VIP Ward, Lounge
Lu Yanbei stood by the window, his back to the door, presenting Su Chen with a cold silhouette.
"There's no one else here, so let's be direct," Lu Yanbei said first.
Su Chen's eyes deepened. "What does Young Master Yan want to say?"
"Miss Jiang is a pawn you've placed beside A Miao, am I wrong?" Lu Yanbei cut to the chase, having no time for pleasantries.
Su Chen's clasped hands tightened involuntarily. "Does Young Master Yan not think he's overstepping? This is between me and Su He."
"Is that so..." Lu Yanbei took a lighter from his pocket, snapping it open and closed with deliberate slowness. "No matter what your relationship was before, all I know is that she is now my wife, and she is protected by law."
"Young Master Yan is perhaps too confident. The brother-sister bond between Su He and I spans over ten years, not something anyone can replace." Su Chen tilted his chin slightly, a flicker of anger in his eyes.
"A bond of ten years as brother and sister? Do you believe that when you say it?" Lu Yanbei looked at him with half-closed eyes, a half-smile playing on his lips.
Su Chen felt a sense of being seen through, and he denied it stiffly, "I don't know what you're talking about!"
Lu Yanbei didn't argue further. "Miss Jiang called you yesterday, why didn't you answer?"
Su Chen's eyes widened in surprise.
He hadn't expected Jiang Xiaoxiao to tell him that.
"I was in a meeting, I didn't hear it!" Su Chen gritted his teeth.
"Did you really not hear it, or were you taking your anger out on her? We both know the truth. I will advise Mr. Su here, do not covet what you should not. I will not make the same mistake a second time."
"You!"
"Also, if you had answered the phone earlier, A Miao might not have suffered so much." When it came to inflicting pain, Lu Yanbei was ruthless. Su Chen cared deeply about this matter and was already consumed by guilt, yet Lu Yanbei reopened the wound for him to see.
It was incredibly cruel!
With that, Lu Yanbei turned to leave.
Su Chen, however, stopped him. "Lu Yanbei, you've hurt her once, I will not allow you to hurt her a second time!"
"What I owe her, I will repay. Even if she wanted my life, I would gladly give it." Lu Yanbei was half a head taller than Su Chen, and his presence was consistently dominant.
"I won't let you succeed!" Su Chen said bitterly.
"You should consider how you're going to explain to her that for years you placed Jiang Xiaoxiao by her side as a spy, monitoring her every move."
"Lu Yanbei!" Su Chen finally lost his temper, throwing a punch towards Lu Yanbei's impossibly handsome face.
"Young Master Yan!" The nearby bodyguards were stunned.
Lu Yanbei, caught off guard, took the punch, a faint trace of blood welling at the corner of his mouth.
He raised his hand and wiped the blood away with his thumb, his eyes suddenly sharp.
Lu Yanbei retaliated.
After so much pent-up frustration, he needed an outlet.
Not long ago, he had discovered that it was Su Chen who had taken Su He away, and that he had tricked Su He into seeing a psychiatrist and undergone hypnosis to erase her memories of him.
So, Su He didn't remember him not because she had forgotten him, but because someone had used despicable means to forcibly erase her memory.
He would settle this score with Su Chen sooner or later.
"Oh dear. Why are you fighting? Don't you know the ward needs to be quiet?" The head nurse heard the commotion and quickly came over to break them up.
Upon seeing two handsome men in suits fighting, her tone softened instantly. "Gentlemen, this is a sterile ward. If you have any grievances, could you please resolve them downstairs? It's more spacious there!"
Su Chen had always given the impression of a gentle and refined businessman. His characteristic dimples were deceptive, often lulling his opponents into a false sense of security.
He was amiable and tried his best not to offend anyone, even if a deal fell through.
Fighting in public was something he had never done.
Neither had Lu Yanbei.
He had grown up a wealthy young master, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, possessing an innate nobility. Everything was done for him, and he never needed to lift a finger.
Today, for Su He, he had thrown caution to the wind.
The high and mighty aloof figure descended from his pedestal, fighting like any normal, jealous man for the woman he loved. This cathartic release made him feel like a normal human being.
They were evenly matched, and both had sustained some injuries.
The head nurse brought disinfectant and observed them silently, thinking: Even when handsome men fight, they're still handsome!
After venting their emotions, Su Chen still insisted on seeing Su He.
This time, Lu Yanbei did not stop him. However, he entered the ward first, openly displaying his bandaged forehead to Su He.
"You're awake. Would you like some water?" Lu Yanbei felt the now-cold water cup and poured half a cup of warm water from the thermos to cool.
"What happened?" Su He's eyes widened in shock as she saw the injuries on their faces.
"It's nothing, we just bumped into something," Lu Yanbei replied vaguely, making no mention of a fight.
Since he was so dismissive, Su Chen also refrained from mentioning the fight, lest Su He worry. "Are you feeling alright? Is there anything uncomfortable? Does your head hurt?"
Su Chen had reverted to being the doting brother to his sister.
Su He turned over, feeling uncomfortably sticky. "My head doesn't hurt, but I woke up with my clothes drenched in sweat, and it's uncomfortable to wear."
"I'll have a nurse come in to help you with a sponge bath," Su Chen suggested.
"No need for that, I can do it," Lu Yanbei said, not wanting to delegate.
Su He's cheeks flushed uncontrollably.
How could he be so shameless!
She had agreed to his courtship, but shouldn't there be some progression? He had already seen her naked.
"Perhaps… perhaps a nurse should do it," Su He mumbled.
She wasn't mentally prepared to be completely exposed in front of Lu Yanbei.
"Just teasing," Lu Yanbei's lips curved upwards, and he gave Su Chen a provocative sideways glance.
Su Chen felt an overwhelming blockage in his chest watching the affection flowing between them.
Perhaps he had overestimated Su He's reliance on him, or underestimated Lu Yanbei's charm. If things continued this way, Su He might fall in love with this man again!
Su Chen's hand in his pocket clenched involuntarily.
No, he had finally managed to separate them, and he absolutely could not repeat the same mistake.
Su He was the girl he had watched grow up, the woman he wanted to spend his life with. He would not allow anyone to snatch her away!