Five years without pregnancy means you're too weak; I remarried a powerful man and had triplets

"Keep dreaming!"

A deep, angry shout cleaved through the noise, and the crowd automatically parted to make way.

Shen Ji stood there with a sullen face, his fingers, which had been used to grading homework for many years, were now clenched white, and his chest was heaving violently.

He strode forward, standing one behind and one behind Shen Haozhi, protecting Shen Zhiyi in the middle. His gaze, like a red-hot iron, was fixed on Xu Zhesheng's face:

"Back then, her mother and I opposed this marriage! It was only because Zhizhi insisted that we reluctantly agreed. Every penny of your initial startup capital came from our retirement savings, painstakingly saved up between our teeth. Without that money, how could you, Xu Zhesheng, a poor student, be where you are today?!"

"Even when you're blaming someone for wrongdoing, you should have some sense of reason!"

Shen Ji's fingers trembled with anger as she pointed at Xu Zhesheng's still somewhat respectable face. "You're the one who cheated! You're the one who had a child outside of marriage! You did something wrong but didn't repent, and now you want to scheme against Zhizhi? There's no reason for you to do that!"

"Oh dear, father-in-law, are you getting senile?"

Zhang Feng stood with her hands on her hips, veins bulging on her neck, her voice high-pitched and sharp, instantly drowning out Shen Ji's.

"Back then, it was your Shen Zhiyi who was eager to marry into the family, and that money was her dowry! A married daughter is like water spilled from a cup; once the money is in the Xu family, how we spend it is our business! Now you're coming to collect a debt? Your skin is thicker than a city wall!"

She spat as she pointed at Shen Zhiyi, her eyes filled with disdain as if she were looking at a pile of garbage:

"Why would our Ah Zhe have a child with someone else? Don't you have any self-awareness? Five years of marriage, and not a single bit of pregnancy! Shen Zhiyi herself has health problems, yet she dared to have her medical reports altered—that's marriage fraud! To put it more seriously, that's fraud! Compensating us five million is already being lenient with her out of consideration for our past relationship!"

Zhang Feng's distorted and fabricated statements instantly ignited the gossip-loving spirit of the onlookers.

Whispers rose and fell, like a swarm of flies buzzing:

"Tsk tsk, sounds like a melodramatic soap opera, doesn't it? Unable to conceive and hiding her condition, that's really unethical..."

"Absolutely! She's such a pretty girl, how could she be so heartless? Half the inheritance? How could she have the nerve!"

"If it were me, I'd sue her for marriage fraud! She wasted five years of her prime years; her kids are old enough to run errands!"

"That guy seemed pretty honest, turns out he was tricked by this woman... Tsk tsk, even five million might not be enough for compensation for emotional distress!"

These comments pierced Shen Zhiyi's ears like needles, but she remained upright with her back straight, staring intently at Xu Zhesheng without offering any explanation.

Shen Haozhi's brows furrowed tightly. Just as he was about to speak, a white figure strode quickly towards him from the edge of the crowd.

It was Tan Gui, who had just taken off her surgical scrubs and was now wearing a neatly pressed white doctor's coat. Her short hair was neat, and there was still a thin layer of sweat on her forehead from her busy work.

"Zhizhi!"

She received a call from Shen Zhiyi on her way here.

Although they weren't in the same department, she had extensive connections in the hospital and had already used her connections to access Xu Jing's detailed medical records. She was just about to come over and discuss it in detail when she unexpectedly heard Zhang Feng's signature high-pitched voice from afar.

Upon hearing Xu Zhesheng's voice again, her heart sank, and the scene from last night instantly flashed before her eyes, causing her to quicken her pace.

Tan Gui squeezed into the circle in a few steps, and without saying a word, stood directly in front of Shen Zhiyi. Her usually calm eyes were now sharp as knives, shooting straight at Zhang Feng and Xu Zhesheng: "This is a hospital, a place of great importance. What kind of behavior is this! Disperse!"

She possessed an inherent doctor's authority, a tactic that worked on ordinary patients, but who was Zhang Feng? She was the toughest of the tough.

Upon seeing Tan Gui, Zhang Feng felt as if she had finally grasped a lifeline—no, a perfect target for slinging dirty water!

She suddenly raised her voice, so shrill it almost pierced eardrums, as if afraid the people around her wouldn't hear her, waving her arms and shouting, "Hey! Don't go! Don't go! Take a good look! This is that little bitch's accomplice! The real culprit is here!"

Her finger almost poked Tan Gui's nose, spitting everywhere:

"Everyone heard that! This woman is a doctor at this hospital! They're in cahoots! Back then, she was the one who helped Shen Zhiyi change her medical records to cover up her infertility! She fooled our Zhe for five whole years! What do you call that? That's called conspiring to commit fraud!"

Zhang Feng became more and more excited as she spoke, her voice echoing in the empty corridor, almost as if she were about to lift the ceiling:

"Your hospital is heartless! How could you hire such an unethical doctor? Colluding to forge certificates just to shove this useless hen into our hospital? This black sheep, shouldn't you be fired?! I'm exposing you today! Let everyone know what kind of hospital you are!"

Her outburst drew the attention of patients and their families across the floor, who peered out, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.

Tan Gui's face instantly darkened.

She pursed her lips, not immediately refuting, but her eyes, cold as ice, stared intently at Zhang Feng's face, which was contorted with excitement.

Xu Zhesheng, standing behind Zhang Feng, glanced at Tan Yi's white coat, which symbolized authority, and his eyes flickered. He knew that Tan Yi was Shen Zhiyi's best friend and often spoke ill of her in front of Shen Zhiyi. If he could make her suffer a little, that would be great.

Shen Zhiyi gently tugged at Tan Gui's sleeve, offering silent comfort.

As she watched Zhang Feng perform, the last trace of warmth in her eyes vanished.

Tan Gui was her good friend, and a doctor's reputation was the foundation of her career. She would never allow this shrew to tarnish Tan Gui's reputation with her filthy mouth.

She stepped forward, and her aura suddenly calmed down.

His gaze was fixed on Zhang Feng and Xu Zhesheng, and he spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Fine, according to your plan, if it is proven that I, Shen Zhiyi, am physically unable to have children, I will compensate you five million, and I will not take a penny from the divorce settlement, is that right?"

Zhang Feng raised her chin high, her nostrils practically pointing to the sky, spitting as she spoke: "Otherwise what? You, this barren hen, were in the wrong first! You cheated me out of marriage and money; paying five million is the least you deserve!"

Xu Zhesheng pursed his lips, remaining silent, but his eyes, fixed on Shen Zhiyi, were filled with tacit approval.

Shen Zhiyi's lips curved into a very faint smile, like a hunter setting out a net, waiting for its prey to step in.

Her tone abruptly shifted, her voice low but each word ringing like thunder in the corridor: "Then what if, conversely, it wasn't me who was infertile, but Xu Zhesheng?"

"Hahaha!"

Zhang Feng laughed as if she had heard the most absurd joke in the world. She slapped her thigh and laughed so hard she almost fell over. Her finger pointing at Shen Zhiyi was trembling. "What nonsense are you spouting! My son is perfectly virile! Manman's chubby daughter is lying in the OB/GYN next door! How could he not be able to have children?! Stop making baseless accusations and trying to save face!"

Then, with a mocking laugh, he said, "Fine! If my son really has a problem, then the Xu family has wronged you! We can afford to pay you ten million, let alone five million! I'll make him leave with nothing, and even pay you to leave, okay? Are you satisfied now? Stop dreaming!"

Hearing his mother's almost oath-like promise, Xu Zhesheng became even less concerned about Shen Zhiyi's desperate struggle.

His child with Su Manman was still an infant, which was the most irrefutable evidence of his fertility.

He assumed that Shen Zhiyi was driven mad by jealousy and trying to find some psychological balance.

He raised his eyes, his gaze intense, carrying a condescending arrogance, and responded leniently to Shen Zhiyi's unreasonable behavior: "Of course. If it really is my fault, I, Xu Zhesheng, will not drag you down. I will leave with nothing and compensate you with five million."