Want to know if a man loves you? Have a child and you'll find out.

Chapter 1: A Night of Tenderness, Her Heart Given to Him Alone

Midnight.

The rain poured wildly.

Inside the room, the frantic sounds that had drowned out the howling wind and rain gradually subsided.

Yet the man's ears still seemed to echo with the woman's choked sobs as she cried out in pain just moments ago.

His gaze locked onto the ugly scar on her sleeping face, his low, mellow, slightly intoxicated voice dripping with mockery. "Heh, you can feel pain too?"

Just think - he was the Commander who commanded nine provinces and dominated the entire south. What kind of woman couldn't he have? He need only beckon, and countless stunning beauties would willingly follow him faithfully, even without title or status.

Yet he had poured out his heart and soul, devoted himself entirely to this ugly woman. In the third month after their wedding, he had solemnly promised before journalists from around the world that he, Shen Junhan, would love only his wife Lin Yulan for his entire life, would never take a concubine, and would never be unfaithful!

And what about her?

Who was she thinking of, who was she longing for, and what had she done?

She still had the nerve to say it hurt - did she know how much he hurt?

A surge of bitter anger immediately rose in Shen Junhan's heart.

This woman deserved only to be a plaything for him to vent his desires on from now on, no longer worthy of even a shred of his affection!

He suddenly got out of bed, his heavy military boots thudding dully into the night rain...

……

When Lin Yulan woke up and saw the empty space beside her, she was slightly dazed.

Didn't he say he wouldn't return to the residence for a few more days? Why had he quietly come back early in the middle of the night, like a young lad who'd just had his first taste of passion and couldn't get enough, tormenting her for most of the night...

Even though she could hardly bear his brute strength, because she loved him too deeply, she would rather endure the pain and accept his passion than dampen his mood.

That was the man she had secretly cherished in her heart, worshipped and adored for eight years - the most remarkable hero in these troubled times!

His army was strictly disciplined and kind to the common people; his jurisdiction reduced taxes and brought the people peace and happiness; he did everything to protect patriotic students and never compromised with or yielded to the unreasonable demands of the invading foreign powers.

Moreover, not only did he not shallowly despise her "ugly face" like others did, but at a major banquet attended by all the military and political dignitaries, he had lovingly held her and declared to everyone that his beloved wife was his greatest treasure in this life, and that being able to marry her was his greatest fortune...

He had completely opened her deeply locked heart, which she had never dared to hope for. She decided that from then on she would give her heart to him without reservation, until death...

So, for this reunion after their brief parting, she wanted to give him a tremendous surprise!

Oh, no - two!

Lin Yulan slowly peeled off the large patch of purplish-black wrinkled scar tissue from her right cheek, and the mirror immediately revealed a breathtakingly beautiful face as fair as jade.

Han, your wife is not ugly...

Lin Yulan smiled softly, her fair hand touching her lower abdomen.

And, you're about to become a father...

"Oh my, my lady, you're finally going to show the Commander your true face!" The maid Xing'er knocked and entered the room, covering her mouth to suppress a giggle. "The Commander will be so overjoyed he might declare a general amnesty!"

Xing'er was Lin Yulan's maid who had come with her as part of her dowry. The two had grown up together and were as close as sisters.

Lin Yulan just smiled without speaking, while Xing'er deftly helped her wash up and change clothes.

When she saw the red and purple love marks on her body, Xing'er's face flushed bright red. "The Commander really is too... ahem... if he sees your real face, tonight he'll devour you alive!"

"Shameless, be careful you won't find a husband."

Lin Yulan scolded Xing'er lightly, but her mind was full of images of Shen Junhan forcefully claiming her again and again...

Tempered by military camps and battlefields, he was a tough man full of conquering desire and extraordinary stamina. Even on their wedding night he didn't know how to be gentle... And yet she seemed to gradually grow accustomed to this man's domineering and rough way of expressing love.

Thinking that from today onward their relationship would reach a new level, becoming even more intimate, her brows and lips were filled with an unmelting tenderness.

"Reporting to Madam, the Commander has been waiting for you in the dining room for quite some time."

A guard's respectful voice came from outside the door.

As was his military habit, Shen Junhan always rose early. Lin Yulan checked the time - she was indeed a bit late today.

She hurried out, quickly grabbing the black veil from the table and covering her face as usual.

Xing'er was puzzled. "Why is my lady still wearing this?"

In great spirits, Lin Yulan blinked playfully. "Usually to hide my ugliness, today for a surprise."

Xing'er took her arm. "My lady is learning from the foreigners with that what-do-you-call-it, romance! With your beauty, my lady, and adding romance on top of that, could our Commander still hold up? Oh no no, I mean could my lady still hold up against the Commander!"

Lin Yulan's face flushed slightly. "You talk too much."

The mistress and maid headed to the dining room, laughing.

Before they even entered, Xing'er called out loudly, "The Commander has waited long~ but today's wait is well worth it!"

As the words fell, Lin Yulan was already standing at the dining room door.

The shattered-gold radiance in her eyes, so bright and dazzling, dimmed little by little when she saw Shen Junhan by the dining table, serving food to a woman with a face full of tenderness...

Chapter 2: Tender Affection, Given to Another

And although Shen Junhan clearly noticed Lin Yulan's arrival, he didn't even raise his head.

His eyes and heart were entirely on the woman eating breakfast, his gaze and voice so gentle they could almost melt ice.

"Careful, it's hot. Slow down."

The woman turned her head and smiled at him, her voice sweet and charming. "Han-ge, you eat too."

Xing'er frowned and was about to speak, but Lin Yulan stopped her with a look.

She clenched her trembling fists and watched the two quietly.

"Please be seated, Madam."

The strange atmosphere made all the attendants scarcely dare to breathe.

Shen Junhan slowly raised his head at the sound.

Lin Yulan, wearing a sky-blue qipao, stood elegantly by the corridor, like a piece of ink-wash painting.

The plain silk seemed to bloom into a most beautiful flower on her graceful figure.

And the curling mist drifting outside the corridor behind her made her cold expression seem especially unreal. As if she would merge into the misty rain if she took just one step back, and he would never find her again...

But he had never possessed her - so how could he speak of losing her?

Even though she had reluctantly married him at her father's command and given him her body against her will, he had never been in her heart! Even though he had held her on the tip of his heart like a fool, the one she thought of day and night was only the man she wanted to marry but couldn't...

Such thoughts made Shen Junhan's chest tighten with a stifling pain.

The flash of amazement and love in the depths of his eyes was hidden away in an instant without a trace.

His voice was cold to the bone. "What, you're already late, and now you put on airs, wanting me to personally invite you to sit?"

Before Lin Yulan could speak, the woman had already risen in panic and greeted respectfully, "Good morning, Madam."

Her nervousness knocked over a dish beside her, spilling milk on herself. She let out a small cry and quickly covered her abdomen with her hands.

Only then did Lin Yulan see that her belly was already prominently rounded.

From the looks of it, the fetus was at least seven or eight months along!

Lin Yulan's trembling gaze slowly moved from her belly to Shen Junhan's face...

She saw him frown slightly and scold softly, "You're about to be a mother, how can you still be so clumsy."

At the same time, one hand lightly supported her waist while the other carefully wiped the milk stains from her belly. The unabashed gesture and the seemingly reproachful tone were full of intimacy, in stark contrast to his earlier coldness toward Lin Yulan...

Lin Yulan suddenly felt a sting in her eyes, just as she met the woman's gaze looking toward her.

On that originally timid face, a provocatively cold smile flickered, gone in an instant.

A flash went through Lin Yulan's mind - she seemed to have seen this woman somewhere before!

But she couldn't remember...

"I'm sorry, Han-ge, Madam doesn't seem too happy to see me. I'd better go back to my room."

The woman's talent for changing faces was also first-rate - a timid manner that made one's heart ache with pity.

"Back to your room?" Lin Yulan couldn't help speaking up. "Since when did my Commander's residence gain an extra person? I wasn't aware."

"I... I..." She bit her lip, looking aggrieved and embarrassed at Shen Junhan.

Shen Junhan's large hand wrapped around her shoulder, holding her in his arms with utmost protectiveness.

His deep gaze looked into Lin Yulan's eyes as his thin lips parted. "I'm informing you now - from today, and for this entire life, Jiaojiao will live in my residence."

His residence?

So he didn't consider her, the Commander's wife, as the mistress at all?

Lin Yulan forced down the pain in her heart, her face betraying no emotion. "Oh? In what capacity?"

Shen Junhan looked at her coldly, enunciating each word. "Mis-tress."

Those two words were like poison-tempered steel nails driven viciously into Lin Yulan's heart...

Her body swayed, almost unable to stand, and Xing'er, who was about to cry, quickly steadied her.

The cool breeze stirred her veil. If Shen Junhan had paid just a little attention, he would have seen the breathtaking beauty faintly revealed at the lifted corner of the veil.

Unfortunately, he didn't look at her again.

Lin Yulan smiled palely. "May I ask the Commander - is the child in this young lady's belly also a master of the Commander's residence?"

Her expression was calm, but her body trembled nervously.

She seemed never to have been as frightened as she was at this moment, waiting for an answer.

"Of course."

Shen Junhan didn't even raise his head.

He was gazing at Jiaojiao's round belly, his deep eyes full of tenderness and anticipation...

Chapter 3: Boundless Love, a Fleeting Dream

Lin Yulan felt as if lightning and thunder crashed through her mind.

Her hand silently clutched her own lower abdomen.

The little one growing there should have been his most beloved eldest son, the most honored little master of this Commander's residence...

But now, his father already had another beloved eldest son, and a mistress...

Heart cut as if by a knife, Lin Yulan forced out a smile and nodded gently. "I understand, Commander."

She immediately turned and slowly walked away.

Shen Junhan watched her composed, unruffled, elegant retreat that seemed completely unaffected, his ears full of her distant, unfamiliar calls of "Commander"...

He had brought a pregnant woman into the house, and she showed not the slightest jealousy!

That damned ugly face of hers was forever as still as stagnant water toward him!

But the moment she laid eyes on that man, she immediately became bright-eyed, smiling, and charmingly lovely...

Shen Junhan silently clenched his iron fists, and the coldness in his gaze grew even heavier.

As for Jiaojiao's pregnancy, although it had surprised him somewhat, it brought him more joy and anticipation.

He had originally intended to first obtain Lin Yulan's consent before bringing Jiaojiao and the child to his side. After all, she was his legitimate wife, and by both emotion and reason he should respect her and consider her feelings.

But who knew she would do such a thing, wounding him to the core... Why should he give her any dignity?

Seeing Shen Junhan's dark expression, Jiaojiao hid her secret delight and asked softly, "Han-ge, let me go explain to Madam, so I don't hurt the relationship between you and Madam because of me..."

"No need. You just focus on your pregnancy and deliver the child to me healthy. As for her and me, heh heh..."

Shen Junhan sneered. "It's nothing but a helpless union driven by interests, each taking what they need. The so-called deep love between husband and wife is all just for show. With that face of hers, one glance is already too much - who could develop feelings?"

His heartless words drifted along the cold wind, every word falling into Lin Yulan's ears.

She couldn't help but stumble.

"My lady, don't be angry. The Commander, he... he..." Xing'er wanted to comfort her, but couldn't find a single excuse to offer.

Lin Yulan's face was deathly pale as she barely managed a smile. "I'm not angry. Everything he said is the truth."

Their marriage was, indeed, a union of interests.

She was nothing more than a pawn in her father's hands, ready to be sacrificed at any moment, and as a pawn, she was indeed "ugly" enough.

How laughable that she had thought he had genuine feelings for her.

So all those deep emotions that had captivated her were, in the end, nothing but an act.

Thankfully, thankfully she hadn't been foolish enough to offer up her heart and confess to him...

Otherwise she wouldn't even have the last shred of dignity left...

Eight years. From the moment he rescued her amid a hail of bullets, no other man could find a place in her eyes or her heart. Though he had long since forgotten her, she would remember him until death...

"Hey, have you all heard? The Commander brought Miss Jiaojiao back this morning and even arranged for her to stay in the courtyard where the Commander resides."

"Really? Come to think of it, Miss Jiaojiao has been with the Commander for several years, hasn't she? I thought once the Commander got married, he'd let her go. Who knew that barely half a year after the wedding he'd bring her home. The Commander really is a man who cherishes old ties."

"Tell me about it. And let me tell you, Miss Jiaojiao's belly is already quite big. In another two months or so, our Commander's residence will have a little master! We'd better start currying favor with Miss Jiaojiao from now on. Who knows, one day she might climb right over the madam's head!"

"But the Commander publicly stated he wouldn't take a concubine, so no matter how favored Miss Jiaojiao is, she'll never have an official status. The mistress of this Commander's residence is still the madam alone."

"That's hard to say. The madam's face... not to mention being unworthy of our Commander, any man who looks at her would lose his appetite. Otherwise, why couldn't the Commander hold out and had to bring Jiaojiao back to his side? Who knows how many more 'Jiaojiaos' will be brought in. The madam will sooner or later be pushed out by some woman. If you don't believe me, just wait and see."

……

The hushed gossip of several servants reached Lin Yulan's ears clearly as she passed by.

So, Jiaojiao had been his woman all along...

It wasn't that she hadn't heard the rumors of his wild and romantic escapades before marriage, but after the wedding, his boundless tenderness and devotion to her made her inexplicably certain that those were all false rumors...

Now thinking about it, she was like a self-intoxicated clown!

Now that she had fully awakened today, she would once again lock away her restless heart.

But what about the child quietly taking shape inside her? Was it destined to experience the same fate as hers from birth, growing up within cold walls where parents loathe each other and there is no warmth at all?

Child...

It's your mother who has wronged you...

If your mother hadn't overestimated herself and fallen in love, you wouldn't have come into this world to suffer...

Lin Yulan gazed mournfully at the curtain of rain, even her lips were ashen.

Xing'er was already furious and about to rush into the room to argue with those servants!

"Let's go back to our room."

Lin Yulan grasped Xing'er's hand, softly yet with an unmistakable command.

Back in the room, seeing Lin Yulan expressionlessly press that ugly scarred patch back onto her face, Xing'er's heart ached and tears fell.

"Miss, from what they said, that woman's child was conceived by the Commander before you two were married. That's all old history, don't take it to heart. The Commander only brought her back because he didn't want his own flesh and blood to be left outside... The Commander treats you so well, last night he was still in your room... Don't be stubborn and push the Commander right into that seductress's arms!"

Lin Yulan was silent for a moment, then turned and smiled at her, "You want me to shamelessly compete with other women for him?"

She was clearly smiling, yet from the depths of her clear eyes, sorrowful tears slowly trickled down.

She would not compete, and she disdained to compete.

Having received a modern education, she could not tolerate even a single grain of sand in love and marriage.

Especially since she had once so earnestly envisioned their beautiful future...

But now, she knew, her life was most likely shattered.

Just like her poor, ill-fated mother...

Xing'er choked back sobs as she wiped Lin Yulan's tears, "I just don't want you, miss, to end up like the madam, lonely and desolate..."

Lin Yulan's mother, after witnessing her father take one concubine after another, locked herself away in the most remote small courtyard of the estate, living out her days in bleak solitude. In the blink of an eye, half a lifetime had passed.

Thinking of her mother's bitter fate, and her own unfortunate upbringing...

The resolve in Lin Yulan's heart grew even firmer.

She picked up a pen, wrote down several names of medicines, and handed the note to Xing'er.

"I'm not feeling well. Go get me some medicine."

Xing'er took the order and left without daring to delay a single moment.

Little did she know that once she brought back that prescription, the entire Commander's residence would be turned upside down.

……

Chapter 4: The Storm Strikes Suddenly, Body and Soul Shattered

Afternoon.

The door was suddenly kicked open with force.

It startled Lin Yulan, who was staring blankly out the window.

Shen Junhan, in full military uniform, was looking at her coldly and sharply, his eyes full of fury.

She did not rise, struggling to conceal the myriad emotions in her heart, "The Commander is looking for me for something?"

Shen Junhan turned and kicked the door shut, then strode toward her step by step. His large hand suddenly gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him, "What medicine are you brewing?"

Lin Yulan immediately understood.

Someone must have reported something to him, so there was no need to hide it.

Her bones felt like they would be crushed by his grip. Enduring the pain, she said indistinctly, "Abortion medicine."

In that moment, she even felt a flicker of joy because of his anger.

He was this furious upon hearing she wanted an abortion because there was still a place for her in his heart? Should she have a proper talk with him?

Even if all his affection for her had been an act, as long as he coaxed her, even deceived her, explained the matter with Jiaojiao clearly, and promised to dote on the child she bore him... She loved him so much, how could she bear to kill their own flesh and blood with her own hands?

Over the past half day, having gradually calmed down, she had actually been trying to convince herself to accept the child he had with Jiaojiao, because Jiaojiao was merely a romantic debt from before his marriage, not a betrayal... She shouldn't be childish and throw tantrums, rejecting his bloodline...

In the end, she simply loved him too much. The phrase "love me, love my dog" she had truly experienced it firsthand...

But the hope in her heart was completely shattered by his next words.

"Heh, very good. You actually have the guts to admit it!" Shen Junhan's grip on her tightened further, his teeth gritted, "I brought Jiaojiao home today, and you're already scheming against her child! I've now seen just how vicious the eldest young miss of the Lin family can be!"

Shen Junhan's mother had suffered schemes from his father's other women, miscarrying several times. He had only survived by sheer luck, so he loathed such vicious infighting among women with a passion. Yet he never imagined Lin Yulan would have such a heart either!

Lin Yulan was stunned at first, then laughed sorrowfully.

"In your heart, I am this despicable?"

He narrowed his dark eyes, "Otherwise? Otherwise why would you be brewing abortion medicine for no reason?"

Lin Yulan desperately held back the aching swell in her eyes, not wanting tears to make her seem too pathetic...

"Has the Commander never considered that I was brewing it for myself?"

Shen Junhan's gaze quaked, his expression shifting slightly.

And the next second, he suddenly gripped Lin Yulan's shoulders fiercely, his anger intensifying!

"You think I don't know that after marrying me you've been taking contraceptive pills the whole time! Where would you even get a child?"

When he had learned of this a few days earlier, Shen Junhan, who was then meticulously planning a birthday surprise for her, felt his passionate heart freeze to the core in an instant...

He let out a cold laugh, a torn wound in the depths of his eyes, "I gave you my heart, yet you refuse to bear my child. I, Shen Junhan, don't lack for you! There are plenty of women who want to bear my children! But I never expected you to be cruel enough to poison another woman!"

His large hands used brutal force. Lin Yulan felt her shoulder bones might shatter, but what hurt more was her heart.

At first, she had secretly taken contraceptives only because when their families first discussed the marriage, Shen Junhan was extremely unwilling to marry her... And her painful upbringing made her understand better than anyone that if a father does not love the mother, the child is destined for a lifetime of misfortune.

But she never expected that after marriage he would treat her so well, gradually unlocking her deeply guarded heart. Only then did she stop the contraceptives, and she conceived so quickly!

Full of grievance, her lips trembling, she didn't know where to begin explaining.

But Shen Junhan took her silence as a guilty lack of words...

Anger and disappointment stripped him of all reason. He tore her collar apart with one rip!

She could only ever be his woman until death. What right did she have to refuse to bear his child?

Shen Junhan vindictively used his large hands to ruthlessly pinch and twist the beautiful fullness of her chest, drawing repeated cries of pain from Lin Yulan...

Immediately after, he pressed her heavily beneath him and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

It was not a kiss, but a violent tearing bite...

Lin Yulan, pregnant and emotionally distressed, suddenly felt nauseous, retching again and again.

Her reaction made Shen Junhan both shocked and furious!

His gaze gradually turned bloodshot, his expression twisted, "What, just after a secret meeting with your old lover, you won't let me touch you? You really think I don't know what you married me for? Since you wanted something, you should endure it! Even if I screw you to death in my Commander's residence, you'll smile and bear it until your dying breath!"

He panted heavily, then thrust straight in...

The agony of body and soul, like being slowly sliced apart, made Lin Yulan cry out in despair, but Shen Junhan showed not a shred of pity.

Soon, spasms began to ripple through her lower abdomen, and a warm rush of fluid poured out...

Chapter 5: Old Love and New Wife, Both with Child

After only a few thrusts, Shen Junhan sensed the abnormal wetness beneath him.

He abruptly withdrew from Lin Yulan's body.

Looking down, the sight of his manhood covered in bright red, and Lin Yulan's face contorted in pain, made Shen Junhan's scalp tingle instantly...

"Reporting to the Commander, the madam's pregnancy is unstable. She must lie still and recuperate, and... and under no circumstances may there be marital relations again in the near future..."

Shen Junhan, his brows tightly furrowed, felt his heart clench violently at the old Chinese doctor's words.

His fists clenched involuntarily, and his hoarse voice even carried a slight tremor, "The fetus... how old?"

"A little over one month."

One month ago, it was exactly when he was about to leave on a mission and, unwilling to part from her, had entangled her night after night in wild lovemaking...

So, that abortion medicine... was really prepared for herself?

The pain in Shen Junhan's eyes deepened.

This woman was so unwilling to bear his child? Not only did she secretly take contraceptives behind his back, she even wanted to cruelly abort the child after conceiving?

If he hadn't rushed back in time today, his flesh and blood would have already been brutally killed by her!

He took a deep breath, clinging to a final hope, and asked in a low, hoarse voice, "If a fetus was conceived while taking contraceptives, is it unviable?"

The old Chinese doctor shook his head, "Natural selection. The effects of contraceptives are either total or none. As long as the fetus can firmly implant in the madam's womb, the Commander need not worry about health issues."

These words should have been reassuring, yet they filled Shen Junhan with rage and hatred...

Lin Yulan had studied medicine in Japan for a full six years. She was proficient in both Chinese and Western medicine, so she naturally wasn't seeking an abortion due to risk! She was simply dead set on not wanting his child, and he had been foolish enough to fantasize about finding a lofty excuse for her!

Shen Junhan's knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists, and he issued a grim order, "From this day forth, confine the madam to Muyu Court and place her under strict 24-hour surveillance until the fetus is safely delivered."

He would absolutely not give her the chance to abort privately!

That was his, Shen Junhan's, bloodline. What right did she have to discard it as she pleased!

The rain was still falling.

Shen Junhan strode into the curtain of rain, shoving aside the subordinate who came to hold an umbrella for him. He looked up at the gray, heavy sky, letting the fierce, cold rain beat down until he could hardly breathe...

And on that handsome face, with water streaming freely down it, a cold smile gradually surfaced.

She didn't want to bear his child, did she?

She wanted to preserve her last "loyalty" for that man, didn't she?

He would not let this "kindred-spirited" pair of despicable lovers have their way!

He would do nothing but keep screwing her, make her bear his children again and again, until she died!

……

That night, Shen Junhan stayed at the military headquarters and did not return to the residence.

And the commotion from Muyu Court fell entirely into Jiaojiao's ears.

She gently stroked her round belly, a cold, sinister smile on her lips.

In this world, no one but her would bear Shen Junhan a son or daughter!

To avoid any complications, she needed to quickly turn the little threat in Lin Yulan's belly into thick, bloody water and make it disappear from this world forever!

……

Because Xing'er had been punished by Shen Junhan to work in the firewood shed for privately obtaining abortion medicine, the steward assigned two loyal maids who had grown up in the Commander's residence to serve Lin Yulan day and night.

In addition, there were more than ten armed soldiers guarding the courtyard, and old Chinese doctor Zhao had been moved to the side courtyard so he could be summoned at any time...

Lin Yulan had never expected that Shen Junhan, whose former love had already borne him a precious child, would still care so much about the baby in her belly, and a tangled mix of feelings rose in her heart.

The quarrel from a few days ago was still fresh in her memory... Where exactly had this talk of "secretly meeting an old flame" come from? She was baffled no matter how she thought about it.

If he did not care about her, then so be it; she would treat it as a doomed secret crush and live out the rest of her days in quiet sorrow. But if he had some misunderstanding about her, she absolutely could not let herself bear the false accusation of being unfaithful and impure. She had to talk to him!

Besides, he valued her child so much, and she also wanted to make a little more effort for her love and her life...

Having made up her mind, she was just about to send someone to find Shen Junhan when Jiaojiao's soft, delicate whisper suddenly sounded at the door.

"Madam, Jiaojiao has come to see you."