Chapter 22 Injured

Chapter 22: Injured

The book offered little detail about this particular incident in the Big Shot’s life, only stating he acted to avenge his sister, without specifying the exact nature of the offense. Reflecting now, it seemed highly probable that tonight’s events were the cause.

Xie Xinyi remembered this passage primarily because her friend, discussing the Big Shot’s tumultuous past, found him overly impulsive. What could have been resolved legally, he chose to handle through extreme measures, allowing the opposing party to exploit his unique status. This escalated a minor issue into a civil-military conflict, forcing Gu Yu’s unit to sacrifice him for the greater good.

Though the Big Shot had already contemplated leaving the military, there was a significant distinction between voluntary resignation and forced dismissal in that era. Furthermore, his subsequent period of reform-through-labor led to a prolonged period of inactivity after his release, causing him to miss crucial business opportunities.

Her friend believed the Big Shot was the architect of his own misfortune, often hypothesizing what might have transpired had Gu Yu not been so impetuous. While her friend theorized, Xie Xinyi would ponder the feasibility, never imagining that their earnest discussions would one day materialize. She certainly never anticipated that their past conjectures would become the pivotal factor in altering the present outcome.

She first noticed the name Gao He because it coincided with her real-life crush.

This striking coincidence instinctively put her on high alert when Gu Yu later mentioned him.

The identical timing, the shared catalyst, and Gu Yu’s demeanor toward the individual—all these elements converged, setting off Xie Xinyi’s internal alarm bells.

Her hand trembled slightly as she supported Wen Shuhua, and the three of them hastened toward the city hospital.

Zhang Xin’s friend hadn’t specified over the phone how or how severely Gu Ying was injured, only urging them to rush to the hospital. Xie Xinyi felt a profound sense of unease.

She worried about Gu Ying’s condition, yet also felt a flicker of relief at Gu Yu’s absence.

Assuming Gu Yu was still unaware, she specifically instructed Grandma Gu before leaving not to inform him if he returned. They would assess the situation at the hospital and then call back.

Though Grandma Gu didn’t understand the reason, she nodded in agreement.

Xie Xinyi braced for the worst, rushing directly to Gu Ying’s emergency room upon arrival at the hospital.

The acrid scent of disinfectant permeated her nostrils. In the last cubicle of the emergency room, Gu Ying sat on the edge of the bed, covered in blood, while a doctor knelt, bandaging her.

Her arm was in a cast, her hair disheveled, her eyes vacant, and her pale face bore several noticeable scratches. She sat on the bed in a daze, seemingly still reeling from the shock.

"My Ying'er, who did this to you?"

Wen Shuhua, at the forefront, saw the scene and her suspicions were confirmed. Having held back her tears throughout the journey, she could no longer contain herself and burst into sobs.

She approached to meticulously examine Gu Ying’s injuries, feeling a slight relief upon realizing the blood on her was not from her own wounds. Her heart ached, and she longed to gently touch her daughter’s injured face, yet feared causing her more pain. After a moment of hesitation, she could only embrace her precious daughter tightly, suppressing her anger as she inquired about the assailant.

Against a warm chest, with soothing pats on her back, the excessively frightened girl was finally pulled back to reality. Tears streamed down Gu Ying’s cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably.

"Mom, I... I... ugh..."

Before she could finish, she began to dry heave. Xie Xinyi quickly fetched a cup of warm water and offered it. After Gu Ying drank and composed herself, Zhang Xin, who had been standing at the back, finally spoke softly, "Focus on your recovery first. We can discuss everything else later."

He had been frowning deeply since entering the room, and upon seeing Gu Ying’s injuries, he clenched his fists even tighter. He yearned to immediately find and retaliate against the person who hurt the girl, yet he had no useful information.

Unable to identify the assailant and with Gu Ying too traumatized to speak clearly, Zhang Xin was anxious, but he knew he couldn't rush her.

Gu Ying had only just regained her composure. Pressing her now about her attacker would only reawaken those painful memories, plunging her back into endless terror.

Zhang Xin did not wish this. He was more concerned for the girl’s well-being than revenge.

After gently comforting Gu Ying, he prepared to follow the doctor for medication. As he turned, his sleeve was tugged from behind, and he heard Gu Ying whisper, "Please check on Regimental Commander Gao next door. He saved me in the alley earlier."

Gao He was also there?

And he saved Gu Ying?

Xie Xinyi was perplexed. How did Gao He become involved?

The original book hadn’t detailed this, nor mentioned anyone saving Gu Ying. At the time, she and her friend had even suspected Gao He was behind it. How could the supposed villain now be the hero who saved the damsel?

She glanced at Zhang Xin in disbelief, seeing his equally bewildered expression as he looked at Gu Ying. He tried to confirm, "Regimental Commander Gao saved you?"

Gu Ying nodded, completely oblivious to Xie Xinyi’s slightly questioning tone, only urging Zhang Xin to quickly check on Gao He next door, adding that Gao He was even more severely injured than she was.

"...Luckily, Regimental Commander Gao happened to be passing by. Otherwise... otherwise, I would’ve..."

As she recounted the perilous encounter, Gu Ying began to sob again. Wen Shuhua’s heart ached, and she motioned for Zhang Xin to quickly check next door.

Though Zhang Xin found the situation peculiar, seeing the slight redness in Gu Ying’s eyes, he ultimately said nothing, simply turning and leaving.

Xie Xinyi desperately tried to recall the book’s contents, but after much thought, found no useful information. Had she known she would transmigrate and encounter this very incident, she would have thoroughly read and memorized the entire book.

She watched Gu Ying sit blankly on the bed, clutching the warm water cup, motionless and silent, as if her soul had been extracted, leaving only an empty shell—completely devoid of her usual vibrancy and spirit.

The girl stared blankly toward the door. Wen Shuhua stood by, wanting to speak several times, but ultimately remained silent upon seeing her daughter’s dazed state.

The three waited quietly in the emergency room. After about ten minutes, Zhang Xin returned, his face grim.

"How is he? Is Regimental Commander Gao okay?" Gu Ying abruptly stood up from the bed, forgetting about her injured foot. "Ouch..."

A searing pain shot through her wound, and the freshly bandaged area showed a faint redness. Gu Ying ignored it, leaning on the bed’s edge, awaiting Zhang Xin’s reply.

Wen Shuhua and Xie Xinyi rushed forward to support her unsteady frame. Zhang Xin also hurried over, his hand hovering mid-air, a slight frown on his brow. "Slow down, you’re still injured."

With that, he helped Xie Xinyi and the others gently guide Gu Ying back onto the bed before explaining Gao He’s condition. "...He seems fine. I asked the doctor, and it’s just some superficial wounds. He’ll recover with rest."

As he spoke, he kept his head down, tidying Gu Ying’s bedsheets, so no one saw the look of utter disgust on his face.

After briefly updating the girl on Gao He’s situation, he took the medicine from the bag and explained the instructions to Wen Shuhua.

Hearing that the man was alright, Gu Ying gradually relaxed. Just then, the doctor entered, having arranged a hospital room, and asked them to gather their belongings and move.

Zhang Xin complied, first borrowing a wheelchair. Xie Xinyi and Wen Shuhua helped Gu Ying into it, and they all headed toward the room. But before they reached it, a familiar male voice called out from behind.

"Gu Ying, are you okay?"

The tone was caring, but the voice sounded weak.

Hearing this, everyone turned simultaneously to see Gao He, his leg in a splint and body wrapped in bandages, being slowly wheeled toward them by a nurse.

Perhaps for easier bandaging, the man wore only an open coat, revealing numerous bandaged wounds underneath. It hardly looked like the "minor injuries" Zhang Xin had described.

Upon seeing Gu Ying, the man forced a faint smile, then winced as if the movement had tugged at his wounds. Whether it was an act or genuine pain, the performance successfully fooled everyone present.

Gu Ying glared fiercely at Zhang Xin, who looked back at her in confusion before helplessly glancing at the man opposite him, seemingly at a loss for words. Wen Shuhua was so shocked by the scene that she stood there with her mouth half-open, speechless.

Only Xie Xinyi focused on something different. She stared at the man’s ever-changing expressions and the hand clutching his wound, wondering what scheme lay beneath the facade.

Gu Ying’s anxious concern echoed in her ears, and Wen Shuhua, having regained her composure, repeatedly expressed her gratitude to the man.

Xie Xinyi glanced at Zhang Xin, who was silently staring at the man, and understood.

After Wen Shuhua and Gu Ying finished thanking him, she also expressed her gratitude. "...Thankfully, Regimental Commander Gao was there. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable."

"I just happened to be passing by."

The man replied earnestly, claiming it was merely a coincidence and stating he had only done what any normal person would do—not taking credit, humble and polite.

Xie Xinyi chuckled, "What a coincidence."

After this remark, the topic took a sharp turn, asking if the man had gotten a clear look at the assailants.

"It was too dark at the time, and I was too busy saving Gu Ying, so I didn’t get a good look."

Not only did he not get a good look, but he also used the darkness as an excuse. Clearly, getting information about the attackers from him was impossible.

That inexplicable feeling of doubt rose in Xie Xinyi again, but she kept it to herself, thanked the man once more, and the group headed together toward the ward.

Since Gu Ying’s injuries weren't serious, the nurse arranged for her to stay in a small observation room. Gao He was right next door. They said their goodbyes at the door, and Gao He, despite his serious injuries, didn't forget to remind Gu Ying, who was less severely hurt, to rest well.

It was only then that Xie Xinyi realized—since they met in the hallway earlier, the man’s way of addressing Gu Ying had changed from the formal "Reporter Gu" to the slightly more intimate "Gu Ying."

Perhaps because she was already prejudiced against him, Xie Xinyi remained suspicious of his every word and action, even though Wen Shuhua found it all perfectly normal.

After learning that Gao He had saved her daughter and that Regimental Commander Gao had no family in Beijing, Wen Shuhua asked Zhang Xin, who was going home to get toiletries, to bring a set for Gao He as well. "And whatever you do, don’t let your mother find out."

"What is it that I can’t know?"

No sooner had Wen Shuhua finished speaking than Zhang Xin’s mother’s dissatisfied voice came from outside the door. "And here I was, kindly bringing you things."

Luo Jinxia appeared at the ward entrance, carrying toiletries in her left hand and a lunchbox in her right, her sarcastic remark just uttered.

She glared at Wen Shuhua, but despite her sharp words, the worry on her face at the sight of Gu Ying gave her away. "Oh my heavens, how did you get hurt like this?"

Letting out a shocked exclamation, Luo Jinxia handed the items to her son and hurried to Gu Ying’s side.

Frowning, her heart aching, she looked the girl over from head to toe. When she saw the splint on Gu Ying’s calf, she couldn't hold back her tears. "Who did this to you? Oh dear…"

Her voice choked. Luo Jinxia began to sob, and Zhang Juan, who had followed her in, stepped forward worriedly to comfort her. "Sister Ying is still unwell, Mom. Please don’t upset yourself."

She glanced apologetically at Gu Ying, then turned to Wen Shuhua to explain. "...My brother got a call saying Sister Ying was hurt, and Mom was too worried to stay away, so she found her way here."

After saying this, she took the lunchbox from Zhang Xin. "We thought Sister Ying probably hadn't eaten yet, so Mom made some of her favorite dishes."

As she spoke, she held out the lunchbox. Gu Ying, hooked to an IV, couldn’t take it, so Wen Shuhua accepted it on her behalf.

"Thank you, Aunt Luo."

Gu Ying thanked her meekly, her weak voice making Luo Jinxia’s heart ache even more. Once she’d composed herself, Luo Jinxia smacked her son, who was standing by the bed, blaming him for not taking better care of Gu Ying.

Xie Xinyi helped to calm her down, and Wen Shuhua also said it wasn’t Zhang Xin’s fault. The room was filled with voices of comfort and complaint, and no one noticed the person standing at the door who shouldn't have been there.

Zhang Juan was the first to notice, timidly calling out "Brother Gu Yu." Only then did everyone look up and see the silent figure at the door.

The man was in military uniform, holding his cap. He had rushed over without even changing, clearly having learned the news from Grandma Gu.

"What are you doing here?"

Although Wen Shuhua didn’t know why Xie Xinyi had wanted to keep this a secret, the question slipped out almost thoughtlessly when she saw her son.

Gu Yu was Gu Ying’s brother—shouldn't he be the first to come when his sister was injured and hospitalized?

She glanced helplessly at Xie Xinyi. As the two were wondering how to explain, Luo Jinxia, upon seeing Gu Yu, who had rushed over, immediately complained, "What took you so long? Come quickly, come see your sister."

The man nodded and walked to Gu Ying’s bedside without a word, his eyes fixed on the splint on her calf.

He didn’t ask what had happened, nor did he explain why he had only just arrived. His reaction was quite different from what Xie Xinyi had imagined.

She watched as he softly offered Gu Ying a few words of advice, his face showing no trace of anger throughout. After speaking, he went outside with Zhang Xin, pausing only to give her a deep, meaningful glance as he passed.

Had he noticed something?

Xie Xinyi wasn’t sure. That evening, when they returned home, the man remained silent.

She watched as he went to the high-low cabinet to fetch bedding for the night, feeling that his calmness was almost frightening.

The assumptions her friend had made kept echoing in her mind.

"If Gu Yu hadn’t acted impulsively, maybe he wouldn’t have had to go to prison."

"If Gu Yu hadn’t gone to prison, maybe his sister wouldn’t have had to leave home."

"If his sister hadn’t left home, maybe that scheming older brother wouldn’t have seized the chance to steal the Gu family’s fortune."

And there was Aunt Wen, who had been so kind to her from the start, and Grandma Gu, who cherished her like a fragile treasure...

It seemed that if Gu Yu hadn’t acted impulsively, everyone’s fate would have been different.

Xie Xinyi had made these assumptions before as an outsider, but now, experiencing it firsthand, she truly understood Gu Yu’s perspective back then.

Seeing his sister treated like this and doing nothing calmly? That only happens in stories.

Not to mention Gu Yu was a flesh-and-blood person—even if Xie Xinyi knew the outcome in advance, her first thought would be to find the perpetrators and make them pay in kind.

She didn’t want to view the situation with omniscient detachment. She simply wanted, as a member of Gu Ying’s family, to see those responsible face consequences.

But those consequences couldn’t come at the cost of Gu Yu throwing everything away.

So when, after a long silence, the man asked why she hadn’t wanted him to know, Xie Xinyi answered frankly, "I was afraid you’d act rashly and lose your judgment."

A few simple words, but they hit the mark.

Gu Yu frowned slightly as he spread out the bedding, listening as Xie Xinyi shared her thoughts on the matter.

"...I’ve walked down that alley Gu Ying took before. It’s actually not that remote—it’s just that the timing was too coincidental, running into drunkards right then."

She tried to analyze the timing, steering the man toward her doubts. "At that hour, most people wouldn’t have finished dinner yet. Where did these drunkards come from, and so many of them? And they appeared as soon as Gu Ying entered the alley. I was thinking..."

She deliberately drew out her words, furrowing her brow slightly. When the man picked up on the doubt and looked over, she pretended to have a sudden realization. "Could it be intentional?"

This thought had actually crossed Xie Xinyi’s mind as soon as she heard Gu Ying say Gao He had saved her.

Without prejudice or preconceptions, it was simply a woman’s intuition—unexplainable, reasonless intuition.

The feeling was so strong it practically leaped out at her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked exposure by asking if the man had seen the assailants’ faces.

Gu Ying was attacked at six o’clock. At that time of year, it shouldn’t have been fully dark yet.

In the process of rescuing Gu Ying, Gao He would have confronted those men directly. For someone with professional training, getting a clear look at their faces shouldn’t have been difficult.

Xie Xinyi knew this, which was why she asked skeptically. But the man flatly denied it, using the darkness as an excuse.

The excuse didn’t hold up under scrutiny, strengthening Xie Xinyi’s conviction.

She suspected Gao He was involved in Gu Ying’s attack, but even after considering the book’s plot, she couldn’t guess his motive.

There was no other way but to vaguely express her thoughts like this—without letting Gu Yu sense anything unusual about her, while laying out all the suspicions clearly before him.

As for what to do next, it would depend on whether Gu Yu could uncover Gao He’s true intentions.

However, judging by the way the man paused thoughtfully after hearing her words, things were probably headed in the right direction.

After playing the role of the helpful "Snail Maiden," Xie Xinyi fell asleep peacefully. When she woke up the next day, Gu Yu had already left. She didn’t think much of it and went with Wen Shuhua to pick up Gu Ying, who was being discharged from the hospital that day.

The Gu family consciously avoided bringing up the past in front of Gu Ying. Apart from Gu Haoyi, who came back to get his luggage and told them to keep a close watch on Gu Yu, everyone acted as if nothing had happened.

Xie Xinyi went to the food factory as usual, going through the motions at work each day. Wen Shuhua took leave for Gu Ying and stayed at home. Grandma Gu didn’t mention how Gu Yu had managed to get the information out of her that night, and Wang Ma silently followed instructions and changed the menu.

The whole family worked hard to protect Gu Ying’s dignity, and no one asked about the specific details of the incident. This tacit agreement lasted until three days later, when Zhang Xin knocked on the Gu family’s door with news that the perpetrators had been caught.

“...The police accidentally caught this guy during a gambling raid. As soon as he heard that cooperating could reduce his sentence, he confessed everything right then and there.”

He took a sip of water and, noticing Gu Ying wasn’t around, continued, “The others were also arrested last night. It’s just... just...”

“Just what?”

Seeing that Zhang Xin didn’t look as happy as he should after catching the perpetrators, and that his words hinted at a twist, Wen Shuhua’s heart jumped into her throat. She asked warily, afraid of hearing something she didn’t want to, her entire body tense with anxiety. “It’s not Gu Yu, is it...?”

At the mention of Gu Yu, Xie Xinyi suddenly realized she hadn’t seen the man for several days. Ever since she shared her suspicions with him, he hadn’t been back to the Gu residence. At first, she thought he was at the military base, but now, hearing Wen Shuhua’s words and recalling the book’s ending, coupled with Zhang Xin’s unfinished sentence, her heart tightened, and she immediately turned to look at Zhang Xin.

“No... it’s not Gu Yu.”

Seeing the two women looking at him as if facing a great enemy, Zhang Xin quickly shook his head in denial. “It’s not Gu Yu. It’s those guys—when the police caught them, they were already beaten so badly they were unrecognizable.”

When he received the call from his old classmate earlier, he almost thought he had misheard. “The officer in charge of the arrest is my classmate. According to him, when they arrived at the scene, those men had sacks over their heads and were tied together with a rope, unable to move at all.”

Zhang Xin repeated what he had heard from his classmate to Wen Shuhua and the others. By the end, he even imitated his classmate’s tone and sighed, “Whoever that anonymous good Samaritan was, they sure saved us a lot of trouble.”

An anonymous good Samaritan who caught all the criminals.

What perfect timing—just as Gu Yu disappeared, those men faced retaliation.

Xie Xinyi had a pretty good idea, but she couldn’t show it in front of everyone. Just as she was about to find a way to casually ask Zhang Xin if he had seen Gu Yu recently, the man quietly appeared before her out of nowhere in the next moment.