Sheng Shushu used to love him more and more in her previous life, swallowing all the grievances he gave her because of that love.
Having been given a second chance at life, and since she wasn't planning on loving him again, she couldn't help wanting to stand up for herself.
"Isn't that so?" she forced herself to remain calm, daring to look directly into those excessively deep eyes only then.
At least Xiao Qingzhou didn't love her and made it clear—he didn't pretend, nor did he use her emotions. He even admitted to his affairs outright.
Thinking this, Sheng Shushu actually felt that Xiao Qingzhou was quite manly.
But what about him, Xiao Yu?
He clearly didn't love her, yet he used her to create the facade of a loving husband.
The only use she had, she feared, was to add luster to his image as a successful social figure, that was all.
Sheng Shushu remembered, her appendicitis hospitalization was precisely at this hospital.
She rarely fell ill, hadn't even seen an operating bed before; that was the first time, shaking with fear all alone, when a stranger—an aide—had embraced her, telling her that once the anesthesia was administered, she would wake up from the operation before she knew it.
Her husband, less helpful than a stranger, didn't even visit her once because of his work.
Until she was discharged after the surgery, he didn't even know.
Her disappointment accumulated, step by step, until the divorce.
"Please leave, Professor Xiao," she said, finding it hard to keep her emotions steady, "I don't need anyone to take care of me."
Chen Yu was just arriving at the door of the ward when he heard Sheng Shushu telling someone to leave.
He had initially decided not to enter, but it was too late.
Both of them looked towards Chen Yu.
Chen Yu could only smile, "It was just some kids making a fuss. It's all been handled now. As for what follows, it's up to Miss Sheng. I'll assist from my end..."
"It's just a superficial wound, not necessary," Sheng Shushu interrupted him.
She didn't want to trouble Chen Yu; he was a prominent attorney, after all. Why should she use Xiao Yu's connections for such a minor injury?
Upon hearing this, Chen Yu instinctively looked at Xiao Yu.
Indeed, Xiao Yu's expression was not good.
Chen Yu wanted to persuade her further, but Xiao Yu nodded at him, signaling, "You go ahead with your work."
In the middle of the night, what could Chen Yu possibly be busy with? His mood for leisure gone, he decided to wait for him downstairs in the hospital.
"Oh right," Chen Yu said as he opened the door, dragging two girls in from outside.
Fang Min's eyes were red and swollen, and as she looked at Sheng Shushu, she nearly cried, continuously apologizing.
Lu Banxia had said that Sheng Shushu had gone out looking for her, and that was how the accident happened.
Sheng Shushu replied helplessly, "Stop crying, or people might think I'm about to be laid to rest!"
"Touch wood!" Lu Banxia immediately scolded her for her poor choice of words.
Then, unable to hold back her quick tongue, "You really are... It's not like you're pining over old flames, why take a stab for an ex..."
Realizing Professor Xiao was present, Lu Banxia braked mid-sentence.
Chen Yu tugged at the two of them, "Go back to sleep. Don't you have class tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow's the weekend. I'll stay overnight to keep Shushu company."
"Don't you see there's someone here already?" Lack of awareness.
Lu Banxia thought about it and agreed, leaving space for Sheng Shushu and Professor Xiao.
However, Sheng Shushu frowned, "Wait, I want to leave too."
She didn't need to be hospitalized.
As she was about to move, Xiao Yu blocked her from getting out of bed.
He looked back at the other three, "Close the door on your way out."
Sheng Shushu grew annoyed, "Xiao Yu, what are you doing?"
She was terrified of being left alone, once everyone else had gone.
Being alone with Xiao Yu was precisely what Sheng Shushu feared the most at that moment.
Yet Xiao Yu suddenly bent down, "You could try it, I'd kiss you in front of everyone."
His breath loomed suddenly close, causing Sheng Shushu to hold her breath, all her movements stilled, instinctively sitting back on the bed.
She couldn't bear Xiao Yu's proximity at all, and to her dismay, even in this second life, it was the same.
After her surgery, he had merely coaxed her, and she, without any resolve, had not been able to withstand him.
"Stay away from me." Sheng Shushu tried hard to control the steadiness of her voice.
Xiao Yu could see that this tactic worked on her.
Chen Yu and the others had already left.
With the door closing behind them, Xiao Yu let out a low tone, "Didn't I say I wanted a kiss every day?"
Sheng Shushu had already turned her face away, appearing indifferent.
"Let's talk," Xiao Yu said, not wanting to push too hard as he pulled out a chair and sat down, "What complaints do you have against me?"
It seemed casual, but it was full of oppression, his gaze dark as he looked at her.
Sheng Shushu didn't want to speak.
"I can sit with you all night, and hear where I am lacking compared to Xiao Qingzhou."
At these words, Sheng Shushu clenched the corner of the blanket.
"Speak," his thin lips touched, his expression cold, "lacking brains, lacking affection, lacking career..."
His summary of Xiao Qingzhou was indeed not wrong; in all aspects, Xiao Qingzhou was nothing spectacular, lucky to be born in the Xiao Family.
Suddenly, Sheng Shushu turned to look at him.
Did she really want to hear it?
"In terms of brains, he's younger than you; in terms of affection, he's younger than you; in terms of career, he's just younger than you."
Xiao Yu's face turned darker with each sentence.
"The only reason you'd be interested in him is because that's all you've got in your head."
Sheng Shushu felt provoked.
He always called her foolish, always said she was stupid!
"Exactly," Sheng Shushu said self-mockingly, "It's because of my foolish love brain that I fell for you!"
Then she laughed, "So I changed, I don't like you anymore."
She couldn't have made it any clearer.
Not interested.
This was the only reason Xiao Yu refused to believe.
Liking someone might not require a reason, but not liking always has a specific cause.
On Tuesday, she had probed him about his favorite economist, then saw Marshall's work in his office.
She was just a twenty-year-old girl, simple, unable to hide things, and she asked him, "If I carved Marshall's famous quote on a gift for your birthday, would you like it?"
Only a few days had passed since then.
So Xiao Yu knew very well that her attitude towards him deteriorated after the events of that night.
He had checked everything that happened that day.
And found nothing.
"Really, Xiao Yu," Sheng Shushu looked at him, "I don't like you, or rather, I'm fickle, falling for someone at the drop of a hat. Don't waste your time on me, find someone else."
She knew what he wanted to do.
He wanted to use her to gain her grandparents' favor.
Just like he helped the business with evaluations to build connections, her grandparents were another rung on the ladder to his success.
And she was just a stepping stone.
Thinking of this, Sheng Shushu felt very upset.
"Find someone else?" Xiao Yu looked down at her.
Sheng Shushu had already turned over, covering herself with the blanket.
Her chest felt blocked and uneasy.
Xiao Yu didn't disturb her, taking a book and sitting on the family bed.
The hospital bed was so high that Sheng Shushu's feet couldn't touch the floor when she sat, but when Xiao Yu sat down, his long legs comfortably reached the ground.
Sheng Shushu initially couldn't sleep out of discomfort, but later, due to exhaustion, she fell asleep without realizing it.
When she awoke, she could faintly hear a very low voice beside her.
"It's inconvenient, I'll get back to you in the afternoon."
It was Xiao Yu's voice; he hung up the phone after speaking.
But Sheng Shushu was already awake and when she found herself holding one of Xiao Yu's arms, she quickly let go.
After her mother passed away, she had always lacked a sense of security and had developed the habit of holding onto something as she slept.
Xiao Yu, in his past life, had almost every night been embraced by her in sleep.