Chapter 16 Relapse_1

Just as Gu Xiaonuan rolled up her sleeves, ready to make Si Yuchen blurt out a word to prove her innocence, her cell phone suddenly rang.

A familiar caller ID caused her heart to sink. "Brother, it's the hospital calling!" she said as she answered the phone and walked outside.

Gu Xijue, of course, followed her out. Before leaving, he extended his hand politely, "Director Si, it was a pleasure to meet you…"

Si Yuchen just glanced at him sideways, not shaking his hand, nor did he react excessively.

Gu Xijue did not seem embarrassed, naturally revealing a faint smile as he likewise left the faculty cafeteria.

As if they had never been there, the siblings did not cause any awkward commotion in the faculty cafeteria.

It seems that the only person who was never satisfied was her stepmother, perhaps she truly was the best candidate he had been searching for years without success.

Unable to help it, he smirked inscrutably, Si Yuchen said spiritedly, "Liang, that relative of yours who's barely connected, I've taken her on. Transfer her directly to our hospital."

Upon receiving the call, Shen Liang was prepared to be brushed off by Si Yuchen as a bother, but who would have thought he would take it over with such good spirits, "You're not joking with me, are you? Buddy, I don't want to disappoint my honey."

Si Yuchen sneered, determined, "Hesitate again and I'll immediately change my mind. Liang, the transfer will have to wait until tomorrow, I need to prepare."

Seeing the opportunity slipping away, Shen Liang immediately clinched the deal, thus settling the matter.

Gu Xijue's car sped on the highway; he had already run through five red lights.

"Nuannuan, don't worry, Aunt Shen will turn the tide this time as well."

Each time Mrs. Shen was critically ill, she managed to survive against all odds, and it would surely be the same this time.

Gu Xiaonuan stared vacantly ahead at the congested flow of traffic, her hands clenched over her chest, her eyes slightly squinted, as if in prayer.

Gu Xijue's words went unheard by her, her whole heart was fixated on her mother's condition.

Gu Xijue glanced at her through the rearview mirror, seeing her tremble with nervousness yet pretending to be strong, and something inside him softened.

When he first met Nuannuan as a child, she was so tender and pink, she didn't cry, only smiled.

From that moment on, he swore to protect her for life, but in the end, the person who hurt her the most, who made her the most miserable, was also himself.

When they arrived on the seventh floor, his heart nearly shattered at the sight through the ICU window.

The attending physician was performing defibrillation on her mother, and though she had witnessed defibrillation before, every time he announced an increase in voltage, her tears fell like broken pearls, unstoppable.

"Director Wu, the patient has no physiological signs."

After several attempts at defibrillation, Shen Biran still showed no physiological signs.

"Once more."

Her heart had risen to her throat; she didn't even know what could possibly keep her going if her mother were to leave.

Suddenly, she was enveloped in the warm and wide embrace of a man.

Her brother's body carried a faint scent of mint. Frowning, her swollen eyes were on the verge of spilling tears again.

"Nuannuan, you still have me."

He had rushed over immediately after parking, encountering Nuannuan's lonely silhouette unexpectedly crashing into his sight.

He stepped forward involuntarily and wrapped her in his arms, feeling her tremble and gradually calm down. Yet he couldn't bear to let her go.