The word uncle carried an icy chill and Gu Yuanhang felt a sharp stab through his chest. He froze completely his mind reeling. Uncle she had actually called him uncle in front of everyone.
Once she had always called him Yuanhang Ge with warmth and bright smiles. Those two words wiped away every trace of their three years of closeness. They dripped with mockery and distance.
What was he to her now merely an elder. Then what was he doing holding another woman it seemed perfectly natural. Heat rushed up his face burning from his cheeks all the way to his neck.
The eyes of the crowd seared into him and he felt utterly exposed and ashamed. “Xingci you…” He tried to explain tried to steady things but his throat tightened and not a single word would come.
Bai Miaomiao beside him grew impatient and tugged hard at his arm. “Yuanhang what is the matter with you? Who is she anyway?” Her questioning fanned his anger.
Why should he be judged by Su Xingci he was the one who should hold control. Gu Yuanhang shook off Miaomiao’s hand and lunged forward to seize Su Xingci by the arm. “Come with me we need to talk privately!”
His hand never touched her. A larger hand clamped around his wrist with crushing force. Huo Chenzhou stood squarely before her his grip tightening by the second.
Gu Yuanhang paled as sharp pain shot through his wrist. “Who the hell are you let go!” He hissed through gritted teeth his eyes flaring. He pushed back with all his strength but the hand did not budge.
Two men in uniform stood locked in a silent standoff drawing more and more attention. “Enough!” A roar cut through the crowd. Su Yuanshan strode forward and pulled them apart.
He glanced at Huo Chenzhou then fixed his gaze firmly on Gu Yuanhang. By now he had seen enough. He thought of his daughter’s pale face whenever she spoke of Gu Yuanhang and of Huo Chenzhou’s earlier words.
Combined with that cold formality a terrible suspicion took shape. “Yuanhang” Su Yuanshan said gravely “tell me the truth who is your girlfriend? Is she someone you are ashamed of?” He chose his words to cut deeper rather than asking directly what had happened.
Cold sweat broke out across Gu Yuanhang’s forehead. Had Brother Su found out how could he know? He glanced toward Su Xingci only to see her turned away her expression impassive.
She would not even meet his eyes. “Brother Su you what are you talking about I do not understand there has been a misunderstanding…” He stammered unable to speak coherently.
“A misunderstanding?” Su Yuanshan gave a bitter laugh and pointed past him to Bai Miaomiao. “Embracing and holding this woman is a misunderstanding then have you ended things with your girlfriend? Remember you are a soldier conduct matters greatly.”
“I…” “Yuanhang let us go I am exhausted!” Bai Miaomiao whined tugging insistently at his arm. Gu Yuanhang looked helplessly at Su Yuanshan his voice weaker than ever.
“Brother Su I will explain everything later. Miaomiao has just arrived and she is tired I need to take her to the guesthouse first.” Su Yuanshan trembled with rage his pointing hand shaking.
“Fine fine Gu Yuanhang I was truly blind to think of you as a brother!” “How could you this is nothing short of utter disgrace!” He shouted the last words. The last time they had spoken he had assumed Gu Yuanhang had already ended things properly.
Instead he was playing two women at once keeping one while clinging to another the very picture of moral failure in uniform. Gu Yuanhang looked wretched his excuses crumbling under Su Yuanshan’s scrutiny. He had to find some way to smooth this over.
He cast a desperate look at Su Xingci but she did not turn his way. “Xingci please tell your father it is not like that…” Su Xingci finally faced him with a faint knowing smile.
“Not like what uncle?” “Have you ended it with her does she know?” “Or is this one the one all along?” Panic rose in him. Su Yuanshan might not be from this military district but he had wide connections what if he made trouble for him…
Just as the tension reached breaking point a sharp electronic beep cut through the air. Gu Yuanhang’s pager was sounding. It rang loudly and everyone turned to look.
He fumbled to unclip it from his belt glanced at the display and went pale. He looked up sharply forgetting all pretence and grabbed Miaomiao’s hand. “Brother Su something urgent has come up I must go right away I will explain everything to you and Xingci another time!”
His voice shook with alarm. “Stop right there!” Su Yuanshan blocked his path. “You are not going anywhere until you speak plainly!”
“Brother Su it is a genuine emergency lives are at stake!” Gu Yuanhang was nearly frantic he wrenched free of Su Yuanshan’s grasp and dragged Miaomiao into the crowd. “Yuanhang Gu Yuanhang!”
No matter how Su Yuanshan called Gu Yuanhang’s figure vanished swallowed up in the throng as if fleeing for his life. Back at the exit silence settled over the small group. The charged atmosphere turned heavy and cold.
Huo Mingyue stood holding Tangtang glancing from Su Yuanshan’s storm darkened face to Su Xingci’s quiet form unsure how to speak. Huo Chenzhou moved silently back to stand beside Su Xingci. Su Yuanshan breathed heavily his anger giving way to heartache and remorse.
He turned to look at his daughter. She stood still pale and slight yet her spine was straight and proud. His heart wrenched painfully so he could barely breathe.
He had failed as a father. She had been hurting all along and he had known nothing. He had entrusted her to a man who was unworthy entirely.
As far as he was concerned that so called brother was no brother of his anymore. He stepped slowly toward her lifting a hand to stroke her hair only to let it fall back to his side. Heaving a long heavy sigh he watched the crowd drift away and the usual bustle return to the platform.
He met her distant eyes and spoke hoarsely. “Xingci tell me the truth.” Every word weighed heavily. “Has he wronged you?” He had hesitated a long time but finally he had to ask.
Su Xingci’s heart jolted. Had he found out after all? His health was fragile he must not be distressed. Was it all coming out now?
“Father I…” “Father what is wrong?” As she started to speak she noticed his face was ashen and his breathing labored. He clutched at his chest and pitched forward collapsing backward.