I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 40

This Christmas was almost unbearably stifling for Zhou Youling. Even after arriving at Congshi’s “Qingxin” bar, the image of Fu Xunzhou collapsing on the ground lingered in her mind, haunting her relentlessly.

Fu Xunzhou’s weakness and helplessness were something Zhou Youling had never witnessed before. She had to admit that there was a moment of panic. She felt a bit angry with Old Master Fu for his actions, yet feared that something might truly happen to Xunzhou.

In the three years of marriage, it was Zhou Youling who frequently found herself bedridden due to various minor ailments. Whenever the seasons changed, she inevitably caught a cold. Though not serious, such colds left her feeling perpetually drained, making life seem unbearable. Her constitution wasn’t particularly strong; besides being prone to colds, her throat often became inflamed. Eating overly spicy or fishy foods guaranteed a sore throat the next day.

Zhou Youling vividly remembered the winter two years ago when she caught a severe cold that led to pneumonia. Coincidentally, Fu Xunzhou was away on a business trip, and it was the household servant who called for emergency services in the middle of the night.

Alone in the Inpatient Department, Zhou Youling cried for the first time. She dared not tell her parents, fearing they would worry; nor did she dare inform the Fu Family, fearing their ridicule. When she awoke the next day, the first thing she saw was Fu Xunzhou sitting by her bedside. He was travel-worn, wearing only a thin shirt in the hospital room.

It was Old Zhang, Zhou Youling’s driver, who had called Fu Xunzhou, saying that the young lady had been hospitalized at night, and it was truly heart-wrenching to see.

Fu Xunzhou never told Zhou Youling how anxious he was upon hearing she had gone to Emergency late at night. He was on a business trip in a neighboring city, with two more days of scheduled meetings, but he couldn’t care less. At three in the morning, upon learning Zhou Youling was hospitalized, he drove back immediately, running through dozens of red lights. He didn’t mention how, in his haste, he almost crashed into the guardrail on the highway.

When Zhou Youling awoke and saw Fu Xunzhou, she was genuinely happy, but was soon crushed by his cold demeanor.

Fu Xunzhou didn’t know how to express his concern. Despite his worry, he said hurtful things: “You’re old enough now. Why didn’t you go to the hospital earlier when you got sick? Why wait until you needed Emergency?”

Zhou Youling cried out of grievance.

It was the first time she cried in front of Fu Xunzhou, all because of his words.

She wanted to say that she had already visited the hospital, and the doctor had prescribed medication, advising her to take it at home. But she hadn’t anticipated a sudden high fever and fainting in the middle of the night.

Words stuck in her throat, unable to come out, Zhou Youling cried like a rain-soaked pear blossom.

In the end, Fu Xunzhou was moved by compassion, pulling Zhou Youling into his arms, awkwardly murmuring comforting words: “Don’t cry. Even if you cry, I’ll still scold you. Next time, go to the hospital for a check-up earlier. Don’t wait until your body can’t take it, okay?”

A warm embrace soothed all of Zhou Youling’s grievances. She always believed that he was inherently warm-hearted.

In the days that followed, Fu Xunzhou stayed at the hospital to take care of Zhou Youling. It was almost his first time taking care of someone, having been pampered by Yu Wanrong since childhood. Though he was a bit clumsy in many things, he earnestly tried to show his concern for her.

The music from Xu Jiaze at the bar interrupted Zhou Youling’s thoughts.

Xu Jiaze was now halfway into the entertainment industry, his popularity soaring. Tonight, fans who heard he would be singing at the bar nearly packed the place to the brim.

Congshi, the bar owner, had no choice but to hire security to maintain order, with most fans having to watch Xu Jiaze from outside through the windows.

Standing alone under the spotlight with his guitar, Xu Jiaze sang quietly: “I don’t want to leave you alone, drifting in the sea of people. I don’t want you to walk through the storms alone. I don’t want to leave you alone, facing the cruelty of the world. I don’t want tears to accompany you forever…”

His gentle singing drew everyone in, and some of the young fans were moved to tears.

As Zhou Youling’s close friend, Congshi naturally reserved the best spot for her.

Zhou Youling sat on a high stool, her mind elsewhere.

Congshi mixed a glass of lemon honey water for Zhou Youling, saying, “This is all you can drink now.”

Zhou Youling shrugged, “As you command.”

Before discovering she was pregnant, Zhou Youling had gotten drunk once, not expecting she would be pregnant. She had worried deeply, fearing there might be issues with the baby.

For three years, Zhou Youling had kept a regular routine, abstaining from alcohol, yet she regretted a night of heavy drinking just before the divorce.

Fortunately, the doctor assured her that occasional drinking would have minimal impact on the fetus, as long as she continued regular prenatal check-ups, especially the mid-pregnancy Down syndrome screening and the 3D ultrasound around the 25th week.

Now, Zhou Youling was almost a priority for protection, with Congshi and Bai Lingxue vying to be the godmother of the unborn child.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been distracted all night,” Congshi sat down next to Zhou Youling. Congshi had recently styled her hair in a bold fashion, shaved close on the sides with a slicked-back look, exuding an irresistible charm.

Everyone who came to Qingxin bar was inevitably drawn to Congshi’s charisma, even straight women were swayed. But Xu Jiaze’s presence had seriously impacted Congshi’s standing.

Zhou Youling shook her head, “Where’s Lingxue?”

Congshi sighed, “She’s off playing nurse to a new guy she met, said he’s sick.”

Zhou Youling asked, “Is he very sick?”

Congshi’s brow furrowed slightly, her eyebrows arching with a hint of defiance, “No idea. Not my boyfriend. If he dies, it’s not my problem.”

Yet Zhou Youling felt a sudden unease.

She had left in such a hurry earlier, not even glancing at Fu Xunzhou. Could something have happened to him?

She shook her head again, thinking he was a grown man; if he was sick, he could go to the hospital himself. But what if he really couldn’t get up?

Zhou Youling pondered for a while and finally sent a message to Fu Ruxuan, telling her to check on their elder male cousin.

Not long after, Fu Ruxuan replied to Zhou Youling: [Elder male cousin was taken away by emergency services, it seems quite serious.]

Zhou Youling’s heart sank instantly: [What happened?]

Fu Ruxuan: [Not sure yet, my brother went with him. Oh, elder male cousin, he’s been sick for days and kept delaying going to the hospital. When I went over, he was sitting on the floor; I thought he was posing.]

Zhou Youling couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, setting aside everything else, she was the one who pushed him to the ground.

Fu Ruxuan: [Elder sister, are you worried about elder male cousin? I can give you a live update.]

Zhou Youling: [No need, thank you. As long as he’s okay.]

Fu Ruxuan: [Oh.]

Knowing that Fu Xunzhou had been taken to the hospital, Zhou Youling felt somewhat relieved. As long as there were doctors, any problem could be solved.

Putting away her phone, Zhou Youling continued listening to music while sipping her lemon honey water through a straw.

Beside her, Congshi remarked, “Time flies, doesn’t it? Christmas is over, then it’s New Year’s Day, and after that, the Lunar New Year. Another year is about to pass.”

Zhou Youling nodded in agreement, “Time does go by quickly.”

Congshi laughed, “Hey, do you think we’re getting old? Only old people lament how fast time flies. When we were kids, we never thought about these things; we just wished time would go faster.”

As children, they wished time would speed up so they could become adults. Little did they know, becoming adults brought endless worries.

Zhou Youling didn’t have many worries now; she was focused on managing the restaurant, living a fulfilling life.

But soon, figuring out how to turn down a younger brother became Zhou Youling’s biggest headache.

Xu Jiaze finished his song and walked straight to Zhou Youling, sitting beside her.

He had signed with a talent agency and had undergone some grooming. Although he hadn’t changed much overall, he seemed quite different from before, more pleasing to the eye.

Zhou Youling greeted Xu Jiaze and handed him a glass of water. Xu Jiaze accepted it with a slight bow and thanked her, which immediately prompted squeals from the surrounding girls.

Xu Jiaze’s daily life had been somewhat affected by a talent show, and if it weren’t for his insistence tonight, the agency wouldn’t have allowed him to perform at the bar.

Zhou Youling joked with Xu Jiaze, “What should I do? I’m afraid to talk to you now, lest your fans misunderstand something.”

Xu Jiaze took out a small gift box from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Youling, saying, “Elder sister, Merry Christmas. This is my gift for you.”

With everyone watching, Zhou Youling couldn’t refuse Xu Jiaze’s thoughtful gesture. She accepted the gift and teased, “You’re so considerate, giving gifts to your elder sister. I’ll give you a big red envelope for New Year’s.”

Xu Jiaze whispered, “I don’t want your red envelope, I want you.”

No matter how soft the sound, Zhou Youling still heard it. But she pretended not to notice, casually placing the gift on the table. She told Xu Jiaze, “Focus on the competition and aim for first place. Don’t get distracted by anything else.”

Xu Jiaze nodded, “I will.”

Due to the agency’s requirements, Xu Jiaze had to leave.

His agent, Yu Wenwei, who was quite well-known in the industry, came over to shake hands with Zhou Youling and handed her his business card. “Hello, I’m Xu Jiaze’s agent, Yu Wenwei. Jiaze often mentions you.”

Zhou Youling accepted the card with both hands, smiling at Yu Wenwei. “Please take good care of him in the future.”

Yu Wenwei nodded, “Of course. We’ll be off now. Enjoy your evening.”

With Xu Jiaze’s departure, the number of young girls in the bar quickly dwindled.

In just a week since joining the show, Xu Jiaze’s popularity had skyrocketed.

Congshi came over and patted Zhou Youling on the shoulder, saying, “Xu Jiaze knew you were coming tonight, so he made a special trip. You know what I mean?”

Zhou Youling sighed softly.

Though she occasionally indulged in a bit of self-admiration, she didn’t want this situation to occur. She wasn’t oblivious; she could see that Xu Jiaze’s feelings for her went beyond friendship or camaraderie. But she had always regarded him as a younger brother.

Now that Zhou Youling was somewhat aware of Xu Jiaze’s feelings, she had to figure out a way to turn him down. She was troubled by how to reject him without hurting the young man’s feelings.

“I heard from Lingxue that Ji Yangwen is also pursuing you?” Congshi raised an eyebrow with a smile. “You’re quite the heartthrob.”

Congshi’s words made Zhou Youling’s head spin.

She had just come out of a relationship and wasn’t eager to jump into another one so soon. Besides, even if she were open to a new relationship, she had to consider the factor of her current situation.

In short, she wasn’t planning to think about that for the next few years.

Congshi, always eager for a good drama, said, “Looks like our Youling hasn’t lost her charm.”

Zhou Youling pondered for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Congshi’s arm. “How about you become my girlfriend?”

Congshi was taken aback, “???”

…

In the hospital room.

Fu Xunzhou finally opened his eyes slowly, his vision blurred. He tried to see clearly, but everything remained indistinct.

The rhythmic beeping of medical equipment filled his ears, and there seemed to be voices speaking.

It all felt like a dream, and Fu Xunzhou even dreamed that Zhou Youling had returned to his side.

Perhaps it really was just a dream.

A heavy weight seemed to press down on Fu Xunzhou, rendering him immobile. He vaguely saw a figure moving slowly before him, overlapping with the person in his mind.

Fu Xunzhou’s lips curled into a faint smile as he softly called her name, “Youyou…”

He remembered calling her that when they were young.

“You’re awake!” She approached, gently touching his forehead. “Has the fever gone down?”

“Not at all, he’s still delirious,” Fu Hexu muttered.

Fu Xunzhou summoned all his consciousness to wake himself up.

He finally emerged from the dream.

But she wasn’t there.