Lu Jianming’s words couldn’t help but carry a hint of anger toward Gu Xia.
Just as Gu Xia was about to speak, it was Lu Shaoting who, with a fierce expression and a dark, intense gaze, fixed his eyes on Lu Jianmin and said:
“Big Brother, you know very well that Gu Xia is so young—just a teenager—and she’s marrying an old man like me with a broken body. It’s only natural she has an agenda. If she’d really come to me without any ulterior motives, that’s when I’d have the most reason to worry.”
“Haven’t I made myself clear enough? Gu Xia is my choice, and none of you has the right to interfere.”
Seeing Lu Shaoting’s sudden change in demeanor, Lu Jianming felt his blood boil with anger, but he knew that at this moment, he couldn’t say another word.
After all, as long as Lu Shaoting remained in his position, when Lu Jianming was out on business or socializing with others, he still needed to rely on his status as the younger brother of Deputy Division Commander Lu Shaoting to save face.
Lu Jianming feigned concern for Lu Shaoting and said:
“Shaoting, I’m your own older brother—would I ever do anything to harm you?”
“Fine, since you don’t want to listen, I won’t say another word.”
“I’ll have Mom and Dad come talk some sense into you later.”
After saying this, Lu Jianming shot Gu Xia a vicious glare.
Gu Xia met his gaze with a composed, unflinching stare. What was there to be afraid of? Lu Shaoting had been the one to propose marriage to her.
In fact, she was even thinking maliciously to herself—seeing Lu Shaoting and Lu Jianming at such odds with each other actually made her feel pleased.
She was now scheming with malicious intent, hoping the Lu family’s eldest branch would collapse as soon as possible.
If it weren’t for Lu Jianming’s underhanded tactics—deliberately framing her family—the Gu family would never have ended up in this situation.
Gu Xia could never possibly forget this grudge.
Since Lu Jianming hadn’t gotten anywhere with Lu Shaoting, and Lu Ye saw that even his father’s words held no sway, he, as a nephew, certainly had no right to criticize his uncle.
Lu Jianming’s wife, Qin Xiulian, did try to offer a few earnest words of advice.
Lu Shaoting completely ignored her presence. Qin Xiulian knew that her younger brother-in-law treated her coldly, so she didn’t bother greeting Lu Shaoting either.
Seeing his cold demeanor, Qin Xiulian thought bitterly to herself, “He really deserves it. Why didn’t he just get run over and die?”
Lu Jianming was the first to storm out in a huff, followed by Lu Ye and Qin Xiulian.
That left only Lu Xiaojing and the Lu family patriarch in the room.
The Lu family patriarch, however, said nothing. As a former soldier himself, he understood that the sacrifices soldiers make to complete their missions are both noble and unavoidable.
He cast a complex glance at Gu Xia.
Then he said, “Gu Xia, come out here with me for a moment. I need to have a word with you.”
Gu Xia instinctively glanced at Lu Shaoting on the hospital bed.
Lu Shaoting gave a slight nod.
He felt a sense of being relied upon—an instinctive urge to stand up for Gu Xia.
It was a strange feeling.
He wasn’t one to meddle in others’ affairs, yet time and again, when it came to Gu Xia, he found himself breaking his own principles…
In the end, Lu Shaoting attributed this to the fact that Gu Xia was his first woman—they had been intimate.
But that was secondary.
He felt the most important thing was that what he truly valued wasn’t Gu Xia herself, but rather the child she was carrying.
That must be it, Lu Shaoting told himself in his mind.
Lu Xiaojing had originally intended to say a few words, but seeing how Lu Shaoting—despite his battered body—had still spoken so sharply about his older brother, Lu Jianming, just moments ago,
Lu Xiaojing decided it was best not to touch on this sensitive topic.
She gave a perfunctory reply: “Fourth Brother, get some rest. I’ll come see you again later.”
Lu Xiaojing left right away.
Gu Xia, who had followed the Lu family patriarch out, stood by the hospital room door, listening to the questions he was asking.
“Are you sure you want to marry Shaoting? He’s much older than you, and his health isn’t great right now. There might be some underlying issues down the road. You’d better be mentally prepared before making this decision.”
Gu Xia knew the hospital room door wasn’t soundproof, and besides, she couldn’t hear Lu Shaoting and Lu Xiaojing speaking inside.
So she raised her voice, speaking calmly yet firmly:
“I’m certain. Even though he’s older than me and in poor health, I still choose to marry him. Because… because I think he’s a good man, and besides, he’s the father of my child.”
Gu Xia had thought she could fake saying she loved him—she wanted to say, “Because I love Lu Shaoting…”
But when the words reached her lips, she found she simply couldn’t say them—the shame was too overwhelming.
All she could manage was, “I think he’s a good man.”
In the hospital room, upon hearing Gu Xia’s words, Lu Shaoting felt a complex mix of emotions, yet a strange, unfamiliar ripple stirred within him.
In his thirty-odd years of life, this was the first time he’d ever felt such a strange sensation.
He even felt a bit of urgency to ask Gu Xia: If she thought he was “pretty nice,” then what exactly was so good about him?
The Lu family patriarch hadn’t expected Gu Xia to say those words either.
But he knew full well that Lu Shaoting had now voluntarily acknowledged the child in Gu Xia’s womb.
This meant that his fourth son had indeed slept with the young woman.
As for the finer details of the matter, he didn’t feel it was appropriate to pry further.
His son was willing to marry her, and Gu Xia was willing to marry him—on the surface, there didn’t seem to be any problem.
The Patriarch of the Lu family fell silent for a moment.
“Then once Shaoting’s injury heals, we’ll hold a simple wedding for you two. After all, since you’re expecting before marriage, the ceremony should be kept simple.”
Gu Xia was quite obedient and said, “I have no objections. I’ll do whatever Shaoting says.”
Lu Xiaojing happened to hear Gu Xia say this just as she was coming out.
She widened her eyes, curled the corner of her mouth, and snorted.
“Gu Xia, you used to call him ‘Fourth Uncle’—now you’re calling him ‘Shaoting’ straight out. That rolls off your tongue pretty smoothly, doesn’t it?”
Gu Xia raised her eyes and glanced at Lu Xiaojing.
Among the Lu family, if Lu Jianmin’s family was the one she despised the most, then Lu Xiaojing would come in second. She was sharp-tongued and bitingly sarcastic, and her words were incredibly hurtful.
“The more I say it, the more natural it gets. That’s how Shaoting and I address each other in private. But it’s only natural you wouldn’t know—after all, Shaoting doesn’t get along with you, so he can’t be bothered to tell you these things.”
“You….”
Having been publicly rebuked by Gu Xia, a junior, with such humiliating words, Lu Xiaojing’s face darkened with rage.
“You’re sharp-tongued—you won’t have an easy life from now on.”
Lu Xiaojing tossed that remark over her shoulder and turned to leave.
As she walked away, she didn’t forget to call out to her father, the Lu family patriarch.
The Lu family patriarch simply said he was going to have a word with the Fourth Son.
Lu Xiaojing paid no heed and walked straight out of the ward into the hospital courtyard, where she saw Lu Jianming, Qin Xiulian, and Lu Ye talking with Lu Xiaoyan, who had arrived later.
Meanwhile, the Lu family patriarch exchanged a few words with his son, Lu Shaoting, before leaving.
There was no one in the Lu family who could stay behind to take care of him.
It would have to be one of the family’s maids.
But now that the Old Lady of the Lu family was bedridden, the maids were busy doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, and tending to her.
So they couldn’t come to take care of Lu Shaoting.
They’d have to hire a professional caregiver.
The military would naturally make the necessary arrangements.
But having no family or loved ones by his side—only a caregiver—seemed a bit too pitiful.
Gu Xia watched as members of the Lu family came and went; they all offered a perfunctory “Get some rest,” but that seemed to be all.
Especially after hearing the elderly Mr. Lu say that a caregiver would come to look after Lu Shaoting.
Gu Xia couldn’t help but feel that Lu Shaoting—who had always struck her as intimidating—was now truly pitiful.