TDLWTAHATD CHAPTER 25

Chapter 25 – An Unacceptable Truth

“Besides, Xie Chengyu and I are legally married. And what are you?”

“From the perspective of social morals, you’re just a third party! What right do you have to lecture me?”

“Heh, so the mask finally slips? You actually don’t want to leave Chengyu, do you?” Xu Ruoxin sneered coldly.

Nan Xiao didn’t know—was she truly brainless, or just deliberately saying such things to get under her skin?

Nan Xiao thought it was most likely the latter. After all, Xu Ruoxin wasn’t a fool. She was sharp and calculating, only putting on an act of fragility in front of men.

So Nan Xiao said, “Why would I want to leave Xie Chengyu? He’s such a good man—after divorcing him, where could I ever find another like him?”

“Are you angry?” Nan Xiao continued mockingly. “Too bad. You’re just a low-born actress. Grandfather will never approve of you.”

“No matter how hard you try, you’ll never marry into the Xie family. At best, you’ll secretly be someone else’s mistress.”

“But what use is being a mistress? Do you dare call Xie Chengyu ‘husband’ in front of the film crew? Do you dare call him that in front of his grandfather?

“Try it. See if anyone acknowledges you. Let me tell you, they won’t! Not only won’t they, they’ll treat you like a pitiful clown!”

“…”

At last, Nan Xiao had said it all.

These weren’t really her true thoughts, but Xu Ruoxin had gone too far.

Every time Xu Ruoxin bullied her, she would imagine someone with the same cunning tongue pointing at Xu Ruoxin’s nose and verbally tearing into her.

Now, she herself had become that sharp-tongued person. Saying it out loud felt liberating.

Opposite her, Xu Ruoxin’s face had turned ugly.

The graceful composure she always maintained before Nan Xiao had disappeared.

She glared angrily, nostrils flaring, fists clenched so tightly she seemed on the brink of exploding.

“So you’re finally done pretending? Now that Chengyu isn’t here, you show your true colors?”

Hearing this, Nan Xiao let out a soft, mocking laugh.

For the sake of protecting trade secrets, she had installed a detector near the lounge doorway.

If anyone entered carrying a bugging device, it would beep. That’s why she had dared to speak so boldly to Xu Ruoxin.

“What, you’ve completely lost all shame?” Xu Ruoxin snapped when Nan Xiao didn’t respond.

“Xu Ruoxin, the shameless one is you.”

As satisfying as it was to snap back, continuing to spar endlessly was tiresome.

Nan Xiao walked to the door, opened it, and looked at Xu Ruoxin. “This is my lounge. Please leave. Next time, remember to knock before you come in.”

Xu Ruoxin shot her a vicious glare, smoothed her voluminous curls, and once again donned her façade of elegance and composure. With chin raised, she walked out.

In the shadow just outside the door, a man replayed in his mind the words he had just overheard—“Why would I want to leave Xie Chengyu? He’s such a good man—after divorcing him, where could I ever find another like him…”

His gaze darkened, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.

He opened WeChat, sent the recording to Xie Chengyu, then shut his phone.

Ten minutes later, he slid into a car downstairs. His phone buzzed. On the screen, two characters lit up: “Chengyu.”

He answered. “Hello?”

“Jingting.” Xie Chengyu greeted him first. “You’re back?”

Yesterday, Li Jingting had taken Chen Jiayi back to their hometown, which was why he asked.

Leaning against the leather seatback, Li Jingting’s sharp features were shrouded in darkness.

He grunted in reply, lit a cigarette with one hand, took a drag, and said, “Didn’t expect your wife to hide so well.”

There was a pause. The voice from the other end dropped several degrees colder. “I didn’t expect it either.”

“So what do you plan to do?” Li Jingting asked. “Confront her?”

“Mm.”

Hearing that, Li Jingting was relieved.

Xie Chengyu cared too much for his grandparents. That’s why, though an atheist, he had agreed three years ago to the ridiculous notion of “marrying for good fortune.”

Li Jingting had always worried that Chengyu, out of regard for the elders, would be too softhearted to divorce Nan Xiao.

Now, seeing him so clear-minded, he felt reassured.

On the other side, Xie Chengyu replayed the recording again and again, his brows knitting tighter with each repeat.

Leaning by the window, staring at the bright blue sky, his mood was dark and heavy, like being dragged into a black whirlpool—irritable and suffocating.

After a long time, he dialed Nan Xiao’s number—only to hang up abruptly before the dial tone even sounded.

Meanwhile, after kicking Xu Ruoxin out of the lounge, that wave of nausea returned to Nan Xiao.

But her stomach was already empty; she had nothing left to vomit, so she clung to the toilet, retching dryly for a while.

When she straightened, intending to leave the restroom, a sudden thought struck her—her whole body trembled.

It was already the 19th, but her period still hadn’t come. It was overdue for quite some time.

Lately she had often felt unwell—mostly nausea, increased appetite compared to before.

A little more than a month ago, she and Xie Chengyu had slept together at the old house. They hadn’t used protection, and afterward she’d forgotten to take any precautions.

All signs pointed to one conclusion—a conclusion she could not bear to face. Standing at the bathroom door, Nan Xiao felt chilled to the bone, unwilling to accept the fact.

At length, she called Lin Yan, hoping she could accompany her to the hospital. But Lin Yan didn’t answer, so Nan Xiao went alone.

An hour later, Nan Xiao stepped out of the hospital, face pale as paper.

Standing on the roadside, she held a thin pregnancy test report in her hand, her heart a tangle of confusion and fear.

Her fingers instinctively touched her lower abdomen. She still couldn’t accept the reality of being pregnant, but the truth was undeniable.

She didn’t know whether she should keep the child—or what direction her life should take.

At that moment, Lin Yan’s WeChat message popped up:

“Xiaoxiao, I didn’t see your call earlier. I went on a date with Li Jingting today, but Chen Jiayi showed up midway to cause trouble—we got into a fight.”

Startled, Nan Xiao quickly replied:
“What happened? Are you hurt? Where are you now?”

“I’m already home. I’m still arguing with Li Jingting, but I’m fine.”

“By the way, what did you call me for?”

From her tone, Lin Yan still seemed upset, but nothing serious had happened.

Still, thinking about the mess between her and Li Jingting, Nan Xiao couldn’t help worrying. She typed:
“Are you home now? How about I come over?”

“Okay, come.”

Nan Xiao took a cab to Lin Yan’s apartment. She had the fingerprint access, so she entered directly without knocking.

Walking into the stylish, spacious living room, she saw Lin Yan sitting stiffly on a single-seater sofa, her face cold. On the double-seater sofa sat two men—Li Jingting and Xie Chengyu.

Nan Xiao froze on the spot.