Because her mother hadn’t been discharged yet and there was no one else at the studio, by the time Yu Tian realized it, Yan Ming’s car had already driven into the residential complex where his house was located.

Yu Tian couldn’t help but protest: “I want to go back to stay at my studio!”

Yan Ming almost immediately apologized: “Sorry, I’m too familiar with the route home, so I didn’t react and subconsciously drove back here.”

Although his apology seemed very sincere, Yu Tian felt there wasn’t much genuine remorse in it. He didn’t look at all embarrassed or ashamed as someone who had done something wrong should be. Instead, he appeared quite righteous, his apology completely insincere, even making Yu Tian suspect it was intentional.

But Yan Ming’s house was indeed quite a distance from the studio, and at this moment, the originally fine drizzle had turned into a thunderstorm, accompanied by a completely pitch-black night sky. All sounds of human industry disappeared into the massive raindrops, leaving only the sound of torrential rain beating against the car windows, creating an almost apocalyptic atmosphere.

Yu Tian and Yan Ming were like the last two human survivors in this downpour, trapped in a closed, cramped space, dependent on each other for survival.

“In such terrible weather, so late at night, you wouldn’t want me to drive you back to the studio, would you?”

Yan Ming had obviously gotten a good grasp of Yu Tian’s psychology. Faced with such a question, Yu Tian indeed couldn’t nod and say yes.

She had no choice but to reluctantly but obediently follow Yan Ming back to the guest room in his house.

That kiss earlier had thrown everything into chaos.

Yu Tian had become unlike herself, her heartbeat sometimes fast, sometimes slow—much calmer when away from Yan Ming, but becoming unable to control herself whenever Yan Ming approached her.

Yan Ming didn’t look much better than Yu Tian, but he still insisted on very naturally heating milk for Yu Tian, unnaturally said good night, then returned to his room.

Rain continued falling outside, the pitch-black night sky occasionally split by lightning. The guest room Yu Tian had stayed in maintained the state from when she left, except for a bouquet of sunflowers added to the table, their orange petals appearing warm in the night.

Yu Tian kept burrowing into the bedding, then emerging again, until her hair was completely disheveled, yet she still had no sleepiness.

Thinking over and over, there was always Yan Ming.

Damned, hateful Yan Ming.

Yu Tian wouldn’t admit defeat, but she also didn’t want to show weakness. She decided she couldn’t be the only one unable to sleep.

After Yan Ming kissed her earlier, Yu Tian had originally intended to question him, but his phone rang at an inopportune moment—something from the hospital. After he finished the call, the topic naturally diverged, and Yu Tian and Yan Ming had already walked to their parked car.

The topic naturally diverged, and Yu Tian didn’t want to appear aggressive or overly concerned about this matter.

But now, tossing and turning, Yu Tian still felt she couldn’t get past this hurdle in her heart.

How could she not care?

But she also couldn’t be the only one struggling here.

She got dressed, simply ran her fingers through her hair, then marched boldly and spiritedly to Yan Ming’s room. Relying on her still-uncooled impulse and solitary courage, she knocked on Yan Ming’s door.

Compared to her tossing and turning, Yan Ming was indeed much more composed. This guy had already turned off the lights and was sleeping soundly.

Yu Tian turned on the floor lamp, and only then did he groggily sit up and look toward the door.

“Yu Tian?”

Yu Tian didn’t give Yan Ming a chance to resist or react. She climbed directly onto Yan Ming’s bed, then cupped his face and kissed him.

Yan Ming’s first reaction was bewilderment, but soon, he responded to Yu Tian’s kiss.

Compared to this kiss, everything before was just playing house-level pecking.

This was the first deep kiss between them.

Yu Tian didn’t know how it had become like this. She had harbored the thought of not losing to Yan Ming, but when they started kissing, she was the one who wanted to escape.

Outside the window was still the sound of rain could mask all other sounds. Inside the room under dim yellow lighting, the walls showed the black, blurred silhouettes of two people embracing and kissing passionately.

Yu Tian could feel Yan Ming’s involvement.

Although she had been the one to take the initiative, Yan Ming ultimately turned the tables, cupping Yu Tian’s face.

Yu Tian could hear his labored, controlled breathing, carrying deliberately suppressed sensuality and some out-of-control hormones.

The thin blanket that had originally covered Yan Ming had long since slipped off. He wore only thin silk pajamas.

This type of clothing was very comfortable to wear close to the body, but besides being expensive, it also had some other drawbacks.

Because the material was too light and silky, it made body curves and certain changes impossible to hide.

Yan Ming had reacted.

The man who was always coldly proper now had slightly reddened eyes, carrying indescribable sensuality and loss of control, his gaze containing heat and desire.

In this pleasing and ambiguous atmosphere, Yu Tian adjusted her breathing rhythm, calmly pushed Yan Ming away, and climbed down from his bed.

“Just a good night kiss.”

Yu Tian’s gaze swept over the outline bulging under Yan Ming’s silk pajamas: “It’s been stuffy lately. If you’re feeling hot-tempered, drink more water, sleep early, and wake early. You still have to work tomorrow.”

After saying this, she smiled sweetly at Yan Ming, then leaned down close to his ear and said in a coquettish voice: “So good night, Brother Yan Ming.”

Under Yan Ming’s surprised and somewhat gritted-teeth, hard-enduring gaze, Yu Tian fled like a rabbit.

After returning to the guest room, Yu Tian’s heart was still pounding. She indeed felt like a rabbit that had narrowly escaped from a hunter’s hands, feeling fortunate yet somewhat smugly elated.

She had been disturbed by Yan Ming and couldn’t sleep—why should Yan Ming be able to sleep peacefully?

He must also be unable to sleep!

Whether Yan Ming ultimately slept well that night, Yu Tian didn’t know, but she herself still didn’t sleep well.

When she woke up the next day, Yan Ming had indeed already left for the hospital, but this man had even found time to prepare breakfast for Yu Tian.

Yu Tian’s mood improved somewhat. After eating breakfast, she headed to the First Affiliated Hospital. Today she had to pick up her mother from the hospital.

However, Yu Tian’s good mood didn’t last long. While queuing to handle Song Chunxiang’s discharge procedures, she heard a commotion coming from not far away.

The elderly lady in front of Yu Tian clicked her tongue twice, shook her head, and discussed with her husband: “Nowadays, some young male doctors are no good. Just got married and had kids, then took advantage of their wife’s pregnancy to find mistresses. The girl even made a scene at the hospital.”

“Isn’t that right? This girl is quite young, too. She’s been distributing flyers at the hospital since morning, talking about that heartless man’s affairs. Poor thing. Look, I still have this flyer. This mistress is quite pretty…”

“Eh? How does she look quite similar to the girl behind you?”

The elderly couple’s gazes swept toward Yu Tian as they whispered quietly: “Really exactly the same.”

Yu Tian had no interest in this kind of gossip and was too lazy to correct the elderly couple’s stares. She finished the discharge procedures, put Song Chunxiang in a taxi, and was just about to go back to find Qi Sihao about some medical education video materials when she had just re-entered the hospital’s outpatient hall and was grabbed by a young girl.

“Xinxin! Is it her? I found that bitch!”

Before Yu Tian could react, the girl who grabbed her quickly called over several helpers. Several young women surrounded Yu Tian.

Yu Tian was somewhat bewildered: “Are you mistaken me for someone else?”

The leading young girl was vicious, her face full of contempt and disdain: “You’re Yu Tian, right? I just heard an old auntie say she seemed to see you at the hospital, too. Didn’t expect you’d be here.”

“Fucking shameless, actually daring to pester him at the hospital. Don’t you feel ashamed being a mistress?”

The current situation caught Yu Tian completely off guard.

What on earth was happening?

They were naming names specifically—it didn’t seem like a case of mistaken identity.

But when had she become a mistress?

Yu Tian stared blankly for a moment, a bad premonition rising in her heart—

Could it be… could it be that Yan Ming had a legitimate girlfriend or even wife?!

In just this moment of daze, Yu Tian’s reaction was interpreted by these girls as a guilty conscience.

“Xinxin! Come quickly! Confront this bitch face to face and tear her mouth apart!”

The hospital hall was always bustling with people coming and going, with huge foot traffic. Now, because of this episode, more and more people were looking over. Yu Tian was having trouble defending herself, and her heart was full of doubts when someone pushed through the crowd, bringing a familiar face.

Zhao Xinxin.

Zheng Tingfu’s girlfriend.

Her face still carried the same arrogance and domineering attitude as always, but her expression was quite ugly and haggard. Although she wore a brand-name dress, it was a loose style, and her slightly protruding belly was still very obvious.

At this moment, she held a pile of flyers in her hands, obviously having been distributing them earlier.

Probably not expecting to see Yu Tian here, after her initial shock, the hatred in her eyes became even more intense.

“You shameless bitch, Tingfu broke up with you and dumped you long ago. Tingfu and I are the ones who are right for each other. We were originally very loving together, I’m already pregnant, and Tingfu and I are engaged, planning to get married and register next month. But then you initiated seduction in the middle of the night, luring my man to go to hotels with you, interfering with my family, causing me to have pregnancy complications and nearly miscarry!”

This was completely absurd!

Yu Tian finally understood who the parties involved in this incident were.

She didn’t care about Zheng Tingfu’s fate, only relieved it wasn’t Yan Ming.

But before Yu Tian could breathe a sigh of relief, Zhao Xinxin went crazy.

Zhao Xinxin’s eyes already carried some obsessive abnormality. Seeing Yu Tian, she became even more hysterical. She grabbed Yu Tian and shouted to the surroundings: “Everyone, help me judge! This woman is the mistress who destroyed my family, constantly flirting and looking for my husband, even seducing my husband, causing him to cheat during my pregnancy. I’m a pregnant woman, with a big belly, enduring morning sickness, but someone took advantage of my vulnerability.”

While excitedly accusing, she began wailing: “The hospital leadership must step forward to help me, have a good talk with our Zheng Tingfu, make him return to the family and be responsible for me and the child…”

Yu Tian never expected that her supposed “mistress” behavior would interfere” between Zhao Xinxin and Zheng Tingfu.

This was completely ridiculous—she wouldn’t want Zheng Tingfu even if he paid her!

Yu Tian couldn’t bear it anymore: “Zheng Tingfu and I haven’t even been in contact. How could I seduce him?”

More and more onlookers gathered, many pointing at Yu Tian. Helplessly, Yu Tian could only take out her phone and show her chat interface with Zheng Tingfu, trying to prove her innocence: “Look for yourself.”

Unfortunately, Zhao Xinxin didn’t believe it at all: “Stop pretending. Chat records can be deleted. You deleted everything clean. I’ve already printed out your late-night flirting and hookup chat records! Last night at eleven-thirty, you still asked my husband out to a hotel!”

While speaking, Zhao Xinxin threw the printed flyers in her hand at Yu Tian’s face.

Yu Tian held back her anger and took the flyer to look at. She discovered the entire flyer was densely packed with screenshots of chat records, with Zhao Xinxin’s brief, accusatory text accompanying each screenshot. At the end of the accusations, Zhao Xinxin had also attached Yu Tian’s photo. However, throughout the entire article, she tried to downplay Zheng Tingfu’s role, making him seem like an honest scholar seduced by a vixen.

The fault wasn’t his—it was all the bad vixen who seduced him.

Yet clearly in those chat record screenshots, facing explicit flirtation from the other party, Zheng Tingfu had given equally explicit responses.

This was a story of a fly and a rotten egg hitting it off.

Yu Tian, an inexplicable bystander, didn’t know why she had to be dragged into this stinking “love story.”

“This isn’t my WeChat. This person isn’t me at all. Stop slandering me for no reason.” Yu Tian tried to calm down and convince Zhao Xinxin to be calm too. “You being cheated on during pregnancy is indeed pitiful, but which eye saw this person say they were Yu Tian? Look for yourself—my WeChat account and this person’s are completely different!”

“You think I’m stupid?! You naturally use your main account for daily WeChat, but you applied for a side account to seduce my husband. Your main account has no chat records with my husband, which doesn’t prove that your side account is clean! Using a side account is precisely to prevent me from discovering and catching you, isn’t it?”

Zhao Xinxin glared at Yu Tian, her eyes bloodshot: “Look for yourself—this side account ID is ‘Fish Swimming in Water,’ and Tingfu usually calls her Xiao Yu. If it’s not you, who is it? Your friends all call you Xiao Yu! Among people around Tingfu, only you have the surname Yu and are still shamelessly persistent toward him!”

Yu Tian finally understood clearly.

Zhao Xinxin had always been hostile toward Yu Tian, treating her as an imaginary enemy. Therefore, a flirtatious side account’s “Xiao Yu” became ironclad evidence. After all, if you want to condemn someone, you can always find an excuse. Yu Tian’s appearance did look quite like a vixen.

“So pretty, but why be a mistress…”

“Sigh, that pregnant girl is pitiful.”

“It’s like this nowadays. Male doctors are in high demand. There are plenty of these morally corrupt little girls desperately throwing themselves at them. Shameless. Don’t know how their parents raised them.”

Human nature everywhere is the same—loving to watch drama unfold. Sometimes groups don’t care about truth, only focusing on the emotions generated by the event itself.

Zhao Xinxin was a pitiable, vulnerable pregnant woman who had been cheated on. Natural sympathy for the weak made the onlooking crowd emotionally side with Zhao Xinxin and criticize Yu Tian.

Zhao Xinxin, holding her slightly protruding belly, lost emotional control, crying and wailing. With several sisters in her support group holding Yu Tian tightly like a public shaming, they practically wanted to hang a “lowly mistress” sign on Yu Tian to make her infamous forever.

People on the scene had already taken out their phones to start recording videos.

Yu Tian had seen those videos of mistress-beating before, but never thought she would fall to this day, trapped by false accusations.

She tried to explain, but Zhao Xinxin could always coldly smile and ignore her.

No matter how calm and clear-conscienced she was at first, now facing group emotional escalation and Zhao Xinxin’s loss of control, Yu Tian also became frightened.

She felt a helpless sensation of being unable to prove her innocence, even if she cut open her stomach. She didn’t know how to prove her innocence. Zhao Xinxin spoke with such certainty, even publicly exposing Yu Tian’s scars—

“Look at her hand—that hand is injured. She’s disabled. It’s her problem, but she used that hand to appear weak and gain my husband’s sympathy. If she weren’t disabled and my husband didn’t pity her, would he pay attention to her? But she shamelessly took advantage and climbed up! While I was pregnant, she constantly flirted with my husband, causing him to make mistakes and get involved with her. She led him astray!”

“She finally managed to latch onto my husband, such a young, promising doctor with a permanent position and future. How could she possibly let go easily? After all, with her disabled condition and humble background—I heard her father died early and she’s from a single-parent family—with such conditions, could she find a better man than my husband?”

Whether it was hormonal imbalance from pregnancy or anger from betrayal that distorted Zhao Xinxin’s face, she was like a fighting cock, abnormally agitated, desperately attacking and insulting Yu Tian while completely ignoring the other invisible man in this affair, as if this entire affair was a one-woman show performed solely by the female party.

Normal people can never reason with crazy people.

Yu Tian wanted to break free, but Zhao Xinxin’s girlfriends, relying on their numbers, held Yu Tian tightly. One even deliberately pushed aside Yu Tian’s hair, trying to use her phone camera to frantically film Yu Tian’s face, then her hand.

They attempted to film Yu Tian’s injured hand, trying to humiliate her.

In this undeserved disaster, Yu Tian went from initially hoping to communicate to now feeling isolated and desperate. She seemed trapped in a quagmire. The shore was full of people, yet no one was willing to extend a helping hand. They even wore various masks, as if watching a sacrifice that used her as an offering.

Slander and insults could still be endured, but attempting to spread and broadcast Yu Tian’s appearance, and even more excessively, exposing the wound and disability on her hand, made Yu Tian tremble with anger.

It was tantamount to trampling her dignity to death on the ground.

Zhao Xinxin felt it wasn’t enough. After her girlfriends held Yu Tian tightly, she assumed the posture of the legitimate wife and victor, raising her hand toward Yu Tian—

“I’m going to give you several big slaps today, you bitch!”

Yu Tian’s heart was filled with anger, confusion, and helplessness.

She didn’t know what she had done wrong.

Why was it she who encountered Zheng Tingfu? Why was it her bad luck to encounter medical trouble? Why was it her hand that got injured? Why, even now, was it still she who got implicated and had to bear the blame for Zheng Tingfu’s affair scandal?

The negative emotions she had deliberately avoided remembering came sweeping over her like a tsunami.

Those resentments, indignation, anger, and the current humiliation and helplessness overwhelmed Yu Tian like an avalanche.

Yu Tian’s courage and strength functioned perfectly in orderly environments, but she hadn’t expected to encounter these things.

She discovered that faced with group violence, she couldn’t even protect herself.

Once labeled with romantic disputes and mistress-beating, no one was even willing to step forward to stop this one-sided humiliation and abuse.

Unable to break free, Yu Tian could only accept her fate. She almost closed her eyes, waiting for Zhao Xinxin’s hand to fall, praying for her soul to leave her body so she could become numb to cope with this endless torment and protect her precarious self-respect.

“Stay away from her!”

But the expected pain didn’t come. At the critical moment, a low, cold, hard voice filled with anger cut through this accident, stopping Zhao Xinxin’s violence.

Yu Tian opened her eyes and saw Yan Ming’s furiously stern face.

He was twisting Zhao Xinxin’s hand, showing no consideration for this pregnant woman whatsoever, completely unmoved by Zhao Xinxin’s cries of pain and pleas for mercy. He simply threw her off with such force that Zhao Xinxin staggered backward several steps.

Then he walked toward Yu Tian with a dark expression, looking at Zhao Xinxin’s girlfriends who were holding Yu Tian: “Will you leave on your own, or shall I help you leave?”

Yan Ming was tall and imposing when he turned cold. The so-called girlfriends who followed Zhao Xinxin were all the type who bullied the weak and feared the strong, acting like lackeys. Seeing Yan Ming now, they instinctively released their hold on Yu Tian.

Almost the next moment, Yu Tian was pulled by Yan Ming’s hand and brought tightly back to his side.

Yan Ming was always gentle and calm. Yu Tian hated his ocean-like composure and stability. She was angry that he would never lose emotional control for others, like a forever unmoved, high-and-mighty deity.

However, at this moment, Yan Ming’s face showed barely concealed fury and near-loss-of-control ruthlessness.

He looked at Zhao Xinxin’s group: “If any of you dare touch her again.”

While speaking, Yan Ming took off his white coat and put it over Yu Tian’s head, covering her face, creating a safe environment for her, shielding her from the harassment of phone cameras from all directions.

Yu Tian’s vision was obstructed; everything in her sight became pure white, her sense of smell seemed muffled, leaving only the disinfectant smell on Yan Ming’s clothes. Yet she had never felt more at peace than in this moment.

Then she was tightly embraced.

In Yan Ming’s arms.