Chapter 546 - 471: An Embrace
Chapter 546: Chapter 471: An Embrace
Seeing the healthy, confident, tall, and handsome young man before her, and comparing him to the frail figure from her past life who had constantly endured the torment of illness in a wheelchair, Xiao Man’s nose stung. Tears streamed down her face like a bursting dam, instantly soaking the front of Gu Shaojun’s shirt.
Gu Shaojun took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped her tears, but it was quickly soaked through. He held Xiao Man close, about to lean over and ring for service, when a waiter happened to knock and enter with their food. Gu Shaojun asked him to bring some hot water and a clean towel.
Xiao Man nestled in Gu Shaojun’s arms, weeping silently. Gu Shaojun held her tightly, saying nothing, simply resting his chin on her head and gently nuzzling her. He closed his eyes, listening to her quiet sobs—a sound of both sorrow and release. His heart grew soft and tranquil, and he felt a strange sense of contentment.
’What do I do? Xiao Man’s crying, but I feel like smiling. Would she hit me if I told her?’
Fortunately, Xiao Man’s sorrow only lasted a short while before her mood brightened. Gu Shaojun wouldn’t let her move. Just as he would care for Gu Shaoying at home, he simply picked her up, carried her over to the basin of warm water to help her wash her hands and face, and then carried her back to the table. He coaxed her into eating first, promising they could talk about everything else once she’d had her fill.
After the meal, over a pot of fragrant tea, Xiao Man finally told Gu Shaojun everything he wanted to know.
With tears in her eyes, she said, "...In my past life, even though you were disabled, you were still a hero admired by all the citizens of Huaxia Country, and you were my benefactor! You didn’t look down on me for being a country girl, for being ugly and clumsy. You were polite and gentle with me, which helped me overcome my low self-esteem. When Gu Shaoqin came to visit, he recognized me and told you the truth. That day, you came out of the study, glanced at me as usual, and walked past. But your eyes were red all day, and by night, you were running a high fever. The doctors and therapists all panicked, saying you were overwhelmed by stress and pent-up emotions, and that it would be dangerous if they weren’t released. But the next day, you were fine again.
"Once you recovered, it was like you became a different person. You enjoyed chatting with me, eagerly asking about my hometown, family, and friends. Later, you made your case and persuaded me to accept your marriage proposal. I told you that, setting aside all other factors, my lack of education alone made me unworthy of you. You suggested we get engaged first and live together as fiancés. You hired seven or eight tutors and instructors to teach me academics and various skills...
"During that time, my identity was exposed. Tang Haocheng found out where I was and wanted to meet me. When I refused, you rejected him outright, forbade him from coming near me, and shielded me from the Tang family. Worried that others would gossip about my appearance, you never let anyone in Beijing know you had a fiancée. Instead, you gathered all your brothers, cousins, friends, and subordinates for a simple engagement ceremony at your home in Binhai and had them all call me ’sister-in-law.’
"We got along very well. I studied hard while you cooperated with the doctors, taking your medicine and recuperating. Our rooms were connected. You wouldn’t disturb me during the day, but you’d talk with me at night... But you were only able to be with me for three years. After three years, I had made good progress, but you passed away. You didn’t even let me see you one last time! I was heartbroken. Since we were already engaged and living together like family, why couldn’t I stay by your side until the very end? I came to believe that everything you did for me was just to atone for Tang Yaxuan’s wrongdoing. After all, she had stolen my identity, and she was the fiancée you’d had since childhood. Besides, Tang Yaxuan was an outstanding diplomat—noble, intelligent, and elegant. You should have loved her, not an ugly monster like me. So I refused your inheritance and left the coastal city to live somewhere else. But Gu Shaoqin followed me. He told me that the top doctors had originally said you had nine months to live at most, but because of me, you lived for three more years!
"Then I was filled with regret. I regretted resenting you, and I knew I had been wrong—those three extra years you lived were stolen from King Yan. Every single day, you endured immense pain and suffering, but you gritted your teeth and bore it, just to have a little more time to watch me grow stronger, to see me learn to respect, love, and support myself. Only then could you leave in peace... If you didn’t care so much, how could you have summoned such powerful willpower to fight your illness? Gu Shaojun, thank you for everything you did for me. With your guidance and help in my past life, I was able to live a good life on my own. And having been reborn, I wasn’t a blank slate—ignorant, slow, and weak, allowing others to walk all over me without daring to resist. I had the courage and wisdom to fight Liu Fengying and to use Grandpa and Grandma’s help to get away from the Mo Family Courtyard and escape the harm!
"My memories of my past life awakened when I was eleven, and I wanted to find you right away. I thought it would be difficult, but then I stumbled upon Zheng Shaolian by chance. I bribed him with a pound of crackers and a few bunches of grapes to get on his good side, and he told me his ’big cousin’ was coming to Wancheng. Do you have any idea how happy I was? Gu Shaojun, you are my guardian angel, my hero!"
"Yes. I know. I know everything now!!"
Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man held each other in a tight embrace, their faces pressed together. Their tears mingled, tasting salty, yet sweet.
Lost in their emotions, the two forgot the time, staying in the private room at the Prince Mansion Restaurant for a full three hours. It wasn’t until the restaurant owner, finished with his own engagements, came over and knocked cautiously on their door, hoping to chat with Young Master Gu, that Xiao Man realized with a start that she was going to be late. She quickly ran to the restroom to freshen up. After exchanging a few words with the owner, Gu Shaojun hurried to take Xiao Man back to the hospital.
He parked at the hospital entrance, but as Xiao Man scrambled to get out, Gu Shaojun grabbed her arm. He gently brushed her soft bangs from her forehead. "I don’t want to leave you, but I’ve been out for most of the day, and I borrowed my grandfather’s car. He’s probably fuming by now. I’ll go see him first, then I’ll come pick you up after your shift... Grandpa Tang and Grandma Tang won’t let you stay at my place, so I’ll stay at the Tang Mansion tonight. We’ll be able to talk more that way!"
Xiao Man laughed. "Okay, I’d love that! But Uncle Tang probably won’t look too happy about it. You’ll have to put up with him."
Gu Shaojun snorted. "He has no right to tell us what to do. I’m already being generous by ignoring him. If I really wanted to settle accounts, I could run him out of Beijing entirely!"
Xiao Man sighed softly. "For Hao Hao’s sake, let’s just ignore him. Wu Xiaowen is already in a bad way. If Tang Qingyun doesn’t shape up, it will affect Hao Hao. Hao Hao may seem aloof on the surface, but deep down, he’s very attached to his family."
"You didn’t forgive Hao Hao in your past life."
"That’s right. In our past life, after you were gone, I left that coastal city. But the protection you had arranged for me was always there, so Hao Hao could never get close. Still, he made time to visit every year, even if he could only stand for a while beneath my apartment building... He ended up dying before I did, and I have to admit, it made me sad. In our past life, he was an exceptional man, a brilliant military scientist. In this life, he must still walk that path."
Gu Shaojun patted her shoulder reassuringly. "We’re here now. Nothing like that will happen again."
"I know."
Xiao Man sprinted into the hospital. She had just gotten back to her office and changed into her uniform when a nurse came by, leading a middle-aged woman who was bundled up from head to toe. The nurse said the woman was a relative of Tang Manman and was asking for her specifically.
Xiao Man watched as the woman unwrapped her scarf. She froze for a second before nodding and motioning for the woman to take a seat.