Chapter 42: Who on Earth is the Father of the Child?

The family doctor of the old residence had just finished the examination, a flattering yet cautious smile plastered across his face. He bowed to Elder Qiao and Li Jingyan, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, and said:

"Congratulations, Elder Qiao! Congratulations, Young Master Li! Madam is expecting! She is nearly two months along, and the pulse of the fetus is exceptionally strong! The Qiao family is about to welcome a new arrival!"

In an instant, the room fell dead silent, the drop of a pin clearly audible.

The trace of concern and anticipation on Li Jingyan’s face froze instantly, as if he had been doused with a basin of ice water from head to toe, chilling him to the core.

He abruptly whipped his head around to stare at Wen Yan, who was leaning against the bed. His eyes were filled with shock, suspicion, and a raging anger born from being utterly deceived.

Nearly two months? He rapidly calculated the timeline in his mind, his face turning paler and paler—during that period, he had been overwhelmed and exhausted by taking over a new project and had barely touched her! Even if he had, the timing simply did not add up!

This child... absolutely did not belong to him!

His chest heaved violently, and he almost lost control, ready to rush forward, grab Wen Yan by the shoulders, and demand an explanation.

However—

"Good! Good! Splendid!" Elder Qiao’s face was already flushed with excitement, his trembling hands cupped in a bow toward the direction of the ancestral tablets, shaking as he saluted repeatedly. "Heaven has eyes! The ancestors have blessed us! The Qiao family finally has an heir! We have an heir at last!"

He turned around and heavily patted Li Jingyan’s stiff arm, his voice exceptionally loud and resonant with excitement: "Jingyan! Good lad! Well done! You truly are my Qiao family’s eldest grandson!" Completely immersed in overwhelming joy, he failed to notice his son’s extremely unsightly expression.

The more Elder Qiao spoke, the more excited he became, directly making a heavy promise: "When my precious grandson is safely born, grandfather will transfer all the shares in my hands to your couple's names! From now on, you two youngsters can just focus on raising the child in peace and enjoy the good life!"

Standing in the shadows of the corner, Qiao Chenye’s lips curved into an imperceptible, faint, and mocking arc. He lowered his gaze to conceal the turbulent and complex emotions surging within his eyes—excitement, triumph, and a trace of covert jealousy. The old man probably never dreamed that the "precious grandson of the Qiao family" and future "heir" he spoke of was actually flowing with Qiao Chenye’s blood.

(Inside Wen Yan’s mind, the system was flashing warnings frantically: [Warning! Host! Li Jingyan's emotional fluctuation index is extremely high! Suspicion rate at 99%! Risk level extremely high! Once exposed, probability of the basement ending is 90%! Strongly suggest immediately redeeming 'Cognitive Confusion' or 'Emergency Evasion' items!])

Wen Yan’s complexion was slightly pale (resembling the natural physiological reaction of early pregnancy). Her hands beneath the blanket were clenched tightly, but on the surface, she managed to maintain a composed expression of just the right degree, tinged with a hint of shyness and bewilderment.

(She calmly responded to the system in her mind: "Shut up. Don't panic and ruin your own footing.")

Her gaze swept swiftly across Li Jingyan’s distorted and struggling face, a cold sneer forming in her heart. She knew this man far too well—his ambition, his vanity, and his craving for the Qiao family's assets far outweighed everything else. She was betting that he wouldn't dare! He wouldn't dare smash this "happy news" to pieces with his own hands right when Elder Qiao was in the throes of ecstasy, nor would he dare bear the risk of losing his right to inheritance.

True to her expectations, after the extreme shock and anger, Li Jingyan seemed to gather every ounce of strength in his body, forcibly swallowing back the interrogation that was almost at the tip of his tongue. The muscles in his face twitched a few times, and finally, he squeezed out a smile that looked worse than crying. He gave a stiff nod to the doctor, his voice squeezed through his teeth: "...Thank you for your trouble, Doctor. Much obliged."

Those few short words seemed to drain him of all his strength.

Elder Qiao laughed heartily with satisfaction, once again instructing Wen Yan to rest well before letting himself be supported out by a servant, beaming with radiant joy. The family doctor also tactfully bowed and withdrew.

Qiao Chenye was the last to leave. As he passed by the bedside, his gaze crossed paths with Wen Yan’s for a fleeting second. That look was as deep as the ocean, carrying a silent inquiry and an indescribable tension, before he slowly strolled out.

The bedroom door clicked shut softly.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

The fragile facade of peace they had just maintained shattered instantly!

Li Jingyan turned around abruptly, strode to the bedside in a few steps, and grabbed Wen Yan’s wrist with brutal roughness, gripping with a force that felt as though it would crush her bones! His eyes were bloodshot, the veins at his temples bulging. All his reason and pretense collapsed completely at this moment, his lowered voice filled with overwhelming rage and disbelief:

"Wen Yan! Tell me, dammit! What the hell is going on here? Whose bastard is this? How dare you... how dare you cuckold me! And even bring a bastard child to deceive my grandfather!"

"Whose child this is shouldn't matter to you. You should be rejoicing instead—this child can be yours. Don't you want the inheritance? Don't you want to outshine your father?"

"Then what are you panicking about? If you want glory and wealth, keep playing the part. If you want supreme power, you have to claim this child!"

Wen Yan retorted provocatively: "It all depends on whether you want power or face."

Li Jingyan punched the wall in fury, while Wen Yan looked at him with an expression full of playful mockery.

"I will definitely hunt down this bastard and kill him! As for you, you'd better be careful. If I catch that pretty boy, I'll make him wish he were dead!"

Wen Yan said nothing, merely smiling faintly.

"Revenge against Li Jingyan successful. System reward: 2% of welfare points distributed," the system chime sounded once more.

She paused, a hint of threat lacing her tone:

"If you refuse to acknowledge it, Elder Qiao will only think that you cannot tolerate me and the child, and I will most likely be sent away. And what about you? Without even a child to consolidate your position, don't even dream of securing the Qiao family inheritance for the rest of your life. Think carefully about which path to choose."

"How dare you threaten me?" Li Jingyan's expression turned gloomy instantly. He stared fixedly at Wen Yan and dropped a harsh warning:

"Let me tell you, you'd better hide the pretty boy behind you well! If I find out who he is, I'll skin him alive and show him what hell is like!"

Hearing him deliver a serious threat, Wen Yan couldn't help herself, letting out a sharp "bang" of laughter.

Covering her mouth, her eyes filled with amusement, she said, "Oh really? Feel free to try. We'll see later whether he skins you, or you skin him."

With that laugh finished, she reined in her expression and asked another question:

"So, are you planning to claim this child or not?"

Li Jingyan stared at Wen Yan's face, remaining silent for a few seconds—deep down, he knew Wen Yan was right; this child was his best bargaining chip to seize power within the Qiao family.

Instead of answering whether he wanted it or not, he suddenly reached out, pulled Wen Yan into his arms, and leaned in toward her lips.

Taken aback by his sudden movement, Wen Yan immediately pushed hard against his chest: "Li Jingyan, let go of me!"

Yet the harder she pushed, the tighter Li Jingyan held her, kissing her with increasing force. Pushed past her patience, Wen Yan raised her hand and slapped him squarely across the face, the crisp sound echoing sharply through the room.

"Get out!" Wen Yan covered her lips, disgust written all over her eyes.

Li Jingyan touched his reddened cheek, glaring at Wen Yan with a malevolent, brooding gaze. In the end, he did not press the matter further; he simply gritted his teeth, wore an expression of deep resentment, turned around, slammed the door, and stormed out.