As soon as Ling Ruoke spoke, the children immediately quieted down.
Zhuang Yuqi paused for a moment, then climbed off the person, showing no remorse whatsoever. "Teacher Ling, this bad person tried to bully you, I'll help you beat her up!"
Ling Ruoke was stunned, then looked at the disheveled person who had gotten up from the ground. "Gu... Zhenzhen?"
Gu Zhenzhen's hair was disheveled, her clothes were wrinkled and covered in dust, and she looked utterly wretched. She was panting, fiddling with her messy hair, and her eyes were filled with a terrifying, almost murderous glint as she looked at Ruo Ke.
"You... how did you get here?" Ling Ruoke felt a little guilty, because she almost burst out laughing. She quickly straightened her face and looked seriously at Zhuang Yuqi. "Zhuang Yuqi, go back to your seat right now!"
"Yes!" Zhuang Yuqi answered loudly, returning to his seat. Looking at the villain's expression, he covered his mouth and chuckled to himself.
"Let's talk outside," Ling Ruoke said, walking ahead and leaving the classroom first.
Passing by Zhuang Yuqi's seat, she reached out and gave him a light tap on the forehead. Although the child was trying to protect her, which was a kind gesture, fighting is wrong! She'd have to teach this little brat a lesson later!
Zhuang Yuqi grinned, showing his white teeth, completely unconcerned. To him, Teacher Ling's sharp tongue was just as welcome as her kisses!
As Gu Zhenzhen passed by, the little boy suddenly stood up, shaking his little fists and brandishing his claws. "If you dare to bully Teacher Ling, I'll beat you up! I'll beat you to death!"
Gu Zhenzhen was so angry that she wanted to grab him and give him a good beating.
"Gu Zhenzhen, he's just a child!" Ling Ruoke hurriedly turned around and reached out to stop her.
Gu Zhenzhen's gaze darted back and forth between the two, then she slowly narrowed her eyes. That damn brat, she'd deal with him slowly after school!
The two walked one after the other to the big tree by the school playground. It was a camphor tree, still lush and leafy even in winter.
As soon as she stood still, Gu Zhenzhen raised her hand and slapped her across the face.
Ling Ruoke reached out to cut it, but was still scratched by Gu Zhenzhen's long fingernails, leaving a trail of blood on her cheekbone. "Gu Zhenzhen, talk things out, don't just hit people all the time."
"If I could, I would kill you!" Gu Zhenzhen gritted her teeth, no longer wearing that gentle mask.
Ling Ruoke sneered. "Why? Just because you can't have my boyfriend, so you want to kill me? Gu Zhenzhen, don't you think that's ridiculous?"
"He's my fiancé! Don't forget, we're already engaged! If you keep bothering him, you'll be a complete homewrecker!"
Ling Ruoke recalled that grand engagement ceremony, and her heart ached. "If you've come to me just for such a childish declaration, then please forgive me for not keeping you company."
Ling Ruoke turned and walked away. Qingfeng had told her that she wanted to stay away from the Gu sisters.
"Ling Ruoke, you're a jinx, a nemesis! You killed your parents, and now you're going to kill Qingfeng! Because of you, he tried to break through Uncle Huo's encirclement alone and was shot in the heart. He's still in the intensive care unit! If he doesn't wake up today, he'll never wake up again. Ling Ruoke, if he dies, it will definitely be because of you! Ling Ruoke, you're a complete jinx, a nemesis!"
Gu Zhenzhen screamed hoarsely, declaring that if Huo Qingfeng died, the happiness she longed for would be gone. And all of this was this woman's fault! If she hadn't appeared, Miao Miao wouldn't have been a match for her, and Huo Qingfeng would definitely have been hers!
Ling Ruoke shuddered, stunned, and slowly turned around. It took her a while to find her voice. "What...what did you just say? Qingfeng, he..."
Gu Zhenzhen laughed coldly, a perverse pleasure emanating from the pain on Ling Ruoke's face. "He was shot twice through the heart and is now in the intensive care unit. He'll either wake up today or sleep forever. Ling Ruoke, you killed him, you killed the man you loved most!"
"No, this can't be true..." Ling Ruoke took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief. "This can't be true, he's just been locked up by his parents, he'll be alright, he'll be alright!"
"Ling Ruoke, whether you admit it or not, you killed Huo Qingfeng and the person you loved! You are a complete nemesis!"
"No, no!" Ling Ruoke staggered and fell to the ground, her mind still a little fuzzy. Qingfeng will be alright, this can't be true!
Then she suddenly jumped up and dashed towards the school gate. She yelled at everyone around her, "Come out! Come out here! I want to see Xuan Yuanqi! I want to see Xuan Yuanqi!"
Gu Zhenzhen, who arrived hastily, sneered. "They've all been taken care of by my men. You can scream your lungs out, but they won't come out. Ling Ruoke, if Huo Qingfeng dies, no one will forgive you! No one, including yourself!"
Ling Ruoke stared blankly as she got into the car and left, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground. The fact that she might have caused Qingfeng's death weighed heavily on her, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
Scarface jumped out of the car and rushed to her side. "Sister-in-law, are you alright?"
Ling Ruoke's face was deathly pale, and her breathing was heavy. "Scarface, I need to see Xuan Yuanqi, now, immediately!"
"Sister-in-law, relax and breathe. I'll take you there right away!"
Sitting in the car, Ling Ruoke's mind went blank. She even forgot to cry; she was completely lost in thought.
When she got out of the car, her legs were weak. Scarface supported her to keep from falling. She paid no attention to her surroundings; all she wanted was to see Xuan Yuanqi and confirm the truth!
Xuanyuan Qi was still dressed in white, standing in front of the window with his back to the door.
"Young Master Qi, I've brought your sister-in-law."
Xuanyuan Qi waved for him to leave before slowly turning around. He hadn't expected Gu Zhenzhen to cooperate with Cang Weiwo to eliminate his people; otherwise, the matter might have continued to be kept secret.
"Is everything Gu Zhenzhen said true?" Ling Ruoke asked softly, leaning against the door. Her legs were trembling uncontrollably.
Xuanyuan Qi understood that it was no longer possible to hide it. "It's true. But we must all believe that he will wake up."
It's true! Only these three words echoed in Ling Ruoke's mind. Upon hearing them, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to her knees. Tears welled up, followed by retching, a heart-wrenching sound...
"Don't be like this. You are his motivation to live. If anything happens to you, he definitely won't survive."
Ling Ruoke couldn't hear anything; her ears automatically blocked out all external sounds. Only the voice in her heart repeated this cruel reality over and over again until she fainted.
...
When Huo Qingfeng woke up, he felt a slight pain in his chest. He slowly opened his eyes and, unsurprisingly, saw a white ceiling. He could also hear birds chirping outside the window.
He tried to move his hand, only to find it weak and sore. Just then, his hand was grasped by another warm, soft hand. "Qingfeng, you're awake?"
Huo Qingfeng turned his head with difficulty, only to see eyes that, despite being bloodshot, couldn't hide the smile. He moved his lips, then realized he was still wearing something on his face, and reached out to take it off.
"Qingfeng, don't move, don't move." Yang Ziyun finally reacted and pressed the call button by the bed. She then grabbed Huo Qingfeng's other hand to prevent him from removing the oxygen mask, and said in a hoarse voice, "Qingfeng, let's wait for the doctor to come before we take it off, okay?"
Huo Qingfeng forced a smile.
The doctor arrived quickly and, after giving Huo Qingfeng a full examination, said that Huo Qingfeng was truly out of danger and only needed proper care.
Upon receiving this confirmation, Yang Ziyun finally breathed a sigh of relief and began to cry uncontrollably. Then, her body went limp, and she fainted.
The second person to appear was Grandpa Huo Zhenbang. "My dear grandson, you're finally awake." The old man showed his first smile in days.
"Grandpa." Huo Qingfeng smiled weakly.
"You should rest well. Grandpa knows everything. Once you're better, Grandpa will go with you to meet our Huo family's granddaughter-in-law. I'm also very curious about what kind of girl could be so captivating to my grandson."
Huo Qingfeng smiled, slowly closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep again. Before completely losing consciousness, he silently prayed in his heart: If possible, I will soon return to your side!
...
Three days later, Huo Qingfeng was transferred to a regular ward.
"Grandpa, I miss my wife." It's been almost a month, and he misses her terribly. After her brush with death, this longing has only deepened. No matter how many obstacles there are, the fact that they're both alive and well is the best thing.
Huo Zhenbang chuckled. "You little rascal, all you ever think about is your wife. Is she really that great?"
"Yes, there's no better girl than her. Your grandson is incredibly lucky to have found such a treasure." Knowing that his grandfather agreed to their relationship, the parents' objections were no longer a problem. After all, this minister was the general's superior, and the general had no choice but to obey orders.
Huo Zhenbang chuckled, then sighed. "You little rascal, you won't blame your grandpa for not standing up for you from the start, will you?"
"Grandpa wants to see if I really love my wife that much, right?" To put it bluntly, his grandfather is a playful old man. He loves watching the drama unfold!
"Yes," Huo Zhenbang replied with a touch of melancholy. He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Huo Qingfeng. His hair was already gray, but he was still vigorous and his posture was ramrod straight. "I don't think I've ever told you about your grandmother, have I?"
"Yes." It is said that the general's grandmother passed away when he was still young. People rarely talk about her. The only person who has any memory of her is his grandfather. The general was too young to remember much. And for some reason, his grandfather almost never mentioned her, as if it were a taboo subject.
Huo Zhenbang remained silent for a long, long time before turning back to the bedside and sitting down. He raised his large hand and placed it on his grandson's shoulder, patting him hard. "Qingfeng, you are more promising and responsible than your grandfather. I am truly pleased with you."
Slowly, the old man's gaze began to drift away. His memories were taken to the distant past, where the vicissitudes of history were reenacted bit by bit.
“I went to the battlefield at fifteen and became a lieutenant general at twenty. Because I was always on the battlefield, my marriage was always put on hold. But I had someone in my heart, a nurse in the army named Ya Xian. Once, I was shot and barely survived. I was bedridden for more than half a month, and she took care of me without taking off her clothes. That's how I fell in love with Ya Xian. However, our marriage was opposed by my family because Ya Xian's father was a murderer and her mother was a prostitute. Your great-grandfather was a general, and he absolutely forbade me from marrying Ya Xian. I couldn't withstand the pressure and married the woman your great-grandfather arranged for me, who is your grandmother. The day before my wedding, Ya Xian found me, and we had that kind of relationship. On our wedding day, Ya Xian committed suicide by cutting her wrists…”
After a long silence, the old man finally spoke again, but his voice sounded off.
Huo Qingfeng knew he must have cried. His grandfather, as hard as steel, wept as he recalled his former lover. That love, weathered by time, had finally become a deep wound, a gaping hole in his heart.
"After we got married, I was very cold to your grandmother. Even when she was pregnant with your father, I didn't care much about her. After giving birth to your father, she suffered from postpartum depression and remained depressed until she finally fell seriously ill and died. After your grandmother passed away, I never remarried because I felt that I was not worthy of any woman and only deserved to die alone. I didn't even dare to think about them..."
Huo Qingfeng listened silently, without uttering a sound. He knew that all his grandfather needed was a listener. He had kept these things bottled up inside for far too long, and it had become too much of a burden for him; he wanted to vent. Ya Xian and his grandmother had built a mountain with their lives, a mountain that had been pressing down on his grandfather's heart for decades.
In Huo Qingfeng's heart, his grandfather had always been like a towering mountain—resolute, upright, and indomitable. He never imagined that his grandfather had such a past. In that instant, Huo Qingfeng felt the old man's once-sturdy figure suddenly stoop, looking so pitiful.
“I’ve known about your situation for a long time, but I haven’t interfered. I hope my grandson can do what I couldn’t. If you couldn’t withstand the pressure, then you don’t deserve that girl, and I won’t help you. What’s good is that my grandson is far more responsible and successful than I am…”
The old man wiped away his tears and smiled.
"Get well soon and go find your wife. I'll talk to your father. With Grandpa here, no one can separate you two! As for Old Gu, Grandpa will handle that. Treat that girl well, and bring her back to see Grandpa often. I heard she can play chess; there aren't many young girls who can play chess these days. Tell her to practice hard, and then she can play a few more games with me. Haha..."
"Yes, sir!"
Huo Qingfeng could foresee that his grandfather and Ruoke would get along very well. Wife, you've found a powerful backer!
"Grandpa, can I borrow your phone?"
"No way." The old man said coldly, then chuckled, "Wouldn't it be more surprising to suddenly appear in front of her? Why bother making a phone call? That's so unromantic!"
Huo Qingfeng awkwardly touched his nose. "I'm being discharged in a couple of days. You can't force me to stay here like a corpse for too long, can you? What if my wife gets kidnapped? How are you going to compensate me?"
"Alright, alright, as long as you can move around freely, you can get lost. Why are you showing off your affection in front of the old folks? It's so heartbreaking."
"puff--"
"..."
Later, Huo Qingfeng always regretted thinking: if he hadn't listened to his grandfather that day and had instead tried to be romantic, would they have missed each other for so long?
Unfortunately, life cannot be relived.
...
The biggest news in City A that day: a massive firefight between the two largest gangs in City A, the Fengyun Gang and the Lieyan Gang, resulted in a scene of carnage. The Fengyun Gang headquarters building was severely damaged, and there were heavy casualties...
"Ah—" Cang Wei shouted, and fired his gun around the room, hitting everything that could be a target, shattering it all over the floor, leaving the room in a mess.
Several big deals have been ruined, resulting in heavy losses! Now, even the headquarters of the Fengyun Gang has been attacked by the Lieyan Gang, who almost destroyed their stronghold! The Lieyan Gang alone couldn't have done this; it must be Huo Qingfeng's men pulling the strings behind the scenes!
He has to go back and take charge, otherwise those guys will show him what's what!
Damn it, Huo Qingfeng, I really underestimated you! Well then, I'll take him away by force!
...
Ling Ruoke ultimately couldn't accompany her students to their final exams; she lay in bed for three days, in a daze, never fully awake. In her dreams and waking moments, she kept repeating the name "Qingfeng."
On the fourth day, she finally regained consciousness.
Two serious illnesses left her emaciated. Her already small face became even more pointed, with only her eyes appearing frighteningly large.
Tan Peishi hugged her, crying uncontrollably. "You're finally awake! You heartless bastard, you only feel comfortable after scaring me to death!"
"I'm sorry." Ling Ruoke smiled apologetically; she didn't mean to. These past few days have been incredibly difficult for Peishi. If it weren't for such a good friend, she really wouldn't know what to do.
"You need to get better soon! The captain has woken up and will recover after a period of rest. So you should also take good care of yourself so that the captain can meet a healthy and plump wife."
A light finally shone in Ling Ruoke's eyes. She smiled faintly, feeling that fate had finally been kind to her. Outside the window, the warm winter sun shone on her pale face. That smile, so beautifully pale.
Qingfeng, you must be alright! I only ask that you be alright, and I ask for nothing more!
A heart ailment requires a heart remedy. With the right remedy, Ling Ruoke's condition improved dramatically, and she was discharged early the next morning. However, even Tan Peishi failed to notice what was hidden in her eyes.
Elementary school students have finished their exams and are on holiday, while kindergarten is on its last day of vacation, starting tomorrow. Therefore, Ling Ruoke insists on picking the little one up from school. She feels bad about leaving the little one with Scarface and the others these past few days.
"Mommy!" The little guy, who was chatting with other children, saw her and shouted, then ran over as fast as he could. Judging from his eagerness, anyone who didn't know the situation would think he hadn't seen his mother in ages. And indeed, it had been several days.
Ling Ruoke immediately smiled, bent down slightly, and opened her arms to him.
Just then, a car suddenly swerved from the side.
"Fu'an!" Ling Ruoke cried out, her heart leaping into her throat. Her mind went blank; she instinctively rushed forward and forcefully shoved the child aside. The next second, she felt something slam into her. Then she felt like she was flying, before crashing heavily to the ground. Pain, dizziness…
"Sister-in-law!" Scarface rushed down, but it was too late to stop it. The oozing blood filled the entire field of vision crimson...
Scarface's hands trembled as he slowly knelt down.
...
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