Gu Zi lowered her gaze slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Twenty yuan to buy her favor? That was hardly enough. She spoke up, "I've nearly spent all the money Su Shen gave me this month. If I ask him for more, he might think my adoptive parents didn't teach me well, considering how I spend money. Besides, I've only just gotten married. It wouldn't be right to start asking for more money now."
Just as Gu Zi was about to decline the offer, she saw Gu Shan pull out three more ten-yuan notes, making a total of fifty yuan. He handed it over to her, saying, "This is all the money I have on me. Please, take them."
Only then did Gu Zi reluctantly accept the fifty yuan, considering it a suitable amount to buy some nutritional supplements for her father.
Gu Zi knew that Gu Shan must have had more than two hundred yuan on him, but she didn't want him to bleed dry. A little bit at a time was enough. It wasn't about the money for her, but more about teaching Gu Shan and his family a lesson, to discern right from wrong in the future.
Seeing that Gu Zi had accepted the money, Gu Shan repeatedly urged her and Su Shen to attend the event. He then quickly left with Zhang Mei and Lin Miao, fearing that if he lingered, Gu Zi might find another excuse to ask for more money.
Mother Lin knew that Gu Zi was not a greedy person. Her actions were merely a reaction to the day's events, an attempt to teach the Gu family a lesson.
She didn't think Gu Zit s actions were inappropriate, but when it came to the invitation to attend Lin Miao's wedding banquet, Mother Lin didn't really want Gu Zi to attend. After all, if she did, she would inevitably run into people from her past, which would likely upset her.
As the three of them walked away, Mother Lin spoke up, "Little Zi, if you don't want to go, you really don't have to."
She remembered that one of the main reasons Gu Zi didn't want to leave the Gu family initially was because she didn't want to leave her fiancé.
Gu Zi and Gong Zhan had grown up together, and their relationship was undoubtedly deep. Mother Lin had met Gong Zhan before and thought that he was a good match for Gu Zi.
Now that Gu Zi was married to someone else and Gong Zhan was about to get married as well, it would probably be best for both of them if they didn't see each other.
Carrying Su Le, Gu Zi led Mother Lin towards the nutritional supplements section. There was no trace of the sorrow on her face that Mother Lin was worried about. She smiled and said, "I don't mind going. After all, we've already accepted the invitation. It's only right that we attend."
Mother Lin wasn't sure what her daughter was thinking, but since Gu Zi had decided to go, she didn't say anything more.
After they finished shopping and left the supermarket, they had lunch at a state-owned restaurant. Mother Lin felt it was quite extravagant, but also deeply happy.
When they returned to the hospital, the nursing staff was clearing away Papa Lin's dishes. Gu Zi told them they didn't need to come in the afternoon.
The hospital's nursing staff was paid by the hour, so it was more cost-effective to have them not come when someone else was available to care for the patient.
Seeing the bags of items that the mother and daughter had brought back, Papa Lin quickly said, "We don't need all these. They must have been expensive, right?"
Setting Su Le down to play on her own, Gu Zi picked up a box of milk and said, "Of course we need them. You've fractured your bone, and the doctor said you need to eat foods that promote bone healing, like milk and fruit. You need to eat them every day to recover quickly!"
Upon hearing that eating these foods could speed up his recovery, Papa Lin's spirits lifted. He was eager to recover as quickly as possible, as being unable to do anything made him feel anxious. He said, "Thank you, daughter. You're very thoughtful."
Gu Zi replied, "We're all family. Spending a bit of money is no big deal, as long as everyone is healthy. Don't worry about the money, Dad."
Papa Lin nodded, his mood significantly brightened. Mother Lin peeled an apple for him, her eyes full of love as she glanced at Gu Zi. Her daughter had managed to cheer her father up with just a few words, and he had stopped talking about wanting to leave the hospital.
Gu Zi spent the afternoon at the hospital, keeping her parents company. Su Le was very well-behaved, either playing by herself or with the people in the next bed. The family in the next bed adored Su Le and gave her lots of snacks.
In return, Gu Zi gave them three boxes of the high-calcium milk she had just bought. The milk was quite expensive, so the other family didn't want to refuse her generosity. They accepted the milk, filling the entire ward with a warm, cheerful atmosphere.
The nurse who had previously misunderstood Gu Zi learned the truth from the family in the next bed. When she came to do her rounds that day, her face was flushed, and she felt a bit embarrassed when she saw Gu Zi.
Unaware of the nurse's previous opinion of her, Gu Zi greeted her warmly and asked about Papa Lin's condition. Her gentle and polite demeanor made the nurse feel a strange affection for her.
After school, Su Bing and Su Li rode their bikes straight to the hospital. They had asked for their grandfather's room number the day before, so they quickly found his ward..
...