I looked at her in surprise. “Wait, so you mean Jing Ni rejected your brother?”
Mai Qi nodded, took a big sip of tea, and sighed. But then she smiled. “It’s rare to see Mr. Qu Hao like this. What a spectacle!”
I felt the same way.
Jing Ni was so badly injured that even when I could get out of bed, she was still bedridden.
When I visited Jing Ni, I saw how affectionate Mr. Qu Hao could be. Surprisingly, he was also very generous. He didn’t care that Mai Qi and I came to ‘visit’ so often.
Jing Ni treated him indifferently. She often used the two of us as an excuse to drive him away.
He wasn’t offended. He would come to see her, sit for a while, and then leave.
Eventually, even I couldn’t bear it anymore. One day, I followed him out of Jing Ni’s ward, ignoring Jing Ni, who asked me to stay.
Qu Hao gave me a friendly smile. “Don’t tell me. You’re pitying me too?”
I nodded. “Looks like I’m not the first one.”
Qu Hao smiled.
I looked at him and asked straightforwardly, “Why do you like Jing Ni?”
He looked down and thought for a moment. “Do I need a reason? If I can give a specific reason, is there still an affection there?”
I processed it and realized he did make sense.
We walked together towards the elevator. Qu Hao said calmly, “I thought that I would never have any romantic ties in my life because romance is so boring. My dad said his deepest love is my mother. But after my mother passed away, didn’t he marry Mai Qi’s mother? If he really cared about my mother, why would he marry Mai Qi’s mother? So love is nothing but nonsense.”
I chewed on his words. I looked at him in surprise because I agreed with him.
Qu Hao smiled. “In my life, I have few opportunities to meet with girls. Honestly, I didn’t mind a monk’s life, but that changed when I met you girls. Mai Qi is still the same. She can be stubborn, but she has a kind nature. While you and Jing Ni, one is the sun, the other the moon. I feel relaxed hanging around you girls. It’s the first time in my life that I feel something is worth it. Pursuing a girl I like is worth it and very exciting.”
I was speechless.
At the elevator, I told him. “Jing Ni is a very good girl. Please treat her well. She is Mai Qi and my best friend. We will not help you pursue her, but you have to put in some work. I’m sure she’ll reciprocate eventually. Please be patient.”
Qu Hao stood in the elevator and waved at me with a smile.
As the door closed, I sighed. “What a surprise!”
When the elevator opened again, a man walked out. I looked into Gu Nian’s eyes, and we were both shocked.
Gu Nian studied me and asked with concern. “I heard you were injured!”
I took two steps and asked in confusion, “So you came to visit me? How suspicious.”
Gu Nian smiled. “I really like how honest you are about everything. Actually, I’m here to visit Lu Yan. She was injured trying to save Master Gu Er. It’s great that you’re here. You can help me look after her.”
Well, this was another surprise.
“How did Lu Yan get injured? And how long ago was this?”
Lu Yan had already managed to sneak her way close to Master Gu Er? I was impressed.
“Someone tried to fire at Master Gu Er. Lu Yan pushed him out of the way, and the bullet hit her shoulder. The bullet has been removed.” Gu Nian summarized the danger-filled story in a few sentences.
