CHAPTER 382: CHAPTER 381: STARTING TO FEEL AFRAID?

On this particular morning, right at eight o’clock, the door to the hospital room opened, and only Jiang Limin walked in. Fang Shaohan had hoped all night, but Gu Xiaoqing never showed up.

He thought Gu Xiaoqing was delayed by something, as such things often happened. There would always be times when Gu Xiaoqing was held up by other matters on her way to the hospital room.

This wasn’t unusual.

Jiang Limin gently handed a wet towel to Fang Shaohan, allowing him to wash his face.

This was usually Gu Xiaoqing’s job.

Fang Shaohan awkwardly accepted Jiang Limin’s goodwill.

At this point, Fang Shaohan could sit up and get out of bed independently, but his movements were slow, unable to complete actions quickly, and he still needed some time to adapt and exercise.

This was already a pleasant surprise.

Usually, Fang Shaohan didn’t want to wash his face himself, most of the time intentionally, wanting to enjoy Gu Xiaoqing’s care for him. But now with Jiang Limin, Fang Shaohan felt somewhat uneasy.

"Xiao Min, you don’t need to come every day. This is a hospital, it’s not good for you to keep appearing here. Moreover, you have your own job; you can’t always stay here with me. It’s not appropriate."

While wiping his face, Fang Shaohan spoke to Jiang Limin.

Jiang Limin glanced at him coldly, defiantly saying, "You always say this to me, but never to Gu Xiaoqing. Aren’t you also delaying her studies? At least I’ve graduated, I’m a free person now, but she’s still in school."

Jiang Limin had long known about Gu Xiaoqing’s schooling.

How could you truly understand Gu Xiaoqing without first investigating her thoroughly?

Fang Shaohan stood up, put the towel into the basin to wash, wrung it dry, and hung it on the rack, saying, "Gu Xiaoqing is different from you. She’s my girlfriend; it’s natural for her to take care of me. But you’re my friend, we need to distinguish between these roles."

Jiang Limin slammed the water cup onto the table, "Fang Shaohan, are you picking a fight? Who’s the outsider? That Gu Xiaoqing is the outsider, alright? You go and ask Uncle and Auntie, as well as Grandpa and Grandma; none of them see me as an outsider. You’re the one who can’t distinguish between inside and outside."

She was infuriated by Fang Shaohan. She had been wholeheartedly taking care of him; otherwise, how could she have tolerated his nonsense for ten days so humbly?

Still, she clashed with those women, every day fighting ardently in her love defense battle. Fang Shaohan still didn’t appreciate it. Can there be such ungrateful men?

Jiang Limin felt utterly wronged.

Fang Shaohan impatiently said, "Xiao Min, I’ve told you before, regardless of what you think, or what my grandparents think, the person who’s going to spend a lifetime with me is going to be my wife, whom I must love.

You often appear around me, this is a disturbance to both me and Gu Xiaoqing. As childhood friends, I can’t speak too frankly, but as a girl, shouldn’t you maintain your dignity when being told this, right?

There can never be any possibility between us."

Fang Shaohan was not used to being vague; he had really had enough these days.

Being entangled by Jiang Limin like this, in front of a group of people, there was nothing he could say, but this didn’t mean he tolerated such an all-encompassing intrusion.

"Fang Shaohan, Gu Xiaoqing doesn’t like you at all, so why are you so persistent? Clearly, she has no feelings for you, yet you obstinately call her your girlfriend. I like you so much; for you, I can give up myself. Why would I humble myself like this if not for the love of you, sacrificing my dignity?"

Jiang Limin was enraged by Fang Shaohan and began to attack him indiscriminately.

The surrounding air instantly turned cold as if the temperature dropped by more than ten degrees.

"Who told you? Was it Gu Xiaoqing? Did you two reach some agreement?"

Fang Shaohan believed that his intuition couldn’t be wrong; no wonder Gu Xiaoqing had been so calm lately, always maintaining a tolerant and pleasant demeanor towards him, making Fang Shaohan think that Gu Xiaoqing had finally opened her heart to him.

To know that a woman’s heart and mind are not easily opened, though Fang Shaohan could tell from his observations that Gu Xiaoqing had feelings for him, there was a fondness.

But there always seemed to be something unclear blocking between the two, something Fang Shaohan couldn’t break through.

He wasn’t sure where the problem lay.

This feeling of helplessness was very frustrating.

Gu Xiaoqing still seemed so distantly away from him.

Fang Shaohan wanted to hold onto this woman; after all the things they’ve been through, he didn’t believe Gu Xiaoqing had no feelings for him. Without feelings, would she work so tirelessly to take care of him, give him the support and reason to stand back up? Without feelings, would she stay by his side consistently?

Gu Xiaoqing never said anything, but the care and warmth in her eyes always made Fang Shaohan want to indulge.

Those hands often supported him helpfully and, during rehabilitation fatigue, when his muscles were sore, quietly massaged and soothed him.

Occasionally, he could see the emotions in those deer-like dark eyes.

That was definitely a feeling one couldn’t mistake.

"It was Gu Xiaoqing who said it. From day one, I spoke to Gu Xiaoqing, telling her to stay away from you, you are my man. She straightforwardly said she agreed to leave, and she has no romantic feelings towards you, just friends helping each other.

Otherwise, why do you think I’ve been able to coexist peacefully with her for the past ten days? It’s because she said she’d leave automatically. So your supposed choice of wife doesn’t match your thoughts."

Jiang Limin said smugly, not believing that after saying this, Fang Shaohan would still have feelings for Gu Xiaoqing. After all, no man would accept such embarrassment of being rejected by a woman.

A man’s self-esteem doesn’t allow it.

She believed Fang Shaohan was the same.

"So you’re saying Gu Xiaoqing won’t be coming today, right?"

Fang Shaohan’s voice was very cold; this time, Gu Xiaoqing had truly angered him.

Jiang Limin was startled by Fang Shaohan’s icy tone; this was a side of him she hadn’t seen before. In Jiang Limin’s mind, Fang Shaohan had always been the protector, the caretaker, even with a cold face, his voice was gentle, occasionally smiling at her like a big boy.

Not this man before her, who sent chills down one’s spine, resembling an intense cold that seemed to return from Antarctica, making Jiang Limin genuinely afraid.