Chapter 160: He Finally Compromised

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Lu Zhiyuan’s whole body tensed. If the recording were to be leaked, both Gu Ci and Doctor North, with their disguises, would fall into disgrace. Even the hospital’s reputation would be tarnished, leading to a thorough investigation that could unravel everything.

Gu Ci spoke in a deep voice, “Alright, I’ll perform this surgery for you. If you’re not afraid of death, why should 1 be!”

“Absolutely!” Chen Rushi’s face displayed a trace of weary determination. “Whether it’s life or death, I want this ordeal to end. I’m tired of being consumed by illness.”

“Are you out of your mind?” in the hospital corridor, Lu Zhiyuan asked, “Conspiring with a tiger for its skin, what good can come of it? Did he threaten you with Gu Ziyu?”

Gu Ci looked at him calmly, observing the visible panic and concern in Lu Zhiyuan’s eyes.

“I’ll protect Gu Ziyu. You don’t need to be threatened by him.”

“Lu Zhiyuan, Gu Ziyu was kidnapped right under our noses,” Gu Ci looked at him calmly. “It’s hard to guard against villains.”

If the surgery were to fail, a group of people might end up accompanying Chen Rushi to his grave. Even if Third Master was powerful, could he find all the people Chen Rushi had planted as ambushes? Could he save everyone in time?

She wasn’t Chen Rushi, alone and without attachments.

She had Gu Ziyu and the Jiang family.

Family was her eternal weakness.

“Lu Zhiyuan, during your competition in Lavis, he effortlessly made you give up the match, have you forgotten?”

“That’s because…” You were caught; you were more important than the competition.

Lu Zhiyuan hesitated, and Gu Ci’s implied meaning was clear. You are more important than Chen Rushi. And if Chen Rushi threatened her, then he must have threatened her with Lu Zhiyuan. Gu Ci said with self-mockery, “If Third Young Master wants to live his own life without interference, to never see me again, then he doesn’t need to worry or be busy about whom I’m concerned for.”

Lu Zhiyuan was silenced by her words, unable to express himself. In the dimly lit corridor, the two of them gazed at each other in silence. Eventually, Lu Zhiyuan capitulated.

He had to compromise.

He couldn’t let Chen Rushi release the surgical footage and ruin Gu Ci’s reputation.

After Doctor North finished the surgery, upon hearing that Gu Ci intended to operate on Chen Rushi, he was taken aback. This development was unexpected. “How did he know?”

“I don’t know why the recording ended up in his hands,” Gu Ci sighed in frustration. “Once Chen Rushi knows, he won’t spare me.”

“I should have known better than to get entangled with him,” Doctor North lamented. “Life is full of unexpected twists.”

“Master, it’s come to this point; it’s hard to turn back now. Focus on your recovery,” Gu Ci looked at her injured hand with concern. “Heal your hand. If you can’t hold a scalpel again, it will be a loss for the medical field.”

Gu Ci was a person who sought revenge for the slightest grievance. Those who had hurt her were hard for her to forgive. Lu Zhiyuan had guided her, tried to make her more carefree and open-minded.

The damage was already done; she could only endure the pain.

But Gu Ci had never received love from her elders. Doctor North was a very special person to her, a mentor she revered and cared for like a mother. She couldn’t easily let go of the pain she felt.

From childhood to adulthood, besides Lu Zhiyuan, no one had loved her. She was radical and reclusive. Regardless of Lu Zhiyuan’s attempts to guide her, she couldn’t become carefree or open-minded.

Lu Zhiyuan wished for her to forget this pain and be happy every day.

After becoming pregnant, Gu Ci’s situation improved. She no longer held onto the pain of past injuries. The arrival of new life made her feel fresh and happy every day.

She began to anticipate the future and developed an attachment to the world.

Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan married out of necessity, but love came later. Due to her unattractive appearance and difficult personality, Gu Ci had always felt inferior. She couldn’t understand why Lu Zhiyuan loved her, why he married her. She always thought that Lu Zhiyuan pitied her and might leave her at any moment.

Her feelings for Lu Zhiyuan were stubborn, and she refused to voice them. It wasn’t until she became pregnant and had Gu Ziyu that she finally found a substantial sense of belonging for her future and her family.

During that time, the nightmares became less frequent.

One day, a prison guard called her and said that Doctor North wanted to see her. When Gu Ci heard her name, her hand suddenly throbbed with pain, and she couldn’t even hold utensils. She refused to go see her.

She resented Doctor North.

It wasn’t until she learned of Doctor North’s death that she felt a deep pain in her heart. She recalled the five years she had relied on Doctor North, the woman who had hurt her but had also sheltered her under her wings in prison, teaching her how to survive.

They had never seen each other before death, leaving Gu Ci with regrets. This became a knot in her heart.

While sorting through Doctor North’s belongings, Gu Ci found a letter left for her. The letter didn’t apologize for disabling her hand; it only offered blessings and the hope that she would forget all her suffering and live a good life.

At that moment, she no longer resented Doctor North.

She was the only elder who had shown her love.

In this lifetime, with Ziyu and Lu Zhiyuan by her side, she hadn’t suffered humiliation. Everyone in the Jiang family loved her. Gu Ci was less extreme than in her previous life, a bit more serene.

She didn’t want Doctor North to experience the suffering she had endured.

“Cici, why do you look so sad?” Doctor North moved her wrist. “It’s okay. If I can’t perform surgery, it’s fine. I have an heir now, after all.”

Gu Ci smiled, “Master, rest well. 1’11 head back.”

“Alright!” Doctor North accepted reality. “Study Chen Rushi’s case thoroughly. Since we can’t avoid it, treat it as real combat.”

“I understand!”

When Gu Ci left the hospital, Lu Zhiyuan was waiting for her. He was as usual, leaning against a black and red sports car, wearing sunglasses, drawing attention from onlookers, but he didn’t seem to care.

“I’ll drive you back!” His tone didn’t allow for refusal.

After a moment’s thought, Gu Ci didn’t decline. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. He finally decided to speak with her.

Autumn had set in on the city of A, bringing a chill to the air. The ginkgo trees on the roadside turned yellow, shedding leaves in abundance. The streets held the essence of autumn. Gu Ci gazed at the ginkgo trees and casually took out her phone, snapping a photo.

Lu Zhiyuan looked at the delicate bracelet on her fair wrist, his heart stirred. The watch and bracelet were both on the same hand, delicate and unique, accentuating her snowy-white skin.

Both he and she wore matching couple bracelets, yet their hearts remained distant.

“Just stop at the entrance of the residential area!”

Lu Zhiyuan frowned but didn’t respond. Passing the security booth where the guards recognized Gu Ci, entering the Blue Field Villa was smooth. This was an established villa area in A City, adjacent to the top university. Every inch of land here was precious. Without a family background, it was challenging to purchase a villa. The atmosphere was scholarly, and the environment peaceful.

Gu Ci had never mentioned which building she lived in, and Lu Zhiyuan silently stopped at her house. Within the white fence, the climbing roses were in bloom, adding a touch of tenderness to the villa.

They rode in silence. When Gu Ci got out of the car and was about to bid farewell, Lu Zhiyuan calmly asked, “Won’t you invite me in for a glass of water?”

Gu Ci lightly chuckled, “Come in then!”

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