Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Two years ago, when Gu Beixian’s legs were paralyzed, his spirit had been crushed, and he had shown suicidal tendencies.

Su Hua had developed a habit because of it.

Whether it was day or night, the moment he disappeared from her sight, she would worry that he had lost hope. She would search for him relentlessly, only finding peace once he was found.

Even after his legs recovered, she couldn’t break the habit.

Su Hua pushed open the door to the guest bedroom next door; the bed was empty.

She went to the study, but that was empty too.

She checked the restroom, the bathroom, the balcony, and downstairs-she even looked in the kitchen-but Gu Beixian was nowhere to be found.

Her heart rate spiked into a chaotic rhythm, thumping wildly.

It felt as if someone were beating drums and clashing cymbals against her chest.

She knew logically that he wouldn’t try to take his own life anymore, yet the fear remained instinctive.

She pushed open the door and walked quickly toward the courtyard.

A massive bolt of lightning suddenly tore through the sky, illuminating the pitch-black night as bright as day, immediately followed by a deafening roar of thunder.

Su Hua raised her hands to cover her ears, but her feet didn’t stop searching.

Amidst the flickering light and shadows, she saw a tall, slender figure walking toward her with a cold, detached air.

His crisp white shirt was tucked into black trousers, accentuating his firm waist and tall, upright stature.

His pale face was clear and handsome, his features deep and chiseled.

Though a hint of fatigue was visible in his eyes, it didn’t diminish his elegant, noble aura in the slightest.

It was Gu Beixian.

Su Hua breathed a small sigh of relief and leaned against a nearby tree to steady herself. Clutching her chest, she took short, ragged breaths.

Her eyes, however, remained glued to him.

Seeing Su Hua, Gu Beixian quickened his pace and walked over to her.

When he reached her, he took her hand. His cool palm completely enveloped her fingers as he asked, “Why did you come out?”

Su Hua looked him up and down. Seeing that he was safe and sound, the heart that had been in her throat finally settled back into her chest.

With a touch of lingering fear, she asked, “Where did you go in the middle of the night?”

Because she was still out of breath, her voice trembled slightly.

Gu Beixian gazed at her, a subtle shift appearing in his eyes. He said softly, “I came out for a smoke. It started thundering, and I was worried you’d be scared, so I came back.”

With that, he took her hand and led her toward the house.

Just as they reached the door, the rain began to pour down in torrents, kicking up the scent of damp earth.

The rain fell so fiercely that it felt less like a spring shower and more like a summer storm.

Once inside, Su Hua caught the heavy scent of tobacco on him. She scolded gently, “Didn’t you quit a long time ago? Why are you sneaking smokes again? You’re being naughty.”

Her tone was half-reproachful and half-whining, like she was lecturing a child.

It drew a chuckle from Gu Beixian. “I won’t do it next time.”

“You always promise so readily, but then you just do it again,” Su Hua said, a bit annoyed.

“I was troubled tonight. I’ll try to smoke less from now on,” he said, sounding like he was making a genuine guarantee.

Thinking of Gu Aoting’s words, Su Hua guessed what was bothering him.

His grandmother wouldn’t let him divorce, while his father was forcing him to. Caught in the middle, he was likely in a difficult position.

Su Hua asked tentatively, “Is it me? Am I the one making you troubled?”

Gu Beixian’s eyes flickered for a moment. Then, he rubbed her head and said in a low voice, “Yeah, you little dummy. You’re so dim-witted it’s annoying.”

There was a hint of flirtation in his words.

Su Hua had been feeling sentimental, but his “little dummy” comment made her burst into laughter. She gave him a playful look. “You’re the little dummy.”

A trace of a smile rippled in Gu Beixian’s eyes. “Don’t come out looking for me next time. I’ll be fine.”

Su Hua said softly, “It’s a habit.”

Gu Beixian paused. He tightened his grip on her hand and didn’t let go for a long time.

The two of them changed into their slippers and walked upstairs side by side.

Su Hua said, “You’ve been smoking. Go brush your teeth.”

“I already brushed them tonight.”

Su Hua gave him a gentle nudge with her shoulder, her voice soft and sweet. “Go brush them, please.”

Gu Beixian smiled and took her by the shoulders. “You’ve been a bit different lately.”

“Different how?”

“You’ve learned how to act spoiled, and you’re talking a bit more than before.”

Su Hua smiled. “Don’t you men all like women who act spoiled?”

Gu Beixian’s lips curved upward. “I suppose that’s true.”

He let go of her and stepped into the bathroom.

Su Hua followed him in.

His right hand was injured, making it inconvenient to squeeze the toothpaste, so she did it for him.

Gu Beixian picked up the toothbrush with his left hand and began brushing while looking in the mirror.

Perhaps people were simply more prone to sentimentality at night.

Su Hua thought about how they didn’t have much time left together, and a wave of sadness washed over her.

She couldn’t help but wrap her arms around his waist from behind, burying her head against his back.

She didn’t say anything, but her heart was full of reluctance to let go.

To be fair, aside from the irritation caused by Chu Suosuo being stuck between them, there was nothing to complain about regarding this man.

After Gu Beixian finished brushing and rinsed his mouth, he took her hand and said, “Student Su Hua, you’ve been quite clingy lately.”

Su Hua arched an eyebrow. “Do you find me annoying?”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

He smiled and led her by the hand toward the bedroom.

The wind had picked up, making the curtains rustle loudly.

Gu Beixian walked to the window and closed it.

They both lay down on the bed.

Another crack of spring thunder boomed, louder than the previous two, echoing in their ears.

Su Hua shuddered instinctively.

Gu Beixian pulled her into his arms, covering her ears with his hands. He kissed her forehead and whispered, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. Go to sleep.”
Su Hua murmured an affirmative and snuggled into his arms like a kitten.

Finding a comfortable position, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

A week later.

After having breakfast with Gu Beixian, Su Hua got into the driver’s car to visit her grandmother at the hospital.

Just as she stepped out of the car at the hospital, she received a call from an unknown number. It was a young man.

The caller identified himself as Gu Aoting’s assistant and said politely, “Miss Su, our Chairman would like to meet with you.”

Su Hua recalled the words Gu Aoting had said to Gu Beixian on the night of Qin Shu’s birthday.

Her heart felt heavy, as if she were facing the slow torture of a thousand cuts.

However, Gu Aoting was her elder.

She had no reason to refuse.

They arranged to meet at ten o’clock at a café near the hospital.

Su Hua arrived ten minutes early.

Ten minutes later, Gu Aoting arrived exactly on time.

He had a commanding appearance and a solemn expression. His aura was incredibly powerful; even without saying a word, he exerted an inexplicable pressure on those around him.

Feeling slightly nervous, Su Hua stood up and obediently greeted him, “Dad.”

Gu Aoting nodded and gestured for her to sit.

Once they were seated, he ordered a black coffee. He glanced at his watch and said, “I’m very busy and don’t have much time to beat around the bush, so I’ll get straight to the point.”

Su Hua’s heart pounded, but she maintained a polite smile. “Please, go ahead.”

Gu Aoting picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and said, “As you know, I have two sons, Gu Lin and Beixian. Although Beixian is the younger son, he is more naturally gifted, and I hold him in higher regard. When he first joined the company three years ago, it didn’t take long for his brilliance to shine through, making him stand out from the rest. Unfortunately, he later got into a car accident. If that accident hadn’t happened, given your background, it would have been impossible for someone of your social standing to marry him. You two belong to completely different worlds.”

These words were incredibly hurtful.

He might as well have pointed at her nose and called her an inferior person who was punching above her weight.

The smile on Su Hua’s face froze.

Her fingers gripped the handle of her cup tightly.

Gu Aoting looked at her with an inscrutable gaze. “The Gu and Chu Families have had business dealings for many years, and Beixian and Suosuo were childhood sweethearts. We always considered Suosuo our future daughter-in-law. The only reason you were chosen to be Beixian’s wife was because Suosuo had gone abroad and you look like her. Beixian needed someone to accompany him; that person could have been you, or it could have been anyone else who looked like Suosuo.”

Su Hua had always thought she possessed a strong psychological fortitude.

But at this moment, she truly felt like she was about to break.

She pressed her lips together tightly, remaining silent.

She held the cup firmly with both hands, her head lowered.

Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any second.

Gu Aoting’s ruthless voice reached her ears again. “You’ve given up three years of your youth and helped Beixian a lot, but he has also helped you a lot. If nothing else, let’s talk about money. The amount you’ve received from Beixian is more than most people could earn in a lifetime. One should know when to quit while they’re ahead. A smart girl like Miss Su should know what to do, right?”

After a long silence, Su Hua gave a soft, low response.

Seeing her agreement, a trace of a smile appeared on Gu Aoting’s face. “Don’t tell Beixian about our meeting. You’re a sensible child; I’m sure you wouldn’t want to see a rift form between him and me over such a trivial matter.”

A trivial matter?

Su Hua let out a self-deprecating smile.

To her, it was the most important matter of her life.

To him, it was something insignificant.

She forced back her tears and slowly raised her head to look at him, saying calmly, “I understand.”

Gu Aoting’s smile widened. “You’re a good child in every way. Actually, Uncle quite likes you too. The only issue is your family… Uncle is a businessman, and the most important thing is the company. That is the lifeblood of our Gu Family, built over several generations. Don’t blame Uncle for being realistic; society itself is just that realistic.”

The way he referred to himself as “Uncle” made Su Hua want to laugh.

He had probably never once considered her a part of his family.

“I understand. Goodbye, Uncle.”

With that, Su Hua grabbed her bag, stood up, and walked away.

Because she had been mentally prepared for this, Su Hua didn’t feel too devastated.

As she left the restaurant, her expression was remarkably calm, as if nothing had happened. She kept her back perfectly straight.

She didn’t cry; not a single tear fell.

However, after returning to the hospital, she sat in the small garden for the entire morning.

There was a wisteria tree in the garden.

She sat on a bench beneath the wisteria, quietly admiring the flowers.

The wisteria was in full bloom, hanging from the branches in large, lush clusters. The tiny, delicate flowers were crowded together in dense bunches.

She used to think these flowers looked very lively and bustling.

Only today did she realize that they bloomed with such sorrow-the dense clusters were filled with a grief that had nowhere to go.

A sadness that was almost overflowing.

She was so focused on the flowers that she didn’t notice someone watching her from a distance.

It was a tall man with long, powerful legs, dressed in high-quality black casual wear. He wore a mask over his face.

He had very beautiful eyes-dark, deep, and framed by long, black lashes.

Those eyes were cold when looking at others, but they softened only when looking at Su Hua. His gaze was clear and moist, carrying an innate tenderness.

He watched her silently for as long as she sat there.

Only after Su Hua had safely left did he completely disappear into the crowd.