Su Kexin’s face was ashen.
Fu Bing said coldly, "Miss Su, it’s time for you to fulfill your promise."
Su Kexin looked at Su Jiang and Su Junxian with a wronged expression.
"Dad, Big Brother, you be the judges."
Su Jiang had no time to deal with her.
Su Junxian, on the other hand, wanted Su Kexin to learn a lesson. She had been getting more and more out of control lately. If this continued, who knew what bigger trouble she would cause in the future.
Han Liying’s eyes gradually adjusted to the light, and she spoke with difficulty.
Aunt Mei said urgently, "Sir, the Madam wants to drink water."
Su Jiang finally snapped back to reality.
"Water! Get some water quickly!"
Seeing Fu Bing still standing there, Su Jiang said, "Miss Fu, we misunderstood you, and I will make sure to give you a satisfactory response. My wife has woken up. What should we do next?"
Fu Bing took out a bottle of medicine from her pocket. "Give her two more pills."
She glanced at Su Kexin. "Don’t let anyone other than yourself touch this medicine."
Su Jiang took the medicine with great care. "Thank you for not bearing grudges and being willing to save my wife."
"Now that she’s awake, I’ll take my leave."
"Junling, please escort Miss Fu out."
Su Junling’s emotions had settled, and he walked Fu Bing out.
"Fu Bing, I really can’t thank you enough."
"I’m also glad I could help."
"I’m so sorry that every time you meet my family, something unpleasant happens."
"It just shows that I’m not compatible with the Su family."
Su Junling had no way to refute that.
He said, "I’ll transfer the consultation fee to you in the next couple of days."
Fu Bing nodded. "I’ve got other things to do, so I’ll head back now."
Su Junling saw her out to the sanatorium’s entrance.
After Fu Bing got in the car, he headed back to the ward.
Su Kexin’s eyes were red from crying. "Dad, Big Brother, I only said those things just now because I was afraid Fu Bing wouldn’t try her best to save Mom. I did it all for Mom’s sake!"
Su Jiang said, "Mei Xue, take Kexin home first."
Aunt Mei was overjoyed that the Madam had woken up.
Su Kexin’s earlier desperation to stop Fu Bing’s treatment still disgusted her.
She said, "Miss Kexin, let’s go back. The doctor needs to check the Madam’s condition."
"I won’t go; I want to stay and accompany Mom."
Su Junling said coldly, "Apart from hindering the doctors and nurses, what else can you do if you stay?"
Su Kexin looked incredulous and felt even more wronged. "Third Brother, how can you say that about me?"
"Just look at yourself from earlier." Su Junling had lost all positive feelings for Su Kexin. "It seems you’ve forgotten what you said to Fu Bing. If Mom gets better, you’ll leave the Su family. Weren’t those your exact words?"
"I only said that to make Fu Bing do everything she could to treat Mom," Su Kexin argued.
"Do you even believe that yourself?" Su Junling pierced through her excuse.
Su Jiang said, "If you want to argue, go outside. Your mother just woke up; she needs peace and quiet."
Su Junxian said, "Let’s step outside first."
Su Kexin sadly realized no one was speaking up for her. The people who always professed to love and cherish her most had now turned their backs on her. They were actually giving her the cold shoulder because of an outsider.
Su Kexin slumped onto a table in the small garden area and began to sob.
Su Junxian had a headache. He would rather negotiate tough deals in the business world than mediate family conflicts at home. No matter how skilled he was at negotiation, a family member always ended up hurt.
Su Junxian said to Su Junling, "You were lucky there was a good outcome today. Can you imagine what would have happened to Fu Bing if Mom hadn’t woken up?"
Su Junling’s face stiffened.
He... had thought about the question but hadn’t dwelled on it too deeply.
Su Junxian could tell by his expression what he was thinking and said helplessly, "You’ve never once tried to see things from Fu Bing’s perspective. I don’t know what your feelings for her are. But even if she’s just a friend, if you want your family to like her, you should consider what’s best for her, not just how you benefit while she takes all the risks."
Su Junxian had limited contact with Fu Bing. As for what kind of person she is, it’s not for him to judge, nor is it his place. The difference in social status between the Su Family and Fu Bing is an undeniable fact.
Su Junling looked embarrassed. "I, actually... Ah, how should I put it?"
It wasn’t that he’d never been in love or had relationships before. But his feelings for Fu Bing weren’t like that. He felt sympathy for her, wanted to help her; his feelings for her were complex. The only thing absent was a man’s carnal desire for a woman. He didn’t know how to explain this to his elder brother. This was the first time he himself had encountered such a situation.
Su Junxian assumed he was just too shy to admit it.
"You guys go back first. I’ll stay here with Dad." Su Junxian glanced at Su Kexin, who was still crying bitterly. "Don’t comfort her, and don’t start another conflict with her. We’ll deal with this matter when Dad has the time."
Su Kexin was too willful. She needed to learn a hard lesson. Otherwise, she was bound to cause even bigger trouble in the future.
Su Junling looked reluctant. "Aunt Mei, go get her. I’ll wait in the car."
Aunt Mei had no choice but to comply.
Fu Bing returned to Imperial Garden but, instead of looking for Qin Jinhai, went back to her own villa.
Her villa had a special embroidery room. Only she was allowed to enter. It was the safest place to do her embroidery without being discovered.
She didn’t want her identity as Ya Rui to be known. Unless it was absolutely necessary, she hoped this identity as Ya Rui would serve only as her designer persona and have no deeper connections to her life as Fu Bing. Therefore, even though this identity came with considerable assets and connections, she had no plans to use them.
Fu Bing busied herself in the embroidery room until evening.
The moment she stepped out, Qin Jinhai’s call came through. His arrogant and frivolous voice was undiminished, even over the phone.
"Went to treat Madam Su?"
Fu Bing wasn’t the least bit surprised by how well-informed he was.
"You seem to know a lot."
"Come keep me company for dinner."
Fu Bing changed her clothes and walked over.
Qin Jinhai was in the front yard, admiring the flowers, or perhaps...
Fu Bing suppressed that thought.
She had learned the consequences of thinking too much.
Qin Jinhai glanced at her. "Cozying up to the Su family?"
"Su Kexin threatened to drive me out of Jiangcheng."
Qin Jinhai scoffed. "She doesn’t have that kind of power."
"That’s what I thought too," Fu Bing replied calmly.
"If you get too involved with the Su Family, the Qin Family won’t let you off easily."
"So, you came specially to threaten me?"
"I’m just warning you. Even if Su Kexin acts recklessly, she’s still useful to the Su Family. Her most important role is in a strategic marriage. The Su Family won’t offend Su Kexin over an irrelevant outsider. You’d better not take saving Madam Su too seriously and fantasize that the Su Family will protect you."
"Are you sure you’re not worried about yourself? You’re supposed to marry Su Kexin. If Su Junling marries me, your position would become very awkward."
Qin Jinhai was far from annoyed. Instead, he laughed. "After me, you think you could still fancy another man? Can Su Junling satisfy you in bed?"
Fu Bing retorted with a "heh" and lowered her head to eat.
The food was all her favorites. Aunt Heng must have seen her in the morning and made it especially for her.
These small moments of warmth were like gentle hands softly soothing the scars on her heart, especially when she was dealing with Qin Jinhai...
When she had eaten most of her meal, Qin Jinhai finally said, "You’re coming with me somewhere tonight."