Chapter 24: Fighting for the Child

Quan Qing’er nodded in agreement.

“How could you let this happen?” Lian Youyou jumped off her chair, reproaching her. “You don’t even have a marriage certificate with him. When the child is born, you won’t be able to register the household. Have you thought about what you’ll do?”

It was surprising that Fan Chi, nearly fifty, was still in good health—now another pregnancy. Her body belonged to her daughter now, and her daughter was also Fan Chi’s child. According to this logic, the child in Quan Qing’er’s belly was her half-sister? Then by seniority, she should call Quan Qing’er ‘stepmother’!

What kind of mess was this? Everything was upside down!

Quan Qing’er finished cutting the cake and placed it in front of Lian Youyou.

But Lian Youyou had no appetite for cheesecake at the moment; her curiosity was ablaze. “Qing’er, are you planning to keep the baby or terminate the pregnancy?”

“Of course, I’m keeping it! It’s a life—I can’t just end it so easily! That would be so pitiful for the child!”

“So, are you planning to confront his wife?”

“I… I don’t dare…” Quan Qing’er nervously clutched her dress. “I… I’m very afraid of his wife…”

No doubt, Qu Wuyan’s temper had grown fiercer over the past twenty years, enough to make a young woman as frightened as a lamb before a wolf.

“And… my boyfriend is a public figure…” Quan Qing’er said, troubled. “He’s already been divorced once. If our affair becomes public, it’ll have a huge impact on him.”

Clearly, compared to Qu Wuyan of old, Quan Qing’er was far less formidable. She was overly cautious, timid, destined only to be a woman who depended on Fan Chi, never making much of herself. That’s why Qu Wuyan’s success wasn’t without reason—when a woman is ruthless, nothing is impossible.

Lian Youyou absent-mindedly jabbed at her cake with the fork, her thoughts entirely on Quan Qing’er’s unborn child.

If things went according to her previous plans, she was worried about the safety of Quan Qing’er’s baby. But if she wanted revenge, Quan Qing’er was a crucial piece.

Should she spare Fan Chi for the sake of Quan Qing’er’s child?

Spare Fan Chi… but had Fan Chi ever spared her?

“Youyou, what should I do?” Quan Qing’er slumped into her chair, covering her face, sobbing. “I can’t let my child live in the shadows. That would be too cruel.”

Fan Chi truly was a scoundrel, ruining yet another good woman.

“Qing’er, you really don’t need to blame yourself,” Lian Youyou patted Quan Qing’er’s shoulder, feigning a casual smile. “People are born selfish. We’re all the same. Besides, how do you know the woman whose home you’re breaking up is an innocent victim? Maybe she climbed up from being a mistress herself. If I ever got pregnant like you, I’d fight for my rights against his wife, not just for myself but for the child.”

“Yes, you’re right, Youyou!” Lian Youyou’s words were a revelation to Quan Qing’er. “I don’t need to feel guilty at all. My husband’s current wife isn’t any better! I heard from an industry senior that she was a mistress who became the wife.”

“…This girl seems a bit naïve.”

“But I don’t have his wife’s status. Can I really compete with her?” Quan Qing’er was uncertain. “I’m afraid I’ll lose everything, not just fail to win anything.”

“If you don’t fight, if you don’t take the first step, you’ll have nothing anyway,” Lian Youyou coaxed gently. “You can settle for the status quo, living anxiously on your husband’s money, hoping his wife never discovers you, raising your child in uncertainty. But if you take initiative, you might turn your fate around overnight. If you don’t fight, and his wife finds out about you, you still won’t fare well. How many mistresses ever have a good ending?”

“Yes, that’s true,” Quan Qing’er listened, gradually firming her resolve. “If I don’t fight, his wife still won’t let me go. I might as well take a risk for my child!”

Lian Youyou sighed, gripping Quan Qing’er’s hand. “No matter what happens, you must ensure your own safety and the child’s. If anything happens, call me immediately.”

Quan Qing’er nodded. “Don’t worry, after all, this is a society ruled by law. They won’t do anything to me.”

…

Quan Qing’er acted faster than Lian Youyou expected. Only three days later, Quan Qing’er posted her affair with Fan Chi on Weibo.

Within a single day, Quan Qing’er made several posts in succession: a long narrative detailing how she and Fan Chi met and fell in love, an ultrasound image confirming her pregnancy, records of Fan Chi transferring money to her over the years, and—

Photos of her in bed with Fan Chi!