"Aren't we here at a bad time?" Tang Jiaojiao, regaining her senses, teased the affectionate couple with a smile.
Su He's face turned crimson as she pushed him away, quickly adjusting Lu Yanbei's collar. "Dad, Mom, why are you here?"
"Yanbei, are you feeling better?" Tang Jiaojiao asked with a smile.
"Thank you for your concern, I'm much better," Lu Yanbei replied, sitting up and preparing to get out of bed.
"Oh, lie down and don't move," Tang Jiaojiao, not being a rigid person who would put on airs for her son-in-law, quickly stopped him.
Su Dazhi walked to the bedside and placed the insulated container down. "This is bone broth made at home. It's cleaner than what you get outside. Drink more."
He was not a man of many words, and saying this much was already a great deal.
Lu Yanbei, surprised by his thoughtfulness, sincerely thanked him.
After some inquiries, Tang Jiaojiao pulled Su He aside. "No wonder you wouldn't video call before! So you were hiding this from us! Do you even consider us family?"
"I was afraid you'd worry!" Su He lowered her eyes guiltily.
"My son-in-law is ill, shouldn't I worry?" Tang Jiaojiao said irritably. However, considering she was pregnant, she dared not speak too loudly. A few stern looks, and the matter was dropped.
"How is my grandchild? Has he been bothering you?" Tang Jiaojiao felt a pang of tenderness looking at the dark circles under Su He's eyes.
"He's very well-behaved," Su He gently placed her hand on her belly. "He even moved a couple of days ago."
As they were speaking, the little one in Su He's belly shifted, causing Su He to interrupt her words. "Mmm..."
"What is it? Are you uncomfortable?" Tang Jiaojiao panicked when she saw Su He frown.
Su He waved her hands. "No, he seems to be moving again..."
"Really?" Tang Jiaojiao disbelievingly placed her hand on Su He's belly. Two seconds later, a slight tremor was felt beneath her palm, and a small bulge pushed outward.
"He's moving, he's moving!" Tang Jiaojiao was ecstatic.
It was the first time she had witnessed fetal movement within the womb.
"What's happening?" Su Dazhi looked at his wife, confused.
"Your grandchild is working out," Tang Jiaojiao turned around, smiling broadly.
Su Dazhi also found it magical. However, given the difference between men and women, and despite their father-daughter relationship, he hesitated to reach out and touch Su He's belly, only managing a simple, honest chuckle.
Their joyous expressions were even more pronounced than those of Su He and her husband.
Since the baby was moving, Su He quickly returned to the hospital bed and held Lu Yanbei's hand to let him feel.
Perhaps sensing Lu Yanbei's presence, the little one suddenly became exceptionally well-behaved and stopped moving. Lu Yanbei's hand stayed on her abdomen for a long time, but there was no further movement.
Su He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. "He was quite active just now..."
"It's alright, there will be other chances," Lu Yanbei said, seeing her pout. He smiled, picked up her hand, and gently kissed it.
As the young couple showed their affection, Tang Jiaojiao's heart finally relaxed.
Judging by the situation, his condition must have improved.
Not wanting to disturb the couple, Tang Jiaojiao and Su Dazhi left after sitting for a while.
Seeing that they had not become suspicious, Su He finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was close, we almost blew our cover!" Su He recalled the scene, patting her chest. "Were you kissing me on purpose just now? To distract them?"
Lu Yanbei did not deny it. "I just saw them come in, so I had to resort to this."
"It's good that you were quick-witted. If they had seen your wound, they would have nagged for days," Su He said, relieved that they weren't exposed, while marveling at Lu Yanbei's intelligence.
"It wasn't entirely to appease them," Lu Yanbei said, caressing her chin.
With a beauty in his arms, how could anyone truly remain unmoved?
Especially since Su He was his beloved wife. He hadn't been intimate with her for nearly half a month, and now she had touched his chest, making him restless.
"I missed you," Lu Yanbei whispered the most affectionate words, pressing his head against hers.
Su He hooked her arms around his neck, carefully resting her head on his right shoulder and replying, "Me too!"
Lu Yanbei's kiss fell again, starting as a gentle peck and deepening into a passionate embrace. They held each other tightly, their breaths mingling, their eyes gradually clouding with desire.
"It's time for your shot..." a nurse pushed open the door, then quickly retreated. "Sorry... I'll come back later..."
Su He regained some semblance of rationality and immediately turned to adjust her clothes. She had forgotten that Lu Yanbei was injured, and if things had continued naturally, the consequences would have been dire.
*
Although the Lu family kept it well hidden, word eventually got out about Lu Yanbei's hospitalization. While the spread was limited, it was enough to cause a stir.
"Did you hear? The Lu family sent a private jet to bring Young Master Yan back from abroad. He was sent directly to the hospital upon his return, and they've brought in several specialists for consultations. How serious must his injuries be?"
"No wonder we haven't seen him around lately..."
"The Lu family is keeping this so quiet; it must be a serious injury. What do you think? Could Lu Yanbei have been shot abroad? Things have been quite chaotic over there recently!"
"That's quite possible! If it were a minor issue, there would be no need to hide it."
"With no news for so long, could it be that..."
Everyone speculated.
There were also those with malicious intent who wished for Lu Yanbei's injuries to be as severe as possible, such as the Qi and Tang families.
Both the Qi and Tang families wanted a piece of the pie in B City, but with the Lu family in control, most of the resources and connections were monopolized by a few prominent families led by the Lu family. For them to gain a foothold here, the Lu family would have to fall first.
Furthermore, the Qi and Tang families had some existing grievances with the Su family. The previous time, the third young master of the Qi family had plotted against Su He, nearly costing her her life. Lu Yanbei had retaliated fiercely afterward, thus creating enmity.
With new and old grudges, they wished even less for Lu Yanbei's recovery.
In a dimly lit room, two men sat opposite each other.
"I heard it was a gunshot wound," Third Young Master Qi said grimly, smoking a cigar.
"Is the information reliable?" the man who responded was Tang Ren, Su He's nominal uncle.
"I bribed a nurse at the hospital. She said the wound was in his chest," Third Young Master Qi exhaled a puff of smoke, a gloating smile appearing on his lips. "If it had been an inch or two off, he would have been dead!"
"Then he truly has a lucky life!" Tang Ren gritted his teeth resentfully.
A few days ago, he had condescended to visit Su Ying at her studio. To his surprise, she not only gave him the cold shoulder but also told him she would never welcome him again and that he should never appear before her.
To be humiliated in front of so many people was an unbearable disgrace.
How could Tang Ren accept this?
He hired a private investigator to look into Su Ying's background and only then discovered that she was dating her assistant. This outcome infuriated him.
She would rather choose a penniless young man who had just graduated than spare him a second glance. What blind taste!