The following night, in the late hours, Su Huan's fingers still ached. She lay in bed, tossing and turning, finally managing to fall asleep.
Gu Beixian lay beside her, holding her in his arms.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated. To avoid waking Su Huan, Gu Beixian silenced it. Gently withdrawing his arm from beneath her neck, he intended to step outside and answer.
However, halfway through, Su Huan woke up. Opening her eyes, she looked at him, her eyes sleepy, and asked, "What's the matter?"
Gu Beixian gestured to the phone, "Answering a call."
"Answer it here; don't go outside; it's cold out there," she considerately said.
Gu Beixian responded with an "okay" and, after answering the call, asked, "Mo Chen, what's the matter?"
Chu Suosuo's brother, Chu Mochen, politely said, "I apologize for disturbing you so late. Suosuo's hand was struck with a hammer, and her left hand has suffered comminuted fractures of four fingers. Her condition is poor, and she has been crying, insisting on seeing you. Can you come to see her now?"
Gu Beixian's expression changed slightly. Sitting up, he inquired, "When did this happen?"
"Over two hours ago."
Gu Beixian furrowed his brow, saying, "I'll come right away."
"Thank you. I'll send you the room number on your phone in a moment."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Gu Beixian began unbuttoning his sleepwear swiftly.
Seeing his anxious demeanor, Su Huan had a premonition. It seemed that he might not return tonight, just as he had taken care of her; he would now go to care for Chu Suosuo—embracing and comforting, soothing all the way.
Su Huan's heart felt like it was being stabbed with a knife—a sharp, piercing pain.
Thinking of what Xiao Yi had said, advising her to act spoiled when necessary, she realized that, at this moment, she couldn't muster any spoiling. Being weak, on the other hand, was natural for a woman.
Suddenly, she embraced Gu Beixian's waist with her hands, burying her head in his chest. Her intention was clear; she didn't want him to leave.
Gu Beixian's hands, unbuttoning his sleepwear, paused. He raised his hand to gently stroke her head, speaking softly, "Listen, I'll just take a look and come back."
Su Huan refused to let go, still holding onto his waist tightly, softly pleading, "Can you wait until dawn? When it's light, I'll go with you."
Gu Beixian frowned slightly, his voice carrying a hint of displeasure, "You've always been reasonable; what's happening tonight?"
He was delicately accusing her of being unreasonable.
Su Huan thought to herself that if being unreasonable was needed, then so be it. In three years of marriage, she had never been unreasonable. Tonight, she would make an exception.
At this moment, it had little to do with love. It had turned into a competition between her and Chu Suosuo, two women.
She just couldn't stand Chu Suosuo and openly acknowledged her aversion. She had never detested someone so clearly in her entire life.
Gu Beixian waited for quite a while, seeing that she still refused to let go.
He raised his hand and, one by one, pried open her tightly clenched fingers.
After removing his sleepwear and changing into clothes, he left.
Su Huan stared blankly at the closed door, and her self-esteem shattered on the floor.
In a few hours, it would be dawn, and he couldn't even wait.
Regardless of what the substitute did, it couldn't compare to his childhood sweetheart, Bai Yueguang.
Su Huan chuckled self-deprecatingly, enduring the pain in her hand. She got out of bed, locked the ward door again, and lay back down. Her eyes turned red, feeling incredibly sad.
Gu Beixian arrived at Chu Suosuo's hospital room.
She had just returned from the operating room, lying on the hospital bed. Her entire body curled up in pain, her face pale. Her eyes were swollen, and she looked disheveled, devoid of her usual appearance.
Four broken fingers were fixed with splints, the back of her hand swollen to an alarming height. The skin was stretched thin, the wounds varied and gruesome, creating a frightening sight.
Hua Qirou wept, covering her face, gasping for breath.
Chu's father stood by the corridor window, puffing on cigarettes one after another, lost in thought.
Seeing Gu Beixian, Chu Mochen approached politely, "Beixian, calling you over so late is truly troublesome."
"No problem," Gu Beixian calmly replied, walking to the bedside. He slightly bent over, gazing at Chu Suosuo, softly calling, "Suosuo."
Chu Suosuo, who had been staring blankly, turned her head slowly upon hearing Gu Beixian's voice. As she saw his face, she burst into tears.
Gu Beixian sat down beside the bed, bending over slightly, patting her arm gently, "Suosuo, be strong."
Chu Suosuo's tears flowed down continuously, her voice choked, "My hand, Beixian, my hand is ruined."
Gu Beixian consoled her, "You're still young; it can heal."
"It won't. Comminuted fractures, the bones pieced together bit by bit, my life is over." Chu Suosuo cried in despair, heart-wrenchingly.
Watching Chu Suosuo's heart-wrenching tears, Gu Beixian's mind recalled the desolate gaze of Su Huan when her fingers were broken.
He pulled out tissues, gently wiping away her tears, coaxing, "Stop crying, be optimistic."
"I can't be optimistic, sob, sob."
No matter how long Gu Beixian comforted Chu Suosuo, she continued to cry.
Gu Beixian felt a bit impatient, raised his wrist to check the time; it had been nearly an hour since he came out.
Su Huan must be angry by now.
After pondering for a moment, he took out a card from his wallet and placed it on the bedside table, saying, "I rushed over without bringing anything. This is a token of my concern; the password is 618618. It's too late; Su Huan is still waiting for me in the ward. I'll head back now."
Chu Suosuo instantly stopped crying, looking at him in disbelief, struggling to speak, "Beixian, I'm in this state, and you still want to leave?"
"Yes, I'll come to see you again tomorrow."
"Don't go, please?" Chu Suosuo, teary-eyed, reached out to hold his hand, with needles still inserted into the back of her hand.
Her fragile and helpless appearance was pitiful.
Gu Beixian fell silent for a moment, gently pulling back his hand, and said warmly, "Listen, you have your parents and brother to accompany you. Su Huan only has me."
Chu Suosuo unwillingly protested, "Isn't she also with her mom?"
"Her grandmother is hospitalized, and her mother is taking care of her grandmother these days."
Chu Suosuo was disappointed, "Beixian, you've changed. In the past, you were so caring; even if I had a fever, you would stay with me the whole night."
She burst into tears again.
Chu Mochen frowned and said to Gu Beixian, "Beixian, you should go back now. We'll take care of Suosuo."
Gu Beixian nodded slightly to him, stood up, and asked, "Who attacked her? Has the person been caught?"
Chu Mochen shook his head, "No. The person ambushed Suosuo in the underground parking lot. As soon as she got out of the car, she was knocked unconscious, dragged to the corner, and her left hand was smashed with a hammer. Valuables in her bag were left untouched, and she wasn't sexually assaulted. Clearly, it's an act of revenge."
Gu Beixian contemplated, "I'll send someone to investigate."
"No need; the police have been informed. Thank you."
"Alright." Gu Beixian turned and walked out.
As soon as the door closed, Chu Suosuo grabbed a pillow and threw it to the ground, wailing loudly.
She cried so hard that she couldn't catch her breath, sobbing, "Beixian and I, childhood sweethearts for over a decade, why can't our feelings compare to his three years of marriage with Su Huan? Sob, sob, I hate her, I hate that hillbilly to death!"