Zhou Yushen arrived at the hospital half an hour after receiving the call.
Gu Linlang was lying weakly on the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV drip.
When she saw Zhou Yushen arrive, she made as if to sit up.
“Lie down.”
Zhou Yushen said lightly as he walked to the bedside.
“What happened?”
Gu Linlang’s face was so pale it was nearly transparent.
Her trembling eyes carried deep exhaustion.
Hearing Zhou Yushen’s calm inquiry, she forced a resilient smile onto her lips.
“It’s nothing. I just caught some cold wind a few days ago, and my old illness relapsed.”
She had been physically weak since childhood.
Madam Gu had searched everywhere for famous doctors before finally managing to gradually nurse Gu Linlang’s frail body into the condition of a normal person.
But she still needed to take good care of herself.
Otherwise, if her illness relapsed, it would become another chaotic ordeal.
Before Madam Gu passed away, she had entrusted Zhou Yushen with taking care of Gu Linlang and making sure her illness never relapsed.
Because Madam Gu had been his mother’s good friend, he had agreed.
He just never expected Gu Linlang’s illness to suddenly flare up again.
“The doctor said that when you were brought in, your body temperature was dangerously low and you were shivering all over. How cold could your home possibly be to make you end up like that?”
Zhou Yushen’s tone turned icy.
Gu Linlang’s face became even paler.
Her breathing quickened as she opened her mouth to explain, only to suddenly break into coughing.
“Cough, cough!”
Zhou Yushen poured her a cup of hot water.
After drinking it, the irritation in her throat eased considerably.
Meeting Zhou Yushen’s probing gaze, she stubbornly looked away.
“I just accidentally set the air conditioner too low and accidentally fell asleep. That’s why this happened. The way you’re interrogating me makes it sound like I deliberately made myself sick!”
“Gu Linlang, you should know that the healthy body you have now was bought with your mother’s life.”
Gu Linlang bit her lip and remained silent.
“Doctor Liu happens to be in Fengcheng. I’ll contact her to examine you.”
Gu Linlang’s eyes brightened as she looked back at Zhou Yushen, revealing a hint of vulnerability.
“Ah Shen, can you stay here with me?”
Zhou Yushen looked at her calmly, without the slightest ripple in his gaze.
Suppressing the anger hidden in his eyes, he replied in an even tone:
“I’ll hire the best caretaker for you. Once you recover, go back to the capital.”
The moment those words fell, Gu Linlang’s expression changed, her face instantly darkening with disappointment.
“Ah Shen, I’m already this sick, and you still won’t stay with me? Or are you deliberately keeping your distance because you’re afraid Shen Nanyue will get angry?”
“I think I already made myself very clear six months ago.”
“No! Ah Shen, you only became cold and heartless toward me after finding out that I wasn’t the woman you saved three years ago. But Shen Nanyue isn’t the woman you fell in love with at first sight either! You’re only with her to satisfy Grandpa Zhou’s demand for marriage. So why would you rather choose a complete stranger instead of me?”
Because of her agitation, two faint flushes of red appeared on Gu Linlang’s pale cheeks.
Zhou Yushen looked at her for a long moment before answering calmly:
“There’s no reason. It can only be her.”
Such a cold words.
Yet Gu Linlang could still hear the unwavering certainty within them.
Had he truly fallen in love with Shen Nanyue?
“Take care of yourself.”
After saying that, Zhou Yushen turned and left the hospital room.
Gu Linlang sat at the head of the bed, tears blurring her vision.
Now, not even the final wish her mother left behind could keep Zhou Yushen by her side.
Was she really going to lose him?
No!
She and Ah Shen had known each other for so many years.
They had shared sweet moments together before.
She refused to believe he could truly be so heartless toward her.
If Shen Nanyue was truly that important in Ah Shen’s heart, then all she had to do was get rid of Shen Nanyue.
From now on, she would never allow anyone else to occupy a place in Ashen’s heart.
……
Zhou Yushen’s car stopped at a red light.
The vivid red gradually expanded in his eyes, as though flames were spreading before him.
The rising fire carried blackened ash into the air as the dry grasslands were swallowed by flames that stretched endlessly into the distance.
Vaguely, he saw himself rushing into the blaze and carrying a girl out.
The girl had an elegant silhouette, but her features were extremely blurry.
Yet instinctively, he knew she was beautiful—stunningly beautiful.
Beautiful enough that even in such a dangerous situation, his heart still pounded wildly because of her.
Beep!
A sharp car horn blared from behind him.
It yanked him out of the hazy memory.
The traffic light had already turned green.
Coming back to his senses, he suddenly realized cold sweat was dripping down the side of his face.
He swallowed hard and pulled the car over to the side of the road.
Leaning against the steering wheel, the violent pounding of his heart told him that those blurry memories had never truly disappeared.
Little by little, he would remember that girl—the only girl who had ever made his heart race at first sight.
He had to find her.
Not for anything else.
Just to see her once, and finally bring closure to the obsession he had carried for all these years.
After a long while, once he had calmed down, he finally drove away.
…
Night.
When Shen Nanyue returned to the Shen residence, she discovered two unwelcome guests had arrived.
Zhou Yu and Lin Siwan.
The two sat on the sofa, while An’an, draped in a black cloak, sat across from them with her head lowered.
Shen Nanyue’s expression immediately darkened as she strode over.
“What are you doing here?”
The moment Zhou Yu saw Shen Nanyue, anger surged within her.
She glared fiercely at Shen Nanyue.
“I’m your mother! Am I not allowed to come here?”
“If you have something to say, say it quickly and leave afterward.”
Shen Nanyue walked over to An’an, deliberately blocking Lin Siwan’s view of her.
Softening her voice, she gently patted An’an’s head.
“Go upstairs.”
Shen An’an blinked at her.
Her lips moved slightly before closing again.
In the end, she nodded obediently and stood to head upstairs.
Only after Shen An’an left did Zhou Yu point toward the staircase and ask:
“Who was that? What kind of freak did you bring back?”
An’an’s face was covered in scars, so it was normal that Zhou Yu didn’t recognize her.
“What does it have to do with you? If you have business here, then get to the point.”
Her tone was far from polite.
Lin Siwan hurriedly interjected,
“Big Sister, be more polite when speaking to Mom.”
“You’re teaching me how to behave?”
Lin Siwan’s face instantly filled with grievance.
Biting her lip, she lowered her head and no longer dared to speak.
Seeing this, Zhou Yu frowned and glared at Shen Nanyue.
“I’m your mother. Is it wrong to expect you to speak to me politely? Your younger sister is so sensible—can’t you learn a little from her?”
Shen Nanyue had no patience for this kind of pointless conversation.
“If you don’t have anything important to say, then leave. Don’t force me to throw you out.”
“You—!”
Zhou Yu exploded with anger, but just as she was about to lash out, Lin Siwan stopped her.
“Mom, don’t make Big Sister angry anymore. The important matter comes first.”
Only after Lin Siwan’s reminder did Zhou Yu forcibly suppress the fury in her heart.
Taking a deep breath, she spoke to Shen Nanyue in a commanding tone:
“Transfer ten percent of your shares to Siwan.”
Shen Nanyue frowned, looking at Zhou Yu as though she had lost her mind.
“These are shares of the Shen family business. Why should I give them to someone from the Lin family?”
“What Shen family, what Lin family? We’re all one family now. You’re holding so many shares in Shen Corporation already—what’s wrong with giving ten percent to your younger sister?”
— The end of the Chapter–
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