"Wow, who is this guy? He's so handsome!"
"I didn't expect to see a scene of chivalry while on shift. Totally worth it!"
"A grown man, actually laying hands on a woman. What a scumbag!"
"Serves them right! Parents like that, who are disrespectful in their old age, deserve to be taught a lesson!"
Lu Yanbei's appearance immediately captured the hearts of the nurses.
Lu Yanbei's attention, however, remained fixed on Su He.
He looked travel-worn, with dark circles under his eyes, seemingly lacking rest. Yet, even so, it did not diminish his handsomeness or his commanding presence.
He wasn't alone; Cheng Jue and several bodyguards followed behind him.
Lu Yanbei raised his hand, and the bodyguards immediately stepped forward, ready to escort Jiang Xiaoxiao's parents out.
"Oh no, someone's assaulting us!"
"What kind of world is this! They're using their numbers to bully us two old people. Someone please be fair!"
Seeing the unfavorable turn of events, Mother Jiang sat down on the ground and started throwing a tantrum.
This tactic, often employed in her village, had never failed.
Unfortunately, she overestimated her own abilities and underestimated others' intelligence.
Su He pointed to the camera in the ward. "Grandma, Grandpa, there's surveillance here. The truth of the matter isn't up to you to decide. If you don't get up, I'm calling the police!"
Su He offered a kind warning.
Mother Jiang, about to continue her performance, was instantly choked into silence by Su He's words.
Their behavior was truly shameful.
The onlookers, initially unaware of the situation, instantly looked at the elderly couple with disdain after the nurses vividly described the events.
"I've lived a long time, but I've never seen such shamelessness!"
"Their daughter suffered so much, and they don't even offer a word of comfort. They only care about saving face! And to rush in and curse her before even understanding the situation, I've never seen such heartless parents!"
"What era is this! So many young people cohabitate before marriage. So what if she's pregnant, it's not a big deal! To curse her so harshly, it's clear she wasn't favored from childhood!"
"They must have a son at home, right? I've seen many people like this! The son is everything, the daughter is nothing. When they need money or help from the daughter, she's their precious child; when they don't, she's worthless!"
"I know this couple. They never liked this girl. I heard they stopped caring about her after she graduated high school, making her go out to work to buy a car and house for her brother. Tsk tsk tsk... In a family like this, I wouldn't go back either!"
"Alas, what a difficult life!"
The murmurs from outside made the faces of Jiang's parents turn red and white.
"I suggest you leave quickly. Otherwise, return the money immediately!" Su He knew that arguing with them further was useless, as they were not people who reasoned. Only by hitting their sore spot would they obediently leave.
As expected, the moment Su He mentioned asking for money, they immediately backed down.
Mother Jiang quickly got up from the ground, helped Father Jiang up, and they started to leave. Of course, before leaving, she did not forget to bluster and curse Jiang Xiaoxiao a few times, and glared at Su He.
"Hmph! We'll see!"
Su He was not afraid of her threat and glared back fiercely.
Finally, the ward quieted down, and Su He breathed a sigh of relief.
Jiang Xiaoxiao lay on the hospital bed, writhing in pain from the wound on her abdomen, cold sweat beading on her forehead. Her parents' scolding further worsened her discomfort. Yet, she did not cry. Instead, like a lifeless doll, she stared blankly into space, utterly silent.
Su He knew she must be hurting deeply inside.
Physical pain can heal, but psychological trauma, once formed, is difficult to cure.
Jiang Xiaoxiao's despairing look made Su He very worried. She feared she might do something drastic and worsen her condition.
Lu Yanbei put an arm around her shoulder and said, "Let's leave for now and let her have some quiet time."
Su He hesitated, not responding.
"Don't worry, I'll arrange for someone to stay and watch over her. This kind of situation won't happen again." Lu Yanbei knew her concerns and decided to clarify everything at once.
Jiang Xiaoxiao needed time to sort out her emotions, and Su He also needed to rest.
She had arrived late last night and had been taking care of Jiang Xiaoxiao, surely without much sleep.
She worried about her best friend, and he worried about his wife.
Under his persuasion, Su He eventually left.
"Xiaoxiao, you rest well. I'll go back to the hotel for now and come back to see you this afternoon." Su He squeezed Jiang Xiaoxiao's hand, offering silent comfort.
Jiang Xiaoxiao slowly turned her head, managing a weak smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
Su He covered her with the quilt, and asked the nurse to arrange for a caregiver before leaving with peace of mind.
The hotel Lu Yanbei booked was near the hospital, a five-minute drive away.
On the way back to the hotel, Lu Yanbei seemed somewhat tired, and his voice seemed hoarse.
"Did you stay up all night?" Su He noticed his unusual state and tenderly touched his face.
Lu Yanbei held her hand down and grunted dully.
Cheng Jue, who was driving, added in a low voice, "The boss worked overtime until early morning to rush back as soon as possible..."
"Cheng Jue!" Lu Yanbei reprimanded, a hint of anger in his tone.
He did not want Cheng Jue to act on his own initiative.
"You stayed up again? I wouldn't have blamed you if you hadn't come, why are you ruining your health like this!" Su He looked at the dark circles under his eyes and finally understood.
Lu Yanbei rubbed his temples, trying to suppress his inner frustration. "You're here alone, and I was worried. Just now, if I had arrived a moment later..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his words were filled with concern.
If he had arrived a moment later, Father Jiang might have attacked her. He truly couldn't imagine the consequences. Su He had injured her head before; what if she was hurt again by accident... He couldn't bear any more setbacks!
It had taken him so much effort to get the old Su He back!
Recalling the scene at the hospital, Lu Yanbei nearly had a relapse.
He suppressed himself with all his might, refraining from reaching into his pocket. It contained his usual anti-depression medication, and he didn't want Su He to see his frailty.
Upon arriving at the hotel, Lu Yanbei found an excuse to leave for a while and took two pills.
After taking medication for years, he could even swallow them dry without water.
Su He took a quick shower and, wrapped in a bathrobe, snuggled into bed.
If she didn't get enough sleep, she would be lethargic all day.
When Lu Yanbei returned to the bedroom, Su He was already fast asleep, dreaming soundly. Looking at her gentle sleeping face, Lu Yanbei's anxious heart finally began to settle.