, then shoved the bowl of medicine in front of Qiao Wanyin with such force that it almost created a gust of wind. "It's not bitter anymore, drink it!"

"If you don't drink it, you're showing no respect for me, your mother-in-law, and you don't intend to live a peaceful life! You're not leaving this room until you drink this bowl of medicine!"

Qiao Wanyin remained silent, her gaze fixed on the medicine bowl, where rising steam blurred her vision.

Her fingers curled slightly, but she didn't raise her hand.

This is clearly forcing her to bow her head, to admit her mistakes, and to obey.

But she knew that if she didn't drink it today, she wouldn't be able to leave this room.

She gritted her teeth, picked up the bowl of dark brown medicine, her fingers trembling slightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, held her breath, and without hesitation, gulped down the entire bowl of medicine.

The bitterness spread rapidly in my mouth like a tidal wave, almost suffocating me.

Immediately afterwards, an indescribable, strange sweetness spread from the tip of the tongue to the back of the tongue, like moldy sugar mixed with the smell of rotting grass, making one want to vomit.

She suppressed the nausea churning deep in her throat, gripping the rim of the bowl tightly until the churning emotions in her stomach were finally subsided, before slowly putting down the empty, rough porcelain bowl.

"That's more like it."

Song Yazhi nodded in satisfaction, a gentle smile playing on her lips, but her eyes held an undeniable authority, as if the scene just now was merely a carefully orchestrated play, and Qiao Wanyin's performance had just passed the test.

"Mom, I have something to do at the mutual aid center, I have to go to work."

Qiao Wanyin said in a low voice, her voice slightly hoarse. After speaking, she hurriedly grabbed the blue cloth bag on the corner of the table, quickly fastened the buckle, and turned to walk out, as if a ferocious beast was chasing her.