Chapter 294: The Trap Under Sheng Wanyan
Even though she knew Gu Tingxiao was completely immune to such clumsy seductions, the fact remained that another woman had actively tried to homewreck her marriage. If Sheng Wanyan just quietly endured it and pretended nothing happened, she would be a coward.
She immediately instructed Sheng Wanze to fetch the attending physician and ask if she could be discharged today. Now that the adjacent family was entirely consumed by their own chaotic drama, it would be foolish to linger in the ward. The hospital had become a liability; it was infinitely safer to go home early.
After a thorough examination, the doctor confirmed that her vitals were stable enough for an early release. Gu Tingxiao lost no time and immediately went to finalize the discharge paperwork. With the medical clearance sorted, Mother Gu began briskly packing their belongings, eager to get her daughter-in-law back to the comfort of the courtyard.
Sheng Wanze went ahead to borrow a military vehicle from the regiment, parking it directly flush against the hospital entrance to ensure his sister wouldn’t catch a single chill. The moment the paperwork was processed, Gu Tingxiao carefully placed a thick knit hat on Sheng Wanyan’s head, helped her into her heavy winter coat, and laced up her shoes. Once she was securely bundled from the freezing wind, he gently supported her weight and guided her out of the building.
Mother Gu was hyper-aware of the ward’s volatile dynamics. Fearing that Dahua’s family might attempt some final, desperate provocation if they saw them leaving, she smoothly passed little Yi Yi into Sheng Wanze’s arms. Her brother was tall, broad-shouldered, and a trained soldier; his formidable presence made him the ultimate shield for the infant.
As the Sheng family marched out of the ward, balancing their luggage and cradling the newborn, the reality of the situation finally hit the adjacent bed space like a thunderbolt.
Dahua’s mother-in-law and the rest of the relatives stared in absolute, paralyzed shock. It had never even crossed their minds that Sheng Wanyan would abruptly check out today. Hadn’t the obstetrician explicitly stated they would be leaving tomorrow?
With the wealthy family vanishing before their eyes, a wave of cold panic washed over the in-laws. What on earth were they supposed to do now? They had literally pooled their meager savings to settle Dahua’s medical arrears, viewing the cash as a necessary investment to anchor themselves to an elite dynasty. But now the elite family was gone. How were they supposed to secure their fortune?
By the time the rural household fully realized that Dahua’s grand scheme was a total delusion, it was entirely too late. Sheng Wanyan and her protectors had already climbed into the vehicle, leaving the hospital grounds behind. Back in the ward, an absolute nightmare of endless retribution and domestic abuse awaited Dahua.
As the car cruised down the road toward the compound, Sheng Wanze glanced at the rearview mirror. “Wanyan, you engineered this exact outcome for Dahua from the very start, didn’t you?”
Sheng Wanyan offered a small, knowing smile, choosing not to deny his words.
“You knew her in-laws wouldn’t actually go through with a divorce,” Sheng Wanze analyzed, a chuckle in his voice. “You knew that the moment they smelled a massive financial profit, the entire household would swallow their pride and rush to bail Dahua out. Your sudden decision to check out early today was the final trigger to snap the trap shut.”
Sheng Wanyan raised an eyebrow, thoroughly impressed by her brother’s sharp deduction. “Brother, since you already unraveled the puzzle, why bother asking?”
Sheng Wanze was a remarkably cunning fox himself, so it was impossible for him to miss the strategic genius behind her moves. “I’m just curious about one detail—how were you so certain that her stingy in-laws would actually agree to pay her hospital bills?”
He had easily figured out that Wanyan had orchestrated the hallway confrontation to ensure Dahua would get thrashed by her mother-in-law. He also knew the public divorce threat was merely theatrical leverage. But he truly couldn’t grasp how his little sister had accurately predicted the tight-fisted family would willingly part with their coin.
Cradling the sleeping Yi Yi against her chest, Mother Gu decided to answer the question on her daughter-in-law’s behalf.
“Dahua’s mother-in-law is notoriously cruel and tight-fisted, and her husband didn’t even bother to show up to tend to his own newborn daughter,” Mother Gu explained smoothly. “When the head of a household operates with that level of detachment, you can guarantee the rest of the bloodline shares the exact same nature. With a thoroughly selfish matriarch running the estate, what kind of moral character do you think her sons possess?”
Step by step, Mother Gu dismantled Sheng Wanyan’s flawless strategy without missing a single nuance. “Every single male in that household is driven exclusively by personal gain, and Wanyan weaponized that greed perfectly. A public divorce threat is a massive family scandal, forcing the entire clan to march to the hospital to intervene. Once they arrived, Dahua—desperate to salvage her marriage and protect her position—was forced to lay out her grand scheme to swap the babies to pacify them.”
Mother Gu’s eyes flashed with aristocratic appreciation. “When a pack of purely selfish creatures is suddenly presented with the illusion of elite wealth, they will inevitably throw their life savings into the pot without hesitation. And the exact moment they committed their funds and succumbed to the temptation, Wanyan checked out of the hospital. The plot failed, the imaginary fortune evaporated, and they are left holding a massive, real financial deficit from the medical bills. How do you think that family is going to treat Dahua now?”
Sheng Wanze’s jaw dropped in sheer astonishment. What kind of formidable tactical mind was hidden inside his sister’s head? “But what happens if they simply turn around and divorce her anyway once they get home?”
“Divorce? Not a chance,” Mother Gu countered with a sharp laugh. “As long as that debt remains unpaid, those greedy people will never allow Dahua to leave the household. Since she can’t repay the cash, they will force her to break her back in the fields, working like a common draft animal to pay off every single copper coin they wasted on her. After this disaster, her existence within that family will be a living hell. Wanyan understood the mother-in-law’s vicious temperament perfectly and built a customized trap using the old woman’s own flaws. Am I right, Wanyan?”
Mother Gu turned a warm, proud gaze toward her daughter-in-law. Sheng Wanyan offered a smooth nod of confirmation.
Sheng Wanze was so thoroughly stunned he remained completely speechless. He truly hadn’t realized how many layer upon layer of psychological traps his quiet sister could deploy when crossed. It was an absolute fact: literary women were not to be trifled with. His sister looked like a gentle, delicate intellectual, but her strategy could destroy a person without spilling a single drop of blood.
“So… sweetheart, when exactly did you set this entire sequence into motion?” Mother Gu asked, her curiosity piqued. Throughout her decades in the capital’s elite circles, she had crossed paths with countless highly educated, prominent young ladies. Yet, not a single one of them could hold a candle to her third daughter-in-law. Sheng Wanyan possessed the delicate grace of a high-born lady, the fierce courage of a soldier, and a level of tactical wisdom that completely outclassed most men.
“Right before Tingxiao left the ward to head down to the shower facilities last night,” Sheng Wanyan answered calmly.
The moment her husband had reached for his towel, she had already accurately anticipated how Dahua would attempt to exploit his absence. She had formulated her counter-strategy on the spot, quietly waiting for the vultures to step right into her trap.
Gu Tingxiao shot her a subtle glance, a sudden wave of understanding washing over him. My brilliant wife wasn’t just setting a trap for the neighbors; she was running a high-stakes test on me.
If he had displayed even a fraction of a second of hesitation or handled Dahua’s advances with poor boundaries last night, he would have inadvertently granted the woman a glimmer of hope. Had he faltered, the family currently facing a ruinous divorce today wouldn’t be Dahua’s—it would be his own. A shiver of relief ran down his spine. Thank goodness he was a fiercely disciplined, faithful man; otherwise, his beautiful home would be in ashes right now. Yet, beneath the lingering fear, a wave of immense pride swelled in his chest. This brilliant, unshakeable woman was his wife.
Sheng Wanze, navigating the vehicle down the bumpy lane, caught the blatant expression of smug, goofy pride plastered across Gu Tingxiao’s face in the mirror. He rolled his eyes hard. There is definitely something wrong with this guy, he thought. He came within an inch of being thrown into the marital doghouse by his own sister, yet here he is, radiating narcissistic joy. Is he genuinely throwing himself a victory parade simply for managing to keep his hands to himself? The sheer level of dramatic self-satisfaction was almost comical. Fearing further exposure to his brother-in-law’s narcissism would ruin his eyesight, Sheng Wanze quickly locked his focus back onto the road.
The moment the vehicle pulled up against their courtyard gate, the rumble of the engine brought Grandpa and Grandma Sheng hurrying out of the house.
“Quick, quick! Get her inside the house immediately!” Grandma Sheng fussed, ushering them through the door. “Wanyan and the little one shouldn’t be exposed to the outside drafts for a single second.”
Gu Tingxiao carefully guided Sheng Wanyan into the master bedroom, while Mother Gu followed tightly behind, carrying the sleeping infant. Over the past forty-eight hours, Mother Gu had already thoroughly scrubbed the wooden crib, aired the linens beneath the hot sun, and neatly laid out the nursery bedding.
Once little Yi Yi was settled into her nest, Sheng Wanyan sat back against the pillows. Gu Tingxiao immediately knelt by the frame, gently removing her shoes and socks. He assisted her into a comfortable resting position, knowing that during the crucial month of postpartum confinement, a woman needed to remain horizontal as much as possible, avoiding prolonged sitting to protect her pelvic recovery. If a mother failed to safeguard her health during this fragile window, she would suffer from chronic physical ailments for the rest of her days. Furthermore, a devoted husband needed to remain anchored by her side throughout the stretch; it was the most physically and emotionally grueling milestone a woman could endure.
Gu Tingxiao systematically verified that every window in the chamber was locked tight, manually stuffing the microscopic gaps along the frames with thick layers of newspaper. Only when he was entirely certain that the room was completely insulated from the outside wind did he gently help Sheng Wanyan out of her heavy coat and knit hat.
With the logistics settled, the quiet courtyard erupted into a lively, joyful celebration. Grandma Sheng slipped into the bedroom, settling onto the edge of the mattress to whisper a series of traditional, loving confinement guidelines to her granddaughter, ensuring her recovery would be absolute.
