Accidentally Marked My Ex’s Crush, the Ice-Cold Goddess O - Chapter 16: Her Answer

Chapter 16: Her Answer

“So, do you accept my apology or not?”

When Jiang Ci said this, she felt guilty and lacked confidence.

Gu Feiran didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry.

She laughed because Jiang Ci at least remembered what happened that night, but she was angry because a bowl of soup and a few words were supposed to make her forget.

“Fine…” Gu Feiran was about to give her answer when the phone in her pocket suddenly vibrated.

Worried it was an emergency from the hospital, she took out her phone.

The caller ID showed: Sister.

Seeing the word, Gu Feiran suddenly remembered it was family dinner day. She swiped to answer, turned, and walked aside to take the call. “Hello, Sister.”

Fu Ruanyi asked from the other end, “Are you off work?”

Gu Feiran replied, “Just got off, at the hospital entrance.”

Fu Ruanyi sat in the back seat of a car, her slender fingers lightly sliding across a tablet screen. “Good, I’m on my way to the hospital now, about five minutes away. Wait for me at the entrance.”

Hearing she’d be at the hospital entrance in five minutes, Gu Feiran glanced back at Jiang Ci, not far away, and asked, “It’s this late, why are you coming?”

Fu Ruanyi sighed and said, “I don’t want you rushing home right after work either, but no choice. Grandma said no matter what, the family has to be together today. Mother and Mommy are still at home, not leaving yet. I’m picking you up now.”

“Alright,” Gu Feiran agreed.

Grandma was stubborn. If she said she’d wait, she’d wait until Gu Feiran got back, or no one could leave.

After hanging up, Gu Feiran put her phone in her pocket, strode toward Jiang Ci, and said, “Let’s just leave it at that. I don’t care anymore. Just remember to bring the contract on Monday.”

She then walked past Jiang Ci to the street corner, using a car to block the view between them.

Soon, a black custom limited-edition luxury car stopped by the roadside. A young woman in a suit, with a strong build, got out from the passenger side and opened the passenger door for her.

Gu Feiran bent down to get in, and the door closed.

The car gradually drove away.

With everyone gone, Jiang Ci didn’t linger at the hospital entrance. She returned to her car, opened a thermos, and the soup inside was still steaming, full of aroma.

Jiang Ci held the thermos with one hand, took chopsticks with the other, and ate slowly, bite by bite.

On Saturday, Grandma was discharged, and Jiang Ci and Jiang Lan were both at the ward.

“Mom, are you sure you don’t want to stay a few more days?” Jiang Lan stood at the foot of the bed and said, “Stay longer, treat it as a rest.”

Qian Ying looked up, fastening her buttons, and said, “What’s good about staying in a hospital? Staying too long brings bad luck. When I can’t walk or eat anymore, I’ll have plenty of time to stay here.”

Jiang Lan’s face turned serious. “Mom, what are you saying!”

Qian Ying glanced at her. “I’m telling the truth. Look at your sister and her three daughters. How many times have they come back after leaving home all these years? They’re like this now. When I’m older and can’t run this family anymore, they’ll probably wish I’d die sooner so they can split the inheritance.”

Jiang Lan argued back, “Why did Sister, Xiao Xi, and Xiao Ning leave? Don’t you know? And if you’re talking about those three, just talk about them. Our Jiang Ci is great. She’s been obedient since she was little. You told her to change her major, she did. You told her to manage the company, she did. You told her to get married, she got married. She never defied you.”

Qian Ying finished buttoning her clothes, adjusted them, and looked coldly at Jiang Ci. “Obedient? If she was obedient, she wouldn’t secretly send Jiang Ning five hundred thousand every month. If I hadn’t frozen your sister’s and Jiang Xi’s bank cards so she couldn’t transfer, she’d probably still be sending money to both of them every month.”

Jiang Ci lowered her eyes, not daring to speak.

Jiang Lan stepped forward, standing in front of Jiang Ci, and said to her mother, “So what if she sent it? Five hundred thousand isn’t much. If I had Sister’s bank card number, I’d send her money too.”

“You’re always arguing with me,” Qian Ying said to her.

Jiang Lan immediately smiled, stepped forward to hold Qian Ying’s arm, gently shook it, and said playfully, “Alright, Mom, since you’re getting discharged today, I’ll get off work early tonight and cook dinner for you at home to clear away the bad luck. Oh, Jiang Ci, it’s the weekend, you get off early too and come back to help me.”

Jiang Ci nodded. “Hmm, got it.”

Jiang Lan supported Qian Ying as they walked out. “The discharge procedures are done. Don’t get so worked up and angry in the future. You’re over seventy, take better care of yourself.”

Qian Ying said angrily, “That Qiao family, daring to publicly break off the engagement. I won’t let them off.”

Jiang Lan said, “Oh, why are you getting angrier the more you talk? Let’s not mention it. Go home and rest well today, don’t think about it.”

They walked ahead, and Jiang Ci followed behind.

Just as they left the ward, the hospital’s vice president, with several doctors including Gu Feiran, appeared at the door.

Jiang Ci noticed her immediately. She looked as usual—white coat, low ponytail, clean and beautiful, fair skin, bright eyes, and a calm, determined look in her eyes.

Vice President Bao Yingjie crossed his hands in front, bowed slightly, and said, “Chairman Qian, congratulations on your discharge today.”

Qian Ying’s attitude softened. “Thank you for your concern, Vice President Bao. You’ve all worked hard these past few days.”

Bao Yingjie smiled lightly. “Chairman Qian, don’t say that. It’s our duty as doctors, especially since you’re Dr. Jiang’s mother. We naturally pay extra attention. After all, Dr. Jiang is always very responsible, whether toward patients or colleagues.”

Both sides exchanged polite words.

Though Qian Ying didn’t like Jiang Lan being a doctor, she wouldn’t ruin the moment and went along, saying, “I’ll need Vice President Bao to keep looking out for her.”

“Of course, Chairman Qian, this way please.”

Bao Yingjie stepped aside with a gesture, and the doctors behind him naturally stood on both sides.

“Hmm,” Qian Ying responded and walked forward.

Jiang Ci followed Grandma out. When passing Gu Feiran, she wanted to glance at her, but the people ahead moved too fast, and Dr. Gu seemed to deliberately avoid looking at her, so she just kept walking.

After leaving the hospital, Jiang Ci and Jiang Lan put Grandma in the car and didn’t go further. Jiang Lan had to return to work at the hospital, and Jiang Ci had to go to the company.

Once everyone left, Jiang Ci suddenly grabbed Little Aunt’s arm and asked, “Little Aunt, can I ask about Dr. Gu? I wanted to ask earlier but didn’t have time.”

Jiang Lan stopped and looked at her. “What do you want to ask? Jiang Ci, you seem to care a lot about Dr. Gu lately. A while ago, you were head over heels for Qiao Yunchi. Now you’re falling for Dr. Gu? But Little Aunt supports you. That Qiao girl clearly isn’t into you, so it’s good to move on. But let me tell you, that Qiao girl also likes Dr. Gu.”

Jiang Ci had already heard this from Little Aunt before.

Jiang Ci said, “Little Aunt, I want to ask, how old is Dr. Gu? And with your experience, you don’t even have your own office at the hospital. Why does she? Is Dr. Gu’s experience even greater than yours?”

Jiang Lan shook her head. “Not exactly.”

Jiang Ci asked, “Then what is it?”

Jiang Lan put her hands in her pockets and walked toward the hospital. “I’ll answer the first question. Dr. Gu isn’t old—she’s twenty-seven this year. With her experience, she really doesn’t qualify for a private office at the hospital. The hospital gave her one because she’s an S-class omega.”

Jiang Ci looked puzzled. “Just because of that?”

Jiang Lan said, “Of course not. There’s a reason. Earlier, a late-stage stomach cancer alpha patient came to the hospital. When he found out Dr. Gu was an S-class omega, he got impulsive before dying. He waited until Dr. Gu was on night duty and released his pheromones to affect her state. Dr. Gu is an S-class omega, so normally, even if affected by a regular alpha’s pheromones, she wouldn’t lose control. But those days happened to be her heat period, and that man’s pheromones were a rare rum scent. All these coincidences came together, and Dr. Gu lost control on the spot.”

“What happened next?” Jiang Ci asked.

Jiang Lan said, “To save herself, Dr. Gu bit her own tongue, punched the guy, and broke out the door. The hospital staff on duty heard the commotion and rushed over to save her. But Dr. Gu’s S-class omega pheromones, when out of control, aren’t something regular alphas can handle. The whole floor’s alphas went into chaos. After the police were called, several police cars showed up. Later, to protect Dr. Gu, the hospital director gave her a private office and provided suppressants. The hospital also strengthened security. Now, whenever an omega doctor is on duty or doing rounds, someone follows for protection.”

Jiang Ci asked, “What happened to that jerk?”

Jiang Lan shrugged. “The police took him away. The court sentenced him to ten years in prison, but with late-stage stomach cancer, he died less than a month later.”

Jiang Ci said angrily, “He got off easy.”

Jiang Lan saw her fuming, nudged her with an elbow, and said, “Hey, Jiang Ci, Dr. Gu is an S-class omega. With your trash pheromones… are you sure you want to pursue her?”

“I didn’t say I’m pursuing her, just asking.”

Jiang Ci had one more question. “By the way, Little Aunt, doesn’t the law say alphas and omegas have to marry by twenty-five? Why is Dr. Gu twenty-seven and still unmarried? Is there a reason?”

The fact that they had that incident at the hotel already proved Dr. Gu wasn’t married, since she wasn’t the type to cheat, especially with a useless alpha like Jiang Ci.

Jiang Lan answered, “There are less than fifty million alphas and omegas now, and only about a million top-tier ones. S-class alphas and omegas are even fewer, just over a hundred thousand. The numbers are small—some are too old, some are underage, some are already married. So finding someone to marry isn’t that simple. But in July this year, they’re loosening the rules. Alphas and omegas, regardless of rank or age, can freely date. Omegas can even choose to keep the child and leave the spouse.”

Jiang Ci finally understood. “I get it. So that means at twenty-five, even if you don’t marry, you won’t be forced into pheromone matching anymore.”

Jiang Lan grabbed Jiang Ci’s arm, pulled her close, and said deliberately, “Since the rules are loosened, you and Dr. Gu still have a chance. Work hard, try to win over Dr. Gu, this S-class omega. Maybe it’ll even fix your pheromone issue. There’s medical precedent for that.”

Jiang Ci smiled. “Got it, Little Aunt.”