Chapter 8: Secret Photography

Descending to the first floor, the dean and his entourage arrived fashionably late.

"Where is Mrs. Lin?" they asked impatiently the moment they spotted Gu Yao.

Gu Yao glanced behind them; there was no sign of security. Mingxi Hospital was a renowned private institution, and its security was usually impeccable, making it impossible for typical medical troublemakers to get inside. The situation was clear: these people had known Xiao Xiao was coming all along but chose not to intervene, fearing the influence of the Lin family and not wanting to cause offense. They had timed their appearance perfectly—waiting until the "lesson" was nearly finished before stepping in to mediate, ensuring the situation wouldn't escalate too far. It was a calculated move to satisfy both sides.

"I don't know. Probably still upstairs," Gu Yao replied coldly. Despite the irony she felt, she kept her expression neutral.

"Did you apologize properly to Mrs. Lin?" the dean pressed.

Gu Yao smiled. "Not exactly."

The dean’s expression soured instantly. Just as he was about to rebuke her, he turned and caught sight of Su Yu standing nearby.

"Mr. Su? Why are you here? To discuss—" His face lit up with a sycophantic smile, but he cut himself off, laughing awkwardly. "Ah, forgive me. I forgot this matter is confidential."

His humble attitude was met with a cold shoulder; the man simply nodded slightly and walked right past him. The staff behind them bowed their heads, knowing that since the dean had been snubbed, those below him would likely suffer the consequences. They wondered who would be the unlucky one chosen to be berated in the office later.

Once outside, Gu Yao headed to the parking lot to retrieve her car. She had previously informed the hospital that she needed to assess the patient's condition, which was the purpose of Su Yu’s visit.

"Ride in my car," Su Yu said as she opened her door.

"No need," she replied, tossing her bag inside. "You drive yours; I'll follow behind."

He didn't argue. With a gesture, the lights of a nearby Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon flickered to life. It looked imposing—the body was incredibly tall with rugged, bold lines and a ground clearance of at least 400mm, making it tower over the other vehicles like a crane among chickens.

For someone of shorter stature, getting into such a vehicle was a chore, but for Su Yu, it was effortless. He stepped up with his long legs and slammed the door shut with a thud. He rolled down the driver's side window and sat there lazily, arm resting on the frame, waiting.

Before long, Gu Yao appeared by the car. After standing with her hands on her hips and looking up for a moment, she sighed and gestured for the door to be opened.

The passenger door swung open. Gu Yao hoisted one leg up, and, ignoring the hand Su Yu extended to help, she gripped the overhead handle and hauled herself into the seat.

"Why aren't you following me anymore?" Su Yu asked with a smile as he slowly started the engine.

"I’m afraid I won't be able to keep up. That car of yours is a beast," Gu Yao said, leaning back. She tapped on her phone, sending a WeChat message to Head Nurse Cen Xi. "Are you at the hospital? If Xiao Xiao and her friends haven't left yet, please find a way to stop them. Give them a warning: if they dare to circulate the video they recorded today, they will bear the consequences."

Cen Xi was the only person at the hospital Gu Yao was close to, but she had been off-duty in the morning and had only just arrived for her shift.

Su Yu reversed the car and turned the wheel, pulling out of the lot. "Don't worry about those people and their video. I’ve already had their phones wiped. It won't be spreading anywhere."

"Good. Thank you," Gu Yao replied, returning to her messages.

"What about your colleagues? Many of them were holding up their phones too."

Gu Yao shook her head. "That's not an issue. The hospital will handle it; such videos are bad for the hospital's reputation."

"Hmm." Su Yu nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. When they stopped at a red light, he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Aren't you angry? Most of your colleagues are quite indifferent."

"It's fine," Gu Yao shrugged. "I've always preferred to handle my own business. If people help me too much, I feel like I owe them, and that makes me uncomfortable."

"And what about me?"

"You?" Gu Yao turned to look. The man’s profile was like a perfectly chiseled statue. He was staring straight ahead, not meeting her gaze. She thought for a moment. "Perhaps once I finish the surgery for your father, we'll be square?"

"Is that so?" he asked idly.

"Yes. I’m just that cold-blooded and a bit selfish," she sighed. She looked outside and noticed they were headed toward the outskirts of the city. "Is it far?"

"Twenty more minutes. It’s a sanitarium my father invested in. The environment is nice, though a bit remote."

As Su Yu spoke, he turned onto a smaller road. Behind them, several identical black cars followed at a steady distance. He glanced in the rearview mirror but paid them no mind.

The soft sensation of her hair against his fingertips lingered, and his thoughts drifted for a moment. Cold-blooded? Selfish? She was the most soft-hearted woman he had ever met—just like her hair.

The car finally stopped in front of a manor-like building. The high iron gates swung open automatically as they approached. The black cars behind them pulled up and parked in a silent row.

In the security room, a guard stared at the monitors. "Mr. Su has increased security again. It looks like something is really going to happen."

Another laughed, "Stop being a pessimist. The wealthy just love a grand display. What’s the harm in adding a few more guards?"

After stepping out, Gu Yao took in her surroundings. The air was thick with the scent of lush trees and flowers, and the silhouette of green mountains loomed in the distance. It was a beautiful place for recovery, though it seemed like there was only one patient here.

As expected, when Su Yu led her into the pale green, three-story building, it was empty. There were no patients in sight, only black-clad security personnel stationed at every door and hallway. Gu Yao had a sinking feeling that this was far more complicated than it seemed. So much security for one patient? It looked more like they were guarding against an intruder.

They reached the third floor, where four men stood guard outside the patient’s room. One of them stepped forward, intending to frisk Gu Yao.

Su Yu waved his hand, stopping him. "She is a doctor. Let her through."

A burly man with a crew cut nodded, helped her put on a sterile gown and mask, and opened the door. Inside, a middle-aged man lay quietly on the hospital bed, hooked up to various tubes, his face deathly pale.

Gu Yao bowed her head slightly before walking over to check the data on the monitors.

Half an hour later, she emerged. After shedding her sterile gear, she looked around but realized Su Yu was gone.

"Mr. Su is at the corner of the stairs ahead. He asked you to find him once you came out," the man who had helped with her gown said.

She walked down the long corridor and finally found Su Yu standing by a window. His back was to her, his tall frame casting a long shadow on the floor. He was staring out, motionless, his profile looking somewhat gloomy. Gu Yao paused; she could tell he was in a bad mood and didn't want to disturb him.

But then, the man turned around.

"You're out." He didn't hide his emotions, nodding as he began to walk downstairs. "I'll take you back."

Gu Yao nodded and followed him down without a word.

Once in the car, Su Yu gestured for her to buckle up before starting the engine. "Apologies. Every time I come here, my mood is affected."

"That's normal," Gu Yao said, glancing at him. She paused before adding, "When are you transferring him? I need to notify the hospital to send an ambulance."

"Tomorrow. I’ll make the arrangements for the transport myself."

Since he had said so, Gu Yao nodded and didn't argue.

"Where do you live? I'll drop you off," Su Yu asked once they were out of the sanitarium. The location was remote and difficult for taxis, so she didn't decline.

By now, the sky had darkened. Once they entered the city, they hit traffic, crawling along at a snail's pace while the sound of impatient drivers cursing filled the air.

Her phone buzzed. It was a WeChat message from Yi Xun, so she lowered her head to reply.

Her long hair was getting in the way, so she swept it back, but she felt something was off. A flash of light caught her fair hand—it looked like a camera flash. Someone was secretly photographing her.

Feeling strange, she was about to look up when a hand reached over to stop her.

"Don't move. Keep your head down like that," Su Yu said in a low voice. He grabbed his phone and made a call: "Someone in the car to our front-left is taking photos. Go over and check it out immediately."

After hanging up, he leaned over, one hand pressing against the back of her seat. He leaned in close, their posture intimate, appearing as if he were kissing her.

"Sorry, I’ve dragged you into this," he whispered near her ear. A moment later, he sat back up and, with a seemingly affectionate gesture, smoothed her long hair, shielding most of her face from view.