Chapter 149: Due Date

Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Due Date

But Lu Zhengchuan wasn’t worried. Now that he knew how she was trying to harm him, he just had to wait to spring the trap. At the same time, he could cast a line and see who was pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

Therefore, he secretly assigned a few soldiers to tail Zhou Lin in shifts, making sure not to involve Xiao Li.

It was safest for Xiao Li to remain in the dark. He would continue to fetch Lu Zhengchuan’s medicine just as he always had.

Once Lu Zhengchuan confirmed the medicine was tainted, he took out all the doses he had been setting aside and summoned He Rong, who had just returned from a mission.

"Old He, you’re heading back from the front lines, which is perfect. Help me get these medicines tested," Lu Zhengchuan said, entrusting the task to He Rong.

He Rong took the pouch of medicine and frowned. "What’s this?"

"It’s medicine someone wants me to take. I wouldn’t feel safe having anyone else test it. Brother, my life is in your hands," Lu Zhengchuan said with a smile, lightly patting He Rong’s shoulder.

He Rong was furious. "Who would dare to target you? Do you have any idea who it is?"

"If I didn’t, would I be asking you to test this?" Lu Zhengchuan replied with a smile.

He Rong understood. Lu Zhengchuan had already identified the culprit and was now just gathering evidence.

"Old Lu, don’t overplay your hand. We’re in a warzone, and this war doesn’t look like it’s ending anytime soon. Don’t give them an opening to exploit."

"I understand. Thanks for doing this," Lu Zhengchuan said, patting his shoulder again.

Seeing that Lu Zhengchuan had it under control, He Rong didn’t press further. He tucked the medicine into his pocket. After Lu Zhengchuan revealed Zhou Lin’s name, He Rong added, "I’m about to go on leave for a while. I’ll help you investigate her."

"Alright."

Lu Zhengchuan accepted his friend’s kind offer.

Just then, Xiao Li came in to report on battlefield matters. As Lu Zhengchuan was about to get busy, He Rong took his leave.

After leaving the front lines, He Rong arranged to have the medicine’s components analyzed while simultaneously beginning a covert investigation into Zhou Lin’s network of relationships. His movements were so discreet that, for the moment, Zhou Lin hadn’t noticed a thing.

In the Capital.

A month had passed since Su Wan had the prophetic dream about Lu Zhengchuan, and she hadn’t had another one since. This told her he was safe.

With that knowledge, she could focus on her pregnancy with peace of mind.

Today was the day Huang Qing went into labor. Her screams were so startling that Su Wan felt a discomfort in her own belly, and she immediately told Zhang Qiu.

Zhang Qiu said at once, "Ma’am, in that case, you should check into the military hospital now, too. I’ve already made all the arrangements."

"Alright." Su Wan’s due date was less than two weeks away, and she could go into labor at any moment. It would be reassuring to be at the hospital beforehand.

Su Wan watched as Huang Qing was wheeled into the delivery room.

The military hospital wasn’t very crowded, so Su Wan was promptly settled into a private room on the third floor that had been prepared for her, all without a hitch.

Huang Qing was in labor for two days before finally giving birth.

Aunt Zhao was peeling an apple nearby. "I heard the baby was over seven and a half pounds—so big! And Mr. Huang’s family insisted she have a natural birth. She really went through a lot this time."

"It almost became a difficult birth. The baby was deprived of oxygen for a while in the womb. I really don’t know what her family was thinking. And I heard it was her own family, not her in-laws."

Su Wan frowned. She felt an instinctive dislike for the Huang Family. ’We’re not the same kind of people,’ she thought. ’There’s no need for us to get close.’

"The baby should have been perfectly healthy, but because of the oxygen deprivation, I hear it has to be in an incubator and receive treatment now." Aunt Zhao couldn’t help but sigh. "If you ask me, when she couldn’t deliver on the first day, they should have just gone for the surgery. But the Huang Family is superstitious, insisting that a natural birth makes for a smarter child. And look what happened. That poor baby suffered so much just to be born."

Su Wan nodded. "Exactly. As long as the baby is healthy, the delivery method doesn’t matter. It’s better than letting the child suffer."

"It’s a good thing you have to have a C-section, Wanwan. There’s no choice to be made. Otherwise, you hesitate and second-guess, and if the outcome isn’t good, you always end up thinking the other option would have been better."

"Wanwan, I’m going to go get your lunch. Have some apple to tide you over."

As she spoke, Aunt Zhao asked, "Wanwan, should we send a gift to Huang Qing to congratulate her on the baby?"

Su Wan thought for a moment. "Let’s not send food. With anything edible, if something happens to them, they might blame it on what we sent."

"Auntie, please go buy some fine cotton cloth instead." Su Wan felt that fabric was a more practical gift.

She and Aunt Zhao had already made a lot of baby clothes during this period. Since she was having twins, they had prepared quite a bit.

"Alright, I’ll go right away."

That afternoon, after Su Wan finished her checkup, it was confirmed that she would indeed need an early C-section. Perhaps because she had gotten so healthy, the two babies were developing faster than expected.

She had just gotten back to her room when, to her surprise, Huang Qing showed up.

She was wearing her own clothes, but the yellow padded jacket couldn’t conceal her pale, colorless lips.

"Comrade Huang, why aren’t you resting during your confinement? You just gave birth, walking around isn’t good for your recovery."

Su Wan’s simple words of concern instantly made Huang Qing feel aggrieved, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Wanwan, you have to get a C-section," Huang Qing said, grabbing her hand and becoming even more familiar as she began to pour out her woes. "My poor son... he’s still in an incubator. I don’t even know if he’ll ever recover fully."

"...I’m sure he’ll be fine with time and care." Su Wan didn’t know what to say. Anything harsher might sound like she was gloating.

Huang Qing sniffled. "Wanwan, you really have to listen to me."

"I’m having a C-section, and with twins, I’m afraid they’ll be even more difficult to care for," Su Wan replied with a soft sigh.

Thinking about Su Wan’s situation, Huang Qing, who had been so distraught, suddenly felt a bit consoled.

"Wanwan, your family has money. Raising kids will be no problem for you."

Hearing this, Su Wan had an inkling of what was coming next.

Sure enough, Huang Qing said, "Wanwan, my sister-in-law’s younger sister, Zhao Xiangxiang, wants to see you."

"See me for what?" Su Wan asked, already guessing the reason but prompting Huang Qing to say it herself.

If the other woman had the nerve to ask, then Su Wan would know how to handle it.

"Well..." Huang Qing looked awkward and glanced at her a few times. When Su Wan made no move to help her, she suppressed her annoyance and said, "Zhao Xiangxiang still wants to date your third brother."

"...Are you sure?" Su Wan was stunned.

Over the past month, Zhao Xiangxiang had indeed tried to get close to Su Jue. And what kind of person was Su Jue? Knowing she was only after his family’s money, he had naturally played her for a complete fool.

So, in just half a month, Su Jue had used perfectly legal means to trick a few hundred yuan out of Zhao Xiangxiang. He even managed to make her fight with the Zhao family to the point where they almost disowned her. ’And after all that, she *still* likes my third brother?’

Su Wan’s expression was a mixture of disbelief and amusement.

Huang Qing sighed in exasperation. "I’m just as frustrated with her! Why is Xiangxiang so hopeless? There are plenty of men out there. Why doesn’t she just find someone else?"