Daily Intelligence: Forced to Save the Beautiful President at the Beginning

26: Chapter 26 Is the child this strange man’s?The statement at the Police Station was taken in great detail. By the time he walked out of the police office, the sun was already hanging low on the horizon, and the glass curtain wall of the emergency building reflected a blinding light.

A nurse stopped him again, ”Family of Bed 3, it’s time to pay the hospitalization fees.”

Zhang Fan was stunned for a moment before he realized that ”family” referred to him.

He took out his bank card and looked at the ”5800 yuan” figure on the bill, his heart aching.

He hated the hospital right now; this place was definitely a money-swallowing monster. You basically couldn’t leave without spending a few thousand yuan once you entered.

But thinking that he was the one who carried Zhou Yurou to the emergency room, he gritted his teeth and swiped the card.

”I really brought this on myself.”

He leaned against the wall, panting. His stomach was empty, and he felt faint from hunger.

He fished a crumpled cigarette pack out of his pocket, wanting to smoke a cigarette to catch his breath. Just as he lit it, a nurse called out to him, ”No smoking in the ward! Family of Bed 3, the patient is awake and wants to see you.”

Zhang Fan stubbed out the cigarette and followed the nurse to the ward, his heart pounding with anxiety.

He didn’t know what to say to Zhou Yurou—comfort? Apologize? Or bring up the surveillance footage?

The ward was very quiet, the smell of disinfectant overpowering the gardenia scent that usually clung to Zhou Yurou.

She was half-propped against the headboard, her face as pale as paper, her lips chapped. In the IV tube on her wrist, liquid dripped down, hitting the transparent tube wall and making a faint sound.

”Sister Zhou.” Zhang Fan stood by the bed, not knowing where to put his hands. After holding it in for a long time, he only managed to say these two words.

Because her face was swollen, Zhou Yurou covered her face with a pillow and whispered, ”Thank you.”

”It’s nothing.” He rubbed his hands together. ”The nurse said it’s good that you’re awake.”

”I heard from the nurse... you called the police?” Her gaze fell on his dusty trouser legs. ”Did you go to the Police Station?”

”Yeah, I told the police what happened at the time.” Zhang Fan hesitated for a moment but decided to tell the truth. ”I told them about you being beaten, and about how Yuan Mubai fell on her own.”

Zhou Yurou’s lips moved, but she didn’t speak. She just slowly turned her head back to look at the IV stand on the ceiling. Tears slid down the corners of her eyes and sank into the pillow, silent and soundless, as if afraid to disturb anyone.

Zhang Fan felt a lump in his throat. He took out his phone, opened the surveillance footage, and handed it to her. ”Sister Zhou, look at this...”

In the video, Yuan Mubai fell backward in an exaggerated manner, Yang Lei roared with accusations, and Zhou Yurou’s back, hunched over on the floor picking up reports, was curled into a ball... Each frame was as clear as if it were happening right before his eyes.

Zhou Yurou’s fingers curled slightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, leaving a few crescent-shaped white marks.

”This can prove... it wasn’t your fault.” Zhang Fan’s voice was very soft, as if he were afraid of breaking something.

The ward door was suddenly pushed open, and Yang Lei and Yuan Mubai walked in. Yuan Mubai had changed into a pink hospital gown, her hair disheveled, tear stains still on her face. She was affectionately clutching Yang Lei’s arm. When she saw Zhang Fan, her eyes flickered, as if she had been pricked by a needle.

”Yurou, how are you feeling?” Yang Lei’s tone was softer than it had been in the morning, but he still didn’t dare to look Zhou Yurou in the eyes. ”The doctor said you need to rest. I’ve already hired a caregiver for you, and they can come tomorrow.”

”No need.” Zhou Yurou’s voice was cold, like ice. ”I want a divorce.”

Yang Lei’s expression changed instantly, as if he had heard something absurd. ”What nonsense are you talking about? I know you were wronged today, wait until you get better...”

”I’m not talking nonsense.” Zhou Yurou turned her head sharply, staring straight at him. There was finally something in her eyes—not light, but the sharpness of broken glass. ”Yang Lei, let’s get a divorce.”

Yuan Mubai suddenly let out an ”Ouch,” her body going limp as she slid downward, her hands clutching her lower abdomen tightly. ”Yang Lei, my stomach hurts again... Did I get too worked up just now?”

Yang Lei panicked immediately and hurriedly supported her, preparing to walk out. ”Mubai, don’t worry, I’ll take you to see the doctor again...”

”Stop!” Zhang Fan couldn’t help it anymore and took a step forward. ”Sister Zhou is still lying here, having just lost her child, and you’re just going to ignore her?”

”Of course I care about my wife!” Yang Lei glared at him, his tone full of impatience. ”Is it your place as an outsider to butt in?”

”An outsider?” Zhang Fan laughed, took out his phone, shoved it in front of him, and pressed play. ”See for yourself, this is the good woman you care so much about! Her child was already gone long ago, and her fall was faked just to frame Sister Zhou!”

The surveillance footage played in silent mode, but the images were more powerful than any sound. As Yuan Mubai watched herself faking the fall on the screen, her face turned pale bit by bit, and her hand gripping Yang Lei’s arm began to tremble, her knuckles turning white.

”You... you secretly recorded this?” Yang Lei’s voice went out of tune, as if he had been slapped hard in the face.

”Isn’t it normal to install a camera on my own door?” Zhang Fan put away his phone, his eyes turning cold. ”I bet the police would like to see this footage too. Do you want me to send it to them right now?”

Yang Lei’s arrogance instantly deflated, and he tried to drag Yuan Mubai away, but Zhou Yurou stopped him. ”Yang Lei, the child in my womb was yours too.”

Yang Lei’s footsteps stopped abruptly, as if he had been nailed to the spot.

”It was two months along.” Zhou Yurou’s voice was very soft, but it hit everyone’s heart like a hammer. ”I originally planned to tell you on your birthday next month to give you a surprise.”

Yang Lei turned back abruptly, his face filled with disbelief, his lips trembling. ”You... you were pregnant?”

”Yes.” Zhou Yurou smiled, but the smile was uglier than crying, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes again. ”But it’s gone now, kicked away by that kick of yours today.”

Yuan Mubai suddenly pointed at Zhang Fan and shouted, ”Who knows if it was Yang Lei’s child? Maybe it was yours and this man’s!”

”Shut up!” Zhou Yurou sat up abruptly from the bed, pointing at Yuan Mubai, her fingertips trembling violently. ”It’s all you! You framed me for pushing you, you instigated him to hit me, you killed my child!”

Yang Lei’s gaze swept toward Zhang Fan, steeped in suspicion and rage.

”Damn it, why are you dragging me into your family’s dirty business?” Zhang Fan was angry too, the fire in his chest flaring up. He had only been trying to help out of kindness; how did he become a ”wild man”?

Yang Lei reached out to shove him.

”You looking to die?” Zhang Fan stepped forward suddenly and rolled up his sleeves.

The ward instantly exploded into chaos.

Zhou Yurou’s roaring, Yuan Mubai’s screaming, and Yang Lei’s angry curses mixed together. The IV stand was knocked over with a clatter, and the medicine bottle in the tray swayed precariously.

”Stop it, all of you!”

Two people in police uniforms rushed in; it was the officers who had been investigating in the hallway just moments ago.

They frowned as they scanned the chaotic ward, their gazes finally landing on Yang Lei, their tone as heavy as iron. ”Mr. Yang, right? Come with us to the police office. We need your cooperation regarding the investigation into the assault on Ms. Zhou.”