Inside the private booth, Zhuang Yi was gesturing wildly as he spoke to Lu Xingzhou and Lin Susu.
“I knew it!
No wonder she’s got time to fool around with some other man instead of making medicinal food for you!
Susu, just wait and see.
A Jin will never let that housewife get away with this!”
Lin Susu was about to reply when the door to the booth swung open.
Gu Huaijin stepped in, his face devoid of any emotion.
He was always reserved, rarely letting his feelings show, so it was normally impossible to read anything from his expression.
Yet for some reason, Lin Susu could tell his mood was foul.
She spoke softly.
“A Jin, has Miss Xia calmed down?
I suppose she’s gone back to look after Ziting.”
Gu Huaijin pressed his thin lips together.
“No.”
Lin Susu’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Could it be that Miss Xia is abandoning even Ziting?”
She bit her lower lip, seemingly coming to a resolution, and turned to Gu Huaijin.
“A Jin, what if… I go apologise to Miss Xia instead?
Ziting is still little; he can’t do without his mother’s care.”
“No matter how angry us adults are, that’s our own business.
We mustn’t drag the child into this.
Ziting is innocent.”
Zhuang Yi rolled his eyes upon hearing this.
“We all know exactly what she’s up to.
She’s just using Ziting to threaten A Jin!
That woman is ruthless enough to exploit her own child.
What a disgrace to women!”
Lu Xingzhou cut him off.
“A Yi, watch your words.”
“Am I wrong?” Zhuang Yi paid no heed.
“Look at what Xia Xing has done!
She’s married with a grown child, yet she runs off to bars to meet another man.
That’s adultery!”
“No wonder Ziting likes her less and less.
What kind of mother behaves like this?
A Jin was far too good to her, spoiling her rotten!”
“She sits at home all day as a wealthy wife, swiping A Jin’s credit cards to buy whatever she wants, and still she’s ungrateful!
And now she wants to use A Jin’s money to fund that other man!”
At this thought, Zhuang Yi turned toward Gu Huaijin.
“A Jin, this sort of woman is easy to handle.
Freeze her cards, and see how tough she can be.
Mark my words, in no more than three days, she’ll crawl back begging to apologise!”
…
After running into Gu Huaijin and Lin Susu, all of Xia Xing’s good mood vanished.
As she prepared to leave, her phone vibrated.
She pulled it out and saw an alert that her supplementary card had been frozen.
Gu Huaijin had locked her card.
For years, she had stayed home caring for Gu Ziting with no independent income.
All her daily expenses were covered by this supplementary card linked to his account.
Of course, Xia Xing had her own savings from before their marriage.
The sum was by no means trivial, but to a wealthy clan like the Gu family, it was merely a drop in the bucket.
Nor had she stubbornly refused to spend Gu Huaijin’s money.
She managed the household while he earned outside; their roles were clearly divided.
There was nothing wrong with spending his money.
Staring at the text message on her screen, Xia Xing sneered inwardly.
So Gu Huaijin had begun trying to manipulate her.
Still holding her phone, Xia Xing headed back toward the booth.
Just then, someone crashed into her leg.
She looked down instinctively and found a little boy of five or six years old.
He was strikingly handsome, with delicate features and eyes like glistening black gemstones, clear and bright.
Yet his complexion carried an unnatural pallor.
Having studied Chinese medicine for a long time, Xia Xing could tell at a glance the boy suffered from qi and blood deficiency with a cold, weak spleen and stomach.
He was chronically frail.
The little boy suddenly spoke.
“You bumped into me.
You have to take responsibility.”
Xia Xing was stunned for a moment, then crouched down to meet his gaze.
“Little one, are you feeling unwell?”
The boy lowered his head and said nothing.
Xia Xing glanced left and right, spotting no sign of his guardians, and asked gently.
“What’s your name?
Where are your parents?”
The boy lifted his eyes to glance at her and repeated, “You bumped into me.
You have to take responsibility.”
Looking at him, Xia Xing ventured a question.
“Shall I take you to the hospital?”
The boy hesitated for several seconds, then nodded softly.
Xia Xing asked again.
“Should we notify your family first?”
This time the boy shook his head hard without pause, his resistance plain to see.
Xia Xing frowned slightly.
Could this child be suffering abuse at home, which was why he refused to contact his family?
A hospital check would be wise.
If there were serious injuries, she would have to call the police.
With that thought, she said softly, “Very well.
I’ll tell my friend, then take you straight to hospital.”
As she spoke, she reached out and took the boy’s hand.
His palm was cold.
Gu Ziting’s hands had once felt the same way before his health improved.
Doctors had said Ziting’s poor health was congenital, unable to be cured quickly and requiring long-term conditioning.
Back then, seeing Ziting suffer filled her heart with pain and guilt.
She wished she could bear his discomfort in his place.
But that was impossible.
She did everything she could to make amends.
Teaching herself Chinese medicine, tuina and acupuncture, simmering medicinal meals, drafting tailored diets for him…
When Xia Xing took his hand, the little boy froze.
Her hand was soft and warm, stirring a longing in him.
He tightened his grip on her hand instinctively and followed her.
Seeing he did not pull away, Xia Xing glanced down and gave him a tender smile.
Somehow, the little boy suddenly hung his head.
Xia Xing paid it no mind and led him back to Yan Yu’s private booth.
Yan Yu was worn out from singing and drinking.
Seeing Xia Xing return, she called out.
“Xing, you’re back!
Come, let’s drink a toast… Huh?
Is Ziting here?”
The light at the doorway was dim.
Yan Yu only saw Xia Xing leading a child inside and mistook him for Gu Ziting coming to find Xia Xing.
“It’s not him,” Xia Xing replied.
“I accidentally bumped into him in the corridor.
He doesn’t look well, so I’m taking him to hospital first.”
As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Yan Yu got a clear look at the boy’s face.
“Wow!
What a beautiful child!
Almost as good-looking as your Ziting!”
Yan Yu hurried over to the boy and stretched out her hand to pinch his cheek.
The little boy pulled away with a cold look on his face, hiding behind Xia Xing, clearly displeased.
Yan Yu froze briefly then laughed.
“What an interesting reaction this child has.”
Xia Xing said, “Yan Yu, don’t.
He probably dislikes being touched.”
Yan Yu did not press him.
“Where are his parents?
Is it really alright to take him away like this?
People might think we kidnapped him.”
Xia Xing turned back toward the boy.
“Little one, are you sure we shouldn’t contact your family…”
Before she finished her sentence, the boy cut her off.
He clamped his hand tightly around hers with surprising strength, enough to make Xia Xing feel a faint ache.
“No!
Don’t contact them!”
Xia Xing shot Yan Yu a helpless look.
Yan Yu sighed.
“Very well, hospital first.”
The two brought the boy to the hospital and ran examinations.
There were no wounds, no signs of abuse on his body.
Relief washed over Xia Xing, yet confusion lingered in her heart.
If he was not being abused by his family, why refused to reach them?
The thought had barely crossed her mind when rapid footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Next moment, the ward door was shoved violently open.
A tall, slender figure strode quickly into the room.