Chapter 7: His Intentions

Chapter 7: His Intentions

Zhang Chi glanced at Gu Chen in surprise, but the latter only stared at his injured leg hanging mid-air.

"Haha, let's keep things separate. You—" Zhang Chi said, giving Shen Xian a thumbs up.

"Let's get down to business," Gu Chen, who had been silent for a while, suddenly interjected.

"Oh, right!"

Zhang Chi acknowledged and turned to pick up the iPad he had discarded earlier. "Since you've just been transferred to this position, it might take some time to adjust to working alongside the boss. I've prepared a schedule for your daily tasks; take a look."

Shen Xian looked at him questioningly, but Zhang Chi continued, "Don't worry too much. The boss has three professional secretaries as well. Just remember the tenet: think as Gu Chen thinks, worry as Gu Chen worries."

Shen Xian raised her gaze to Gu Chen. So he didn't intend for her to return to her previous role?

He had brought her here under the pretense of visiting a patient, but it was actually for work-related matters?

At that moment, Zhang Chi seemed anything but an injured patient. His energetic demeanor hinted at his mischievous nature when he was healthy.

"Enough, your tongue is more stubborn than your broken bone!"

Gu Chen playfully tapped Zhang Chi's heavily bandaged leg with his phone, a look of disdain on his face.

"Ouch, ouch, it hurts, it hurts."

Zhang Chi clutched his leg in agony. "I have a broken leg, not a broken mouth. I can still speak clearly. I'm just highlighting the important bits for my savior, you know. You're so hard to please – what if..."

Gu Chen shot him a glance, and Zhang Chi promptly fell silent.

Observing their interaction, Shen Xian could guess that their relationship was far from the typical boss-assistant dynamic.

She bent down to pick up the iPad and examined it. "Could you send me the files? I'd like to study them more closely back home."

"Certainly, no problem at all!"

Zhang Chi always viewed Shen Xian through the lens of a savior; he couldn't help but be delighted whenever she spoke.

While they were talking, a commotion of footsteps echoed outside, followed by the push of the hospital room door.

"Where is he, how is he? Gu Chen—"

Leading the way was a middle-aged man, dressed in expensive casual wear. His hair was meticulously groomed, and though he carried a slight paunch, signs of careful maintenance were evident.

"Uncle Three."

Gu Chen, seated at the foot of the bed, stood up to greet him upon his arrival.

"Oh my, my dear nephew, are you alright? Are you alright? As long as you're unharmed!"

As Uncle Three spoke, he approached and took hold of Gu Chen's arms with both hands, scrutinizing him from head to toe. Only when he saw that Gu Chen was uninjured did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm fine," Gu Chen replied.

Standing there, Gu Chen appeared particularly refined in front of his elder, and even — obedient.

Yes, obedient.

This seemingly ordinary term surprisingly suited the mature and refined Gu Chen.

Shen Xian was pushed aside by the trailing crowd, who seemed to be bodyguards accompanying this Uncle Gu. She retreated to a distant corner, standing silently.

"That damned bastard! If I ever find out who did this, I won't let them off lightly!"

Uncle Gu slapped the foot of the bed, causing it to oscillate violently from the force.

Zhang Chi's entire body was lifted up, making him grit his teeth in pain.

"Ahh, ahh..."

"Hey! Little Chi." Uncle Gu's attention was drawn by Zhang Chi's cries, finally noticing the genuine patient lying on the bed.

"Haha, Uncle."

Zhang Chi tried to compose himself, calling out to him with a trembling voice.

"I rushed back as soon as I heard the news. I'm relieved to see that you're all alright."

Zhang Chi's lips twitched. "Is he alright?"

How could that be considered alright?

He was lying in bed with a cast on his arm – how could that be alright?

Shen Xian rubbed her nose, observing everything discreetly.

" The police are already investigating," Gu Chen reassured. "Uncle, there's no need to worry too much."

"Investigate, we must investigate! To dare cause trouble under our Shenfei Group's roof and disrupt public order – they're utterly fearless and insane!"

Uncle Gu still appeared furious. It took some time for Zhang Chi and Gu Chen to take turns calming him down.

"Xiao Chen, quickly contact your second uncle. He saw the news and it worsened his heart condition."

"Alright." Gu Chen obediently agreed. In front of elders, he was a completely different person from his usual self.

It was clear that Uncle Gu had a fiery temper, as his anger and concern seethed through his words.

Arriving with an entourage of bodyguards, they stood in clusters by the bedside, creating quite an annoyance.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries and reminding Zhang Chi to take good care of himself, Uncle Gu led his group in a grand departure.

"Hey, your uncle really cherishes his life, doesn't he? He never goes anywhere without his bodyguards."

Once they were gone, Zhang Chi let out a sigh of relief and lounged back on the bed, still finding the energy to tease despite his ordeal.

"Alright, you do need rest. Follow the doctor's advice, and I'll be on my way."

"Big Brother, you're leaving already? You won't stay with me a bit longer?"

Zhang Chi was a master of mood swings!

Having just complained comfortably, he now looked at Gu Chen with a pout, then glanced at Shen Xian.

"I'll contact you if I need anything," Gu Chen said, glancing up at Shen Xian before abruptly changing the subject.

"Wahaha, as expected, new love forgets old friends! Gu Chen, you can do it, go ahead and leave!" Zhang Chi threw a pillow over his head in mock anger.

"Take care of your injuries. I might need your advice in the future," Shen Xian stepped forward, returning the iPad to Zhang Chi.

Zhang Chi peeked at her from behind his pillow, and that glimpse reminded Shen Xian of Bai Zhan.

"I'll visit you often," she said softly, unable to resist the impulse.

"Time to go."

From the other end, Gu Chen spoke up, already stepping out.

Zhang Chi gestured to Shen Xian, urging her to follow quickly.

Outside the hospital, Gu Chen turned his head slightly to address Shen Xian who was closely trailing him, "That's it for today's schedule. You don't need to accompany me further."

Confused, Shen Xian wondered - what did 'don't need to follow' imply?

"Alright, then I'll head back to the company now."

Considering that Gu Chen might have personal arrangements, Shen Xian decided not to probe further.

"Back to the company?" Gu Chen furrowed his brow.

Shen Xian glanced at her watch and saw that there was still over an hour before the end of work hours. "Mm-hmm, we can still make it for the punch-in."

Gu Chen looked at her as if she had said something absurd.

"The company's regulations, section 132, state that employees must clock in and out punctually. Otherwise, they'll face a wage deduction," Shen Xian explained obediently.

The corners of Gu Chen's lips twitched slightly as he buttoned his suit jacket with slender fingers. "You remember that well. Good, but you don't have to."

With that, the car pulled up, and Gu Chen got in without hesitation.

Didn't have to?

Shen Xian watched the car speed away, contemplating that perhaps this was a privilege that Zhang Chi had enjoyed in the past?

Since Gu Chen said she didn't need to clock out specifically, she decided to follow his lead and skip the trip.

Perhaps due to the sight of the injured Zhang Chi, Shen Xian's mood had plummeted. That familiar and intense feeling of guilt, which had lingered within her from the beginning, now grew more pronounced.

After taking just two steps, she abruptly changed direction. There was a place she desired to visit even more.