24. Responsible for Marrying You

"What is this?" Tong Zhenzhen snatched it away, only to see it was an ultrasound report.

My god, could there be a mistake? How could she possibly be pregnant?! Tong Zhenzhen stood frozen, turned into a wooden statue as if struck by a paralyzing spell, completely stunned.

Jun Lengche propped up the pillow and placed it behind her. "Get some rest."

A few seconds later, Tong Zhenzhen grabbed his hand, her nails digging deep into his skin. Her eyes widened. "Liar! It must be fake! How could I be pregnant?!"

Jun Lengche raised an eyebrow, looking at her as if she were an alien. "What? Neither of us has any health issues. Why wouldn't you be pregnant?"

Good heavens, Tong Zhenzhen wanted to slap herself. How could she have gone to bed with him and completely forgotten about the morning-after pill?!

It was over. She had created a life. What was she supposed to do now? Her head throbbed with a deafening roar. How did her quest for revenge end up with her carrying the child of her enemy?

Jun Lengche sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry. I will take responsibility."

Responsibility? Tong Zhenzhen stiffly turned her head, looking at him blankly.

Jun Lengche frowned. "Silly girl, I will marry you."

Marry? He wanted to marry her? Out of responsibility?

Tong Zhenzhen instinctively recoiled. She threw off the quilt and prepared to get out of bed.

"No." Jun Lengche pressed her shoulders down. "Stay in bed and rest."

"Who are you? Since when do you get to boss me around?" Tong Zhenzhen retorted defiantly, her neck stiff.

This girl—why did she have to be so stubborn the moment she woke up? Jun Lengche looked at her temper tantrum with a touch of annoyance. Did he really mean so little to her?

He had found out about her trip to the mountain region through Qin Xiangyang. By then, she had already been gone for a week. He felt a deep sense of unease about that. Why would she tell Qin Xiangyang and not him? Could it be...

When he tried calling her, he could never get through.

During those days, Jun Lengche deeply understood the taste of missing someone—it was like having countless tiny claws scratching at his heart.

As luck would have it, there was a military hospital program visiting the mountain region, and the village where Tong Zhenzhen was staying happened to be on the list. So, Jun Lengche led the team into the mountains.

He never expected to encounter a mudslide.

He never expected that he would save her, and that she, in turn, would save him.

When Tong Zhenzhen fainted, he had thrown caution to the wind, swimming through the debris to grab hold of her.

Fortunately, the villagers arrived in time, sending down young men tied with ropes to pull them both to safety.

Seeing her unconscious, Jun Lengche felt panic for the first time in his life. His heart constricted; he finally understood what it meant to be afraid.

When she was brought back to his hospital, he was shocked to discover she was pregnant. The surprise was truly indescribable.

That was the first time he had ever smiled like a fool in front of his colleagues.

Yet, this girl—how could she show no joy at the news? Hadn't she been so patient with children in the village? Hadn't she risked her life to save a baby she didn't even know?

Did she not love him? That thought finally struck him, piercing his heart like a knife.

No! She had to be his. Jun Lengche could never let go.

He pulled Tong Zhenzhen into a tight embrace and said firmly, "I will definitely marry you!"

"Get lost!" Tong Zhenzhen shouted, flailing wildly as she beat against his back.

Mindful that she shouldn't get overly excited, Jun Lengche released her and quickly left the room.

Tong Zhenzhen grabbed the pillow from behind her and threw it at his retreating back. The door closed, and the pillow fell to the floor.

After the outburst, Tong Zhenzhen felt drained. She lay back down, staring at the ceiling, feeling like a beast cornered with no choice but to struggle in vain. In the empty hospital room, only her muffled, low sobs could be heard.

The next morning, Jun Lengche did not appear.

However, in the afternoon, two unexpected guests arrived.

It was the grim-faced Old Madam Jun and the neighbor's daughter whom Jun Lengche knew, whom Tong Zhenzhen had met once before.

Unlike her previous display of frailty, the young woman was now radiating a murderous aura.

After helping Old Madam Jun inside, the girl closed the door, found a chair, and respectfully gestured for the old woman to sit. Then, she charged toward Tong Zhenzhen and said aggressively, "I am Mo Chuchu. Don't think that just because you're pregnant, you can marry Brother Che!"

Insane! Was this girl speaking human language? Tong Zhenzhen, sitting on the bed, rolled her eyes at her.

Ignored, Mo Chuchu immediately switched to a pitiful, aggrieved expression, returning to Old Madam Jun's side to act spoiled. "Grandma, look at her. What kind of attitude is that?"

It was truly unreasonable. She had been the one to provoke her, yet she was shifting the blame. Tong Zhenzhen turned away, issuing an order to leave: "If you two are here to visit, thank you, I'm still alive. Now, I'm tired. Please leave."

"It seems, Miss Tong, that you are full of life. In that case, I will be blunt before I go." The haughty voice was unmistakably that of Old Madam Jun. "Please get rid of the child. Our family will cover the damages; just name your price."

Abortion?! Although Tong Zhenzhen was troubled by the pregnancy, she had never considered ending it. It was a life, after all.

"Old Madam Jun, aren't you afraid of bad karma saying such things? This is a human life!" Tong Zhenzhen spun around, straightening her spine. "Keep your dirty money. I won't be marrying Jun Lengche!"

Tong Zhenzhen guarded her abdomen with both hands, glaring at the two "enemies" with cold, sharp eyes, like a mother beast protecting her young.

Old Madam Jun’s face turned from blue to white, her breathing quickening. "A girl like you who has lived abroad, who knows how many times you've already aborted? Why the fake pretenses?!"

"Exactly. You went to bed with Brother Che the first time you met. So frivolous, why act like a saint?!" Mo Chuchu, who was supporting the old woman, joined in the attack.

"Tch, what kind of person I am is none of your business! Regardless, I will definitely give birth to this child! The child will take my surname, Tong!" Tong Zhenzhen had no interest in debating her purity with such people.

"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed!" The door flew open, and Jun Lengche strode in, tossing a red booklet directly at Tong Zhenzhen. "This child will take the surname Jun!"

What did that mean? Tong Zhenzhen caught the red booklet and stared at it.

"Marriage Certificate"?! My god, the three big red characters were enough to blind her.

To her, the little booklet felt like a landmine ready to detonate at any moment.

Tong Zhenzhen didn't have the courage to open it, so she swept it onto the floor. "Stop joking around!"

"Joking?" Jun Lengche raised an eyebrow as if he had heard something bizarre. "From now on, you are my wife."

"Impossible! I've been in the hospital the whole time; how could I have gone to get a certificate with you! It must be forged." Tong Zhenzhen refused to believe it.

"Xiao Che!" Clearly, Old Madam Jun was just as stunned by this "bomb" as Tong Zhenzhen. She gasped, her mouth agape, not knowing what to say.

"Brother Che~" A mournful, plaintive cry spilled from Mo Chuchu's lips.

Then, Tong Zhenzhen saw Mo Chuchu dash forward like lightning, pick up the booklet from the floor, and open it, scanning it like a machine.

Mist gathered in Mo Chuchu's large eyes—truly a sight to evoke pity. She clutched the red booklet and looked at Jun Lengche with a desolate expression. Her already pale face looked even more haggard, the perfect image of a deeply wronged, devoted woman. "Brother Che, she must have used the child to force you into this, right?"

This girl was definitely a seasoned actress. The transition from her previous aggressive stance to this current submissive grievance was way too natural. Even Tong Zhenzhen, shocked as she was, felt like giving her a round of applause.

A willow-like fragility, so pitiful—it had made countless men bow down throughout history.

To her surprise, Jun Lengche was not among them. He frowned slightly, his eyes as cold as a deep pool, completely unmoved. "Chuchu, do you think I am someone who can be threatened?"

As expected of a former hero who had commanded the battlefield, Old Madam Jun quickly regained her composure. She had Mo Chuchu bring her the marriage certificate. Taking the red booklet, she didn't even look at it and tossed it directly to Jun Lengche. "Xiao Che, this is ridiculous! Go and cancel it immediately!"

"Marriage is a matter of personal choice, Grandma." Jun Lengche refused firmly.

Old Madam Jun was not one to back down easily. After a moment's thought, she added, "She is the daughter of your stepfather's ex-wife; aren't you afraid of what people will say? Besides, she is definitely approaching you with ill intentions!"

Tong Zhenzhen sighed, rubbing her forehead. Did Jun Lengche care about what others thought? It seemed Old Madam Jun didn't know this guy well enough.

After the initial shock, Tong Zhenzhen suddenly realized that if they were married, she would be even closer to Jun Lengche and the Jun family. Only by fully understanding the enemy could she deliver the most fatal blow. And wouldn't making Old Madam Jun miserable also fulfill her goal of revenge?

Thinking this way, Tong Zhenzhen decided to use reverse psychology—she couldn't let Jun Lengche get away.

"Jun Lengche, are you having fun? Is your desperate insistence on marrying me just for the meat in my belly? I don't care for it. Let's go, let's head to the Civil Affairs Bureau and get a divorce!" Tong Zhenzhen understood her opponent's temper; she was playing hard to get.

Jun Lengche stared at her with a murderous gaze. He strode over, grabbed her right wrist, and gave a cold, chilling smile, radiating an indescribable dominance. "Don't even think about it!"

"I never imagined Miss Tong was so understanding. Please, don't mind what Grandma said earlier." Old Madam Jun, unaware of Tong Zhenzhen's true intentions, thought she could form an alliance and shifted her tone to praise her, before adding, "Xiao Che, marriage requires mutual consent. You cannot force it."

"Grandma, just rest easy and wait to hold your grandson." But Jun Lengche was unmoved. He tucked the quilt around Tong Zhenzhen and ordered, "You rest."

Then, Jun Lengche walked over to Old Madam Jun, retrieved their "marriage certificate," and put it in his breast pocket.

At this point, Old Madam Jun realized the outcome was set and could not be changed. She pursed her lips but said nothing more.

"Brother Che, is the child in her belly really yours?" Mo Chuchu, unwilling to let the matter rest, stepped forward to block Jun Lengche, her eyes shimmering with tears, looking as if she were deeply concerned for him.