After Chapter 63 concludes the main text, you have me now.
The surgery lasted for two or three hours.
After the doctor came out of the operating room and explained the situation, Su Tangtang breathed a sigh of relief. If Gu Qingke had really died because of her, she would never have peace of mind for the rest of her life and would always feel that she owed him a debt of gratitude that she could never repay.
"It's good that you're alright," she murmured to herself.
Since Gu Qingke had not yet woken up, the doctor advised against visiting her, so Su Tangtang left the hospital with the others.
The next morning, Su Tangtang rushed to the hospital again.
When she entered the ward, she saw Shen Yingying standing at the door.
Upon seeing Su Tangtang, Shen Yingying felt a pang of bitterness welling up in her heart.
Regardless of the circumstances, she had been with Gu Qingke for so many years. Although she had given up hope for him and even loathed him, she still couldn't help but feel flustered when she learned that he was injured.
“Su Tangtang,” Shen Yingying called out to her, raising her eyes to look at her quietly, “Can you stay away from us? Every time we come into contact with you, things always get worse.”
Su Tangtang frowned slightly but remained silent.
Shen Yingying continued, "You should leave. Don't come to see him again. I'll tell him you never came, and that way... he can finally give up on you completely."
Su Tangtang remained silent for a moment, and finally only replied with one word, "Okay."
But she always remembered that she still owed Gu Qingke a favor.
She said, "I will not pursue the matter of you two conspiring against me before, as a way of repaying Gu Qingke for saving me."
Shen Yingying gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I understand. I'll pass it on to him."
Su Tangtang gently placed the soup she had brought next to Shen Yingying, then turned and left.
As she walked out of the hospital, Su Tangtang breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lifted from her shoulders.
She then took a car to Huo Yizhou's company.
Upon arrival, she dialed his number.
The call was answered almost instantly, and his voice came from the other end, telling her to wait a moment and that he would come down to pick her up right away.
Not long after, Su Tangtang saw that familiar figure.
She quickly went to meet her.
Huo Yizhou naturally took her hand, his brows furrowing slightly. "Why are your hands so cold?"
Su Tangtang pouted, "It's because of the cold weather."
Huo Yizhou noticed her low spirits, and his own mood sank as well.
He led her into the elevator.
This short journey attracted the attention of many employees; it was quite a rare sight to see their boss so intimately holding hands with a young woman.
Soon, the two arrived at Huo Yizhou's office.
As soon as the door closed, Su Tangtang gently hugged him from behind.
“Huo Yizhou,” she called softly.
“Hmm,” he responded softly.
"I feel so bad," Su Tangtang said, her voice choked with sobs. "I wish... Gu Qingke hadn't taken that knife for me."
Huo Yizhou turned around and held her hand tightly. "I feel the same way you do. I would even rather I had taken the fall for you."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Su Tangtang immediately interrupted him.
Huo Yizhou gently pulled her to his side and hugged her tightly.
Su Tangtang buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled, "That matter... let's just forget about it, I don't want to pursue it anymore."
She wasn't acting out of a saintly heart; she simply didn't want to owe anyone anything.
"That's fine...we're even now."
Huo Yizhou understood her personality and nodded in agreement, "Okay, I'll listen to you and not pursue it further."
But he immediately changed the subject, "But there is one person I must pursue."
Su Tangtang looked up and asked in confusion, "Who?"
Huo Yizhou didn't say it explicitly, but simply took her hand and said, "I'll take you somewhere."
Su Tangtang nodded obediently, "Okay."
The two then went to a boxing gym.
As soon as I entered, a staff member named Xiao Zhang greeted me warmly, "Brother Huo, it's been a long time!"
Huo Yizhou nodded slightly, "I've been quite busy lately."
Xiao Zhang noticed the two holding hands and smiled knowingly, "Is this your sister-in-law?"
Huo Yizhou nodded, "Yes."
Xiao Zhang quickly greeted her, "Hello, sister-in-law, my name is Zhang Chen."
Su Tangtang smiled and replied, "Hello, I'm Su Tangtang."
Xiao Zhang exclaimed sincerely, "Your sister-in-law's name is so beautiful."
Huo Yizhou patted him lightly, "Stop being so cheeky."
Xiao Zhang scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
Xiao Zhang led them to the boxing area, where the two took off their down jackets.
Su Tangtang hesitated for a moment, "But I don't know how at all."
Huo Yizhou pointed to the sandbag next to him, "It's okay, you can hit the sandbag to vent your emotions."
Su Tangtang's eyes lit up. "Okay."
She put on her protective gear and followed Huo Yizhou onto the boxing ring.
Following Huo Yizhou's posture, Su Tangtang threw a punch at the sandbag, which then swayed.
She threw a few more punches and couldn't help but shout, "That feels so good!"
Huo Yizhou looked at her with a smile, "Are you feeling better?"
Su Tangtang answered, panting, as she threw a punch, "Much better."
Huo Yizhou nodded with satisfaction, "That's good."
"I'm going to make a phone call," Huo Yizhou said, walking to the side.
Su Tangtang continued to focus on hitting the sandbag. When she stopped to rest, she vaguely heard Huo Yizhou say, "You must be there within ten minutes."
She couldn't hear the voice on the other end of the phone, so she walked over to him and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Huo Yizhou explained, "My cousin will be here in a bit."
Su Tangtang was slightly taken aback, remembering that Gu Qingke and the others were able to get out thanks to Huo Yizhou's cousin.
Huo Yizhou continued, "I'll get revenge for you later."
“If it weren’t for his meddling, Gu Qingke and the other two should have received the punishment they deserved.”
Feeling his protectiveness, Su Tangtang felt a warmth in her heart and nodded gently, "Okay."
She suddenly remembered something, "What will be Wu Xiaojia's sentence?"
Huo Yizhou replied, "The results aren't out yet, but since it was intentional homicide, she'll probably get around ten years in prison."
Su Tangtang nodded thoughtfully.
A short while later, a young man with a shaved head and a somewhat roguish air walked over.
"elder brother!"
The person hadn't even arrived yet, but their voice came first.
Huo Yizhou gave him a cold glance.
The man touched his bald head and chuckled sheepishly, "I really didn't mean to, how was I supposed to know it would turn out like this?"
Huo Yizhou ignored his words and introduced her directly, "This is your sister-in-law, Su Tangtang."
The man immediately turned to Su Tangtang, flashing a bright smile, "Hello, sister-in-law!"
"I am Huo Hailin."
Su Tangtang nodded to him.
Huo Yizhou cracked his knuckles. "It's been a while since we've sparred. Come on up."
Huo Hailin stiffened. "I guess I don't need it?"
Under Huo Yizhou's cold gaze, he had no choice but to resign himself to putting on boxing gloves and reluctantly stepping into the boxing ring.
As he passed by Su Tangtang, he lowered his voice and said, "Sister-in-law, remember to call an ambulance for me."
Su Tangtang was speechless for a moment: "..."
The two were ready, and the duel officially began.
As soon as Su Tangtang sat down, Huo Yizhou delivered a precise straight punch to Huo Hailin's cheek. Huo Hailin cried out in pain, "Brother, your strength is still as fierce as before!" After saying that, he also composed himself and began to deal with the situation seriously.
But he was no match for Huo Yizhou. Huo Yizhou's punches were fast and ruthless, each punch accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, and they hurt when they landed.
Su Tangtang watched in horror from below the stage. Suddenly, Huo Hailin threw a punch straight at Huo Yizhou's face. She instinctively stood up and exclaimed, "Huo Yizhou, watch out!"
Upon hearing the sound, Huo Yizhou dodged to the side, and Huo Hailin's punch just missed, making him so angry that he jumped up and down.
He continued his attack on Huo Yizhou, but Huo Yizhou not only easily dodged every punch, but also always managed to seize the opportunity to counterattack. After several rounds, Huo Hailin was beaten so badly that he had to dodge all over the stage, running and begging for mercy, "Brother, I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!"
Huo Yizhou stopped when he felt he had taught the lesson enough.
After tidying up, the two stepped off the boxing ring. Although he was wearing protective gear, Huo Hailin's cheek had still been hit several times and was now visibly red and swollen. Not to mention the injuries on his body, but it was inconvenient to show them.
Huo Hailin felt extremely aggrieved and said awkwardly, "Brother, sister-in-law, let me treat you to a meal to make amends."
Huo Yizhou looked at Su Tangtang for her opinion, and when she nodded in agreement, the three of them went to find a restaurant together.
In the private room, Huo Hailin solemnly apologized again, "Sister-in-law, I'm really sorry. At the time, I only thought that Gu Qingke and Shen Yingying were artists in my company. If something happened to them, my film and television company would suffer a lot of losses. That's why I stepped in to bail them out. If I had known that they were hurting you, I would never have bothered with this matter."
Seeing that neither of them spoke, he quickly raised his hand and swore, "I'm telling the truth!"
In fact, he knew perfectly well that when Gu Qingke asked his agent to inquire about Huo Yizhou, he had vaguely guessed the reason. However, the gap between the brothers was too great, and he knew he could not shake Huo Yizhou. But if he could annoy him, he couldn't help but feel secretly pleased.
Su Tangtang said calmly, "Remember to investigate thoroughly before doing anything next time, and don't make the same mistake again."
Huo Hailin was taken aback, not expecting her to respond like that. It seemed that the woman his brother had found was not just a pretty face; she had some courage and composure. He had underestimated her before.
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, it definitely won't happen again," he quickly assured her. "To express my apology, I have several endorsement deals with well-known brands. If you're interested, feel free to pick a few."
Su Tangtang smiled slightly, "Okay, thank you then."
Huo Hailin was speechless for a moment.
He thought the other party would refuse, but he didn't expect them to agree so readily.
This style of his is exactly the same as his brother's.
-
After the meal, Huo Yizhou escorted Su Tangtang to her doorstep.
The two shared a gentle kiss and said goodbye with reluctance.
Su Tangtang walked into the house and was surprised to find her parents sitting in the living room.
"Mom and Dad, you didn't go out today?" She was a little surprised, as they were usually not home at this time.
Su's mother responded gently, "I don't want to go out today."
She looked her daughter over carefully and asked softly, "How did things go?"
Su Tangtang was taken aback for a moment, then understood, "I'm fine, and Gu Qingke is out of danger too. She'll recover with proper rest."
Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Su breathed a sigh of relief. Mr. Su nodded and said, "It's good that everyone is alright."
The video of Wu Xiaojia committing the crime with a knife has gone viral online, and public opinion has overwhelmingly condemned her actions.
When Su's parents saw the video, they were terrified. Although they had asked about their daughter's condition yesterday, they were still anxious when they saw the video again today. They had to repeatedly confirm that their daughter was safe and sound before they could relax.
They never expected that in the end, it would be Gu Qingke who took the knife for her daughter.
After a moment's thought, Su's father said, "Once his condition stabilizes, your mother and I will go to the hospital to see him."
Su Tangtang initially wanted to decline, but after thinking about it, she nodded and agreed, "Okay."
A brief silence filled the living room.
Just as Su Tangtang was about to get up and go back to her room to rest, her mother spoke up again, "I heard from Tanghao that your boyfriend is the president of Huo's Group?"
Su Tangtang paused slightly, "Yes."
A look of worry appeared on Su's mother's face. "Your father and I originally hoped that you could find a family of equal social standing. With our family's wealth, the other party would not dare to mistreat you. But the Huo family... we are just too insignificant in front of them."
“Mom, he’s really good to me,” Su Tangtang said softly.
"It's good now, but what about the future..." Su's mother hesitated.
Su Tangtang held her mother's hand and smiled with relief. "Right now, I just want to cherish the present. If he really lets me down in the future, I will leave without looking back."
Seeing her daughter's stubborn yet optimistic demeanor, Su's mother felt a pang of sadness, "You silly child..."
Mr. Su sighed deeply and finally made the decision, "Then let's set a time and invite him to come over for a visit."
"That's great!" Su Tangtang nodded happily. "Actually, he's wanted to give me a formal visit for a long time, but I've been stopping him."
Su's mother was somewhat surprised, "He brought up the idea of seeing us?"
“Yes,” Su Tangtang’s eyes shone, “He said he really wanted your approval.”
A smile finally appeared on Su's mother's face. "Then let's set it for the day after tomorrow."
“Okay, I’ll tell him right away,” Su Tangtang replied with a smile, walking briskly towards the room.
Watching his daughter's light and cheerful figure disappear around the corner of the stairs, Mr. Su stood there, a sudden pang of sadness welling up in his heart. It's true what they say, daughters grow up and leave home.
Su Tangtang returned to her room and immediately dialed Huo Yizhou's number.
"My dad said he wants you to come over for dinner tomorrow."
A deep, chuckling voice came from the other end of the phone, "Okay, I'll get ready."
"Prepare what?" Su Tangtang teased him deliberately.
"On a first formal visit, we must be mindful of etiquette," Huo Yizhou said earnestly.
Su Tangtang couldn't help but laugh, "It's okay if you come empty-handed."
“That won’t do,” he said in a low voice, his insistence leaving no room for negotiation.
After chatting for a few more minutes, the two reluctantly hung up the phone.
The next morning, Ji Tingmeng arrived on time to pick up Su Tangtang for her acting class. A few days earlier, Ji Tingmeng had asked her if she wanted to try acting, saying there was a role that would be perfect for her, and Su Tangtang had agreed after much consideration.
Ji Tingmeng immediately enrolled her in an acting class, saying that she needed to study systematically before the audition to avoid showing any nervousness on the spot.
The day was packed with classes, and Su Tangtang didn't get home until night fell, dragging her tired body home.
After dinner, just as she was about to go to bed early, her phone rang again. It was Huo Yizhou.
"Are you at my doorstep?" Su Tangtang asked to confirm.
“Yes,” his voice was exceptionally clear in the night.
Su Tangtang grabbed her coat and replied, "Wait for me a moment."
After hanging up the phone, she quietly put on her shoes and jogged out the door.
Pushing open the gate, I saw Huo Yizhou leaning against the car, the streetlights casting long shadows of his tall figure.
"Huo Yizhou!" she called softly.
Upon hearing the sound, he immediately walked towards her.
In the darkness of night, his gaze was exceptionally gentle.
"Why did you suddenly come here?" Su Tangtang asked.
Huo Yizhou naturally took her hand and said, "I missed you."
Those three simple words warmed Su Tangtang's heart, and the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up.
"Shall we take a walk?" she suggested.
Huo Yizhou nodded readily in agreement.
The two walked side by side along the quiet road. Suddenly, Su Tangtang remembered something and turned to look at him. "You're not so nervous about meeting my parents tomorrow that you can't sleep, are you?"
Huo Yizhou chuckled, "Yes, I'm very nervous."
"That's rare, you actually get nervous?"
"Of course," he said, his voice tinged with a rare shyness.
They walked to a street lamp, its orange glow enveloping them. The night was deep, and all around was quiet and deserted.
Su Tangtang suddenly stood on tiptoe.
Huo Yizhou immediately understood, leaned down slightly, and when her lips gently touched his, he took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace and deepening the kiss.
Su Tangtang was a little distracted because she was worried that someone might pass by.
A moment later, she gently nudged him. "Okay."
Her voice carried a hint of coquettishness.
Huo Yizhou chuckled and released her as instructed.
The two walked along the neighborhood for a while longer. As night deepened, Huo Yizhou prepared to go back. He had driven himself there, and Su Tangtang saw him to his car, gently reminding him, "Drive carefully, and send a message when you get home."
Huo Yizhou nodded. "Let's go."
Su Tangtang stood there, watching his taillights disappear around the corner, before turning around and going home.
Because Huo Yizhou was coming to visit today, Su Tangtang specially took leave from her acting class, and even Su Tanghao, who was usually the busiest, stayed home and did not go out.
Early in the morning, Mr. and Mrs. Su went to the supermarket to buy fruit and snacks, and the coffee table was filled with them. The whole family was waiting for Huo Yizhou to arrive.
Around 10 o'clock, the doorbell rang. Su Tangtang hurried to open the door and saw Huo Yizhou standing outside, carrying gift boxes of various sizes.
"Why did you bring so much?" Su Tangtang complained softly, turning around to call Su Tanghao over for help.
Seeing this, Su's mother also came forward, saying, "Yizhou, this is too much trouble."
Huo Yizhou smiled and said, "Auntie, it's only right."
He then turned to Su's father and greeted him respectfully, "Hello, Uncle."
Although Su's parents had seen Huo Yizhou on a variety show, this was their first time meeting him in real life. Looking at the well-mannered young man in front of them, they both thought in unison: compared to the one their daughter had tried so hard to catch up with, this one was so much better.
Seeing that everyone was standing, Su Tanghao interjected, "Why don't you sit down and chat? Aren't you tired of standing?"
His words made everyone laugh, and the atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed. Everyone sat down on the sofa and started chatting. It was the first time Su Tangtang had seen Huo Yizhou so responsive and polite, and she couldn't help but smile to herself.
Soon, the nanny prepared lunch.
During the meal, everyone spoke little and finished their meal quietly.
After dinner, Su's father asked, "Yizhou, do you know how to play chess?"
"I know a little."
"Want to play a game with me?"
Huo Yizhou readily agreed.
Watching the two walk towards the study, Su Tanghao leaned close to his sister and whispered, "Dad wants to have a private talk with your boyfriend."
Su Tangtang didn't take it seriously, "Let's chat then."
She believed that Huo Yizhou could handle everything.
Su Tanghao clicked his tongue, then stood up. "I'm leaving now, I have things to do at the company."
Before leaving, I made a point of saying goodbye in the study.
In the study, Su's father placed a piece and praised, "Your chess skills are quite good."
Huo Yizhou smiled modestly, "I play a few games with my father in my spare time."
Mr. Su nodded, then changed the subject slightly, "As the saying goes, it's very important to marry someone of equal social standing, especially for families with better financial conditions, who often place even more emphasis on this."
Huo Yizhou immediately understood the implication in Su's father's words and solemnly replied, "My family is very open-minded in this regard, and they respect my choice."
Mr. Su felt relieved and added, "Tangtang can be quite willful at times. Please be understanding when you get along with her."
"Uncle, don't worry," Huo Yizhou said sincerely. "I think Tangtang is very good. We get along very well, understand and support each other, and are tolerant of each other."
Su's father smiled with relief.
At this point, the game ended, and Su's father narrowly won.
Su Tangtang just pushed the door open and came in. "Who won?"
Father Su exclaimed with delight, "Me!"
He then added, "Yizhou is also very capable; he let me win quite a bit."
Huo Yizhou quickly said, "Uncle, you're too modest. You're the one who's more skilled."
-
Around 4 p.m., Huo Yizhou got up to say goodbye. Su Tangtang saw him to the door, and the two said their goodbyes.
Watching Huo Yizhou walk away, Su Tangtang returned to her room. With nothing else to do, she continued practicing the acting techniques her teacher had taught her the day before. The days flew by amidst her busy schedule of classes, and before she knew it, the last few days of December were over. During this time, she attended class on time every day, and her acting skills improved significantly under the teacher's guidance.
On New Year's Day, Huo Yizhou invited her to dinner.
The restaurant was dimly lit by candlelight, and the two enjoyed a rare moment of leisure. After the meal, they returned together to Huo Yizhou's residence.
As soon as they entered, Huo Yizhou gently pressed her against the door and tenderly kissed her. After a long while, the two sat down on the sofa, embracing each other.
“My grandfather wants to meet you,” Huo Yizhou said suddenly, playing with her hair.
Su Tangtang blinked. "What about your parents? Don't they want to see me?"
Huo Yizhou paused slightly, his voice low, "My parents... are no longer here."
The air suddenly became quiet.
Su Tangtang was stunned. During the time they had been together, she had never heard him mention it, and the original novel had never described the fact that his parents were not alive.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
Huo Yizhou hugged her tighter. "It's okay."
"They died in a car accident when I was very young."
Su Tangtang felt as if something was gripping her heart.
She turned around and embraced him tightly, as if trying to warm his loneliness of those years with her own body heat.
Huo Yizhou continued calmly, “At that time, the Huo family was in chaos, with constant internal strife. My uncles were fighting for power. I once suspected the cause of my parents’ death, but no matter how I investigated, the final result always pointed to an accident. There was no evidence, so I could only accept the fact.”
"Grandpa often said that he understood his sons, and that no matter how much his sons fought, they would never harm each other."
"Later, I gradually let it go."
After she finished speaking, only their breathing could be heard in the room. Su Tangtang gently stroked his back, "Don't be sad. Your aunt and uncle are watching over you from heaven. They certainly don't want you to be sad."
She knew she wasn't good at comforting people, but at that moment she racked her brains to think of all sorts of things to say to comfort him.
Huo Yizhou looked up and met her pained gaze. "So many years have passed, and I have completely accepted it. Now that I can tell you about this, I actually feel relieved."
Su Tangtang cupped his face in her hands and said, word by word, "From now on, you have me."
Huo Yizhou's lips finally curved into a gentle smile, "Yes, I have you."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
