Before I could even come up with a plan, Qu Yun called me.
When You Ran saw his call, she frowned, because according to their agreement, Qu Yun was not allowed to bother her before You Ran took the initiative to contact him.
Answering the phone, You Ran took the initiative to ask, "What's the emergency?"
"What qualifies as an urgent matter?" Qu Yun countered.
"Qu Yun, I don't have time to beat around the bush with you right now." You Ran rubbed her temples.
There was a moment of silence on the other end, then abruptly said, "I thought you had agreed to reconsider our relationship."
“I am indeed doing that,” You Ran said.
"You mean, considering our relationship while staying by Gu Chengyuan's side?" Qu Yun's voice was unusually low.
You Ran finally understood that this was probably Tang Yongzi's so-called revenge.
“What I’m about to say is all true: he is currently in a coma, and I take full responsibility for this. Therefore, it is only natural for me to take care of him, and there is nothing wrong with that,” You Ran said.
“Then, I’ll help you,” Qu Yun suggested.
“No.” You Ran refused decisively.
If she were to see Qu Yun now, it would definitely confuse her thoughts about their future relationship.
What You Ran needs most right now is not help, but peace and quiet.
"Why?" Qu Yun asked.
Just as You Ran was about to answer, she saw the nurses and doctors rushing toward Gu Chengyuan's ward.
Could it be that something unexpected happened?
You Ran's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly said into the phone, "Qu Yun, I have to go see him now. I'll tell you the details when I have time. But promise me, you absolutely cannot come, understand!"
After saying that, without even listening to Qu Yun's words, he hung up the phone and rushed into the ward, his heart pounding in his chest.
If anything were to happen to Gu Chengyuan, she would never have peace of mind for the rest of her life.
The moment the hospital room door opened, You Ran froze—Gu Chengyuan hadn't had an accident, he had just woken up.
He was sitting half-upright on the bed, undergoing a doctor's examination.
The nerves in You Ran's body that had been tense since the accident finally relaxed. Like a mountain climber who had been climbing for days and nights, she sat down on the sofa opposite the hospital bed with a "thud," closed her eyes, and recovered her lost energy.
Gu Chengyuan had been watching her the whole time, You Ran knew it, but she didn't have the strength to move to avoid his gaze.
After a series of detailed examinations, the doctor determined that Gu Chengyuan was out of danger, but he still needed to be hospitalized for observation for a few more days.
Before leaving, the attending physician smiled and said, "It's finally over. Look how exhausted your girlfriend is taking care of you."
You Ran covered her face and gritted her teeth: Nowadays, doctors don't focus on saving lives; instead, they're busy gossiping.
Sure enough, after all the doctors and nurses had left, Gu Chengyuan smiled and looked at You Ran, saying meaningfully, "Girlfriend?"
"That's just their wishful thinking," You Ran explained.
"Perhaps, those involved are often blinded, while bystanders see things clearly?" Gu Chengyuan said calmly.
He remained silent. Those words were indeed well-chosen; she almost didn't catch them.
You Ran sincerely apologized: "I really did wrong you this time. Before you came to me, my parents were deliberately injured in a car accident. I thought it was you who did it, and in a moment of impulse, I did that kind of thing."
Gu Chengyuan's hair had grown long since he hadn't cut it for a few days, and it half-covered his eyes: "You Ran, do you know? It wasn't until I was in the water that I realized how much you hate me."
You Ran lowered her head, unsure how to answer. Her internal organs felt like they were being twisted; it wasn't pain, but discomfort.
“At that time, I was thinking, if I died, would you be happy? If I died, would you forgive me for all the wrong things I did to you? If I died, would I still have a place in your heart forever?” Gu Chengyuan’s perfectly shaped lips curved into a smile, making the lower half of his face bright, but the upper half was a dark gray: “So, I just let myself sink.”
"I don't want you to die!" You Ran clenched her fist.
“I should have died. I should have died long ago.” Gu Chengyuan tilted his head back slightly, his handsome and rugged face held high. “I was never welcome. My birth mother gave birth to me for money, and my father only accepted me for the purpose of continuing the family line. The only person who loved me and doted on me since I was a child left me when I needed her most. Many times, I’ve wondered why I, who was not welcomed by anyone, came into this world. Many times, when my father beat me to the point of near death, I thought, I should just die like this. That would be a relief for everyone. But strangely, every time I still managed to stay alive until the last breath, clinging to life and continuing to rot.”
"Don't think like that. You should cherish what you have now and live a good life," You Ran comforted her.
"Right now, all I want is one person." Gu Chengyuan looked at You Ran, his slightly pale lips slowly parting: "But she hates me to the core, and wishes I would disappear from this world."
“Brother.” You Ran looked away. “If you’re willing, I, Mom and Dad, are all happy to accept you. You can treat us as real family.”
“You Ran, you understand what I want.” Gu Chengyuan said slowly, “I want you as my woman, as my wife, and not just a sister.”
He shook his head leisurely, just shook his head.
"You still hate me, don't you?" Gu Chengyuan asked.
“No, that’s not the reason.” You Ran continued to shake her head: “I no longer have those feelings for you.”
"Because you already have Qu Yun in your heart, is that right?" Gu Chengyuan's voice grew closer and closer.
"I don't know." You Ran felt like she was shaking her head off.
"You Ran, only you can save me." Gu Chengyuan's voice rang in You Ran's ears.
You Ran was startled and was about to leave, but Gu Chengyuan hugged her from behind.
It was as if a drowning person was clinging tightly to a lifeline in the ocean.
She was his only salvation; to let her go meant death.
"Brother Gu... please don't do this." You Ran struggled.
"You Ran, what do you want me to do to stay by my side? Just tell me, and I'll do anything."
Gu Chengyuan's voice and his posture were both humbled, as if he had lowered himself to the dust.
His hair lay limply on You Ran's shoulders, as if he were sinking into something.
Even the most ferocious beasts, when they are covered in blood and on the verge of death, can evoke pity.
Lost in thought, You Ran didn't snap out of it until her slightly cool, thin lips touched her bare neck. She abruptly stood up and moved away from Gu Chengyuan.
“Brother, from now on, we can only be brother and sister.” You Ran told him frankly, “Those days are gone, let’s forget them all.”
You Ran didn't turn around, but she could feel the weight behind her. Gu Chengyuan's voice was desolate: "Perhaps those times were insignificant to you, but for me, they were my only happiness... So, I can't forget, I can't do it."
Was I being heartless? You Ran wondered.
She gave her all in her relationships with Gu Chengyuan and Qu Yun, but in the end, she was met with a series of setbacks.
It's okay, everyone falls down sometimes, You Ran can get up on her own.
But why is it that when she was about to start a new life, the two of them rushed over to express their love for her?
So, what was the purpose of the previous harm?
The pain, though it has passed, remains in memory, and You Ran cannot easily let go of it.
For the next few days, Gu Chengyuan remained hospitalized for observation, and You Ran would visit him whenever she had time.
It seemed that only when he saw her would Gu Chengyuan's dull eyes regain their color.
You Ran decided that as soon as Gu Chengyuan was discharged from the hospital, she would try to see him as little as possible, which would be better for both of them.
However, unexpected things often happen.
That day, You Ran pushed open the door to Gu Chengyuan's hospital room, only to see a middle-aged man in a suit sitting inside.
Seeing You Ran, the middle-aged man stopped the previous topic, stood up and said, "Chengyuan, think about this matter carefully. Whatever decision you make, we will understand. After all, he is not a very good father."
After saying this, the middle-aged man nodded to You Ran, said goodbye, and left.
You Ran noticed that Gu Chengyuan didn't seem as excited as he usually was when he saw her; there seemed to be a heavy, stagnant look in his eyes.
From what the middle-aged man said before he left, You Ran understood that Gu Chengyuan's unusual behavior must be related to his father, Gu Zhi.
Ke You Ran didn't ask any questions, but simply put the flowers she brought into the vase.
Gu Chengyuan kept looking out the window for a long time before saying, "Could you accompany me for a walk in the garden?"
In the height of summer, under the bright sunshine, the two sat under the grape trellis. Rays of sunlight filtered through the vines and fell on their bodies, creating a warm, ticklish sensation.
"Because of years of alcoholism, he developed cirrhosis and needed a liver transplant as soon as possible. However, livers with his type O Rh-negative blood are extremely rare, and even if you are willing to pay a high price, you can't buy one. My uncle hopes that I can donate part of my liver to save him."
You Ran then realized that the middle-aged man from earlier was Gu Zhi's brother.
"Do you think I should agree?" Gu Chengyuan asked.
You Ran felt that this was the most difficult question she had ever encountered in her life, and she didn't even have the courage to open her mouth.
The scars on Gu Chengyuan's back were too vivid and hideous. If the wounds on his skin were so severe, how could the wounds in his heart be expressed in words?
To him, Gu Zhi was a complete demon.
But ironically, it was this very demon who gave him life. If Gu Chengyuan refused, then the only thing left for Gu Zhi would be a dead end.
You Ran tried to put herself in Gu Chengyuan's shoes, but when she did, she felt a trembling urge.
She couldn't bear everything Gu Chengyuan had gone through.
"Thinking back, it's been many years since I last saw him. I moved out as soon as I was able to support myself, and I've never gone back or seen him again."
Gu Chengyuan looked up, the shadows of the vines swaying on his sharply defined face, as if memories were pulling at him.
“I hate him. Every night before, I would curse him to die quickly, and to die in the most gruesome way. Now, he's about to die, and I should be happy, yes, I should be happy…”
But his voice was quiet, which was completely different.
Although he said he understood any decision Gu Chengyuan made, the old man still called him every day to report on Gu Zhi's condition.
Each day is worse than the last.
Gu Chengyuan didn't say a word, but You Ran could tell that he was spending more time lost in thought.
Every time I entered, I would see him sitting by the window, looking out at some unknown place, and it would take him a long time to realize that I had arrived.
Finally, one day, after receiving that familiar phone call, Gu Chengyuan was even more silent than usual.
Gu Zhi has reached the most dangerous moment.
"Can you come with me to see him?" You Ran asked.
She could see the hesitation in Gu Chengyuan's eyes, so she asked the question on his behalf.
Gu Chengyuan appreciated her kindness, and the two went together to the hospital where Gu Zhi was.
This was the first time You Ran had seen Gu Zhi. Judging from his facial features, he looked very similar to Gu Chengyuan. He must have been handsome when he was young.
Due to years of alcoholism and his current serious illness, he lay in bed, emaciated, his face ashen and dark, with tubes inserted all over his body, and it took a lot of effort to see any signs of life.