Iceberg's Deep Love - Chapter 6

Gu Jihuan rubbed her slightly aching lower back, pulled the tab on the soda can, and with a hiss, bubbles surged to the surface.

The highly carbonated drink flowed down her throat, all the way to her stomach, its cloyingly sweet taste spreading throughout her mouth.

“Professor Gu, well done!” Tang Menghua gave Gu Jihuan a thumbs-up. “You can rest now. I’ll handle the patient’s family.”

Gu Jihuan paused, considering for a moment. “Never mind, I’ll speak to them myself. It won’t take long.”

Sitting outside the operating room was an elderly woman with snow-white hair, alone and without anyone else.

The old woman didn’t know how to use a smartphone. Her hands were pressed tightly against her knees, rubbing back and forth incessantly until the operating room doors opened, at which point she hurriedly stood up.

“You’re Feng Chun’s family, right?” Gu Jihuan said, speaking to herself. “The surgery went smoothly. There are a few things I need to explain…”

“Thank you, Doctor. Thank you, Doctor,” the old woman interrupted before Gu Jihuan could finish.

The old woman clasped Gu Jihuan’s hand, bowing deeply with tears welling in her eyes. Her lips trembled slightly as she murmured, “Thank you, thank you…”

She seemed unable to express anything beyond gratitude.

Gu Jihuan was somewhat surprised. She had anticipated dealing with difficult family members, given their past actions, which had made her wary.

But now it seemed… there wouldn’t be any complications after all.

After briefly explaining the situation to the patient’s family, Gu Jihuan hurried back to her office.

The large brown coffee stain on her suit had dried, standing out starkly against the silver-gray fabric.

It looked like it might be impossible to remove.

Gu Jihuan pulled out her phone and sent a message:

How much was your coat? I’ll transfer the money.

A reply came swiftly:

No need.

Gu Jihuan persisted: It’s fine, I have the money. I can afford to pay.

At the Ludi Group Building, Lu Shinian glanced at the message on his phone but didn’t reply. Instead, he flipped the phone face down on his desk.

Can afford to pay… Why would she pay? Couldn’t she just return it? Lu Shinian found Gu Jihuan’s phrasing puzzling.

She raised her gaze to the silver-haired elder seated at the lower end of the table. “Second Granduncle, are you implying that I’m unfit for this position?”

“Exactly,” Lu Chuan snorted. “This is your grandmother’s seat, not yours.”

Lu Shinian’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly replied, “Grandma’s health is failing. She has entrusted me with full authority to act on her behalf, as you’ve all been informed.”

“You’ve only been back in the country for a few days!” Lu Chuan retorted angrily. “What do you even know about Lu Di? You’re treating the group like a child’s game!”

“If you doubt my understanding of the group, you can challenge me with data instead of resorting to such outbursts,” Lu Shinian said, unfazed. He had anticipated this reaction. The Lu Family’s influence had grown steadily over the years, attracting increasing attention to their vast wealth. His sudden entry into the power struggle was bound to provoke resentment.

However, since the day he planned his return to the country, Lu Shinian had been working tirelessly, mastering every detail of Lu Di’s operations. No matter what questions were thrown at him, he would remain composed.

The true purpose of today’s meeting was clear to everyone present. They sat back, watching the conflict unfold like spectators at a tiger fight, their eyes occasionally drifting toward Lu Shinian with a mixture of curiosity and appraisal.

Chen Yuefang and Lu Yuan had only one son, but he was a wayward soul who wandered abroad and refused to return home. Chen Yuefang’s only grandchild, a granddaughter, had lived overseas until recently, making this the first time many were meeting her. Though young, she carried the same dignified bearing as Chen Yuefang in her youth.

After sleeping through half the day, Jiang Min woke to find a photo Gu Jihuan had sent her. She sat bolt upright in bed and immediately replied:

Are you kidding me? Did you really get that suit dirty?

It wasn’t mealtime, and the restaurant was nearly empty. Gu Jihuan replied while eating:

Why would I joke about that? I accidentally spilled something on it.

What are you going to do? Can it be cleaned?

What else can I do? Pay for it. I doubt rich people even bother washing their clothes.

Though connected to the Lu Family, Gu Jihuan knew little about the lives of the wealthy, only having heard that luxury garments were often worn just once and never washed.

Gu Jihuan added: Don’t mention this to anyone. If asked, just say the suit was cheap and worthless.

Jiang Min was puzzled. Why? Who would even ask?

Just say that, no matter who asks.

Gu Jihuan and Jiang Min were close, a fact known to everyone at Jianghuan Hospital. Now that Gu Jihuan had refused Tang Menghua’s compensation, there was a good chance Tang Menghua would turn to Jiang Min instead.

Tang Menghua was still a resident physician with limited seniority and a modest income. If she were forced to pay, it would bankrupt her.

In truth, Gu Jihuan paying herself would also nearly bankrupt her.

She calculated her savings and realized it would barely cover the cost of the dress, just enough for the ready-made garment.

Over the years, she had earned a considerable sum, but most of it had gone to Yan Yu. She had very little savings left.

Just then, her phone rang, interrupting their conversation.

The voice on the other end was urgent and rushed: “This is Dong Qiu, Professor Dong from pediatrics’ son. Doctor Gu, something’s happened at your home.”

“Home?” Gu Jihuan paused, then realized he meant Apartment 101, Building 2, Happiness Community—her grandmother’s residence and the place where Gu Jihuan had grown up.

Happiness Community had originally been the staff housing for Jianghuan Hospital. Professor Dong from pediatrics was a senior faculty member at the hospital and Mei Yu’s neighbor, living in Apartment 102 of the same building.

Dong Qiu continued, “That’s right, a group of people came, claiming Doctor Mei borrowed three million yuan and didn’t repay it. They’re here to seize the house, and I’m blocking the door to keep them out. You need to come back quickly and see what’s going on.”

“Three million yuan? How could Grandma borrow such a sum without me knowing?” Gu Jihuan frowned.

Gu Jihuan’s grandmother, Mei Yu, was a doctor in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Jianghuan Hospital. She had dedicated her entire career to the hospital, and even after retiring, she was rehired.

While not wealthy, she lived comfortably. The elderly woman had always lived frugally, rarely buying new clothes, and her only property was the family residence in the hospital’s staff quarters. Her hobbies included cross-stitch and square dancing.

Gu Jihuan couldn’t fathom what a frugal old woman would need three million yuan for.

Through the phone, she could hear the voices of those confronting Dong Qiu: “We’ve checked the records. This property is still registered under Mei Yu’s name, and there’s been no transfer of ownership. We’ve been watching the place for three months, and no one has returned. We have all the necessary legal documents to proceed with the seizure.”

Gu Jihuan realized she had never processed the property transfer paperwork, and since returning, she hadn’t even visited the old family home in the staff quarters.

Her expression darkened. “Brother Dong, tell them I’ll repay the debt. Ask them to wait a bit—I’m heading back right now.”

Having eaten only half her meal, Gu Jihuan stood up, glanced at her watch, and noted that she had no afternoon surgeries scheduled, allowing her to take a half-day off.

Happiness Community was the residential complex for Jianghuan Hospital staff, its age evident in the worn and dilapidated buildings. Most of the retired residents had moved away, and the original neighbors were long gone. Now, most of the apartments were rented out—some to relatives of patients hospitalized at Jianghuan Hospital, and others to young doctors and nurses working there.

Stepping out of Jianghuan Hospital and into Happiness Community, Gu Jihuan was still surrounded by patients and medical staff, the atmosphere remaining distinctly hospital-like.

However, the area in front of Building 2 was unusually lively, with a crowd gathered to watch the commotion. After repeatedly saying “excuse me,” Gu Jihuan finally managed to push through the crowd to the front.

A tall, middle-aged man, about 1.8 meters tall, stood firmly guarding the door of apartment 101, facing a group of people. His presence was unwavering. “Doctor Gu isn’t back yet. No one is allowed to enter.”

Gu Jihuan immediately recognized him as Dong Qiu, Professor Dong’s son, who had called her earlier.

“Brother Dong, thank you,” Gu Jihuan said, stepping forward. Turning to the group trying to reclaim the apartment, she asked, “You’re saying Grandma took out a loan?”

“You’re Mei Yu’s granddaughter?” The man in the black suit, standing at the center, pulled out some documents from his briefcase and handed them over. “We have all the proper paperwork. This property is worth less than three million yuan, so we’ve already taken a significant loss on this loan.”

He continued, “We sent all the required notices, but they all went unanswered. There’s nothing more we can do.”

The mailboxes in the old residential complex were located in the first-floor hallway. From there, it was clear that the mailbox for unit 101 was overflowing, having been untouched for over a year.

“I apologize, I’ve moved,” Gu Jihuan said, glancing around. “You don’t want to lose three million yuan either. Why don’t we find a place to discuss this properly?”

Dong Qiu couldn’t help but whisper, “Doctor Gu, are you going to repay Grandma Mei’s three million yuan? You don’t even live here anymore. Honestly, you should just let them take it.”

Besides… Dong Qiu didn’t voice the unspoken truth: everyone in Happiness Community knew that Gu Jihuan and Mei Yu had a strained relationship. Since she hadn’t inherited any assets, she had no obligation to repay the debt.

The aroma of tea filled the air as Dong Qiu poured cups for everyone present. “We can talk right here. Grandma Mei’s place hasn’t been cleaned up, so it’s more convenient here.”

Gu Jihuan looked up, nodded slightly, and smiled at Dong Qiu. She knew this was Dong Qiu’s way of showing goodwill; with him present, the others wouldn’t dare to go too far.

Gu Jihuan carefully examined the contract and documents in her hands. Mei Yu’s signature was there, along with the name of a private lending company. The entire loan process appeared to be legally sound. She took photos and sent them to her lawyer friend.

Looking up at them, Gu Jihuan said, “The fact that you’re still willing to sit down and talk means there’s room for negotiation.”

“Of course,” the leader chuckled. “We’d much rather have someone repay the debt. This old house isn’t selling, and we don’t want to take a loss.”

“By the way, you’re a doctor at Jianghuan Hospital. We trust doctors’ reputations. If you don’t have the full three million right now, that’s fine. We have other options, like installment payments with a bit of interest.”

Buzz, buzz. Gu Jihuan’s phone vibrated twice. She had sent the documents to her lawyer earlier and had already received a reply.

The contract was legally sound, and the mortgage information for the Happiness Community property had been verified—everything was aboveboard.

Gu Jihuan lowered her lashes slightly and replied with a thank you. Then she pulled a pen from her pocket. “Installment payments. I’ll repay the debt. You can’t take the house.”

“Looks like Doctor Gu still values old relationships. We’ve been staking out Happiness Community for two weeks without any luck. We thought you’d given up on this.” The man handed over his phone. “Let’s exchange contacts. I’m Zhao Feng.”

Zhao Feng wore a disarmingly earnest expression. “Doctor Gu, please don’t misunderstand us. We’re legitimate debt collectors—civilized and polite.”

Buzz, buzz. The phone vibrated twice, confirming the friend request had been accepted. Even the bank transfer details had already been sent.

Zhao Feng continued, “We came here to work today. We can’t leave empty-handed. Why don’t you transfer the first installment now, Doctor Gu? We can issue a receipt.”

Gu Jihuan didn’t have much cash on hand, but she had enough for the first installment. Eager to avoid further entanglement with Zhao Feng, she opened the app and transferred the money.

Ding! Just then, a new message popped up on her phone:

I’m free today. You can bring the clothes over.

Gu Jihuan froze, suddenly remembering something crucial: she still needed to pay for that custom-tailored suit, but now she was completely out of funds.

And right above this new message was her own earlier reply:

It’s fine. I have the money. I can afford to pay.

Gu Jihuan: “……” If she’d known things would turn out like this, she wouldn’t have been so righteous earlier. Now she had no way out.