CHAPTER 156: CHAPTER 156: KNOW THE FACE, NOT THE HEART

Although Old Master Lin knew his family wouldn’t dare challenge his authority, he still kept his guard up.

"Did you talk to Yu about something? That kid likely doesn’t see me in the best light. Don’t forget to say a few good words for me."

He had said this before, too, but every time Ji Yu would leave him speechless, to the point that now, he almost believed the things Ji Yu said.

"I will."

His mind was a mess. He hadn’t seen Ji Yu at all before the surgery.

But by now, Ji Yu was already used to these kinds of things.

"You don’t need to say much to me. After this surgery, we’ll have nothing to do with each other anymore."

Their relationship was simply that of a doctor and patient—it was such a simple fact that it shouldn’t even need her to remind him.

"Sister Yu, how about I take over? I’m worried your body won’t hold up," Tian said, watching Ji Yu rush about, his heart filled with concern.

Ji Yu shook her head.

"This surgery is extremely important to me, and it’s very complicated. I have to do it myself."

She hoped that this young girl would no longer have such troubles afterward.

Tian sighed helplessly. "Sister Yu, your face is so pale. I’m worried you might collapse at any moment."

Even so, Ji Yu insisted and brought Tian into the operating room with her. "If there’s any problem, I’ll call you."

She had to ensure the surgery was a success for the young girl; otherwise, she’d lose credibility.

Fortunately, although Ji Yu looked rather haggard, the surgery went relatively smoothly. Afterward, Ji Yu intended to personally speak to Lin Wenyan about the post-surgery precautions. However, before she could even get to the door, her vision went dark, and she fainted.

If not for Tian catching her in time, who knows what kind of accident might have happened?

Lin Wenyan was shocked when he saw what had occurred. "What’s wrong with her?"

Tian’s eyes were filled with distress, and there was a hint of blame as he looked at Lin Wenyan. "You really don’t know? The mess your Lin family has caused has completely drained Sister Yu. She hasn’t been able to rest properly this whole time, and on top of that, Sister Yu is pregnant. How do you think she’s feeling?"

It was also the first time Lin Wenyan learned of Ji Yu’s pregnancy—guilt flooded his heart. "Take her somewhere to rest first. This time, it’s my fault for pushing too hard."

His concern for his daughter’s condition had blinded him to Ji Yu’s distress—a shortfall on his part.

Still, Tian wasn’t entirely at ease. He decided to take Ji Yu to the hospital for a thorough checkup.

"What happened?" Gu Qixiao had just finished dealing with the matters of the Lin family and hadn’t even had time to enter the Rebirth Gate when he saw Tian carrying Ji Yu out.

"Sister Yu was too exhausted and fainted. I’m worried and plan to take her to the hospital for an examination," Tian explained.

Gu Qixiao frowned deeply. He knew Ji Yu often pushed herself through discomfort to perform surgeries. Seeing her like this now pained him deeply.

"I’ll take her to the hospital. You go back and handle matters at the hospital," Gu Qixiao said decisively.

Tian knew the surgery had just ended and that he couldn’t leave things unattended, but he was still worried about Ji Yu.

"You mean you don’t trust me?" Gu Qixiao asked.

Considering Gu Qixiao’s feelings for Ji Yu—and the fact that the child she carried was his—Tian reluctantly relented. "Alright, I understand. Please take care of Sister Yu and contact us if anything happens."

Gu Qixiao carried Ji Yu into the car.

Looking at the pale-faced woman in his arms, an ache spread through his chest. "I was only away for a few days, and you’ve worked yourself into this state?"

He gently brushed Ji Yu’s hair aside, not understanding how she had ended up like this.

Ji Yu seemed to sense another presence nearby and instinctively tried to push them away.

But she was too exhausted—her arm felt like it was weighted down.

Gu Qixiao, unaware of how deeply unwell she was, stayed by her side after the checkup, afraid he wouldn’t be there when something unexpected happened.

"Yu, don’t push yourself so hard anymore."

He couldn’t bear to see her like this.

At that moment, Ji Yu didn’t respond. After receiving an injection, her complexion improved slightly.

Ji Yu fully sank into an unresponsive state, falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning, when Ji Yu woke up, she noticed something felt off about her surroundings. She looked up and saw Gu Qixiao. Instantly, she understood this couldn’t be the Ji family’s place—if it were, Gu Qixiao would’ve been scolded to death by now.

"You’re awake?" Gu Qixiao asked. Even though he was exhausted lately, it didn’t reach the point of collapse.

He’d only been sleeping lightly, worried about Ji Yu.

Ji Yu frowned. "Why are you here? And why am I in a hospital?"

If she recalled correctly, she should’ve been performing surgery at Rebirth. How had she ended up here?

"How can you even ask? Why would you put yourself through so much? You’re already having a hard time being pregnant, yet you’re still taking care of so many things. You even fainted without realizing it," Gu Qixiao scolded, frustration and worry etched on his face.

He knew Ji Yu was doing all this for the Lin family, leaving him helpless despite his concern.

Ji Yu frowned, her memory of the event hazy.

But she noticed the weariness on Gu Qixiao’s face and turned away, refusing to look at him further. "You should go back and rest. I don’t need you here. I’ll ask the doctor myself about my condition later."

She wasn’t an invalid—she could handle this herself.

Yet Gu Qixiao proved to be unreasonably stubborn. "The child is mine, and you’re the one I love. Why should I leave?"

Wasn’t it perfectly natural for him to care for the person he loved?

His gaze toward Ji Yu was full of tenderness.

For reasons she couldn’t explain, Ji Yu found herself unable to reject that gaze.

Perhaps it was because she’d been far too exhausted lately, leaving her defenses weakened against such sentiment.

"Gu Qixiao, there’s no way for us. I’m tired. I don’t want to keep going anymore, so stop looking at me like that," Ji Yu said, voice weary.

Gu Qixiao didn’t rebut her. Instead, he gently covered her eyes with his hand. "Don’t think about it. If you close your eyes, you won’t see my gaze. You can even pretend you don’t know me if it helps—whatever it takes to ease the pressure."

But wasn’t this just self-deception?

Ji Yu didn’t like this. "Gu Qixiao, why bother?"

Her lashes, like soft brushes, fluttered against his palm.

No matter how hard Ji Yu tried to push him away with her words, Gu Qixiao couldn’t bring himself to let go.

"I won’t let you go. You’re mine—why should I? Just because the outcome might be bad, does that mean I have to follow some predetermined path?"

He was committed to treating Ji Yu well. He didn’t fear rejection—only apathy from her.

As long as he could feel her heart, that was enough for him.