This was how she had pulled him back from the brink of hell and death.
She had redeemed his entire life.
Her gentleness, intelligence, beauty, and attentiveness… all of it made him fall for her.
Li Tingxuan knew that in his dreams, during the treatment, Gu Jianing had been a healer. She had always treated him with the mindset of a physician, never overstepping any boundaries or giving him the slightest hint of ambiguity.
Yet, he had fallen for her, helplessly and irrevocably.
Step by step, she had walked into his heart and taken root there.
Li Tingxuan gazed obsessively at Gu Jianing’s figure. He hadn’t yet had the chance to investigate her background.
He didn’t know who she was or whether she was married.
She probably wasn’t, right?
She looked so young, only seventeen or eighteen.
Selfishly, he hoped she was still unmarried.
And then, he planned to ask for her hand.
No matter what—even if his grandfather objected—he would still ask to marry her.
His gaze gradually grew resolute.
Since she was slightly turned away, partly facing the other direction, Li Tingxuan didn’t notice anything else at that moment.
Time passed slowly, and finally, Gu Jianing finished treating Hua Zhenrong.
“Thank you for your hard work, sister-in-law,” Hua Zhenrong said.
Hua Zhenrong and Sheng Zexi were the same age, but Hua Zhenrong was a few months older, so it wasn’t wrong for him to address Gu Jianing as “sister-in-law.”
“It’s no trouble, I’m fine,” Gu Jianing replied as she stood up.
She had been focused on Hua Zhenrong’s treatment and hadn’t paid attention to the figure standing at the door.
Now, as she rose to leave and walked toward the entrance, she noticed the young man was still there.
Was he waiting for her? Did he need something?
Hearing that Gu Jianing had finished treating Hua Zhenrong, Li Tingxuan felt a surge of joy.
Finally, he could talk to her!
But as Gu Jianing stood up, the sight of her swollen belly struck him like a blow. No matter how slow he was, he realized what it meant.
Gu Jianing’s prominent belly was an undeniable sign—she was pregnant, soon to be a mother.
If she was pregnant, it meant she was married.
She was already married… and expecting a child!
He was too late.
There was no possibility for them anymore.
The realization that his earlier hopes had been nothing but a fleeting dream crushed him.
Li Tingxuan instinctively clutched his chest, his eyes filled with anguish.
At that moment, his heart ached as if gripped by an invisible hand.
The violent swings between hope and despair left his face deathly pale in an instant.
He even felt as though his body had lost all strength in an instant, as if there was nothing left to hold him up.
“Comrade, are you alright?” Gu Jianing walked over, frowning at the sight of him.
Was he ill? Having some kind of attack?
Why was his face so deathly pale, filled with such agony?
Acting on her instincts as a healer, Gu Jianing stepped forward to check on him, scanning his body with her eyes.
But the scan results showed no physical issues—only that he had suddenly experienced extreme emotional highs and lows, overwhelming him in an instant.
Huh? What was going on?
Hadn’t he been fine just a moment ago?
At that moment, Li Tingxuan slowly lifted his head. Seeing the strikingly handsome man before her—his face pale, his eyes flickering with a trace of sorrow—Gu Jianing couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.
Gu Jianing: I’m definitely not falling for him, really. I’m just a bit of an aesthetics enthusiast, and I can’t stand to see a beautiful man looking so hurt, that’s all.
“Thank you, I’m fine,” Li Tingxuan forced a faint smile.
Then, bracing himself, he slowly straightened up, temporarily suppressing the storm of emotions in his heart.
“Oh, good.” Still, Gu Jianing kindly reminded him, “Emotions and physical health are closely linked. When your mood is stable, your body stays healthy, so it’s important to manage your emotions well.”
Li Tingxuan smiled weakly, recognizing the concern in her words. With a bitter chuckle, he said, “I understand. Thank you for your concern, Dr. Gu.”
Gu Jianing: Tsk tsk, this man isn’t just good-looking—his voice is mesmerizing too.
But Gu Jianing merely admired him from a distance, nothing more.
Then she headed downstairs.
Meanwhile, Hua Zhenrong’s gaze remained fixed on Li Tingxuan, full of scrutiny.
What’s up with this guy?
Why did he suddenly turn like this?
He was fine earlier—why does he look like he’s on the verge of death now?
Hua Zhenrong’s instincts told him there was definitely something off about Li Tingxuan.
But after Gu Jianing went downstairs, both men followed.
Once downstairs, Gu Jianing learned that the handsome man was named Li Tingxuan, the young master of the Li family from the compound.
And he had come specifically to see her.
But then—
“Is Li Shuyao your sister?” Gu Jianing asked.
“Yes,” Li Tingxuan answered, though he wasn’t sure why she was asking. “Do you know my sister, Dr. Gu?”
“Oh, I know her. I definitely know her.” Gu Jianing’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
So this man was Li Shuyao’s brother.
Li Shuyao—the one who wants me dead.
Gu Jianing had no doubt that Li Shuyao would come after her again.
Which meant… this brother of hers—
Gu Jianing had no interest in getting involved with him anymore.
Her initial appreciation for his good looks had now faded.
Li Tingxuan clearly sensed the change in Gu Jianing’s demeanor after she learned that Li Shuyao was his sister. Though she still wore a smile, it had cooled noticeably.
What’s going on?
Did she have some conflict with Shuyao before?
Does Shuyao know her?
To be honest, though Li Shuyao was his biological younger sister, the two of them had never been particularly close.
There was even a sense of distance between them.
At first, Li Tingxuan thought it was because he had been raised by his grandfather from a young age and later joined the military, leaving little time for sibling bonding. But even after he returned home and spent more time with Shuyao, they still couldn’t connect.
It always felt like there was an invisible barrier between them, preventing any real closeness.
Moreover, though Shuyao was his sister, he didn’t care much for her personality.
She seemed too spoiled, even somewhat ruthless—something he had accidentally glimpsed beneath her well-maintained façade.
Li Tingxuan decided he would have to ask Shuyao about her history with Dr. Gu when he got back.
Meanwhile, Gu Jianing learned that Li Tingxuan had come to see her because he’d heard about her treatment of Hua Zhenrong. He mentioned that one of his comrades suffered from the same symptoms and wanted to consult her about it.
Gu Jianing: Seems like he genuinely cares for his comrades. That’s a point in his favor.
After some discussion, Gu Jianing confirmed that the so-called comrade did indeed exhibit signs of PTSD.
What she didn’t know, however, was that this “comrade” didn’t actually exist.
Li Tingxuan was describing his own symptoms—from his dreams.
“Where is your comrade now?” Gu Jianing asked.
Since it was PTSD, she could treat it as long as the conditions allowed.
—
Note: Li Tingxuan is not obsessive or possessive—he won’t interfere with the main couple’s relationship or do anything unethical. I promise! No messy, over-the-top drama here!
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