Su Wan's body trembled slightly. That clinic…
"What did they go there for?" Her voice wavered.
Zhang Ma bent down to pick up the spoon, wiping the floor with a rag, her head still down.
"What else could it be?"
"Miss, you're reacting so strongly now, you've thrown up until you're a shadow of yourself."
"The villa doesn't have everything, Sir went to get you medicine."
Medicine… was it medicine for morning sickness?
Su Wan's hand unconsciously touched her lower abdomen, which was still very flat.
"Which clinic?" She asked again, her voice low and hoarse.
Zhang Ma paused her wiping motion. The wet rag pressed on the floor, spreading a blurry water mark.
"Around here, there's no clinic," Her voice was flat, as if stating the most ordinary fact.
Su Wan's heart skipped a beat.
No clinic? Then where did they go to get medicine?
Zhang Ma slowly straightened up, draping the rag over the edge of the bucket, water droplets falling from the cloth, drip, drip.
"If they really went to get medicine, they'd probably have to run for a whole day."
"That place is far."
Only the faint sound of water dripping and Su Wan's almost inaudible breathing remained in the air.
Her fingertips grew colder, curling up unconsciously.
"Sir specifically left instructions before he left," Zhang Ma turned around, her gaze elsewhere.
"There are zombies everywhere outside."
"Miss's health is paramount, it's best to stay put in the villa and absolutely not go out."
The vomiting of this past week, coupled with that unsent message…
With all these signs combined, she could almost confirm that a small life was brewing inside her.
Was this a good thing?
At least, her life might be preserved for a little longer.
This thought brought little comfort; instead, it felt like a heavy stone pressing on her chest, along with the churning in her stomach, making it hard for her to breathe.
That day, Su Wan spent most of her time curled up in bed.
Drowsy, half-asleep.
Her body was extremely weak, she had no interest in any food, and even plain water was difficult to swallow.
In a flash, night fell.
They still hadn't returned.
She forced herself out of bed and went to the living room.
Zhang Ma was indeed still there, sitting in a corner of the sofa, holding needle and thread, seemingly mending something.
Seeing her come down, Zhang Ma put down her work, her tone still flat.
"Miss, are you hungry? There's soup warming on the stove."
Su Wan shook her head and sat down on the sofa.
The two sat in silence, an inexpressible awkwardness hanging in the air.
Zhang Ma idly chatted about irrelevant things, about the weather, about the flowers and plants in the villa.
Su Wan just listened, not joining in the conversation.
Her thoughts drifted far away, to that vague "clinic," and to Zhang Ma's phrase, "It's far."
Suddenly, a clear car engine sound approached from a distance, breaking the silence of the night.
They're here.
Su Wan's heart suddenly quickened; she almost instinctively stood up and looked out the window.
Headlights pierced the darkness, stopping steadily in front of the villa.
The car door opened, and two familiar figures stepped out first.
Next were Xiao Han's brothers, followed by the heavy sounds of things being moved.
Zhang Ma also stood up and walked to the door.
Su Wan followed her.
Under the light of the porch, she saw clearly.
Goodness, they didn't just get "medicine"?
Large and small boxes were piled on the ground, neatly stacked.
Well-packaged medical supplies, syringes, medicine bottles, gauze rolls… there were so many types it was like a pharmacy had been emptied.
There was even more food and drink, and some tools and parts she couldn't name.
A truckload of supplies almost filled the empty space in front of the door.
Lu Shiyan stood in the shadow of the porch, his gaze meeting Su Wan's directly.
She definitely hadn't misjudged; something complex flashed in his eyes, gone in a blink.
"Xiao Han, you guys categorize the supplies first and put them in the storage room," Lu Shiyan commanded coldly, his eyes still fixed on Su Wan's face, "Medicines and medical equipment for Zone B should be stored separately."
Xiao Han gave Su Wan a meaningful look, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Understood."
Su Wan stood with her arms crossed, wearing only a thin nightgown; the night wind made her shiver involuntarily. She had too many questions but didn't know where to start.
"You're trembling," Lu Shiyan suddenly approached, his voice still cold, "Go back inside."
"Did you find a clinic?" Su Wan looked up at him, asking stubbornly.
Lu Shiyan didn't answer immediately, only handing her a small box. Su Wan looked down and saw it was morning sickness medicine.
"Go rest," he commanded again, "You need to regain your strength."
Su Wan took the medicine box, her voice weak but firm: "But I want to know where you went."
Lu Shiyan's gaze lingered on her pale face for a moment, then he finally sighed.
"Follow me."
He turned and walked towards the study. Su Wan hesitated for a moment, but still followed him.
The moment the study door closed, Su Wan's heart raced. She stood by the door, maintaining a safe distance from Lu Shiyan.
Lu Shiyan sat down at the desk, took a map from the drawer, and spread it on the table.
"Here," he pointed to a red circle, "A hospital in the city center. It took us most of the day to clear a safe route and bring back these supplies."
Su Wan moved closer, looking at the marked map under the moonlight.
"You actually went to such a dangerous place?" Her voice trembled slightly.
"The hospital has the medicine you need," Lu Shiyan looked up at her, his gaze complex, "And an ultrasound machine."
Ultrasound machine? Su Wan's heart stopped; her hand unconsciously went to her lower abdomen.
"Are you still doubting me?" she asked softly.
Lu Shiyan stood up and walked to the window, his back to her. "I brought back pregnancy tests," His voice was very soft, but exceptionally clear in the quiet room, "And a portable ultrasound."
Su Wan looked up sharply: "You want me to confirm it now?"
He turned around, his face expressionless. "Now, immediately, at once." He articulated clearly, without a hint of emotion, "Confirm it."
Confirm it then. Su Wan's heart pounded. She must be pregnant.
Oh God, please don't joke around at a time like this!
If it didn't show up… her life would most likely be cut short.
Lu Shiyan didn't give her much time to overthink. He picked up an unopened box from the side of the table and threw it to her.
A pregnancy test.
Then, he picked up a black briefcase and placed it on the table, opening it. Inside was a small, precise instrument. A portable ultrasound machine.
"Go to the bathroom," Lu Shiyan lifted his chin slightly, indicating the direction.
Su Wan clutched the pregnancy test box in her hand.
"Do I need to 'invite' you?" Lu Shiyan's voice grew three degrees colder.
Su Wan took a deep breath, turned, and walked towards the study's en-suite bathroom. The door clicked shut.
Her heart pounded even faster.
Unpacking, reading instructions, every step felt like slow motion. Her fingers were trembling.
Five minutes. The instructions said to wait five minutes. These five minutes felt longer than a century.