Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Su Hua returned to her grandmother’s hospital room.

Seeing how pale she was, Su Peilan asked worriedly, “What happened, honey? Why do you look so awful?”

Su Hua shook her head. She walked over to her grandmother’s bedside, sat down, and took her hand, forcing a smile as she began to chat with her.

Su Peilan had a short fuse. Before they could exchange more than a few sentences, she stepped forward and grabbed Su Hua by the wrist. “Come outside with me for a moment.”

Once they were in the hallway, Su Peilan stared into her eyes. “Did Gu Beixian bully you again?”

“No.”

“Then who upset you? I’m your mother. If you can’t talk to me, who can you talk to?” Su Peilan was getting anxious.

Su Hua said calmly, “Gu Beixian’s father came to see me.”

“Did Gu Aoting make things difficult for you?”

“He wants us to get a divorce.”

Su Peilan let out a cold sneer. “When Gu Beixian was in a wheelchair and couldn’t stand up, why didn’t Gu Aoting pressure you to divorce then? Now that Gu Beixian can run and jump, he starts forcing a divorce? What a heartless creature! He’s crossing the bridge and then tearing it down, slaughtering the donkey once the grinding is done-a total wolf-hearted ingrate!”

Su Peilan unleashed a torrent of abuse at Gu Aoting. After she finished venting, she asked, “What did Gu Beixian say?”

“He said we should have a child. If I get pregnant, we won’t divorce.”

Su Peilan snapped angrily, “Have a child my foot! Between a shameless ex-girlfriend and a cold-blooded father, you’ve got two sticks stirring the pot. With those two meddling, even if you had a dozen children, they’d still find a way to break you two up. The only ones who would suffer then are the kids.”

Su Hua nodded. “That’s what I was thinking too.”

Su Peilan waved her hand dismissively. “Then divorce him. Divorce him quickly and get it over with! My daughter is young, beautiful, talented, and has a great temperament. What kind of man couldn’t you find after a divorce?”

Su Hua’s nose began to sting. she leaned against her mother’s shoulder and wept.

Her tears wouldn’t stop flowing.

Sometimes crying is a vent, a release of emotion. Once it was out, the heartache didn’t seem quite as heavy.

Su Peilan gently patted her back, her own throat feeling tight. “It’s all my fault for being useless and letting you suffer like this. People from small families like ours just can’t climb up to families like theirs.”

Just as Su Hua was about to speak, her phone suddenly rang.

She pulled it out of her pocket and checked the screen.

It was Gu Beixian calling.

She wiped her eyes and pressed answer. “Hello?”

Gu Beixian said, “Your splint comes off tomorrow. I’ve already made an appointment with Old Bai for ten-thirty tomorrow morning. Don’t forget.”

Su Hua replied with a polite, distant tone, “Thank you.”

Gu Beixian noticed something was off in her voice. He paused for a moment before asking, “Did something happen?”

Su Hua pursed her lips. “I want to spend more time with Grandma lately, so I won’t be coming back tonight. I’ll stay at my mother’s place; it’s closer to the hospital. Please pack my medical card and my things when you go back, and have someone deliver them to me.”

Gu Beixian was silent for a heartbeat. “Fine. I’ll bring them over when I have a moment.”

“Thank you.”

That evening, Gu Beixian delivered Su Hua’s hospital card and some daily necessities himself. He was also carrying a container of pork rib soup.

He handed the soup to Su Hua. “I had Aunt Liu stew this. Drink more of it; it’ll help your bone heal better.”

Su Hua took it and thanked him. Setting the soup on the table, she said formally, “You should head back. The company is important.”

Gu Beixian’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. “I’m off the clock.”

“Then go back and get some rest so you can work well tomorrow.”

Gu Beixian’s dark, deep eyes locked onto her quietly. He didn’t respond for a long while.

After he left, Su Hua opened the thermal container and divided the pork rib soup into three portions to share with her grandmother and mother.

The soup was very fresh, simmered with cordyceps and goji berries.

Su Hua took small, slow sips.

Su Peilan didn’t drink a single drop. She stared at the bowl of soup and let out a heavy sigh.

At ten o’clock the next morning, Gu Beixian showed up again while Su Hua was waiting outside the radiology department for her X-ray.

He was dressed in a formal suit and tie, looking hurried. He held a file in his hand and was taking one call after another. It was clear he had squeezed this visit into a very busy work schedule.

Once he finished his call, Su Hua said, “You shouldn’t have come if you’re so busy. It’s just taking off a splint. I can handle it myself.”
Gu Beixian placed his phone and documents into his briefcase and said impassively, “One should always see things through to the end.”

The word “end” caused a sharp, inexplicable pang in Su Hua’s heart.

After removing the splint, the doctor gave them a long list of precautions, including instructions for his rehabilitation exercises.

Gu Beixian recorded the instructions on his phone and sent the video to Su Hua’s phone once they stepped out.

The two of them returned to her grandmother’s ward.

Shen Huai was currently performing a check-up on the elderly woman.

Su Peilan stood nearby, chatting and laughing with him. When she saw Gu Beixian arrive, she intentionally raised her voice and asked, “Dr. Shen, do you have a girlfriend?”

Shen Huai glanced at Su Hua and replied, “No, I don’t.”

Su Peilan’s interest was immediately piqued. “What do you think of our Xiao Hua? This child has been a top student since she was little; she skipped several grades and graduated from university at nineteen. She’s well-behaved, has a good temper, and is hardworking. You already know how skilled she is at restoring ancient paintings.”

The corners of Shen Huai’s lips curved upward. “Su Hua is indeed very exceptional.”

Su Peilan shot a sidelong glance at Gu Beixian before saying to Shen Huai, “If you’re interested in our Xiao Hua, then go ahead and pursue her boldly. Don’t be fooled by her quiet exterior; she’s actually very easy to talk to.”

Shen Huai straightened up, removed his mask, and looked toward Su Hua with a smile in his eyes. “Alright, I’d be more than happy to.”

Standing to the side, Gu Beixian’s expression shifted into an indescribable coldness. His lips curled into a faint, mocking smirk as he watched Shen Huai and Su Peilan play off each other with icy detachment.

Su Peilan met his gaze with a provocative look and said to Su Hua, “Xiao Hua, I think Dr. Shen is quite wonderful. He’s handsome, has a great temperament, and he’s the Young Master of your shop. The two of you should have plenty in common.”

Su Hua knitted her brows and tried to stop her. “Mom, please stop talking.”

“Why shouldn’t I say it? The world keeps turning, and while a three-legged toad is hard to find, men with two legs are everywhere!”

Without a word, Gu Beixian set the medical records and hospital card down on the table with a sharp clack, then turned and walked out.

Su Hua followed him.

At first, Gu Beixian’s pace was very fast.

Su Hua had to break into a light jog to keep up with him.

As they neared the elevator, he slowed down slightly, intentionally or otherwise waiting for her.

Once inside the elevator, neither of them spoke. It was crowded, with people jostling against one another.

Gu Beixian grabbed the fabric of Su Hua’s shoulder and pulled her behind him, shielding her from the crowd.

When they reached the first floor, they exited the elevator in silence.

A late spring chill was in the air, and a gust of wind made Su Hua shiver involuntarily.

Gu Beixian unbuttoned his suit jacket with one hand and draped it over her shoulders.

Su Hua reached up to take it off.

Gu Beixian pressed down on her shoulders to stop her, then leaned over to button the jacket for her.

His movements were a bit forceful as he did so, his handsome face so gloomy it looked like water could be wrung from it.

Once he finished, he started walking again.

Su Hua quickened her steps to catch up.

It wasn’t until they reached the parking lot that he stopped and looked down at her, saying coldly, “You don’t want to come home because it’s more convenient to develop a relationship with Shen Huai?”

Su Hua looked at him with a resentful gaze.

It was a look that conveyed deep hurt.

Gu Beixian paused for a moment, then apologized. “I was a bit impulsive just now.”

Su Hua pursed her lips and remained silent.

Gu Beixian looked down at her, suppressing his emotions as he said, “I think you and I have plenty in common too. That guy Shen… he’s just average-looking, far inferior to me. As for temperament, I might not be as good-tempered as him, but I’ve been very restrained in front of you this past year.”

Su Hua felt a bitter ache in her heart, a feeling she couldn’t quite name.

She slowly walked up to him and leaned her body against his, resting her face against his chest without reaching out to hug him.

She simply leaned there, looking utterly drained.

Gu Beixian was slightly stunned. After a few seconds, he raised his arms and pulled her into his embrace.

Fighting back tears, Su Hua whispered, “When you go back, have someone prepare the divorce agreement. You did a prenuptial property notarization, and you already gave me the settlement fee. It should be very simple to draw up the papers.”

Gu Beixian’s gaze hardened. His arms suddenly tightened around her, holding her so fiercely she could barely breathe.

After a long silence, he asked, “Did my father come to see you?”