Lu Shaoting’s forceful manner silenced everyone in the Lu family.
By the time Lu Jianming and his wife, Qin Xiulian, arrived, Lu Shaoting had already gone upstairs.
The military personnel had accompanied them; after escorting Lu Shaoting into the living room, they were instructed to wait outside.
After Lu Shaoting finished speaking with his family, the people Gu Xia had sent to fetch him helped him up to the second floor.
Not a single member of the Lu family offered a word of concern or suggested that he, with his mobility issues, should rest.
Everyone was fixated on the fact that Lu Shaoting was going to marry Gu Xia, and their opinions were divided.
Lu Jianming didn’t see Lu Shaoting and asked as soon as he entered the living room, “Where’s the Fourth Brother? Has he come back yet?”
“I sent someone to the Northwest to investigate Gu Xia’s background. He absolutely must not act on impulse. Fourth Son and Gu Xia are worlds apart—there’s no way they could have had a relationship. Gu Xia must be deliberately hiding something.”
Lu Xiaojing, standing nearby, immediately chimed in:
“That’s right, Mom. You can’t be so foolish as to actually let Fourth Son run wild. Even if he ends up marrying Gu Xia, he needs to get to the bottom of this first and confirm whether the child in her womb is actually Fourth Brother’s.”
“Don’t wait until it’s too late and end up raising someone else’s child.”
They weren’t speaking quietly in the living room.
Gu Xia, who had followed Lu Shaoting upstairs, naturally heard their conversation.
The person who had escorted Lu Shaoting upstairs had already left.
Lu Shaoting’s room had been unoccupied for a long time, and since he didn’t particularly like people going upstairs, he rarely allowed anyone to clean the second floor when he wasn’t home.
Usually, when he returned, the housekeeper would see him and quickly mop the floor and wipe down the tables.
But when it came to his personal belongings, the housekeeper didn’t dare touch a single thing.
Today, Lu Shaoting hadn’t mentioned he was coming home in advance, and the housekeeper was busy with other tasks, so she hadn’t gone upstairs.
This was the second time Gu Xia had been in Lu Shaoting’s bedroom.
She didn’t dare touch anything either, and had no idea what to do.
Lu Shaoting looked at Gu Xia, who stood there stiffly.
In a detached tone, he said, “Since you said you’d serve me, you need to have the mindset of taking care of someone. First, change the bedding. There’s a mop in the upstairs bathroom—go mop the floor.”
“Gu Xia, I know what you’re trying to use me for—to take advantage of my status. But remember, I married you and had you bear my child not because I particularly like you.”
Before he could finish, Gu Xia immediately replied, “I know. You’re also trying to use me to get back at them.”
Gu Xia had only just realized that Lu Shaoting had a very strained relationship with his parents—especially his mother—as well as his older brother, Lu Jianming, and his older sister, Lu Xiaojing.
As for why their relationships had deteriorated to this extent, Gu Xia wasn’t sure.
But she was quite curious.
She had even considered deliberately using Lu Shaoting to bring Lu Jianming’s family to heel.
But would the cold and unfeeling Lu Shaoting really let himself be used so easily?
Gu Xia didn’t have that kind of confidence.
Seeing Lu Shaoting so angry right now, she didn’t even dare to ask him how he planned to help her parents and older sister.
Gu Xia felt a new sense of unease. She had just heard Lu Jianming say he was going to send someone to a rural village in the Northwest to inquire about her family.
Gu Xia had slipped out secretly.
She’d only left her older sister a note saying she had to go out on an errand, would be gone for a while, and would return once the matter was settled.
Other than that, she hadn’t said a word.
They certainly wouldn’t have imagined that she’d return to Beicheng and head straight to the L Lu family’s doorstep.
Gu Xia quietly and obediently completed everything Lu Shaoting had asked her to do.
Holding the changed sheets, she placed them in the basin in the bathroom.
Before she could wash them, she heard a clatter…
Gu Xia hurried to the bedroom and saw Lu Shaoting had fallen out of his wheelchair.
“Take it easy, don’t move—I’ll help you up.”
“If you need anything, just call out to me. I told you I’d take care of you, and I’ll definitely do it. Why are you in such a rush?”
“Did you hurt yourself?”
Lu Shaoting’s entire body pressed against her slender shoulders. They were so close that their breaths seemed to mingle.
Lu Shaoting said in a hoarse voice, “I need to use the restroom. Can you help me?”
Gu Xia blushed but nodded earnestly. “I can.”
She was genuinely serious, treating taking care of Lu Shaoting as if it were her job.
Lu Shaoting seemed to be deliberately teasing her.
Leaning on his cane with one hand and draping his arm over Gu Xia’s shoulder, he had her help him to the bathroom.
Once he was standing firmly, Gu Xia turned to leave.
But Lu Shaoting said, “ “I can’t unbutton my pants with just one hand. You’ll have to help me.”
Gu Xia hesitated, biting her lip tightly, then steeled herself and stood in front of him.
Standing at around 1.63 meters, Gu Xia looked exceptionally delicate next to Lu Shaoting, who was over 1.8 meters tall.
With her slender frame, she resembled a delicate orchid by a mountain stream…
Lu Shaoting lowered his gaze and saw only her eyelashes, as delicate as butterfly wings, fluttering with the movement of her eyes.
They fluttered so much that they left him feeling flustered.
He couldn’t help but urge, “Hurry up.”
Gu Xia had never untied a man’s belt before, but when they were discharged from the hospital, Lu Shaoting had insisted on wearing his military pants.
Gu Xia was so flustered that beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.
She finally managed to undo it with great difficulty, and with a sigh of relief, she said, “All done.”
Lu Shaoting said nothing, so Gu Xia turned and walked out.
When she heard the sounds stop, she asked, “Is it done?”
Lu Shaoting remained silent as he pulled his pants up with one hand and fastened his belt.
He knew his own body well. While the injury was quite severe, his recovery after surgery had gone smoothly, and there were essentially no major issues.
However, since the leg bone was damaged, it would require some time to heal.
His leg was injured, but his hands were fine, so he could manage simple self-care tasks.
He’d just been trying to tease Gu Xia on purpose, but he never expected that he’d end up looking like a fool himself.
What a good-for-nothing.
Once Gu Xia had helped Lu Shaoting back to the bedroom, he lay down on the bed.
Watching her bustle about, he could see she was truly dedicated to her work.
Only then did Lu Shaoting say, “As for your parents, I’ll contact an old comrade-in-arms of mine; he’ll provide them with some practical assistance.”
“But getting them transferred to the city and finding them jobs—that won’t be so simple. Your parents’ political background is unclear, and especially now, the investigations are particularly rigorous.”
“As for you, stay indoors as much as possible when you’re not busy. If they really start investigating you, no one will be able to protect you.”
Gu Xia nodded.
Lu Shaoting was telling the truth.
After much deliberation, she decided to ask him directly.
“Lu Shaoting, do you really want to marry me? Do you want to get a marriage certificate?”
For her, obtaining a marriage certificate would provide a form of protection regarding her status.
Lu Shaoting looked at Gu Xia and asked:
“Do you want a marriage certificate? You need to be clear about one thing: once we get married, if you divorce me and remarry in the future, you’ll be considered a divorcee.”
Gu Xia replied quickly, “I won’t marry anyone else. So if I don’t marry anyone else in the future, will you be willing to get married to me?”
Lu Shaoting asked her, “Why do you want to get a marriage certificate with me?”
Gu Xia answered honestly, “If we get a marriage certificate, no one will bully me anymore.”
Lu Shaoting was suddenly at a loss for words, but a hint of pity for Gu Xia crept into his heart.
Yet he couldn’t help but wonder if Gu Xia was saying this on purpose, just to elicit his sympathy.