Chapter 112 Doubt
Lane 22, Elm Tree Lane.
"My love! My love! Am I about to die...?"
In stark contrast to the simple atmosphere of the bungalow, against the wall stood an exquisite and luxurious bed, upon which lay a woman with a haggard yet undeniably beautiful face.
Her hair was disheveled, some strands sticking to her sweaty forehead, and her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, giving her a pitiful appearance.
If anyone else in the Xiao family saw her, they would definitely recognize that this woman's appearance was six or seven parts similar to Xiao Yuyao's.
She stretched out a few thin, bony fingers and placed them weakly on the arm of Xiao Su, who was dressed in an official robe. Xiao Su's eyes instantly reddened.
"No, the doctor has already gone to prescribe the medicine. You'll be perfectly fine!"
"No, no, it won't work..."
Gu Linyan opened her clear, bright eyes, which glistened with tears:
"Xiao Lang, if I am gone, please, you must, treat our daughter well..."
"No, I won't allow it!"
Xiao Su held her fingers, feeling as if his heart was breaking.
“Yan Niang, you are still so young. You haven’t seen our daughter yet. She has grown up very well and looks just like you. You will be delighted when you see her.”
He tried to evoke Gu Linyan's feelings for Xiao Yuyao and to stop her from seeking death.
"Xiao Lang, it's all my fault for being so useless. I just fell and went into premature labor, losing our child... Waaah..."
Gu Linyan lowered her head and wept, her face ashen with despair.
The maid standing to one side in the bedroom immediately explained:
"How can you blame Madam for this! Someone maliciously splashed tung oil on the ground, clearly because someone was jealous of Madam's pregnancy and resorted to such despicable means!"
"Huan'er!"
"You mean, this wasn't an accident, it was deliberate?!"
Xiao Su stared wide-eyed at the person who had spoken.
The young maid was too young to have been looked at with such a stern gaze by a high-ranking official of the second rank. One look from him made her tremble all over, and she could barely speak.
"I...I don't know either...I'm just guessing, just guessing."
"Xiao Lang, don't scare Huan'er."
Gu Linyan glanced at Huan'er and weakly complained to Xiao Su.
When Yan Niang spoke up, Xiao Su's expression finally softened a little.
"Tell me clearly, what exactly happened?"
Huan'er glanced at Gu Linyan, who looked frail on the bed, then at Xiao Su, before finally mustering her courage and saying:
"When the lady fell, I remembered something was wrong. I glanced at the ground and saw that it was shiny with oil. When I took off her shoes, I could smell the tung oil on the soles."
"The lady had only been living in Elm Lane for a short time, and many neighbors had seen her holding her pregnant belly. Perhaps some of the men who couldn't conceive were jealous of her pregnancy, so they deliberately poured tung oil over there."
After Huan'er finished speaking, Xiao Su fell silent.
Is it possible for women to resort to violence to cause a miscarriage out of jealousy when another woman is pregnant?
Could it be...?
He reconsidered and then rejected the idea.
If Lin Hui really knew about this, the Lin family would definitely not let it go, and they would never use such a roundabout way to harm Yan Niang.
Besides, Lin Hui hasn't seemed unusual lately; she's probably waiting for him to come home for dinner right now!
Oh no! Xiao Su slapped his forehead.
He had just finished his shift when he heard that something had happened in Elm Lane. He rushed over as fast as he could, but forgot that he hadn't even sent a message from his residence.
Just as he was about to beckon his attendant in, he heard Yan Niang sobbing softly on the bed.
"My dear Xiao, I fear Yan Niang is no longer fortunate enough to stay by your side..."
"What nonsense are you talking about! The doctor has already gone to discuss the prescription and prepare the medicine for you. You'll be fine!"
Xiao Su held the other person's hand firmly.
"Where's the doctor? Why haven't they made a decision yet?"
He glanced at where Huan'er was standing, and Huan'er immediately understood and hurriedly went out to find a doctor.
"But Xiao Lang, our child, sob sob..."
“Yan Niang, this is not your fault. We are not destined to be with that child. Didn’t you move here because of his abnormal gestation? Don’t overthink it. No matter what, you are the love of my life.”
Xiao Su comforted him in a low voice.
Soon, the doctors reached a conclusion: Gu Linyan could be cured, but she would likely never be able to conceive again in this lifetime.
"It's alright, it's good that everyone is safe!"
"Xiao Lang..."
Gu Linyan sobbed, her expression filled with extreme self-reproach.
After comforting Yan Niang and watching her obediently drink her medicine and fall asleep, Xiao Su hurried home, but his heart remained unsettled for a long time.
Yan Niang didn't survive, after all, it was a boy.
She's already eight months pregnant, and will give birth in about a month.
His original intention was that after Yan Niang gave birth to his son, he would inform his mother and give Yan Niang a proper status, but now...
What a cruel twist of fate!
After Xiao Su left, the courtyard returned to its peaceful state.
Gu Linyan opened her eyes, and the deep affection she had shown just moments before was gone, replaced by a cold indifference.
"Madam, why haven't you rested yet? The master has been gone for quite some time."
Huan'er came in carrying a teapot and was startled to see Gu Linyan staring blankly at the canopy above her head.
How can I possibly sleep?
Gu Linyan sighed softly.
"Is Madam still thinking about the young master?" Huan'er sighed. "The young master is simply not destined to be with Madam in this life. Madam's most urgent task is to recover her health!"
Gu Linyan remained silent.
She didn't want this child in the first place. Even if she hadn't stepped on that tung oil today, she would have found a way to "accidentally" miscarry.
She only found out a few days ago that her beloved was not dead.
He simply forgot his own identity, and he forgot her too; he hadn't intentionally abandoned her back then...
But the time is not yet ripe, and she cannot go and acknowledge him.
Since that's the case, there's no need to keep this child any longer.
Originally, she wanted to use this child to enter the Xiao family, so that she could at least get protection for the rest of her life and have no worries about food and clothing. Now she has changed her mind.
The Xiao residence.
"Why is the master so late?"
Madam Xiao sat before a table laden with delicacies, her calm face hidden in the flickering light, making her appear somewhat eerie.
Perhaps Xiao Su had something to hide, because when he met Madam Xiao's gaze, his heart skipped a beat.
"What's wrong? Government affairs are complicated, and it's not common for the Emperor to summon me on short notice. I just came back a little late. Is it really worth you showing me this resentful face?"
The more guilty Xiao Su felt, the louder he spoke.
"Yeah?"
Madam Xiao raised her eyes, and those eyes that once belonged to the most beautiful woman in the capital were now filled with weariness, and the stunning beauty that had once moved Xiao Su was no longer there.
"Is the master truly so busy with official duties that he hasn't been home in time?"
"Clang—" Xiao Su slammed his chopsticks down on the table with a sharp sound.
"What do you mean by this, Madam? What have I been working so hard for? It's all for the sake of the Xiao family, and you're actually suspecting me?"
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