In a private hospital room.

"Director Meng, the task you entrusted me with is done," a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, spoke softly to the frail, emaciated middle-aged woman on the hospital bed.

The middle-aged woman addressed as Director Meng gave the man a weak glance, nodding her head lightly. In a feeble voice, she said, "You've worked hard, Jiahao."

Zhao Jiahao sighed for Director Meng. Over the years, Meng has done countless good deeds, but why doesn't good come to good people?

"Director Meng, it was not hard work for me," Zhao Jiahao replied.

Looking at Director Meng lying on the hospital bed, Zhao Jiahao remembered how he might not have been so successful if he hadn't met Director Meng those years ago.

"Director Meng, if your two elder brothers were to find out about this, I'm afraid there would be trouble," Zhao Jiahao felt this was something he should say to Director Meng. The thought had been spinning in his mind, and he decided to speak it out loud.

Meng Yunhan looked through the window towards the sky, "Jiahao, do you think there really is such a thing as retribution in this world?"

Zhao Jiahao thought for a moment before carefully answering, "Director Meng, the business world is a battlefield."

A self-mocking smile tugged at the corner of Meng Yunhan's mouth. If she hadn't been so heartless those years ago, she wouldn't be waiting for death all alone now.

Her past mistakes had led to her current solitary demise.

But there was no such thing as a regret pill in this world.

Yun Hao, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, my child.

"Director Meng, Director Meng....."

She heard the familiar voice of Jiahao, but her eyelids were very heavy.

In her life, she didn't owe her two brothers and their wives anything, but she owed that man and her unborn child.

It was retribution, all of it. It was retribution for abandoning them, for hurting her own child, retribution.

A tiger would not eat its offspring, yet what did she do? She discarded the birth of her child just to return to the city.

Tears rolled hotly down her cheeks.

But she could not go back now.

"When will you ever get up to cook?" A noisy voice suddenly reached her ears, but Meng Yunhan chose to ignore it.

She knew she was lying in the hospital bed, probably nearing her end. Once her brothers find out that she had sold the company and donated all the money she had accumulated over the years, they would most likely cause commotion in her hospital room. But she had already done right by them. Over the years, she was aware of what they've done, she simply chose not to quibble. If it weren't for them, she would not have been dispatched to the countryside and resorted to such cruel actions just to return to the city. The least she could do now was not to sever ties with them.

Regardless of who was right or wrong, they could never go back to the past. Over the years, she had grown tired. Truly tired.

The faint sound continued to reach her ears. Meng Yunhan still didn't respond. She assumed it was a nurse or a doctor coming to check on her, so she didn't open her eyes.

Yun Hao glanced at his newly wedded wife. Seeing her with her eyes closed, he wondered if she was tired from yesterday's events.

She was the woman he lovingly married. Yesterday, despite her refusal, he ignored her cries and forced himself on her.

"Mother, I will cook." Yun Hao spoke softly to the elderly woman standing in the yard, careful not to wake the woman asleep in the room.

Seeing her son acting like this, Yun's mother was beyond enraged. As Yunhan's mother, she knew Yunhan did not want to marry her son. Hence, her animosity towards Yunhan grew.

Her youngest son happened to be a soldier who got allowances every month and was not bad-looking. Meng Yunhan's disdain was a mystery to her. Meng Yunhan was a daughter of the proletariat and totally not a match for her son. If her son was not so adamant about marrying Meng Yunhan, she would not have agreed.