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Ai Xiang sighed. All he could do was this much.

"Dr. Ai Xiang, you’re injured," a nurse who recognized him exclaimed in alarm.

"Don’t make a fuss, it’s nothing!"

"The wound is inflamed. How could you not know to bandage it up? My goodness, it’s so severe," another nurse rushed over and urgently cried out.

"Looking at this wound, it seems like you were scratched by a wild animal. Where have you been?"

...

Gu Xiaoxi, hearing the voices in the hospital corridor, raised the corners of her mouth in a smile, yet tears had already formed a river. "Shaoqing, it’s rare for you to have such a good friend like Ai Xiang. He’s suffered a lot for you too."

"It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember later, it’s enough that I remember you!"

"If this is truly farewell, then all I can say to you is goodbye!"

Gu Xiaoxi fed the entire bowl of medicine to Quan Shaoqing without spilling a drop.

She hadn’t expected that her stubborn departure

would be their eternal farewell.

That day, she lay on her bed crying for a long time.

In the end, she fell asleep in tears.

It was then that Ai Xiang placed her on the adjacent sickbed.

Ai Xiang had just laid her down

when Gu Xiaoxi woke up.

But, she made no move.

And did not turn around to look at Quan Shaoqing.

With her back to Ai Xiang, she asked, "How long before he wakes up?"

"Three days’ time, you can arrange everything. Including the explanation for his parents and deciding what role you should play, you need to think it all through."

Ai Xiang knew she was very upset, but what could be done?

The medicine was already ingested, and he had examined the spell on Quan Shaoqing’s chains; the memories were completely erased.

When he woke up again, Quan Shaoqing no longer remembered her.

And she, not only had to be forgotten by Quan Shaoqing but also had to prevent him from falling in love with her again.

"Gu Xiaoxi, if you have no family, then just continue to be my sister! I will take care of you," Ai Xiang turned his head, his gaze heavily resting on Gu Xiaoxi’s back. The curve of her spine seemed achingly vulnerable.

"Thank you," Gu Xiaoxi replied, suppressing the sob in her voice.

Thank you to him, for being willing to take her in when she had nothing at all.

*

The next day, Gu Xiaoxi took Quan Shaoqing out of the hospital.

Gu Xiaoxi brought Quan Shaoqing back to the Imperial Capital.

Fragrant Hill Villa.

Upon hearing Gu Xiaoxi’s explanation, Song Xu was so scared that she plopped down onto the couch. "How could this happen? Wasn’t Shaoqing fine before?"

"Mom, don’t worry, he’s alright now. And he will wake up tomorrow," Gu Xiaoxi quickly went up to comfort her.

Song Xu grabbed Gu Xiaoxi’s hand, tears falling. "Silly child, if he’s alright, what about you? You are our family’s daughter-in-law, if he forgets you and can’t love you again. What will you do then?"

Song Xu had finally looked forward to having a daughter-in-law, and now she hadn’t even held a grandchild, her son had such an incident occurring.

How could she not be sad, and besides, she was genuinely worried for Gu Xiaoxi.

"Mom, I’m fine! As long as Shaoqing is well, I will also be well. Look at me, do I look like someone with troubles?" Gu Xiaoxi blinked her large eyes, her smile looking uglier than crying.

Song Xu tightened her hold on Gu Xiaoxi’s hand, "Xiao Xi, you will always be a daughter-in-law of the Quan Family, his father is on his way back. If you two can’t be together, then be our daughter! We will adopt you as our daughter, and we will still be a family."

"No, Mom! I’ve already made up my mind, I have a brother, and I will be with him in the future," Gu Xiaoxi couldn’t risk Quan Shaoqing’s life by being with him over the long term. She feared that feelings would inevitably develop.

"You can be with your brother, but that doesn’t affect you being our daughter. If you’re afraid to see Shaoqing, you can come over when he’s not at home," Song Xu said full of concern.

She just wanted to make up to Gu Xiaoxi a little bit more.

Gu Xiaoxi did not decline further, as the elder pair had always been kind to her. So, acknowledging them as parents was fine.

"Mom, let’s discuss this. When Shaoqing wakes up, how should we explain it to him?" Gu Xiaoxi hurriedly changed the subject.

Song Xu’s expression turned solemn, "Alright, when his father comes back, we’ll talk about it."

...

Quan Shaoqing woke up on the second evening after returning to Fragrant Hill Villa.

Gu Xiaoxi had long since moved her belongings out of Quan Shaoqing’s room and had the nanny rewash all of Quan Shaoqing’s clothes.

At this moment, in Quan Shaoqing’s room, it could be said that not even a single strand of her hair could be found.

Right then, Quan Shaoqing, holding his dizzy head on the big bed, looked at his parents in front of him, bewildered, "Dad, Mom, what’s wrong with me, am I sick again?"

He sat up from the bed, Quan Gui glanced at Gu Xiaoxi, his expression grave, "Do you still remember her?"

Quan Gui pointed at Gu Xiaoxi.

Quan Shaoqing’s gaze followed Quan Gui’s finger.

In front of him, the woman was dressed in black leggings and a goose-yellow sweater. Her delicate features and skin smooth as milk, especially her lively large eyes that twinkled with an imperceptible slyness, did not escape his notice.

"Should I know her?" Quan Shaoqing asked his parents, puzzled.

Quan Gui and Song Xu exchanged glances, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

They were glad that forgetting Gu Xiaoxi meant he was safe. But it also doomed them to never have a daughter-in-law, nor dare to introduce him to a girlfriend again.

"You’ve forgotten her, but let me tell you.

This is the bride I’ve chosen for you. The marriage certificate has already been obtained for you, and now you two just met.

Get to know her better. If you like her, I will organize a wedding for you," Quan Gui said in a stern tone, clearly playing the dictator.

Upon hearing that he was supposed to get married, Quan Shaoqing immediately leapt up from the bed. "Dad, Mom, how can you do this? You obtained the certificate a long time ago, but no matter what, the person who marries her will be her husband."

This was how Quan Shaoqing used to be, a cold-faced King Yama to any woman.

Gu Xiaoxi felt as if she had returned to the time when they first met.

She didn’t dare to think too much, afraid that she might lose control, play the wrong part, or say the wrong words.

"You don’t have to want me, just give me half of your wealth. We can get a divorce!" Gu Xiaoxi tried her best to pretend to be a money-grubbing little woman, scheming after their family fortune.

That way, he would grow to despise her.

In the future, she would walk out of his world, farther and farther away.

"Dad, Mom, look at this woman’s attitude. She is clearly after our family’s money. Give her whatever she wants quickly, and let her leave," Quan Shaoqing said, feeling extreme disdain for Gu Xiaoxi at this moment.

He detested gold-diggers, women blinded by money.

Quan Gui and Song Xu held their breath, not knowing what to say for a long time.

They had not asked Gu Xiaoxi to say that.

"I’ve prepared the divorce agreement. Since Young Master Quan looks down on me, well, that’s fine. A breakup fee of 900 million. Once I get the money, I’ll leave immediately," Gu Xiaoxi showed a mercenary grin, countering without hesitation.

That completely infuriated Quan Shaoqing.

He pulled a stack of checks from the bedside table and grabbed a pen without hesitation, writing ten billion yuan on it.

He tore off the check and threw it in front of Gu Xiaoxi, "Take your breakup fee and you can scram."

Gu Xiaoxi looked at the paper fluttering at her feet, her nose tingling with sourness, and tears swirling in her eyes as she bent down.

But what could be done?

They were destined to drift apart, so it might as well be cut off cleanly sooner.

She slowly crouched down, reached out to pick up the check from the ground, then forced the tears back into her eyes, and her lips curled up with a triumphant smile.

She turned around to take a stack of agreements from the cabinet and put them in front of Quan Shaoqing, "This is for you. I’ve already signed it. "

Quan Gui couldn’t stand it anymore, scolding Quan Shaoqing, "Miss Gu is the daughter-in-law I have chosen for you, how can you do this?"

"It’s obvious she’s after the money, and you’re still making excuses for her," Quan Shaoqing didn’t know why, but when he got the divorce agreement, he felt a barely noticeable pain in his chest. It was fleeting, making him think he was having an illusion.

When he saw Gu Xiaoxi holding the check, triumph on the corners of her lips.

He took the pen and signed his name without any hesitation.

Gu Xiaoxi, holding the check, withdrew from the room.

She had nothing more to do with it.

That should neatly solve the matter of their marriage.

As for anyone else who knew about their relationship, Quan Gui had already warned them all, and even those in the military who knew about it had been cautioned by Lin Mi.

In the future, no one was allowed to mention that Gu Xiaoxi had ever been in Quan Shaoqing’s world.

That night, the cool breeze hit her face, and she felt cold all over.

Gu Xiaoxi sat in the barren garden, staring blankly at the luxurious villa.

Without Quan Shaoqing, what should she do?

Continue to be a special forces soldier?