The car arrived at the hospital, and the medical staff immediately rushed Yao ChengQi in for treatment.
Fu Baili stepped out of the car. He looked at the black car in front of them. The door opened, and after a while, the driver got out and went into the hospital.
Fu Baili shifted his gaze and quickly walked into the hospital.
Su Ci didn't get out of the car. She instructed the driver to check on the situation and take care of the medical expenses.
Yao ChengQi woke up in the evening. Fu Baili didn't return to the film crew; he stayed in the ward the entire time.
"Where am I?" Yao ChengQi's throat was dry, and his voice was raspy.
"This is the hospital. You fell from the wire and were seriously injured," Fu Baili said, standing up and gesturing for him not to move.
Yao ChengQi remembered falling and then everything went black. He couldn't recall anything after that.
He looked around the ward. It was spacious, bright, and quiet. "This room must be expensive, right?"
Yao ChengQi was anxious. This wasn't a place he could afford. "I want to transfer to a regular ward."
Fu Baili was used to luxury and had seen all kinds of opulent places. To him, this was just an ordinary hospital room. He hadn't even considered the difference between a regular ward and a VIP one.
"Someone has already paid for it," Fu Baili said. He didn't have much money himself, but when he found out about the medical and hospital fees, Su Ci's driver had already taken care of it.
Yao ChengQi was shocked. "Who?"
"The daughter of the Su family."
Fu Baili only left after Yao ChengQi's girlfriend arrived.
By the time he returned to the small motel, it was already late at night. The environment in the motel was poor, and the sounds of commotion from the neighboring room kept interrupting the silence.
Fu Baili was exhausted. He sat on the bed, but his phone remained silent.
In the past, he would have been bombarded with invitations from friends to go out, drink, or race. Now, not only were his friends not reaching out, but Zhao Youyou hadn't contacted him all day.
Fu Baili's eyes darkened. He sent a message: "Are you asleep?"
In the car.
"It's so late. Who's texting you? Your boyfriend?" The boy turned the steering wheel and casually asked when he heard the notification sound from Zhao Youyou's phone.
Zhao Youyou put her phone away, blushing slightly. "It's just spam."
The boy was sunny and handsome. When the traffic light turned red, he glanced at her. "So, do you have a boyfriend?"
His tone was serious, and Zhao Youyou's heart skipped a beat. She replied softly, "That's my private matter."
"I'm sorry, I overstepped," the boy apologized and continued driving.
The car stopped downstairs at her house. Zhao Youyou unfastened her seatbelt and politely thanked him. "Thank you for helping me again today and for driving me home."
"We're classmates. It's only natural to help each other," Gao Shangjin said as he watched her about to get out of the car. "There's a new movie out tomorrow. I bought tickets, but my friends bailed on me. Do you have time to go with me? Otherwise, the tickets will go to waste."
Zhao Youyou hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Sure, consider it repayment for your help today."
Gao Shangjin smiled. "See you tomorrow."
Zhao Youyou's face was filled with a gentle smile as she waved at him.
When she got home, her father and mother were still awake, discussing whether to sell the house. With the money, they could pay off the 500,000 yuan debt and buy a smaller place.
Zhao Youyou frowned when she heard them. "Dad, that's not right. This house was bought by Baili."
"What does it matter who bought it? He gave it to you, so it's yours," Zhao's father said, his face still bruised from the fight with the reporters. In the end, he had to pay them off to make them leave.
Zhao's mother chimed in, "Your father is right. Besides, Fu Baili has nothing now. It's kind of us not to ask him for room and board."
Zhao Youyou bit her lip and remained silent.
Fu Baili returned to City B the next day, late in the evening. Yao ChengQi's injury hadn't healed, so he stayed in the hospital.
Fu Baili first went to a jewelry store and bought a silver bracelet with the money he had earned over the past few days. For the former Fu Baili, a bracelet worth a few hundred yuan would have been trash, but this was the first time he had earned something through hard work. He wanted to give it to the person he loved.
Winter nights came quickly. Even though it was still early evening, the sky was already dark.
The cold wind blew, stinging their faces.
Fu Baili had caught a cold and was wearing a mask as he hurried toward Zhao's house.
As he approached the tree, he suddenly saw Zhao Youyou coming out of the building. Fu Baili's sharp features softened. Although Zhao Youyou hadn't contacted him in the past two days, he wasn't the type to dwell on such details. His longing for her could be expressed when he saw her.
Under the mask, Fu Baili's lips curved into a smile as he prepared to walk quickly toward his girlfriend.
However, before Fu Baili could speak, he saw Zhao Youyou pressing her hair down to keep it from being blown by the wind, smiling sweetly as she walked toward a car parked on the side.
Leaning against the car was a tall man.
Fu Baili stopped in his tracks.
He watched as the man took out a small gift box and removed a necklace from it.
"This is my gift to you. Do you like it?" Gao Shangjin was dressed casually today. Although he wasn't as outstanding and dazzling as Lu Zhe or as handsome as Fu Baili, his sunny and handsome appearance was also quite appealing to girls.
Zhao Youyou was surprised. "Why are you suddenly giving me a gift?"
Gao Shangjin was straightforward and good at sweet-talking. "It's normal to give gifts to a girl you like and pursue her."
He unfastened the necklace clasp. "Don't feel pressured. When I saw this necklace, I thought it suited you very well. Moreover, this necklace is limited edition, and only you can have it."
Gao Shangjin was not only romantic but also gave expensive and unique gifts. Combined with his good looks, it was hard for any girl to resist such a charming man.
Zhao Youyou bit her lip shyly, her voice soft. "I can't accept this..."
"If you don't take it, it will just be a waste. I might as well throw it away," Gao Shangjin said, pretending to throw the necklace into the nearby trash can.
"Don't!" Zhao Youyou quickly stopped him. She knew this brand of necklace was worth at least five figures. She had once fantasized about Fu Baili giving her one.
Gao Shangjin opened his palm. The diamond pendant sparkled under the warm yellow streetlight. "Let me help you put it on."
Zhao Youyou was silent for a moment before nodding shyly.
Gao Shangjin walked behind Zhao Youyou, getting close to her as he fastened the necklace. "You look beautiful."
Zhao Youyou's face instantly turned red.
Under the tree, Fu Baili stood still, like a shadow swallowed by the darkness.
Fu Baili's eyes were hurt by Zhao Youyou's shy expression.
He had thought that she only showed such expressions when she was with him.
His hands clenched into fists, and a fire burned in Fu Baili's chest. He stepped out from under the tree, his eyes red.
He stared intensely at Zhao Youyou.
The sudden appearance startled Zhao Youyou. She instinctively moved away from Gao Shangjin's touch.
"Baili..." Zhao Youyou bit her lip and walked toward Fu Baili. "Don't misunderstand."
The mask hid Fu Baili's expression, but his eyes were cold. "Misunderstand what? That you accepted another man's necklace? Or that you let another man put it on for you?"
Zhao Youyou quickly explained, "We're just friends. He helped me yesterday. There's really nothing between us."
The necklace around Zhao Youyou's neck stabbed at Fu Baili's heart. He sneered, "I really am a fool."
Fu Baili took out the small gift box from his pocket and threw it at Zhao Youyou. He gave her a deep look before turning and leaving.
"Baili!" Zhao Youyou was extremely wronged. She picked up the small gift box, opened it, and found a simple silver bracelet inside.
"This bracelet doesn't suit you," Gao Shangjin said, closing the box and taking it from Zhao Youyou's hand. "You deserve the best. Cheap jewelry doesn't match you."
Zhao Youyou looked up, her eyes red.
"If you like cheap stuff, I can give you a pile of them," Gao Shangjin said, taking the box from Zhao Youyou and tossing it into the grass.
He smiled and said, "Get in the car. I've already had a table reserved. The head chef there was hired from abroad, and his cooking is excellent. I'll take you to try it out."
Zhao Youyou, her eyes red, was led into the car by Gao Shangjin.
As the car drove away, Fu Baili returned, picking up the small gift box from the pile of grass.
He went upstairs to the Zhao residence, where Zhao's father and Zhao's mother were on the phone in the living room, discussing with an agent the sale of the house.
Seeing Fu Baili suddenly return, Zhao's father casually said a few words to the agent on the phone and hung up.
He spoke to Fu Baili with displeasure, "Xiao Li, this place isn't your home. Remember to inform us when you come and go."
Fu Baili removed his mask, his expression cold. "Are you selling this house?"
Zhao's father and Zhao's mother, feeling guilty, didn't dare to respond.
"The house hasn't been transferred to Zhao Youyou yet. You have no right to dispose of it," Fu Baili said as he walked into the room to pack a few sets of clothes.
Zhao's father and Zhao's mother grew anxious. "What do you mean? Isn't this house something you bought for Youyou? Once you give it to my daughter, it's ours."
Fu Baili slung his backpack over his shoulder. Looking at the two people before him who had torn apart their relationship, he said coldly, "The house belongs to my parents. It hasn't reached Zhao Youyou's hands yet. I'm afraid your plans will come to nothing."
The house had originally been a birthday gift from Fu Baili's mother to him. At the time, he had worried that Zhao Youyou wouldn't accept it, so he had lied and said he had bought it.
He had never taken Zhao Youyou to complete the transfer procedures because he had left the Fu family, and the matter had been delayed.
"How could this be..." Zhao's mother was stunned.
Fu Baili looked at their greedy faces and didn't bother to argue further, leaving the house.
The winter night was particularly cold, and there were few pedestrians on the streets.
The cold wind brushed against Fu Baili's face, and his handsome features seemed covered in a layer of frost.
He didn't have much money left and could only find a cheap motel to stay in for the night.
At that moment, a black car stopped beside Fu Baili. He looked over.
The window rolled down, revealing the kind face of an elderly woman.
Fu Baili's eyes reddened, and his voice instantly became hoarse. "Grandma."
Grandmother Fu sighed. "Aren't you getting in the car?"
The driver quickly got out and opened the door for Fu Baili. "Young Master, please."
Sitting in the car, the warmth enveloped him all at once. Fu Baili's cold expression softened, and his eyes reddened. He no longer resembled the arrogant and carefree young master he had once been.
Now, he seemed more like a child who had endured many grievances and finally found his family.
Seeing her grandson had lost weight and clearly suffered a lot, Grandmother Fu, who had raised him since he was a child, couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
Xiao Li, Grandma has never been one to care about class differences, nor does she hold prejudice against girls from ordinary families. But all of this is premised on the other person's character being virtuous.
Grandmother Fu spoke slowly. "You've always been surrounded by people who pampered you. You can be proud, even complacent, but you cannot deceive yourself. This time, you were caught in the situation, blinded by your emotions. After such a long time, you should have come to your senses."
Fu Baili's eyes were bloodshot, his face pale. "Grandma, I was wrong."
...
Su Ci had never thought that because she had saved Grandmother Fu in the past, it had completely altered the relationship between Fu Baili and Zhao Youyou.
During this time, she had heard that Fu Baili had returned to the Fu family, and the Fu family was considering a marriage alliance with the Wang family.
The Wang family had only one daughter, Wang Xiaoqin, whom Su Ci remembered Zhao Youyou had once thrown away her medication, almost causing her death.
Now, Fu Baili had broken up with Zhao Youyou and might be engaged to Wang Xiaoqin.
Su Ci suddenly felt that the workings of fate were quite interesting.
After the New Year, the final exams soon approached, which wasn't a difficult task for Su Ci.
After easily finishing the exams, Su Ci stayed at home almost every day. Not only was she afraid of the cold, but also because Lu Zhe was very busy nearing the end of the year, and they could only video call at night.
At this moment, Su Ci was leisurely lying on the bed, watching Lu Zhe flip through documents on the video call.
Over the past half year, Lu Zhe's features had become more defined. Perhaps because he often dealt with a group of cunning old foxes in the company, the youthful naivety in Lu Zhe's demeanor had gradually faded, replaced by increasing maturity and stability.
The boy was transforming into a man.
Su Ci gazed at Lu Zhe's face, deeply feeling that every feature of his was exactly what she loved. She couldn't help but adore him.
Lu Zhe didn't neglect the girl. After flipping through a few pages of documents, he would lift his eyes to give her a glance.
Just as Su Ci was about to tease Lu Zhe, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea.
Su Ci covered her mouth.
Then, a surge of vomiting urges rose, and Su Ci, covering her mouth, quickly ran to the bathroom.
On the screen, the girl suddenly ran away, and Lu Zhe's brows instinctively furrowed.
After a while, Su Ci walked back, her black eyes glistening with tears.
"What's wrong?" Lu Zhe, no longer paying attention to the documents, looked at the girl on the screen with concern. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Su Ci was about to speak when she suddenly covered her mouth again, suppressing the urge to vomit.
Lu Zhe's brows tightened even more. "Tuan Tuan, are you feeling okay?"
After recovering, Su Ci let go of her hand. With a pitiful nod, she said, "I feel like throwing up."
Lu Zhe's eyes were filled with worry. "Did you eat something wrong? Do you need to go to the hospital?"
The nausea passed again, and Su Ci shook her head. "I ate the same thing as usual for dinner." Moreover, she hadn't vomited anything when she went to the bathroom earlier.
She touched her head. "My rabbit ears didn't appear." So, it wasn't that she was sick.
Lu Zhe felt a little relieved. The next moment, he saw the girl cover her mouth again, feeling nauseous.
"Tuan Tuan."
Su Ci let go of her hand, her dark eyes even more watery. With a pitiful voice, she said, "Lu Zhe, am I pregnant?"
The girl's words stunned the boy on the other side of the screen.
