Chapter 23: The Budding of Love

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: The Budding of Love

Once he started talking, the rest of the words came much more easily.

Huo Xingye took a deep breath, his expression earnest. "I’m sorry for disregarding your wishes and restricting your freedom, which caused you both physical and psychological harm. I’m willing to compensate you. You can name your terms, and I’ll do my best to meet them."

Wen Ting was skeptical, suspecting this was just another one of Huo Xingye’s schemes to make her submit.

Gu Qingyin smiled and patted her hand reassuringly. "Go ahead and ask. I’m here. He won’t dare to do anything to you."

Hearing this, the doubt Wen Ting had been suppressing resurfaced. ’What is this woman’s relationship with Huo Xingye? How can she be so sure he’ll listen to her?’

Under their earnest gazes, Wen Ting spoke tentatively. "I want to find a job..." She had missed too much work and been fired from her company. They hadn’t even paid her for the last month.

"Done," Huo Xingye agreed without a moment’s hesitation. "I’ll have my assistant contact you when you’re discharged from the hospital."

A flicker of joy crossed Wen Ting’s face, and she continued with her demands. "I lost a lot of money during this time..."

"I’ll compensate you tenfold," Huo Xingye replied, his wealth evident in his casual tone.

Wen Ting struggled to keep the corners of her mouth from turning up. "Also, the apartment I was living in... The rent was expensive, it was far from my company, and the landlord was a real hard-ass..."

Huo Xingye nodded. "Pick a location. I’ll buy you a place."

Wen Ting’s eyes widened. "Buy me a place?!"

Yun City was famous throughout the country for its high housing prices. If she relied on herself, she’d be lucky to save up for a down payment after working for half her life. ’And now I can just get one for free?’

Wen Ting’s heart pounded. She felt uneasy about this sudden windfall, yet a part of her felt she deserved it. She was torn.

Seeing her conflict, Gu Qingyin urged, "Take it. It’s your compensation." She gently stroked Wen Ting’s hair and said softly, "You’ve suffered so much."

Wen Ting felt a warmth on her head, and her mind seemed to clear slightly. Then, a lump formed in her throat, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. It was as if a dam had broken; she couldn’t stop the tears, and they flowed faster and faster.

Gu Qingyin sighed. "Go on and cry. You’ll feel better once it’s all out."

Wen Ting hesitated for a moment, then threw herself into Gu Qingyin’s arms and burst out sobbing with a loud "WAAAH!"

Gu Qingyin gently patted her back, offering silent comfort.

Huo Xingye was startled. For the first time, he looked a little flustered.

Ever since he’d known Wen Ting, he had never seen her cry. Not when he held her captive, not when she was starving herself, not even when she regained her freedom. Her eyes hadn’t even reddened.

Huo Xingye had always thought she was just naturally strong. ’But now I see,’ he realized, ’she was just hiding all her pain and sadness, burying it deep inside.’

Because Wen Ting knew that showing weakness to someone who didn’t care for her would only make her seem more pathetic, more pitiful.

In that moment, Huo Xingye felt a profound, heartfelt guilt.

Wen Ting cried for a long time, only stopping in ragged hitches after her eyes were swollen. When she came to her senses, she was mortified, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

Gu Qingyin handed her a warm, damp towel. "Wipe your face."

Wen Ting silently took the towel and wiped her face, her eyes downcast.

Just as she set the towel down, a glass of water was offered to her. The hand holding the glass was fair and slender, with well-defined knuckles. A small red mole adorned the webbing between the thumb and forefinger, making it strikingly handsome.

’That hand is exactly my type.’ Wen Ting was momentarily stunned.

She remained frozen until the hand’s owner spoke in a low voice, "Have some water."

Wen Ting snapped back to reality and quickly took the glass, using the act of drinking to hide her inner turmoil.

’Such a handsome hand... and it belongs to Huo Xingye!’

After she’d drained the glass, Huo Xingye took the empty one back. Wen Ting found her eyes drawn to his hand again.

Thinking she hadn’t had enough, Huo Xingye went and got her another glass.

Wen Ting took the glass, lost in thought. ’So Huo Xingye can be this considerate.’

Gu Qingyin watched the changes in Wen Ting’s expression, a smile nearly overflowing from her eyes. "Feeling a little better?"

Wen Ting snapped out of it with a sharp gasp. ’What was I just thinking?! Being attracted to Huo Xingye’s *hand*? How horrifying!’

"What’s wrong?" Gu Qingyin asked, concerned.

Wen Ting quickly shook her head. "Nothing. I feel much better after that cry." Her voice was hoarse and nasal, making her sound a little pitiable.

Huo Xingye’s gaze darkened slightly, and he apologized again. "I’m sorry."

Wen Ting didn’t dare look at him, afraid of being swayed again. She stared at her glass and said softly, "I accept your apology. The compensation you’ve offered is more than enough. From now on... let’s just act like we’ve never met."

Huo Xingye’s expression fell, but he nodded in agreement.

Gu Qingyin sighed, took Wen Ting’s hand, and said gently, "This really is Xingye’s fault. No one ever taught him how to express love when he was growing up, and he got used to just taking whatever he wanted home with him."

"You’re a good girl, and he really does like you. He just used the wrong way to show it. If you can, I hope you’ll give him a chance to pursue you properly."

Wen Ting’s first instinct was to refuse.

Gu Qingyin raised a hand to stop her. "Do you really not have any positive feelings for Huo Xingye at all?"

Wen Ting fell silent.

Before today, she would have said no without a moment’s hesitation. ’But now...’ She couldn’t bring herself to say it.

’Beauty can be a powerful temptation, and that’s no joke. That hand really got to me.’

’But what does that make me? A pushover with no self-respect? After everything he did, I’m supposed to give him a chance to pursue me?’

In the end, Wen Ting still shook her head and refused. "We’re not right for each other."

A hint of regret flashed in Gu Qingyin’s eyes. "Just focus on getting better. Don’t worry about a thing; Huo Xingye will take care of everything."

"Thank you," Wen Ting said with sincere gratitude. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face. "Can I ask... what is your relationship with Huo Xingye?"

Gu Qingyin looked ashamed. "I’m his mother. It’s my fault for not raising him right." ’If I’d taught him properly from a young age,’ she thought, ’my son would have been the perfect gentleman. He never would have done something so idiotic.’

Wen Ting was shocked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You... You look about the same age as me."

Gu Qingyin laughed it off. "I just have a good skincare routine."

The two chatted for a bit about skincare. Gu Qingyin gave her a Beauty Talisman before finally leaving the hospital room.

The mother and son were silent as they walked out of the ward and all the way to the parking garage. There, Gu Qingyin suddenly asked, "Do you still like her?"

As a twenty-year-old man, being suddenly grilled about his love life by his mother made Huo Xingye a little uncomfortable, but he still answered honestly, "I do."

Gu Qingyin blinked, trying her best to maintain a serious expression. "What do you like about her? How did you two meet? When did you realize you liked her?"

Huo Xingye, in the middle of opening the car door, paused. Something felt off. But he had no defenses against Gu Qingyin, so he subconsciously started to answer, "She’s very warm, like a little sun..."

Gu Qingyin’s eyes lit up, her gossipy heart already pounding with anticipation.

Huo Xingye happened to glance up and immediately shut his mouth. He rubbed his temples, a headache already forming. "Let’s go get something to eat first."

Gu Qingyin pouted. "But there’s plenty of time in the car."

Huo Xingye remained expressionless. "But I’m heartbroken right now."

Gu Qingyin immediately felt a pang of guilt. "Okay, fine. You can tell me after you’ve recovered."

Huo Xingye was speechless. ’...Does she really need to hear this gossip that badly?’