116: Chapter 217 The First Batch of Surgeries and the Psychological Game

The city's hustle and bustle seemed unable to penetrate the special soundproof glass of the Children's Hospital's VIP ward. The corridors were filled with a faint scent of disinfectant, which was much softened by the bright cartoon patterns on the walls and the greenery visible everywhere. It didn't feel like a hospital, but more like a carefully arranged station temporarily housing injured little angels.

The first ten children with cleft lip and palate had arrived and checked in one after another, accompanied by the dedicated staff and volunteers of the "Yin Angel" Foundation. The oldest, Xiao Lei, was seven years old, and the youngest, Niu Niu, was only four. They came from the fringes of the city or broken families, their faces bearing a timidness and deep self-esteem that were inconsistent with their age. That fissure extending from the nose to the lip was not just a physical defect, but also a scar on the heart that was difficult to heal.

Yu Bo's appearance caused a small, restrained stir in the ward. He wasn't wearing a serious suit today, but a light-colored casual outfit that made him look very approachable. He was followed by Foundation staff and hospital representatives, but he didn't put on the airs of an inspector. Instead, he slowed his pace and bent down, his gaze level with Xiao Bao, who was sitting on a small stool by the ward door, tightly clutching his mother's hem.

"Xiao Bao, do you still recognize your uncle?" Yu Bo's voice was extremely soft and carried a smile, as he magically produced a brand-new Transformer, one size larger than the last one.

Xiao Bao hid behind his mother, showing only one eye, looking at him timidly and then at the toy in his hand. A hint of longing flashed in his clear black-and-white eyes, but he didn't reach out. He only uttered a vague "ah" and gripped his mother's hem even tighter.

Xiao Bao's mother, the woman named Wang Cuihua, quickly wiped the corners of her eyes and said awkwardly, "Mr. Yu, look at you... spending money again... Xiao Bao, quick, thank your uncle..."

"No rush, let the child adapt slowly." Yu Bo waved his hand gently, placed the toy softly on the chair beside Xiao Bao, and turned his gaze to Wang Cuihua. "Sister, is everything settled? If there's anything you're not used to, tell our staff anytime, or call me directly."

"Everything's settled, everything's settled! It's so nice here, just like a hotel... the child has never stayed in such a nice place..." Wang Cuihua's voice choked with emotion, and she was about to bow when Yu Bo held her up.

"As long as the child is well, that's what matters." Yu Bo patted her shoulder, his gaze sweeping over the other open ward rooms. He saw Niu Niu from the orphanage sitting quietly by the bed, holding the rabbit doll he had given her, while Director Chen spoke softly beside her. He saw the single mother Li Juan peeling an orange for Le Le, while Le Le curiously poked his head out to look at the corridor...

He walked into every ward, patiently asking about the situation, comforting the families, and encouraging the children. There was no superior posture of charity, only sincere concern and a reassuring strength. He remembered every child's name, understood their general family situations, and could even mention one or two of their small hobbies. This attentiveness caused a light of hope to gradually ignite in the eyes of those weathered parents and sensitive, precocious children.

"Mr. Yu, you are truly... a living Buddha..." An old grandmother of one of the patients held his hand, tears streaming down her old face.

Yu Bo shook his head humbly and said in a solemn tone, "Ma'am, please don't say that. If you want to thank someone, thank the founder of our Foundation, Miss Yin Tianxue. It is her kindness that has given us the opportunity to gather here and help the children. We are only doing what we should."

He timely directed the credit and focus toward Yin Tianxue, which both fit the image he had consistently cultivated of the "perfect boyfriend supporting his girlfriend's dreams" and quietly downplayed his own direct role. All of this was seen by Tang Guo, who was holding a file and pretending to check information while mixed in among the staff.

She wore a decent professional skirt today and light makeup, looking capable and fresh. Only she knew how fast her heart was beating. From the moment Yu Bo stepped into the ward, her gaze followed him intentionally or unintentionally. Watching him treat the children gently and listen to the families patiently, watching him stand in the light like a true guardian radiating warmth.

This version of him fascinated her but also made her feel flustered. She couldn't distinguish which one was the real Yu Bo. Was it the man who dominantly possessed her in the bedroom this morning and left her infatuated? Or was it this compassionate and meticulous philanthropist at this moment? Perhaps both. This complexity and multifaceted nature attracted her like poison, making her sink deeper even though she knew it was dangerous.

Taking advantage of the gap while Yu Bo and the attending physician were discussing surgery details at the end of the corridor, Tang Guo walked over naturally, holding a form that needed a signature. There was no one else around for the moment.

"CEO Yu, this post-operative psychological intervention follow-up form needs your review and signature." She handed over the folder professionally, her voice steady.

Yu Bo took it, his gaze quickly scanning the document, and he picked up a pen to sign. His fingers were long and powerful, and his grip on the pen was very steady. After signing, he didn't return it to her immediately but used the folder to slightly cover it, and with his fingertip at the bottom of the page, extremely covertly, he lightly hooked Tang Guo's finger.

It was just a touch and then gone, so fast it felt like an illusion.

Tang Guo's body jerked violently, and an electric current surged from her fingertip throughout her entire body. She quickly looked up at him, but Yu Bo had already handed the folder back, his expression unchanged, still talking in a low voice with the doctor as if that touch just now had been unintentional.

But Tang Guo knew it wasn't.

Her cheeks uncontrollably flushed, and her heart beat like a drum. She hurriedly took the folder, whispered a "Thank you, CEO Yu," and then turned to walk away quickly, her steps even a bit disorganized. It wasn't until she reached the fire exit where no one was watching that she leaned against the cold wall and took several deep breaths, trying to calm her frantic heartbeat.

That touch was a confirmation, a reassurance, and a secret current that belonged only to the two of them. It dispelled her trepidation from the entire day and the trace of unease caused by his "neglect" of her messages, and it also made her realize more clearly that she had completely fallen into this dangerous relationship.

Shortly after, Yu Bo took his leave on the grounds that "the company still has matters to attend to." Before leaving, he specifically walked over to Tang Guo's side and said in a voice not loud but enough for those around to hear, "Assistant Tang, check the catering and psychological counseling arrangements for the patients' families with Head Nurse Li once more; be sure to be meticulous. Send the report to my email later."

"Alright, CEO Yu, please rest assured," Tang Guo replied with lowered eyes, professional and respectful.

Yu Bo nodded and turned to leave. As his figure disappeared into the elevator, Tang Guo felt that the touch of his fingertip and that brief glance he cast on her before leaving carried more weight than any words.

In the afternoon, Tang Guo efficiently completed the work Yu Bo had assigned and assisted the head nurse in comforting several anxious family members. She was meticulous and spoke with gentle words, quickly winning the trust and goodwill of the families. Even the always serious Head Nurse Li said to her privately, "Xiao Tang, you're quite attentive. With you here, our work has been much smoother."

Tang Guo just smiled, but in her heart, she wondered if Head Nurse Li would still say that if she knew about her relationship with Yu Bo.

In the evening, just as she was preparing to leave the hospital, her phone vibrated. It was Yu Bo's private number, with only one line of text: "Underground Garage Area B, black Mercedes."

Her heart leaped. She quickly packed her things, said goodbye to her colleagues, and headed for the elevator. Her heart beat restlessly in her chest, a mix of anticipation, nervousness, and a hint of guilt.

Underground Garage Area B was somewhat empty and quiet. That familiar black Mercedes was parked there silently. Tang Guo walked to the car, and the passenger door unlocked noiselessly. She pulled the door open and sat inside.

The car was filled with the light scent of Yu Bo's aftershave and a very faint smell of tobacco. He leaned back in the driver's seat, resting with his eyes closed, his profile looking somewhat cold and hard in the dim light.

"Hubby..." Tang Guo called softly, her voice carrying an undetectable tremble.

Yu Bo slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. That gaze was no longer the gentle restraint shown at the hospital, but had returned to a certain deepness she was familiar with, filled with aggression and a desire for control. He didn't speak, but simply reached out and pinched her chin, his thumb rubbing against her delicate skin, and then he leaned in and kissed her lips.

This kiss was not gentle; it carried a venting force and a thick sense of possessiveness, prying open her teeth and entangling deeply, as if he wanted to plunder all the air from her lungs. Tang Guo accepted it passively, her arms unconsciously wrapping around his neck as she responded clumsily yet passionately.

When the kiss ended, both were a bit short of breath. Yu Bo pulled back slightly, his fingers lingering on her slightly swollen lips, his voice low and husky: "You performed well today."

Was he talking about the work at the hospital, or referring to her submissiveness at this moment? Tang Guo couldn't tell, but a hint of sweetness rose in her heart. "It's because Hubby taught me well," she said softly, with a touch of pleasing him.

Yu Bo gave a low laugh, let go of her, sat up straight, and started the car. "I'll take you back. Tianxue has an appointment with the design team for dinner tonight to discuss the hospital's interior decoration plan; she'll be back late."

The car drove smoothly out of the garage and merged into the evening rush hour traffic. In the enclosed space, the atmosphere was ambiguous and tense. Tang Guo's hand quietly reached over from between the seats and lightly held Yu Bo's hand resting on the gear shift.

Yu Bo's fingers moved, and he turned his hand over to fully clasp her hand in his palm, the pressure neither light nor heavy, carrying a warm body temperature.

"Hubby," Tang Guo looked at the neon lights passing by outside the window and asked softly, "those children... the surgeries will all be successful, right?"

"They will be," Yu Bo's voice was very steady. "I've hired the best team."

"Mhm." Tang Guo leaned against the back of the seat, feeling the warmth from his palm. That slight sense of shame she had felt at the hospital because of her own behavior seemed to be dispelled a bit by this simple touch. "Hubby, you're so good."

Yu Bo didn't speak, but simply tightened his grip on her hand.

The car stopped one block away from the villa. "Get out here and walk back yourself." Yu Bo let go of her hand, his tone returning to normal.

Tang Guo understood this was to avoid suspicion. She nodded, unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Hubby, tonight... I'll wait for your message."

Yu Bo gave an "mhm" in response.

Tang Guo got out of the car and watched the black Mercedes drive away and merge into the traffic before turning toward the villa. The evening breeze blew on her face with a chill, but it couldn't blow away the heat in her heart or the flush that hadn't faded from her face.

Through the rearview mirror, Yu Bo watched Tang Guo's figure disappear at the street corner, his gaze deep. The delicate touch of her skin and the softness of her lips seemed to linger on his fingertips. Tang Guo's dependence and her wholehearted, almost blind adoration greatly satisfied his male vanity and desire for control. But at the same time, it was like a soft silken thread quietly winding around him, carrying an undetectable binding force.

He needed the nourishment of this "sweetness," and he also needed to ensure that this "sweetness" wouldn't become a rope he couldn't break free from. As for the grateful looks of those children and families in the hospital, that was an important part of building his "philanthropist" image, an account to Yin Tianxue, and a part of his grand plan. Real pity might exist, but there was more of precise calculation and performance.

The phone rang; it was a message from Yin Tianxue saying the dinner party was over, asking what time he would be home, and that the soup was still hot.

A gentle smile appeared on Yu Bo's face as he replied: "Just finished working, coming back now. Wait for me to drink the soup, Baby."