The pair's behavior was truly an eyesore. Gu Yizhou's gaze darkened; wearing a poker face, he walked over and placed the thermos on the table.
Tang Yunzheng didn't look too pleased either; he gave a cold snort and turned to Su Mianmian. "Since someone else has arrived, I'll be taking my leave. Do give what I said some serious thought." Having delivered his piece, Tang Yunzheng stormed off in a huff.
Gu Yizhou unhurriedly opened the food container, ladled out a bowl of porridge, and sat down beside the hospital bed. "What did he ask you to consider?" As he asked, Gu Yizhou scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brought it to Su Mianmian's lips. Su Mianmian blushed and hurriedly reached out to take the bowl.
"No need to feed me; I can eat it myself." Gu Yizhou deftly brushed her hand aside. "Be a good girl—open up." Seeing the displeased look on Gu Yizhou's face, Su Mianmian relented. She silently opened her mouth and accepted the small spoonful of porridge; instantly, the fragrant aroma filled her entire mouth.
"He came to plead on Lin Jiaojiao's behalf—to ask you not to press charges against her." Gu Yizhou gave a noncommittal "Mm," as if he wasn't particularly surprised. "So, what are your thoughts?" Su Mianmian lowered her head and remained silent.
Earlier, right in front of Tang Yunzheng, she had declared that she wouldn't easily forgive Lin Jiaojiao; yet, deep down, she harbored some hesitation. After all, serving jail time would be a devastating blow—a potentially fatal one—for a university student who had yet to even step out into the real world.
"If you really do press charges, will she go to prison?" Gu Yizhou's tone remained calm and unruffled. "She would. Though, ultimately, that depends on your decision."
"However, I feel compelled to warn you: there are some people who, despite your kindness, will not turn over a new leaf. On the contrary, they will simply view you as a pushover and only escalate their malicious behavior the next time around."
Su Mianmian blinked; suddenly, she felt that the way Gu Yizhou was earnestly lecturing her reminded her exactly of the elders in her own family. "In that case, if it were you—if *you* encountered someone like that—how would you handle it?"
Gu Yizhou raised his eyes. "When it comes to those who have harmed me, I have never been one to show mercy." Su Mianmian understood immediately, recalling the time she had overheard him on the phone, declaring that he would neither forgive nor accept any form of compensation. That cold, detached tone truly fit the description outsiders gave of Gu Yizhou—the man known in the business world for his ruthless decisiveness and thunderous authority. Seeing that Su Mianmian remained silent for a long moment, Gu Yizhou raised an eyebrow slightly. "What's the matter? Do you find me frightening?"
Su Mianmian shook her head. "Why would I find you frightening? You were simply protecting my legal rights; there was nothing wrong with that. Lin Jiaojiao and the others brought this entirely upon themselves." Gu Yizhou nodded, secretly breathing a sigh of relief; he had been worried that his words might have been too blunt for the young girl to handle.
"But you aren't me, and there is no need for you to act according to my way of thinking. As long as you ensure your own safety, you are free to remain as kind as you wish. Remember: no matter what happens, I've got your back." *As long as you ensure your own safety, you are free to remain as kind as you wish.*
*Remember: no matter what happens, I've got your back.* These words struck Su Mianmian with an impact that was nothing short of profound. She felt the heart beating beneath her ribs begin to pound furiously, sending her blood surging through her veins as if it were boiling. "Are you going to eat any more?" Gu Yizhou remained oblivious to the emotional turmoil Su Mianmian was experiencing in that moment.
Su Mianmian had unwittingly consumed well over half a bowl of porridge, and Gu Yizhou was concerned that eating too much might upset her stomach. Snapping out of her daze, Su Mianmian shook her head. "I'm full now. You go ahead and eat."
Gu Yizhou lowered his gaze. With a completely natural motion, he took the very spoon Su Mianmian had been using; after finishing the half-bowl she had left behind, he proceeded to eat a full bowl himself. Su Mianmian watched Gu Yizhou eat in silence. His table manners were truly impeccable—a reflection of a refined upbringing that radiated from his very core.
However, his expression remained somewhat aloof. It was only then that Su Mianmian belatedly realized he had seemed a bit displeased ever since returning with the porridge. After thinking it over carefully, she seemed to pinpoint the source of his mood and pursed her lips.
"Um... just now, Tang Yunzheng was merely helping me adjust my pillow. We weren't doing anything inappropriate, so please don't get the wrong idea." Gu Yizhou scooped up another spoonful of porridge and held it out toward Su Mianmian's lips. "I know." *If you know, then why are you still wearing such a stern face?*
Su Mianmian kept that thought strictly to herself, not daring to actually voice the question aloud. She had finally realized it: Gu Yizhou genuinely disliked Tang Yunzheng. Every time he saw Tang Yunzheng with her—even if they exchanged just a few words—he would grow visibly displeased, his face turning sour.
Thinking this over, she began to suspect that what Tang Yunzheng had told her earlier—about Gu Yizhou sabotaging his family's company—might actually be true. After mulling it over, Su Mianmian couldn't help but ask: "Tang Yunzheng mentioned that his family's company ran into some trouble; did you have a hand in that?"
Gu Yizhou had just finished clearing the thermal lunchbox from the table. Hearing her question, he lifted his eyes to glance at Su Mianmian. "He went running to you to complain? What else did he say about me?" Su Mianmian blushed. "That's all he said—nothing else."
Seeing the look of anxiety on Su Mianmian's face, Gu Yizhou instinctively assumed she was worried about Tang Yunzheng; his tone grew even colder. "He tried to incite my wife to divorce me. Causing him a little trouble in return seems perfectly fair."
Just for that?
Su Mianmian found it hard to believe. Here was a powerful, influential CEO of a listed company, actually getting into a serious feud with a spoiled rich kid who was still in college.
"But you already punched him, and he was forced to start his corporate internship early—he's already learned his lesson. Couldn't you just..." Su Mianmian trailed off as she saw Gu Yizhou's brows furrow. "Mianmian, he was just pleading with you on Lin Jiaojiao's behalf, and now you're turning around and worrying about *him*?"
Su Mianmian hurriedly waved her hands in protest. "I'm not worried about *him*! I'm worried for Uncle Tang. Uncle Tang has always been very good to me ever since I was a child."
Hearing this, the stern expression on Gu Yizhou's face finally softened.
"Don't worry. It's just a minor inconvenience—it won't shake the foundations of the Tang family business. I'm simply giving that kid something to keep him occupied so he stops hovering around you all day long."
So that was it. Su Mianmian felt a wave of relief wash over her. She gently tugged at his sleeve. "In that case, I support you. As long as Uncle Tang's company isn't harmed, giving Tang Yunzheng a small lesson is certainly fine."
Gu Yizhou glanced down at the small hand clutching his sleeve, feeling a flicker of surprise. "Do you really mean that?"
Su Mianmian's eyes curved into crescents. "Of course! After all, he's the one who upset you. I promised you before that I would never defend another man in your presence—and I always keep my word." Was she... was she trying to coax him?
Gu Yizhou felt a deep sense of warmth and contentment in his heart. The icy expression on his face finally thawed, and the corners of his lips curled into a faint, subtle smile. ...Later that evening, Gu Yizhou was attending to business matters from the sofa in the hospital room.
Su Mianmian lay quietly on the hospital bed. Since she was feeling a bit dizzy, she couldn't spend too long playing on her phone; bored, she began to silently observe Gu Yizhou. Gu Yizhou was actually quite captivating when he was working. Poised and serious, he exuded the unmistakable aura of a successful man.
Earlier, several young nurses had taken turns coming in to administer her IV drips and perform check-ups; yet, while doing so, their eyes had secretly kept drifting toward Gu Yizhou. He truly was a handsome man.
With his sharp, sword-like brows and bright, star-like eyes, he possessed a high-bridged nose, well-defined lips, and a sharp jawline. His prominent Adam's apple would occasionally bob up and down—a sight that struck her as inexplicably sexy. Su Mianmian wanted to let her gaze wander further down, but alas, the collar of Gu Yizhou's shirt was buttoned up so tightly that it completely concealed the view.
But then again—how should one put it?—sometimes, the more that is concealed, the more it sparks the imagination.
At that moment, Su Mianmian suddenly recalled the time she had accidentally caught a glimpse of Gu Yizhou changing clothes—the sight of those bulging muscles, those sharply defined contours... Gu Yizhou, who had been reviewing documents, sensed a gaze resting upon him. He looked up and caught Su Mianmian's intense, burning stare.
"What is it? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?" "Huh? No... no, I'm fine." Caught red-handed in her peeping, Su Mianmian's entire face instantly flushed crimson.
Seeing her flushed cheeks, Gu Yizhou felt a pang of concern. He walked over and placed a hand on her forehead. "You don't feel feverish... Are you feeling hot? You seem to be breaking a sweat." Su Mianmian pursed her lips in embarrassment. "It *is* actually quite warm in here. I think I'd like to take a shower."
As she spoke, Su Mianmian sat up on the bed. Gu Yizhou didn't give it much thought; the en-suite bathroom in this hospital room was spacious and fully equipped with excellent facilities. "Well, be careful while you wash—don't let the gauze get wet." Su Mianmian murmured a response and practically dove into the bathroom.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she saw how flushed her cheeks were and felt a sudden surge of shame. Good heavens—what had she just been doing? She had actually been peeping at Gu Yizhou... and harboring lustful thoughts about him? She was going to die of embarrassment—absolutely mortified!
Burning with shame, Su Mianmian finished her shower and finally managed to banish that image from her mind. Immediately afterward, however, she began to fret over the wound on her forehead as she gazed into the mirror. Although the cut wasn't deep, it was still quite long; what if it left a scar? That would be absolutely hideous!
At that thought, her mood plummeted instantly, and she walked out with her head hanging low. Gu Yizhou noticed that the young girl had gone in looking cheerful and excited, yet emerged from her shower suddenly downcast. He walked over and gently stroked her head. "What's wrong?"
Su Mianmian stood just over 1.6 meters tall, so she had to crane her neck to look up at Gu Yizhou from such close range. She scrunched up her face, looking utterly distressed. "Tell me—do you think the wound on my forehead is going to leave a scar?"