HomeFalling In LoveZhui Luo - Chapter 32

Zhui Luo – Chapter 32

Lu Xixiao’s voice seemed to traverse a thousand mountains and rivers, wading through waters to take root deep in her heart like a pillar steadying the sea, finally bringing Zhou Wan’s rationality somewhat back.

Now was not the time to be helpless.

Zhou Wan roughly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and climbed into the ambulance alongside Lu Xixiao.

The nurse performed emergency checks and treatment on grandmother: “High fever, likely caused by flu.”

As the weather turned cold, a new wave of flu had once again swept across the city.

“What should we do? My grandmother is elderly – won’t a high fever be dangerous?” Zhou Wan asked, holding back her tears.

“Young lady, don’t worry. We’re almost at the hospital. We’ll do a comprehensive examination first,” the nurse reassured her.

Lu Xixiao wrapped his arm around Zhou Wan’s shoulders, pulled her into his embrace, and said softly, “Nothing will happen.”

Zhou Wan’s tears fell again after being wiped away: “It’s all my fault. I knew grandmother would endure discomfort without saying anything, yet I didn’t even notice she had a high fever and wasn’t feeling well.”

Grandmother was wheeled away for examination.

Zhou Wan sat outside, lost and helpless.

When nervous, she would unconsciously pick at her fingers. By now her fingertips were raw from her scratching. Lu Xixiao noticed and sat down beside her, taking her hand in his.

“Lu Xixiao,” Zhou Wan’s voice trembled, “Today is Christmas Eve.”

“Mm.” His voice was deep, “That’s why nothing will happen to your grandmother.”

Zhou Wan’s head felt foggy, unable to think clearly about anything. Lu Xixiao suddenly asked, “Are you thirsty?”

“What?”

She looked up at Lu Xixiao’s dark eyes, realizing what he meant, and shook her head.

He raised his hand, running his index finger knuckle across her dry lips: “They’re chapped.” He quickly withdrew his hand and stood up, “I’ll go buy water.”

After Lu Xixiao left, only Zhou Wan remained in the corridor.

She lost all sense of time passing. After what seemed like forever, the nurse finally came out and said the grandmother wasn’t in any life-threatening danger – it was inflammation caused by high fever combined with uremia complications. She needed to be hospitalized for IV fluids.

Zhou Wan’s tightly wound nerves finally relaxed. She thanked the nurse.

Grandmother was settled into an IV room. Zhou Wan sat by the bed holding grandmother’s hand, calling out to her softly several times without response.

“Your grandmother is probably just sleeping now. It’s fine, let her rest,” the nurse said. “Just press the call button when this IV bag is finished.”

Zhou Wan nodded and thanked her again.

Grandmother was elderly and tormented by various complications.

She would have minor ailments every few days. Afraid of worrying Zhou Wan, she often kept them hidden – enduring what she could, until days like today when she couldn’t anymore.

She sat by the hospital bed for a while before remembering Lu Xixiao.

She sent Lu Xixiao a message saying she was in the IV room but received no reply. After hesitating, Zhou Wan went to look for him.

The convenience store was just across from the hospital.

Zhou Wan had just walked out of the hospital entrance when she saw Lu Xixiao’s back. He was wearing his school uniform today, his figure particularly eye-catching.

Zhou Wan ran a few steps forward, calling out: “Lu Xixiao.”

He turned around: “Mm.”

Only after Zhou Wan stopped behind him did she notice there was a black sedan parked in front of him. The back door was open, and an elderly man with white hair but still vigorous spirit leaned out.

Lu Xixiao bent down to support his arm: “Careful.”

Zhou Wan’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she vaguely understood – this elderly man before her must be Old Master Lu.

The old man looked at Zhou Wan for a while, his manner both genial yet emanating authority: “Xiao’er, is this your classmate?”

Lu Xixiao said flatly: “My girlfriend.”

Zhou Wan froze.

Old Master Lu punched his shoulder, half-laughing half-scolding: “You rascal.”

Zhou Wan lowered her eyes, politely greeting him: “Hello, Grandfather.”

“Ah, hello hello.” Old Master Lu was cheerful, and asked further, “Why are you at the hospital?”

Zhou Wan answered: “My grandmother is sick.”

“Oh, how is she now? Is there anything I can help with?”

Zhou Wan hurriedly waved her hands: “No need, Grandfather. She’s getting an IV now, nothing serious.”

“Alright, you’re Xiao’er’s classmate – if you need any help, just let me know.”

Old Master Lu was different from what Zhou Wan had imagined.

In her imagination, the patriarch of such a grand family would necessarily be strict, meticulous, and serious without smiles. But in reality, Old Master Lu had no airs about him.

Zhou Wan didn’t dare look at him, keeping her eyes lowered as she thanked him again.

Although she didn’t look much like Guo Xiangling, she felt guilty, still afraid that Old Master Lu’s sharp eyes might see through something.

“Alright, stop fussing,” Lu Xixiao said lazily. “Hurry up and go.”

“You’re not coming up with me?” Old Master Lu asked.

Lu Xixiao gave a noncommittal “mm.”

Old Master Lu looked at him somewhat reproachfully but ultimately said nothing. After all, what happened in the past was his son’s fault.

“Xiao’er, when you have time, you should still go home more often to keep your father company. Why must father and son remain completely estranged?”

Lu Xixiao’s mouth twitched slightly, but he didn’t speak.

Just then, the elevator ahead descended to the first floor with a “ding” as it opened.

Zhou Wan’s steps suddenly faltered – Guo Xiangling walked out of the elevator, running over to eagerly call out to Old Master Lu: “Dad.”

Zhou Wan’s reaction was too obvious; Lu Xixiao noticed and glanced at her.

“What’s wrong?”

Zhou Wan forced a smile and shook her head: “Nothing.”

At this moment, Old Master Lu was no longer as genial as before. He made a sound of acknowledgment and asked: “How is Zhongyue?”

“It’s just that the weather suddenly turned cold and he caught a chill. Lu did have surgery recently, so with his weakened immune system, he developed a fever,” Guo Xiangling said. “Dad, why did you come to the hospital so late?”

“I had a physical examination scheduled and thought I’d check on him,” Old Master Lu said. Then he turned back to Zhou Wan and added, “The temperature has indeed dropped quickly lately, with lots of people catching colds and fevers. By the way, young lady, what’s your name?”

Following Old Master Lu’s gaze, Guo Xiangling finally noticed Zhou Wan.

Her face immediately turned pale.

She naturally assumed this was all Zhou Wan’s calculated scheme, and her eyes blazed with venom and hatred.

Zhou Wan was young and no longer wanted to be entangled in this.

She didn’t know if Old Master Lu had investigated Guo Xiangling, or if he knew her name. She remained silent, afraid to answer.

Lu Xixiao thought she was still shocked by her grandmother’s fainting earlier and hadn’t recovered. He placed his hand on her shoulder and answered for her: “Zhou Wan.”

Old Master Lu nodded and instructed Guo Xiangling to speak with the hospital staff later and take good care of Zhou Wan’s grandmother.

Guo Xiangling gritted her teeth, forced a smile, and agreed “Okay.”

After everyone left, Lu Xixiao watched Zhou Wan for a while, then reached out to poke her cheek: “What are you spacing out about? Lost your soul?”

“No.”

In a corner he couldn’t see, Zhou Wan clenched her fists, forcing herself to calm down again. “Are you not going up to see him?”

“No.”

“My grandmother is fine now, getting her IV,” Zhou Wan looked up at him. “Thank you for coming with me. It’s late, you should go rest.”

Lu Xixiao could certainly hear the change in Zhou Wan’s tone.

It had become formal and stiff, like when they first met.

He raised an eyebrow and reached out to grip her chin, lifting it. With drooping brows and eyes, he looked her up and down frivolously for a moment before laughing: “Meeting my grandfather scared you silly.”

Zhou Wan’s heart slowly settled back into place.

Earlier when Lu Xixiao had said her name, Old Master Lu’s expression hadn’t changed – he probably didn’t know who she was.

She pressed her lips together: “Why did you just tell your grandfather I’m your girlfriend?”

“Aren’t you?” Lu Xixiao pinched her face. “He quite likes you – not easy to win over that old man.”

His tone was unruly and reckless.

“Really?” Zhou Wan mumbled.

“He just likes obedient-looking little girls,” Lu Xixiao said carelessly. “Got fooled by your appearance.”

Zhou Wan turned her head without responding.

Back in the IV room.

Lu Xixiao put the bag he was carrying on a nearby table, took out a bottle of mineral water, opened it, and handed it to Zhou Wan.

She thanked him and took a sip.

Lu Xixiao kept her company for a while, then took out his cigarette pack and leaned close to her ear, saying softly: “Going out for a smoke.”

“Mm.”

Grandmother’s current IV bag was small and almost empty now. Zhou Wan looked up at the IV bottle, waited a moment, and then got up to find the nurse.

As she pushed the door open, someone suddenly crashed into her head-on.

Zhou Wan let out a light cry, stumbling backward. She barely managed to steady herself. The hot soup had spilled on her, but fortunately only on her jacket without scalding her skin.

The person had bought takeout from outside and was trying to enter to eat. They immediately took out napkins, apologizing while trying to help Zhou Wan clean up.

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Zhou Wan said. “I’ll go wash it off.”

Zhou Wan called the nurse, changed the IV bag, and took off her dirty school jacket. Suddenly she noticed that the bag Lu Xixiao bought from the convenience store contained not just water, but also a pack of sanitary pads.

Her gaze lowered, looking at it for a moment. Her face felt hot as her lips turned up slightly.

She opened it, took out a pad, and went to the bathroom.

*

Coming out of the bathroom stall, Zhou Wan stood at the sink.

Looking at herself in the mirror, her eyes were still slightly red, and fatigue had deepened the creases of her double eyelids.

She rested her arms on the marble counter, letting out a soft breath as she lowered her head to wash her face.

After shaking the water off her hands, just as she was about to turn and leave, she was suddenly pushed from behind.

“Zhou Wan!” Guo Xiangling glared at her viciously, pointing at her with a light pink manicured finger. “What did you promise me before? I gave you 150,000 yuan, and you said you wouldn’t let the Lu family know!”

Zhou Wan, already feeling dizzy, almost fell to the ground from her push.

Face pale, she supported herself against the counter: “Today was an accident. I didn’t expect to meet his grandfather.”

“You think you can fool the old master just because you’re a little girl?!”

Guo Xiangling ground her teeth, apparently driven nearly mad by today’s events. “Now he’s seen us pretending not to know each other. If one day he finds out you’re my daughter, who knows how we’ll die! Daring to deceive him – looks like you don’t want to live!”

Zhou Wan clenched her fists, struggling to sort through her chaotic thoughts.

She looked up, staring intently at Guo Xiangling without avoiding her gaze, speaking word by word: “If you know this, you shouldn’t be looking for me now. Aren’t you afraid of being seen?”

Guo Xiangling stepped forward in her high heels, grabbing Zhou Wan’s collar, saying lowly: “Zhou Wan, don’t think you can control me with your little tricks. You haven’t crossed as many bridges as I have roads.”

Zhou Wan’s expression remained unchanged; she even smiled slightly.

For a moment, Guo Xiangling seemed to see Lu Xixiao’s shadow in her daughter.

Her voice was so gentle it carried no pressure as she said softly: “Whether or not that’s true isn’t up to you to decide. After all, I am your daughter.”

Guo Xiangling narrowed her eyes: “You like Lu Xixiao, don’t you?”

Zhou Wan bit down hard on her teeth, saying nothing.

“Since you like him,” Guo Xiangling released her collar, dusting off her hands, “are you willing to tell him the truth? Let him know you’re his stepsister?”

“Do you love Lu Zhongyue?” Zhou Wan looked at her and asked.

Guo Xiangling was stunned.

Zhou Wan said: “I told you, I’m your daughter. Naturally, I take after you.”

Zhou Wan washed her hands again, methodically drying them. She calmly looked directly at Guo Xiangling and said quietly, “I told you before, I won’t go looking for Lu Zhongyue. As long as you don’t come bothering me and Grandmother again. Otherwise, even if it means exposing everything and dying with you, I will destroy you.”

Suddenly, a voice came from not far to the side – “Zhou Wan.”

The young man stood there, brows slightly furrowed, his eyes cold enough to kill, looking toward them with an unfriendly expression.

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