Xu Zifan's expression was extremely serious, and his attitude was particularly firm. Wu Xuefei had never seen him like this in all the years she had known him. She asked softly, "Zifan, what's wrong?"
Xu Zifan said, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you. When you see the doctor later, tell him where you feel uncomfortable. The doctor needs to know the specific situation to make a diagnosis."
Hearing this, Wu Xuefei felt less nervous. Although it was a hospital visit, the one near her home was only so-so. If she complained about feeling unwell, the doctor would definitely not say she was fine. At most, they would do a few tests and prescribe some supplements, saying she was just overworked. There was nothing to be afraid of.
The ambulance arrived, and all three got in. Xu Zifan immediately said he wanted to go to the best hospital in the city. The nurse tried to persuade him to go to a nearby hospital, but he resolutely refused, insisting on going to the best one. Wu Lidong and Wu Xuefei both had a bad feeling and tried to stop him, but Xu Zifan said he was doing it for Wu Xuefei's own good and wasn't afraid to spend the money, leaving them speechless.
Upon arriving at the First Hospital, Wu Xuefei was quickly taken to the emergency room. Xu Zifan then immediately booked an appointment with a specialist and told the specialist that Wu Xuefei had been frequently unwell since becoming pregnant, and this time, after working for only a few days, she was unable to get up and needed a comprehensive physical examination.
Since the family had this request, the hospital naturally wouldn't object. As long as the examination didn't involve radiation, it could be done. And since Wu Xuefei hadn't eaten or drunk anything that morning, any examination could be performed.
So when the emergency room doctor said Wu Xuefei should be fine and suggested further tests, Xu Zifan took out a whole stack of forms, found a guide, and led them through the tests one by one. Wu Lidong and Wu Xuefei were both shocked and hurriedly refused to be tested. Wu Xuefei said, "I feel unwell right now, I just want to lie down quietly for a while, I don't want to be tested."
Xu Zifan said directly, "Don't be willful. Why don't you take your health seriously? You feel uncomfortable sweeping the floor, sitting in the office at work, and even dizzy while washing dishes. Something's definitely wrong. Don't worry about the cost. We need to get you checked out today. Don't worry, I've already booked an appointment with a specialist. The specialist will definitely be able to cure you."
The medical guide following them smiled and said, "Madam, you should listen to your husband. It's rare to have a husband who loves his wife so much. You are so lucky."
Wu Xuefei was extremely anxious. What happiness? She was faking illness!
She quickly gave Wu Lidong a look, and Wu Lidong said, "Zifan, let's check again another day. I don't think Feifei is anything serious, she's just tired."
Xu Zifan disagreed, saying, "Dad, don't avoid seeking medical help. She's been feeling unwell for a long time, ever since she got pregnant. This won't do; she needs to be checked."
Under Xu Zifan's pressure, Wu Xuefei underwent a full medical checkup and then spent a day in the hospital. After reviewing her condition and all the test results, the specialist concluded that she was perfectly healthy and any discomfort she felt was likely psychological.
The news of the pregnant woman's full-body checkup had already spread throughout the nurses' group. Everyone was curious about what a rare and wonderful husband was like, and someone had even secretly taken a picture of Xu Zifan and posted it in the group. They were quite interested in this couple. So, they were all surprised to hear the expert's conclusion. With a husband who loves her so much, why would a pregnant woman have such wild thoughts? This psychological stuff is making her uncomfortable; what is she thinking?!
And this psychological effect is too strong! The medical guide overheard everything: the pregnant woman felt dizzy while washing dishes, had difficulty sweeping, and collapsed from exhaustion while sitting in the office. Isn't this just princess syndrome?! How fussy!
The specialist prescribed medication to stabilize the pregnancy, and Xu Zifan seemed to only snap out of his daze when the nurse came to insert the needle. He looked sadly at Wu Xuefei, "Xuefei, what are you thinking about every day? Aren't you usually so cheerful and lively? How could you let your mind cloud your judgment and make yourself like this? I really can't guess what you're thinking. You said you wanted to drink and reminisce, so I drank and reminisced with you. You asked me to take you back to your hotel, so I did. And then... what happened later... I got drunk. I didn't mean to bully you. If you didn't want to, you could have woken me up, yelled at me, or even kicked me out. You know I've liked you for so long, there's no way I could disobey you."
The nurse's eyes lit up, and she deliberately slowed down her movements, straining her ears to listen to the gossip.
Wu Xuefei was so anxious that she sat up straight, and said angrily, "Xu Zifan, what are you saying? This is a hospital!"
Xu Zifan wiped his face. "So what if it's a hospital? It's a private room, isn't it? Nobody can hear us! I just want to ask you properly, what exactly do you want? After that day, you told me you were pregnant, and I proposed marriage without hesitation. You agreed to get the marriage certificate, didn't you? If you didn't agree, why didn't you say so? Now that you've married me, why are you so unwilling? You say you feel dizzy even when washing dishes, but you do all the housework for me, no problem; you need a million, and my parents and I will empty all our savings, no problem; you told me not to complain about you not working, saying you'd rather go out and work, so I immediately found someone to arrange a job for you, and today you say you're exhausted, but the expert says it's all psychological. Xuefei, I'm just asking, what do you want from me? What will make you feel at ease and stop overthinking? Can't we just focus on having the baby first?"
Wu Xuefei watched as the nurse gestured for a long time before finally giving her the injection, clearly just listening to gossip. Enraged, she grabbed a pillow and threw it at Xu Zifan. "Stop talking! Get out! I don't want to see you!"
Xu Zifan picked up the pillow, patted it, and put it on the stool next to him. "Okay, anyway, you've never liked me with you, you only like your dad. So let Dad take good care of you here. I'm going to work. After all, I still need to earn money to pay off the debts. I've already lost a lot of money by taking most of the day off today. I'll come see you again tomorrow."
Xu Zifan walked away dejectedly, and the nurse finally finished administering the injection and left. Soon, the nurses' group chat exploded!
Xu Zifan left the hospital and took a taxi home. He posted on Weibo: "My wife was so sick today that she was bedridden. I was terrified and rushed her to the best hospital for a full checkup by a specialist. The specialist said it was all in her head. I just had a fight with my wife, or rather, I wanted to ask her why she was overthinking things. Am I not accommodating enough to her? It looks like the job I just found is gone. My wife is probably only happy when she's at home watching TV with her father. She's very angry, blaming me for talking about family matters at the hospital. I wasn't paying attention; I was feeling really upset when I said it. I hope I didn't bother anyone else."
This was the first time Xu Zifan mentioned his argument with his wife on Weibo. Fans sided with him and condemned Wu Xuefei. Then one netizen commented: "Huh? Isn't that Wu Xuefei in the photo? Our high school deskmate? And isn't that Xu Zifan? I was their classmate! They actually got married?! Oh my god! I can't believe it! I'm going to call my classmates to come and see!"
Two more comments followed, from people claiming to be classmates of Xu Zifan and Wu Xuefei. They said Xu Zifan was very ordinary, while Wu Xuefei was their school's most beautiful girl, and they couldn't imagine them being together, though they did seem to be friends in high school. They added that after reading all of Xu Zifan's Weibo posts, they understood his situation better, and that it was probably true. They advised Xu Zifan to find someone down-to-earth and practical, and not to be fooled by the pretty school beauty, who had three boyfriends in high school, though few people knew.
Their high school WeChat group was disbanded after a major argument between two students. Over the years, some members have kept in touch, while others haven't. Although some classmates saw Xu Zifan's Weibo post, it hasn't expanded his network of acquaintances much in the short term. Xu Zifan didn't reply to the comments, but after assessing the speed at which news spread among classmates, he decided to speed things up.
Afterwards, he went to the company and apologized to Sister Liu. He had troubled her to find him a job, but she quit after less than a month. What kind of behavior was that! However, none of his colleagues said anything bad about him. They all thought that Wu Xuefei was doing it on purpose. What did she mean by being so strong-willed and wanting to work? It was just an excuse to avoid doing housework. If they actually asked her to work, she would say that she was sick.
Xu Zifan then recounted the expert's diagnosis, further fueling his colleagues' disdain for Wu Xuefei's behavior. They had known Wu Xuefei for some time and understood her somewhat; what psychological manipulation? She was just faking illness! However, no one said anything, only offering Xu Zifan a few words of comfort. After all, they were married with children; what could they say? If Wu Xuefei were to actually experience miscarriage, no one could bear the responsibility. Xu Zifan would simply have to accept his misfortune and deal with the situation after the baby was born.
Xu Zifan wanted to speed things up, but Wu Xuefei and Wu Lidong wanted to speed things up even more. They hadn't had a single good day in a while, constantly feeling stifled and unable to bear it any longer. So, only two days after Wu Xuefei was discharged from the hospital, Wu Lidong brought up the topic of investing and making money.
He apologized to Xu Zifan with remorse, saying he hadn't taken good care of their daughter and had caused Wu Xuefei to overthink things. He then earnestly talked about the family's living expenses, saying that things couldn't go on like this; he and Wu Xuefei weren't earning much money even if they went out, and investing would yield a better return. The main reason was that this investment was arranged through his friend, who had guaranteed a profit; if he had more capital, he would have been rich long ago.
Xu Zifan had been waiting for this opportunity, saying he wanted to try it a few times first to see if it was reliable. He borrowed 50,000 yuan from his colleagues, saying he wanted to invest it. His colleagues all advised him not to invest blindly, saying that high returns were generally unreliable, especially since laymen were easily scammed. They also wondered how his father-in-law would be, given his unpredictable nature. But Xu Zifan said he trusted his father-in-law, and the amount he borrowed from each of them wasn't much, which he could repay with his salary later, so his colleagues lent him the money.
Xu Zifan borrowed another 50,000 yuan from his parents and invested 100,000 yuan for the first time. He told Wu Lidong with great trust, "This is all I can borrow right now. Let's try it first. If it works out, I'll borrow from my relatives. Don't worry, Dad. There were so many people at the banquet last time. If everyone lends a little, it will add up. If we can really make money, we can invest several hundred thousand yuan and pay off our debts."
Wu Lidong smiled and said, "Okay, you trust me, and I won't let you down. Just wait for my good news."
The investment promises a monthly return; the more you invest, the greater the profit. You invested 100,000 and received 160,000 back after one month, making a net profit of 60,000!
Xu Zifan was overjoyed and posted on Weibo: "My father-in-law helped me invest. I invested 100,000 yuan and earned 60,000 yuan in a month! I've finally found a way to make money. Soon I'll be able to pay off my debts and even buy a bigger house for my family. Please don't misunderstand my father-in-law anymore; he definitely wants what's best for our family. I'm so grateful to him!"
Fans were urging him not to invest, calling him foolish—what investment could make so much money? It's like a windfall! Some even shared their own experiences, saying that in investing, those directly involved are often blinded by their own perspective, while outsiders see things more clearly. Because those directly involved actually receive returns, even if they initially doubted it, they eventually believed it. They advised Xu Zifan to wake up and not get involved. They suggested that if he were to invest again, he should just use the original 60,000 yuan; even if he lost it, he wouldn't feel bad because it was free money anyway.
Xu Zifan replied to the comment, saying that his suggestion was great and that he had decided to do as he was told.
At the company, Xu Zifan showed great respect for his father-in-law, shaking off his previous dejection and becoming very happy. He returned the 50,000 yuan he had borrowed from his colleagues and invested 110,000 yuan in his second investment.
Wu Lidong asked with a grim expression, "Didn't you say we should keep investing with interest? That way we can earn more. How come there's only 110,000?"
Xu Zifan said embarrassedly, "I promised my colleagues I'd pay it back in a month, and I've already returned the 50,000 to them. Also, my parents don't approve of my investments and won't let me borrow money from relatives. Dad, don't blame them. They often watch legal programs, and they all say that investments will make you lose everything on the third try, so they won't let me invest. This is all I have right now."
That's all we can invest. But don't worry, Dad, as long as we make money the third time, my parents will definitely believe us, and they'll help us borrow money from relatives.
Although Wu Lidong was unhappy, he had no other choice but to give Xu Zifan a rebate of 180,000 yuan a month later. This meant he had actually given Xu Zifan a total of 130,000 yuan in two installments. Although this money was all obtained by swindling from the Xu family, it still stung. He could only console himself by thinking about how he could swindle even more in the future.
On the third occasion, Xu Zifan was more generous, borrowing 120,000 yuan, which, together with his own, brought his total investment to 300,000 yuan. When he gave the money to Wu Lidong, he happily said, "Dad, don't worry, my parents' attitude has softened. After this, I'll show them the money, and they'll definitely be willing to help me borrow more. I don't expect to borrow a million, but I'll at least get 600,000 or 700,000."
When Wu Lidong first received the 300,000 yuan, he considered letting it go. However, firstly, 130,000 yuan of that was a rebate he had given, meaning he had only swindled 170,000 yuan. Secondly, 170,000 yuan wasn't enough to get Xu Zifan to transfer the property to Wu Xuefei to secure their assets. Perhaps Xu's relatives could lend him some money to pay off his debts, which would prevent them from swindling the house. He needed to make Xu Zifan borrow even more money.
So, a month later, Wu Lidong returned 550,000 yuan to Xu Zifan. In other words, by this point, Wu Lidong had already given Xu Zifan 380,000 yuan out of his own pocket. He only had 400,000 yuan left in his account.
Xu Zifan's three consecutive successful investments made his colleagues envious, and they began to believe that Wu Lidong genuinely had connections to invest. Several people privately suggested to Xu Zifan that he let them try it out, so they could make money together. Xu Zifan told Wu Lidong about it, but Wu Lidong naturally refused. It was easy to fool Xu Zifan, but if he fooled too many people, he would easily be exposed. When his colleagues heard that Wu Lidong refused, they felt uncomfortable. Their already poor impression of him worsened.
Fans on Weibo were also following Xu Zifan's investments, but since he hadn't been scammed three times in a row, many people questioned how he invested. Some even requested an investigation from the official Weibo account of the Public Security Bureau, believing it to be improper fundraising.
Just when Wu Lidong thought Xu Zifan would borrow a large sum of money to invest, Xu Zifan only invested 400,000 this time.
Wu Lidong asked incredulously, "Zifan, how come it's only 400,000? Didn't you say you were going to borrow money from relatives to invest in something big?"
Xu Zifan nodded and said, "Yes, I talked to my parents about this when I went home these past few days, and they helped me borrow money. But when I asked, I found out that my cousin runs a company in Beijing and needs some working capital. He's offering very high interest rates, saying he needs 150,000 and will pay me back 200,000 next month. He's a relative, so I felt bad not lending it to him. They all know I'm making money, right? So I lent it to him for now. I estimate I can borrow a million when he pays it back next month, and then I'll invest it."