Fall in love with your enemy

Continuing from the last time, I just found out that it wasn’t just my second uncle who had harmed me over the years. He was even more “kind”. He knew that I had stopped taking his medicine long ago and didn’t use any other means to harm me. Instead, it was Old Fu. Old Fu and Uncle Hou had always known about it.

I seemed to understand all of a sudden why I continued to get sick after the operation.

After my second uncle left, I had already frozen there. Lao Hou felt guilty and said nothing, continuing to look at the acne on my body. My brother understood the fight between the two and turned away in anger, but Brother Qingyun stood there stupidly until Lao Hou couldn't stand it anymore and glanced at him with a funny look.

"How can you be so tactless, kid? Can't you see that Shishi and I still have something to say? Why are you still standing here?"

Brother Qingyun was startled, forced out a bland smile as a response and was about to leave. I didn't want him to have an epiphany too early. He had to digest the bad emotions in a few days. Any resentment that hadn't been accumulated was useless. So I quickly called him and smiled as if nothing had happened.

"By the way, brother, I signed a contract with Gao Xingci before. I sent it to you. Have you read it? Regarding the ship business... I'm afraid I can't do it well. Cheng Cheng is busy. How about you and my brother come with me and help me, okay?"

Brother Qingyun believed it. What he was most grateful for was probably that I "didn't care". Superficial peace could solve a lot of problems. Besides, as an adopted son, he loved his second uncle as a father even more than my brother. He didn't want to go back to being an abandoned orphan. How nice it would be to have a family.

He smiled and said, "Is there anything you can't do? This benefit was given to me and your brother, so you should keep some for yourself."

"I won't. It's not that I don't want to stay. But if I mess up, how can the Gao family let me go?" I said pitifully, holding his hand tightly.

Brother Qingyun had no choice but to nod and ruffled my hair: "Your brother and I will definitely have no problem, but if you want to stay in Linjiang for a long time, you still have to ask Dad's opinion."

"This is a good thing. Second Uncle will not disagree." I blinked, rolled my eyes and pushed him out again: "Then go ask now! If I find a good person, I have to divide the work area quickly and connect with the Gao family!"

"Is it that urgent? You're still sick." Brother Qingyun shrugged and looked at me lovingly but helplessly: "Then I'll leave. I'll come to see you tomorrow."

"Remember to ask your second uncle!" I stretched out a long tune and lay down on the bed pretending to be relaxed.

Zhizhi knew it well, and stood in the corner with a worried look on her face. She pretended to be seeing Brother Qingyun off and went out. Only after I closed the door could I no longer keep a false expression. I didn't even want to look at Lao Hou and turned my head away. I felt embarrassed again and it was really difficult to make a choice.

Lao Hou didn't force me. He just took out a small box from his pocket and put it in front of me. I opened it and saw the same small pills. I laughed out loud and Lao Hou laughed too, but he took one more step than me. He reached out and wiped the corner of my eye with his thumb - I had been with him to harm others for six or seven years, and I thought such comfort would have any effect.

I was trembling all over, biting my lips for a long time before I exhaled. I turned my head to look at him: "The medicine you gave me is also poison. You even lied to Xiangyang. Why?"

"Hey, you can't blame me for this. It was your father's idea. As an outsider, I had to listen to him, didn't I?" Old Hou smiled as usual, his eyes were a little vague, and his breathing was heavy. "Well, he didn't want to kill you. He certainly had his reasons for doing these things, but I still think it was a bit cruel. So I secretly replaced the new medicine for you, and he didn't order me around."

I choked up, "So he really is still alive, and you joined him in lying to me."

"It was not surprising that I could save him. He had been in a coma for several years. The original intention was to give him a more peaceful environment for treatment. When he woke up, your situation had already become like this."

"So what year did he wake up?"

"..."

"speak?"

“It’s been almost five years.”

Lao Hou took a deep breath, fearing that what he was going to say next would be even more difficult to say. I smiled and counted on my fingers. In these less than seven years, he had ignored my suffering for five years and even gave me drugs to make my condition worse. He finally decided to fight back, and he started by dragging the innocent Shu Yi into it.

It would be better if I wasn't here.

It would be quite honest to say that he didn't really intend to kill me by poisoning me.

Holding the trump card in my hand, I easily figured out many things from Lao Fu's perspective and style. I turned my head and said, "Let me guess, why is the next poison that won't kill people? Is it for the balance between me and Cheng Cheng? For the eldest house, for the peace he wants, which can be maintained by one person stepping back."

The shadow printed on the quilt made me see Lao Hou nodded. My heart was suddenly broken. I clutched the clothes at my chest and the bed sheets tightly, closed my eyes and listened.

While Lao Hou was packing his medicine, he wanted to hold my hand. He seemed to be persuading me and threatening me. I couldn't interrupt their plan because of my personal emotions, so he lifted my wound forcefully and applied the ointment on my arm, which stung the pain. In this way, even if I tried to escape, I could still hear his words clearly and painfully.

He spoke softly, "Yes. In a noble family, if there are two heirs, one of them will have to step aside. The relationship between you and Chengcheng is easy to resolve. You can't leave him because you don't have his ability as a housekeeper. He can't leave you just for you. Leaving someone's body is very simple. A disabled, sick, or living a life worse than death, as long as this person is alive... He wants you to be bedridden, and there will be no one around you who can hinder Chengcheng. This is the future balance of the eldest house."

I pressed my chest, wishing I could crush my bones to suppress it: "Did he choose Chengcheng?"

Lao Hou said: "He chose the eldest son's house."

"Oh, that is because the eldest son's family business is more important than me. Plus, Chengcheng is more sensible and capable than me. In his heart, Chengcheng is the heir who is more important than my life."

"Shishi, he is doing his best to protect you. Your disease is not fatal. The medicine only contains very mild toxins."

"Uncle Hou, so I won't feel uncomfortable, won't I be almost out of breath in the middle of the night, won't I feel even worse on top of my existing weakness? Do I deserve this for the things I tried so hard to protect for him?"

"It's not what you deserve, but you also understand. As the housekeeper for so many years, you have talked about the situation more times than I have, right?"

"But that was me hurting myself in a measured way. I protected what I wanted to protect and I have a clear conscience. But as a father, he was using my life as a bargaining chip to do something he should have done a long time ago and to avenge someone he should have avenged a long time ago. He has seen too much pain and wants to reduce the sorrow by backing off. Should I be the first to bear the brunt of it and be the sacrifice?" I turned around and stared at him straight in the face. "Uncle Hou, you are a doctor. I want to ask you, when it is under control, trace amounts of toxins will not kill me, but do you dare to say that I won't die suddenly from the illness? When I really reach the gates of hell, are you confident enough to pull me back?"

Lao Hou remained silent, and my heart sank. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and somehow my complaints about Lao Fu also involved Lao Hou, and I couldn't wait to vent them.

I wiped away my tears vigorously, and my voice gradually rose: "I asked for this situation, I deserve it. You always complained to me about Old Master before, and now you are saying these high-sounding words to me on his behalf, advising me to hold back my anger for the time being. Then I also hope that when your son is so sick that he contributes to the balance of the situation, you can still say these words!"

Old Hou raised his head abruptly, in disbelief and genuine anger. It was good enough that he didn't hit me. He clenched his fists, snorted and sneered, sighed twice, and then spoke to me word by word: "You can blame your father. It's true that he didn't take responsibility for you. You can also blame me. I'm an accomplice, but Xiangyang has never let you down. He is unaware of everything. He is also trying his best to help you. Why do you have to compare yourself with the Hou family? The situation is different. I am also trying to save you. Today's medicine is like this. When you were living in the Lin family, you were sick all year round and had no money for treatment. I was sympathizing with you. I gave you your life..."

"I don't want it! I don't want it..." I shook my head vigorously, my body huddled tightly, and I felt a little dazed: "Just let me die of illness in this little house. I thank you for your kindness, but I don't need it. If I have another chance, I will definitely apologize to Xiangyang, okay? What else do I owe you? I will work like a slave in my next life, or you can see what I have left and take away whatever you want. I will pay you back!"

"Okay, then go ahead! I promise I won't meddle in other people's business anymore." Old Hou couldn't stand it any longer. He moved his chair back and stood up loudly. He just stopped there and refused to leave. He also refused to let me hide under the quilt. He dragged me out every few seconds, over and over again until I calmed down. He exhaled and laughed, and I didn't know what he meant: "Dying is the easiest thing in the world, but can you? Shishi, you are not alone anymore. Don't forget, you still have children."

I turned around in surprise, but then I thought about it and it made sense. It didn't seem like a threat.

Seeing me stagnate, he moved the stool back to sit with a relaxed but helpless attitude, and reached out to stroke my hair: "Don't act like a child. From the moment you identify with this family, you have to bear responsibilities and sudden risks. If Xiang Yang and Xiang Yan were in the same situation, they would be the same. They can only be thankful that the Hou family is just a group of doctors gathered together, without a few shrewd businessmen, so they are not at risk. This is also everyone's fate."

"Life?" I sobbed, pretending to be strong, but actually asking for trouble. At this moment, I still felt how important I was subconsciously. I put the two boxes of medicine together and chuckled: "You just said that the medicine that Lao Fu prepared for me doesn't cost my life, right? What kind of life do I have? Which one do you think I will take?"

Old Hou tilted his head after a long pause, glancing at me indifferently: "Shishi, you are competing with yourself."

"Yes, I am so stubborn, but isn't this what you expect? In your eyes, my lingering illness is the best outcome. As long as I am alive and not accused of killing my own child, Old Master is happy, and you will be happy helping him. I just need to be obedient!"

Old Hou pulled the corners of his mouth, as if he was very helpless, but he finally sighed, and one hand moved over again to hold my cheek and wipe my tears: "It's about to end. Your terminal illness is not good for us, but it's not bad either. The only victim is you. I always don't understand why you always punish someone who doesn't love you that much by hurting yourself. In fact, what if you really died suddenly? Your father will be sad, but when he was willing to make up his mind to poison you, didn't he think about the possibility of an accident? You don't have to compare yourself with Xiangyang. I definitely can't give birth to such a cowardly daughter. Do you know what Xiangyang thinks when he hates me? He will think that he must live as long as possible, to outlive me and laugh at me in front of my grave. What about you?"

"Even if we have talked it out now, should I still thank you? Or should I discuss it with Xiangyang and let him help me resolve my worries?" I lowered my head, as if I had calmed down, but I still felt a little pain in my palms from the nails pricking my clenched fists.

Old Hou sneered, "Whatever you want. If you think it would make you feel more relaxed if one more person knew, you can tell Xiangyang. You can also tell him. We even expected you to know your father's existence. If you really listened to Zhang Ji and Lu Zeyun, your uncle would doubt you regardless of Fu Shuyi's life or death. Your kindness and gentleness are the key to eliminating your suspicion. It's all calculated. You are the most innocent, but Xiangyang can only cry with you and curse the bad guys. If you like, I'll call him now and ask him to come over."

I wanted to be angry with him, but I couldn't say anything. What was even more annoying was that at this moment, I suddenly felt guilty towards Xiangyang and wanted to apologize to him. However, for him, it was incomprehensible to apologize without knowing the premise, and he was busy taking care of Nian Nian.

Lao Hou was satisfied with my silence. He patted my head after a long hum and said, "Okay, be obedient. Don't make it hard on yourself. Go to bed early. I have to go back to deal with the rest of the things."

"What's left?" I looked up, my eyes swollen and painful.

Old Hou thought for a while and said, "Go back and persuade Lu Zeyun. There are some things he shouldn't be involved in and can't be involved in. Reward Zhang Ji and your uncle and let him rest assured. After what happened to you, Fu Shuyi will be able to complete the operation well. Finally, there is your second uncle. The most important thing is to deal with him."

I rubbed the wound, thought for a while and then asked, "According to your idea, imitating the way my second uncle harmed me to harm Shu Yi is to force my younger uncle to break with him and join the eldest house. But here comes the problem. My younger uncle has always known that my second uncle changed my medicine. Would my second uncle be stupid enough to use an old-fashioned way to ask for trouble? It seems that the probability of my changing my personality is greater than his old confusion."

"It's a pity that your second uncle has to admit it. He wants to make up his own story, for example - he can't stand your uncle being a fence-sitter. He's very worried about your uncle's backstab. Otherwise, I would have a big gift for him." Old Hou leaned over and ticked my nose: "Are you satisfied?"

"Satisfied." I smiled bitterly, but still didn't let go. I looked at him with more pleading: "I have one last question. On the night Jiang Yinan died, besides the Gao family, the only people who could have hidden the drunk driver in the mountains were... the Hou family who sent him back that day..."

Old Hou once again felt guilty, avoiding my gaze and letting out his anger: "Shishi, you understand by then... Jiang Yinan will not bring you any benefits, and he himself can't survive."

"go out."

I was calm at first. Just like Lao Fu, I had already prepared for this. I quietly lifted the quilt and crawled into it, closing my eyes, hoping that today was just a dream that would disappear after a good sleep. But Lao Hou came over again and put his finger on my forehead.

I really feel sick of such care and love. Is this a slap in the face and a date in return?

I gathered my strength and said, "Get out!"