Waterbound Love - Chapter 39

“You go ahead, I need to use the restroom.” It was a joke; she was here for the fun, not to get swept up in it.

After Lin Mumu left, Du Bai waited a moment before descending the stairs. She strolled over to the food area to pick out some tasty snacks. Once the fun began, it wouldn’t be easy to walk away.

“Where did you just go?” Wei Wen asked in a low voice, standing next to Du Bai. He had stayed close by her side since she came downstairs. He wanted to compliment her beauty but feared upsetting her, his voice inevitably turned a bit stiff as he spoke.

“I was upstairs helping a friend change,” Du Bai answered nonchalantly, her attention fully on the snacks on her plate. With so many different kinds of snacks, watching the fun wouldn’t be boring.

A sudden shout of “Wei Wen” jolted Du Bai, oh my, could it be this precise? She turned to look into a pair of hostile, peach-blossom eyes, catching a fleeting look of astonishment, making her head spin. It was just so typical, wanting to watch others’ drama, only to end up providing entertainment for them!

The crowd seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere here and gradually moved closer. Seeing Wei Wen’s concerned look, Du Bai felt quite powerless. What was this? How would they act next? With both protagonists so engaged, she couldn’t very well throw cold water on everyone. Turning back, she caught the fleeting smugness in Ji Feiling’s eyes, and Du Bai realized what was happening, smiling slightly. How could she let him have his way?

Du Bai stepped forward and took Wei Wen’s arm, feeling him stiffen instantly. She ignored it and said with a laugh, “Mumu, you’re here too. You’ve changed so much that Wei Wen and I could hardly recognize you.” After speaking, she naturally let go of Wei Wen and took Lin Mumu’s hand. Still smiling, a glint in her eye, she whispered just loud enough for the two of them to hear, “If you don’t want Wei Wen dealing with you and the one in your belly, keep your mouth shut and keep acting.”

After Du Bai’s reminder, Lin Mumu suddenly realized the consequences of her actions. She had been too impulsive, ignoring the well-meaning advice of others. If she publicly revealed her relationship with Wei Wen here, it would certainly not reflect well on him and he could potentially suffer backlash. Clearing her thoughts, she quickly smiled, “I’m sorry, Senior Sister, I lost my composure upon seeing you all.” She then warmly started a conversation with Du Bai.

As the crowd noticed there was no further excitement, they dispersed, leaving only a few people behind, including Shen Yan. Du Bai sighed.

Once the four of them settled in Wei Wen’s apartment, Du Bai poured a glass of brandy for Shen Yan and chuckled to herself. She thought, “I wonder whose fiancé is cheating, she looks more upset than I, the real creditor, should.”

Wei Wen, feeling agitated, picked up a cigarette. He noticed Lin Mumu covering her stomach and the subtle dodging gesture she made, so he put the cigarette back.

Du Bai noticed a fleeting sinister look in Shen Yan’s eyes and frowned slightly. Drama, definitely drama. Look at how professional Mumu is.

“Wei Wen, you need to explain yourself,” Du Bai felt a warmth in her heart for a moment. Shen Yan seemed to lose her composure only on matters Du Bai set. She couldn’t deny her moved feelings and smiled gently at Du Bai.

Wei Wen saw this and felt an uncomfortable pang of jealousy and bitterness. “Thank you for your concern, I’ll handle it.” His words implied that Shen Yan was overstepping; this was a family matter that didn’t concern her.

Du Bai felt uneasy after hearing this. Encountering a mistress was nothing new to her, but Wei Wen making Shen Yan feel embarrassed in public was something she could not overlook. Just as she was about to react, Shen Yan held her back. Seeing Du Bai’s swift reaction, Shen Yan felt genuinely happy, as if all her previous sacrifices had been worthwhile. “Well then, Young Master Wei, take your time with your family issues. We’ll take our leave,” she said, pulling Du Bai to leave.

Du Bai caught on and didn’t resist, letting Shen Yan lead her away. She had been momentarily confused; Shen Yan was no ordinary person, how could she let herself be at a disadvantage? Perhaps, the only one who could disadvantage her was herself.

Wei Wen stood up, clenching his fists tightly, “Please let go of my fiancée,” he said with a suppressed, solemn voice.

“Oh, did I get it wrong?” Shen Yan responded with a bright laugh, “I apologize, Mr. Wei. I didn’t attend your engagement party and didn’t see your fiancée’s true face. But isn’t she the one carrying your child?” After saying this, she looked perplexedly at Wei Wen. Seeing the pale and strained look on Wei Wen’s face, Du Bai thought wickedly that if she couldn’t suppress her laughter, it would undoubtedly ruin the atmosphere, but would that make her unscrupulous? However, it was indeed very hard to hold back.

“Wei Wen, it’s too chaotic right now. Let’s calm down before we discuss further,” Du Bai said as she pulled Shen Yan and walked out. It wasn’t out of kindness, but rather because she could no longer bear the strain. In fact, watching others falter can be a rather heartening experience.

Seeing Du Bai’s shoulders tremble, the struggle in Wei Wen’s eyes became clearer. Was she heartbroken? A pang of pain in his heart was tinged with a hint of joy. Perhaps, perhaps the wish he harbored for so many years was finally drawing closer. Then, all obstacles must be cleared.

“Why are you pregnant? How could such complications arise? We had decided to end this, hadn’t we?

“I, I don’t know, you came to me drunk last time, and then,” Lin Mumu bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears, looking utterly pitiful.

Wei Wen felt a headache coming on and slumped on the sofa, burying his face in his hands, swallowed by the blend of darkness and dawn. “Let’s terminate the pregnancy.” He had rehearsed it a thousand times, and saying it out loud didn’t seem as difficult as he had imagined. Perhaps he really didn’t love her. Maybe it was because the child was unexpected. Saying it out loud made him feel much lighter.

“No, no, you can’t be so cruel.” Lin Mumu’s large tears fell. Why, after following him through thick and thin, after being ever-present, couldn’t she earn even a single promise from him, not even the sparing of their child? It was a life, a hope carrying both their blood. Was it just a mistake in his eyes, one he could abandon without a second thought?

“You can sleep in the guest room. I’ll accompany you to the hospital tomorrow.” After speaking, Wei Wen stood up. He was too tired; he needed to find a quiet place to be alone.

“Don’t!” Lin Mumu hugged Wei Wen from behind, “I know I was wrong. Please, let me keep the baby. I won’t use it to blackmail you. Please, let me have this child, you know how much I love you,” she sobbed uncontrollably after speaking.

Wei Wen seemed to be grinding his teeth in frustration, and after a long pause, he declared, “You should know that once I’ve made a decision, I won’t change my mind.” He then pulled Lin Mumu’s arms away from around his chest. “Get some good sleep. I’ll take you to the hospital tomorrow.” Having said that, he walked straight inside, leaving Lin Mumu collapsed despondently on the carpet. Clutching the carpet tightly, tears fell onto it. After all this time, how could she let go? She couldn’t. No one could take away what was hers. No one.

Du Bai leaned back in her chair, the sunlight hitting her face. Half-squinting her eyes like a lazy cat, she looked irresistibly provocative.

Du Bai thought about how Wei Wen would enjoy this, the damned capitalist. If only her small apartment also had a floor-to-ceiling window, it would lack ambiance and probably make her look crazy.

“Let’s get married.” Perhaps it was the warmth of the sun that made Wei Wen blurt it out. After he spoke, there was only a moment of surprise, with no sign of regret, as he anxiously watched Du Bai’s reaction.

Hearing this, Du Bai was inwardly shocked but showed no sign of it. She raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure you want to marry me behind the mother of your child?”

After hearing this, Wei Wen’s face twisted slightly, but he quickly regained composure. “I’ve taken care of it. You like autumn, so let’s get married then. Before we marry-” Wei Wen paused, “I will settle everything before that.”

“Taken care of?” Du Bai took a deep breath. “Hmm, you should know it’s still in Lin Mumu’s belly, but do you know where Lin Mumu is? Does your solution involve terminating the child in Lin Mumu’s belly or dealing with Ji Feiling?” Du Bai shrugged, chuckling lightly. “Wei Wen, let me tell you, not everything is up to you. I don’t care who I marry, after all, interests come first. Being a stepmother doesn’t bother me, but no one can guarantee the wedding will proceed without issues. The Wei Family has shifted from politics to business and can handle scandals, but the Du Family is different. I cannot let my personal grievances affect the Du Family, even if the threat is subtle.” The more things there were to handle, the more irritating it became, and withdrawing early seemed like a good choice. “The word is already out there about your illegitimate child. I suppose you know who started the rumor. I’ll handle his matter myself, and if you want to continue supporting him, that’s your choice.” After saying this, she stood up. “The engagement is off. I think it would be better if you explain this to Grandpa Wei.” Now she could completely detach herself from the situation. Wei Wen, let him be entangled in troubles-it was no longer her concern. Analyzing others’ psychology, empathizing, and manipulating emotions were her strong suits.

Wei Wen remained silent, his gaze lifting to the reflection of his face in the fish tank. The scar on his forehead was visible, like it had been struck by electricity, suddenly making him leap up and grab Du Bai, who was about to leave. “No! I disagree, I won’t let you call off the wedding; you are mine.” With that, he kissed Du Bai.