She slowly opened her eyes, and a bone-deep tiredness jolted her awake, “Mom!”
“Nuannuan, Auntie is fine.”
“She’s fine?
Good, that’s good, that’s good.”
She had rushed to the hospital and personally witnessed the doctors trying to save her until midnight, and when she heard that her mother was out of danger, she immediately passed out.
When she woke up, it was the next day.
Gu Xijue, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, held Gu Xiaonuan’s slender hand, as if giving her strength.
Gu Xiaonuan let out a sigh of relief and looked around, realizing that the two of them were now awkwardly squeezed onto a small sofa in the visitors’ room.
Her head rested on the sofa while her legs were comfortably stretched out, with Gu Xijue becoming the cushion beneath her.
While she slept well, her brother must be aching all over.
“Brother, you’re still the same, so unguarded!”
She awkwardly let go of Gu Xijue’s hand and placed her legs properly on the floor, like a child who didn’t know what to do.
If Zhao Ying found them like this, wouldn’t she throw a fit?
Gu Xijue’s gaze darkened slightly, a touch of melancholy in it, “We used to sleep in the same room.
Now we are just sleeping on the same sofa…
Nuannuan, do you hate your brother now?”
During the time he was abroad, Nuannuan had changed a lot, becoming cautious and pitiable.
Choosing to go abroad was the biggest mistake of his life, and not fighting to the end to take Nuannuan with him was the most regrettable thing he had ever done.
Her face suddenly flushed, as if her butt was on fire, and she stood up and walked toward the ward, “I’m going to see Mom.
Brother, you should go home, otherwise someone will start worrying about you.”
The man’s gentle voice came from behind her, he too stood up and, along with Gu Xiaonuan, put on a sterile suit, “While you were asleep, I talked to Dad about Auntie’s condition.
With him at home, everything will be fine.”
“Brother!” She spun around abruptly, her sterile suit not even tied as she began to take it off, raising her hand to push Gu Xijue out, “You go home, go home!
Go home immediately!”
“Nuannuan.” His eyes shimmered with profound meaning as he pulled her into his embrace.
“Brother, you can’t do this.
Why have you made me unable to leave you?
Do you know what kind of life I’ve led after you went abroad?
Your umbrella of protection made me lose the ability to carry on with life; you…
made me think that I could depend on something.
But when I faced difficulties, you weren’t by my side.”
A bitter smile, indifferent words, and her eyes slowly becoming shiny with tears, all of it stabbed his heart.
“Nuannuan, I’m back, I’m still your rock, I…”
Gu Xijue released her in a panic, clumsily not knowing how to comfort her, and bent his head to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes.
Both of them were so immersed in their world that they didn’t even hear the conversation outside the ward.
“Director Si, having you take over is indeed Madam Shen’s good fortune—we are truly at our wits’ end regarding her condition here,” said Doctor Zhang, as he opened the door to Shen Biran’s ward, with Director Wu accompanying him.
What they saw was a man and a woman sharing a beautiful moment of smiles.
The man was mild-mannered, the woman gentle; at first glance, they appeared to be a perfect match, as if they were meant for each other.
“Ahem, girl, are you playing out a soap opera in the ward this early in the morning?”
Startled, Gu Xiaonuan turned her head, and her tear-streaked face immediately caught in Si Yuchen’s gaze.
Si Yuchen’s brows furrowed, and his tone was displeased, “Gu Xiaonuan, mind the influence!”
Gu Xijue instinctively stepped forward to shield Gu Xiaonuan behind him, “Director Si, good morning.”
“With you and my woman here acting so carefree and cozy, do you think I’m likely to have a good morning?”