At this moment, Zhao Hu's gaze toward me was no longer one of gratitude but rather of puzzlement.
His instincts told him that my actions must have had an ulterior motive.
"If there's something to discuss, let's talk here. I'm exhausted and just want to go home and sleep."
Hearing this, I thought to myself, This Zhao Hu is still as sharp as ever.
But wasn't this exactly the kind of person I needed?
However, my first question was for Fang Min. I asked, "Was it you who told Zhao Hu that my wife was having an affair with the school's dean?"
Fang Min nodded slightly, admitting it.
I pressed further, "How did you know about this? Did my wife tell you?"
Fang Min shook her head. "Last time, when Lu Wan and I went to get our hair done, we ran into the dean from her school. He kept harassing her—it was unbearable to watch."
My heart sank. I knew this matter wasn't as simple as I had imagined.
"What happened after that?" I asked.
Fang Min replied, "Then Lu Wan sent me away. I figured there was only one explanation—they must have gone to a hotel."
This was a perfect example of how surface-level observations could lead to wrong conclusions.
Fang Min assumed they had gone to a hotel, but my interpretation was that my wife simply didn't want Fang Min to know more.
This also confirmed one thing: Zhao Hu hadn't lied to me. He was someone I could trust.
Fang Min had expected me to react with anger, but seeing how calm I was, she was baffled.
No man could stay this composed upon hearing his wife had cheated—unless, of course, he didn't love her at all.
So now, Fang Min began to doubt the relationship between Lu Wan and me.
Suddenly, she asked, "Jian, I heard you and Lu Wan are getting divorced soon. Is that true?"
I stared at her strangely. "Did Lu Wan tell you that?"
Fang Min shook her head. "Just a guess. She hasn't said anything to me."
I shook my head firmly. "Don't listen to rumors. Lu Wan and I are doing just fine."
With that, Fang Min fell silent.
I then turned my attention to Zhao Hu.
"Zhao Hu, I vouched for that 100,000 yuan. How do you plan to pay it back?"
Faced with my question, he scratched his head, unable to answer.
I said, "Here's the deal. You'll work under me. Our sales department needs another salesman, and you'd be a good fit. Why not join our company?"
Truth be told, Zhao Hu had no formal education, so finding a decent job had always been a struggle for him.
Hearing this, his face lit up. "Bro Jian, you'd really help me out?"
This guy, trying to butter me up, even changed how he addressed me.
I nodded. "Of course. But once you're in the company, you'd better work hard. If your performance isn't up to par, I won't go easy on you."
Zhao Hu nodded eagerly. "Don't worry, Bro Jian. Just hand me the tough jobs—I'll handle them smoothly."
That was exactly what I wanted to hear. The sales department was full of old-timers who were difficult to manage. I needed fresh blood to shake things up and improve business.
I patted his shoulder. "Do well, and I'll take care of you. Now, you can head home."
Just then, a taxi pulled up, and Fang Min waved it down.
Before leaving, Zhao Hu assured me, "Bro Jian, don't worry. I'll definitely report to Xingchang on Monday."
I suddenly remembered something and called out, "Zhao Hu, don't forget to get a medical checkup. HR needs it."
From inside the taxi, his voice replied, "Got it, Bro Jian!"
When I got home, it was already past eleven.
Despite the late hour, I was in a good mood.
Everything was going according to plan—our lives were getting better.
The house was pitch black. I figured my wife must already be asleep.
Since she had trouble sleeping, I decided not to disturb her and just crashed on the sofa.
Besides, with her being pregnant, marital intimacy wasn't an option anyway. It didn't matter where I slept.
As usual, my wife was already up before me the next morning, preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
After a quick wash, I asked, "It's Sunday—no extra classes today. Why are you up so early?"
She replied, "Did you forget? We're scheduled for the abortion today."
I was taken aback. She had made up her mind just like that, without any discussion.
I knew my wife's personality—though she appeared gentle, she was strong-willed deep down.
A pang of displeasure hit me. A suspicion crept in: What if the child isn't mine?
If that were the case, then this abortion meant she still wanted to stay with me. Maybe later, when we had our own child, things would be better.
Fine. If she wants to abort, let her. At least it'll put an end to my doubts.
At nine in the morning, I accompanied my wife to the gynecology department of First People's Hospital.
After registering, while we were waiting, I spotted someone I never expected to see here.
If I weren't so familiar with her, I wouldn't have believed it.
Qin Jingyi.
The elegant, stunning wife of my boss was standing right there—an absolute shock.
Since my boss's wife had been good to me, I couldn't pretend not to see her. Plus, I still needed her help in many ways.
As Zhang Zhiyuan's lawful wife, her words carried weight with him.
My wife noticed me staring and assumed I was being tempted again.
Jealousy was a woman's nature—nothing could change that.
"What, smitten by another beauty?" she asked pointedly.
I frowned. "What nonsense. That's our boss's wife. How could I possibly have thoughts about her?"
My wife studied Qin Jingyi for a long moment before remarking, "Your boss's wife is really beautiful."
Her tone suggested she didn't know Zhang Zhiyuan personally. But then, how did his earlier explanation fit?
A suspicion grew in me—maybe Zhang Zhiyuan had lied, or perhaps my wife was hiding something.
Without solid proof, I couldn't confront either of them. Digging deeper would only cause more harm.
Being a teacher, my wife knew how to be polite. She approached the boss's wife and said, "Madam, I never realized how stunning you are."
The boss's wife smiled. "Likewise, I didn't expect Zhao Jian's wife to be so lovely."
They exchanged compliments, but both ignored the obvious fact—they were in a hospital.
The only reason women came here was for abortions.
I was puzzled. Why was the boss's wife here?
From what I knew, she and the boss had never had children despite spending a fortune on treatments.
No one knew whether the issue lay with him or her, but eventually, they stopped trying.
I figured her youthful beauty was partly due to never having given birth.
But now, here she was—clearly here for an abortion.
That could only mean one thing: The problem is Zhang Zhiyuan's.
Then again, given how many women he'd slept with at the company, it wasn't a matter of impotence.
His sperm must be defective.
No wonder he slept around without worry—his partners couldn't get pregnant anyway.
Thinking back to the boss's wife's nightclub escapades, I suspected the child wasn't Zhang Zhiyuan's. Otherwise, she wouldn't be here.
My wife, unaware of any of this, kept staring at the boss's wife.
"Sister, you're truly gorgeous!"
A woman's praise for another woman was always the most effective tactic.
I knew my wife was trying to build connections for my sake.
Then, the boss's wife suddenly asked, "You two are still young and childless. Why are you here for an abortion?"
My expression darkened, but my wife smiled brightly. "I'm a teacher. The workload is heavy, and financially, it's not the right time. We'd rather wait a couple of years."
That was her excuse, but I knew the truth was far more complicated.
Only Lu Wan knew what she really thought.
The boss's wife looked even more surprised. "But that can't be. Zhao Jian was just promoted to manager—your financial situation should be stable now."
To outsiders, that might seem true, but I knew better.
Our expenses were far from manageable.
My wife didn't explain further and quickly changed the subject.
"Madam, with your beauty, the boss must adore you."
What was meant as flattery clearly stung the boss's wife.
She knew the child wasn't his.
A thought crossed my mind—What if the child is Zhao Hu's? That would be ironic.
The boss's wife merely nodded faintly, staying silent.
Time passed, and soon it was my wife's turn for the procedure. She waved and entered the operating room.
Now, only the boss's wife and I remained in the waiting area.
She turned to me and asked bluntly, "Zhao Jian, tell me the truth—was that child really yours?"
I knew she meant no harm. She was just trying to understand my family situation.
Having worked under Zhang Zhiyuan for three years, I'd interacted with her often. She knew me well.
I studied her beautiful face for a long moment before answering, "Honestly, I don't know. But aborting it was the only choice I had."
She was sharp. She immediately understood the hidden meaning in my words.