When Gu Qingyin entered, Huo Xingye’s expression was already perfectly composed. He sat behind his desk, looking at her calmly. "I thought you were having dinner with an old friend. Finished so soon?"
Gu Qingyin sighed. "It wasn’t anyone important. Seeing them once was enough."
She sniffed the air and asked, "Did you eat properly today?"
"Of course," Huo Xingye said with a smile. "I’ve made it a habit these last few days."
Gu Qingyin narrowed her eyes. "Really?"
Huo Xingye faltered before reluctantly confessing, "Okay, fine. I ate, just a little late."
Gu Qingyin snorted but didn’t press the issue. ’As long as he ate, that’s what matters.’
Huo Xingye let out a sigh of relief.
Just then, Gu Qingyin suddenly asked, "Who is Miss Wen?"
Huo Xingye fell silent.
"The friend who was staying at your place?" Gu Qingyin pressed, closing in. "Is she your girlfriend or some little mistress you’re keeping? Are you two breaking up now?"
Huo Xingye rubbed his brow, feeling an inexplicable pang of guilt. ’Before, I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong at all. I just used the wrong method to pursue her.’
Gu Qingyin saw right through him. "You’d better come clean," she said coolly. "If I find out you’ve lied..."
Huo Xingye gave a bitter smile. ’As if I would dare.’
"Wen Ting. She’s the one I like." Huo Xingye pursed his lips, finding it difficult to speak. "I wanted her to be with me, so I used a... rather extreme method. She resisted strongly."
"I realized later that I was wrong, so after some reflection, I sent her to the hospital." A hint of dejection crept into Huo Xingye’s eyes. "She’d rather die than be with me."
Gu Qingyin’s eyes widened in realization, then narrowed in shock and anger. "You actually imprisoned someone! Huo Xingye, how dare you!"
She had just dealt with a case involving imprisonment, and now she found out there was another one right under her nose—and it was her own son!
"I know I was wrong." Huo Xingye’s expression was placid, but his body was tense. This was the first time Gu Qingyin had been truly angry since her return, and he felt a little lost.
Gu Qingyin had the urge to walk over and give him a hard slap. ’The damage is already done. What’s the damn point of ’knowing you were wrong’?’
At this thought, Gu Qingyin suddenly asked, "Did you apologize?"
Huo Xingye fell silent again.
This made Gu Qingyin even angrier. "You’ve gotten too used to being a CEO, haven’t you? You know you’re wrong, but you don’t know how to apologize? Who wants your condescending admission of guilt!"
Gu Qingyin’s face was livid. "I could just smack the life out of you."
Huo Xingye: "..."
"Where is Wen Ting now?"
Not daring to hide anything, Huo Xingye lowered his gaze slightly. "She’s recuperating in the hospital."
Gu Qingyin plopped down onto the sofa in a huff. "Get back to work. When you’re finished, you’re coming with me to the hospital. You will apologize and offer compensation until she agrees to forgive you!"
Huo Xingye: "...Fine."
Gu Qingyin exhaled, but the tight furrow of her brow didn’t ease.
’She had noticed before that Huo Xingye’s fortune was low. It improved a bit after she gave him that beating, but it had been on a downward trend ever since. She could never figure out what the problem was. Now it was clear he was just bringing it all on himself.’
Under Gu Qingyin’s watchful gaze, Huo Xingye blazed through his work and finished for the day by five-thirty, clocking out early.
"I’m ready to go."
Gu Qingyin rose with a cold snort, not sparing him a single glance.
Huo Xingye fought the urge to sigh. ’He hadn’t felt this vexed even back when he was seizing power.’
The mother and son were silent on the way to the hospital. Huo Xingye tried to think of a topic, but Gu Qingyin just stared out the window, showing him nothing but the back of her head, as if to make sure he knew she was still angry.
Huo Xingye felt both helpless and amused. Deep down, he found Gu Qingyin’s temper tantrum rather endearing, and he felt himself growing even fonder of her.
’It made sense, when he thought about it. Gu Qingyin had been training on a mountain since childhood and didn’t come down until she was twenty. Aside from her mastery of Xuan Technique, she knew less about the ways of the world than the average girl.’
’Her thinking was straightforward, her feelings black and white. She had no idea how to hide what she felt.’
’Huo Xingye decided he liked her this way. He was more than willing to indulge her. After all, she was his mother, wasn’t she?’
The car stopped. Huo Xingye got out first, rounded the vehicle to open Gu Qingyin’s door, and said in a low, placating voice, "I know I was wrong. Please don’t be angry anymore."
Gu Qingyin shot him a sideways glance but still said nothing.
Huo Xingye smiled and started leading the way. "She’s in a VIP room on the top floor."
Hearing this, Gu Qingyin’s expression eased slightly, and she followed him upstairs.
The top floor was quiet and sparsely populated, with the scent of dinner wafting through the air.
Gu Qingyin’s stomach immediately started to growl. ’Let’s get this over with so I can eat,’ she thought. ’That barbecue restaurant we passed looked pretty good.’
She was still lost in thought when they arrived at the room.
Huo Xingye knocked on the door. From inside, a gentle male voice replied, "Please come in."
Huo Xingye pushed the door open and walked in. He wasn’t particularly surprised to see Chen Ming, but he was completely taken aback to see him holding a spoon and a food container.
"Did you start taking advanced courses in professional caregiving, Doctor Chen?"
Unfazed by the snarky comment, Doctor Chen just smiled. "A doctor’s heart is like a parent’s. I’m sure you understand."
Huo Xingye sneered. Just as he was about to open his mouth, a hand slapped him on the back, accompanied by a warning: "You will watch your tone."
Huo Xingye froze, his face expressionless as he stepped aside to reveal Gu Qingyin behind him.
Gu Qingyin beamed. "Hello, everyone. I’m Gu Qingyin." Her eyes flickered past Chen Ming to rest on Wen Ting, and her smile grew more genuine. "I’m here with Huo Xingye today specifically so he can apologize."
Chen Ming couldn’t hide his shock, and Wen Ting was even more stunned.
After Doctor Chen had explained the extent of Huo Xingye’s power and influence, she had already resigned herself to swallowing this bitter pill. She could only hope that since things had hit rock bottom, they could only get better from here, and that she would never have to endure such a nightmare again.
’The renowned Head of the Huo Family, apologizing to her? Was she daydreaming?’
Wen Ting blinked in a daze and glanced instinctively at Doctor Chen. "Has my condition gotten worse?" ’Why else would I be hallucinating? The resentment and bitterness in my heart must be frighteningly powerful!’
Doctor Chen put down the food container, his gentle smile never wavering. "No, your recovery is going well. It would go even faster if you ate properly." He stood up. "Miss Wen, I hope you will cooperate fully with the doctors and nurses so you can be discharged as soon as possible."
Wen Ting nodded, ashamed. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to eat; she had simply been starved for so long that she felt full after only a small amount of food.
Doctor Chen understood her situation. "You could try eating smaller meals more often," he suggested. "That will help your digestive system readjust."
Wen Ting nodded vigorously.
Satisfied, Doctor Chen turned and nodded to Huo Xingye and Gu Qingyin. "I’ll let you talk. I’m heading out."
With the unrelated party gone, Gu Qingyin took a step forward to carefully observe Wen Ting’s features. "Miss Wen, you are a fortunate person," she said with a smile. "You’ve had a smooth-sailing life since you were young. Once this ordeal is behind you, you’re destined for a lifetime of happiness."
Wen Ting found this a bit baffling, but since the woman was offering words of blessing, she could only smile and offer her thanks.
Gu Qingyin tucked a peace charm into her pocket. "Keep this on you. It’s good for your health."
Wen Ting had no energy to refuse, so she could only watch as the octagonal yellow talisman was slipped into the pocket of her shirt.
Gu Qingyin gave Wen Ting a reassuring smile, but her face turned stony as she looked back at Huo Xingye. "Have you gone mute?"
Huo Xingye sighed internally. He looked up at Wen Ting, but for several long seconds, he didn’t speak.
A chill went down Wen Ting’s spine. ’Is Huo Xingye really here to apologize, or is he here to silence me permanently?’
"...I’m sorry."