Wen Baozhu couldn't very well say that she wanted to go back to the villa to get her ID so that she could leave Hongcheng.
She forced out an awkward smile, then turned back into the hospital ward and lay back on the bed.
Why?
It seemed that Fu Lian didn't care about this child at all. And Li Wenshu had analyzed with her in advance that the child in her womb would be a competitor to him.
So why was he still so on high - alert about the miscarriage, taking every precaution and sending so many people to guard her in the hospital while she recovered?
She couldn't sort out these thoughts, but the most urgent thing was to get her ID.
Since she couldn't move freely, she had to ask someone else to go back to the villa to get it for her.
Finding the right person to do this became a difficult problem.
She was not allowed to leave the hospital, yet she was determined to escape and even return to Fucheng without a word. This was bound to anger Fu Lian.
So far, she had angered Fu Lian enough. Like having too many lice to feel itchy, she didn't mind angering him one more time. But others were different. She couldn't let others be implicated because of her.
But in all of Hongcheng, who could act recklessly without fear of Fu Lian's punishment?
Just as she was deep in thought, Zhou You suddenly called.
Her voice was soft and sweet as it came through the receiver, "Baozhu, are you free recently? My grandfather wants to invite you to our house as a guest."
...
The gates of the Fu family mansion stood wide open. The road in front of the house and the courtyard were swept spotlessly clean.
The luxurious mansion with its high - walled compound was meticulously maintained everywhere, exuding an invisible air of grandeur.
Fu Lian got out of the car, and the old butler quickly came forward. Considering the overall situation, he whispered a reminder, "Madam's in a bad mood today. Please bear with her."
Fu Lian knew this well. He said calmly, "When has she ever given me a good look?"
Hearing this, the old butler could only sigh and remind him that the madam had just come back from a walk in the backyard and was brewing tea in the downstairs living room.
As soon as he stepped into the room, a tea bowl carved with gold thread was thrown in his direction.
Fu Lian could have dodged it, but he remained calm, not showing the slightest sign of retreat or hesitation.
The tea bowl shattered at his feet. The porcelain shards splashed onto his suit pants, and the spilled liquid soaked a section of his trouser leg.
Looking up, he saw Li Wenshu with intense anger in her eyes.
Fu Lian bowed slightly and gently brushed the water stains off his leg. His eyes were as calm as ever. "Your liver fire has been strong lately. Is it because of your illness?"
If he hadn't said this, it might have been okay. But as soon as the words came out, Li Wenshu's face changed drastically.
She looked ugly, as if in disbelief. "... You've been investigating me?"
"I'm your son. Of course, I care about your health."
Not picking up on the accusatory tone in her words, Fu Lian still spoke in a calm voice. "If something happens to you, the stock price of Fu Corporation will also drop. So, please take good care of your health."
Li Wenshu angrily raised her voice, "You bribed Old Lin and placed him beside me to spy on my every move. Now you've even investigated my health report without permission. Do you wish for me to die?"
"You're too stubborn."
Fu Lian looked at the aging woman in front of him who was still putting on a show of strength. "You're not even cooperating with the treatment to hide your illness. Deluding yourself is seeking your own death."
He sounded so detached that Li Wenshu was so angry that she laughed. "You're really capable. Why don't you just forge a death certificate and tell everyone that I'm dead?"
Fu Lian's expression remained unchanged. "I'm doing this for your own good. Since there's no need to keep hiding it, you'd better go to the hospital for treatment earlier. You might still live a few more days."
It was only half a year ago that Li Wenshu was diagnosed with a serious illness.
She was worried that it would cause an upheaval and didn't want those who were eyeing her position to gloat. So she deliberately hid the examination report.
During this period, she had been taking suppressant drugs.
But taking medicine only treated the symptoms, not the root cause. Without systematic treatment, her health was deteriorating day by day, which also meant that she was becoming more and more powerless.
She thought she could hold on for a while longer, but unexpectedly, this secret was so casually revealed by Fu Lian.
Li Wenshu narrowed her eyes. "Who knows if, once I'm in the hospital, you'll buy off the doctor and send me to the underworld just like you did to your younger brother!"
"I've said many times, Mother." Fu Lian lowered his eyes slightly, a look of melancholy flashing across them. "Nian's death has nothing to do with me."
Since taking over Fu Corporation, he admitted that his hands were not completely clean. But towards Fu Nian, he had never felt guilty towards this younger brother.
Li Wenshu didn't believe him at all. "Do you think I'll believe your nonsense? You're a murderer. The thing I hate most in my life is giving birth to a brute like you!"
These sharp and harsh words sounded as normal to Fu Lian as eating and drinking.
He was already numb to them. "Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Whether I did it or not is my business."
Li Wenshu held back for a long time and finally roared, "Ingrate!"
"Since you know I'm an ingrate, you'd better cherish your life and not follow in Father's footsteps. Without others as witnesses this time, the Fu family will eventually fall into my hands."
He walked over and brewed another cup of tea for Li Wenshu. "If that's the outcome, I'm afraid you'll die with your eyes open."
"Also, if your heart and lungs aren't in good condition, you'd better drink less tea."
Li Wenshu looked at the cup of tea Fu Lian was holding out to her. Her chest heaved with anger. Just as she was about to raise the teacup and throw it again,
Suddenly, her face changed slightly. She quickly took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and coughed desperately.
Until blood seeped onto the light - purple handkerchief.
The last time, Fu Lian had noticed the blood - stained tissue his mother quickly put away. This time, he clearly saw the whole process of her coughing up blood.
Although there had been long - standing grievances between mother and son, seeing his once - tough mother show a vulnerable side, Fu Lian still averted his gaze.
There was no change in his expression. He just watched as the maid rushed forward, offering water and medicine and patting her on the back.
Li Wenshu looked at her eldest son, who had gradually grown into the most powerful person in Fu Corporation. She felt a sense of panic as if she was losing power.
And the frustration of having to accept this outcome.
All of this should have belonged to her youngest son, Fu Nian, whom she loved most.
In the early years, the Fu family had neglected this eldest son. Later, when Fu Qishan was seriously ill, neither in his will nor in the distribution of shares did he take this eldest son into account.
Only Fu Nian was carefree, saying that he would give everything at home to his elder brother and that he just wanted to be a care - free heir and live off the family fortune.
But what was the result?
She had watched helplessly as Fu Corporation had fallen entirely into Fu Lian's hands. Now, even she, the only one who could still hold power, didn't have much time left.
This eldest son with wolfish ambitions was finally showing his fangs.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She sneered, "Do you think that after I'm gone, the Fu family will fall into your hands?"
Fu Lian smiled. "Even if it doesn't, I'll just take it back. Father made more than a dozen wills, but my name was never on any of them."
The first lesson in Fu Lian's life was to fight for what he wanted.
Only by fighting could he obtain the things that were never given to him.
Money, property, power...
As long as he wanted, there was nothing he couldn't get.
But at this moment, Fu Lian didn't realize that not everything could be obtained through fighting.
For example, love.
Li Wenshu stared at the young man in front of her and deeply realized a fact: she was no longer capable of competing with her now - powerful eldest son.
But that didn't mean she would allow him to succeed in everything.
Li Wenshu looked at him for a moment and said coldly, "To avenge Wen Baozhu, you're even canceling your engagement. This is not in line with your usual style."
Fu Lian calmly denied it. "It's not for her. Fang Yuan is a fool and not suitable to be the daughter - in - law of the Fu family. The Fang family is falling apart and is not capable of being a worthy business partner."
Li Wenshu curled her lips. "If you dislike the marriage arranged by the family so much, why didn't you say that the Fang family wasn't good enough for you when your father was alive?"
After chatting for a while, Fu Lian felt that there was no need to continue this conversation. "I came back today not to argue with you verbally. Since the secret can't be hidden anymore, you'd better go to the hospital to recuperate earlier. I'll arrange the best doctors."
"Also, don't worry that I'll buy off the doctor." His voice was soft. "Life and death are natural laws. I don't need to rush things."
After saying that, he turned around and walked away without mercy.
Li Wenshu stared at his back and suddenly laughed. "Do you think you have everything under control? A Lian, you're too young."
Fu Lian turned around, his eyes deep.
On Li Wenshu's slightly wrinkled face, there appeared the only victorious smile of the day. "Great strategist, look back at your little bird. She's trying to escape from her cage."