The onlookers watched Fu Bing with schadenfreude. Heh. Her attempt at flattery backfired spectacularly. Let’s see how arrogant she can be now. Barely out of prison, and she’s already roiling the entertainment industry. Does she really think she’s still the film star she was three years ago?
Fu Bing ignored their gloating expressions and gracefully entered the car. Wu Shi also squeezed into a seat, pressing close to Su Junling. Su Junling was extremely irritated. Wu Shi, sitting beside him, seemed oblivious to the murderous aura Su Junling was emanating.
Fu Bing, meanwhile, was closely observing Old Madam Su’s condition, gently massaging her chest. Out of Su Junling’s sight, she began performing acupuncture on the old madam. While in prison, whenever Aunt Ning had free time, she had taught Fu Bing massage, acupuncture, and pharmacology. Fu Bing had also gained practical experience there. Coupled with her foundation in embroidery, her hand strength and wrist control surpassed even those of professional Traditional Chinese Medicine masters. To her, acupuncture was simple.
Old Madam Su stopped coughing just two minutes after getting into the car. She also opened her eyes.
Weakly, she asked, "How did I get in the car?"
Upon hearing her voice, Su Junling immediately sat bolt upright. "Grandma, how are you feeling?"
"My chest feels warm, it’s not tight anymore, and I feel strength in my limbs too."
Su Junling looked at Fu Bing in shock.
Fu Bing discreetly put away the needles. "Director Su, I don’t think my friend and I need to go to the hospital with you."
"I won’t be on set. What’s the use of you going back there?"
Fu Bing was silent for a moment, then realized he had a point.
Over a dozen luxury cars were parked in the lot of Jiangcheng First People’s Hospital. Su Junxian and Su Junzhe rushed straight to the VIP ward the moment they got out of their cars, a large entourage trailing behind them.
Fu Bing and Wu Shi stood in a corner, completely ignored. Wu Shi pulled Fu Bing behind him, shielding her from potential trouble with the Su family.
As Su Junxian passed Fu Bing, he shot her a fierce glare. "You’d better pray the Old Madam is alright."
A crowd squeezed around the VIP ward’s door. After almost ten minutes, the ward door finally opened from the inside. A group of specialists emerged, all wearing expressions of disbelief.
The expert in the center saw Su Junxian and approached him. "Chairman Su, please rest assured. Myself and the other experts have thoroughly examined the Old Madam. She previously had a rather serious blood clot in her head. Considering her heart condition, we hadn’t opted for surgery."
"Dr. Li, please get straight to the point," Su Junxian said, uncharacteristically blunt.
Dr. Li smiled tolerantly. "The blood clot shows signs of softening, and the Old Madam’s cardiac blood supply has normalized. She’s very healthy."
It took Su Junxian a long moment to process this. "Thank you, everyone."
The medical staff tactfully departed. Su Junxian dismissed the remaining entourage.
Instantly, only the three Su brothers, Fu Bing, and Wu Shi remained in the corridor. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Su Junxian, true to his nature as a businessman, was the first to speak. "Miss Fu, I apologize if my earlier words caused any offense. Thank you for your persistence in saving my grandmother during the emergency. From now on, you are a valued guest of the Su family."
"I am without power, influence, or parents. I am unworthy of associating with the noble Su family," Fu Bing said calmly.
"Miss Fu, if you harbor any resentment, please don’t hesitate to voice it. You saved our family’s matriarch, and our earlier actions undoubtedly hurt you."
Fu Bing dropped her reserved demeanor. "Consider that medicine pill, then, as my thanks for you waiving my contract termination fee."
Su Junling, remembering the medicine pills in Fu Bing’s bottle, said, "Fu Bing, could you give us another medicine pill?"
Realizing his request was inappropriate as soon as he voiced it, he quickly added, "Name your price; we’ll buy it."
This medicine pill is so effective; we should keep a few at home.
"The medicine pills are merely supplementary, meant to buy time in critical moments until a doctor can arrive," Fu Bing explained. "The acupuncture I performed on Old Madam Su in the car was the key to her swift recovery."
She straightforwardly handed the bottle to Su Junling, saying graciously, "You didn’t abandon me during my most difficult times. With this, I consider that debt repaid."
"From now on, we are even. Any future dealings will be based on our respective strengths."
With that, she and Wu Shi departed.
Su Junzhe, who had been silent until then, remarked, "No wonder so many people like her. Someone with her personality would be admired by anyone, man or woman."
Su Junxian nodded in rare agreement. "I’ll have the legal department expedite the contract review."
Su Junzhe and Su Junling looked at him in unison. "Is that all?"
"She will be the Su Corporation’s future endorser."
Su Junzhe and Su Junling nodded. After all, she saved the Su family matriarch. Simply waiving her contract termination fee would have been far too insincere.
Fu Bing and Wu Shi took the elevator down to the first floor. When the elevator doors opened, a few children caught sight of Wu Shi’s exposed skin and the mask on his face. They immediately burst into tears.
"Ugly freak! He’s so scary!" one cried.
"Go away!" shouted another.
The parents quickly covered their children’s mouths.
Wu Shi froze, standing rigidly in place, clearly wounded by their words.
Fu Bing stepped forward and gently but firmly pulled one child from his parent’s grasp.
The parent said anxiously, "What are you doing? What right do you have to pull my child away?"
"He needs to apologize to my friend!"
"He’s ugly and he’s out scaring people! If my child is traumatized by this, who’s going to take responsibility?" the parent retorted.
"Your child insulted my friend. What if my friend develops depression because of their words? Who will be responsible then?" Fu Bing had no patience for her entitled attitude.
"You..." the parent stammered, lost for words.
Fu Bing gently turned the child’s head to face Wu Shi. "My friend was injured, so he has to wear a mask," she explained softly. "He’s already feeling very down. Your words just now hurt him, so you need to apologize to him."
The child looked terrified. He knew he was wrong, but fear held him back. "I... I’m too scared."
The parent, heart aching for her child, said, "My child said he’s scared! What more do you want from him?"
"So, just because he’s scared, he doesn’t have to apologize?" Fu Bing pressed.
The child, now the center of attention for a growing crowd and being pressured by Fu Bing to apologize to the "ugly freak" while Wu Shi stared at him, burst into loud sobs. "I’m scared! WAAAH..."
The parent snatched the child back and shoved Fu Bing away irritably.
Fu Bing stumbled backward, off balance. Just as she was about to fall, a pair of strong arms steadied her.
Wu Shi’s ink-black eyes seemed to hold a galaxy of stars. "I don’t need their apology."
After helping her regain her balance, Wu Shi immediately pulled her away.
Fu Bing struggled to keep up with his pace. "Is there nothing even Aunt Ning can do for your injuries?"
Wu Shi hesitated, about to say no, but then amended, "The results are minimal."
"Even a sliver of hope is still hope," Fu Bing said. "Don’t lose heart, and pay no mind to what insignificant outsiders say. To those who love you, your face means nothing. If being disfigured saved your life, then it was worth it."
Wu Shi turned to look at her. The bustling crowd behind her instantly faded into a blurry background.
Only she remained vivid, bright and dazzling.
When Fu Bing and Wu Shi returned home, they found their car couldn’t even enter their residential complex.