Chapter 192 The Bet (Second Update)
Liu Yisheng: "What are we betting on?"
Gu Jiao: "I bet one day I'll call you Prime Minister Liu."
"Prime Minister Liu? Me, that kind of person?" Liu Yisheng laughed at himself. He lived like a dog, trampled on by everyone. It was a miracle he wasn't dead.
His smile vanished. "Also, the Zhao Kingdom has no prime minister."
Gu Jiao rested her chin on her hand and looked at him.
If you don't believe me, that's fine too.
Not long after Liu Yisheng left after getting the medicine, Yao Shi also arrived at the clinic.
Yesterday, in order to better interrogate Lord Gu, Madam Gu sent her away. She only heard about Gu Chenglin's matter when she went to pay her respects to Madam Gu this morning.
Aunt Ling usually doted on this "youngest son," so who could have imagined that she would stab Gu Chenglin in the heart?
Upon hearing the news, Madam Gu fainted.
Yao was naturally quite surprised, but not entirely.
Aunt Ling never truly regarded the three Gu brothers as her own sons; otherwise, she wouldn't have used Gu Chenglin to deal with her. However, the fact that Aunt Ling had gone so far as to be so insane made Madam Yao sigh.
"I heard that before she married into the family, Old Madam Ling fed her a bowl of infertility medicine, and on the night of her marriage, Old Madam Gu fed her another bowl of infertility medicine. She is so resentful!" On the carriage that arrived, Granny Fang told Yao about the news she had heard.
Madam Yao didn't know if the news was true or false, but it was true that Aunt Ling had never been pregnant since she entered the mansion.
Yao came to the clinic not to see Gu Chenglin, but to see Gu Jiao.
I heard that Gu Chenglin had the accident in the middle of the night. Gu Changqing carried him out to find a doctor and didn't return until dawn.
Miaoshoutang is the clinic where Gu Jiao works, so it's easy to guess who the doctor who worked so hard to save Gu Chenglin last night was.
Yao made chicken soup for Gu Jiao.
She had already removed the layer of oil on top, and the soup was rich but not greasy, savory and smooth.
Gu Jiao drank a few sips in the side room of her small courtyard; it tasted good.
“Madam, you may also have some,” she said to Madam Yao.
"I've already drunk some." Madam Yao placed the bowl that Gu Jiao had served her in front of Gu Jiao as well, and said affectionately, "You drink it."
Gu Jiao was busy for half the night and was so sleepy in the morning that she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. After that, she treated Liu Yisheng's illness and only now realized that she hadn't eaten much.
I'm really hungry.
Seeing that she was eating heartily, Yao felt both gratified and distressed.
Madam Yao did not ask Gu Jiao why she treated Gu Chenglin. Madam Yao believed that her daughter had her own considerations and unshakable stance in everything she did. She would not advise her daughter on what to do about Gu Chenglin, but she would not stop any of her daughter's decisions either.
Besides, she did indeed owe Gu Changqing.
Whether it was for her own good or out of a doctor's conscience, the daughter did nothing wrong in this matter.
Gu Jiao finished all the chicken soup and ate the chicken meat, her little belly was full.
Afraid that she would get tired of it, Yao peeled another pomelo for her.
Grapefruit has a perfect balance of sweet and sour, making it ideal for cutting through richness.
Gu Jiao ate very comfortably.
Seeing the weariness between her brows, Madam Yao said with heartache, "Go and get some sleep."
Gu Jiao yawned slightly; she really felt sleepy after eating.
However, she can't sleep yet; she needs to check on Gu Chenglin's condition.
Gu Chenglin was placed in a side room in the rear building, right next to the emergency room, and also quite close to Gu Jiao's courtyard.
Gu Chenglin lay quietly on the hospital bed.
Lord Gu went to the Ministry of Works. Gu Changqing went back to his room to question Aunt Ling and to prepare a change of clothes for Gu Chenglin. Gu Chengfeng stayed here to take care of him.
But Gu Chengfeng wasn't there either. Only after asking Doctor Song did they learn that Gu Chenglin had just woken up and Gu Chengfeng had gone to buy him food.
"How's your temperature?" Gu Jiao asked.
Doctor Song said, "I just measured it, and it's normal."
Under Gu Jiao's careful guidance, Dr. Song has become proficient in using a thermometer, sphygmomanometer, and stethoscope.
Gu Jiao nodded and then asked, "When did he wake up? How long was he awake? How conscious was he?"
Doctor Song recalled carefully: "He woke up about 15 minutes ago. He didn't speak when he woke up, and he didn't answer when asked. He was just staring blankly, as if he had gone mad. Young Master Gu said he would buy him some food, but as soon as he left, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep."
The surgery itself was not problematic. Since the blood donor was a close relative, there was a certain chance of rejection in the recipient. However, Gu Jiao used a disposable white blood cell filter, which successfully filtered out white blood cells that could easily cause rejection, so the issue wasn't related to the transfusion.
Therefore, Gu Chenglin's unusual behavior was most likely due to psychological trauma.
Aunt Ling's knife pierced not only his heart, but also his soul and his faith.
All his beliefs seemed to collapse overnight, and he began to doubt whether the world was real or not.
"By the way, Miss Gu." Doctor Song was used to this form of address and hadn't changed it, and Gu Jiao also preferred it. "Manager Wang came by earlier; he asked me to ask you about the consultation fee..."
Now that they know Gu Chengfeng is Gu Jiao's half-brother, they're practically family, so—
Gu Jiao said without any politeness, "Charge as usual: ten taels for surgery, ten taels for medicine, ten taels for examination, and three taels a day for intensive care!"
Dr. Song broke out in a cold sweat. Is it really that expensive?
Before long, Gu Chengfeng returned in a hurry, carrying a large food box: "Third brother, I bought your favorite crispy duck and red bean cake!"
Doctor Song looked at Gu Chenglin on the hospital bed with a troubled expression, then at Gu Jiao beside him: "With injuries like this, you can't eat such greasy food, can you?"
Gu Jiao did not stop her.
Soon, Doctor Song understood why Gu Jiao hadn't spoken up to stop her.
Gu Chenglin didn't eat anything at all, not even drink water.
When he woke up, he just stared blankly at the roof beam with his eyes wide open. He didn't respond when called, and he didn't respond even when a spoon was placed in his mouth.
After finally managing to pry open his mouth and feed him, it all flowed out of the corners of his mouth.
Gu Chengfeng anxiously turned to look at Gu Jiao and Doctor Song: "Think of a way!"
Gu Jiao looked at him indifferently: "There's nothing I can do about this."
Gu Chengfeng gritted his teeth. Although he was unwilling, he understood that what Gu Jiao said was true. Gu Chenglin had lost his will to live. Even if his injuries were healed, his heart was dead.
This blow was even more unexpected than Aunt Ling's betrayal. Gu Chengfeng never imagined that his arrogant, domineering, and heartless younger brother would one day turn out like this.
The people from Songhe Courtyard also arrived; they were Old Madam Gu's trusted nanny and two clever young maids.
The trusted nanny, surnamed Gui, burst into tears upon seeing her young master in such a state: "That heartless wretch! What a waste of the old lady's affection for her! Is this how she's done something human?"
Gu Chengfeng remained silent.
He could no longer speak.
Granny Gui said to Gu Chengfeng, "Second Young Master hasn't slept a wink all night either. Go back to the manor. I'll keep an eye on things here and take good care of Third Young Master."
Gu Chengfeng said with restraint, "I won't leave. I want to wait for my third brother to wake up."
Fully awake, not in a way that feels like your soul has been emptied.
Granny Gui couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she said to him, "Then, Second Young Master, have something to eat."
Gu Chengfeng had no appetite, but he still nodded.
Granny Gui opened the food box, which contained two bowls of millet porridge, a bowl of pork blood and tofu soup, a plate of radish stewed with crucian carp, a steamer of steamed ribs, and several stir-fried side dishes.
When Gu Chengfeng saw the pig's blood and ribs in the bowl, images suddenly flashed through his mind: Gu Chenglin's blood splattered everywhere, his flesh torn open, cleaned and stitched up—these details lingered in his mind!
"Take it!"
He can't eat it!
Granny Gui was completely bewildered: "What's wrong, Second Young Master? Are these dishes not cooked well? They're all very nourishing. Third Young Master lost a lot of blood, so I specially had someone buy fresh pig's blood. It was freshly killed and prepared, and it was still warm when it arrived—"
It would have been better if she hadn't said anything; once she did, Gu Chengfeng couldn't take it anymore.
In the end, he forced himself to drink a bowl of millet porridge and couldn't eat anymore.
On the other side, Gu Jinyu also heard about Gu Chenglin's injury. The girls' school was next door, so she went straight to the clinic after school.
Gu Chengfeng was getting some fresh air in the backyard when he saw her. He frowned and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Gu Jinyu said softly, "I heard that Third Brother was injured, so I came to see him. How is Third Brother? Is he out of danger?"
Gu Chengfeng maintained a distant relationship with Gu Jinyu; he neither liked nor disliked her. Unfortunately, he was in a bad mood today, and Gu Jinyu had run into his trap.
"What's it to you?" he said irritably.
Gu Jinyu choked.
My second brother isn't usually this fierce.
Gu Jinyu said gently, "Second brother, I didn't mean anything by it. I was just worried about third brother."
Gu Chengfeng sneered, "Worried about him? I bet you're secretly delighted! Don't think I don't know that you and your four children are all hoping for his death!"
Gu Jinyu cried out, feeling wronged: "I didn't!"
Gu Chengfeng ignored her, turned around and went into the house, closing the door and not allowing her to come in even a step.
Gu Jinyu was unfairly implicated. Although Yao Shi, Gu Jiao, and Gu Yan did not like Gu Chenglin, she genuinely hoped that Gu Chenglin could get better!
Gu Jinyu bit her lip, sullenly intending to leave, but inadvertently caught a glimpse of Gu Changqing carrying a basket of herbs as he walked out of the storeroom.
Big brother?
Just as she was about to go up and say hello, she saw Gu Jiao also come out of the storeroom, carrying another basket of herbs.
"You leave it there, I'll carry it." After placing the herbs on the shelf, Gu Changqing turned to take the basket from Gu Jiao's arms. "How many baskets are left?"
“Five baskets,” Gu Jiao said.
Gu Changqing turned around and went to the storeroom to bring out all five baskets of medicinal herbs. Then the two of them dried the herbs together.
Gu Changqing remained as stern as ever. Perhaps even he himself didn't realize that the sharpness between his brows had disappeared, and his interactions with Gu Jiao even seemed to have a hint of sibling intimacy.
When Gu Jiao walks under the shelf, Gu Changqing will put his hand under the shelf to prevent Gu Jiao from bumping her head.
Gu Jinyu's heart was suddenly filled with mixed emotions.
Why did her older brother refuse to say a single word to her despite all the effort she put in?
Is this country bumpkin so favored by her elder brother simply because she works as a pharmacist at this clinic?
She didn't cure Third Brother!
She was just a medicine boy!
Gu Jinyu gripped her handkerchief tightly, and just as she was about to leave, she saw Madam Yao walk out of the courtyard.
Gu Jinyu was slightly taken aback. Was her mother here too?
She glanced at Gu Jiao and Gu Changqing not far away, and a sudden surge of pleasure welled up in her heart. Mother hated their association with her eldest, second, and third brothers the most. If Mother found out, let's see what she does!
"Jiaojiao, are you drying medicinal herbs again?" Madam Yao walked over. "Go and rest, I'll take care of it."
"It'll be ready soon," Gu Jiao said.
Gu Changqing and Yao Shi exchanged a glance. Gu Changqing bowed slightly, and Yao Shi nodded in return.
There were no extra words; the conversation was polite yet distant.
This was not the reaction Gu Jinyu had imagined. Shouldn't her mother have pulled Gu Jiao away, scolded her, and told her not to get involved with her three brothers?
Why can't she talk to her older brother, but Gu Jiao can?
Yao went inside after a short while.
Gu Changqing said to Gu Jiao, "Wait for me a moment."
He went to the stable, took a small box from the bundle hanging on the saddle, and handed it to Gu Jiao: "Here you go."
"What is this?" Gu Jiao asked.
"Open it and take a look," Gu Changqing said.
Gu Jiao said "Oh," opened the small box, and found four little figures inside: a little jade figure, a little golden figure, a little wooden figure, and a little... iron figure.
It's obvious without even guessing that the little jade figure was given to Gu Yan, the little golden figure to Xiao Jingkong, and the little wooden figure to Gu Xiaoshun, but why did it become the little iron figure when it came to me?
Gu Jiao: "..."
These are handicrafts from the Liang Kingdom; they cannot be bought on the market.
It wasn't because Gu Jiao cured Gu Chenglin that Gu Changqing wanted to give it to her. After winning so much at the last card game, Gu Changqing had already found this set of handicrafts and planned to bring it to Biyue Hutong next time.
Gu Changqing explained, "There's another set of leaf cards underneath the box."
Gu Jiao: So you were just doing this for the card game?
(End of this chapter)
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