Even villains could be a force for good

I knew this little bastard was an ungrateful brat who'd never be loyal!

Cheng An flushed scarlet with rage. He shoved the secretary aside and stormed toward Cheng Yang.

Suddenly deprived of support, the secretary stumbled half a step. Unsteady in her high heels, she fell hard, striking her lower back against a step.

Her shoulders hunched as she sucked in a sharp breath of pain. "Hiss—"

It hurt so much...

The secretary sat in a miserable heap on the floor, feeling a piercing pain shoot up her spine straight into her head.

The sharp pain rapidly spread from her lower back. Her red lips parted slightly, but she barely dared to breathe, her fists clenched tight.

She had intended to wait for the pain to pass, but it only grew worse, until even her vision began to blur.

Her pretty face had drained of all color, sweat beaded on her forehead, and both hands clutched her stomach.

Knowing the secretary was pregnant, Ning Shile hurried over, afraid something might happen to her. He crouched down and asked gently, "Are you all right?"

The secretary was in too much pain to form a complete sentence. Trembling all over, she hunched her back and kept sucking in sharp breaths. "My... stomach. It hurts so much..."

That had been a hard fall. An ordinary person might have been fine, but how could a pregnant woman withstand it?

Seeing her distress, Ning Shile grew anxious. "I'll get a doctor."

"No! Don't..." The secretary hurriedly stopped Ning Shile.

If an ambulance came, wouldn't all the reporters outside know something had happened? She absolutely couldn't let this blow up because of her, or Cheng An would kill her!

Naturally, Ning Shile had no idea that was what worried her. He simply figured he should respect her wishes. "Then let me help you up first." He reached out to support her.

The secretary had no strength left at all. Even with Ning Shile's help, she couldn't stand.

"I'll carry you." Ning Shile took off his jacket and draped it over her legs to keep her covered.

But the moment he laid it over her, a red stain seeped into the white suit jacket.

?

Puzzled, he tilted his head to look.

There was a patch of red on the floor too. It looked like blood.

Looking more closely, he realized the blood was flowing from between the secretary's legs!

!

A... a miscarriage??

Hearing the commotion, Zheng Father and Zheng Mother also stepped closer. They saw a large red stain spreading across the secretary's skirt before their eyes.

"I'll call a doctor!" Ning Shile said, reaching for his phone.

"No...!" The secretary tried to stop Ning Shile, but she was in too much pain to speak properly. Hunched over with her teeth clenched, she couldn't help growing angry. "Can you stop meddling? Can't you just... just get lost?"

Out of basic human decency, Ning Shile let that remark slide. Still deeply confused, he asked again, "You're bleeding. Something might be wrong. Are you sure you don't want a doctor?"

The secretary's expression grew even worse.

B-bleeding?

She reached down to touch herself and felt wetness all over her hand.

She was two months pregnant. The fetus had yet to fully form, and this was the most dangerous stage.

With this much blood, there was no way she could keep the baby.

The secretary couldn't describe how she felt. She wasn't sad about the possibility of a miscarriage; she even felt a little secretly pleased.

She hadn't liked Cheng An in the first place. He was an old man, and she would never have slept with him if he hadn't been rich. Now, after what Cheng Yang had done, the Cheng Family was surely finished.

The Cheng Family could no longer fulfill her dream of marrying into wealth. In that case, she didn't want anyone to know she was pregnant with Cheng An's child.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as she wished.

Ning Shile caught Cheng Yang's attention. Seeing what looked like an argument between Ning Shile and the secretary, he walked over. "What's wrong?"

Ning Shile said nothing, simply looking at the secretary.

Cheng Yang followed his gaze. The secretary on the floor was deathly pale, her hair at her temples soaked with sweat. She looked as though she'd just been pulled out of the water.

She clutched her stomach, the bright red blood between her legs soaking through the white suit jacket draped over them. Her exposed calves trembled uncontrollably.

The sight was horrifying.

Cheng Yang drew a deep breath and barked, "What are you standing around for? Call a doctor!"

Cheng Yang's voice was loud enough to draw Cheng An's attention too.

The instant Cheng An's gaze landed on the secretary, his expression changed.

Cheng An immediately ran over, shoved Ning Shile and Cheng Yang aside, and knelt on one knee to help the secretary up. "You... what's happened to you?"

Ning Shile staggered from the shove, but Zheng Ye caught him from behind.

Realizing she couldn't hide it, the secretary could only confess. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" After his initial shock, Cheng An frowned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The secretary lowered her head, unsure how to answer. Thinking quickly, she said, "I-I wanted to tell you after the opening ceremony. I thought having two happy occasions at once would make you happy..."

That emotional intelligence—damn!

Her explanation was flawless, instantly soothing Cheng An's fury.

But seeing Cheng An more agitated than he was left Cheng Yang rather confused.

A thought occurred to him, but it seemed too sordid. After a moment's hesitation, he couldn't resist asking, "Isn't this baby mine?"

Has the cuckold finally woken up?

Ning Shile went on alert.

"What?" Cheng An turned and glared at Cheng Yang. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Cheng Yang frowned. Seeing Cheng An's reaction, he immediately understood.

So... she was carrying the father's kid and using it to trick the son?

Then... had he been cheated on, or made into the other man?

Either way, Cheng Yang wasn't upset. If anything, he felt relieved. He didn't like women. He was only with the secretary because three months ago, after a drunken night, he'd discovered her lying beside him. Believing he ought to take responsibility for her, he'd chosen to date her.

Cheng Yang met Cheng An's gaze openly and smiled. "Nonsense? Why don't you ask the woman in your arms?"

Cheng An's heart lurched at those words.

He knew Cheng Yang well enough. The boy took relationships very seriously and would never joke about something like this.

So this child wasn't his?

Cheng An was deeply suspicious by nature, and he liked innocent, pure women. The only reason he'd agreed to make the secretary his mistress was that she'd claimed to come from a traditional family.

But would a girl from a traditional family seduce both father and son?

Cheng An's expression abruptly turned icy. He looked back at the secretary with a vicious stare and commanded quietly, "Tell me yourself."

The secretary's eyes reddened with fear, and she hurried to declare her loyalty. "It really is your baby, darling—Mr. Cheng! Nothing happened between Cheng Yang and me!"

The secretary explained, "He was drunk that day and thought he'd slept with me!"

"Mr. Cheng, you have to believe me." The secretary clutched Cheng An's arm, her voice turning tearful as she spoke. Crystal-clear tears clung to her lashes, poised to fall. She lifted her chin slightly and bit her red lip in aggrieved distress, looking pitiful enough to melt anyone's heart.

But Cheng An no longer believed her. That bitch wanted him to raise someone else's son? She could go to hell!

Cheng An flung the secretary off. Refusing to give up, she tearfully reached for him again, but he stepped away as though avoiding something filthy.

The secretary missed him and fell heavily to the floor, unable to stop herself from sobbing aloud.

Meanwhile, Cheng An's hatred for Cheng Yang only deepened. He'd ruined his career and slept with his woman. This lunatic had no regard for family at all!

Countless reporters were present, and there were even streamers broadcasting live.

The footage from just now must already have spread across the internet!

Cheng An had worked hard for half his life and finally established himself in the Imperial Capital, only for this little bastard Cheng Yang to destroy it all in an instant!

His face crimson with rage, Cheng An could no longer maintain his usual refined demeanor in front of others. He lunged forward, grabbed Cheng Yang, and smashed a fist into his face!

!

The guests were stunned.

Had Cheng An gone insane? He was actually hitting someone in public?

Cheng An really had gone insane. Today, he was going to beat this heartless bastard to death!

Another punch slammed straight into Cheng Yang's face!

Thud—!

Bone and flesh collided with a dull impact.

Cheng Yang didn't even try to dodge. The blow sent him staggering half a step, and he only just steadied himself by grabbing the speaker.

Cheng Yang stood with his head lowered, strands of hair falling before his eyes. No emotion could be read on his gloomy face.

However much Ning Shile disliked Cheng Yang, he couldn't stand by and do nothing. He was about to step forward to intervene when Zheng Ye swiftly caught him by the collar. "Where are you going?"

"To break up the fight!" Ning Shile answered earnestly.

"I called the police." Zheng Ye pulled him back. "Stay put."

Ning Shile blinked, finding this rather novel.

Huh? Since when did villains meddle in other people's business? He even called the police. Could villains be a force for good too?

Zheng Ye: "..."

I can hear you.