Chapter 562: Sorry for making you wait for so long.

Fu Chenxuan’s complexion changed instantly, and without a glance at Lin Jing, he dashed straight to his car and drove off. Lin Jing watched, speechless, as his car vanished from view, concern shining in her eyes. Had something happened? She had never seen Fu Chenxuan so unsettled before.

She tried calling Fu Chenxuan but got no answer. Considering he might be driving, she gave up and sent him a WeChat message before hailing a cab homeward.

Fu Chenxuan raced the entire way, heedless of how many red lights he’d run, only coming to a halt at the Military District Hospital.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the door of the hospital room. Facing the closed door, he suddenly lacked the courage to push it open. His hand hesitated mid-air when the door suddenly opened, and a nurse stepped out. She gave Fu Chenxuan a look that contained a flicker of amazement, "Are you a family member?"

The patient inside was an enigma, having been hospitalized for two days already with only the occasional police visit on the first day, otherwise seemingly abandoned.

Fu Chenxuan paused and then nodded.

The nurse seemed to think as much and concluded he must be a distant relative who’d only just managed to arrive. Observing his sweaty form, she assumed he must care deeply for the woman inside, envy sparkling in her eyes, as if the patient were a woman who had saved the Milky Way.

"Go on in, the doctor is changing her dressings," the nurse commented before excusing herself to fetch more medicine.

Fu Chenxuan nodded and, under the nurse’s gaze, walked slowly into the hospital room.

The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant, and his gaze immediately found the woman on the bed, who seemed even thinner than before, gaunt to the point of emaciation, pale, with wounds all over her face, garbed in a hospital gown. The only thing unchanged were those clear, sparkling eyes.

Gu Qingzhu!

Gu Qingzhu saw him as well, and their eyes met in wordless understanding.

The doctor was disinfecting her wounds; the sting of alcohol made Gu Qingzhu wince slightly, yet she maintained her silence, her gaze fixed on Fu Chenxuan.

"The wound is healing well, just make sure to rest and avoid contact with water," the doctor finished, giving his instructions. He had been aware of the new arrival but had chosen not to interfere.

Standing upright, the doctor finally addressed Fu Chenxuan, "Are you her relative?"

Fu Chenxuan nodded, and Gu Qingzhu’s gaze flickered.

"Doctor, are her injuries serious?"

The doctor, now fully aware of Fu Chenxuan’s relation, looked at him disapprovingly, "She’s been critically injured, nearly lost her life. How serious do you think it is?"

Fu Chenxuan’s eyes darkened as he listened to the doctor, his expression growing increasingly grave.

"Doctor Lu, a patient is calling for you," the nurse reappeared, allowing Fu Chenxuan and Gu Qingzhu a moment of reprieve.

Fu Chenxuan stared at Gu Qingzhu, lips pressed tightly together, but it was Gu Qingzhu who spoke first, "Fu Chenxuan." She called his name.

Fu Chenxuan stood motionless, his demeanor frosty, "Now you acknowledge knowing me?" Hadn’t she acted as if she didn’t recognize him before? Now that she’d gotten herself into this state, whom did she expect to feel sorry for her?

Gu Qingzhu stared back at him, saying nothing, until Fu Chenxuan could stand it no longer. He approached, towering over her, "Gu Qingzhu, I need an explanation." She had disappeared for four years without a trace.

Gu Qingzhu pursed her lips, "I’m sorry, I made you wait."

"Who said I was waiting for you?" Fu Chenxuan scoffed.

Gu Qingzhu didn’t take offense, knowing well that Fu Chenxuan harbored much resentment, but she had had no choice at the time, "I’m sorry."

"Gu Qingzhu, what am I to you? A toy for your amusement, to be tossed aside when you’re finished?" Fu Chenxuan’s eyes were tinged with redness.

She gazed into his eyes and reached to hold his hand. He tried to pull away but paused upon seeing the IV needle in her hand, and he did not let go.

"If you’re really angry, you can hit me, and I promise not to fight back," Gu Qingzhu said earnestly.

Fu Chenxuan glared at her, incredulous. Even if she hadn’t been injured, could he bring himself to hit her? How easily she suggested it.

"Gu Qingzhu, don’t you owe me an explanation?"

"I’m sorry." She still couldn’t tell him now. Although the case was closed, her identity hadn’t been restored yet; she was still Song Bing, a DF agent. The room was unguarded due to the final stage of the operation—in fact, Fu Chenxuan shouldn’t have come here; who knew if someone was watching from the shadows?

"You should leave. Don’t attempt to see me for a while," Gu Qingzhu spoke indifferently. Once everything was settled, she would seek him out. She didn’t know why Fu Chenxuan had found this place, but his presence was too risky now.

Fu Chenxuan laughed coldly, "Gu Qingzhu." His eyes blazed with anger; he had barely arrived, and she was already sending him away.

Gu Qingzhu released his hand and looked down. "Let’s go, right now."

Yet, Fu Chenxuan just sat down haughtily, a trace of a smile at the corner of his lips. "You say go and we go, come and we come. Am I that obedient?"

Gu Qingzhu’s eyes subtly changed. "Do you really have to be stubborn with me at this time?"

Fu Chenxuan sat there steadily, returning her gaze.

**

At the Fu Family residence, Shen Qinglan looked at Fu Hengyi, who had just put down his phone, and raised an eyebrow, "Are we telling Chenxuan right now that everything’s fine?"

Fu Hengyi started, "The operation is over; Gu Qingzhu’s mission has ended." The remaining matters were for the police to handle, his people were naturally being pulled back; after all, they had been on loan for four years.

"Weren’t the police spreading out around the hospital?" Shen Qinglan knew from what Fu Hengyi had mentioned before that this police operation had nabbed several big fish. However, a few fish did not participate in this operation and were still out there, so the message about the big fish getting netted was not released publicly. Instead, the news of Song Bing’s capture was made public to see if those other fish would come to "rescue their companion."

"Those nets will probably be useless." Fu Hengyi said. Gu Qingzhu had actually been captured during those days she was missing and had undergone some torture. When their men found her, although she wasn’t missing limbs, she was barely alive. If they had been any later, there might no longer be someone called Gu Qingzhu in this world.

Shen Qinglan understood Fu Hengyi’s words immediately, and what worried her even more was how Fu Chenxuan would react to this affair. Although it was Gu Qingzhu who had actively requested to go undercover, it was Fu Hengyi who had agreed to it and kept it hidden from him for four years. If Fu Chenxuan became obstinate about it, it might create a rift between father and son.

Fu Hengyi knew her worries and comforted her, "Chenxuan is not that kind of kid; he will understand."

Shen Qinglan scoffed lightly, understanding was one thing, but were reason and emotion the same? That man really had nerve.

It wasn’t that Fu Hengyi was overly confident, rather he had faith in the son he had raised himself.

"After this mission, Gu Qingzhu will return to the military unit, won’t she?" Shen Qinglan asked.

"Yes, but her formal rejoining will take some time." After all, she had been undercover for four years; there were a lot of steps to be taken, including a psychological evaluation. In short, it was all quite troublesome.

Interest flickered in Shen Qinglan’s eyes, "How do you evaluate Gu Qingzhu?" She was very curious about her husband’s opinion of this girl.

"Hardworking, intelligent."

Shen Qinglan’s eyebrows lifted slightly, "Is that all?"

Fu Hengyi looked at her calmly, "What else do you want to hear?"

Shen Qinglan shrugged. Well, she thought, it made sense. Gu Qingzhu had been sent to go undercover during military school and wasn’t really a soldier under Fu Hengyi’s command. It was normal for him not to know her very well.

"I’d like to visit her at the hospital in person one day, would that be appropriate?"

Fu Hengyi nodded, "If you want to go, just go. I’ll accompany you, but in a few days." They had to wait until the police had completely wrapped up their operation.

Shen Qinglan nodded, clearly understanding the intricate situation. However...

"You’re just going to let Chenxuan go over there, are you sure about that?" She knew that the police hadn’t fully wrapped up the operation and sending Fu Chenxuan in that direction was like pushing her son into a pit of fire.

Even though she said this, Shen Qinglan’s expression was very calm, showing no sign of worry about her son being thrust into a "pit of fire."

"If he can’t handle even this much, then he’s not my son," Fu Hengyi said calmly, his demeanor even more composed than Shen Qinglan’s.

Shen Qinglan gave him an irritated look. This man always had a mysterious confidence, both in himself and in his son.

For three consecutive days, Fu Chenxuan did not come home. It had already been a week since Gu Qingzhu was admitted to the hospital, and the people the police were waiting for hadn’t shown up. They had to admit, those people were not coming. Fortunately, they were not particularly important targets; their escape was not too regrettable.

Today, Shen Qinglan arrived at the hospital, standing at the door of the ward. She glanced inside and saw Fu Chenxuan standing in front of Gu Qingzhu’s bed, both of them staring each other down with wide eyes.

Something was off with this atmosphere; had they had a fight? Shen Qinglan exchanged a glance with Fu Hengyi and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Fu Chenxuan replied irritably.

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow at his temper, pushed open the door, and entered. Fu Chenxuan, upon seeing his parents, was startled at first, then quickly composed himself, "Dad, Mom, what brings you here?"

Gu Qingzhu hadn’t expected Fu Chenxuan’s parents to visit, and the previously cold-faced Gu Qingzhu suddenly became nervous. She glanced at Fu Hengyi, "Commander Fu." Looking at Shen Qinglan, she hesitated, unsure of how to address her.

Shen Qinglan smiled and said, "Just call me auntie."

"Good afternoon, Auntie," Gu Qingzhu greeted.

"Are you feeling better?" Shen Qinglan asked with concern. Gu Qingzhu nodded her head; the smaller cuts on her body had all healed, and even the more serious injuries were in the process of recovery.

"You can return to your unit after you’re discharged from the hospital. Someone will contact you then," Fu Hengyi spoke indifferently, his expression serious. He was always stern with strangers.

"Yes," Gu Qingzhu responded.

"Daddy, have you eaten yet?" Fu Chenxuan changed the subject, as it was almost lunchtime.

"We have eaten before coming. Have you two eaten?" Shen Qinglan asked very gently.

Fu Chenxuan shook his head; he had been too busy being angry with Gu Qingzhu to have time for food. "Daddy, I’ll go down and buy something to eat," he said as he left the hospital room without asking what Gu Qingzhu might like to eat.

"Commander Fu, is my mission fully completed?" Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi not speaking made Gu Qingzhu feel somewhat awkward, so she sought out a topic.

Fu Hengyi nodded his head, "It’s over."

Gu Qingzhu breathed a sigh of relief. For the past four years, she had lived in trepidation, and now she could finally lay down the burden on her shoulders.

Knowing that Gu Qingzhu felt uncomfortable around them, Shen Qinglan actively engaged in conversation with her on a new topic, and the chat between Gu Qingzhu and Shen Qinglan turned out to be very pleasant.

Fu Hengyi didn’t join their conversation. He sat to one side, holding his phone, and looked at military news.

When Fu Chenxuan returned, Gu Qingzhu and Shen Qinglan were in the middle of a lively chat. Gu Qingzhu had seen Shen Qinglan’s photo in news reports and had also glimpsed her from a distance once, initially thinking she might not be easy to get along with. To her surprise, she found Shen Qinglan to be so approachable and knowledgeable. She now somewhat understood why Fu Chenxuan had said that the person he loved the most was his mother, and the person he admired the most was also his mother.

Shen Qinglan glanced at the food Fu Chenxuan had brought back; there weren’t many dishes that he liked, so they must be Gu Qingzhu’s favorites.

Although Fu Chenxuan’s expression was blank, he placed each of Gu Qingzhu’s favorite dishes in front of her. Shen Qinglan watched from the side, not jealous at all that her son was caring for another girl, but rather quite interested.

Shen Qinglan still had a few things to say to her son, so when Fu Chenxuan went out to dispose of the trash, she followed him out, and it just so happened that Fu Hengyi also had some questions to ask Gu Qingzhu.

"Chenxuan, come walk with me downstairs," Shen Qinglan said to her son.

Fu Chenxuan pursed his lips lightly, "Okay."

"Do you blame your father?" Shen Qinglan asked softly.

Fu Chenxuan knew what his mother meant and shook his head, "I’ve never blamed him." Gu Qingzhu had already told him all the details, and this matter was largely due to Gu Qingzhu’s own willingness.

"Do you regret dropping out of military academy now?"

"There’s nothing to regret." That’s just not Fu Chenxuan’s temperament; his decision to drop out might have seemed impulsive, but it was actually well-considered—a reflection of the frightening aspect of his character; no matter how out of control, he always maintained a bit of rationality.

Fu Hengyi had once claimed that he would make a very good commander. Unfortunately, Fu Chenxuan eventually did not follow the path his father had hoped for, which was a bit of a pity for Fu Hengyi.

"Gu Qingzhu is the girl in your heart, isn’t she? Now that her mission has ended and she will return to the army, do you want to continue being with her?" This mattered in regards to his son’s lifetime happiness, and as his mother, Shen Qinglan could not help but inquire.

Fu Chenxuan looked steadily at Shen Qinglan, "Mom, if I want to be with her, would you and Dad agree?"

"Chenxuan, Gu Qingzhu is a good girl, and I, your mother, am not a parent blinded by feudal superstition who insists on an equal match. It’s your own future, and a good decision made by you is enough. However, you and she haven’t seen each other for four years, and so much has happened in between. There have inevitably been changes in each other’s lives. I hope you can take some time to reacquaint with each other and confirm if you both are still the ones you wish to be with for life. That is being responsible to yourselves."

Fu Chenxuan took his mother’s words to heart and had his own plans on how to proceed. After walking for a while downstairs with his mother, they returned to the hospital room. Fu Hengyi prepared to leave upon seeing his wife return; he and Gu Qingzhu had already finished discussing their matters.

After his parents left, Fu Chenxuan sat down opposite Gu Qingzhu, took out his phone, and idly browsed Weibo without speaking to Gu Qingzhu.

Gu Qingzhu watched Fu Chenxuan in silence, feeling helpless, "Do you want me to get out of bed and coax you?"

Fu Chenxuan remained silent.

Gu Qingzhu threw off the blanket and pretended to get out of bed. Fu Chenxuan’s eyes widened as he watched her. Gu Qingzhu met his gaze, and eventually, Fu Chenxuan was the one to compromise and walked to the bedside, "You just want to drive me crazy."

Gu Qingzhu lay back down, took his hand, and shook it gently, "Chenxuan, let’s not be angry anymore, okay?"

Fu Chenxuan looked at her, considering her injuries all over her body, and couldn’t bear to continue being angry. He sighed, "Qingzhu, this should not happen again." If there is a next time, I really won’t want you anymore.

Gu Qingzhu’s lips lifted slightly, "Okay, this will not happen again." She would never leave without saying goodbye again, even if the situation had been sudden.

Fu Shuyi hadn’t seen his brother for several days, and his calls were always brief, so he was naturally curious and pestered his father, learning from Fu Hengyi’s mouth about the existence of Gu Qingzhu. Thus, he prepared some items and trotted off to the hospital.

He found out which hospital room Gu Qingzhu was in. The door to the room wasn’t closed, and he poked his head around the doorway, unwilling to step inside. Gu Qingzhu had long since noticed someone at the door and spoke indifferently, "Who’s out there? Come in."

Fu Shuyi pushed open the door and walked in. When she saw Gu Qingzhu clearly, she couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, "You are that sister from the other night."

Gu Qingzhu’s gaze flickered slightly. "Hello."

Fu Shuyi smiled. So this was the kind of woman her brother liked, a sister who was really good at fighting, carrying a hint of their mother.

"Hello, I’m Fu Chenxuan’s younger sister, my name is Fu Shuyi. We’ve met before, in the back alley on the bar street."

Gu Qingzhu nodded. "I know." The first time she had heard of Fu Shuyi was from Fu Chenxuan’s mouth, and with her striking resemblance to Shen Qinglan, guessing her identity was not a difficult task.

Gu Qingzhu’s eyes darted around. "Where’s my brother?"

"He had some business at the company and went back to deal with it," Gu Qingzhu replied.

"Oh." Fu Shuyi nodded and began to chat about this and that with Gu Qingzhu, who very patiently kept her company, not inquiring about the reason for her visit today.

"Sister Qingzhu, are you my brother’s girlfriend?" Fu Shuyi suddenly asked.

Gu Qingzhu was taken aback, realizing this was probably what Fu Shuyi was most keen to know. After a moment’s thought, she shook her head. She and Fu Chenxuan weren’t exactly boyfriend and girlfriend now, "I should be considered his ex-girlfriend."

Fu Shuyi was slightly stunned, evidently not expecting such an answer. She stared at her for a few seconds, then laughed, her eyes curving into crescents. Hmm, this girl was quite interesting, and she liked interesting people.

"By the way, Sister Qingzhu, what about your family? Why haven’t they come to the hospital to accompany you?"

Gu Qingzhu’s expression suddenly turned dim, "I don’t have family; they’re all gone."

Her mother had died from complications during childbirth, and her father, a soldier, had sacrificed himself on a mission when she was sixteen. She was raised by her grandmother, who also passed away from illness two years ago. Due to some issues with her identity, she wasn’t even able to see her grandmother for the last time.

"Sorry, Sister Qingzhu, I didn’t mean to..." Fu Shuyi was somewhat at a loss, genuinely not intending to probe into someone’s pain.

Gu Qingzhu smiled. "It’s okay, it’s the truth after all. There’s nothing that can’t be said." She had learned to face these facts calmly. After she got out of the hospital, she planned to visit her hometown, to see her dad, mom, and especially her grandmother.

Perhaps because of unintentionally bringing up a sore subject, Fu Shuyi became somewhat cautious in her speech, wary of saying something wrong again. Gu Qingzhu caught a glimpse of a smile in her eyes at Fu Shuyi’s demeanor.

Her cellphone rang—it was Fu Shuyi’s. She glanced at the number and a spark of joy flashed in her eyes. "Sister Qingzhu, I’ll take this call."

Gu Qingzhu nodded. Fu Shuyi took her phone and stepped out. She came back after a short while, "Sister Qingzhu, a friend has asked me out to watch a movie. I’ll leave now, but I’ll visit you another day."

Gu Qingzhu smiled faintly. "Okay."

**

On the other hand, Lin Jing hadn’t received a reply from Fu Chenxuan in the past few days. Worried something had happened to him, she went directly to his office. Instead of going up, she called him.

"Jingjing." Fu Chenxuan patted Lin Jing’s shoulder, bringing her back to reality. "Chenxuan, are you alright?"

Fu Chenxuan was slightly taken aback. "I’m fine."

"I sent you messages before, but you didn’t reply. And the way you left that day was so rushed. I thought something might have happened to you."

Fu Chenxuan felt awkward. "Sorry, I forgot to reply." He had seen the messages, but these past few days all his thoughts had been focused on Gu Qingzhu, so he had forgotten about calling Lin Jing.

"It’s good you’re okay." Lin Jing smiled indulgently. "Do you have time tonight? Let’s have dinner together."

"Jingjing, sorry, I have plans tonight. A friend is in the hospital, and I need to take care of her."

Lin Jing paused. A friend? Male or female? She pondered but didn’t ask aloud, "Is it serious?"

"It’s fine now, thank you for your concern," Fu Chenxuan replied with a faint smile.

Lin Jing observed the gentle look in Fu Chenxuan’s eyes and felt a sudden tightness in her heart. Oddly, she began to feel somewhat panicked, unsure of what exactly she was afraid of.

"Since that’s the case, I’ll be going now. We’ll get in touch another day," Lin Jing said hastily, leaving before Fu Chenxuan could respond.

"Jingjing, let me see you out," Fu Chenxuan said from behind her. He was headed to the hospital later and could drop Lin Jing off at home on the way.

Lin Jing waved her hand dismissively, not even looking back, and caught a taxi away. Fu Chenxuan frowned as he watched her leave. Lin Jing had been strange today. Had something happened? But she didn’t seem like she was in trouble. He shook his head, figuring he would ask her properly when he had the time.