Chapter 26: True Feelings in the Aristocracy

Chapter 26

Upon hearing Nian Suian's words, Gu Zhijing immediately turned his head to look at his father with wide, expectant eyes. In all his years, he had never heard his father thank him.

However, the thanks were not delivered in the end, as the doctor came over to check on Gu Junxing's post-surgery condition.

"Mr. Gu, how are you feeling?"

Gu Junxing answered indifferently, "I don't feel much right now."

"The anesthesia hasn't completely worn off yet. Once it does, you'll experience some pain and itchiness at the incision. That's normal," the doctor said, before he gave some post-operative care instructions and left.

The hospital assigned a dedicated caregiver to each surgical patient, relieving family members from the burdens of nursing. This gave Nian Suian a sigh of relief, for she thought she would have to take care of Gu Junxing's every need...

"Gu Zhijing, shouldn't you be going to school tomorrow?" With nothing better to do, Gu Junxing decided to tease his son a bit.

"Huh? What did you say? My nearsightedness has worsened, I can't hear clearly." Relying on the fact that his father couldn't get out of bed to hit him, Gu Zhijing decided to be daring. This stemmed from Gu Junxing's habit of settling scores on the spot without holding grudges...

"You're a high school student, you..." Gu Junxing wanted to say 'don't end up being unable to fend for yourself when you grow up, relying on me'. But on second thought, he felt the words were too harsh and swallowed them instead.

But even though he didn't utter those words, Gu Zhijing could guess what his father wanted to say next. He was mad that his father always belittled him, but didn't know how to argue back. Frustrated, he stormed out of the room.

"Zhijing, where are you going?" Nian Suian asked quickly.

"To the restroom!"

After Gu Zhijing left, Nian Suian started chastising Gu Junxing.

"I asked for three days off for him. There's still one day left tomorrow. Don’t always put him down. I've talked to his teacher; Zhijing's studies aren't bad. A child his age values his self-esteem more than anything else. And you scold him and never shower him with praises. Can we expect others to praise him when his own father doesn’t?"

"You chastise me ten times for the half sentence I said." Gu Junxing huffed, feeling like he was more of a stepfather in comparison.

"Don't you think you should say something nice? When have you ever said anything positive about him? He was more worried than anyone when you had surgery. He didn't ask for these days off to have fun; he did it because he cares about you! Yet this is how you repay him." Nian Suian continued to stand up for Gu Zhijing.

“Please don’t, just be yourself.” Gu Junxing was scared. He was still in bed, not ready for shock.

Gu Zhijing hadn't returned after quite a while, and Nian Suian was getting anxious.

"Did your son run away from home? This is all your fault!"

"That's impossible." Gu Junxing wasn’t worried. He knew his own son, he didn’t have a confrontational personality.

Nian Suian rolled her eyes at Gu Junxing, not bothering to engage him in conversation. She moved to the window to call Gu Zhijing herself.

"Where did you go?"

"I'm home," came the cheerful reply, "I'm at home, and Nanny Zhang has made delicious food!"

Upon hearing that he had returned home, Nian Suian eased up. She heard that Nanny Zhang was cooking, "What did Nanny Zhang make? Hospital food is fine, but I really miss Nanny Zhang’s home cooking!"

"Sweet and sour pork ribs, pickled cabbage fish, fried shrimp..."

"Can you bring some over? I want to eat some too."

"Why don't you come home to eat? Why are you still at the hospital with my dad?"

"I have matters to attend to this afternoon, accommodate me," she said. She still had to perform in the afternoon. How could she just quit acting for Gu Junxing's sake? That would remove all the joy. Besides, it's better to have a family member in the hospital for essential communicative purposes with the doctors.

After all, the conditions in the hospital were excellent, akin to a high-end hotel, and she didn't need to personally take care of Gu Junxing.

She also wanted to find time to go downstairs to check — what was the matter with the donation that he could or could not make? Who ended up donating?

In the afternoon, to enhance the performance effect, Nian Suian even deliberately put on a nude lipstick specially meant for requesting a sick leave.

However, the first visitor for Nian Suian and Gu Junxing wasn't Liu Jian and the others, but...