"Ren Yuan, please don't leave me, okay?"
Gu Feifei clung to his arm, suddenly acting coy, her alluring demeanor stirring pity.
Seeing this, Ren Yuan subtly pulled his arm free, a faint gentle smile on his face. "Don't overthink it. Just rest well and focus on getting better."
Sensing his distance, Gu Feifei's face immediately darkened. "Ren Yuan, what do you mean by this?"
"Doctor..."
"Are you starting to despise me?"
Gu Feifei bit her lower lip, tears glistening in her eyes as she looked at him pitifully.
"Feifei."
Ren Yuan felt helpless, at a loss for how to react.
Facing Gu Feifei now, his heart was tangled, and another figure kept popping into his mind.
"I get it. That bitch Su Banxia must have whispered something in your ear, making you treat me so coldly!"
Gu Feifei's lips curled bitterly, her eyes filled with deep disappointment.
Hearing this, Ren Yuan couldn't help but frown slightly. "This has nothing to do with Banxia!"
"Banxia? How intimate. What, you still can't forget her?"
Gu Feifei sneered, a look of intense disdain on her face.
"Don't talk nonsense. There's nothing between her and me."
Ren Yuan was irritated.
Gu Feifei stared at him, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "You'd better have nothing to do with her, or I won't let her off!"
"You're tired. Get some rest."
Ren Yuan stood up, displeased, and was about to leave when Gu Feifei called him back.
"Ren Yuan, you'd better remember this. Even if you still have feelings for Su Banxia, see if she'll accept them. Don't forget, you chose this path yourself!"
Gu Feifei gripped the bedsheet tightly, anger surging within her.
Hearing her words, Ren Yuan couldn't help but turn back to look at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Then, without a word, he strode out of the ward.
"Ah!"
Gu Feifei yanked at the blanket, venting all her fury. "Bitch! I'll make you pay!"
Lately, though Ren Yuan still cared for her as before, his actions clearly lacked the affection and love she once felt.
Thinking of this, Gu Feifei found it even harder to swallow her anger.
The afternoon sun was perfect, but Gu Feifei's heart felt shrouded in gloom.
After leaving the ward, Ren Yuan sat alone on a bench in the hospital's park, where he had seen Su Banxia.
Thinking of that woman's beauty, Ren Yuan was filled with regret.
After much deliberation, he finally mustered the courage to call her. The phone rang for a long time before it was answered.
"Banxia."
Ren Yuan's voice was emotional.
On the other end, Su Banxia's expression shifted noticeably when she saw the caller. Her voice was unexpectedly cold. "What do you want?"
"I..."
Ren Yuan felt inexplicably nervous. Steadying himself, he said slowly, "I saw you at the hospital earlier. Are you sick?"
"Just a minor cold and cough. Thanks for your concern."
Su Banxia frowned slightly, unwilling to engage with Ren Yuan.
Sensing her obvious impatience, Ren Yuan quickly spoke again. "Are you doing well with him now?"
"At least I don't have to worry about being cheated on."
Su Banxia said bluntly.
Ren Yuan's face changed. "Banxia, are you still blaming me?"
Hearing this, Su Banxia let out a cold laugh. "Mr. Ren, you're mistaken. I have no feelings for you anymore. I'm just worried that if your wife finds out about this call, it'll cause a huge misunderstanding."
"She won't find out. I'm just—"
Ren Yuan was cut off before he could finish.
"Ren Yuan, our story is over. You don't need to come here to remind me of your existence. Honestly, seeing your number makes me sick!"
Su Banxia's words pierced Ren Yuan's heart like a needle. His hand holding the phone trembled slightly.
"Besides, I don't care what your marriage is like. Since you chose Gu Feifei from the start, don't let your mind wander."
Su Banxia said coldly.
"I'm sorry. What happened years ago was my fault."
Ren Yuan lowered his eyes, his voice faint.
Su Banxia chuckled. "You don't need to apologize. You don't owe me anything. Besides, when we were together, you never treated me badly. In the end, I just couldn't give you what you wanted."
"Banxia, can you forgive me?"
Ren Yuan gathered his courage and asked earnestly.
"I told you, you don't owe me, so where does forgiveness come from?"
With that, Su Banxia hung up before he could respond.
The best way to handle this man was to ignore him, or he'd only cling harder.
Listening to the mechanical tone from the phone, Ren Yuan felt a bitter ache in his heart, countless words stuck in his throat but unable to be spoken.
Meanwhile, Pei Shaoze, after resolving the company's issues, rushed to the hospital as soon as possible. Not having spent much time with her lately made him feel somewhat guilty.
Pushing open the office door, Pei Shaoze saw Su Banxia staring blankly at her phone. He raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. "What, so free now?"
"President Pei?"
Su Banxia quickly put her phone away, her smile awkward.
Pei Shaoze frowned slightly. He had clearly glimpsed Ren Yuan's name.
"How have you been feeling lately?"
Suppressing his anger, Pei Shaoze pulled up a chair and sat beside her.
"Actually, I'm fine. I could have been discharged long ago."
Su Banxia lowered her head, speaking weakly.
Being cooped up in the hospital these days was driving her crazy!
Pei Shaoze understood her implication and smiled calmly. "I'll have the doctor give you a full check-up tomorrow. If everything's fine, I'll arrange for your discharge."
"Really?"
Su Banxia's eyes lit up, unable to hide her joy.
Seeing this, Pei Shaoze's lips curled slightly as he nodded with a smile.
Su Banxia looked at the aloof man sitting before her, then seemed to remember something. Clearing her throat, she asked slowly, "Not busy at the company today?"
"I've finished my tasks, so I took some time to be with you."
Pei Shaoze said calmly.