"Ruru, why are you so unreasoning? Day in and day out, you only know how to cause trouble for others. When will you ever be like Yaoyao and save me some worry?" Zhao Li started off by harshly delivering a long stream of criticism, before abruptly breaking into a smile and saying, "Hurry and thank Old Madam Gu. It was she who saw you passed out by the side of the road and called us to come pick you up."
Lu Ruo stared blankly at Zhao Li's face, which shared a thirty-percent resemblance to her own.
In the past, she always thought it was truly because she had picked up all sorts of bad habits in the mountain village that Zhao Li did not like her. But now, seeing her in the hospital, Zhao Li did not offer a single word of concern; her eyes only held Old Madam Gu.
Her eyes held only self-interest.
Lu Ruo's small face was pale, yet she still said word by word, "Mom, I am out here because you held a family meeting and decided that I should find a place to live outside by myself. It wasn't my willful choice to run away."
"Also, I have already told Lu Ze that I no longer have any relationship with the Lu Family. I no longer need your concern."
Hearing Lu Ruo speak like this, Zhao Li looked shocked.
Hadn't Lu Ruo previously begged for their concern? Today she was showing concern, so why was Lu Ruo showing her such a lack of respect?
Could it be that she was holding a grudge because they wouldn't let her live in the Lu Family home, and was doing this on purpose?
Thinking of how the Gu Family had recently been targeted by a thief, Zhao Li adopted an embarrassed tone and spoke: "Ruru, are you blaming Mom? If you hadn't constantly stolen things from home, we wouldn't have made you move out."
With that, Zhao Li looked guiltily at Old Madam Gu: "Forgive us for making a spectacle of ourselves, Old Madam Gu. Ruru was abducted when she was little and picked up some bad habits in the mountain village, which is why she is babbling nonsense in front of you."
Seeing this, how could Old Madam Gu fail to understand?
This young girl's biological mother simply did not love her own daughter!
Otherwise, why wouldn't she say a single word of concern, and instead claim that her daughter loved to steal things?
"Good child, I'm sorry. Grandma shouldn't have acted on her own initiative to contact your family. Grandma will drive her away right now and not let her spout nonsense here."
Not expecting Old Madam Gu to actually want to chase her away, Zhao Li anxiously said, "Old Madam Gu, did—did you hear this little wretch say bad things about the Lu Family? Please don't believe her; she has always loved to lie."
"Lu Ruo didn't say anything bad about you; rather, she found our family heirloom and turned it right in," Old Madam Gu said with a calm expression. "She clearly returned what she found, yet you, as the child's biological mother, are slandering her like this in front of outsiders. You truly are unworthy of being a person."
Old Madam Gu's words left Zhao Li frozen in place.
Lu Ruo returned a lost item without keeping it? Was this true? The Gu Family was a top-tier tycoon family in Beicheng; needless to say, the value of their heirloom was self-evident. Lu Ruo, who constantly stole things from home, was actually willing to turn it in after finding it?
A trace of guilt arose in Zhao Li's heart, but the moment she thought about how relying on this connection with Lu Ruo could bring the family a lot of benefits, she began to ponder ways to mend her relationship with Lu Ruo.
Before she could think of any good methods, however, the bodyguards outside had already entered and directly hoisted her up.
Unable to move, Zhao Li could only use her mouth: "Lu Ruo, Mom made you move out in a fit of anger before. Say a few nice words for me to Old Madam Gu."
Zhao Li's entreaties caused a glimmer of reluctance to stir in Lu Ruo's heart.
Yet, thinking of how every time she was falsely accused in the past, she had begged Zhao Li to believe her only to be met with Zhao Li's utter indifference, Lu Ruo's heart slowly grew cold again.
She raised her head to look at Old Madam Gu and asked, "Grandma Gu, where are Huahua and her babies?"
She was afraid that while she was unconscious, she hadn't made herself clear and Huahua hadn't been taken away by the Gu Family.
The criminal had hidden the bracelet and thumb ring there, and upon returning to find them missing, there was no guarantee they wouldn't take their anger out on Huahua's family.
People often said online that animal abusers were potential criminals; conversely, a true criminal would not hold any sympathy for animals either.
Seeing that Lu Ruo hadn't asked a single question about her own condition, Old Madam Gu felt a pang of heartache.
She had seen the medical report in Lu Ruo's pocket; Lu Ruo was so young, yet she had come down with stomach cancer.
As if illness wasn't enough, Lu Ruo's biological mother was such a piece of work, with eyes only for self-interest, completely indifferent to her daughter's health.
"Don't worry, Huahua is here." Suppressing the ache in her heart, Old Madam Gu had someone bring Huahua's family over.
Seeing the bodyguards carry in a cat carrier, Lu Ruo anxiously called out, "Huahua?"
From inside the cage came Huahua's meow: "Human, don't worry, the cat is here."
The bodyguard closed the ward door and opened the cat carrier.
Huahua darted swiftly out of the cage, ignoring the surrounding environment entirely, and leaped straight onto the bed.
Holding a piece of dried chicken jerky in its mouth, it anxiously offered it to Lu Ruo: "Human, they said you're sick. Don't worry, Huahua saved the biggest piece of meat for you! Eat it and you'll get better!"
Lu Ruo's eyes turned red.
A little cat knew to care that she was sick and hoped she would get better soon, yet her biological mother was completely unconcerned about her health.
She stroked the little cat's head and was just about to speak when a voice came from outside: "Grandma, I heard Lu Ruo is awake. I still have some questions to ask her about the case."
The owner of the voice was Gu Qi.
The polite young police officer only stepped into the open ward after finishing his sentence.
Seeing that it was Gu Qi, Old Madam Gu said in a tone of disapproval, "Why didn't you even wait for the young girl to rest a bit before coming to question her?"
"I could wait, but the case cannot," Gu Qi said coldly, striding into the room. "Grandma, would you mind stepping out for a moment?"
Seeing that her grandson showed her so little respect as to ask her to step out, Old Madam Gu put on a fierce expression: "Grandma can step out, but you had better be gentle when you question her, or else I'll kick your backside."
The remark caused Lu Ruo's gaze to involuntarily fall upon Gu Qi's lower half.
Today, the police officer was wearing a loose jacket paired with black athletic sweatpants; the black color accentuated his figure, making his rear look rather prominent.
Realizing what she was thinking, Lu Ruo hurriedly looked away, her expression turning awkward.
Gu Qi did not notice Lu Ruo's discomfort and merely nodded earnestly: "I won't be fierce. Please go ahead, Grandma."
Old Madam Gu glanced at Lu Ruo once more.
This young girl truly had a wonderful personality; she hadn't been warped even after being raised by a mother like that.
If only she were her granddaughter!
Wait, why couldn't she be?
An idea blossomed in the old lady's heart, and she left happily.
As soon as Old Madam Gu left, the ward felt even more spacious.
Gu Qi moved a bedside companion chair and sat down sideways by Lu Ruo's bed.
Without speaking, he simply directed that impeccably handsome face toward Lu Ruo.
For a moment, Lu Ruo couldn't quite figure out what Gu Qi was getting at.
If he wanted to ask questions related to the case, she could simply pull out her original set of talking points. But Gu Qi's silence left her heart filled with anxiety.
"Human, why aren't you eating the meat the cat gave you?" Because of Gu Qi's interruption, Lu Ruo hadn't attended to the jerky Huahua had provided. Consequently, the little cat anxiously touched Lu Ruo's arm with its paw, urging her on as it spoke.
Reluctant to make the little cat worry, yet unwilling to talk directly to a cat and be treated like a mental patient, Lu Ruo picked up the jerky and held it to her lips, pretending to take a bite while actually pinching off a small piece and hiding it in a wet wipe.
Having done this, Lu Ruo handed the jerky back to Huahua, using a finger to point out the missing bite.
Seeing that the meat chunk was only slightly smaller, the pretty little calico grew even more anxious: "Human, do you have no appetite?"
"Human, just eating a little meat won't make you better; you have to eat a lot more. Last time I was kicked by a bad person and my foot hurt so much, I got better only after eating a lot of the meat you gave me."
"Human, say something, won't you?"