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Join the ServerGu Qiuhang knew He Ting wanted to visit Meng Ling, and he also knew He Ting was hiding the truth out of consideration for his feelings.
But he wanted to force He Ting to be honest with him. Whether the truth was good or bad, he wanted the real, unguarded He Ting.
Not because he wanted to strip away his defenses himself, but because he wanted He Ting to willingly take them off in front of him and stand before him without reservation.
He knew he was selfish. And greedy.
When they arrived at the hospital, Meng Ling’s parents had gone out for dinner. He Ting had deliberately chosen dinnertime to avoid them.
Gu Qiuhang didn’t go inside. He waited outside the hospital room.
Meng Ling lay on the bed, pale as a sheet of paper, staring blankly at the ceiling as though a gust of wind could blow him away.
He was in a private room. The silence inside was absolute.
His dream had shattered into dust the night before. Fate had crushed him into the mud.
If not for the pain in his body reminding him otherwise, he would have believed it had all been a nightmare.
The past replayed over and over in his mind.
He realized that many times, he could have escaped disaster.
But he hadn’t.
Again and again, he had rushed toward it without hesitation.
Stupid. Ridiculous.
Even after ending up like this, he was only fit to be laughed at.
Not pitied.
Not that he wanted pity.
But pity was still better than mockery and disgust.
The sound of the door opening was soft, but it still startled him.
His dark eyes slowly turned toward the door. When he saw who it was, some life finally returned to his blank expression.
Tears rolled down his face in heavy drops.
He reached out his hand.
He Ting stepped forward and took it.
His voice was raw and hoarse.
“I’m sorry, Ge. I almost got you hurt. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have ignored you.”
His eyes were filled with fear.
“Does everyone know now? I’m so scared, Ge. I’m finished.”
All of his vanity and cleverness had been crushed by terror.
There was only fear.
Overwhelming fear.
He Ting didn’t try to comfort him with empty words.
He simply held his hand tighter.
Meng Ling had to face this day eventually.
He had been too impatient, too eager for shortcuts.
If not today, then tomorrow.
What He Ting feared most was not Meng Ling’s suffering.
He feared that Meng Ling would refuse to repent, become bitter toward the world, and give himself up completely.
Holding his hand now, He Ting finally felt relieved.
On the way here, he had already discussed it with Gu Qiuhang.
Once Meng Ling recovered, they would send him abroad to study.
He Ting still had some money, enough to support Meng Ling’s life overseas.
If he truly regretted what had happened, it wasn’t too late to start over.
He was willing to give him one chance.
He told Meng Ling about the plan, keeping the money part to himself for the time being.
He didn’t trust Meng Ling’s parents.
Even so, a faint light appeared in Meng Ling’s dead, lifeless eyes.
His broken heart had finally found a trace of comfort.
He Ting had come in a hurry and left in a hurry.
He was afraid of running into that couple.
Meng Ling opened his mouth as if to ask him to stay, but in the end, he said nothing.
Before He Ting left, Meng Ling told him that his parents wanted to go to the Gu family and force Gu Donghang to take responsibility.
If that failed, they would at least extort a large sum of money.
He Ting nodded.
It was exactly what he had expected.
They didn’t care whether Meng Ling would ever be happy.
Even after everything that had happened, they still wanted to push him back into the tiger’s den.
His heart turned cold.
It had been a busy and bittersweet day.
Full of danger.
Full of sweetness.
The constant swings between fear and happiness had left his heart almost numb.
Gu Qiuhang had returned from his business trip with a mountain of work waiting for him.
But now he had no choice but to set it aside and deal with the family crisis first.
There were things he had planned to handle gradually.
Now they could no longer be delayed.
Before that, however, he first took He Ting to dinner.
The Gu residence was terrifyingly quiet.
Only the lights in the main house were on.
The pressure spilling from that illuminated doorway seemed to seep into the dark night itself.
The closer they got, the heavier the atmosphere became.
He Ting pulled Gu Qiuhang into a dark corner and asked uneasily, “Gu Qiuhang, are you scared?”
Gu Qiuhang wrapped an arm around his waist and brushed his nose lightly against his ear.
“No.”
Then he asked softly, “What about you? If you’re scared, stay behind me. I’ll protect you.”
He Ting leaned into his embrace, surrounded by the familiar warmth and scent of him.
“With you here, I’m not afraid.”
Gu Qiuhang’s dry lips brushed the corner of his mouth.
“Tang Xi.”
He called his name quietly.
“No matter what happens in the future, you’re not allowed to leave me.”
He Ting nodded softly.
Gu Qiuhang continued, “Even if you think leaving is for my sake, you’re still not allowed.”
He Ting nodded again against his chest.
“If you leave me, I’ll…”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
He Ting hugged him tightly.
“I won’t leave. No matter what happens, I won’t.”
As expected, Gu Heng had returned.
He was sitting in the living room with Tong Yuemei.
He had grown old.
His health was poor.
Worry and exhaustion had aged him several years overnight.
Since the previous night, they had been running everywhere for Gu Donghang, hiring lawyers, reviewing surveillance footage, calling in favors.
Trying to get him out of this.
They had finally found a small glimmer of hope.
But He Ting’s recording had destroyed it completely.
Gu Heng remained relatively calm when he saw Gu Qiuhang.
Tong Yuemei, however, had reached her breaking point.
Anger, desperation, and panic had twisted her entire face.
She shot to her feet.
Gone was her usual elegance.
She looked like an enraged leopard as she charged toward them.
She didn’t dare touch Gu Qiuhang.
Instead, she raised her hand and struck toward He Ting.
Gu Qiuhang caught her wrist and flung her violently to the floor.
Gu Heng roared, “Gu Qiuhang! Have you forgotten all family discipline? You dare lay hands on your elder now? Kneel down!”
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Read : Illusionary Dream
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