Chapter 1062: She's Different

Chapter 1062: She’s Different

Su Shen carried Gu Zi into the bathroom. Then, he stepped out and began rifling through the cabinets, searching for the contraceptive pills he had stocked up on beforehand.

It should have been easy to find, yet at this crucial moment, it seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

His hands stilled for a moment as his mind wandered back to the expression on Gu Zi’s face earlier—calm, almost indifferent, with a trace of quiet resistance. Every time the subject of children came up, she reacted the same way. Never once had she looked eager, never once had she expressed a desire for a child.

Had she never even considered it?

Su Shen recalled the moment he had first broached the topic with her, telling her that he didn’t intend to have children. She had agreed so readily, so decisively, that he had assumed she was simply going along with his decision, perhaps unwillingly.

After all, in this era, the prevailing belief was that more children meant more blessings, and those unable to conceive often went to great lengths to have a child.

But Gu Zi was different. She had no such desire, no longing for motherhood.

Well, so be it. If she didn’t want children, then they wouldn’t have any. It wasn’t something he had ever been particularly fixated on. Every generation had its own way of thinking, its own priorities. As long as he and Gu Zi had each other for a lifetime, did it really matter whether they had children or not?

After her bath, Gu Zi took the pill without hesitation and climbed into bed. Su Shen slipped in beside her, wrapping his arms around her, his voice a low murmur against her ear. “Gu Zi, don’t worry. I will never force you to do something you don’t want to do.”

She wasn’t fully asleep yet, and his words, gentle and full of unwavering commitment, stirred something deep within her.

Gu Zi had arrived in this unfamiliar era alone, adrift in a time that wasn’t her own. And yet, she had found someone—someone who put her first, who respected her choices, who loved her in a way that left her feeling cherished beyond words. That, in itself, was happiness.

And yet, even for him, she couldn’t make the decision to have a child.

Gu Zi had never been one to act on impulse. If she didn’t have absolute certainty about something, she wouldn’t do it.

What if she had a child, only for circumstances to change? What if she and Su Shen parted ways one day? The child would be caught in the middle, stranded between two worlds. She couldn’t bear the thought.

A few days later, the Xu family arrived at the Su residence, their arms laden with gifts.

Su Shen had been preparing to head out, but upon seeing the unexpected visitors, he decided to stay and accompany Gu Zi in receiving them. Gu Zi saw right through his little scheme but made no objections. It was better this way—conversations between men tended to be more straightforward.

Xu Sheng’s complexion had improved considerably; the lingering pallor was gone, and the persistent coughing had subsided. The moment he spotted Su Li, his expression flickered with hesitation, but Su Li, ever the carefree one, greeted him warmly before dragging him off to play.

Meanwhile, Su Shen welcomed Xu Sheng’s father inside. Gu Zi brought out tea and refreshments before settling into the seat beside her husband.

Xu Fan spoke first, his tone measured and formal. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Xu Sheng’s father, Xu Fan. Over the past few days, my son has received great care from your family. He told me himself—if not for your second son providing him with some medicine, I might not have gotten him to the hospital in time. I can’t thank you enough. Please, accept these gifts as a token of my gratitude.”

He presented the gifts with both hands, and Su Shen, never one for empty formalities, accepted them without pretense. He had already investigated Xu Fan thoroughly—this man was not Xu Ye. However, Xu Fan’s true purpose in coming to Guangzhou remained unclear.

Gu Zi took a sip of tea before speaking. “We hadn’t expected Xu Sheng’s condition to be so serious. Under normal circumstances, it isn’t our place to interfere in family matters, but I must admit—this incident left me shaken. No matter how bright or capable Xu Sheng is, he is still just a child. He needs his family’s attention and care.”

She couldn’t bring herself to imagine the alternative.

Because of the false rumors, she had taken legal action against Huang Fei. And while Huang Fei had been taken into custody, her child had been left unattended, gravely ill. Had Xu Fan not returned in time to bring Xu Sheng to the hospital, the outcome could have been devastating. That thought alone made Gu Zi’s chest tighten—she might never have been able to forgive herself.

Xu Fan took a moment before responding. His voice was calm, but there was an underlying weight to his words. “Thank you for your concern. From now on, I will ensure that capable hands are looking after Xu Sheng. But my visit today is not only to express my gratitude—it is also to make amends. Here.”

He reached into his coat and produced a document, placing it on the table alongside a thick envelope.

“This is Huang Fei’s sentencing report,” he continued, “as well as the compensation she has been ordered to pay.”

Gu Zi was an academic prodigy, the provincial top scholar. In fact, her national ranking had placed her among the top three scorers in the country.

When word spread that she had been maliciously defamed, the authorities had taken the matter seriously. The leadership at the Education Daily had been entirely reshuffled, and those directly involved had been sentenced. The newspaper itself had been ordered to pay Gu Zi six hundred yuan in damages.

As for Huang Fei, not even her status as the wife of a Xu family member had shielded her. She had been sentenced to three months in prison. Despite Xu Fan’s efforts to mitigate her punishment, he had only managed to reduce her sentence by two months—she would still have to serve a full month behind bars. Additionally, she had been ordered to pay Gu Zi four hundred yuan in compensation.

Gu Zi had already received the payment from the newspaper that morning, delivered personally by Captain He. She had accepted it without hesitation—after all, it was rightfully hers.

At the time, she had wondered when Huang Fei’s payment would arrive. And now, here it was.

Taking the envelope, she casually tossed the sentencing report aside and flipped through the bills before nodding in satisfaction.

“Four hundred yuan,” she mused. “Not a cent less.”

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