Chapter 989 - 986

Chapter 989: Chapter 986

"...Okay." Gu Xiaoning frowned and nodded.

The two of them were standing on the balcony; it was Cui Ruoya who spoke first.

"Gu Xiaoning, before we went to Disney, everything I said—did you just let it go in one ear and out the other?"

"What?" Gu Xiaoning was stunned. "I don’t understand, what do you mean by that?"

"Don’t understand?" Cui Ruoya’s lips curled. "Did I or did I not tell you... she mustn’t eat random things outside?"

She pointed at the bed inside. "Jiujiu came back and immediately had acute gastroenteritis. Don’t you dare say this has nothing to do with you! Just tell me, did you listen to what I said or not?"

"I..." Gu Xiaoning’s words stalled.

At Disney, Jiujiu had indeed eaten outside food.

"Ha." Cui Ruoya saw it clearly. "She did eat it, didn’t she? This is how you act as a mother?"

"It’s not like that." Gu Xiaoning hurried to explain. "I stopped her at the time, but then, A‑Sheng..."

Before she could finish, Cui Ruoya cut her off.

"A‑Sheng insisted on buying it, didn’t he?"

"...Yes." Gu Xiaoning nodded, still wanting to say more.

"So you see!" Cui Ruoya shook her head with a sigh. "You two should never have gone together! Because of his guilt toward Jiujiu, A‑Sheng has always spoiled this child. And you? As her mother, you’re the same. With both of you harboring that kind of mindset, how could you possibly raise her well?"

Her words made Gu Xiaoning feel thoroughly uncomfortable, but as a mother, she really was in the wrong.

Cui Ruoya went on, "A‑Sheng, this person, he’s actually still very childish. Normally, with me around, I keep him in check. Who knew just letting you two go out once would lead to this! Looks like you don’t have even the slightest positive influence on him. So... was this why you broke up back then? Turns out it really was..."

"Dr. Cui!"

Gu Xiaoning gritted her teeth and cut her off.

"Hm?" Caught off guard, Cui Ruoya hadn’t expected that. "What?"

Gu Xiaoning met her gaze. "I failed to stop A‑Sheng and caused Jiujiu to fall ill. That really is my fault. But Jiujiu is my daughter. I don’t understand why I have to stand here and take your accusations."

"..." Cui Ruoya froze. So Gu Xiaoning had a temper too?

"And another thing." Gu Xiaoning decided to say it all in one breath. "How A‑Sheng and I broke up—I don’t need to explain that to you. That’s between me and A‑Sheng..."

"..." Cui Ruoya’s tongue stuck; she actually had no way to refute that.

She hadn’t expected that this Gu Xiaoning, who looked slow and simple, actually had such a sharp tongue!

Feeling a little vindicated, Gu Xiaoning headed back inside, then remembered something.

"Dr. Cui, that thing you gave me last time... you did it on purpose, didn’t you?"

"What?" Cui Ruoya started, then realized what she meant. But on her face she pretended not to know. "What on purpose? What thing?"

Gu Xiaoning glanced back at her. "Those condoms your hospital produces."

"Oh." Cui Ruoya suddenly understood and laughed. "That’s part of the staff benefits at the hospital. I get loads of them every month and just hand them out casually... What, I gave some to you too? I don’t remember."

Hearing her say that only made Gu Xiaoning even more certain.

"Right, you definitely did it on purpose." Gu Xiaoning shook her head. "Dr. Cui, as a person... you’re really nowhere near as straightforward and aboveboard as you look."

With that, she pushed the door open and went in. She needed to stay with Jiujiu.

"..."

Cui Ruoya stood there with her mouth open, stunned. Ha! What a sharp tongue! Gentle, well‑behaved? All just an act, huh!

No wonder Le Zhengsheng got bewitched by her?

Did she think Cui Ruoya would just admit defeat like this?

How could Cui Ruoya be willing? A few months of their relationship—how could that possibly outweigh the ten‑plus years between her and Le Zhengsheng?

...

She was up all night.

Jiujiu finally slept soundly right before dawn.

After checking on her, Cui Ruoya was sure it was fine.

Gu Xiaoning went downstairs. She was going to make something for Jiujiu to eat. The last time when she had chickenpox, all the food Gu Xiaoning made never got to Jiujiu because of their fight.

The kitchen was very quiet, and Gu Xiaoning was familiar with this place. Although two years had passed, it hadn’t really changed.

"Ahem." A soft cough sounded behind her.

Gu Xiaoning turned around, and Le Zhengpeng was standing there.

"Uncle." Gu Xiaoning immediately stood up straight with her hands to her sides.

"Mm." Le Zhengpeng nodded. "I know you came back. I have two things to say to you."

"Yes." Gu Xiaoning was uneasy and nervous.

Le Zhengpeng studied her judiciously. "Back then I was never very satisfied with you to begin with. It was a mismatch in status from the start. And you? Your education was average; apart from your looks, you had nothing to speak of. But because A‑Sheng liked you, I still agreed!"

By this point, Gu Xiaoning had already lowered her head.

"But you disappointed me far too much!"

Le Zhengpeng’s tone shifted. "Coming back now is useless. I know you and A‑Sheng still have contact in private. But I have to make this clear: A‑Sheng hates you! And I do too. Don’t even think about using Jiujiu as an excuse to get close to A‑Sheng. Our Lezheng Family will not make the same stupid mistake twice!"

"Uncle..." Gu Xiaoning jerked her head up. "I haven’t."

"You’d better not have!" Le Zhengpeng frowned, his voice deep. "A‑Sheng is about to get married. You’ve seen Dr. Cui as well—she’s better than you in every way. Most importantly, she’s waited for A‑Sheng for over ten years. That alone... makes her a hundred times better than you!"

Gu Xiaoning fell silent. What else could she say?

"Ai..."

Le Zhengpeng sighed. "I can understand how you feel now—having nothing, so you think of your ex‑husband and your child. But there are some mistakes in life that you can never afford to make."

He glanced sideways at the stove. "You’re making food for Jiujiu?"

"...Yes." Gu Xiaoning choked out a nod.

Compassion rose in Le Zhengpeng. "Finish making it for her, then leave!"

"Thank you." Gu Xiaoning bent slightly in a bow. Her stomach was full of grievances, yet in front of Le Zhengpeng she still remained completely respectful.

...

Walking out of the Lezheng Family home, Gu Xiaoning felt dizzy.

After a sleepless night, she was close to her limit.

This body had really been drained over these past two years.

There was a car parked at the gate. Ling Yu got out. "Ningning."

"Young Master Ling." Gu Xiaoning tugged at the corner of her mouth, her vision going black.

"Ningning!" Ling Yu hurried forward to steady her—he’d seen her pass out before.

"Thanks." Gu Xiaoning weakly tried to smile. "You specially came... to pick me up?"

"Yeah." Ling Yu nodded. "I heard from the security guard that you rushed out last night, so I figured it must be that your daughter got sick... Don’t talk. Your head’s spinning, right? Get in the car, quick."

"Thank you."

Ling Yu reached out and scooped Gu Xiaoning up in a bridal carry...

Inside the wrought‑iron gate, Le Zhengsheng was standing there.

He’d rushed over in a hurry, only to see this scene again! As Le Zhengsheng turned around, Cui Ruoya was right behind him.

Cui Ruoya had a medical kit slung over her shoulder.

Le Zhengsheng smiled. "Heading back? Thanks for your hard work, you were up all night without any rest."