"Song Siqing, ever since high school, you've used your so-called tactics to go after anyone you saw as an enemy. You even seduced other girls' boyfriends just to win. In my eyes, you're a thoroughly despicable woman. You've always believed that it was I who spread rumors about you and Yao Jing back in high school. To get back at me, you meticulously made Wenwei believe you had feelings for him. But I swear on the life of my unborn child, it wasn't me who spread those rumors! I may have disliked you and Yao Jing and said some nasty things behind your backs, but what you're doing now is far worse. If Wenwei and I do divorce, you'll be the reason my child grows up without a father. My family will never forgive you!" He Shuhui accused, pointing at Song Siqing.
"Shuhui, you're pregnant?" Yao Jing asked in shock.
He Shuhui didn't say more and turned to leave.
"Did you think we'd be this agitated if Shuhui wasn't pregnant?" A middle-aged man in the group remarked.
With that, the crowd He Shuhui brought started dispersing, leaving behind a chaotic scene and a somewhat stunned Song Siqing.
"Did you know she was pregnant?" Wu Zhiming asked Song Siqing with a frown. If she had known and still tried to break up their family, it would be truly unforgivable.
"I… I didn't know," Song Siqing shook her head, her face showing signs of panic for the first time.
"Pregnant women shouldn't experience too much emotional turmoil, especially in the early stages. If they do, the baby might not make it," Wu Zhiming said calmly.
"I really didn't know. Jingjing, you have to believe me, I didn't know! If I had known she was pregnant, we wouldn't have done this. I'm not a saint, but I wouldn't do something like that, Jingjing," Song Siqing said, grabbing Yao Jing's hand, her voice tinged with tears.
"Come on, I'll take you home," Yao Jing said, gently pulling Song Siqing away.
Song Siqing, looking distraught, allowed Yao Jing to lead her away.
Wu Zhiming watched them leave with a calm expression, feeling no sympathy. Song Siqing was a girl with a bold exterior but a calculated mind, and a strong-willed nature. Criticizing her now would be pointless. It was better to let her spend time quietly with Yao Jing, giving her a chance to reflect on her mistakes.
Wu Zhiming picked up his phone and sent a simple message to Zhou Wenwei: "Your wife is pregnant. Be more considerate of her."
After sending the message, he put his phone on silent mode.
It wasn't long before Zhou Wenwei called. But Wu Zhiming wasn't keen on playing the role of a caring older brother, so he ignored the call. He walked out of the office and, just as he reached the ground floor, received a call from Dong Jian.
"Last night, Digging Rat sneaked into the police station and took some photos. From these, I found out that the person in the registry system has been officially dead for eight years," Dong Jian reported.
"And then?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"Then I had our people check the SkyNet system for facial recognition. We confirmed that this person's activities were centered in Rongjin City... To put it simply, he belongs to the Shadow Hunter Squad of the Shen family," Dong Jian explained.
"The Shadow Hunter Squad? That's the Shen family's elite force. No wonder they could withstand the Wolf," Wu Zhiming commented.
"The Shadow Hunter Squad is a power the Shen family has been cultivating for decades. Once someone joins, their identity is erased, and they're sent to foreign battlefields for training. Only those who become kings of soldiers are recruited by the Shen family. The ones who were killed by the Wolf this time were likely the lowest tier of the Shadow Hunter Squad. Just like the two who attacked you at your succession ceremony," Dong Jian elaborated.
"I had already suspected they were from the Shen family. Having Digging Rat confirm it was just to validate my thoughts," Wu Zhiming said.
"What's the next step?" Dong Jian asked.
"You said the Shadow Hunter Squad members train on foreign battlefields, right? Spread my orders to our brothers on the battlefield… Hunt down the new recruits of the Shadow Hunter Squad. Leave no survivors... I want the Shen family to understand that from now on, the foreign battlefields are off-limits for them," Wu Zhiming instructed.
"Yes! I'll send out the orders immediately," Dong Jian responded.
"If there's nothing else, let's leave it at that," Wu Zhiming said.
"There's one more thing... I heard you gave Old Master Song a condom as a birthday present?" Dong Jian asked.
"That was a misunderstanding," Wu Zhiming said, exasperated.
"This incident has caused quite an outrage in high society, even more so than when you refused to let those people visit you. The combined outrage from both incidents has severely tarnished your reputation. Now they're plotting to get back at you, possibly targeting your school district properties," Dong Jian warned.
"Really?" Wu Zhiming chuckled. "Find out if anyone is fanning the flames behind the scenes."
"You suspect someone?"
"There's no doubt about it; it's just a matter of verifying. After all, soon enough, this matter will spread across the whole country. Many people are itching for an opportunity, and if they can take a proper shot at me, they'll be more than happy to see it. The situation ahead will likely be a battle on all fronts, so we need to first figure out who our enemies are and who our friends are," Wu Zhiming said.
"Understood!"
"That's all for now," Wu Zhiming said, hanging up the phone.
"Notorious in high society, huh?"
"It's not like I ever had a reputation in high society to begin with!"
Wu Zhiming scoffed and shook his head before getting into his car.
"Where to, boss?" Li Sina asked.
"I don't really know where to go. I don't feel like going to the company. My wife is comforting her friend, so it's not appropriate for me to be there. Zhou Wenwei's situation is also a mess right now. Honestly, it feels like there's nowhere I belong. Li Sina, where do you think I should go?" Wu Zhiming asked, reclining and closing his eyes.
"I'm just a bodyguard. Wherever you tell me to go, I'll take you there," Li Sina replied.
"Do you always lack initiative?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"A bodyguard doesn't need initiative," Li Sina said.
"Alright then, let's go buy some groceries. I'm tired of eating Yao Jing's cooking all the time. Today, she's busy, so I'll cook and make her a meal!" Wu Zhiming decided.
"Okay, I'll take you to the nearest market," Li Sina said as she started the car and headed toward the market.
Meanwhile, at Song Siqing's home...
"Waaah!" Song Siqing was sobbing uncontrollably, curled up on the sofa with tears streaming down her face.
Yao Jing sat beside her, handing her tissues. At that moment, no words of comfort could help; all she could do was let Song Siqing process her emotions.
"I had no idea He Shuhui was pregnant. She didn't mention it at the gathering, and you couldn't tell just by looking. She even drank alcohol. Who would have known she was pregnant?"
"Jingjing, I feel so terrible. If He Shuhui loses her baby because of me, I'll never forgive myself."
"This is karma for all the things I've done over the years, Jingjing. Waaah!"
As Song Siqing cried and talked, Yao Jing sighed and said, "No matter what you've done, you're still my best friend. If you need to apologize, I'll go with you. If you need to compensate her, I'll help too. Making mistakes isn't the end of the world; what's important is owning up to them and taking responsibility."
"Should I go and apologize to her?" Song Siqing asked.
"Now's not the right time. Let's wait a few days, at least until Shuhui's emotions have settled," Yao Jing said, holding Song Siqing's hand. "Siqing, I know everything you've done has been for my sake, like those boyfriends you had."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Song Siqing shook her head.
"I appreciate everything you've done for me over the years," Yao Jing said sincerely, looking at Song Siqing gratefully.
She actually knew all along that the boyfriends Song Siqing had were initially interested in her. Song Siqing would put them through tests, and none of them ever passed. As a result, they became Song Siqing's boyfriends and were soon dumped by her.
Song Siqing once said that any man who couldn't pass her tests wasn't worthy of being Yao Jing's boyfriend.
When Yao Jing's marriage to Wu Zhiming was announced, Song Siqing nearly grabbed a knife to go after Wu Zhiming. Yao Jing had seen it all.
To have such a best friend in one's life is a blessing from a previous life. So, Yao Jing wouldn't judge whether Song Siqing was right or wrong because, right or wrong, she would stand by her.
After crying for a long time, Song Siqing finally calmed down a bit.
"I'll cook something. I'm getting hungry," Yao Jing said.
"There's nothing to eat in the house," Song Siqing replied.
Yao Jing got up and checked the refrigerator, confirming that it was indeed empty.
"Let's order takeout," Song Siqing suggested.
Yao Jing shook her head and picked up her phone to call Wu Zhiming.
"Are you busy?" Yao Jing asked.
"I'm at the market buying groceries," Wu Zhiming replied.
"Can you buy some and bring them to Siqing's place?" Yao Jing asked.
"Sure!"
After hanging up, Yao Jing returned to Song Siqing and said, "Zhiming will bring some groceries over."
"You got the chairman of the Li Group and the head of the Wu family to buy groceries for you?" Song Siqing asked in surprise.
Yao Jing paused for a moment and then said, "He was already at the market."
"Did he agree to help?" Song Siqing asked.
"Yes," Yao Jing nodded.
Song Siqing was silent for a while before saying, "I'm really envious of you, Jingjing."
"Envious of what?" Yao Jing asked.
"You've been married to Wu Zhiming for four years, endured for four years, and now you've finally come to the end of your hardship. Although Wu Zhiming might not seem like much sometimes, honestly, he's more reliable than most men," Song Siqing said seriously.
"Why do you think Zhiming is reliable?" Yao Jing caught the key point in Song Siqing's words. Typically, when Song Siqing called someone reliable, it meant they had passed her tests.
In other words, Wu Zhiming had been tested by Song Siqing!
Song Siqing's expression changed slightly. "I was just saying."
"Did you… test him?" Yao Jing asked.
Song Siqing awkwardly smiled and said, "It doesn't really count."