"It's ringing again," Xu Xiuhe said, pointing at the phone.
Xu Guimin held the phone in his hand, hesitating for several seconds before finally answering.
"Xiuhe, can you come and see me?"
"No."
...
Shen Yin, standing nearby, couldn't help but smile at the conversation between these two. One asked cautiously, while the other responded mercilessly. If it were her, she might have done the same.
"Xiuhe, I've wronged you and your mother."
"You don't deserve to mention my mom. If you have something to say, say it quickly. My time is limited. If you're here to admit your mistakes, don't bother. I don't need it."
Why didn't he realize this earlier? If he knew from the start that what he was doing was wrong, why did he do it? It's like those who knowingly break the law – their punishment is even more severe.
So, no matter what, Xu Xiuhe would never forgive Xu Guimin.
"Xiuhe, I was wrong. Can you forgive me?"
"No. If I forgive you, how can I face my mother? Did you do right by her when you had an affair? Where were you when my mom was lying sick in the hospital bed? Where were you when her condition became critical? What right do you have to ask for my forgiveness?" Xu Xiuhe demanded.
His mother's illness was inextricably linked to Xu Guimin. She had always known about his affair but never said anything. Over time, she became depressed and withdrawn. When one's mood is consistently low, all sorts of illnesses can manifest. But Xu Guimin hadn't noticed a thing. It wasn't until Sun Wenting was admitted to the hospital that he realized his wife was ill. He barely spent two days at the hospital before leaving, claiming he was busy with work. When Sun Wenting's condition became critical, he said he was in a meeting. By the time he arrived, she had already passed away. He didn't even get to see her one last time.
"Xiuhe, I was wrong, truly wrong. When I see Wenting again, I'll apologize and make amends in person." Tears of remorse fell from Xu Guimin's eyes on the other end of the line.
"If you have any conscience left, don't disturb her. Let her rest in peace in the other world. My mother's biggest mistake in this life was meeting you."
Xu Xiuhe's emotions were running high, his eyes reddening. From his earliest memories, Xu Guimin had rarely been home. Sun Wenting would always tell him that it was because his father was too busy with work to come home and play with him. His mother had always loved Xu Guimin, but that man had no heart, repeatedly betraying her.
Listening to this, Shen Yin felt a twinge in her heart. The last time the three of them visited Xu Xiuhe's mother's grave, Shen Yin had been struck by the photo on the tombstone.
The woman in the photo was clearly gentle to her very core. From her expression, one could almost glimpse her past.
As gentle as the waters of Jiangnan, as strong as thousand-year-old jade. When she looked up, she was like the bright moon; when she bowed her head, she was like the vast earth.
How could such a woman fall into a river of love that turned out to be hell?
Xu Xiuhe seemed to be lost in memories of his mother, the anger gradually fading from his face.
Caught up in his own recollections, Xu Guimin on the other end of the line could indeed be heard repenting. His choked voice continued unabated, but this repentance had come far too late to matter.
"I want to see you. Is that alright?" Xu Guimin pleaded once more.
"What for? Isn't that son of yours enough for you to look at?"
Xu Guimin had been through a brush with death, and such experiences often help people see things more clearly.
"Zhengyang isn't as good as you."
"And that woman isn't as good as my mom."
Xu Xiuhe's implication was clear. His mother, such a wonderful woman who never complained until her death, never fought or grasped for anything – and yet Xu Guimin still had an affair. Having a son who wasn't as good as him shouldn't be a big deal; he should be used to it by now.
Yang Cui might look innocent, but she had done so many terrible things behind the scenes. In front of Xu Guimin, she acted like a harmless rabbit, but when he wasn't looking, she was like a demon. He still couldn't forget how Yang Cui had viciously berated Mrs. Song.
"It's my fault. I'm the one who's not good. I've only now realized that your mother was the only one who truly loved me."
Xu Guimin began to regret his actions. Why had he ever had an affair with Yang Cui? Because she was young, because she seemed delicate and refined. It was just as they say – the flowers at home never smell as sweet as the wild ones. But wild flowers are just that – wild. Now his realization had come too late.
"Then can you come and save me?" Xu Guimin begged, his voice weak, as if he only had one last breath left.
Shen Yin and Xu Xiuhe exchanged glances. What did he mean? Save him?
"Guimin, the doctor said you need more rest." A woman's voice suddenly came through the phone, and then the call was disconnected.
"Honey, the doctor said you need to rest more. I'll keep your phone for you." Yang Cui entered from outside and took away Xu Guimin's phone.
Xu Guimin lay on the hospital bed, unable to get up. Even speaking was an effort; he had used all his strength to call Xu Xiuhe.
Yang Cui had changed her clothes and was wearing a face mask and sunglasses. Her face was so swollen that even the mask couldn't hide it.
Despite his weakness, Xu Guimin couldn't hide the look of disgust on his face.
"Honey, look at my face. That impudent little nurse hit me. You need to get better quickly and avenge me."
Yang Cui, despite her age, was trying to act coy, which came across as both nauseating and cringeworthy.
Xu Guimin simply closed his eyes.
Back in the office, only Xu Yunzheng was eating. Shen Yin and Xu Xiuhe had lost their appetites after Xu Guimin's last words.
They exchanged glances, with Shen Yin seeming to want to say something but holding back. She picked up her chopsticks and looked at Xu Xiuhe.
Xu Xiuhe naturally knew what Shen Yin wanted to say, but considering Xu Yunzheng was still there, they couldn't discuss the matter just yet.
"Let's eat first. After we finish, isn't it time for Zhengzheng to go to sleep?" Xu Xiuhe looked down at Xu Yunzheng.
"Yes, Daddy. Don't be sad," Zhengzheng put down his chopsticks and touched Xu Xiuhe's face.
Xu Xiuhe suddenly felt a lump in his throat. So Zhengzheng had noticed he was upset earlier?
"Mm, Daddy's not sad. Daddy wants to be happy together with Zhengzheng."
"Okay."
Zhengzheng picked up his chopsticks again and resumed eating.
After eating, the little one ran several laps around Xu Xiuhe's office. Xu Xiuhe kept him company the whole time. Sure enough, before long, the little one had no energy left. His eyes kept blinking and blinking until he finally fell asleep on the sofa.
"Is he asleep?" Shen Yin asked.
"Yes. I'll carry him to the rest room inside," Xu Xiuhe replied, his movements careful and gentle so as not to wake the little one.
After tucking Xu Yunzheng in and covering him with a blanket, Xu Xiuhe came back out.
"Was he harmed?" Shen Yin asked as soon as Xu Xiuhe emerged. Perhaps it was because she and Xu Yunzheng had both had that dream, coupled with what Xu Guimin had said at the end earlier - no matter how you looked at it, it seemed like he had been harmed and fallen into the water. After all, in her dream, she had only seen the image of that man unable to surface from the water. She hadn't seen how Xu Guimin had fallen in at the beginning.
"It's possible. It's also possible that he was harmed by Xu Zhengyang and Yang Cui."
"So what do you plan to do?"
"I don't know how to face him, but he asked me to save him. I don't know what to do."
Xu Xiuhe sat on the sofa, his mood low.
"He's done so many wrong things, he'll face judgment for those. But he shouldn't be killed by that mother and son," Shen Yin replied.
"How am I supposed to save him? Should I go get him out of the hospital? If things are really as we think, the hospital is probably heavily guarded."
"Why don't you call back that number from earlier? It should be his."
"I bet that phone number has already been turned off. Want to bet?"
As he spoke, Xu Xiuhe picked up his phone, opened the recent call log, and dialed the number back.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off."
"I'll go to the hospital this afternoon to take a look."
"I'll go with you. I'm not comfortable with you going alone."
"What about Zhengzheng?"
"We'll drop him off at my mom's later."
Shen Yin went to the rest room and saw Zhengzheng sleeping soundly. She gently picked him up.
Zhengzheng whimpered twice, and Shen Yin immediately patted him lightly. Zhengzheng quieted down.
Shen Yin carried Zhengzheng out of the rest room. In the office, Xu Xiuhe had taken advantage of this free moment to handle some documents.
"Let's go. With you and Liu Assistant both away from the company, will there be any problems?" Shen Yin asked.
"It'll be fine, it's just half a day."
The two of them entered the elevator together. When they reached the underground parking garage, Xu Xiuhe drove while Shen Yin sat in the back seat holding Zhengzheng.
Afraid of disturbing Zhengzheng, they didn't talk the entire way.
Fang Yue was quite surprised to see the family of three arrive.
"Yin Yin?"
"Mom, we need to trouble you to watch Zhengzheng this afternoon. Xu Xiuhe and I have some urgent business and can't take him with us."
"Sure, no problem. Don't worry about it."
Fang Yue was actually delighted to have her eldest grandson come keep her company.
"He's asleep now. He'll probably wake up around 4:30 in the afternoon and will want water when he wakes up."
"Alright, you two go take care of your business. He'll be fine with me."
Shen Yin and Xu Xiuhe didn't enter the house. Fang Yue took Zhengzheng, and the two of them left.
"Which hospital are they at?"
"Most likely Rong City No.1 Hospital. We'll go straight to the VIP ward there. Whichever door has people guarding it is probably Xu Guimin's room."
Xu Xiuhe drove the whole way.
Although he hated Xu Guimin and didn't want him to have a good outcome, he also didn't want Xu Guimin to ultimately die at the hands of that mother and son. That would be too easy for that ruthless pair.
When they arrived at Rong City No.1 Hospital, they went directly to the inpatient department and found the VIP ward.
There weren't many VIP rooms, and sure enough, at the end of the hallway, they saw several people standing guard outside a door.
Xu Xiuhe walked straight towards that room, with Shen Yin following behind him.
As soon as they got close, the people at the door blocked their way.
"Excuse me, sir, madam, there's an important patient in this room. No unauthorized entry allowed."
"Move aside," Xu Xiuhe said, looking at the group with warning in his eyes.
Seeing this, the men immediately stood up straight, hands outstretched, ready to take action. Shen Yin, who had just caught up, swept her leg, kicking the face of the man who was about to make a move. Clutching his kicked face, he said defiantly, "What are you all standing around for?"
"Do you want to come at us one by one, or all together?" Shen Yin taunted.
They dared to lay hands on Xu Xiuhe without asking her first? She might look delicate, but when it came to fighting, she had never been afraid of anyone.
"All together," Xu Xiuhe said. How could he possibly let Shen Yin fight them alone?
Shen Yin moved swiftly, her strikes accurate and fierce. Xu Xiuhe didn't even need to step in. The men on the other side couldn't gain any advantage at all.
The noise of the fight had already attracted quite a few people to come out of their rooms to watch.
It was quite interesting, this hospital ward. There had been a fight in the morning, and now another one in the afternoon. Each fight was more exciting than the last.
"If you don't want to lose any arms or legs, stop now," Shen Yin warned again.
Hearing this, the men looked at each other, then back at Shen Yin. They actually saw killing intent in her eyes.
"Stay put outside," Shen Yin said as she and Xu Xiuhe entered the room.
Inside the room was only Xu Guimin, lying pale-faced on the bed, looking quite pitiful.
"How do we get him out of here?" Shen Yin asked.
"We'll send him to another hospital. I'll carry him down in a bit."
Their conversation woke Xu Guimin on the bed.
"Xiuhe, you came after all," Xu Guimin said weakly, opening his eyes.
"Shut up. I just don't want to see you die so easily," Xu Xiuhe said, not even willing to carry Xu Guimin.
Shen Yin saw the disgust on Xu Xiuhe's face. So, she walked out of the room and said to the battered men at the door, "Help me carry the patient in the room downstairs. 20,000 yuan."
Hearing this, the men's eyes lit up.
"Me, me!"
"I can do it, I'm strong!"
"I can do it, I barely fought against you just now."
Shen Yin looked at the last person who spoke and said, "Alright, you."
The others looked at the man who spoke last with resentful eyes.
This man walked into the room and said he would carry the patient.
Xu Xiuhe glanced at Shen Yin and immediately understood that this was arranged by her. He felt as if he were the delicate wife in this situation. The way Shen Yin had just reached out to protect him behind her was something he would probably never forget for the rest of his life.
The man was carrying Xu Guimin on his back.
Xu Xiuhe walked over and directly removed the IV drip from Xu Guimin's hand.
"Where are you carrying him?"
"Downstairs."
Xu Xiuhe led the way, with Shen Yin and Xu Guimin behind him.
Xu Xiuhe drove the car, taking Xu Guimin to another hospital.
After arranging the hospital room, he found a caregiver. He instructed the doctor to treat him well, then contacted some security guards to come over. He directed them to guard the door of the hospital room no matter what, and to call him immediately if anyone tried to force their way in.
After doing all this, the two of them decided to go back.
Xu Guimin kept calling out as he watched Xu Xiuhe's retreating figure, "Xiuhe, Xiuhe."
Xu Xiuhe never responded.
"We can go back directly now. As long as he can stay alive, that's enough. We'll discuss the rest when we get back tonight."
