The next day, deep into the night.

Su Hua's fingers still ached, tossing and turning in bed, she finally fell asleep.

Gu Beixian lay beside her, holding her in his arms.

Suddenly, the phone vibrated.

Not wanting to wake Su Hua, Gu Beixian silenced it and gently withdrew his arm from under her neck, intending to take the call outside.

But as he was halfway out, Su Hua woke up.

She slowly opened her eyes, drowsy, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Gu Beixian pointed at the phone, "I'm going to take a call outside."

"Just take it here, don't go out, it's cold outside," she said considerately.

Gu Beixian hummed in response, answered the call, and asked, "Mochen, what's up?"

Chu Mochen, Chu Suosuo's brother, said politely, "Sorry to disturb you so late. Suosuo's hand was smashed with a hammer, four fingers on her left hand are shattered, she's in bad shape, crying and asking to see you. Can you come over now?"

Gu Beixian's expression changed, he sat up and asked, "When did this happen?"

"A couple of hours ago."

Gu Beixian's brows furrowed, "I'll be right there."

"Thanks, I'll send the room number to your phone."

"Okay."

After hanging up, Gu Beixian quickly started unbuttoning his pajamas.

Seeing his urgency, Su Hua had an intuition that once he left, he probably wouldn't return tonight.

He'd likely care for Chu Suosuo as he did for her, with hugs and comfort, tender and soothing.

Su Hua felt a stabbing pain in her heart.

Remembering Xiao Yi's advice, to act spoiled when it's time, to show weakness when necessary, or she wouldn't stand a chance against Chu Suosuo.

She couldn't bring herself to act spoiled now, but showing weakness was possible, after all, it was a woman's nature.

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around Gu Beixian's waist and buried her head in his chest.

Clearly, she didn't want him to leave.

Gu Beixian paused unbuttoning, touched her head, and softly said, "Be good, I'll just take a look and come back."

Su Hua refused to let go, still clinging tightly to his waist, pleading softly, "Can you wait until dawn? When it's light, I'll go with you."

Gu Beixian frowned slightly, his voice tinged with mild displeasure, "You're always so understanding, what's gotten into you tonight?"

He was subtly accusing her of being unreasonable.

Su Hua thought, if being unreasonable was what it took, then so be it.

Three years of marriage, and she had never been unreasonable, but tonight would be an exception.

At this point, it wasn't so much about love anymore, it had become a contest between her and Chu Suosuo.

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She was just fed up with Chu Suosuo, clearly and utterly fed up.

She had never felt such repulsion towards anyone before.

Gu Beixian waited for a while, but seeing she still wouldn't let go, he lifted her fingers off his waist one by one.

He changed his clothes and left.

Su Hua stared blankly at the closed door, her pride shattered.

Just a few more hours until dawn, and he couldn't wait.

No matter what a stand-in does, she can never outshine his childhood sweetheart.

Su Hua laughed mockingly at herself, enduring the pain in her hand, she got out of bed and locked the door from the inside.

She lay back down, her eyes reddening, feeling terribly sad.

Gu Beixian arrived at Chu Suosuo's hospital room.

She had just been transferred back from the operating room, curled up in pain on the bed, pale and with swollen, red eyes.

She looked utterly worn out.

Her four broken fingers were splinted, her hand swollen, the skin stretched thin, the wounds a ghastly sight.

Hua Qirou was sobbing breathlessly.

Chu's father stood by the corridor window, smoking one cigarette after another.

Seeing Gu Beixian, Chu Mochen came over and said politely, "Beixian, sorry for calling you over so late, it's a hassle."

"It's fine."

Gu Beixian said flatly, approached the bed, leaned over, and softly called, "Suosuo."

Chu Suosuo had been staring blankly.

Hearing Gu Beixian's voice, she slowly turned her head.

Seeing his face, she burst into tears.

Gu Beixian sat down by the bed, gently patting her arm, "Suosuo, be strong."

Chu Suosuo's tears fell like rain, she sobbed, "My hand, Brother Beixian, my hand is ruined."

Gu Beixian comforted her, "You're young, it will heal."

"It won't, it's a comminuted fracture, the bone fragments were pieced together, my life is over," Chu Suosuo cried in despair, heart-wrenchingly.

Gu Beixian watched her cry, but his mind was filled with the image of Su Hua's hopeless gaze when her fingers were broken.

He took a tissue, gently wiped her tears, and coaxed, "Don't cry, be optimistic."

"I can't be optimistic, wuu wuu wuu."

No matter how long he comforted Chu Suosuo, she kept crying.

Gu Beixian grew restless, glanced at his watch.

It had been almost an hour.

Su Hua must be angry.

He pondered for a moment, took out a card from his wallet, placed it on the bedside table, "I came in a hurry, didn't bring anything, this is a little something from me, the PIN is 618618. It's late, Su Hua is waiting for me in the ward, I should go back."

Chu Suosuo immediately stopped crying.

She looked at him incredulously, her voice hoarse, "Brother Beixian, I'm like this, and you still want to leave?"

"Yes, I'll come see you tomorrow."

"Don't go, please?" Chu Suosuo's eyes welled up, her mouth quivering as she reached for his hand, an IV needle still in her hand.

She looked pitifully fragile and helpless.

Gu Beixian was silent for a while, then gently withdrew his hand, softly saying, "Be good, you have your parents and brother with you, Su Hua only has me."

Chu Suosuo was not satisfied, "Doesn't she have her mother too?"

"Her grandmother is hospitalized, her mother is taking care of her these days."

Chu Suosuo was extremely disappointed, "Brother Beixian, you've changed, you used to care for me so much, you would stay with me all night even if I had a fever."

She started crying again.

Chu Mochen frowned, and said to Gu Beixian, "Beixian, you should go back, Suosuo has us to take care of her."

Gu Beixian nodded slightly to him, stood up, and asked, "Who did it, have they been caught?"

Chu Mochen shook his head, "No. The person cornered Suosuo in the underground parking lot, as soon as she got out of the car, she was knocked out, dragged to a corner, and her left hand was smashed with a hammer. Nothing valuable was taken from her bag, she wasn't violated, it wasn't robbery or rape, it was clearly revenge."

Gu Beixian thoughtfully said, "I'll have someone look into it."

"No need, we've already reported it to the police, thanks."

"Okay." Gu Beixian turned and walked out.

As soon as the door closed.

Chu Suosuo grabbed a pillow and threw it to the ground, bursting into tears.

She cried so hard she could hardly breathe, choking, "I've been childhood sweethearts with Brother Beixian for over a decade, why can't I compare to his three-year marriage with Su Hua? Wuu wuu wuu, I hate her, I hate that country bumpkin!"

Chu Mochen picked up the pillow and put it back on the bed, "When you were with Gu Beixian, he was proud and spirited. But when Su Hua was with him, it was his most difficult and desperate days. As the saying goes, adversity reveals true feelings, your decade can't compare to their three years."

Chu Suosuo's emotions spiraled out of control, she yelled at him, "Why are you taking her side? Are you my real brother or hers?"

"I'm being objective, helping you analyze rationally," Chu Mochen said calmly.

Chu Suosuo cried even harder.

Chu's father stood by, quietly said, "Mochen, just say less, your sister's hand is injured like that."

Gu Beixian returned to Su Hua's ward, pushed the door but it wouldn't budge.

It was locked from the inside.

He knocked for a long time, Su Hua wouldn't open it, nor would she answer her phone.

He rubbed his forehead, called the bodyguard to find a way to unlock it.

A few minutes later, the door was opened.

Gu Beixian entered.

Su Hua lay on the bed, facing away, ignoring him.

Gu Beixian changed into pajamas, lay beside her, and pulled her into his arms.

Su Hua struggled, but couldn't break free, her eyes red, her voice cold, "Prepare the divorce papers tomorrow."

Gu Beixian's grip tightened, he was silent for a long time, his Adam's apple moved, "Let's sleep, it's late."

After dawn, Gu Beixian had breakfast with Su Hua.

He reached out to touch her face, his eyes tender, "I have a meeting this morning, I'll come back at noon to have lunch with you."

Su Hua turned her head away, her tone indifferent, "No need, don't forget about the divorce papers."

Gu Beixian's face darkened, "Grandma is very ill lately, and your hand is injured, let's talk about it later."

He stood up, changed clothes, and left.

After the doctor changed her bandages, Su Hua picked up a book, sitting quietly on the bed reading.

Around noon, the bodyguard knocked and said, "Madam, Miss Chu's mother is outside, she wants to see you."

Su Hua was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Let her in."

The door opened, Hua Qirou walked in with swollen eyes, glaring at Su Hua, teeth clenched, "It was you, wasn't it?"

Su Hua was taken aback, "What?"

"You had someone smash Suosuo's hand with a hammer, didn't you?"

Su Hua's expression paused briefly, then calmly replied, "It wasn't me."

Hua Qirou stepped forward, grabbed Su Hua's collar, "You vicious girl, you have such a cruel heart! You stole Suosuo's love and now you want to smash her hand! I only have one daughter, I've cherished her, afraid of her getting sunburned, afraid of her melting in my mouth, and you smashed her hand! I'm going to fight you today!"

Sister Liu, hearing the commotion, rushed out of the bathroom and pulled Hua Qirou away from Su Hua.

Hua Qirou was held back by Sister Liu, still lunging forward, cursing and reaching out to hit Su Hua.

"Slut," "wretched girl," "country bumpkin," all sorts of swear words kept jumping out of her mouth.

She was the spitting image of a shrew.

Su Hua listened quietly, for a good seven or eight minutes, then said to Sister Liu, "Sister Liu, please step aside."

Sister Liu hesitated, then slowly let go of Hua Qirou and stepped aside.

Su Hua grabbed the cup from the bedside table and smashed it against Hua Qirou's face.

"Bang!"

A loud noise!

The stainless steel thermos cup hit her nose hard.

Blood gushed out immediately!

Su Hua pointed to the door and commanded, "Get out!"