Pretending To Be Affectionate [Transmigration] - Chapter 53

The atmosphere in the hospital room grew awkward.

For a moment, Ling Yu suspected that Gu Qing was deliberately trying to take advantage of her, but she looked up for a closer inspection.

The woman stood in a casual posture, her pale, scallion-like fingers pressed together. One hand held her phone, and she seemed completely unaware of the interaction that had just occurred.

Due to the close proximity, Ling Yu could faintly hear a female voice coming from the phone’s receiver.

“The list has been pulled up, Lawyer Gu. Your predictions were spot on. There are signs of tampering…”

Gu Qing gave a simple “mm.” Noticing Ling Yu’s gaze, her thick, long eyelashes lifted halfway. Only a semicircle of her phoenix eye was visible, and she casually gave Ling Yu a look that conveyed, “What’s wrong?”

Ling Yu looked at Gu Qing’s chest, then shifted her gaze back to Gu Qing’s face.

The latter’s gaze was direct and honest, without flinching. It was a reflexive question, implying she was unaware of any strange behavior.

Ling Yu confirmed that she was overthinking things again.

She quickly adjusted the suspicious expression on her face. She reflexively stepped back, creating distance between herself and Gu Qing as if to avoid contamination.

Seeing this gesture, Gu Qing’s eyes darkened, and her pale lips tightened.

She tucked her phone into her briefcase and extended her other hand toward Ling Yu.

Ling Yu was momentarily stunned. She looked at the bag of wound medicine hanging on the pale wrist in front of her.

This time, she dared not flatter herself by accepting it. Ling Yu had unforgivingly broken all ties with Gu Qing only two days ago. It made no sense that in less than forty-eight hours.

Gu Qing would forgive and forget, showing her such concern.

However, Ling Yu had clearly seen earlier that Gu Qing had indeed said something to the chubby boy, which prompted him to rush into the crowd and diffuse her crisis.

Ling Yu recalled her conversation with Director Qin not long ago.

Gu Qing’s misleading behavior today was exactly the same as when she sent the umbrella two years ago.

Upon careful analysis, Gu Qing’s actions were not difficult to understand. She possessed an extremely complex personality.

Perhaps in her mind, her action was merely a simple favor, and she neither wanted to admit it nor wanted Ling Yu to offer any unnecessary gratitude.

Ling Yu thought for a moment and immediately relaxed.

She withdrew her gaze, letting the blood drip from her fingertip, but she no longer looked at the bag of medicine Gu Qing was offering.

The air was instantly silent. Even the sound of the other person’s breathing could be heard clearly.

“Ling Yu.”

Gu Qing suddenly spoke. She avoided Ling Yu’s injured arm and grabbed Ling Yu’s other arm with an unavoidable force.

Ling Yu’s expression clearly asked, “What is it?”

She looked up and saw the woman’s icy face. Her ice-blue eyes were intensely calm: “I called you. Didn’t you hear me?”

Her words were deliberate, squeezed out as if through clenched teeth, carrying a hint of malice.

Ling Yu: “?”

She gave a bewildered “Oh”: “I did hear you.”

And yet, even though she had responded, Gu Qing seemed even angrier.

That’s just ridiculous!

Ling Yu looked up. Their eyes met again. The atmosphere between them was tense, as if they were about to fight at any moment.

Ling Song burst into tears. He was only three years old.

He had just been through a significant fright. Now, witnessing Ling Yu and Gu Qing’s confrontation, the tears in his big, round eyes flowed uncontrollably, like a burst dam.

With that cry, Ling Yu finally noticed the child still in the room.

She was about to turn back to console him when the room door was suddenly kicked open from the outside.

The couple who had been causing a scene at the hospital earlier were standing side-by-side in the doorway.

Yu Xin hadn’t cried when Ling Taiguo slapped her, but now, seeing her biological son crying, genuine tears squeezed out of her eyes. She staggered two steps, pushed Ling Yu aside, and picked up the chubby boy, hugging him tightly: “Song Song, I’m sorry… Mommy is late…”

Ling Taiguo glared fiercely at Ling Yu. Perhaps constrained by the public scandal just now, he didn’t say anything nasty directly. He ignored Ling Yu and strode over to Yu Xin and her son, enveloping his wife and son in his embrace.

Ling Yu: “…”

She raised her eyebrows, watching Ling Taiguo comfortably swimming in a green sea of cuckoldry, displaying a look that wanted to laugh but couldn’t.

Her wrist was suddenly gripped by a cold palm. Gu Qing used force. Her palm seemed to be sweaty.

Ling Yu didn’t react immediately. In the next second, Gu Qing pulled her, dragging her into her embrace.

Their heights were almost the same, but Ling Yu had been looking down. Now, following the pulling force, she stumbled into Gu Qing’s arms. Her nose touched the woman’s cold, fragrant softness. Ling Yu instinctively tried to evade, bumping around. Her nose took advantage a few times. When she finally steadied herself and looked up, she just caught sight of Gu Qing’s awkwardly raised arm.

It looked like a gesture intended to soothe her back.

Ling Yu glanced in surprise at the half-raised arm, then looked at Gu Qing’s face.

The latter quickly averted her gaze, frowning, looking flustered and angry.

A question mark slowly formed in Ling Yu’s eyes, conveying, What did I do to annoy you now?

Gu. Passive-Aggressive. Qing completely ignored her provocation. Her eyelids were half-lowered, and she proactively started the conversation: “What are you standing around for? Do you owe those two a mouthful of crap that they feed you?”

A typically rigid and professional lawyer was now so angry that she was using vulgar words like “crap.”

It showed how angry Gu Qing was right now.

Ling Yu couldn’t hold back and laughed out loud disrespectfully.

The next moment, Gu Qing fiercely yanked her wrist. Gu Qing pulled Ling Yu out with a completely non-gentle force.

As she was closing the door, Gu Qing looked back. Her cold gaze met Ling Taiguo’s in mid-air.

It was a look of warning. Her eyes held the salty brine of the deep sea. She looked at Ling Taiguo as if he were a rotting corpse.

Ling Taiguo was startled.

Then, the door slammed shut with a “bang” by Gu Qing.

The sound was like a prolonged warning bell ringing in his mind.

“Husband, what’s wrong with your hand?”

Ling Taiguo broke out in a cold sweat. He slowly turned his head after a few seconds, saying distractedly to Yu Xin, “Nothing.”

Just a look from a woman close to my daughter’s age, and the arrogance in her glance is suffocating!

Gu Qing dragged Ling Yu to the hospital’s small garden before finally letting go.

She glanced at Ling Yu’s finger and asked with pursed lips: “The wound looks serious. I’ll go with you to the emergency room to register for a tetanus shot.”

“Big Sister, does this little scratch look like it needs an injection?”

Ling Yu had originally wanted to sincerely thank Gu Qing. After all, they had already cut all ties. It was quite difficult for Gu Qing to show any kindness.

But if Gu Qing insisted on giving her a tetanus shot, that was another matter entirely.

Ling Yu immediately used full force to pull her arm back.

She sat down abruptly on the park bench in front of her. Her butt was planted firmly, like it was nailed to the spot.

She scanned Gu Qing with her foxy eyes, seeing her icy face. She decided to send her away: “Alright, let’s stop here for today. Ling Song rushed over earlier because of you, right? I owe you one favor…”

“Ling Yu.”

Gu Qing suddenly interrupted her. She rested one hand on the wooden armrest of the park bench beside Ling Yu, looking down at her.

Relentless?

Ling Yu lifted her eyelids: “Are you not going to stop today?”

Gu Qing was an extremely disciplined career woman. She meant what she said.

If Ling Yu didn’t state her position now, Gu Qing might really drag her off for a shot.

But she really was fine.

Just because Gu Qing was in a good mood today, saw her being harassed, felt sorry for her, and showed some kindness. Did she have to endure the fear of an injection in her butt?

Ling Yu certainly couldn’t.

Her reaction to Ling Taiguo and his wife was exactly what she had expected. She wasn’t the pitiful victim Gu Qing saw.

She just couldn’t break character yet, not until she secured the things Ms. Xu Qian left for the original host.

Ling Yu treated this as a role-playing game. She took it very seriously.

So, Gu Qing’s favor wasn’t huge, but the intention was appreciated.

Ling Yu certainly wouldn’t tell Gu Qing what she was really thinking. She leaned back, her hair bun resting on the back of the park bench.

She glanced sideways at Gu Qing, her eyes firmly conveying the message “No discussion,” then softened her tone and said, “Thank you.”

This was clearly a dismissal.

Gu Qing was angered into a laugh. She raised the medicine in her hand: “If you don’t want a shot, fine. But when I offered you the medicine earlier, I didn’t see you take it either.”

Ling Yu was stunned.

Gu Qing was expressionless, staring at Ling Yu’s shocking, bleeding finger. Her blue eyes held a layer of cold frost.

Ignoring the wound is acceptable now?

Gu Qing said flatly: “Where do you plan to go with an exposed cut?”

But her chest was heaving, not as calm as her surface suggested.

She said mercilessly: “Don’t talk to me about cutting all ties. I…”

Ling Yu looked up and said, “Mm.”

Gu Qing’s voice instantly halted. She glanced at Ling Yu’s cautious gaze.

She narrowed her eyes, swallowed the words she was about to say, and changed her tone, suppressing her emotion: “I have a condition. I can’t stand to see other people bleeding in front of me.”

Ling Yu raised her eyebrows. Seeing Gu Qing point to her head, she recalled the woman’s episodes of madness.

She thought, Well, I forgot about that.

Gu Qing had been single-minded in her persuasion just now, and Ling Yu’s attitude was indeed less than ideal.

After all, this person rarely spoke and never explained her inexplicable actions.

If it was to prevent herself from going insane, Gu Qing was right to ask her to stop the bleeding.

Ling Yu thought of the umbrella from years ago, then recalled the woman’s poor attitude today, and suddenly lost her interest in arguing with her.

In fact, not everything was Gu Qing’s fault.

The latter was just disgusted by her constant clinging and lashed out with harsh words.

Now that she saw Ling Yu softening.

If they couldn’t be lovers, they could still be acquaintances. There was no need to speak so harshly.

Ling Yu felt bad about arguing with the mentally ill Lawyer Gu. So, she patiently and good-naturedly explained: “I thought we had already broken all ties. You hated me so much two years ago, I felt I had to learn to avoid you. In this situation, you have no logical reason to buy me medicine or a shot.”

Ling Yu gave the other party a helpless look. She put her hands in her pockets: “Who knew… you… mm?”

The unspoken meaning was, Your behavior today is very strange.

Gu Qing was speechless. She took three seconds to take a deep breath to calm her heaving chest.

She was so angry that she could only smile. She grabbed Ling Yu’s injured hand.

She tore open the alcohol swab packaging with her teeth and spread out the gauze.

Ling Yu watched Gu Qing put on the rubber gloves and hold the tweezers with one hand.

She didn’t trust her technique and tried to pull her hand back, but was roughly yanked back by Gu Qing.

Ling Yu: “I don’t think your attitude or technique is professional enough.”

Gu Qing didn’t say a word.

She could be even less professional. She hadn’t planned to have much contact with Ling Yu right now.

But Ling Yu didn’t know how to take care of herself, blocking a knife for someone else without hesitation, and never seeking her help when faced with difficulties.

Frankly, Gu Qing was frustrated.

She lowered her eyes and leaned closer. They were standing and sitting.

Gu Qing leaned down. Her hair ends easily brushed against Ling Yu’s neck.

It was summer, and she was wearing minimal clothes. Gu Qing reached out and unbuttoned two buttons on her shirt.

As she lowered her body, her soft, hanging chest, squeezed together, suddenly jumped into Ling Yu’s view.

Ling Yu was forced to look at it for a brief moment. She always felt that this coincidence was strange.

She looked up suspiciously, glanced at Gu Qing, and tried to negotiate with a well-meaning tone: “Could you please button your shirt first? Treating the wound is minor. I can wait.”

Gu Qing’s thick eyelashes lifted like butterfly wings. She gave Ling Yu an indifferent look. Her gaze traveled from top to bottom, finally fixing on Ling Yu’s even more revealing low-cut chiffon top. It was a patch of fair skin that dazzled the eyes, shimmering brightly in the sunlight.

Gu Qing couldn’t help but look twice. Then, her pale lips curved into a meaningful smile: “You should take care of yourself first before saying anything else.”

After saying that, she curled her fingers, grabbed the edge of Ling Yu’s shirt, and pulled up the sagging neckline.

Ling Yu: “…”

The simple wound dressing process, handled by Gu Qing this way, was extremely difficult for Ling Yu. Her eyes, being the person she was, had a mind of their own, uncontrollably coveting Gu Qing’s icy, jade-like figure.

Yet Gu Qing was utterly oblivious, bad-tempered, and demanding.

“Raise your arm.”

“Sit closer.” Gu Qing held the tweezers and looked at Ling Yu indifferently, making her request without a change in expression.

Seeing Ling Yu not move, she didn’t get angry. She frowned and physically leaned closer.

Ling Yu’s nose was barely a millimeter away from brushing Gu Qing’s cheek. At this close distance, Ling Yu was truly frustrated. Her temper flared up instantly. She lowered her eyelids, gave Gu Qing a challenging look with her foxy eyes, and drawled: “How much closer do you want? Do I have to kiss you for it to count as close?”

Ling Yu’s words were extremely explicit, and her eyes were filled with playful scrutiny.

Gu Qing casually brushed her hair back, covering her earlobes. She lowered her eyes and met Ling Yu’s gaze for two seconds.

“The medicine is applied.” Gu Qing suddenly spoke. Because they were so close, her cool lips, carrying the coldness of ice cream, brushed against Ling Yu’s fair cheek, where golden pores showed in the sunlight.

Ling Yu narrowed her eyes.

“Remember not to get it wet when you go back.” Gu Qing acted as if nothing had happened. She pushed back with her long, straight legs. Before Ling Yu could flare up, she walked away quickly, her steps long and hurried.

Ling Yu stared at Gu Qing’s retreating figure for a long time, then suddenly pulled out her phone.

She sent a text message to Q.

Yuyu: [Are you busy?]

The reply was almost instant.

Q: [On break.]

[What is it?]

Ling Yu hesitated and typed a few lines: [How can I maintain a respectful distance from someone I dislike?]

Q’s text took a long time to arrive. Just as Ling Yu was about to head back.

Q: [How much do you dislike them?]

Ling Yu thought for a moment. She simply felt that she was too easily prone to misinterpreting Gu Qing’s occasional proximity.

Of course, Gu Qing definitely had no intentions toward her. Ling Yu had a very clear judgment on this.

But to say how much she disliked her? It wasn’t that bad. It hadn’t escalated to disgust. It was just that Gu Qing exuded a certain captivating aura.

However, Ling Yu was firmly determined not to go back to that old flame.

She prepared her phrasing, then realized Q didn’t know about her entanglement with Gu Qing. Ling Yu couldn’t explain it all right now.

So, she replied: [I don’t want to see her, I don’t want too much interaction, I want to completely cut off the possibility of bumping into her constantly, and I don’t even want to smell her scent.]

Q: [smile.jpq]

Ling Yu stared blankly at the emoji on the screen, thinking, Did she send the wrong thing?

The next second, the emoji was indeed retracted.

[The other party recalled a message.]

Ling Yu didn’t receive a message from Q until dawn. She seemed extremely busy. The message was sent at 3 a.m.: [I don’t know what to say…]

[Can I have a…] chance?

Gu Qing pressed the cigarette butt into the ash-filled ashtray, shaped like an inverted jungle. For the first time, she felt aversion to using human language and a panic that she couldn’t resolve herself.

Outside, it was the deep night of Jiangcheng. The lights were bright. Even the concrete ground seemed to reflect the rosy, bustling lights and noise.

Gu Qing watched impassively. Ten minutes later, she called Wei Minjun.

Amidst the other person’s sleepy groans.

Gu Qing closed her eyes. Her voice hoarse, she made a difficult decision from her throat: “Next week… we return to Hong Kong City.”

In this world, gunfire and explosions had never caused Gu Qing to panic.

Only Ling Yu… made her panic.

Gu Qing hung up the phone and then sent a Morse code message to Elder Gu.

[Grandpa, I plan to move the operation up.]

She could have planned everything meticulously, including sacrificing herself.

But today, Gu Qing suddenly realized that she probably couldn’t.

She had desires. She didn’t want to be buried alongside a group of repulsive and insane people.

She even dared to dream of giving herself a chance, standing in front of Ling Yu without reservation, and telling her: I never disliked you.

Because in this world, only Ling Yu could cause her to panic… Panic at losing her, and even more, panic at being far away from her.