You cheated, I divorced, why are you kneeling and begging me? - Chapter 38

Qin Xiaozhe stood alone in place, gazing in the direction Nanxi had left. He recalled the disdainful expression on her face when she spoke, and her words echoed in his mind, leaving him dazed.

Nanxi seemed truly different now.

She appeared completely indifferent.

The woman who once had eyes only for him had now walked away without a backward glance, showing not a trace of attachment.

An inexplicable panic began to stir in Qin Xiaozhe’s heart, as if something was slipping away unnoticed, something he couldn’t grasp no matter how hard he tried.

After a moment of thought, he decided to go after her and seek clarity.

But before he could take a step, his phone rang.

Seeing that it was Lin Rufei calling, Qin Xiaozhe’s already agitated heart felt as if it had been doused with oil, fueling his irritation even further.

Lin Rufei’s calls came one after another. If Qin Xiaozhe didn’t answer, she would bombard him relentlessly until he finally picked up.

Unable to bear the annoyance any longer, Qin Xiaozhe reluctantly answered the call.

“Why aren’t you answering your phone, Xiaozhe? My stomach hurts. You need to take me to the hospital right now,” Lin Rufei’s voice came through the phone, tinged with complaint and coquettishness.

Qin Xiaozhe’s mind was in turmoil. His grandfather had just woken up, and he hadn’t even had the chance to visit him yet. How could he find the time to fetch Lin Rufei?

“I’ll send Luo Rongfei to pick you up,” he said.

Lin Rufei was immediately displeased. “You don’t care about me anymore, Qin Xiaozhe. You don’t love me at all.”

Suppressing his irritation, Qin Xiaozhe tried to placate her. “Don’t overthink it. I’m at the hospital right now. Grandpa isn’t feeling well and has been admitted. I need to stay with him.”

“Grandpa is sick?” Lin Rufei asked. “Isn’t Qi Zhengchu there? You’re not a doctor. What are you doing there when Grandpa is sick? Come pick me up. I’m carrying your child, after all.”

Qin Xiaozhe’s patience ran out, and his voice rose involuntarily. “Can’t you be a little more understanding?”

His words stung Lin Rufei, who immediately grew angry. “Qin Xiaozhe, you don’t love me at all!”

With that, she hung up the phone in a huff.

Listening to the abrupt end of the call, Qin Xiaozhe sighed and closed his eyes helplessly.

He was already troubled, and Lin Rufei’s tantrum only added to his inner chaos.

Back when Nanxi was around, she never caused him such distress. She would work with Qi Zhengchu to ensure everything was properly arranged for his grandfather’s health. Even if he didn’t have time to attend to his grandfather, she never complained or blamed him. Instead, she understood his burdens and helped share his filial duties.

Thinking of this, Qin Xiaozhe suddenly felt a headache coming on. Given Lin Rufei’s spoiled nature, it would likely be too much to expect patience from her in the future.

Suppressing his frustration, he headed to the hospital room. As he reached the door, he forced a smile and walked in to visit his grandfather.

On the other end of the line, Lin Rufei threw her phone aside, crying and cursing.

Her mother walked over with a smile and patted her hand. “What’s wrong, my dear? Who made you so angry?”

Lin Rufei fumed, “It’s Qin Xiaozhe! He hasn’t contacted me for so long. I called him saying my stomach hurt and asked him to take me to the hospital, but he tried to send an assistant to deal with me. He said his grandfather was sick and he didn’t have time. He just doesn’t love me!”

Hearing this, her mother smiled and tried to console her. “My dear, why are you so upset? Old Master Qin is sick, and Qin Xiaozhe must be feeling terrible. If you throw a tantrum now, how can he possibly be happy?”

“But I’m pregnant with his child. Shouldn’t he come to see me?”

Mother Lin shook her head. “My dear, a woman’s coquettishness and tantrums can be charming, but if overdone or mistimed, they only annoy a man.”

Lin Rufei refused to listen. “But Qin Xiaozhe loves me so much, how could that be?”

“You’re still young. Remember my words: never overestimate a man’s feelings. No matter how much he loves you, there will be times when he grows weary. So you must learn to handle him wisely. Right now, he’s troubled. Don’t add to his worries. Instead, you should be by his side, comforting him, understanding him. That’s how you’ll keep his love.”

Though reluctant, Lin Rufei heeded her mother’s advice and went to the hospital.

She had expected Qin Xiaozhe to be delighted and shower her with affection upon her arrival. To her surprise, from the moment she informed him of her presence at the hospital, he barely spoke, merely stating that he was busy and she should see the doctor herself.

Unaccustomed to such treatment, Lin Rufei stormed into the ward and confronted Qin Xiaozhe.

He was by the old man’s bedside, peeling an apple. As Lin Rufei entered, the smile on the old man’s face vanished instantly.

Qin Xiaozhe hadn’t anticipated her visit. Knowing his grandfather disliked her, he immediately pulled her away.

Before he could speak, Lin Rufei addressed the old man, “Grandpa, I heard you were unwell, so I came specifically to see you. I even brought a gift. You’ll be thrilled when you find out what it is.”

As she spoke, she pulled a medical report from her bag.

The moment Qin Xiaozhe saw it, his face turned pale. He snatched the report, stuffed it back into her bag, and hissed angrily, “What are you trying to do?”

“I’m telling Grandpa the wonderful news that he’s going to have a great-grandchild! Hearing this will surely help him recover.”

Furious, Qin Xiaozhe snapped, “Get out.”

Tears welled in Lin Rufei’s eyes, but seeing the anger on his face, she left in distress.

Qin Xiaozhe led her to the corridor and raised his voice. “Grandpa isn’t feeling well. Why did you come here?”

“You weren’t with me, so I came to find you.”

Qin Xiaozhe felt a headache coming on. His grandfather was in poor health and couldn’t handle stress, yet Lin Rufei had shown up uninvited. If it were Nanxi, she would never have done this. She always prioritized his grandfather’s well-being. In all these years, she had never caused him worry over his grandfather’s health. Now, after just a month apart, things had fallen apart.

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair and glared at Lin Rufei. His voice rose with anger. “You know perfectly well that Grandpa doesn’t like you. Did you even consider his condition before doing this?”

“I didn’t mean any harm! I was just trying to be kind. Why are you so angry? Besides, I have a stomachache, and you didn’t even care. I had no choice but to come here.” Lin Rufei retorted, equally upset.

“I’ll have someone take you home. Don’t come back.” Too exasperated to say more, Qin Xiaozhe called Luo Rongfei and asked him to escort Lin Rufei home.

When he returned to the ward, the old man looked at him and asked, “What’s going on between you and that woman?”

The words stuck in Qin Xiaozhe’s throat. He couldn’t bring himself to tell his grandfather that he intended to marry Lin Rufei because she was carrying his child.

Fearing his grandfather would worry, he evaded the question. “Grandpa, I’ll handle it.”

“Stay away from that woman, I’m telling you! Nanxi is such a wonderful granddaughter-in-law. If you dare do anything to hurt her, I won’t acknowledge you as my grandson anymore!”