Volume One, Chapter Eight: A Battle of Wits

After Lu Feng finished speaking, he lifted me up and was about to take me downstairs, but right at the door, Su Qingya stopped him forcefully.

“Mr. Lu, Gu Ze and I are husband and wife. This is our family matter; it’s none of your business.”

“Gu Ze’s body is burning up! Aren’t you going to take him to the hospital immediately?”

Su Qingya’s cold, mocking voice rang out again. “Are you blaming me because he’s sick? Does he have no hands or feet? Can’t he call me on his phone?”

“Gu Ze, don’t play dead on me—get up now!” she said, grabbing at my collar. Lu Feng was about to brush her off, but I stopped him.

“Lu Feng, let me talk to Qingya for a moment.”

Seeing my good friend’s displeased expression, a wave of melancholy washed over me. If I really died, the person I would feel most sorry for would probably be this friend who had worried about me the most.

Fortunately, although Lu Feng was dissatisfied, he didn’t stop me further. He sighed and set me down. “Ten minutes. I’ll wait right here by the door, and no matter what, I’m taking you to the hospital after that.”

After Lu Feng left, only Su Qingya and I remained in the room.

She said nothing but threw a thick file in front of me. “What are you pretending for?”

I was almost used to Su Qingya’s biting sarcasm and stayed silent.

“Gu Ze, have you read too many novels and gotten too deep into the role? You’ve already hired a lawyer and want to walk away with nothing—just jealous, huh? I thought after all these years, you’d be used to wearing that green hat by now.”

“Or are you finally scared and want to run away? Huh? Murderer!!”

She shouted the last three words, and those once bright and beautiful eyes now brimmed with rage and twisted satisfaction.

“...Qingya, I’ve told you many times already.”

My cracked lips, dry as dust, parted as I spoke, tasting faint blood. “If you and Fu Huaijin can be happy, I’m even willing to let go. I won’t and have no reason to harm the one you love.”

“Shut up!” Su Qingya yanked my hair fiercely, staring venomously into my eyes, then delivered a heavy slap.

“There’s no ‘if.’ We are very happy! If it weren’t for a dark, despicable scoundrel like you, Huaijin and I would have been married by now, with a couple of children, living a joyful life!”

“...Ha, even if Fu Huaijin is drowning in debt?”

No sooner had the words left my mouth than the room spun violently. Sharp pain exploded in my chest, accompanied by Su Qingya’s venomous curses. “Die, die, die! What does drowning in debt matter? Didn’t you love me? Then help me pay it off, you wretch!”

I looked at that distorted yet still beautiful face. Darkness crept over my vision in waves. My last impression was of Lu Feng running toward me desperately…

When I came to again, the outside was pitch black. I lay in bed hooked up to an IV, and beside me, Lu Feng had fallen asleep resting his head on me.

I smiled bitterly, unsure whether to be glad my good friend had pulled me back from death’s door once more or to lament that I hadn’t died after all.

Though I knew I shouldn’t dwell on it, I couldn’t help but wonder where Su Qingya was now.

Perhaps she was with that guy Xu Zixuan… Well, at least someone was with her. That gave me some peace of mind.

“Hey, you’re awake? Green-hat guy.”

A cold voice sounded. I turned in its direction and saw another familiar face—Liu Ying.

“Hey, aren’t you a doctor? Have a little medical ethics, will you?” Lu Feng also woke up.

The first thing he said groggily was to defend me. For a moment, I found it somewhat amusing.

“Hey, don’t laugh; your lips will crack.”

“You too, Liu Ying, can you speak a little nicer?”

“You be nice, then take care of the green-hat guy yourself.”

“Are you never going to stop?!”

“Alright, alright, Lu Feng,” I quickly interrupted, but found my hands couldn’t close. They had been carefully bandaged.

“...Your illness was already bad enough... don’t self-destruct any further, okay?” Liu Ying muttered as she efficiently changed my dressing and turned aside, grumbling, “You even squeezed broken glass with your hands—pulling each piece out one by one was such a pain...”

Her tsundere act—harsh words but sincere actions—never changed, and for a moment, warmth bloomed in my heart.

But that warmth quickly dissipated.

From the doorway came Su Qingya’s voice: “Can’t keep pretending anymore, Gu Ze.”

Before things worsened, I told Liu Ying and Lu Feng, “You two better step aside. Qingya and I have some family matters to discuss.”

Hearing it was family matters, Liu Ying didn’t argue and left. Lu Feng, however, stood frozen in place.

“I only listened to you before and let you two talk alone, and if I’d come up later, you might have lost your life!” I joked.

“It wasn’t that bad. Look, I’m right here in front of you.”

“Do you know your blood pressure nearly dropped to zero? Your vital signs were fading fast! If it weren’t for Liu Ying... you...”

Lu Feng’s voice cracked, his eyes reddening. Only then did I realize how much had happened while I was unconscious.

“Can you leave already? Didn’t you hear my husband wants to talk to me about family matters?”

“Husband? When you were cheating on him outside, did you ever really treat him as your husband?” Lu Feng’s anger flared. Though I felt sorry, I had to cut him off immediately.

“Lu Feng!” I pleaded, “Please leave for now. Don’t worry—this time, I’m talking about divorce. Will you stand guard by the door? If anything really happens, I’ll call you.”

After repeatedly urging me, Lu Feng finally left with a reluctant expression.

This time, I lay in the hospital bed while Su Qingya sat silently in the chair beside me. Neither of us spoke.

After a long while, I finally broke the silence.

“Qingya, you don’t completely hate me, do you?”

Su Qingya stared at me like I’d said something insane. Before she could speak, I continued.

“If you wanted me dead, now would be the best time.”

Su Qingya was silent for so long that I began to think she was seriously considering my words.

Then her familiar mocking tone returned.

“Dear Gu Ze, how could I bear to have you die?”

If I hadn’t seen that twisted face, I might have believed her.

“Only if you live can you atone. Wretch, I will personally create a hell that makes you suffer beyond endurance!”