Chapter 35: The Resentment of the Sun Clan

Dugu Nan’s status was exceptional, which led to her being admitted to the finest hospital in the Ideal State. As Gu Xinyao and Dugu Yi entered, they immediately sensed a level of luxury that far surpassed any ordinary medical facility.

Because of Gu Xinyao, Dugu Ning had already arrived at the emergency wing ahead of them, sparing the couple the discomfort of facing him. After confirming which room Dugu Nan had been taken to, they quickened their pace. Just as they reached the entrance of the long corridor leading to the emergency room, they were met with the sound of heart-wrenching wails.

Dugu Yi stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed ahead. At the far end of the corridor, outside the high-end emergency room, sat the Lady He, Dugu Ning, and Dugu Nan’s father, the Lady Sun. On the opposite side of the hallway, Gu Yu stood by the window, his eyes fixed on something outside, seemingly unmoved by the piercing cries.

"It must be that little wretch! If he hadn't brought that Gu Xinyao around, how could Nan-nan… how could she end up like this… wuu-wuu…" The high-pitched, shrill voice of a man echoed through the corridor, sounding truly bone-chilling.

*Slap!*

Following the sound of a heavy blow to the face, Gu Yu’s calm, warning tone cut through the air: "Sun Yushan, before you start cursing my son, you had better weigh how much you are actually worth."

The deep, heavy resonance of his voice silenced the Lady Sun, who clutched his face, glaring at Gu Yu with resentment but not daring to provoke him further. Meanwhile, standing outside the operating room, Dugu Yuqing stared blankly at the red signal light, appearing indifferent to everything unfolding behind him.

Watching the scene, Gu Xinyao gripped Dugu Yi’s hand even tighter. She had long known of the filth hidden behind aristocratic facades, but seeing Gu Yu strike someone for the first time truly shocked her.

Across the way, having finished his warning, Gu Yu turned and spotted Gu Xinyao and Dugu Yi. He wiped his face, and his previously fierce, imposing expression softened instantly.

"Yi, Xinyao, you’re here? Come over!" He beckoned them, as if the scene moments ago had been nothing but an illusion.

Gu Xinyao twitched the corner of her lips. She didn't know how to react to this family, so her expression remained somewhat stiff.

"Father, how is Xiao Nan?" Dugu Yi walked up to him and asked with genuine concern.

The Lady He and Dugu Ning, seated on the bench, remained entirely detached, having no intention of involving themselves in the conflict between Gu Yu and the Lady Sun.

"You? You little wretch, you dare to show your face? You…" The Lady Sun, who had been cowed by Gu Yu, saw Dugu Yi asking about Dugu Nan and lunged forward again. Ignoring the swelling on his face from Gu Yu’s slap, he raised his hand to strike Dugu Yi.

Gu Xinyao, having witnessed the force of Gu Yu's slap, knew better than to underestimate the strength of the men here. She grabbed the Lady Sun’s wrist and shoved him backward, forcing him to stumble.

"Second Father, every time you open your mouth to curse Yi, have you ever considered that since you are also a man, you are only insulting yourself? We haven't even determined who incited the perpetrator yet; to make such baseless accusations—aren't you afraid of your own conscience?" Gu Xinyao spoke clearly to those sitting on the bench. Her conscience was clear, so she feared no one, but she would never again suffer in silence when someone tried to humiliate her husband.

The Lady Sun clutched his chest, pointing a trembling finger at Gu Xinyao. He had nearly fallen; had he not grabbed the armrest of the bench, he would have been utterly humiliated.

"You… you…"

"Enough! Stop this bickering! Xiao Nan is currently between life and death, and all you can do is argue! If you keep this up, get out of here!" Dugu Yuqing finally reached his limit. He turned around and barked the order, his face etched with worry and the impatience of extreme agitation.

The Lady Sun swallowed his insults, trembling as he sat back down on the edge of the bench, head bowed, sobbing quietly.

Gu Yu ignored Dugu Yuqing’s outburst and simply pulled Dugu Yi to sit on the other side of the bench.

Gu Xinyao sat beside Dugu Yi. She didn't particularly care about Dugu Nan’s fate. Call her cold-blooded or indifferent, she didn't care; as long as the people she loved were safe, she had no interest in managing anyone else.

***

As everyone watched with bated breath, the emergency room light finally flickered off. The doors opened, and a surgeon in white scrubs emerged, wearing a mask. There was a flicker of hesitation in the eyes visible above the mask.

"Doctor, how is my daughter?" Dugu Yuqing asked urgently. Even the weeping Lady Sun stopped and rushed over, looking at the doctor with desperation.

"Madam Dugu, your daughter’s life has been saved, but…" The doctor paused, her brows knitted tightly.

The Lady Sun, anxious from the pause, grabbed the doctor’s sleeve and demanded, "Tell us! What is wrong with my daughter?"

The doctor looked at the Lady Sun, then at Dugu Yuqing.

"Doctor Duan, please speak. Whatever it is, we can handle it," Dugu Yuqing said in a steady voice. After this ordeal, he seemed to have aged ten years, and his once indifferent, distant eyes were now clouded with sorrow.

"I am not sure of the perpetrator's motives, but the impact caused severe damage to your daughter’s reproductive system. To save her life, we must remove it entirely. However, if we do this, she will never be able to have children of her own." The doctor spoke each word with cautious solemnity.

The Lady Sun tightened his grip on the doctor’s sleeve. His eyes widened to the point where they seemed ready to pop from his sockets. His expression went blank, frozen in place.

"You… you mean…" Dugu Yuqing asked, his voice trembling and fragmented. He could not believe that his precious daughter would face such a fate.

"Madam Dugu, please make a decision quickly. If we wait, I fear for your daughter’s life," the doctor said, removing her mask. She was a renowned surgeon who had saved countless lives, but in this case, she was truly helpless. She wanted to save the girl, but the reality was a brutal choice between two paths.

Dugu Yuqing stepped back, feeling as though his heart were shattering. He suppressed the metallic taste of blood rising in his throat and steadied himself. "Please, save Xiao Nan’s life. As long as she is alive, nothing else matters."

The doctor nodded. After Dugu Yuqing pulled the Lady Sun’s hand away, she immediately returned to the emergency room. The nurse followed, handing the consent forms to Dugu Yuqing before rushing back inside.

The Lady Sun, stunned by the news, only reacted after the doctor had returned to the room. He pounded on the doors until Dugu Yuqing pulled him away. He screamed, but he was forced to face the reality that his daughter would never be able to bear children.

Dugu Yi watched the man weeping in his mother’s arms, a surge of pity and sympathy for Dugu Nan welling up inside him. He wanted to go over and comfort the Lady Sun, but his hands were pulled back by Gu Xinyao and Gu Yu. He looked at his wife and father, both of whom shook their heads.

He was usually calm, but his heart was in disarray.

"Don't go over there. He is not in a rational state; he might hurt you," Gu Xinyao whispered. Even though her relationship with Dugu Nan was poor, she felt no joy at this outcome. She, too, could no longer have children; she understood the despair of having one's life legacy cut short. Because of that, she could forgive the Lady Sun’s previous insults.

Perhaps that is how people are—when others lose something too, one feels a sense of equilibrium. Humans are selfish, hypocritical, and arrogant, she thought with a self-deprecating smile.

Dugu Yi’s handsome face was pale. He suddenly realized that Gu Xinyao was in the same situation as Dugu Nan; both had been told they could no longer have heirs. He broke free from his father’s hand and silently gripped Gu Xinyao’s, offering wordless comfort.

Gu Xinyao shook her head, indicating she was fine.

Nearby, the Lady Sun’s wailing had stopped. Just as it seemed they would be consumed by the deathly silence, the Lady Sun broke free from Dugu Yuqing and lunged at Gu Xinyao and Dugu Yi. He swung a heavy hand—a blow so sudden that no one could intervene and the target could not evade. It landed squarely.

Gu Xinyao stood up abruptly. She grabbed the Lady Sun’s thin wrist. Tears still hung on his face, but his eyes were filled with pure hatred.

"If you want to hit someone, hit me! What kind of skill is it to hit my husband?" Gu Xinyao’s eyes were ablaze with anger. She hadn't expected the Lady Sun to lash out at Dugu Yi. Seeing the bright red handprint on Dugu Yi’s pale face, she felt a pang of deep heartache.

The Lady Sun shook off her hand and sneered coldly, "I hate you both. Hit you? Hitting you would only cause you physical pain. Hitting him makes you ache inside. I want you to taste the feeling of a broken heart."

***

Having said that, the Lady Sun returned to Dugu Yuqing’s side. He stopped crying and simply stared straight at the signal light.

Gu Xinyao raised her hand, gritted her teeth, and lowered it again. She sat back down, watching Dugu Yi, who stared blankly ahead as if he felt nothing from the slap.

Frowning, she stood up again and hurried to the nurse’s station at the corner of the corridor. She returned with ice packs and gauze and began gently rolling them over Dugu Yi’s face. He looked at her, his eyes flashing with a mix of worry and something else she couldn't quite decipher.

More time passed until the piercing red light finally went out. The Lady Sun, Dugu Yuqing, the Lady He, and Dugu Ning followed the staff to the intensive care unit.

Dugu Yi sat motionless on the bench, and Gu Xinyao watched him with concern.

Gu Yu stood up and said to Gu Xinyao, "Xinyao, take good care of Yi. It’s too late; you two should go home first. I’ll go check on her."

Gu Xinyao nodded, watching Gu Yu walk toward the intensive care unit.

"Let… let’s go," Dugu Yi said suddenly in the silent space. His voice was low and raspy.

Gu Xinyao assumed he meant going home. She removed the ice pack and helped him up, saying, "Alright, let’s go home. Dugu Nan is out of danger now; she’s going to be fine."

Dugu Yi shook his head. Gu Xinyao didn't understand. "If you don't want to go home, where do you want to go?"

Yi had been strange today. Ever since he heard about Dugu Nan’s condition, he had been acting differently.

"Let’s leave the Dugu family. I… I will go with you." He said it with firm resolve. Perhaps his previous silence had been his way of making the decision.

Gu Xinyao froze, then joy welled up in her heart. He was finally willing to leave with her. This meant they could start a new life in a place without the Dugu family—just the two of them, with no one left to interfere.

"Okay! Let’s go home, pack our things, and leave immediately!" The thought of a new beginning made her want to leave right then.

Dugu Yi held her back and shook his head, his face still pale. "No, Xinyao, not immediately. Let’s wait until Xiao Nan is discharged. When I am certain she has recovered, we will leave. Is that okay?"

His pleading gaze made it impossible for her to refuse. He was such a kind soul; how could she bear to disappoint him?

"Fine! We will wait until she recovers. But promise me, don't come to the hospital alone. Okay?" She had to make this request; the waters of the Dugu family were too deep, and she didn't want him sinking so far that he couldn't climb out.

Dugu Yi agreed. The night was growing late, and the doctor had said the anesthesia would take time to wear off. Gu Xinyao felt there was no point in waiting, so she persuaded Dugu Yi to head home.

*Author's Note: I intended to make the heroine suffer, but I ended up tormenting the hero instead. Alas, you sweet, kind man, I have wronged you again. o(n_n)o~*