Volume One, Chapter 8: Gu Hanxiao Gives Her a White Rabbit Milk Candy
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Meanwhile, Su Nuan was taken to a city hospital by Gu Hanxiao. The experienced senior doctor on duty quickly provided an answer.
“This drug is one that some local ruffians use specifically to exploit women. All medicines have some degree of toxicity. Judging from your description, it’s likely an overdose caused the side effects. You should first treat the wound on your neck, then come back for an IV drip. As for the medication, have your companion go downstairs to the pharmacy to collect it.”
Still annoyed by Gu Hanxiao’s earlier taunts, Su Nuan replied coldly, “You’ve got it wrong. He’s not my partner, and I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Ah... my apologies, young comrade, I misunderstood,” the doctor laughed awkwardly. “Seeing this gentleman rush in carrying you, even losing his shoes in the process, I just assumed you two were married.”
“...”
Su Nuan was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Gu Hanxiao to go this far for her, and for a moment, she was speechless.
Noticing her awkwardness, Gu Hanxiao took the prescription from the doctor and said, “I’ll go get the medicine,” before heading downstairs.
On the way, he ran into the young nurse who had come to bring clothes for Su Nuan.
The hospital staff were warm and kind. Knowing that Su Nuan’s clothes and trousers were torn, the nurse, skilled with needle and thread, offered to mend them. “Comrade, these clothes belong to your companion. As for the patient gown, she can return it upon discharge.”
Gu Hanxiao thanked her sincerely as he took the clothes, then recalled his earlier misunderstanding about Su Nuan and felt a pang of guilt.
He wasn’t sure how to cheer up a young woman like Su Nuan, but knowing that girls generally liked sweets, he stuffed the entire handful of White Rabbit milk candies—originally meant for his cousin—into her pocket.
Imagining her expression upon receiving the candy, Gu Hanxiao’s lips curled into a faint smile. But this hopeful moment lasted only seconds before he found a mysterious white powder in Su Nuan’s clothes pocket.
The nurse noticed it, took Su Nuan’s clothes, sniffed the powder, and then exclaimed, “This, this is the same drug that those ruffians circulate!”
Gu Hanxiao’s face turned cold. He couldn’t help but verify once again. Seeing his disbelief, the nurse took him to the lab to examine a sample.
“Look, these two powders are identical under analysis.”
“.....”
They truly were identical.
Staring at the powder, Gu Hanxiao’s mind conjured an unsettling conclusion—that Su Nuan had drugged him.
“Mom, don’t worry, I will do everything I can to stay in Peng City!”
Recalling the conversation between Su Nuan and her mother that day and her earlier deliberate choice of small-sized clothes to attract men, Gu Hanxiao clenched the clothes tightly in his palm.
He had forgotten that the purpose of Su Nuan’s trip to Peng City was precisely to seek a protector. The Gu family could be her backing, or any random man on the train could serve that role. Since hardly anyone would believe the ruffians innocent at this point, even if Su Nuan used drugs to engage with someone, she could claim she was coerced.
As Su Nuan’s guardian on this trip, Gu Hanxiao bore an inescapable responsibility for her personal safety. If the other party refused to take responsibility, he would have to bear it himself.
No matter the outcome, Su Nuan would have no worries left behind.
“....”
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Ha, what a cunning two-birds-one-stone scheme, what a foolproof plan!
Gu Hanxiao had never been manipulated as a pawn like this. Furious, he was about to turn and report Su Nuan to the police, but after a few steps, he stopped.
“....”
Su Nuan’s deception was real, and so were her injuries. The senior doctor had warned that if the wound on her neck was any deeper, it could cause arterial hemorrhaging and threaten her life.
Thinking of this, Gu Hanxiao softened for a moment.
If Su Nuan had been willing all along, such a forced situation would never have arisen. No matter her original intentions, the fact remained that she was coerced in the end, wasn’t it?
Lost in thought, Gu Hanxiao fell into a long silence.
As if fate itself had made the decision for his hesitation, he suddenly realized he had already returned to the hospital ward.
“Thank you, Captain Gu.”
“...Hmm.”
Su Nuan took the clothes from Gu Hanxiao. Her polite yet distant expression instantly shifted to surprise and delight when she felt the White Rabbit candies in her pocket.
“Are... these for me?”
Gu Hanxiao glanced at the candies in her hand—the souvenirs originally meant for his cousin—but said nothing.
Though annoyed at Su Nuan’s deception, Gu Hanxiao couldn’t bring himself to engage in childish candy battles with a sick young girl. Ultimately, he left with a cold expression.
Unaware of Gu Hanxiao’s tangled thoughts, Su Nuan simply assumed he left because he was embarrassed to give candy to a young woman.
White Rabbit milk candies were a scarce delicacy from Shanghai, hard to come by. Even during festivals, only two or three would appear on fruit platters.
Yet now, Gu Hanxiao had given her one, two, three... ten pieces!
Holding the sweets, warmth and sweetness blossomed in Su Nuan’s heart. Though this old man could be very annoying at times, she had to admit that, at this moment, Gu Hanxiao was the most adorable person in the world~
...
The next day, Gu Hanxiao took Su Nuan to the police station to give a statement.
She was certain that Song Niannian was involved in the incident, but due to lack of evidence, only the scar-faced man—who was found to have a criminal record—was sentenced to immediate execution.
“—Not found?!”
In the reception hall, upon hearing that the police had found no clues on Su Nuan, Song Niannian shouted in frustration.
Su Nuan, coming out of the adjacent interrogation room, overheard and saw Song Niannian scratching her head, saying:
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“Th-This can’t be... Officers, are you sure you found nothing on Su Nuan? Like... like drug powder or something?”
“Niannian sis, you sound like you’re sure I’m carrying the drug powder,” Su Nuan approached Song Niannian and spread her arms wide. “If you suspect me, why don’t you search me again yourself?”
The officers in the hall, already irritated by Song Niannian’s accusations, couldn’t help but speak up.
“Young comrade, she’s not the police. You don’t need to prove anything to her. We all know you’re innocent.”
“Exactly. Song Niannian, if you cause any more trouble, I’ll arrest you for obstructing law enforcement!”
Not daring to offend the police, Song Niannian clammed up and shrank into a corner, not daring to utter a word.
Su Nuan was thoroughly satisfied, but not quite done yet.
After leaving the station, Gu Hanxiao bought new train tickets for them. While waiting, Su Nuan followed Song Niannian into the women’s restroom.
Song Niannian had a bad habit of removing her oversized clothes, and this restroom was semi-enclosed, leaving her completely exposed while squatting. By the time she realized she was at it again, she was down to just a small undershirt.
Seeing her hurry to get dressed, Su Nuan pinched her nose in disgust and shouted,
“Sis, this is a public restroom! How can you take off your clothes here?”
Startled, Song Niannian dropped her clothes to the floor without noticing.
The women nearby, all conservative, turned to look at Su Nuan upon hearing her words.
“Why are you stripping so bare in broad daylight? Trying to lure men over to the other restroom? Stop acting so shameless here!”
“Look at her figure; her back is all hunched. How can she have the nerve to undress like that?”
“I-I’m just afraid my skirt will get dirty…”
Song Niannian’s explanation was drowned in the crowd’s disdain and ridicule. Already insecure about her figure, being mocked and watched like this made her flush a deep red, like a boiled shrimp.
Su Nuan added fuel to the fire, “Oh no! Sis Niannian, your dress fell on the floor...”
“—?!”
Lowering her head, Song Niannian saw her dress lying on a pool of clear yellow liquid.