Chapter Thirty-Three: Intimate Approaches

At the Gu family villa, Gu Xiujin looked at the clock with some surprise, his gaze fixed on the ticking hands, not blinking once. Standing beside him, Li Zhao barely dared to breathe.

After a long moment, Gu Xiujin finally let out a deep breath, and only then did Li Zhao dare to speak. “Sir, how are you feeling?”

“After sleeping an entire day, how do you think I feel?” Gu Xiujin frowned, his face cold as he swung his legs off the bed. In the next second, Li Zhao, ever attentive, wheeled over the wheelchair that stood nearby.

But Gu Xiujin did not sit in it. Instead, he stood up directly. Witnessing this, Li Zhao’s face flushed with excitement and surprise. “Sir, you can stand up!”

Previously, because Gu Xiujin had fallen into a state of suspended animation, his body had been severely weakened—his legs powerless, even standing was a struggle. Yet after a full day’s sleep, he could now stand.

Gu Xiujin himself was momentarily dazed as he stood, as if he had not expected Dr. Xie Qingtang’s medicine to be so miraculous.

“Sir, it seems Dr. Xie was right after all. You really do need to rest more,” Li Zhao said joyfully. But at Gu Xiujin’s cold glance, he immediately returned to a serious demeanor, his ability to change so quickly that even a seasoned performer would be put to shame.

Gu Xiujin said nothing, sat down in the wheelchair again, and addressed Li Zhao sternly, “Do not tell anyone about my recovery. Do you understand?”

“I understand, sir.” Remembering the faces of the Gu family during Gu Xiujin’s state of suspended animation, Li Zhao immediately understood the reason for this discretion and nodded.

At that moment, Gu Xiujin made another important decision.

Knock, knock, knock.

Those dining in the backyard suddenly heard someone knocking at the front door. Zhou Jinfan put down his bowl and chopsticks in confusion. “Who could it be at this hour?”

“Go open the door,” Xie Qingtang said calmly. Since the boss had spoken, Zhou Jinfan, as a junior, could only comply. He rose and went to open the door.

With his head held high and a hint of impatience, Zhou Jinfan said, “Who is it? It’s late—our Charity Hall is already closed. If you have business, come back tomorrow.”

But in the next instant, when he saw who was standing at the door, his voice caught in his throat as if a rooster had been strangled. He could not utter another word; his throat felt stuffed with cotton.

“Is Xie Qingtang here?” Gu Xiujin, sitting in his wheelchair, cast him a cold glance—one that felt like a category-ten hurricane, leaving Zhou Jinfan shaken to his core.

This was a man he could not afford to offend. Zhou Jinfan quickly lowered his head and forced a smile. “She’s here, in the backyard having dinner.”

With that, Li Zhao wheeled Gu Xiujin straight toward the backyard, while Zhou Jinfan closed the door and hurried after them.

When Xie Qingtang saw that the visitor was Gu Xiujin, she raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, but remained seated, eating as she asked, “President Gu, what a rare guest. What brings you here personally? Or is something wrong with your health?”

At this thought, the physician’s heart in Xie Qingtang stirred, and she immediately looked up at Gu Xiujin. Noticing the healthy flush to his cheeks—though not yet full of vigor as a healthy man, he was much improved from before—she felt some relief.

“Old Master Xie, it’s been a long time,” Gu Xiujin greeted, having spotted the elderly man in the wheelchair before he addressed Xie Qingtang.

After the acupuncture treatment earlier, Old Master Xie’s condition had stabilized and was steadily improving, so his mind was clear. He looked at Gu Xiujin with amazement. “You’re Old Gu’s grandson, Gu Xiujin, aren’t you?” His hand trembled as he pointed at Gu Xiujin.

Gu Xiujin nodded, a rare smile appearing at the corner of his lips. “Old Master Xie, I’m sorry. All these years, because I was deceived by Shao Siming, you suffered so much. I should have rescued you from the nursing home much sooner.”

“What’s past is past. There’s no use dwelling on it. As long as I see you all well, I am content,” Old Master Xie said kindly, nodding.

Xie Qingtang noticed that the usually cold and taciturn Gu Xiujin seemed like a completely different person in front of her grandfather—humble, courteous, every bit the proper junior. No matter what Old Master Xie asked, he answered honestly and thoroughly.

The two, both seated in wheelchairs—one old, one young—chatted away animatedly. Xie Qingtang couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous. She picked up the medicinal porridge she’d prepared especially for her grandfather and said, “Grandpa, the porridge is getting cold. Drink it while it’s hot—the medicine works best that way.”

“All right, all right, I’ll drink it now.” Old Master Xie, far from displeased at being interrupted, accepted the bowl with a cheerful smile and began to eat.

Gu Xiujin, sitting nearby, sniffed the air and caught the fragrant aroma wafting from the bowl of medicinal porridge. Surprised, he turned to Xie Qingtang. “You can cook medicinal dishes as well?”

“It’s not difficult. Why wouldn’t I?” Xie Qingtang shot him a speechless glance. With her level of medical skill, it should be obvious that she could prepare medicinal cuisine.

As Old Master Xie sipped his porridge, he casually asked Gu Xiujin, “Xiujin, have you eaten? Would you like to stay for a meal?”

“I haven’t eaten yet. I was worried about your health, so I came to check on you first. Now that I see you’re recovering well, I can eat when I get home,” Gu Xiujin responded righteously.

Old Master Xie let out a hearty laugh, and even Xie Qingtang was surprised. Although her grandfather had been in good spirits lately, it was rare for him to laugh out loud like this.

“There’s no need to go back. Tangtang is an excellent cook—stay and have something to eat. Most of the dishes are medicinal; they’ll be good for you,” Old Master Xie extended the invitation directly.

She had expected someone as particular and aloof as Gu Xiujin to refuse, but to Xie Qingtang’s astonishment, in the next instant he nodded and agreed to stay for dinner. Her brows furrowed slightly—she couldn’t quite guess what this man was up to.