69: Gu's mother was discharged from the hospital

As soon as Chen Li pushed open the Dormitory door, he was blocked at the entrance by Zhang Yixi on his left and Guo Zihong on his right.

"Come clean!"

Zhang Yixi hooked an arm around his neck. "Why did Teacher Shen Qing look for you again? This is the second time already!"

Guo Zihong also leaned in, smirking in a low voice, "A Li, do you have some exclusive secret? Could it be... Teacher Shen discovered you're a hidden billionaire?"

Chen Li couldn't help but smile—Guo Zihong wasn't wrong. The two times Shen Qing had come looking for him were indeed related to his financial resources.

Of course, he couldn't say it outright, so he just explained casually, "Don't guess blindly. I just happened to help Teacher Shen with a small favor before, and she remembered it, so she’s been looking after me a bit more."

"How come I never run into such good luck!"

Zhang Yixi wailed and let go, collapsing exaggeratedly onto his chair. "The heavens are unfair!"

"I have to hand it to you for having such dumb luck." Guo Zihong also shook his head with a sigh.

The boys messed around laughing for a while before returning to their seats, putting on their headphones, and starting their gaming session for the day.

Just as a team fight ended, Chen Li's phone screen lit up with a message from Gu Qingcheng.

Chen Li hadn't gone home to stay with her last night, which had left her feeling uneasy, fearing that something might have happened to him.

She deliberated for a long time before cautiously sending this message:

"Hubby, Mom is being discharged tomorrow afternoon. Are you free to come?"

Gu Qingcheng repeatedly typed and deleted in the chat box. The phrase 'Are you coming back tonight?' lingered at her fingertips for a long time, but she ultimately couldn't send it.

In the end, she only cautiously used the matter of her mother's discharge to indirectly ask about his situation.

The phone vibrated, and seeing the message, Chen Li couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.

This girl was too sensitive; since he hadn't returned last night, she must have been overthinking things all night.

"Of course I'm free."

He replied quickly, "Tomorrow we'll go together to pick up Auntie from the Hospital."

Feelings are things that never follow a first-come, first-served rule.

Chen Li hadn't intended to make comparisons, but Gu Qingcheng had quietly taken root in his heart.

Without him realizing it, thinking of Gu Qingcheng had become a habit, and his feelings for her had already surpassed those for Meng Yu.

He didn't try to restrain himself, letting everything follow his heart—some heartbeats, once they start, are beyond one's control.

He would unconsciously consider her feelings and care about everything regarding her.

This affection slowly settled during their daily interactions, eventually turning into a habitual emotion.

Thinking of this, Chen Li put down his phone as the game started again... As soon as the afternoon school bell rang, Chen Li drove straight to the Hospital.

Gu Qingcheng had taken the whole day off and completed the discharge procedures in the morning; she was now waiting for him in the ward with her mother.

"Chen Li is here."

As soon as Mother Gu saw him enter, a smile immediately bloomed on her face.

After this period of recuperation, her complexion had clearly improved a lot.

"Auntie, you look in great spirits today." Chen Li smiled and stepped forward to take the luggage bag from Gu Qingcheng's hand.

"Of course, I'm happy to be discharged today."

Mother Gu looked at the young couple before her, feeling an indescribable sense of relief.

This morning, her daughter had quietly told her that Chen Li had bought them a new house.

She was both expectant and a bit uneasy—fearing her presence would disturb the couple's time together, she had even quietly mentioned to her daughter that she wanted to rent a small place of her own.

This idea was immediately rejected by Gu Qingcheng.

Her daughter repeatedly assured her that Chen Li wouldn't mind and had even specifically hired a nanny to handle cooking and cleaning just to take care of her, so she could recuperate in peace.

Under her daughter's persuasion, she agreed to stay and see; if it really affected the couple, she would insist on moving out no matter what.

"Let's not keep these old clothes; we'll buy new ones later."

Chen Li suggested as he watched Gu Qingcheng folding a few pieces of old clothing.

"They're still wearable; it would be a pity to throw them away." Mother Gu quickly waved her hands; in her eyes, these clothes were still quite new.

Gu Qingcheng shrugged helplessly at Chen Li, giving him a look that said there was nothing she could do.

There wasn't actually much luggage. Chen Li and Gu Qingcheng supported Mother Gu on either side, and the three of them walked out of the Hospital gates side by side.

The afternoon sunlight fell on them, feeling warm and cozy.

As the car slowly drove into the underground garage of 'Qiushui Yunlu', Mother Gu was still imagining the large house her daughter had described.

The moment the door was pushed open, she was stunned—the spacious and bright living room and the exquisite decoration were completely beyond her imagination.

After touring the entire house with her daughter, Mother Gu was even more speechless with surprise.

Every room was decorated to be warm and comfortable, and even a nanny's room had been considered.

No wonder her daughter said they wouldn't be disturbed; with such a large space, everyone's privacy could be fully guaranteed.

What moved her the most was that her daughter had told her the house was registered only in her daughter's name.

One must know how many couples nowadays get into heated arguments just to add a name to a property deed.

Yet Chen Li had bought the house in full and only put her daughter's name on it.

This intention and responsibility made her feel deeply emotional—this time, her daughter had truly found someone she could entrust her life to.

"Mom, this room was prepared specifically for you. Do you like it?" Gu Qingcheng pushed open the door to a south-facing master bedroom.

The spacious room had excellent lighting, an independent bathroom, a comfortable recliner, and even the wardrobe was designed according to the habits of the elderly.

"I like it, I like it so much."

Mother Gu's eyes grew slightly moist as she gently stroked the soft bedsheets, feeling as if she were in a dream.

Seeing how much her mother liked it, Gu Qingcheng turned to look at the smiling Chen Li beside her. A warm current surged through her heart, and she unconsciously gripped his hand tightly.

The two looked at each other and smiled; everything was understood without words.

At dusk, Gu Qingcheng put on an apron and began preparing dinner.

This meal was of extraordinary significance—it was the first meal after her mother's discharge, a housewarming banquet for the new home, and a reunion dinner for the three of them.

Following Chen Li's wishes, she had purchased only top-tier ingredients.

Although there were many dishes she had never tried before, Gu Qingcheng wasn't panicked at all.

She had looked up detailed video tutorials online beforehand and watched them several times, memorizing the heat control and seasoning for every step.

Chen Li didn't stay idle either, helping on the side with washing vegetables and plating.

The two coordinated perfectly in the kitchen, occasionally smiling at each other as a warm atmosphere spread through the room.

About an hour later, eight dishes full of color, aroma, and flavor were neatly arranged on the dining table, their enticing scent whetting the appetite.

The meal was eaten in a harmonious and happy atmosphere.

Mother Gu watched the couple occasionally putting food on each other's plates, her eyes full of gratification.

She thought of her late husband: Our daughter has found a good home; you can rest easy now.

After the meal, Mother Gu wanted to help with the dishes but was firmly stopped by Chen Li and Gu Qingcheng.

"You've just been discharged; let us handle these things."

The two worked together to clear the table, and in no time, the kitchen was tidied up.

The three of them ate fruit and watched TV in the living room, enjoying a rare and warm time together.

Around eight o'clock, Mother Gu went to her room to rest.

Only the two of them remained in the living room; a program was playing on the TV, but neither was really watching.

Gu Qingcheng's heart beat so fast it felt like it would burst from her chest; in the quiet living room, even she felt the sound was too clear.

Because at this moment, Chen Li's hands were wandering restlessly, causing her to tremble wherever they touched.

Her cheeks were already flushed crimson, the color spreading all the way to her ears.

Her gaze couldn't help but flick toward her mother's bedroom—she both craved this feeling and feared that the door might suddenly open.

Gu Qingcheng felt her whole body going soft, the fine tremors making it nearly impossible to speak a complete sentence.

She looked up at him with watery eyes, her voice mixed with a slight sob forced out by the tide of passion: "Hu... Hubby... let's... go back to the room..."