Chapter Two: Why Lose Control?

"Shanshan, have you and Qizhou been getting along well lately? He transferred money twice this month. Your father's hospital bills are paid, and there's quite a bit left over." Her mother's weary voice carried a hint of relief.

Wiping away her tears, Yao Shan forced down her sorrow and asked, "How is Dad doing?"

"Same as always. If it weren't for Qizhou helping out in every way these past few years, your father might not have made it this long. Shanshan, you need to take good care of Qizhou."

A suffocating grievance welled up in Yao Shan's heart. This was precisely why, even knowing Pei Qizhou was cheating and that the son she had raised with her own hands despised her, she had never once considered divorce.

Ever since the Yao family went bankrupt, all their former relatives and friends had scattered. No matter how hard she worked, she could never afford her father's exorbitant hospital and treatment bills. Now, Pei Qizhou was the only one her parents could rely on. She smiled self-deprecatingly. What right did she have to be dissatisfied?

Returning to the home she shared with Pei Qizhou, she found Pei Yi pestering Xu Miao to play games. The moment he saw her, the smile vanished from his face. Pouting, he complained, "Why are you back so late? Are you trying to starve me and Mommy Miao to death?"

There was no joy at seeing her after a month apart, only the same arrogance and demanding tone he had inherited from Pei Qizhou. The last trace of warmth in Yao Shan's heart dissipated completely. She quietly went to the kitchen to cook.

Pei Qizhou followed her in. "The neighborhood where Xu Miao rents her apartment hasn't been safe lately, and she has nowhere else to go. I've arranged for her to stay here for the time being. Clean out a spare room for her later." It wasn't a discussion; it was an order.

Yao Shan said nothing. She cleaned the fish, heated the wok, and added the seasonings. The range hood was loud enough that she didn't catch what Pei Qizhou said next. She only saw him walk out of the kitchen with a cold expression.

During dinner, both Pei Qizhou and Pei Yi kept serving food to Xu Miao. She used to be the one caring for the father and son; now, they were lavishing that same attentiveness on another woman.

Blushing, Xu Miao said, "You two are so good to me." She turned to Yao Shan. "Miss Yao, I'm so envious that you have such a considerate husband and son. If I were you, I don't know how happy I'd be." As she finished, she stole a glance at Pei Qizhou.

"Mommy Miao can just live with us forever!" Pei Yi, naive to the ways of the world, clapped his hands happily. "Daddy and I both love Mommy Miao so much. Mommy Miao, please don't ever leave, okay? I love living with you!"

"Daddy, hurry and ask Mommy Miao to stay," Pei Yi urged, tugging at Pei Qizhou's sleeve.

Pei Qizhou didn't answer, simply saying, "Eat your food." No refusal meant agreement.

Yao Shan's grip on her chopsticks tightened. Casually looking up, she caught a provocative gleam in Xu Miao's eyes, but it vanished in a flash. When she looked again, the young woman was all smiles.

"Don't just keep serving me. Miss Yao is the one who worked hard today."

"She doesn't need it. It's her job," Pei Yi blurted out.

Pei Qizhou frowned but ultimately said nothing.

Throughout the meal, they chatted animatedly about amusing things they had experienced together during her absence, making her feel like an isolated outsider.

After only a few bites, a severe pain flared in her stomach, and beads of sweat the size of beans broke out on her forehead. "You guys keep eating. I'm full."

The agonizing pain stripped away her last veneer of composure. She rushed into the bathroom and vomited everything she had just eaten, then leaned weakly against the wall.

It took a long while to gather the strength to stand. Returning to her bedroom, she took out the medication her doctor had prescribed, poured out a random handful, and swallowed them. Whether it was the effect of the drugs or not, she fell into a deep sleep shortly after.

In her hazy state, she felt someone press against her from behind. "Who is it?" she asked, opening her eyes in alarm to find Pei Qizhou hovering over her.

A fiery kiss descended. It was pure desire, utterly devoid of affection.

Unable to bear the stomachache, she curled up to resist. "I'm exhausted today. Let's just sleep."

Her reaction enraged Pei Qizhou.

"Are you throwing a tantrum because of Xu Miao?" He gripped Yao Shan's shoulders, his lust extinguished and replaced by profound displeasure.

Compared to the agony in her stomach, Yao Shan realized that matters of love and romance paled in comparison. She buried her face in the pillow, not wanting Pei Qizhou to notice.

If she had wanted to tell Pei Qizhou the truth at first, that notion had now completely vanished. Even if she spoke up, she feared it would only earn a callous, "We'll talk about it when you're dead."

Pei Qizhou got off her and ran a hand through his hair haphazardly. "Xiao Yi almost got into a car accident before, and Xu Miao saved him. She's practically our benefactor. She's an orphan, which is pitiable, and her health isn't great either. As friends, it's only right that we look after her a bit more."

He explained it all with casual indifference, but Yao Shan only felt more aggrieved. What kind of friend could make the notoriously willful Young Master Pei make exceptions and attend to her every need personally?

A life-saving favor—was the next step to offer herself in marriage?

Yao Shan didn't know if she was being unreasonable. "What if I don't want her living in our house? There are plenty of secure residential compounds out there, and hotels with full security. Why does she have to stay here?"

She was pitiable too. With only three months left to live, she wanted to be alone with her husband and son. Even if it was just for three months, she hoped they could be her last happy months, so she could leave with fewer regrets.

Her pleading eyes revealed her fragility. She wanted to say that she didn't want to be all alone when she coughed up blood every morning; she wanted someone by her side to offer comfort and support.

She also wanted to tell Pei Qizhou that her body was no longer fit for cooking, and ask if he could make a meal for her just once.

But before the words could leave her lips, Pei Qizhou's features darkened with coldness.

"Yao Shan, can you stop being so selfish? You're away on business trips for days every month, aren't you? Xiao Yi needs companionship. He needs a mother who can be by his side at all times. I told you to quit your job, but did you listen?"

"If you can't be with your son around the clock, don't stop someone else from keeping him company."

"Sometimes I really don't understand you. Instead of living the comfortable life of a wealthy wife, why insist on going out to earn a mere pittance? What's the point? In the end, you can't even afford your parents' living expenses."

Pei Qizhou's words completely extinguished the light in Yao Shan's eyes.

She had been a stay-at-home mom for five years and only started working this year. Yet during those five years, Pei Qizhou's mother had never been satisfied with her, openly and covertly calling her a parasite and labeling her whole family as leeches. Disdain dripped from every word.

Pei Qizhou wasn't oblivious to it, yet he had never spoken a single word in her defense.

And now that she was working, Pei Qizhou was just as dissatisfied as his mother, claiming she couldn't earn much and couldn't take care of the child properly. She worked hard to cover her parents' expenses, only to be branded ungrateful in the end.

She had no idea how to satisfy them.

Yao Shan grew somewhat hysterical. Instead of comforting her, Pei Qizhou stood up in irritation. "Calm down by yourself." He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Tears burst forth the instant the door shut. She only wanted to spend these last three months in peace, so why did she still lose control?