The abandoned daughter of the Lu family turns around and marries a celibate tycoon.

Xue Jingyan's silence was like a dull knife, slowly cutting into Lu Xiran's nerves. He turned around to organize the medical records, saying to her with his back to her, "You...you need to rest well."

"Did he...?" Lu Xiran's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, "Really not even enough time for a phone call?"

Xue Jingyan paused for a moment.

He pinched the edges of the white medical record paper, creating fine creases, then slowly relaxed them. He didn't answer, but simply closed the door gently.

The door closed softly, but to Lu Xiran it sounded as heavy as a blow to her heart.

She stared at the door until her eyes ached before slowly looking away.

He didn't say a word to her the whole day she lay in the hospital.

The door was pushed open again.

Lu Xiran looked up almost instantly, the faint light in her eyes extinguishing completely the moment she saw who it was. She lowered her eyelashes, trying to make her voice sound normal: "Uncle."

Lin Chen looked at her pale and thin face, and his heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly.

He recalled how, just a few hours earlier, Gu Yanshen had stood in front of the French windows of the villa on the cliff, his back to him, and said, "Make her hate me," his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

"Ranran," Lin Chen sat down on the chair beside the bed, "Does it still hurt?"

Lu Xiran shook her head, but her gaze drifted uncontrollably towards the door: "Is he... very busy?"

Lin Chen's Adam's apple bobbed.

The words that had been rehearsed repeatedly on the way here were now stuck in my throat, each one feeling like a barb.

"The board of directors," he heard his own voice dry and rough, "has seen some changes. Several major shareholders are putting pressure on us, and the situation... isn't looking good."

"So he's ignoring me now, is that it?" Lu Xiran suddenly looked up, her eyes terribly red, but without tears. "Uncle, I'm heartbroken about losing the baby... I know he blames me... blames me for not protecting the child..."

Her voice began to tremble, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly until her knuckles turned white: "But...he's my husband."

The last sentence was as light as a sigh, yet it struck Lin Chen's heart heavily.

He almost couldn't hold on any longer, almost blurting it out. But then he remembered Gu Yanshen's bloodshot eyes, and those words, "I'd rather she hate me for the rest of her life than have her die because of me."

"Ranran," Lin Chen's voice was terribly hoarse, "I'll take you to Switzerland. The school has already made arrangements, and once you recover, you can continue your studies."

The air in the ward suddenly seemed to freeze.

Lu Xiran stared at him for a long time, so long that Lin Chen thought time had stopped. Then she smiled very lightly, a smile as thin as ice, as fragile as ice.

"Was it his idea, or yours?"

Lin Chen remained silent.

"Let him come and tell me himself." Lu Xiran turned around and pulled the blanket over her head. Suppressed, soft sobs came from under the blanket.

Lin Chen sat there, staring at the slightly trembling blanket, and suddenly felt short of breath. He stood up and gently closed the door. A split second before the door closed, he heard a very soft voice from under the blanket:

"Does he not want me anymore?"

The Gu family's old house.

Jin Qiqi walked to the entrance for the eleventh time, and for the eleventh time, she was gently but firmly stopped by Lian Bichen.

"Mom, I'll only be there for an hour." She was almost crying, "Ranran is in the hospital... I have to go and keep her company."

Lian Bichen held a bowl of bird's nest soup, her smile gentle and impeccable: "Don't worry about taking care of yourself and the baby right now. Hospitals are places with heavy yin energy."

"I just went for my prenatal checkup last week—"

"That's different." Lian Bichen gently pressed down on her shoulder, the force gentle yet allowing no escape. "Qiqi, be good."

Looking into her mother-in-law's gentle, smiling eyes, Jin Qiqi suddenly felt a chill creep up her spine. She forced a smile and said, "Okay."

While Lian Bichen was taking a nap, she tiptoed to the courtyard gate, only to find that the heavy, ornate iron gate was locked from the outside. The lock was new, its metallic sheen gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

She stood there, feeling cold all over.

She did not come downstairs for dinner.

Lian Bichen brought up a tray with several of her favorite snacks. Jin Qiqi looked at the exquisite food and suddenly felt nauseous.

"Mom," she said softly, "I just want to go see my friend."

Lian Bichen sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking her hair: "Mom knows. But there are some things you need to understand. The Gu family is not at peace right now. Your focus on your pregnancy is the greatest support you can give Yanxu."

"What does this have to do with Ranran?"

Lian Bichen smiled but didn't answer. She fed Jin Qiqi a piece of pastry, watched her drink half a bowl of soup, and then left with the tray.

When Gu Yanxu came home that night, he saw her sitting on the bay window with her knees drawn up to her chest, staring at the dark night outside, unaware that he had come in.

"Qiqi?" He walked over and hugged her from behind.

Jin Qiqi's body stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed. She leaned into his arms, her voice muffled, "I want to see Ranran."

Gu Yanxu said in a low voice, "Change your clothes."

"What?"

"I'll take you to see her." Gu Yanxu released her, walked to the dressing room, took out two coats, and then squatted down to put shoes on her. His fingers were warm, and his movements were practiced and natural, as if he had done it a thousand times.

Jin Qiqi stared at him blankly.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, outlining his sharply defined profile. He had changed a lot during this time, shedding his spoiled brat ways and learning to be more composed and responsible.

"Don't you think going to the hospital is a bad idea?" she asked softly.

"All I know is that my wife's happiness is the most important thing. You won't be at ease unless you go see her." Gu Yanxu put a scarf on Jin Qiqi. "Let's go."

"The door is locked," Jin Qiqi said, pouting.

Gu Yanxu raised his head, a long-lost, roguish smile playing on his lips: "When your husband was a kid, sneaking out of school by climbing over the wall, you were still playing with dolls."

He led her by the hand, and they walked familiarly around to the backyard.

As Jin Qiqi sat in the car, her eyes suddenly stung with tears.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Gu Yanxu squeezed her hand but didn't say anything. The car drove into the night, the streetlights casting flickering shadows on his face.

When the ward door was pushed open, Lu Xiran was staring blankly at the ceiling.

She had been staring at it for two hours, counting down the seconds. Each second felt like an eternity.

—Growing long enough to grind all her expectations and hopes into powder.

"slowly!"

The familiar voice sent a shiver down her spine.

She turned her head and saw Jin Qiqi standing at the door, her eyes instantly reddening.

Jin Qiqi walked over quickly. Lu Xiran tried to sit up, but fell back down due to weakness. Jin Qiqi hugged her, feeling the shoulders of the person in her arms trembling violently, but without making a sound.

That kind of silent weeping is more heartbreaking than loud wailing.