Chapter 277: Deep Love, Selfish Motives
Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Deep Love, Selfish Motives
Hua Yulin was slightly taken aback by Zhao Nuanyue’s words.
"Guo Dongmei already broke off her engagement with my older brother once, and many people treated it as a joke. If you get engaged and marry him, you have to keep treating him this well for the rest of your life. If you have regrets later on, you’ll make my brother a laughingstock again, and you’ll make the Hua family a laughingstock," Hua Yulin said gravely. "You should think this over carefully. Don’t make a decision lightly."
"I’ve already thought it over. My master has spoken to me about this before, and my answer is still the same," Zhao Nuanyue replied. "I want to marry Hua because I truly love him and am willing to spend my entire life with him. I’m sure you’ve already investigated my family background. My stepfather’s family aren’t good people, and in these chaotic times, my two siblings and I hope for the Hua family’s protection."
The Hu Family wouldn’t have believed her if she had simply said how much she liked Hua Yusen, how much she loved him, or that she was willing to die for him. That’s why Zhao Nuanyue also admitted her selfish motives, making it easier to persuade them.
Sure enough, after hearing Zhao Nuanyue’s words, both Hua Zhiqiang and Feng Wanru breathed a sigh of relief, and even Hua Yulin’s expression softened.
"I hope you remember what you said today. If you dare go back on your word, I’ll make you regret it," Hua Yulin warned, clearly not treating Zhao Nuanyue as an equal.
Zhao Nuanyue didn’t get angry. After all, she currently had no standing to compete with Hua Yulin.
’Reaching a position of power isn’t a single leap to the heavens; it’s an accumulation, bit by bit. Only a solid foundation can support a skyscraper that others will look up to.’
’I, too, will slowly gather my own strength and continuously grow stronger.’
"I’ll remember," Zhao Nuanyue nodded, thinking to herself, ’You’ve got some nerve, Hua Yulin, talking to me like that. Just you wait. When Hua Yusen wakes up, I’ll be sure to whisper in his ear and teach you a lesson!’
Hua Zhiqiang and Feng Wanru relaxed. Hua Yulin had asked the questions on their minds, and they had received a satisfactory, reassuring answer.
"We have other matters to attend to, so we’ll leave things here to you," Feng Wanru said with a smile. "After the New Year and after Xuanyue, we’ll pick an auspicious day. I’ll arrange the engagement for you and Yu Sen then. How does that sound?"
Hearing this, Zhao Nuanyue’s heart leaped with joy. She nodded and said, "Mrs. Hua, please discuss these matters with my master. He told me before that he would handle all of this for me."
Mrs. Hua was even more pleased to hear this, delighted that Divine Doctor Sun had such a relationship with the Hua family.
Hua Yufen quite liked Zhao Nuanyue and had a good impression of her, but she maintained a polite distance. She smiled and said, "We appreciate all you’re doing."
Before leaving, Hua Yulin glanced at Zhao Nuanyue, then said slowly, "Thank you."
Those two simple words made Zhao Nuanyue sense a change in Hua Yulin. ’Perhaps his awful attitude from earlier was just because he cares so much about Hua Yusen.’
"No need to thank me. I’m doing this for my own happiness, too," Zhao Nuanyue said with a light laugh. "I understand why you doubted my motives at first. You’re Hua’s family; you care about him and don’t want anyone to hurt him. Actually, I feel the same way you do—I might even cherish Hua more than you do. So I wasn’t bothered by your attitude earlier."
Zhao Nuanyue’s brief words deeply moved Feng Wanru and the others.
Perhaps having a girl like her by Hua Yusen’s side was a blessing in itself.
Feng Wanru and Hua Zhiqiang left with their son and daughter. With the New Year just around the corner, they had many things to do and couldn’t stay with Hua Yusen.
Zhao Nuanyue fetched some hot water and gave Hua Yusen a thorough sponge bath. Each time she had to clean his private areas, she kept her eyes shut.
’Even with my eyes closed, though, I could picture it perfectly. After all, we shared a bed for five years in our past life and knew each other intimately. It was just that Hua Yusen’s body was now younger, more full of life.’
’I wonder what the younger Hua Yusen was like? Was he still so charming in private? So doting?’
’Ugh... I can’t be thinking about this!’
Zhao Nuanyue quickly patted her cheeks. ’Don’t think about such inappropriate things!’
Zhao Nuanyue changed Hua Yusen into fresh clothes, then began to read the newspaper aloud, her gentle voice filling the hospital room.
After she finished reading the newspaper, Zhao Nuanyue kissed Hua Yusen on the forehead, then gathered the clothes he had changed out of and prepared to leave.
Just as she stepped out of the hospital room, she saw Hua Yulin standing to the side, leaning against the wall.
"You... Why haven’t you left yet?" Zhao Nuanyue asked, curious. "I thought all of you had gone."
Hua Yulin looked at Zhao Nuanyue, his heart filled with gratitude. From outside, he had been able to faintly hear her reading the newspaper to his older brother. When she reached a more interesting passage, she would pause to share her own views and ideas, often asking questions to his brother as he lay in bed.
For Zhao Nuanyue to do all this when the situation seemed so hopeless was truly remarkable.
Even though he respected his older brother more than anyone, Hua Yulin knew he couldn’t do the same.
"I can tell you really do love my older brother," Hua Yulin said softly. "But my brother isn’t going to wake up. If he could, and he knew he was getting engaged to you, he would be overjoyed."
"You don’t have to be so sad. This is the reality of the situation, and we have to face it," Zhao Nuanyue said gently. "Perhaps for you, the fact that Hua Yusen can’t speak or move and remains in a coma is unacceptable. But I can accept it. I just have this feeling that he can hear what I’m saying. His breathing is becoming more regular, his pulse is getting stronger... so I believe he will definitely wake up. One year, two years... even if it takes ten or twenty years, or a whole lifetime, I can wait."
Zhao Nuanyue’s true thought was, ’I’d even take a bullet for him, let alone wait a year or two.’
"I admit we haven’t done as well as you," Hua Yulin said softly. "We say we’re busy with work all day, but deep down, it’s so painful that we want to escape. We can’t face it calmly."
"That’s what happens when you love someone that deeply," Zhao Nuanyue said softly. "There’s no need to run from it. Whatever is meant to happen, will happen. I have to get to work this afternoon, so I can’t talk any longer. Goodbye."
Zhao Nuanyue nodded, grabbed her bag, and left.
Hua Yulin caught up to her and said, "Let me give you a ride back."
She glanced at the heavy snow outside. If she walked, it would likely take two hours. If Hua Yulin gave her a ride, it would probably only take thirty or forty minutes.
"Okay, thank you," Zhao Nuanyue said, and left with Hua Yulin.
As they reached the entrance, they unexpectedly ran into Li Gongming.
"Nuanyue!" Li Gongming called out, acting as if he hadn’t seen Hua Yulin at all—as if he only had eyes for Zhao Nuanyue.