Chapter 7: Come Closer
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Secretary Qin arrived at the airport at four o’clock. It wasn’t until five that a tall man dressed entirely in black appeared among the crowd at the exit.
“President Su,” he greeted, stepping forward and taking the suitcase.
On the return trip, the car remained silent. Secretary Qin kept his eyes on the road, driving steadily, wisely refraining from speaking.
He had followed President Su for several years. Although the CEO was worth billions, he always maintained a low profile and personally handled matters like travel arrangements.
This time was no different, except that President Su’s itinerary after disembarking from the cruise ship had been kept confidential. Qin was only notified to pick him up upon his return to Y City.
There was some traffic ahead, so Qin gradually brought the vehicle to a stop. He then glanced quietly in the rearview mirror at the man in the back seat. The man remained in the same posture, expressionless, eyes half-closed as if deep in thought.
“How is it at the hospital?” Qin was about to look back at the road when Su Yu spoke lightly.
“The situation hasn’t improved. The doctors have advised preparing for the worst,” Qin replied quickly.
“Hmm.” After a brief acknowledgment, Su Yu opened his eyes, a shadow flickering in his gaze. “If there’s no solution domestically, then we’ll go abroad and find the top surgeons to bring back.”
“All right, but... President Su,” Qin hesitated.
“What is it?”
Qin continued, “The best talent may not necessarily be overseas. As far as I know, there’s a very skilled female doctor right here in Y City.”
“Who?” Su Yu turned his head and noticed a plastic bag out of place on the adjacent seat. He casually picked it up.
“The information is in here.” The light turned red ahead, so Qin stopped the car and handed over a stack of documents.
But his boss merely flipped through them briefly and set them aside.
Assuming Su Yu was dissatisfied, Qin hurriedly asked, “Don’t you like this doctor?”
“No.” Su Yu looked down at the bag and spoke calmly, “I know this person.”
The owner of the bag was the same.
A small button lay in his broad palm. Nearby, a note bore a hastily scrawled single character: “Oh,” signed with the name Gu Yao.
The character was incomplete; the last stroke was omitted, giving it a careless air.
“That... someone from the cruise ship brought it over, said it was a gift for you... a return courtesy,” Qin explained after noticing the bag.
He then answered a phone call, and upon hanging up, turned back. “Mingxi Hospital has responded. That female doctor wants to examine the patient first.”
Seeing no objection from Su Yu, he continued, “I’ll bring her over tomorrow.”
“No need,” Su Yu said, adjusting his long legs on the seat. “I’ll go myself.”
“All right.” Qin was surprised but dared not say more.
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Gu Yao had just left the director’s office when she overheard two nurses whispering behind the reception desk.
“Can you believe Gu Yao had the nerve to come back after causing such a big mess? Mrs. Lin is furious. She swore she’d make her pay, saying it was because Gu Yao refused the surgery that Mr. Lin died.”
“Exactly. Rich folks should just cooperate and spend the money. There’s no benefit in fighting back. She thought she was so great, but look—she was suspended for two months and almost got fired,” the other agreed.
When they turned and saw Gu Yao, they shrank back, lowering their heads in silence.
Gu Yao stared at them but said nothing, unwilling to waste words.
She had already had a long talk with Gu Shisheng yesterday, but the kid hadn’t changed one bit. Just earlier, she saw him secretly playing on his phone during class and posting a photo of the teacher’s back.
That afternoon, the entire hospital convened a meeting. Gu Yao arrived late; as she entered, all eyes were on her, their expressions varied. She ignored everyone and calmly took a seat in the front row.
This was the first time Mingxi Hospital held such a large-scale meeting for a single patient. Gu Yao had already reviewed the case history, but the director was anxious and had called her back.
The patient was no ordinary person—Su Xingyun, former president of the Hangsheng Group. Three years ago, he had fallen overboard from a cruise ship, later washed ashore with severe intracranial hemorrhaging from hitting his head on rocks. After regaining consciousness, he suffered memory loss. Despite multiple surgeries, the condition had not been cured. Recently, his condition worsened, threatening his life. A complex surgery was necessary, but no surgeon was willing to undertake it.
Hangsheng Group, Su Xingyun.
Silently repeating these words, Gu Yao pondered deeply.
After the meeting ended, she returned to her office and had barely reviewed the records for a few minutes when loud commotion erupted outside. Frowning, she stepped out to investigate.
Three elegantly dressed young women strode arrogantly down the hospital corridor, flanked by two expressionless, burly men who looked like bodyguards.
The woman in the middle wore a white dress, petite but curvy—she was the “Mrs. Lin” the nurses had mentioned.
Her name was Xiao Xiao. Two years ago, she married Lin Shengye, an entrepreneur twenty years her senior. Once living in poverty, she had since become a wealthy socialite.
Recently, Lin Shengye died of a brain tumor, and Xiao Xiao seemed to blame Gu Yao for his death.
“Gu Yao! Come out here!” With her friends and bodyguards at her side, Xiao Xiao’s voice was commanding as she stopped and shouted.
“Mrs. Lin, Gu Yao isn’t here. Please stop calling for her!” A few reception nurses followed, trying to persuade her, but the bodyguards shoved them aside.
Helpless, the nurses turned to find the director.
“Gu Yao, we know you’re here. Come out if you dare, or we’ll search room by room to find you!” Her two friends joined in, shrill voices rising.
More people gathered, drawn by the noise.
As they shouted a second time, the door to the innermost office opened, and a tall woman stepped out, hands tucked into the pockets of her white coat, expression calm.
“Let’s find somewhere private to talk. There are too many people here,” Gu Yao said, glancing at Xiao Xiao.
“Why? The more people the better. Let them see your true colors,” Xiao Xiao sneered, chin raised arrogantly.
“Fine,” Gu Yao nodded and stepped forward. “So, how do you plan to expose me? Go ahead.”
“Expose you? We’ll strip you naked, make you kneel before Mr. Lin’s portrait, and record it to post online. How about that?” Before Xiao Xiao could finish, one of her friends giggled as if this was a great joke.
“Your plan... is truly despicable,” Gu Yao frowned, her expression darkening.
She preferred straightforwardness and detested such humiliating tactics.
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“Get her! Hold her down!” Xiao Xiao, unwilling to waste more words, ordered her two bodyguards.
They agreed and approached. Facing a frail woman, they clearly underestimated her, reaching out carelessly.
But in the next moment, Gu Yao swiftly ducked aside, lunging forward with something shiny pulled from her sleeve.
“She’s got a knife!” one guard shouted, stepping back instinctively. But the woman pressed the blade to her own neck.
“I won’t endure your insults quietly. If necessary, I’ll resist—even if it means harming myself. You’re probably just paid hands, not wanting to get involved in a murder, right? So be wise and leave now,” Gu Yao stood upright and said calmly, determination in her eyes.
The two guards hesitated, not expecting such fierce resolve. Unsure how to proceed, they worried about the consequences if anyone got hurt.
In the end, since it was just a job for money, and this opponent was difficult, they decided to turn and leave, reasoning they could always refund the payment later.
The three women were left dumbfounded, trembling and shouting, “What are you doing? Are you trying to kill someone?”
Calmly retracting the apple-peeling knife, Gu Yao smiled slightly. “I’m acting in self-defense. But don’t worry, I don’t need this against you. I can handle you all barehanded.”
She stepped closer. “So, do you still want to teach me a lesson?”
Her expression was icy, her aura commanding. The presence of the weapon frightened Xiao Xiao, who stumbled backward, legs giving out as she sank to the floor.
Gu Yao stepped on the hem of her skirt, pinning her down, and looked down at her. “Mrs. Xiao, I’m curious—why do you hate me so much? Your husband was terminal with a brain tumor. Even surgery wouldn’t have helped. Why did you make sure he suffered from that drunkard before he died?”
“You’re lying! He could have lived if you had saved him!” Xiao Xiao shouted, eyes blazing at the mention of her husband.
Gu Yao looked at her with a hint of pity. “Then why did you seek another surgeon later? Was the operation successful?”
Xiao Xiao was filled with righteous anger. “If you had done it, he would still be alive!”
“I’m sorry, Miss Xiao. I’m just a doctor, not a miracle worker. If I had operated and he still died, you’d probably be here seeking revenge anyway. I’m just your scapegoat to vent your grief, isn’t that right?”
Gu Yao shook her head. As she spoke, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw Xiao Xiao’s two friends attempting to sneak up on her.
She sighed inwardly, annoyed. Fighting among women was always troublesome—hair-pulling, scratching, and the like.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone watching the scene. She brightened, changed direction, and hid behind that person.
“Mr. Su, someone’s bullying me. Aren’t you going to do something?” she teased mischievously, then settled in to watch the drama unfold.
The anticipated hair-pulling fight never happened. Several men in suits soon arrived, holding the women firmly on both sides, refusing to let them go despite their struggles.
Gu Yao curled her lips, finding it somewhat dull.
Su Yu had been there for a while, but watching Gu Yao single-handedly handle the scene amused him, so he stayed on the sidelines.
Someone whispered in his ear, and he nodded knowingly. “The Lins? Call and have them come pick them up. Also, take them for a psychiatric evaluation.”