Later that night, Fang Hua sat in her room, staring at her phone.
Her finger hovered over Madam Zhang's contact for a long moment before she pressed call.
It rang twice.
"Fang Hua?" Madam Zhang's voice came through, sharp and alert despite the late hour. "Is everything alright?"
"We need to meet privately." Fang Hua kept her voice low, controlled. "There's something important I need to discuss with you. Something I can't say over the phone."
"Can't say over the phone?" Madam Zhang's tone shifted, intrigued now. "That sounds serious."
"It is."
"Well, don't leave me in suspense, dear. What's this about?"
Fang Hua glanced at her door, making sure it was closed. "Walls have ears, Auntie. I'd rather tell you in person."
There was a pause. Then Madam Zhang laughed, light and delighted.
"Oh, Fang Hua. Are you finally making your move on my son? Please tell me you're calling with exciting news, Tell me you're making progress."
Fang Hua's jaw tightened. Her free hand curled into a fist against her lap.
Progress, Right.
"When I get there," she said carefully, "I'll tell you everything. Can I come to your estate tomorrow evening?"
"Tomorrow evening?" Madam Zhang considered. "I have business during the day, but yes, evening works. I'll clear my schedule for you."
"Thank you, Auntie."
"I'll be expecting good news, Fang Hua. Don't disappoint me."
The line went dead.
Fang Hua set the phone down on her nightstand and stared at it.
For a moment, she just sat there in the dim light of her room, perfectly still.
Then her face changed.
The careful politeness melted away. Her expression twisted into something uglier, rage mixed with satisfaction mixed with something darker.
A smile curved across her lips, not a pleasant one.
"Since you don't want to tell your mother yourself," she whispered to the empty room, "I'll deliver the news for you, Wei."
She could already picture it. Madam Zhang's face when she found out, The shock, The fury, The absolute chaos that would follow.
Wei thought he could keep this quiet? Protect his little contract wife from the family's judgment?
He had no idea what was coming.
"Let's see how things escalate then," Fang Hua murmured.
A laugh bubbled up from her chest. Soft at first, then louder. Cold and victorious and completely without humor.
It echoed in the darkness of her room,
Evil.
Down on the second floor, two maids moved quietly through the hallway, finishing up their night duties.
Lin was carrying fresh towels. Qing was straightening a vase that didn't need straightening, clearly killing time.
"Have you noticed?" Qing whispered, glancing around to make sure they were alone.
"Noticed what?" Lin adjusted the towels in her arms.
"The way Master Jun and that Xiaolan girl look at each other."
Lin stopped walking. "What are you talking about?"
Qing leaned in closer, eyes gleaming with gossip. "If you haven't seen it, I definitely have. There's something there. The way he watches her. The way she pretends not to notice him watching."
"You're imagining things."
"I'm not imagining anything. And speaking of things I'm not imagining… have you heard?"
Lin shifted the towels to her other arm. "Heard what?"
Qing looked left, then right, then dropped her voice even lower. "Master Wei's wife is pregnant."
Lin's mouth fell open. "Pregnant? You're lying."
"I'm not."
"But she just got here. How is that even possible?"
"Exactly." Qing's eyebrows rose meaningfully. "She just got here. A few weeks ago. So how is she already pregnant?"
Lin's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Wait. Are you saying…"
"I'm not saying anything. I'm just being factual here." Qing crossed her arms. "And I've seen things. The way she and the young master are around each other. They barely even look at each other most of the time, No affection, No intimacy, Nothing."
"That doesn't mean…"
"And then suddenly she's pregnant?" Qing's voice rose slightly before she caught herself and lowered it again. "Come on, Lin. Use your head."
Lin pressed her hand to her mouth, eyes wide. "Don't tell me you think it's someone else's baby."
"Shh!" Qing grabbed her arm, looking around frantically. "Don't say it so loud! Do you want to get us both fired?"
"Sorry, sorry." Lin's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "But are you seriously suggesting that she… that the baby might not be…"
"I'm just saying it's possible." Qing straightened up, trying to look innocent. "I mean, think about it. She came from nothing. Poor family, poor background, no money. Then suddenly she's married to one of the richest men in the country? A girl like that…"
"A girl like that what?"
"You know what I mean."
Lin shook her head, but she didn't argue. "I can't believe we're even talking about this. If anyone hears us…"
"I love my job too, okay? I'm being careful." Qing glanced down the hallway again. "But I'm telling you, something's not right. That baby isn't Master Wei's. I'd bet money on it."
"You can't just assume."
"I know what I see. And what I see is a girl who showed up out of nowhere, married the young master in some rushed arrangement, and is now conveniently pregnant." Qing's lip curled. "She's a slut. I always knew there was something off about her."
"Qing!"
"I'm serious. Girls like her, they know how to play the game. Trap a rich man, get pregnant, secure the bag." Qing shook her head in disgust. "I can't wait for Master Wei to finally wake up and realize what she is. Once the truth comes out, he'll chase her out of here so fast…"
Footsteps.
Both maids froze.
Someone was coming down the hallway.
"Go, go, go!" Lin hissed.
They scattered in opposite directions, Qing disappearing around one corner and Lin hurrying toward the laundry room with her towels.
The hallway fell silent.
But rumors spread like wildfire.