Chapter 15: One Mouth Can't Outtalk Three

When Gu Yu hurried to the hospital, He Guilan had already finished her examination and was found to be in no serious condition. Yet she insisted on being admitted, complaining intermittently of headaches and heart pain.

“I’m sorry,” Tang Xi said apologetically, not expecting He Guilan to be so fragile. “I just exchanged a few words with her.”

“You’re just trying to drive my mother crazy,” Gu Wennuan shouted from the side. “You don’t see her as a mother-in-law at all, probably wishing she’d die sooner. How have we, the Gu family, offended you? You target me and Xiao Feng, and now you won’t even spare my mother.”

“I didn’t,” Tang Xi looked anxiously at Gu Yu, trying to explain, “If she hadn’t said those things, I wouldn’t have talked back to her.”

Gu Yu rubbed his forehead irritably. “Xixi, Mom is getting older and isn’t well. No matter what she says or does, you should respect and yield to her. If anything serious happens, we’ll regret it for life.”

“You claim to love my brother, but is this how you show it? You’re nothing but trouble for him,” Gu Wennuan scoffed. “You don’t even love his mother. Your love is so hypocritical.”

He Guilan sobbed as she pounded her fist on the bed, struggling to catch her breath. “What terrible thing did I do in my past life to deserve a daughter-in-law like this?”

Gu Yu and Gu Wennuan rushed forward with concern.

Watching the three of them, Tang Xi suddenly felt utterly out of place, as if a train had rushed through her mind, leaving only a buzzing sound. No matter what she said, it wasn’t a match for their three voices. When it came to family, Gu Yu always stood firmly on their side. Yes, he cared deeply for his family—but she was his family too!

Tang Xi stepped out of the ward just as Song Xining called her.

“That family is shameless,” Song Xining spat after hearing what had happened. “Like mother, like daughter.”

Tang Xi stood by the roadside as the steady stream of cars flowed past. The wind lifted her hair, blurring her vision.

“He Guilan is faking it,” Tang Xi confided. Her high school classmate, now a doctor, had told her that He Guilan was as robust as an ox and would never collapse suddenly like that.

Xiao Feng could feign fainting, and so could He Guilan—if one looked carefully, the deceit could be uncovered. But Gu Yu never did; he always believed what he saw at first glance, and because of that, he doubted her.

Her phone rang again—it was Gu Yu. Tang Xi didn’t answer and immediately hung up.

He Guilan sent another message, calling her an ungrateful wretch who ran around instead of caring for her mother-in-law in the hospital.

Tang Xi blocked her, out of sight, out of mind.

That evening, back home, Gu Yu was busy in the kitchen. On the coffee table lay the latest luxury handbag and her favorite Juliet roses, beneath which rested a handwritten note with three simple words: “I’m sorry.”

He had called her countless times and sent an endless stream of apologetic texts that were sincere and remorseful.

Gu Yu knew how to soothe and was humble enough to admit his mistakes first.

Tang Xi couldn’t resist the sincerity in his apologies. Though she verbally forgave him, a knot remained in her heart.

She didn’t know whether that knot would slowly unravel or tighten further.

Early the next morning, as Tang Xi went downstairs, Gu Yu met her.

They had planned to visit Mr. Zhou together today, but Gu Yu wore a worried frown.

“Wife, there’s been a problem at the film city. I have to fly there immediately.”

For Gu Yu to give up meeting Mr. Zhou showed the gravity of the situation.

“Is everything okay? Should I come with you?”

Gu Yu shook his head. “Tell Mr. Zhou I’m sorry on my behalf.”

Tang Xi watched him rush away, a faint confusion lingering in her heart. Why did the problem at the film city arise now, of all times?

If someone intended to stop him from meeting Mr. Zhou, their competitors didn’t have the means.

Unless Mr. Zhou himself didn’t want to see him—but that was even less likely.