Chapter 5: Cannot Divorce

Jiang Hanyan looked up, smiled at Lu Chen, and took the initiative to say, "You're back!"

Lu Chen entered the house without showing his emotions, his nerves pulled taut. This woman putting on such a big performance surely had grand ambitions; he wondered if a pair of gold earrings would be enough to satisfy her?

If it weren't for the sake of the child in her womb, he wouldn't bother indulging her.

"I heard you were sick?" Lu Chen asked coldly.

"Mm."

Jiang Hanyan nodded. The two sat on opposite sides of the eight-immortal table, acting as unacquainted as if they weren't a married couple; the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

"I... my... the child is gone."

Jiang Hanyan spoke haltingly. For a long time, Lu Chen gave no reaction, sitting there expressionless, but the chill emanating from him grew increasingly icy. She couldn't help but scoot to the side, feeling a bit panicked.

*This guy won't hit women, will he?*

With her current physical state, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to fight back. Jiang Hanyan slowly stood up and began to shuffle toward the door, making full preparations to bolt out.

"How is it gone?" Lu Chen spoke.

The icy voice made Jiang Hanyan shudder, and she quietly shuffled back, whispering the events of yesterday. Of course, she added some embellishments, even saying, "It's all Jiang Tianbao's fault, and also my own body's failure. Lu Chen, I'm sorry, I... we..."

The words "let's divorce" were still stuck in her throat when Lu Chen suddenly came over, picked her up, and strode toward the exit. Jiang Hanyan was startled and struggled to get down.

"Don't move, we're going to the hospital!"

Lu Chen glared, and Jiang Hanyan was too scared to move. This guy was truly handsome, but he was also truly terrifying—no wonder he was a well-known bully in the area.

"No need to go to the hospital, I feel much better now."

Jiang Hanyan gripped Lu Chen's hand tightly, looking at him earnestly to show that she truly was fine.

But she suddenly discovered that the white mist in her spatial dimension had instantly become thick, like milk, and her body had undergone a noticeable change. Her head was no longer dizzy, her waist no longer sore, her whole being felt refreshed, and her strength had increased.

*What's going on?*

Jiang Hanyan looked at Lu Chen suspiciously. The change in the space happened after Lu Chen picked her up; could it be because of him?

She thought for a moment, gave a hard tug, and jumped out of Lu Chen's arms. Sure enough, the white mist in the space lightened slightly. Jiang Hanyan took a few steps back and found that the further she was from Lu Chen, the lighter the white mist became, and her energy levels dropped as well.

*Damn it!*

*I can't get a divorce!*

Jiang Hanyan grit her teeth and stared fixedly at Lu Chen. He was tall, handsome, and strong; although a bit cold, he was quite responsible—he rushed back as soon as he heard she was sick and even wanted to take her to the hospital.

Aside from her "second pregnancy" and lack of a proper job, there was really nothing wrong with him.

Once she had fully integrated with this body, she would separate from Lu Chen.

"Is your child really gone?" Lu Chen's suspicious voice rang out, cold and piercing, making Jiang Hanyan shiver. She didn't dare look up and nodded guiltily.

"Then let's go to the hospital."

The corners of Lu Chen's lips curled slightly. No matter how much he didn't understand, he knew how weak one would be right after losing a child. This woman was bouncing around with great spirits; how did she look like someone who had lost a child?

But Jiang Hanyan's belly was indeed flat. Lu Chen guessed one possibility and sneered inwardly; he wanted to see what kind of stories this woman could spin.

The two remained in a standoff for a long time before Jiang Hanyan finally yielded. With a bitter face, she explained dryly, "I... I didn't mean to lie to you, I was just forced into a corner. You're a grown man, don't hold such a small matter against me, okay?"

Lu Chen grit his teeth and asked coldly, "This is a small matter?"

He had thought he truly had a child. Although he didn't like Jiang Hanyan, he had been happy upon learning he was going to be a father; after all, it was his own flesh and blood. It was precisely because of the child that he had decided to leave Third Brother to strike out on his own. Now, this woman was telling him the child never existed—how could he not take it to heart?

Jiang Hanyan trembled, looked up at him guiltily, and whispered, "It's already like this, there's no use being angry. How about you calm down? I'll cook something delicious for you?"

"The pig feed you cook?"

Lu Chen let out a cold laugh. He had had the misfortune of eating Jiang Hanyan's "pig feed" once and almost had to go to the hospital to have his stomach pumped.

Jiang Hanyan immediately straightened her back and said proudly, "A man should be viewed in a new light after a few days of absence; I am no longer the same old Meng!"

Beside them, Dou Dou nodded vigorously. Auntie Jiang's cooking at lunch had been too delicious, and he wanted more.

Lu Chen's eyes were filled with doubt. He sensed a change in Jiang Hanyan. Previously, the moment they met, she would ask for money, constantly weeping and complaining; she never spoke to him kindly, nor was she ever gentle with Dou Dou.

Dou Dou used to run away whenever he saw Jiang Hanyan and wouldn't take the initiative to speak to her. Now, having obtained something good, his first reaction was to share it with Jiang Hanyan. What exactly had happened during the few days Lu Chen was away from home?

Jiang Hanyan went to the kitchen and briskly prepared dinner. To please Lu Chen, she decided to bring out her signature skills.

"You can eat spicy food, right?" Jiang Hanyan poked her head out of the kitchen and asked loudly.

"Mm."

Lu Chen responded, feeling a bit of anticipation in his heart.

Moreover, he was thinking about one thing: that night, had he and Jiang Hanyan actually had relations?

He had been in a daze that night, remembering only the warm, soft beauty in his arms. After that, Jiang Hanyan had come to his door saying she was pregnant. Because Jiang Hanyan wasn't old enough to register the marriage, Lu Chen had let her stay at the house first. At night, he slept with Dou Dou and didn't touch the woman again.

So, had he and Jiang Hanyan actually slept together or not?

His temples ached intensely, and a wave of drowsiness washed over him. Unable to hold on, Lu Chen went back to his room to sleep.

With his mind racing, Lu Chen subconsciously returned to his own room and fell asleep immediately. He was woken by a delicious aroma. When he got up, the room was pitch black, and from outside came the faint sound of firecrackers and the soft murmur of voices in the hall.

"Dou Dou, eat a piece of meat first. We'll eat once Uncle Lu wakes up."

"Auntie isn't hungry, you eat."

Jiang Hanyan refused Dou Dou's attempt to feed her and gently stroked the little guy's head. She was now certain that Dou Dou wasn't stupid at all; he was actually very smart. His inability to speak was likely due to trauma, and he would need psychological counseling.

Lu Chen suddenly had a very strange feeling in his heart—it was the sense of "living warmth" he had longed for since childhood. He had lived with his grandfather since he was small, and after his grandfather passed away, he went to live with his mother, but he only stayed for a year before running back.

From then on, he lived alone. Even on New Year's Eve, he ate the reunion dinner alone. His home was cold and lifeless, lacking any sense of domestic warmth. The family joy shown on television felt too far away from him. He had once yearned for a happy, warm family life, but as he grew up, he thought about it less and less.

Now, the coldness in his heart seemed to have been warmed just a little bit. Though it wasn't much, it allowed him to feel a long-lost warmth.

Lu Chen smiled, threw off the covers, got out of bed, and opened the door. The aroma grew stronger. Jiang Hanyan and Dou Dou were sitting on the sofa watching TV; seeing him, the large one and the small one looked up and smiled at him.

"I'll go get the food!"

Jiang Hanyan jumped up happily and brought out the dishes from the kitchen: steamed pork with rice flour, braised fish, stir-fried pork intestines with pickled vegetables, stir-fried lotus root slices, and beef stewed with tomatoes and potatoes. She had been preparing all afternoon.

"Time to eat! Today is the ninth day of the first lunar month. Happy New Year!"

Jiang Hanyan had also bought orange juice, poured three glasses, and held them up, saying it with a beaming smile.

The strange feeling in Lu Chen's heart intensified. He raised his glass to follow suit. Jiang Hanyan clinked her glass against his, and then against Dou Dou's. Lu Chen couldn't help but chuckle softly; since his grandfather's death, this was the first time he had celebrated such a grand New Year.

It felt... quite good!

And the food this woman cooked tasted quite good, too.

(End of Chapter)