Chapter 21 Give me a little more time, okay? I will double your compensation
It was late at night, and when Gu Manman pushed open the door, she almost didn't have the strength to take off her shoes.
At the entrance, the familiar pair of black leather shoes were placed neatly in front of the shoe cabinet.
"Where have you been?" Feng Mingzhou's voice came from the living room, and footsteps were getting closer.
"Hospital." She bent down to untie her shoelaces, her long hair hanging down to cover her face. "Director Wu is not in good condition."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Feng Mingzhou stop two steps away.
"Why are there so many missing things at home?"
Her fingers paused on the shoelaces. "Didn't we agree to move to the western suburbs?" She finally changed into slippers, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible, "I'm packing these days."
Hearing this answer, Feng Mingzhou seemed to be relieved, and the lines of his shoulders visibly relaxed.
"Shall I give you some water to take a bath first?"
Gu Manman shook her head and walked straight to the sofa, sinking into the soft cushions. She curled herself up into a ball, her cheek against the slightly cool fabric.
The sofa behind her sank slightly. His warm chest pressed against her back, and the familiar woody scent enveloped her. She didn't move, letting him hold her in his arms.
"Manman, I know you have been wronged during this period of time." His breath gently brushed through her hair, carrying a faint aroma of red wine.
Gu Manman did not respond; her body was tense and motionless in his arms.
Feng Mingzhou's arms tightened slightly, as if he was worried that she would disappear in the next second.
He buried his head in her neck and said in a muffled voice: "Give me a little more time, okay, I will double compensate you."
"I'm very tired and want to sleep." She said softly, and there was a sense of alienation in her voice that she herself was not even aware of.
Feng Mingzhou gently turned her face and looked at her intently. In his eyes was the tenderness that she was once most familiar with, but also mixed with panic and uneasiness that she had never seen before.
"Manman." His voice was as light as a sigh.
Gu Manman closed her eyes and let his kiss fall on her forehead, but a bitter smile rose in her heart.
/
Early the next morning.
She opened her eyes and reached around, only to feel the bed sheets that still retained her body temperature. The dent on the pillow suggested that Feng Mingzhou had just woken up.
She rubbed her eyes, put on her nightgown and left the bedroom. The sound of a spatula hitting a pan came from the living room, and Feng Mingzhou was standing in front of the stove in his home clothes.
"woke up?"
"Yeah." She responded softly, but did not come closer.
The bacon in the pan was sizzling, and Feng Mingzhou flipped it over quickly and accurately.
"Go wash up first, I'll be ready soon."
Gu Manman walked into the bathroom and looked at her haggard self in the mirror. Her eyes were a little swollen from crying last night.
Only when the cold water hit her face did she feel the reality.
On the dining table were two cups of hot milk, a plate of golden fried eggs, the aroma of bacon, and neatly cut fruits.
"I'll take you to the hospital today." Feng Mingzhou put down his knife and fork, his voice gentle but unyielding.
"No, I can go by myself."
Feng Mingzhou reached out and covered the back of her hand.
"Manman, let me go with you." His tone was firm and did not tolerate refusal.
Gu Manman looked up at him, then quickly lowered her eyes in agreement.
The black car stopped in front of the hospital. Gu Manman got out and Feng Mingzhou followed closely behind.
Walking through the corridor, the smell of disinfectant was more pungent than usual.
Gu Manman discovered that there were unfamiliar faces in front of the director’s mother’s room, and the original two caregivers had become four.
"What's going on?" Gu Manman looked around and asked Feng Mingzhou.
"The dean's current condition requires more careful care."
Pushing the door open, Dean Wu was sitting on the bed, looking better than yesterday. Seeing them coming in one after another, the old man was stunned.
"Dean, how do you feel today?" Gu Manman walked quickly to the bedside and gently grabbed the old woman's skinny hand.
"Much better." Dean Wu smiled weakly, his eyes passed Gu Manman and fell on Feng Mingzhou with a complicated look.
"Boss Feng, an old woman like me doesn't need so many people to take care of me."
Feng Mingzhou took a step forward, bowed slightly, and said sincerely, "Dean, you can just call me Mingzhou."
"Your health is what Manman is most concerned about. Manman's relatives are my relatives."
Dean Wu's eyes flashed: "Thank you."
Gu Manman stood aside and watched this scene, feeling mixed emotions.
"Manman, I have a meeting in the morning, so I have to leave first. If there is anything urgent, please notify Li Xu. Don't worry, I will take care of everything."
Gu Manman nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving the old man sleeping on the hospital bed.
Feng Mingzhou walked up to her, gently brushed her hair with his fingertips, and seemed to want to say something, but in the end he just sighed.
He leaned over and left a light kiss on her forehead, then turned and strode out of the ward.
The door closed very quietly. Gu Manman withdrew her thoughts and turned to the old man on the bed. Dean Wu was looking at her.
"Now that I see you have found your own way and the place where you belong, I can leave with peace of mind." Dean Wu smiled, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out.
"No, you can't go anywhere." Gu Manman's voice trembled, "You will get better."
Dean Wu shook his head: "Manman, life is short, coming and going in a hurry, how can there be so many principles to talk about. To see you live a happy life before I leave is my greatest wish in this life."
"Dean, please don't say such things..."
Tears quickly welled up in Gu Manman's eyes and her vision gradually became blurred.
She blinked hard to hold back the tears.
/
The end of the year is approaching, and the cold is getting heavier day by day.
In Dean Wu's ward, apart from Gu Manman, the person who comes most frequently is Li Xu.
He would show up every two days, and his hands were never empty.
"Boss Feng really couldn't spare the time, so he specifically asked me to come and visit more often."
At first, Gu Manman was wary and kept her distance from these visits, but as Li Xu came again and again, her attitude gradually softened.
Because she saw the changes in Director Wu - the old man would always cheer up and smile more often when Li Xu came to visit.
Li Xu is not like others who would only show deliberate sympathy or awkward silence towards patients.
He would bring new things from the outside world, tell interesting stories from the streets and alleys, and even occasionally make fun of himself, making the old man laugh until he cried.
Li Xu seemed to know Dean Wu's preferences very well.
Whenever Li Xu left, Dean Wu would always sigh that Feng Mingzhou was a caring person.
"Mingzhou, this kid... the jar of honey that Li Xu brought yesterday was from the mountain area that I loved to drink when I was young. It's been so many years, even I can't remember it clearly..."
She quietly put the medicine boxes in order and heard the old man behind her add softly, "Manman, it's a blessing to have someone care about your preferences like this."
This sentence was as light as a sigh, but it fell heavily on Gu Manman's heart. No matter what happened between her and Feng Mingzhou, at least he did not break his promise to take care of Dean Wu.
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