Gu Changlin snorted coldly, "I think you're mesmerized by that girl. Do you even remember who you are?"
"I..."
"Don't forget, your wife and children are in prison. Are you worthy of them if you're with those girls now?"
"I..."
Gu Mingyang was speechless.
Right!
He had a wife and son now; he shouldn't be entangled with those disreputable girls.
"I understand."
He hung up the phone, started the car, and drove to the hospital.
In the ward, Sheng Qingxue had already tidied up and was pulling Sheng Chenjin's hand, about to head downstairs. "Chenjin, let's go!!"
Sheng Chenjin glanced at Sheng Qingxue on the hospital bed and hesitated, "But sister..."
"Sister has a caregiver looking after her. We'll go first and come back to see her later."
Sheng Chenjin: "..."
It was so late, and they were still coming back?
She had a bad feeling about this.
Sheng Qingxue seemed to sense her thoughts and explained, "Mingyang Gege said he'll stay here to look after sister, so don't worry."
"So that's how it is."
Sheng Chenjin nodded and left with Sheng Qingxue.
Gu Residence.
As Gu Mingyang got out of the car, Gu Changlin and his wife immediately went to greet him.
"Why are you back so late?"
Gu Changlin asked with a hint of accusation.
"Something came up temporarily," Gu Mingyang replied.
Gu Changlin didn't say anything further and invited Gu Mingyang into the house, asking about his company's situation that day.
"It was good," Gu Mingyang said.
"That's good."
Gu Changlin said, "Sit down and rest for a bit. Dinner is ready and will be served soon."
"Okay!"
Gu Mingyang nodded and sat on the sofa. His gaze swept around, landing on Sheng Qingxue.
"You must be Qingxue, right?"
"Mm!"
Sheng Qingxue nodded slightly, remaining silent.
Gu Mingyang continued, "Qingxue, I'm Mingyang Gege. Is it okay if I call you Qingxue?"
"Mm!"
Sheng Qingxue again gave a simple nod.
Gu Mingyang frowned slightly, feeling that Sheng Qingxue's attitude was a bit perfunctory. He proactively asked, "Qingxue, what's wrong? Why aren't you talking to me?"
"I..."
"It's okay," Gu Mingyang said. "I like you, you can tell me anything you want to say."
"I..."
Sheng Qingxue still hesitated.
"Heh heh!!"
Gu Mingyang chuckled, "I guess you're shy because I'm a boy. You don't need to be shy. I understand."
Sheng Qingxue: "..."
"Qingxue, I'm actually twenty-nine years old, two years older than you. I think you should call me Gege."
"..."
"You don't want to? Then what should I call you?" Gu Mingyang pondered, stroking his chin.
Suddenly, he had an idea and said, "How about calling me Mingyang Gege?"
"Mingyang Gege?"
Sheng Qingxue blinked. The name sounded quite affectionate. So she said, "Hello, Mingyang Gege."
"Good girl, good girl!"
Gu Mingyang showed a satisfied expression, but at the same time, he thought to himself: I need to hurry up and pursue her, or it will be hard to be this intimate again.
"Dad, Mom, it's time to eat," Gu Qier ran over.
She pulled Gu Changlin and his wife away from Sheng Qingxue and said with a smile, "Dad, Mom, it's time to eat."
Gu Changlin and his wife exchanged glances. Although they still held reservations about Sheng Qingxue, they didn't say anything further and went to the dining room to eat.
Sheng Chenjin pulled Shi Xinxin along, walking at the very end.
The dining table was laden with a sumptuous feast, but besides rice, there were also various nourishing soups.
These were all Sheng Qingxue's favorites.
She picked up a bowl of soup, scooped a spoonful, blew on it to cool it, and brought it to her lips.
Gu Qier leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Sister, hurry up and drink! These are all made by Mom herself, and they taste especially good."
"Mm!"
Sheng Qingxue responded, opened her small cherry lips, and slowly drank the soup.
She wanted to drink it while it was hot, but Gu Changlin and Fang Wanru kept staring at her.
Helplessly, she had to wait for it to cool down.
Gu Qier was also busy, putting a chopstick of each dish onto Sheng Qingxue's plate.
Sheng Qingxue looked down at the meager amount of rice in her bowl, her delicate willow-like eyebrows furrowing unconsciously.
What was this?
Pig feed?
She picked up the soup that Sheng Qier had specially served for her and took a small sip.
As it entered her mouth, a pungent, fishy sweetness assaulted her senses.
Her face instantly fell. Was this poison?
"Sister, does it not suit your taste?" Gu Qier, having keenly noticed the change in her expression, asked with concern.
Sheng Qingxue shook her head and said, "No."
"Sister is lying to me!!" Gu Qier didn't believe her and stubbornly looked at her, saying, "This is so bad, you definitely don't like it, you definitely can't swallow it."
Sheng Qingxue: "..."
Did this little girl have telepathy?
"Sister, try this sweet and sour pork ribs. I guarantee you'll like this dish after trying it once."
Gu Qier moved the sweet and sour pork ribs from her plate to Sheng Qingxue's in front of her, as if demanding she eat it.
Sheng Qingxue looked at the rib, hesitant.
She wasn't sure if the rib was really good or spoiled. If it was good, she would eat a few pieces reluctantly; if it was spoiled, she would spit it out.
As she hesitated, a pair of gentle, large hands reached out to her.
"Eat it!" Gu Mingyang said softly. "My mother made this dish. She worked very hard, and it was tiring to make. You can't let her efforts go to waste."
Sheng Qingxue looked at him and bit her red lips lightly.
Gu Mingyang said, "Good girl, eat it. After you finish, I'll take you for a walk."
"Okay."
Sheng Qingxue agreed, picked up her chopsticks, and put the sweet and sour pork rib into her mouth.
As it entered her mouth, a delicious flavor filled her tongue.
"Mmm~"
She closed her eyes, enjoying the pleasure the food brought her.
Seeing this, Gu Mingyang's mood lifted. "How does it taste?"
"It's delicious!"
Sheng Qingxue opened her eyes and gave Gu Mingyang a brilliant smile.
That bright smile made Gu Mingyang's heart almost leap out of his chest.
He quickly said, "Since you like it so much, then eat more."
"Mm!"
After Sheng Qingxue ate a few more bites, Gu Mingyang told her to put down her chopsticks.
"I'm full."
"Full?"
Gu Mingyang looked at her empty bowl and then at the dishes on the table, saying, "Are you sure you're full?"
"Yes, I'm really full," Sheng Qingxue insisted.
Gu Mingyang knew she was pretending to be full to avoid disappointing him, but her insistence didn't deter his plan to take her out.
"Alright, let's go now!"
Saying that, he stood up and walked outside.
"Okay, I was going to go shopping anyway."
Sheng Qingxue immediately followed, casually linking her arm through Gu Mingyang's.
Sheng Qingxue looked at the three retreating figures, deep in thought.
She had clearly smelled perfume just now, and a very strong scent of perfume at that. The scent didn't belong to any of the girls; it was more like the perfume of an international supermodel.
A thought suddenly flashed through her mind: Could this be a certain female star's perfume?
"Qingxue, what are you thinking about?"