EHTM | Chapter 3 – Choose Between Me and Fu Ling’s Child

The servants froze, their hands still holding the picture frames. They stared at Shen Donghuan with shock in their eyes.

In the three years they had worked for the Xie family, they had only ever seen Shen Donghuan as gentle and kind. This was the first time they had seen the young mistress angry, and it was terrifying.

No one dared to speak. They hesitated, glancing between Shen Donghuan and Fu Ling.

Fu Ling, sensing their hesitation, immediately straightened her pregnant belly, her posture full of defiance.

“Sister, Yuming said I’m carrying the next heir of the Xie family. Right now, everything revolves around me. I just want to stay in the master bedroom. Is it really that big of a deal for you to get so angry?”

The servants heard this and secretly glanced at Fu Ling’s belly. They thought of the man backing her up, Xie Yuming. Then, they turned to Shen Donghuan and spoke in unison.

“Young Mistress, the eldest young master specifically ordered us to follow Miss Fu’s requests. After all, she’s carrying the Xie family’s child. It’s just one room. Why don’t you just… bear with it? Let us move the things in.”

This was the Xie family’s home, and they were the Xie family’s servants. Naturally, they followed Xie Yuming’s orders.

As for Shen Donghuan, the young mistress… She had been unable to have children for years. Many elders in the Xie family had complained about it, and the eldest young master had grown to resent her because of it.

Now, with Miss Fu here, pregnant and clearly using the child to secure her position, who knew? Maybe in a few days, Shen Donghuan would be thrown out, and Miss Fu would take her place as the young mistress of the Xie family!

They needed to side with Fu Ling, fast.

Fu Ling immediately kicked the luggage at her feet.

“Sister, I’ve already had the servants pack up your things. So, are you moving to the guest room next door, or to a hotel?”

Shen Donghuan looked at her clothes scattered carelessly on the floor. Her gaze swept over the servants, who had already turned their backs on her, the young mistress. The fire in her chest burned even hotter.

She slowly lifted her eyes and looked at Fu Ling’s arrogant face, then let out a cold laugh.

Before anyone could react, her hand shot out and slapped Fu Ling across the face.

SMACK!

The sound echoed through the entire hallway.

Fu Ling’s left cheek instantly swelled up, matching the right side perfectly.

Fu Ling screamed in pain, “Shen Donghuan, you hit me again?!”

Shen Donghuan flexed her wrist, her eyes sharp. “Fu Ling, did you really think I was afraid to touch you just because of the child in your belly?”

“If Yuming hadn’t stopped me at the bar, I wouldn’t have let you off the hook then either.”

The servants stood frozen in shock. They had assumed the young mistress was weak and easy to bully. They never expected her to strike so quickly, and so ruthlessly.

With one slap, Fu Ling’s face was as swollen as a pig’s.

If the young mistress had slapped them like that… it would’ve been even worse.

Suddenly, Shen Donghuan’s gaze swept over them. The servants, terrified, covered their faces and took a step back.

Fu Ling saw how quickly they had turned against her. She was furious.

She immediately covered her swollen face, letting tears fall as she put on the most pitiful expression she could manage. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Sister, I was wrong! Please don’t hit me again! If you do, my baby might, ”

Her voice was loud enough for the entire house to hear.

Shen Donghuan watched Fu Ling’s performance and remembered how Xie Yuming had rushed to Fu Ling’s side at the bar.

Sure enough, a second later, Xie Yuming’s displeased voice came from the direction of the study upstairs.

“Shen Donghuan, why did you hit Fu Ling again?”

Shen Donghuan turned to see Xie Yuming’s bottomless, icy eyes. They were even colder than they had been at the bar, now filled with irritation.

He was clearly angry.

Fu Ling, as soon as she saw Xie Yuming appear at the top of the stairs, clutched her belly and quickly ran to his side. She buried herself in his arms like a frightened deer.

She sobbed, “Yuming, save me! Sister is going to kill me!”

Tears streamed down her face, making her look pitiful.

Xie Yuming wrapped his arm around Fu Ling’s waist, his fingers lifting her chin so he could see the handprint on her face. His glasses reflected a cold glint.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here. She won’t dare touch you.”

Fu Ling clutched Xie Yuming’s collar tightly, crying like a helpless little bird.

Shen Donghuan watched the two of them, looking so deeply in love, and felt sick to her stomach.

She forced down all her emotions, pressing her trembling fingers against her sides. She tried to sound calm. “Xie Yuming, this is my home. This master bedroom is mine. If you want her to live here, then we need to get a divorce.”

“As soon as we’re divorced, I’ll clear out the room and the space for her.”

Xie Yuming’s expression softened slightly when he heard the word “divorce.” He let go of Fu Ling and walked over to Shen Donghuan, his magnetic voice now gentle, almost coaxing.

“Donghuan, don’t joke about things like this. You’re my only wife. I won’t divorce you.”

As he said this, he narrowed his sharp eyes and glanced at Fu Ling. A dark, unreadable emotion flickered in his gaze.

“Move Miss Fu’s things to the farthest guest room. She’ll stay there until the baby is born.”

Fu Ling heard this and was about to protest. But when she met Xie Yuming’s warning gaze, she felt as if she had fallen into an icy abyss. Her back stiffened, and fear clawed at her heart.

She forced her lips into a smile and meekly followed the servants to the guest room.

Xie Yuming stayed behind, his thick fingers brushing against Shen Donghuan’s fair arm, as if trying to comfort her.

He spoke in a low voice, “Donghuan, we’ve been married for three years. You know I love you.”

“I do feel guilty about what happened with Fu Ling. But I’ve been clear with you, Fu Ling’s child isn’t just mine. It’s ours too. If you hurt her now, you’re hurting our child.”

“You can’t have children, but Fu Ling can. For the bigger picture, just endure this a little longer. Once the baby is born, you can do whatever you want with Fu Ling.”

Shen Donghuan looked at the man she had shared a bed with for three years. For the first time, she realized how much of a stranger Xie Yuming had become.

A stranger who made her sick.

She slowly lifted her head, her eyes red as she looked at Xie Yuming. “Xie Yuming, if you had to choose between me and Fu Ling’s child… who would you pick?”

Years ago, after Xie Yuming’s accident, countless doctors had said it would take a miracle for him to ever have children again.

At the time, Shen Donghuan had been afraid of hurting his pride. She had also considered the future of the Xie Corporation. Without hesitation, she had agreed with Xie Yuming’s mother to lie, to everyone, including herself, that she was the one who couldn’t have children.

Now, perhaps a miracle had happened. Xie Yuming’s treatment must have worked, allowing Fu Ling to get pregnant.

But if Fu Ling could have his child, then so could she.

If Xie Yuming said he would choose her, she would let go of the past. She would forgive him and Fu Ling, and they could start over.

Xie Yuming met Shen Donghuan’s watery, hopeful gaze. He could sense how desperately she wanted his answer.

He reached out, his strong fingers brushing against the reddened corner of her eye, pressing harder with each stroke.

“Donghuan, don’t be so childish. I can’t be without an heir. The Xie family needs a future successor.”

His words were like a sharp blade, plunging straight into Shen Donghuan’s heart. It twisted brutally, tearing her heart to shreds. The pain was so intense her vision blurred.

With all her strength, Shen Donghuan managed to push Xie Yuming away. She forced a bitter smile, her tear-filled eyes full of disappointment.

“Xie Yuming… I understand now.”

She finally understood, he didn’t love her as much as she thought.

Back then, when she heard Xie Yuming couldn’t have children, she had chosen him out of love. She had given up her own chance to be a mother.

But now, Xie Yuming didn’t love her enough, or maybe he never had. So he didn’t choose her.

In that case… she wouldn’t love him either.

Shen Donghuan held back her tears, straightened her back, and walked past Xie Yuming.

Just as she was about to close the door, Xie Yuming spoke coldly.

“Shen Donghuan, for the sake of the child’s safe birth, you should move out for now.”

“Once the baby is born, I’ll come get you myself. By then, you’ll still be the young mistress of the Xie family, the lady of this house.”