Chapter 985 - 982:

Chapter 985: Chapter 982:

Gu Xiaoning sighed, "Mom, I’ve already made it clear to him. There’s nothing between us."

"Why?" Aunt Gu was surprised, "You and Le Zhengsheng are already divorced, and... you’ve returned from F City. You’ll have to make a life for yourself! Why say this? Ningning, let the past be the past, Mom hopes you’ll find a good person someday..."

"Mom." Gu Xiaoning frowned, interrupting her mother, "I’m fine on my own."

Hmm? Aunt Gu didn’t understand, what’s good about being alone?

"Ningning, is it because that boy from F City treated you badly, so you’re..."

"No!" Gu Xiaoning shook her head urgently, "Mom, I’m your daughter; don’t you know what kind of person I am? I... I really never betrayed Le Zhengsheng."

Aunt Gu was stunned, "What... what do you mean? Could it be that back then..."

"Mom..."

Gu Xiaoning was overwhelmed with feeling; the resentment in her heart had been building up for two years!

"I... I only went to F City for Le Zhengsheng!"

"?"

Aunt Gu froze, her mind buzzing.

Her hands trembled slightly, "Ningning, what... what do you mean?"

"Mom!" Gu Xiaoning sobbed, "Didn’t you wonder why my health is so bad? I donated blood—no, sold blood! I sold myself to a research institution; I signed a confidentiality agreement... as long as I agreed, they would save Le Zhengsheng!"

The truth suddenly lay before Aunt Gu.

Aunt Gu’s heart twisted painfully, and suddenly she broke down sobbing, "Ningning!"

She raised her hand and pounded her chest hard, "How could this happen! Why didn’t you say anything! Why be... so foolish!"

"Mom." Gu Xiaoning hugged her mother, "I couldn’t say anything, they knew I lacked nothing; they used Le Zhengsheng’s illness... to negotiate with me!"

"Ah..." Aunt Gu was heartbroken and filled with remorse, "Ningning, Mom is sorry! I misunderstood you all these years!"

The mother and daughter hugged each other, crying bitterly.

Aunt Gu gently caressed her daughter’s cheek, "That’s why you’ve become so thin, right? Ended up like this... making Le Zhengsheng hate you! Hmm? Now that you’re back, can’t you tell Le Zhengsheng?"

She paused, "Ningning, although Le Zhengsheng doesn’t say it out loud, Mom can feel... he likes you, even if you ’committed a mistake,’ he still..."

"Mom!" Gu Xiaoning knew what her mother was thinking.

"I can’t do that, Le Zhengsheng doesn’t know anything, and now he has his own life... I came back too late. I can’t just go to him now and say I saved him and demand compensation! That would put him in a difficult position! I didn’t sacrifice myself for this! I just want him to be healthy and safe."

Aunt Gu couldn’t catch her breath from crying, "Oh, my child, my Ningning, you’ve suffered so much; Mom’s heart aches!"

She gently smoothed her daughter’s hair, "How did you get through these two years? Everyone misunderstands you, accuses you, blames you; you must’ve been so sad!"

"Mom." Gu Xiaoning cried and smiled, "There’s nothing hard about it, is there? Le Zhengsheng is just like a normal person now, isn’t he? That’s enough... I’m very satisfied."

"Ah..." Aunt Gu was filled with remorse; her own daughter, yet she misunderstood her so!

Ling Yu walked out of the office with Gu Xiaozheng following him.

"Ahem." Ling Yu cleared his throat lightly.

Aunt Gu and Gu Xiaoning immediately stopped crying and turned around.

"Young Master Ling."

Aunt Gu approached and took her son’s hand, "Xiaozheng, are you okay?"

Ling Yu replied, "It’s fine now; this matter wasn’t Xiaozheng’s fault in the first place... the director still values Xiaozheng greatly."

"Thank you, thank you." Aunt Gu thanked repeatedly.

She noticed Ling Yu’s gaze at her daughter... it was exactly the same as Le Zhengsheng’s back then.

"Young Master Ling." Gu Xiaoning frowned and spoke softly, "It doesn’t seem that simple, does it? Did we pay them?"

Ling Yu knew he couldn’t hide it, nodded slightly, "The other party suffered some external injuries, so we had to give some medical expenses."

Some, meaning how much? Gu Xiaoning estimated it wasn’t a small amount, "Young Master Ling, how much money? Give me a number, I’ll pay you back..."

"I’ll deduct it from your wages." Ling Yu interrupted her with a smile.

Gu Xiaoning really felt embarrassed; she’d only cooked a few meals for Ling Yu, yet she already owed him so many favors.

"Embarrassed?" Ling Yu guessed her thoughts, "Then keep making me delicious food."

Gu Xiaoning smiled and nodded, "Okay."

Ling Yu looked at her, the corners of his mouth slightly lifting. If she could cook for him for a lifetime... that would be wonderful, he wondered if it was possible?

...

A rush of footsteps sounded on the floor.

"Ah..."

Le Zhengsheng arrived breathlessly, hurrying over.

"Director!"

He had just finished a meeting when he saw Aunt Gu’s message... Xiaozheng was in trouble, so he naturally had to come over.

"Director Le Zheng." The director smiled; he knew Le Zhengsheng, "You’ve arrived? But, unfortunately... Gu Xiaozheng’s mother and sister have already been here, and the matter has been settled."

Le Zhengsheng knew the general story.

He nodded, took out his phone from his pocket, "You need money, right? Did you advance it for him? I’ll transfer it to you right now..."

"No need." The director smiled and shook his head, "It wasn’t me who paid, it was Mr. Ling."

Mr. Ling? Ling Yu?

Le Zhengsheng furrowed his brows; Ling Yu was the only Mr. Ling he could think of, but he still didn’t want to believe it, "Director, may I ask, that Mr. Ling..."

"Oh." The director smiled, "They probably haven’t gone far yet; after what happened, they said they would take Gu Xiaozheng home for two days... they should be heading to the dorm to pack their things."

"Alright, thank you."

Le Zhengsheng swallowed hard and quickly turned his steps toward the dormitory building.

In the doorway, Ling Yu was coming out carrying luggage.

Aunt Gu felt embarrassed, "Mr. Ling, let me take it."

"No need." Ling Yu smiled, "I’m a man, I’ll do it... Aunt, no need to be so polite."

"Ah." Aunt Gu nodded; she was convinced now, this Mr. Ling indeed had feelings for her daughter.

Her daughter had been through so much hardship; if things were hopeless with Le Zhengsheng... then this Mr. Ling seemed pretty good too. Aunt Gu invited Ling Yu to stay for dinner at home.

Gu Xiaoning went upstairs to take care of Gu Xiaozheng, and Ling Yu had nothing to do, so he wandered into the kitchen. "Aunt, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Ah..." Aunt Gu hurriedly stopped him, "You don’t have to come in, what is a man like you doing in the kitchen?"

Ling Yu smiled, "I don’t watch TV, what’s the point of sitting in the living room?"

"Then..." Aunt Gu handed him a bowl of salad, "I’ve already poured the dressing, could you mix it for me?"

"Sure." Ling Yu accepted with a smile.