Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Gu Beixian’s gaze was as sharp as a blade, fixed directly on Ding Lie.

His handsome face was so dark it looked like it could drip ink, and his entire body radiated a bone-chilling coldness.

Under that stare, Ding Lie felt like he had nowhere to hide.

He was completely panicked!

He knew of Gu Beixian; he had always known who he was. However, this was the first time they had met face-to-face.

The man’s presence was too powerful, his aura overwhelming. In his current state of fury, he was even more terrifying.

Ding Lie’s mind went blank with fear. His legs turned to jelly, and his instinct told him to run.

He bolted.

But as he tried to pass Gu Beixian, the man grabbed his arm and slammed him against the wall.

There was a dull thud.

Ding Lie’s back hit the hard wall so violently that a cold sweat broke out from the pain.

Gu Beixian grabbed him by the collar, wound up, and buried a fist into his nose.

Ding Lie felt a surge of agonizing pain. Stars danced before his eyes, and his ears began to ring.

Before he could even process what happened, another heavy blow landed on the corner of his eye.

He felt as if he were about to go blind.

He struggled to escape.

Unfortunately, Gu Beixian was half a head taller than him. Although the man looked refined and elegant, his strength was surprisingly immense.

Ding Lie couldn’t budge.

If this continued, he wouldn’t just fail to get the money-he’d lose his life.

In desperation, Ding Lie roared at Su Peilan, “Su Peilan! Tell him to let me go! Otherwise, I’ll-”

Before he could finish, Gu Beixian’s fist greeted him again.

Ding Lie’s mouth was punched askew.

Su Peilan was currently using a towel to help Su Hua deal with the blood on her nose.

Seeing Ding Lie beaten black and blue, his face distorted and his mouth crooked, she laughed with malicious satisfaction.

“Look at you now! Weren’t you so capable? Now that you’ve met my son-in-law, you’re finished! You, the one surnamed Ding-what else can you do besides bully women?”

Ding Lie steeled himself. He squinted his swollen, bloodshot eyes at Su Hua, who was sitting on the sofa with her head tilted back slightly.

“Xiao Hua, listen to me…”

Su Peilan lunged forward.

She took the blood-stained towel in her hand and whipped it hard against his swollen face.

Ding Lie immediately shut his mouth in pain.

Su Peilan snarled, “Shut your dog mouth! Say one more word and I’ll beat you to death!”

She continued to lash his face with the towel.

Furious, Ding Lie struggled, trying to hit Su Peilan back.

Gu Beixian kicked him to the floor.

His body hit the hard floorboards with a loud crash.

Ding Lie was in so much pain he couldn’t even open his eyes, and the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

He didn’t dare provoke Gu Beixian, so he directed his rage at Su Peilan. “Su Peilan, don’t push me! If you push me too far, there’s nothing I won’t do!”

Su Peilan also feared a cornered dog might do something desperate. She hesitated for a moment before saying to Gu Beixian, “Beixian, let him go. Don’t dirty your hands on him.”

Gu Beixian gave a curt grunt of affirmation and glanced at Su Hua.

Seeing her reddened nose and the blood staining her collar, his heart twisted with pain.

Getting her to the hospital was the priority right now.

He raised his foot, kicked Ding Lie in the leg, and barked, “Get out!”

Ding Lie grimaced in pain and struggled to crawl up from the floor.

Leaning against the wall, he limped away.

Gu Beixian strode over to Su Hua and said, “Let’s go. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Su Hua shook her head. “The bleeding is stopping. It shouldn’t be anything serious.”

Gu Beixian leaned down, took her chin in his hand, and carefully inspected the injury. He scolded gently, “Your nose is red and you lost so much blood. How can you say it’s not serious? Let’s go to the hospital and get an X-ray to see if the nasal bone is damaged.”

Su Peilan chimed in, “Go, go. If there are any lasting effects, my daughter’s beautiful face will be ruined.”

Unable to win the argument, Su Hua agreed.

Gu Beixian bent down, intending to carry her.

Su Hua pushed him away gently. “It’s fine, I can walk on my own.”

She stood up from the sofa.

Ignoring her protest, Gu Beixian scooped her up in his arms and walked toward the door.

Watching their retreating figures, a gratified smile appeared on Su Peilan’s lips.

She hurried forward to open the door for them.

After they left, she walked over to the altar where her mother’s portrait sat. She bowed deeply, her voice thick with emotion. “Mom, please watch over this couple from heaven. Make sure they stay this happy together forever.”

With reddened eyes, she lit a stick of incense for her mother.

She locked the door and rushed out to catch up with Gu Beixian and Su Hua.

The three of them got into the car.

Gu Beixian asked Su Hua, “Who was that man just now? Why did he hit you?”

Su Hua gave a self-deprecating smile. “That was my father.”

Gu Beixian was slightly startled. “Your father?”

This was the first time he had seen Ding Lie, and he hadn’t expected him to look like… that.

Su Hua hummed in confirmation.

Gu Beixian let out a cold, mocking snort. “A man like that is fit to be a father?”
Sitting in the passenger seat, Su Peilan said with a face full of disgust, “He’s not Xiao Hua’s father; he’s an animal!”

Su Hua asked in confusion, “Mom, why did he ask you for five million?”

Su Peilan’s eyes flickered as she avoided her gaze. “His business failed, he’s up to his neck in debt, and he’s run out of options.”

Su Hua pursed her lips slightly and remained silent.

She used a tissue to plug her bleeding nose.

After a moment of silence, Su Peilan suddenly remembered something and warned, “Xiao Hua, if he ever comes to you for money, you must never give it to him. No matter what excuse he makes up, don’t give him a cent. That animal doesn’t have a shred of truth in him; he’s a pathological liar. Don’t believe a word he says, do you hear me?”

Su Hua murmured an acknowledgment.

In the past, whenever she asked her mother about her father, Su Peilan would always avoid the subject. If she asked more than twice, her mother would get angry.

Since she had brought it up today, Su Hua couldn’t help but ask, “Mom, why did you two get divorced back then?”

At the mention of this, Su Peilan’s teeth ground together in hatred.

“The one surnamed Ding cheated on me during the marriage and hid the fact that he had a son with his mistress! Before the divorce, he even secretly transferred our assets. He even swindled me out of the house your grandfather bought for me! Why wouldn’t I divorce an animal like that? I should have sacrificed him to the heavens!”

Su Hua felt a chill in her heart.

The last lingering thought she had of her father vanished completely. She had seen scumbags before, but never one this extreme. He really was like an animal. No, even animals were more human than him.

When Gu Beixian had brought up divorce to her, he had at least offered a massive settlement. He was also gentle and considerate toward her, never once laying a finger on her. In contrast, Ding Lie was the ultimate scumbag. They had been divorced for so many years, yet he still showed up demanding money and even assaulted his ex-wife.

She hadn’t realized it before, but with this comparison, Su Hua felt that Gu Beixian was simply too good to be true. She couldn’t help but lean into his embrace, placing her hand over his.

That touch was layered with a profound sense of emotion. Gu Beixian turned his hand over to clasp hers, gently stroking her head. “Does your nose still hurt?” he asked softly.

Su Hua leaned her head against his shoulder. “It’s alright.”

Watching them, Su Peilan’s lips curled into a smile as she praised him. “Compared to Ding Lie, my son-in-law is practically an angel from heaven. Aside from having a snobbish father, a shit-stirring ex-girlfriend, a bit of a temper, and being a tad arrogant, he has no flaws.”

These words were incredibly blunt.

The driver broke into a cold sweat, silently worrying for Su Peilan. Su Hua was also afraid Gu Beixian would be offended, so she quickly said to him, “My mother is very blunt, please don’t mind her.”

Gu Beixian lowered his eyelids slightly and smiled, squeezing her hand. “Mother-in-law is right.”

Su Hua breathed a secret sigh of relief. She thought to herself that this man’s temper was truly getting better and better. It was as if he had become a different person. In the past, who would have dared to say such things to his face?

The group arrived at the hospital.

Su Hua went to the examination room for an X-ray, accompanied by Su Peilan. Gu Beixian went outside to take a business call.

There were several people in line ahead of them, so they had to wait a while. The mother and daughter found an empty bench in the hallway and sat down. Su Hua’s nose had bled a lot and it was still painful; feeling a bit lightheaded, she leaned against her mother’s shoulder.

Suddenly, she felt a venomous gaze directed at her. Su Hua followed the gaze and saw Hua Qirou. She was sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed by a servant, also there for an X-ray.

A faint, mocking smile touched Su Hua’s lips. It truly was a small world for enemies. The person you least wanted to see was always the one who appeared.

Seeing Su Hua’s strange expression, Su Peilan followed her line of sight. She saw a woman in a hospital gown, yet heavily made up and adorned with jewelry, sitting in a wheelchair and glaring at Su Hua with a poisonous look in her eyes.

Su Peilan was protective of her daughter and had a fiery temper. How could she stand for this? She raised her voice and shouted at her, “What are you looking at? Haven’t you ever seen a beautiful woman before?”

Hua Qirou’s expression shifted. She gave Su Peilan a look of pure disgust before turning her glare back to Su Hua. That gaze was vicious, like the eyes of a crocodile.

Feeling nauseated by the woman’s presence, Su Hua whispered, “She’s Chu Suosuo’s mother.”

“What? She’s the mother of that shit-stirrer?”

Su Hua hummed in affirmation.

Su Peilan’s anger surged to the top of her head instantly. She glared back at Hua Qirou. “You old vixen! Try glaring at my daughter one more time and see what happens! Believe it or not, I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

At her shout, everyone in the vicinity turned to look at Hua Qirou, their gazes filled with contempt, disdain, and suspicion.