Volume One, Chapter Four: She Bore a Child with Another Man

After Huo Mingtin left, Ye Sheng finally had a chance to properly look at her child.

Huo Cong was still as fair and beautiful as ever. His face resembled hers, but his features took after his father. At six years old, he had grown even more. Over the past three years, though she had been far away overseas, she had kept a close eye on the progression of Huo Cong’s illness, with medical reports piling up thickly in her drawer.

When Huo Cong was nearly three, he had been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. The illness was detected early, during the chronic phase, and at first, he hadn’t needed a bone marrow transplant. She had tried to treat him with targeted molecular therapy to inhibit the proliferation of chronic myeloid cells.

Two years ago, in the first year after her divorce from Huo Mingtin, Huo Cong’s condition worsened. She returned to the country and personally performed the bone marrow transplant for him.

Of course, all of this had been kept secret from the Huo family.

Even though, in her son’s eyes, she was neither a mother worthy of love nor respect; even though, in her previous life, both Huo Cong and Huo Mingtin had abandoned her—he was, after all, her own flesh and blood.

She had brought him into this world, and she bore responsibility for him.

“Director Ye, we’ve run out of imatinib and nilotinib. The rain’s stopped the planes from delivering. The pharmacy is urgently contacting nearby hospitals for supplies,” a voice reported.

Ye Sheng acknowledged this, glanced at her son, then after a moment’s thought, pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

The mountain signal was weak, so Ye Sheng moved to the window, just in time to overhear Huo Mingtin’s voice outside as he made a call. “Yes, I’m at the Haici Hospital medical team now. Don’t worry. Go to bed early. Goodnight, baby.”

He’d called her “baby”—a pet name reserved for Qin Minshu. Even back when they were students in love, Huo Mingtin had always called her that.

It seemed that, these past three years, their relationship had truly been full of affection and intimacy.

While Ye Sheng was lost in thought, a voice came through the receiver, jolting her back to herself. She hurriedly picked up, “Hello?”

Just as Huo Mingtin finished his call, he heard Ye Sheng’s voice nearby and stiffened.

He listened closely—it sounded like a man’s voice on the other end.

Ye Sheng was pleading softly, “Can’t you think of something? This is a matter of life and death—I’m begging you, brother.”

Brother?

Huo Mingtin’s eyebrows shot up. Who was she calling brother?

Since when did Ye Sheng have a brother? Or was it just a term of endearment?

The person on the other end hung up, but soon after sent a message.

It was the address of a research institute, along with a contact. A postscript read: “Huo Lintong is also in Meishan. Go and ask him.”

Ye Sheng’s eyes lit up at the sight. Professor Huo was here too!

“Watch the IV. I need to step out,” she said, removing her mask, taking off her white coat, slipping on an overcoat, and grabbing her bag before leaving the clinic.

Huo Mingtin was still standing under the canopy outside. When Ye Sheng emerged, he was caught off guard again.

He’d already been surprised to see her in a white coat. He hadn’t expected that, after their divorce, Ye Sheng would study for a doctorate in medicine abroad, and even be admitted to the Einstein Medical School in the States.

Qin Minshu had tried for years to get a promotion, even applied for advanced training at Einstein Medical, but never succeeded.

He knew how hard it was to get into that school—let alone Haici Hospital, which was notoriously competitive. Yet Ye Sheng, so young, had returned as an attending physician.

How had she managed it?

Could it be the man she’d just called for help?

The thought left Huo Mingtin unsettled, and his words came out harsh and stiff. “Where are you going?”

Ye Sheng merely glanced at him coolly and ignored him.

She took a step forward, only for the man to grasp her wrist. “I asked you a question.”

Ye Sheng shook off his hand, her gaze turning cold and sharp. “Are you trying to start trouble with a doctor?”

“I…” Huo Mingtin seemed to remember her current status and softened his tone a bit. “I just want to know where you’re going. Cong’er is still inside. Are you going to leave your child behind again?”

Accusations, as always, came with every word.

In this man’s eyes, nothing she did was ever right—she could never do any good.

“I’m going to get medicine for your son,” Ye Sheng replied icily. “Or would you rather go?”

“I…” Huo Mingtin stammered.

“But you’d be useless, so it has to be me.” Ye Sheng retorted coldly.

Huo Mingtin frowned. What did she mean by “your son”—wasn’t Cong’er her child too?

“I’ll drive you,” he said, asking the driver for the keys.

Ye Sheng ignored him, pulled out her own car keys, and unlocked her vehicle. Huo Mingtin and the others looked over to see her get into a black G-Wagon.

She wore a black trench coat, her hair tied in a low ponytail. Days of work had left her pale, but her delicate, makeup-free face was strikingly beautiful. Her fair hands gripped the steering wheel with a kind of effortless poise.

The assistant and driver exchanged impressed glances, while Huo Mingtin narrowed his eyes: She’s even driving a G-Wagon now. Was that “brother” the one who gave her the car?

Huo Cong was still asleep, attended by the medical staff, so Huo Mingtin wasn’t particularly worried. What did trouble him was Ye Sheng driving up a mountain road in the rain. Not at ease, he set off himself to follow her.

What he hadn’t expected was how wildly Ye Sheng drove!

Anyone watching would have thought she was a racecar driver. Several times, Huo Mingtin almost lost her, pounding the steering wheel in frustration, his face growing darker by the minute.

Was this woman trying to spite him, throwing caution to the wind just to get back at him? How dare she drive so fast!

All he wanted was to catch up to her and give her a piece of his mind. He followed her all the way to a research institute. From a distance, he saw Ye Sheng standing at the entrance, umbrella in hand, leaning down to amuse a child.

Beside her stood a man. The three of them looked for all the world like a happy family.

Huo Mingtin slammed the brakes, his pupils contracting in shock.

She’d had a child with another man!