As spring warmed the air, the plants on the streets sprouted fresh green shoots. The Chinese roses vied with each other to show off their beautiful blossoms, filling the air with a sweet fragrance.
It was the day for Xie Bingxia's follow - up visit at the hospital. Early in the morning, Boss Gu drove her there himself. It was quite a show of sincerity. However, the little girl was still in the cold - war period. After getting in the car, she sat in silence, staring blankly out of the window.
Gu Bei knew that Xie Bingxia was resistant to going to college. It wasn't impossible for him to support her for the rest of her life, but...
"This is your own life. You make the decision." Gu Bei handed the decision - making power entirely to her. In return, he got Xie Bingxia's cold shoulder for several days.
The little white rabbit was no longer clingy. Boss Gu wasn't quite used to it.
"Alas—" Gu Bei let out a soft sigh as he turned the steering wheel. The car slowly drove into the hospital parking lot.
Xie Bingxia followed Gu Bei to the expert consultation room.
"I can go in by myself."
The trick of keeping him out always worked. Gu Bei didn't get angry with Xie Bingxia. He sat alone on the bench outside the consultation room and took out his phone to make a restaurant reservation.
Should he take the little white rabbit to a French restaurant or a Thai one? Her hand injury hadn't fully healed. She shouldn't eat spicy and stimulating food... Maybe Cantonese cuisine would be better. It was a bit lighter.
Gu Bei tapped away on his phone, thinking that Xie Bingxia might look better after a good meal. She was too thin and needed to eat more to replenish her nutrition. So he added a steamed grouper to the reserved menu.
Let's add a dish of steamed eggs with clams, too. A smile played on Gu Bei's lips, but his good mood was quickly shattered by the vibrating phone. The screen showed the name: Chen Laojiu.
"Boss Gu, it's me." Gu Bei wasn't very patient. He just grunted a couple of times and heard the other say, "I'm going back to Hong Kong tomorrow."
"Really? I haven't entertained you well during this period, Boss Chen. I can only wish you a smooth journey." Polite remarks were a must.
Chen Laojiu laughed awkwardly. "Where, where. Did Miss Xie receive the gift I sent as an apology?"
Gu Bei didn't want to recall the stuff in the box that Chen Laojiu had sent a few days ago. It was disgusting. He immediately told Secretary Zhang to dispose of it quietly so that Xie Bingxia wouldn't see it.
"Boss Chen, there's no need to go to such extremes."
"He hurt Miss Xie's hand. I want one of his fingers. That's not excessive, is it?"
Gu Bei was speechless. He really couldn't understand how a man with such a bandit - like nature could be Vincent's partner. If he really colluded with such a person, he might fall into a big trap one day. So after the "feast of the Hongmen banquet", Gu Bei changed his mind. He no longer had direct contact with Chen Laojiu, which was equivalent to rejecting the cooperation on the Hong Kong Tai O project.
After a few more exchanges of pleasantries, they hung up the phone. Just then, Xie Bingxia came out after the consultation. The bandage on her left hand had been removed, and a piece of gauze was put on instead. The doctor came out with her, greeted Gu Bei, and instructed, "The wound is recovering well. Remember to change the dressing every day. Don't let it get wet, and watch your diet."
Gu Bei nodded repeatedly and asked, "Will there be a scar after the wound heals?"
The doctor put away his kind smile and said helplessly, "The wound was quite deep at that time. A scar is inevitable. But you can have it removed through medical cosmetology. There's no need to worry too much."
Gu Bei thanked the doctor and led Xie Bingxia towards the parking lot. "I've made a reservation at a restaurant. When we get there, you can look at the menu and add whatever you want to eat."
After walking a few steps, he noticed that she wasn't following. Looking back, he saw Xie Bingxia standing there in a daze. She was raising her left hand, looking at it back and forth for quite a while. The slightly sad expression on her face made his heart ache.
Gu Bei walked over, picked up Xie Bingxia's left hand, and gently rubbed her well - defined knuckles with his right thumb. He comforted her, "I'll find the best doctor for you. Don't be sad. It will definitely return to normal."
Xie Bingxia lowered her eyes and suddenly tightened her grip on Gu Bei's hand. Gu Bei was both surprised and delighted. Xie Bingxia had ignored him for the past few days, but now she was finally responding. His heart softened immediately, and he said, "If you don't want to go to Qingya University, then don't. I'll support you."
Recalling the night when Xie Bingxia got injured, he still felt scared. If he had arrived a bit later, would that delicate flower have withered away? Would keeping her by his side all the time prevent similar dangers from happening again?
In just one minute, his mind raced. But Xie Bingxia just said casually, "No. I want to go."
Huh? Gu Bei couldn't believe it. He was a bit annoyed. It was like he had been on tenterhooks for days, but the other person didn't seem to care, and finally told him that she had already figured it out.
Xie Bingxia sensed that Gu Bei's anger was rising sharply. She quickly said, "Brother, don't be angry. I just... don't want to leave your side."
Whoosh—The almost - peaking anger was doused with a bucket of cold water and instantly returned to zero.
"I have to live on campus if I go to college. Then I won't be able to see you every day." Xie Bingxia explained anxiously. Her little face turned red. "I don't want to leave you. I want to stay by your side."
Gu Bei swallowed hard. He didn't know what to say. Instead, he grabbed Xie Bingxia's little hand, pulled her over, and let her lean on his shoulder. Then he gently patted her back. "Then don't live on campus."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'll send a car to pick you up and drop you off from school every day. Just live at home."
Xie Bingxia held out her pinky finger to Gu Bei. "Let's make a pinky promise! No going back for a hundred years!"
"How childish." Gu Bei slapped her hand away, feeling a bit embarrassed. Now Xie Bingxia was happy. She got rid of the gloom of the past few days and smiled cutely. She pulled him forward. "What did you say just now? Are we going to eat? Then I want to eat seafood! Prawns! Salmon!"
"Foods that may cause allergies are off - limits."
"Hey! Why? I've been on a restricted diet for so long... I really want to eat them!"
The two walked hand in hand towards the car. The feeling of a couple out on the street made Gu Bei a bit dazed. The emotions that had been sealed deep in his heart slowly overflowed, filling his dry heart.
Gu Bei quietly bent his pinky finger and hooked Xie Bingxia's. He tugged it gently. Xie Bingxia blinked at him. Gu Bei turned his head away and ruffled his already neat hair to hide a grown - man's shyness.
Xie Bingxia hooked back even more forcefully. She leaned close to his ear and said, "I like you the most, brother." Immediately, she got a petrified handsome guy.
Xiaomei was also extremely happy. Because that night, she saw a familiar scene—Xie Bingxia in her pajamas scurried into Gu Bei's study. After a while, she was carried out by Gu Bei, dropped off, and warned to go back to sleep obediently.
Xiaomei clasped her hands together. God, the young master and Miss Xie have finally made up. I can continue to ship them. Now, the gentle and elegant Yuan Yiyun had long been forgotten by her. The cute and charming Xie Bingxia was the new and delicious "candy" to ship.
"Brother, it's a long night. Don't you really need Bingxia to accompany you?" Xie Bingxia lay on the study door, pricking up her ears to listen to the movement inside.
"Go to sleep!" The muffled roar didn't sound angry. Instead, it sounded full of doting.
Xie Bingxia covered her mouth and giggled. She played this act so well that she couldn't help but praise herself. First, she pretended to be angry, gave the cold - shoulder treatment, and completely ignored Gu Bei. Then she softened his defenses with her pitiful look. Finally, with just one sentence of "I like you", Gu Bei was successfully captured. His favorable impression of her should be at least a five - or six - out - of - ten now, right?
The method of playing hard - to - get always worked.
As for Qingya University, of course she was going. She was a hundred percent willing. There, she could meet all kinds of big shots and accumulate more resources and connections.
Only a fool would refuse. The only thing that bothered Xie Bingxia was the letter of introduction. She really didn't want to owe Yuan Yiyun any favors and avoid any gossips.
"Forget it. I'll just make good use of this opportunity."