Volume One, Chapter 31: He Was Worried About Her

The sight before him rooted him to the spot, as if his very blood had frozen in that instant.

A tsunami of questions and incredulous absurdity crashed over his mind, shattering his understanding. Instinctively, he shook his head, searching for a rational explanation.

Yes!

His elder brother must have come to resolve the issues with the Lu Corporation project. As the president, it was only natural for him to safeguard both the group's interests and his own flawless public image. Besides, he must have believed that Fu Yuting was his sister-in-law—only then would he have intervened at such a critical moment to protect her.

It had to be this way!

As for Fu Yuting…

Lu Jingyan’s gaze fell on Fu Yuting’s hand, which still clung tightly to Bo Xingzhou’s wrist. A burning sense of betrayal kindled within him. Soon, the ambulance bore Bo Xingzhou away, with Fu Yuting following close behind—leaving behind his blood, and Fu Yuting herself, as if they’d abandoned Lu Jingyan’s heart on that spot.

But the emotion was quickly suppressed. No, it couldn’t be. She loved him so much—she must have been frightened senseless. Perhaps, in a way, Fu Yuting had even done a good deed, letting his brother suffer a little was no great loss.

Lu Jingyan silently lit a cigarette, then dialed Xu Qian.

"Qianqian, where are you?"

The hospital.

The acrid scent of antiseptic claimed the air, overwhelming even the metallic tang of blood. Above the operating room door, the glaring red words "In Surgery" glowed like three drops of blood suspended over Fu Yuting’s heart.

She leaned against the icy wall, her fingertips unconsciously digging into her palm, as if she could still feel the viscous warmth of blood from when she’d touched the ground.

How long had Bo Xingzhou been in there? Ten minutes? Half an hour? Time stretched and warped—every second scraping her nerves like sandpaper.

“How…how is he?” Fu Yuting finally forced the question out, her voice hoarse. Her gaze kept drifting helplessly to the closed surgery doors.

Su Han hesitated for a few seconds, as if weighing his words. "The wound is deep, cut right through the metacarpal. The tendons and nerves are badly damaged. The doctors are working hard to repair everything."

He paused, his tone growing heavier. "Even if the surgery goes well, recovery of function in his left hand… will be a long and uncertain process. There could be permanent consequences."

Fu Yuting leaned against the freezing wall, her fingers leaving crescent-shaped marks in her palm.

"Su Han," she spoke, her voice as rough as sand scraping stone.

"When…when did he arrive?" The question had gnawed at her for some time, tinged with an uncertainty she couldn’t name.

Su Han glanced at her pale, exhausted profile, then covered his face, his answer precise and unyielding: "Mr. Bo’s car was parked at the corner seventeen minutes before you and Director Zhou entered the Lu Corporation’s mall."

He paused, adding, "He was there the whole time."

The whole time,

He was there…

Fu Yuting’s heart clenched as if gripped by an invisible fist.

He’d arrived before her?

Was he worried about her?

A sour ache shot up her spine.

Time crawled in suffocating silence.

—

Meanwhile,

On a massive television screen, the shocking scene at the mall entrance played on a loop:

A panicked crowd, Bo Xingzhou descending like a god to shield Fu Yuting in his arms, the sudden flash of a knife, the spray of blood… The high-definition camera even caught the exact moment the blade pierced Bo Xingzhou’s palm, the pain shrinking his pupils, veins bulging at his temple!

Clang—!

An expensive crystal wine glass shattered against the TV screen, crimson wine trickling down like blood, blurring Bo Xingzhou’s pale, agonized face.

Su Yu stood amid the wreckage, her chest heaving, the beautiful face—always drawn with a sense of superiority and control—now twisted by searing jealousy and heartbreak.

"Why?!!"

A shrill, wounded-animal scream burst from her throat, brimming with agony and venom.

Why did you save her?!

That wretch!

What made her worth shielding with your own hand?

Why wasn’t it her who was hurt?

Tears streamed down, smearing her makeup into two black stains.

The room that had just echoed with celebration was now a scene of chaos. Xu Qian had just left after taking a call; Su Yu had descended into madness.

The pain in her heart, and her boundless hatred for Fu Yuting, burned inside her like poison.

She longed to rush to Fu Yuting, to curse her with the vilest words, to tear her apart with the cruelest hands.

It was all that wretched woman!

She was the one who brought disaster to Bo Xingzhou!

Resolutely, she snatched up her phone and called the driver:

"Take me to the hospital! Right now!"

—

At the hospital.

At last—

The "In Surgery" light blinked out.

The door swung open, and the surgeon emerged in scrubs, his face weary but relieved. "The operation went very well. The penetrating wound was thoroughly cleaned, the severed tendons and damaged nerves were delicately repaired. Fortunately, the tip of the blade missed the main artery by mere millimeters."

He looked at Fu Yuting and Su Han, his gaze settling on her, his tone gentle but firm with a physician’s concern. "The patient lost a lot of blood, and the anesthesia hasn’t worn off. He needs absolute rest. For now, especially his left hand, his family must take extra care—no strain, no water. If recovery goes well, he should regain most function, though fine movements may be affected. He can be discharged in a few days, once things stabilize."

Family—

The word pricked Fu Yuting like a needle.

She nodded slightly, her throat tight, unable to speak.

The nurse wheeled out the mobile bed.

Bo Xingzhou lay atop it, his face ashen from blood loss, lips nearly colorless. His eyes were closed, thick lashes casting a faint shadow on his cheeks, his breathing shallow—his whole being radiating a rare, defenseless fragility.

It was the first time she’d seen him so pale,

And it was all to save her.

Guilt, terror, and an indescribable weight threatened to drown her.

She instinctively took a step forward, but her legs buckled, and she nearly fell.

Seeing her in this state, Su Han turned slightly and bowed his head. “Madam, we’re here. Please, go home and rest.”

Fu Yuting halted in her tracks.

Yes, she had something else to do.

She slowly left the corridor, her unsteady steps at odds with the fierce resolve in her eyes.

From her pocket, she drew out her phone, its glow illuminating the frozen profile of her face.

Deep in her gaze, all the panic, vulnerability, and confusion had been replaced by a cold, implacable fury.

The guilt and heavy sense of responsibility hadn’t vanished, but now they were edged and overtaken by a far greater force.

She dialed a number, and it was answered after the first ring.

"Zhou Ye." Fu Yuting’s voice came through the receiver, calm and cold, utterly steady—but with a razor sharpness that seemed ready to draw blood.

"Are you awake? Come with me. It’s time to settle accounts with those people."