Su Hui tilted her delicate face upward, her large, dewy eyes fixed upon Gu Beixian.
For someone so high and mighty to utter such words, it can be considered quite remarkable.
How could she not like him?
She was practically enamored with him.
If one were to pinpoint a flaw, it would be his notoriously bad temper. However, this past year, he had been consistently restrained in her presence.
She also disliked his repulsive ex-girlfriend, but recently, he had been standing firmly on her side since she expressed her displeasure about Chu Suosuo.
Su Hui's heart softened, and just as she was about to agree, someone knocked on the door.
The door opened, and a receptionist-like young lady walked in, saying, "Miss Su Hui, there's a call for you downstairs."
When Su Hui was changing into her wedding dress, she had locked her phone in the dressing room cabinet, thinking that someone urgently needed to contact her. She apologized to the photographer and went downstairs to answer the call.
On the first floor, she picked up the landline.
Gu Aoting's indifferent voice came from her mobile phone, "Miss Su, one should uphold integrity in life. I dislike those who go back on their word the most."
Su Hui felt as if she had been slapped in public, her face burning. After composing herself, she said, "I haven't gone back on my word. Beixian just returned from abroad yesterday, and today is the weekend; the Civil Affairs Bureau is not open."
Gu Aoting coldly stated, "Next Monday, I'll have my assistant clear his schedule. I hope Miss Su won't disappoint me again."
Su Hui simply acknowledged, "I understand."
Gu Aoting ominously added, "I value Beixian greatly, but if he displeases me, I can do without him. My eldest son, Gu Lin, may have slightly inferior business qualifications, but he has a decisive personality, not entangled in romantic affairs, and he listens to me. Our family is different from yours. We have a big business, and the business world is a battlefield, where only the fittest survive. There's no familial love between father and son, brothers, or children. If Beixian doesn't succeed, he becomes an obstacle, Miss Su, do you understand my words?"
Implicitly, if she doesn't divorce, she becomes a stumbling block on Gu Beixian's path to success, a sinner.
Su Hui had nothing more to say.
If she doesn't divorce, she becomes a sinner.
With a pale face and a slightly trembling voice, she said, "I understand."
Gu Aoting hung up the phone.
Su Hui left the front desk with heavy steps, finding a secluded corner to hide.
It took a great effort to calm her emotions.
Feeling somewhat composed, she pretended to return to the studio nonchalantly. However, she had lost interest in taking more photos.
After hastily taking a few shots, she told the photographer, "That's enough, let's go with these."
Leaving the studio, she quietly changed clothes in the dressing room, removed her makeup, and left with Gu Beixian.
Outside, Gu Beixian asked her, "Who called you just now?"
Su Hui shook her head, "No one."
Gu Beixian stared at her intently, "Tell me the truth."
Avoiding his gaze, Su Hui looked down at the watch on her wrist and half-jokingly said, "I'm afraid I can't fulfill my promise to take care of you. How about I treat you to a meal instead?"
Gu Beixian fell silent for a moment, and the hidden glimmer in his eyes slowly dissipated.
Casually rubbing her head, he teased, "You think you can dismiss me with just one meal? Stingy."
Su Hui forced a smile, "If one meal is not enough, then add another one."
Gu Beixian remained silent.
The two found a nearby restaurant.
After the meal, when they came out, it was already dark.
Getting into the car, Gu Beixian asked, "Where to?"
Su Hui fastened her seatbelt and said, "Take me to the hospital."
"So late, what are you going to the hospital for? Doesn't your grandmother have a caregiver?"
"Lately, my grandmother has been acting strangely. She's particularly attached to me, especially at night. She doesn't want a caregiver or my mother, only me."
Gu Beixian raised his hand, tucking her hair that hung by her ear behind it. His dark eyes locked onto her, as if wanting to say: I'm also very attached to you, especially at night.
Feeling that such words from a grown man were too sentimental, he refrained from saying them. Speaking them would be meaningless.
The car reached the hospital, and it started raining.
Gu Beixian parked the car, took an umbrella from the trunk, and escorted Su Hui to the inpatient department.
The umbrella almost tilted entirely towards Su Hui's side, leaving half of Gu Beixian's shoulder exposed.
Noticing this, Su Hui pushed the handle, shifting the umbrella to his side.
But after walking a few steps, the umbrella tilted back to her side.
Su Hui raised her hand to push it again, but Gu Beixian held her hand, gently saying, "I'm a grown man, a little rain won't hurt me. You, a young girl, can't withstand the cold."
Su Hui's eyes welled up, and she held onto his arm, never letting go until they reached the entrance of the ward.
At night, Su Hui helped her grandmother wash her face and feet.
Looking at her grandmother's wrinkled skin, Su Hui felt a pang of sadness.
She had been raised by her grandparents since childhood, and her affection for her grandmother surpassed that for her mother.
Late into the night, she lay beside her grandmother, embracing her from behind.
Once tall and majestic, her grandmother was now thin and narrow, resembling a swaying withered grass in the wind.
During a recent full-body examination, all her organs had aged, especially the kidney she had replaced three years ago.
At this age, the doctor no longer recommended surgery. The risks were too great, and she could only count the days one by one.
Su Hui had a lot on her mind and couldn't sleep.
Her grandmother wasn't asleep either.
In the darkness, she heard her grandmother's hoarse voice slowly saying, "Child, I've burdened you. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have entered such a family, let alone go through a divorce."
Su Hui buried her head on her grandmother's bony back, speaking after a while, "I don't regret marrying him, truly."
Her grandmother didn't speak, just let out a heavy sigh.
The next day, Monday.
Su Hui and Gu Beixian met at the Civil Affairs Bureau.
As they got out of the car, Su Hui raised her head and saw an elegantly decorated café by the roadside. She hesitated for a moment, and her steps came to a halt.
Three years ago, she and Gu Beixian had their first meeting there.
She remembered that day was chilly, and he wore a black cashmere coat. He looked even more handsome than in
the photos, with a clear and cold demeanor, a kind of cold charm that comes from a high place.
Even sitting in a wheelchair, he couldn't conceal his noble aura.
He had beautiful eyes, pitch black and deep, with prominent double eyelids. His long eyelashes drooped slightly at the outer corners.
Such beautiful eyes, yet so melancholic and cold, like pearls veiled in dust.
Looking at those eyes, she felt an inexplicable heartache.
Those eyes were too much like A Yao's.
Thirteen years ago, when she saw him for the last time in the hospital, he wore an oxygen mask, unable to speak. He just looked at her silently with those eyes, continuously gazing, so melancholic and heart-wrenching.
Seeing Gu Beixian's equally melancholic eyes, she wanted to hug him, kiss his eyes, and gradually ease the pain hidden in them.
"Why not moving?" Gu Beixian's low and pleasant voice brought Su Hui back to reality.
He held her cold fingertips, his own fingertips equally cold.
Su Hui responded, following his steps.
When they arrived at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, she turned around and looked at the name of the café: "Love at First Sight."
Inside the Civil Affairs Bureau, there were many people seeking divorce. They had to take a number and wait in line. Most of them were young couples of similar age, easily triggered into divorces.
The couples in front of the line were all facing each other with cold expressions, like enemies.
Only she and Gu Beixian were holding hands, their eyes filled with affection, seemingly reluctant to part.
Because they were too different, and their high appearance made everyone cast surprised glances at them.
Feeling a bit embarrassed by the attention, Su Hui turned her face towards Gu Beixian.
He raised his hand, pulling her into his arms. His fingers naturally caressed her back, comforting her.
This didn't seem like a divorce proceeding; instead, it looked like they were showing off their love.
Someone couldn't bear it any longer, pointing towards the marriage registration office, saying, "Go there to get your marriage certificate. Are you in the wrong place?"
Gu Beixian's eyes were cold, and he calmly said, "We are getting a divorce."
Whispers and murmurs broke out among the onlookers. They couldn't comprehend why a couple with seemingly good feelings would divorce.
When it was almost their turn, Su Hui's phone suddenly rang.
She took out her phone from her bag, went to the window to answer the call, and after listening for less than half a sentence, tears filled her eyes.
Sensing that something was wrong, Gu Beixian walked over.
Seeing her tear-streaked face, unnaturally pale, he felt his heart clench and urgently asked, "What happened?"
"Grandma, my grandma... she's gone. I don't have a grandmother anymore..." Su Hui choked on her words, her knees weakening as she collapsed to the floor.
Gu Beixian quickly and horizontally lifted her into his arms, carried her out in a hurry.