Chapter 64 Declaration of War The war horn has been sounded by Gu Qingyan with the coldest...
These words were like a beam of bright light suddenly shining down on the dark, suffocating, and utterly silent seabed. Though faint and weak, they were the only visible signal of survival!
Lin Yuwei, as if a drowning person had grasped at a last straw, responded immediately with a choked voice, almost without any room for thought: "Okay! Okay! Please! Please...please contact them as soon as possible! No matter what...no matter the outcome, I have to try! Thank you, thank you..."
Gu Qingyan was extremely efficient. With his amazing ability to mobilize resources and execute, he quickly coordinated everything. After urgently assessing the detailed medical records sent over, Dr. Anderson's team in China agreed to take over immediately. With Gu Qingyan's full arrangements and support, Lin Yulan was transferred to the center of that institution in China in the fastest and safest way.
An emergency rescue race against death was immediately launched. After Anderson's medical team used cutting-edge targeted drugs and individualized treatment plans, a miracle occurred. Lin Yulan, who was in a deep coma and had been given a lenient opinion by several experts, actually regained a faint consciousness and survived the most dangerous moment.
Outside the ward, upon receiving the news that her mother had safely passed the most dangerous period, Lin Yuwei's tense nerves suddenly relaxed. Overwhelmed with joy and lingering fear, she trembled uncontrollably and almost stumbled into the ward.
On the hospital bed, Lin Yulan had just woken up. Her face was still as pale as paper, her breathing was weak, and her eyes were unfocused. Her lips were weakly pursing, as if she was unconsciously murmuring something. Lin Yuwei held back her tears and hurriedly leaned down, carefully bringing her ear close to her mother's lips, trying to hear what she was saying.
"...Zhengfeng...you...have come..."
Upon hearing the faint, intermittent babbling, Lin Yuwei froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Xu Zhengfeng.
A name she hadn't heard for years, a name almost buried deep in her memory—it was her father's name, the man who vanished without a trace after her parents' divorce! For so many years, whenever her mother, Lin Yulan, got drunk, the object of her curses, cries, and venting was this unforgettable name.
Lin Yuwei never expected that Lin Yulan, who had just escaped death and struggled back to safety, would utter the name she had hated her whole life, or perhaps... had chanted her whole life, in her hazy consciousness. Lin Yuwei's heart felt as if it had been unexpectedly pierced by a fine needle, and an extremely complex and mixed emotion welled up within her—shock, absurdity, and a trace of indescribable heartache.
But soon, Lin Yulan's consciousness became completely clear, her unfocused gaze gradually focused, and she saw her tearful daughter by the bedside. The immense fear of surviving the ordeal and her deep concern for her daughter overwhelmed her instantly, and tears streamed down her face, soaking the pillowcase. She weakly and intermittently recounted the lingering fear of escaping death, her voice so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.
However, as she spoke, her words inevitably circled back to that deep-seated obsession about her daughter's marriage.
Lin Yulan gasped for breath, gripping Lin Yuwei's hand tightly, like a drowning person grasping at a piece of driftwood: "Weiwei, this time... I almost didn't make it... I really almost didn't see you again. If, if I could see you and Xubai settle down, get married, and live a good life, then even if I really leave next time... I... could die in peace..." As she spoke, she subconsciously turned her weak eyes, searching the ward, seemingly trying to find the figure of Zhou Xubai, the "reliable" future son-in-law in her mind.
Soon, Lin Yulan's weak vision first caught sight of Zhou Xubai standing at the foot of the bed, looking nervous and concerned. She even tried to force a faint smile towards him on her ashen face.
However, her gaze immediately settled on the tall, silent figure beside Zhou Xubai—Gu Qingyan! He stood there quietly, a hint of weariness in his brows, yet his eyes betrayed a deep concern.
In an instant, the vulnerability and lingering fear on Lin Yulan's face after surviving the ordeal were swept away by a whirlwind and instantly replaced by extreme shock, disbelief, and overwhelming anger!
Despite her extreme weakness, she suddenly became agitated. The heart rate monitor beeped urgently. Her thin fingers trembled as she pointed forcefully at Gu Qingyan, her chest heaving violently. In a hoarse voice, she sharply questioned Lin Yuwei, her voice weak yet shrill like glass scraping the ground: "Him?! Why is he here?! Weiwei! You're already engaged to Xu Bai! You need to care about Xu Bai's feelings! You need to avoid suspicion! How could you... how could you get involved with someone like this... how could you be involved with someone so shady and with such impure intentions?! Make him leave! Make him leave right now! I don't want to see him!"
Lin Yuwei was overjoyed at her mother's awakening and heartbroken at hearing her father's name. She was instantly plunged into an ice cave. She felt a chilling shock, a cold heart, and an indescribable sense of injustice that her mother had driven away her savior who had done everything in her power to save her life without asking any questions.
She abruptly stood up, taking a step forward with unwavering resolve for the first time, shielding Gu Qingyan and her mother with her own body, blocking the malicious arrows aimed at Gu Qingyan. She met her mother's gaze, distorted by anger, her voice trembling with intense emotion, yet every word was clear and resounding: "Mom! Look carefully! Open your eyes and see who's standing here!" Her voice rose, trembling with tears, yet filled with strength: "It's Gu Qingyan! It's him! When all the doctors shook their heads, saying there was nothing they could do, he did everything he could, using every connection he had, to bring in the top medical team and the latest medicine from abroad as quickly as possible! He pulled you back from the brink of death! Without him, you might already be—!"
Lin Yuwei choked, the terrible word stuck in her throat like a fishbone. She forced it down, and tears finally burst forth: "The first thing you did when you woke up wasn't to express gratitude, or to find out what happened, but to drive away your savior with such harsh and hurtful words?! Where are the principles and manners you taught me?! Where have they all gone?!"
Her words were like a thunderclap, exploding violently in the silent ward. Lin Yulan was completely speechless, shocked by her daughter's unprecedentedly fierce resistance and the facts in her words. Her face drained of color, leaving only immense shock, bewilderment, and a blank confusion. Her cracked lips opened and closed, but she could not utter a single word in rebuttal.
The atmosphere in the ward instantly plummeted to freezing point, with only the frantic, rapid beeping of the medical equipment remaining.
Gu Qingyan, who had been silent as if in the background, finally stepped forward. His expression was calm and unwavering, as if Lin Yulan's sharp accusations and "unreliable" label were nothing more than a passing breeze. He gently placed his hand on Lin Yuwei's trembling shoulder, the gesture conveying a sense of comfort. His voice was low and gentle: "Yuwei, don't say anything more, and don't get agitated. Mrs. Lin has just woken up and is very weak, both physically and mentally. She needs absolute quiet rest. I have some urgent business to attend to at my company, so I'll take my leave now."
After saying that, he gave a barely perceptible, polite nod in the direction of Lin Yulan, who was staring in disbelief on the hospital bed, then turned around and left the ward with steady and decisive steps, without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing this, Zhou Xubai immediately stepped forward to smooth things over, saying gently to Lin Yuwei and Lin Yulan, "Auntie, please don't get angry. Weiwei, calm down too. I'll go see President Gu off." After saying that, he quickly followed them out.
In the empty and quiet hospital corridor, Zhou Xubai quickly caught up with Gu Qingyan: "President Gu, please wait."
Gu Qingyan stopped and turned around, looking at him calmly, waiting for him to speak.
With an apologetic and grateful expression, Zhou Xubai spoke sincerely: "President Gu, thank you so much for today. My aunt just woke up and may not be fully conscious yet. She has no idea that it was you who helped her and saved the situation. Her words just now were completely incoherent due to her illness. If there was anything offensive in her words, I sincerely apologize on her behalf. Please don't take it to heart."
Gu Qingyan listened quietly, his gaze calm and unwavering. He spoke slowly, his tone solemn and clear, drawing a clear line between them: "Mr. Zhou, there's no need for that."
He paused, then continued in a steady and solemn voice, "I help Mrs. Lin for two reasons. First, regardless of the past, I, Gu Qingyan, owe my current success to the Lin family. I remember and acknowledge this kindness."
His gaze became deep and firm, landing on Zhou Xubai, yet it seemed to penetrate him, seeing into the person in the ward behind him.
"Secondly, and most importantly!" he emphasized, each word crystal clear: "She is Weiwei's mother. If something happens to her, Weiwei will be very sad, and I don't want to see her sad."
“So,” he concluded, his tone calm yet utterly detached, “all that I’ve done is not to gain Mrs. Lin’s gratitude or approval, nor do I need anyone to apologize on her behalf. Everything I’ve done, from beginning to end, has been solely for Weiwei. It has nothing to do with how her mother views me, and even less to do with anyone else.”
After speaking, Gu Qingyan gave Zhou Xubai no time to respond, nodded politely, turned around and strode away, her back view resolute and upright, leaving Zhou Xubai standing alone in the spot.
Zhou Xubai was frozen in place by Gu Qingyan's cold, clear, and purposeful words. The air in the corridor suddenly became stagnant and filled with the smell of gunpowder because of this undisguised declaration. He no longer regarded Gu Qingyan as just an unpleasant "ex-boyfriend", but truly realized that he was an extremely powerful, determined and skillful competitor.
The horn of war has been officially sounded by Gu Qingyan in the most calm manner.
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Author's Note: Today I'm on the clipboard... haha, last place, 666, the shame of the clipboard [laughing and crying emoji] It's okay, I can still write tens of millions of words out of love! [sunglasses emoji]
However, if any of you lovely angels like Xiaolin and Xiaogu, please subscribe to help spread the word and let more people see this story [doge head with rose in hand] Love you all~
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