Lu Jianming’s words carried a hint of anger toward Gu Xia.
Just as Gu Xia was about to speak, Lu Shaoting, with a fierce expression and a deeply somber gaze, stared at Lu Jianming and said:
“Brother, you also know how young Gu Xia is—just in her teens. Marrying a broken-down old man like me, it’s only normal for her to have a purpose. If she really had no purpose in being with me, that’s what I should be most worried about.”
“Haven’t I made myself clear enough? Gu Xia is my choice, and none of you have the right to interfere.”
Seeing Lu Shaoting’s sudden change in demeanor, Lu Jianming was seething with anger inside, but he knew he couldn’t say anything more at this moment.
At least while Lu Shaoting still held his position, he needed to rely on his younger brother’s identity as a deputy division commander to maintain face when dealing with others outside.
Lu Jianming pretended to be genuinely concerned about Lu Shaoting and said:
“Shaoting, I’m your own brother. Would I ever harm you?”
“Fine, since you don’t want to listen, I won’t say any more.”
“I’ll let Mom and Dad talk to you later.”
After saying this, Lu Jianming shot a vicious glare at Gu Xia.
Gu Xia met his gaze fearlessly and defiantly. What did she have to fear? Lu Shaoting was the one who had proposed to her.
In fact, she even harbored a malicious thought deep down: seeing Lu Shaoting and Lu Jianming at odds with each other actually made her happy.
Right now, she was viciously hoping for the downfall of the Lu family’s eldest branch.
If it weren’t for Lu Jianming’s underhanded schemes and deliberate framing of her family, the Gu family would never have ended up in this situation.
This hatred was something Gu Xia could never forget.
Having gained nothing from Lu Shaoting, Lu Jianming left in a huff. Lu Ye, seeing that even his father’s words had no effect, knew that as a nephew, he had even less right to criticize his uncle.
Lu Jianming’s wife, Qin Xiulian, appeared to offer a few earnest words of advice.
Lu Shaoting completely ignored her presence. Qin Xiulian knew that her brother-in-law was cold toward her, and she didn’t bother greeting him either.
Seeing his indifferent attitude, Qin Xiulian thought bitterly to herself, He deserves it. Why wasn’t he killed in that crash?
Lu Jianming stormed off first, with Lu Ye and Qin Xiulian following closely behind.
Only Lu Xiaojing and the Lu Family Old Master remained in the room.
The Lu Family Old Master didn’t say much. As a former soldier, he understood the sacrifices soldiers made to complete their missions—they were both noble and unavoidable.
He gave Gu Xia a complicated look.
Then he said, “Gu Xia, come with me for a moment. I have a few words to say to 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, and instinctively wanted to stand up for Gu Xia.
This feeling was strange.
He wasn’t someone who liked to meddle in others’ affairs, but with Gu Xia, he kept breaking his own principles…
In the end, Lu Shaoting attributed this to the fact that Gu Xia was his first woman, and they had shared an intimate connection.
But that was secondary.
What he felt was most important was that it wasn’t Gu Xia he cared about—it should be the child in her womb.
That must be it, Lu Shaoting thought to himself, trying to convince himself.
Lu Xiaojing had originally wanted to say something, but after seeing how Lu Shaoting, despite his broken body, had still managed to shut down Lu Jianming with his sharp words, she held back.
Lu Xiaojing thought it best not to provoke any trouble at this moment.
She gave a perfunctory remark, “Old Fourth, rest well. I’ll come see you later.”
With that, Lu Xiaojing left the room.
Gu Xia, who had followed the Lu Family Old Master out, stood by the door of the ward, listening to his questions.
“Are you sure you want to marry Shaoting? He’s much older than you, and his health isn’t great now. There might be some underlying issues in the future. You should be mentally prepared before making this decision.”
Gu Xia knew the ward door wasn’t soundproof, and no conversation between Lu Shaoting and Lu Xiaojing could be heard from inside.
She raised her voice slightly, speaking calmly yet firmly:
“I’m sure. Even though he’s older than me and not in the best health, I still choose to marry him. Because… because I think he’s a good person, and he’s also the father of my child.”
Gu Xia had thought pretending to say “I love Lu Shaoting” would be easy, but when the words reached her lips, she found she couldn’t utter them—it felt too shameful.
So she could only say, “I think he’s a good person.”
Inside the ward, Lu Shaoting felt a complex mix of emotions upon hearing Gu Xia’s words, stirring a strange ripple within him that he had never experienced before.
In his over thirty years of life, this was the first time he had felt something so peculiar.
He even felt an urgent desire to ask Gu Xia, “If you think I’m a good person, then what exactly is good about me?”
The Lu Family Old Master hadn’t expected Gu Xia to say such things either.
But he understood clearly that Lu Shaoting had willingly acknowledged the child in Gu Xia’s belly.
This meant that Old Fourth had indeed slept with the young woman.
As for the finer details, it wasn’t his place to pry further.
If his son was willing to marry and Gu Xia was willing to marry him, it seemed there were no obvious issues.
The Lu Family Old Master fell silent for a moment.
“Then, once Shaoting’s leg has healed, we’ll arrange a simple wedding for you two. Given the circumstances—being pregnant before marriage—it’s best to keep the ceremony modest.”
Gu Xia obediently replied, “I have no objections. I’ll leave everything to Shaoting.”
Lu Xiaojing happened to hear Gu Xia’s words as she stepped out.
Her eyes widened, her lips curled, and she snorted.
“Gu Xia, you used to call him ‘Old Fourth Uncle,’ but now you’re calling him ‘Shaoting’ so smoothly.”
Gu Xia glanced up at Lu Xiaojing.
Among the Lu family members, if Lu Jianmin’s family was the one she despised the most, Lu Xiaojing would rank second—she was sharp-tongued and spoke with unbearable harshness.
“The more you say it, the smoother it gets. That’s how Shaoting and I address each other in private. But it’s understandable you wouldn’t know, since Shaoting isn’t on good terms with you and probably wouldn’t bother telling you such things.”
“You…!”
Being publicly rebuked and humiliated by a junior like Gu Xia, Lu Xiaojing’s face darkened with anger.
“Sharp-tongued and cunning. You won’t have an easy life from now on.”
With those words, Lu Xiaojing turned and left.
As she left, she didn’t forget to call out to her father, the Lu Family Old Master.
The Lu Family Old Master simply said he would speak a few words with Old Fourth.
Lu Xiaojing paid no further attention and walked out of the ward into the hospital courtyard, where she saw Lu Jianming, Qin Xiulian, Lu Ye, and the later-arriving Lu Xiaoyan talking.
Meanwhile, the Lu Family Old Master exchanged a few words with his son Lu Shaoting before leaving.
No one in the Lu family stayed behind to care for him.
The only one who could was the family’s nanny.
But now the Lu Family Matriarch is bedridden, and the housekeeper has to wash clothes, cook, clean, and also take care of the matriarch.
She can no longer come to care for Lu Shaoting.
They can only hire a professional caregiver.
The military would naturally arrange for that.
However, having no family or loved ones by his side, only a caregiver, seems a bit too pitiful.
Gu Xia watched as members of the Lu family came in and left. Everyone just said a few words, like “rest well,” but that seemed to be all.
Especially when she heard the Lu Family Old Master say that a caregiver would come to take care of Lu Shaoting.
Gu Xia couldn’t help but feel that Lu Shaoting, whom she had always found intimidating, now seemed so pitiful.