Chapter 43: Heartache

Yu Zihan went to the cafeteria and got a serving of stew and a couple of scoops of rice. Seeing that there was steamed egg custard on the small stove, and knowing that extra food there required additional payment, she decided to spend her own money to add a serving for Gu Jingxuan.

She also stopped by the hot water room to refill the thermos.

When she entered the hospital room, she found Gu Jingxuan still alone. At that moment, he looked like a child waiting for his mother to make him food. Yu Zihan found it amusing that she thought of him like that.

“Can you get up? Wash up and eat,” she told him.

“Okay.” By now, Gu Jingxuan had returned to his usual aloof demeanor.

He slowly got up and walked to the basin stand. When he saw the warm water Yu Zihan had prepared for him, his eyes grew a little misty. This girl, really—why was she so considerate? He wiped his face with the warm towel. His face felt warm, and his heart felt even warmer.

He was indeed hungry. As he opened the lunch box and began to eat, he asked, “Have you eaten? Want to eat with me?”

“I’ve already eaten,” Yu Zihan replied naturally. Their exchange felt so easy, like old friends.

Gu Jingxuan finished his meal quickly, and within moments, the food was gone. Yu Zihan tidied up the lunch box and the table as well.

Then, she sat on a small stool by the bed and began peeling an apple for him.

“Did you need something from me?” Gu Jingxuan asked, his tone gentle and understanding. He knew this little girl well enough to realize that her quietness and sweetness meant there was something on her mind that she needed help with.

Yu Zihan was caught off guard. She felt a little embarrassed that her intentions had been seen through. However, she didn’t allow herself time to feel shy and said, “I have some materials about Cui Mingtao. They’re explosive and involve some powerful people. I think you’re the only one who can help me.”

There was a hint of unease in her voice, as though she feared Gu Jingxuan might think she was using him all along. She also felt like her request might be crossing a boundary in their relationship. They hadn’t yet reached a point where such requests felt appropriate, and her inner conflict made her words a bit disjointed.

Gu Jingxuan, ever perceptive, asked, “Did Cui Mingtao do something?”

His sensitivity was a product of his profession.

Yu Zihan looked up at him, and in that moment, she almost felt like tears might fall. So much had happened since her rebirth, and everything had been handled by herself and her mother, two women facing the world together. Fortunately, there had been no lasting danger, but in the three most dangerous situations, it was this man in front of her who had appeared like a god, offering her help.

Now, he was asking her if something had happened, and his tone was so natural, as though they were old friends.

At this moment, Yu Zihan was willing to place her trust in him. So, she recounted everything that had happened that night, though she still kept a little bit of her personal space to herself.

“That night, that bastard almost raped my mother. He drugged her, but she saw through it and knocked him unconscious. When I went to find her, I found both of them unconscious. I saved

After returning home, Yu Zihan became angrier the more she thought about it, so she decided to confront him. Little did she expect to witness him trying to start a fire, and the events that followed—she realized that Gu Jingxuan had been involved in them. It was in that room where she found the materials, which she secretly took back home.

Gu Jingxuan listened as the girl calmly recounted such a painful story, and his heart ached. She was still just a child, and after all the suffering she’d gone through, escaping from that village, to think that she would continue to face such things here. If this were anyone else, they might have collapsed under such circumstances, but she managed to navigate these challenges with her wisdom. Was it luck, or was it her strength? Perhaps it was neither—she had no other choice. In every desperate situation, she had to push herself to find a way out.

All strength and resilience were born out of necessity. No one was born with great power. It was all forged by walking the thorny path over and over.

“Okay, I’ll help you. You can trust me with the materials,” Gu Jingxuan said, a sense of protectiveness suddenly stirring within him. He was willing to use his abilities or resources to assist her, hoping to make her suffering a little lighter.

“I’ll come by tomorrow afternoon after school. I’ll bring you something to eat,” Yu Zihan said, feeling like a flower had bloomed in her heart at the sight of Gu Jingxuan’s unwavering support.

Whether in her previous life or this one, she had always faced difficulties alone. She had occasionally wished for someone to help her, to hear someone say, “I’m here for you.”

“Alright,” Gu Jingxuan replied, knowing that his agreement had touched the girl’s heart.

Yu Zihan left the hospital with a light heart, thinking about what to cook for Gu Jingxuan. She considered making him some braised ribs—ribs were nourishing, and this poor guy was alone recovering, so it seemed fitting to make something comforting.

Without hesitation, she went to the market to buy ribs and potatoes. She planned to stew the ribs that night and store them in her space, so she could bring them to him the next afternoon.

That evening, when she got home, Yu Meijuan was waiting for her daughter to have dinner together. With both of them so busy, they could only meet during dinner time to catch up.

“Any rumors at the factory?” Yu Zihan asked her mother.

“The biggest one now is about Cui Mingtao. But I heard his family has some powerful background. Maybe he’ll only be in prison for a few years.”

Yu Meijuan’s face twisted with anger and frustration as she thought about it. Without the materials, perhaps Cui Mingtao would just serve a few years, but now, with the evidence she had, she couldn’t let him go. His crimes weren’t just personal—he had harmed so many others. Since she held proof of his wrongdoing, she wouldn’t let him escape justice.

Seeing that her daughter hadn’t spoken for a while, Yu Meijuan assumed she was just as worried and tried to comfort her, saying, “A few years is still better than nothing. Anyway, we’re planning to go to the capital soon. I can’t wait to leave this place. It’s even more complicated than the village.”

After spending a few days in this small town, Yu Meijuan had started to dislike it.

Yu Zihan understood her mother’s feelings, but she didn’t tell her about the materials on Cui Mingtao or her plan to ask Gu Jingxuan for help. She felt that it was better for her mother to remain a carefree woman, with the storms to be weathered by her alone.

“Mom, I bought some ribs during lunch, so I’ll stew them tonight. Tomorrow afternoon, I want to visit Comrade Gu,” Yu Zihan explained, wanting to let her mother know what she was up to.

“Okay, but how about I do it? You’ve been studying hard enough already,” Yu Meijuan said, offering to take over the task.

“No, mom, I’m not tired. Your daughter is so smart, I don’t have to worry about studying. I’ll definitely get into a university in the capital earlier.” She knew her mother loved hearing that. She was willing to do anything to make her mother happy.