Chapter 1176: Accident

Chapter 1176: Accident

The next morning, Gu Zi awoke with a strange sense of unease. She couldn’t quite place it, but it clung to her like a shadow.

After breakfast, the children rushed outside to play with firecrackers, and the house finally settled into a much-needed calm. She had just decided to call the Lin family when, before she could even pick up the phone, it rang sharply.

Su Shen answered. His face shifted slightly as he listened, then turned to her with a serious look. “Something’s happened at home,” he said.

“Gu Zi, don’t panic—listen to me first. It was early this morning. Lin Cheng was driving a delivery of pork to a hotel when he got into a car accident. He’s in the hospital now, and the situation’s serious. They need a large sum for emergency surgery. Your parents called, hoping we could help with the money.”

Gu Zi’s breath caught.

It was just like the dream. The nightmare she’d had the night before—the screech of metal, the crash, the helpless feeling. So he was the one in the dream. Lin Cheng. Her brother.

Her face drained of color. She remembered now—the original novel had included this very plot point: Lin Cheng’s accident. But she had foolishly believed that her presence here, her efforts, had changed the trajectory. She thought she had rewritten his fate. Apparently not.

Panic bloomed in her chest. “Su Shen, can we lend them the money? Let’s send it right away—we can’t let anything happen to my brother!”

Su Shen pulled her into his arms gently, trying to calm her down. “It’s already too late to wire money, Gu Zi. Don’t worry—I’ve arranged for Jin Long to front the cost. The hospital should already be prepping him for surgery. And forget about whether it’s a loan or not—Lin Cheng was injured making a delivery for the farm. The expense should come from the farm’s books. That’s only right. Just trust me, and wait for news.”

It wasn’t like the future, where transferring money could happen with the click of a button. They were out of town, and wiring funds back home would take too long. Her brother was in critical condition—he couldn’t afford to wait.

Su Shen’s arrangement was both practical and thoughtful. By having Jin Long pay the fees immediately, surgery could proceed without delay. And maybe, just maybe, this time, with timely intervention, Lin Cheng wouldn’t end up with a disability, as he had in the original story.

Gu Zi took a shaky breath. “Su Shen, I’m not panicking anymore. I believe he’ll be okay. But—let’s not tell the children for now. I don’t want them to worry.”

The children were very close with the Lin family. If they found out, they’d only be distressed—and there was nothing they could do to help. Better not to burden them. Su Shen fully agreed and kept the news from the kids.

With this weighing on her, Gu Zi had no energy to attend Su Shen’s social engagements. Unfortunately, he had a business meeting that couldn’t be postponed, so he went alone.

Luckily, good news came the very next day. The surgery had gone smoothly. Lin Cheng would recover—he just needed time and proper rehabilitation, and walking again wouldn’t be difficult. Gu Zi finally let out the breath she’d been holding and felt the tension release from her body like a deflating balloon.

Soon, spring arrived. The children returned to school. One afternoon, they came home chattering excitedly, each with a red envelope in hand—something that looked very much like a party invitation.

Before Gu Zi could even ask, Su Li burst out, “Mom! Xu Sheng and his grandma invited us—and Gao Ming too—to his birthday banquet! Can we go?”

Gu Zi smiled, quickly piecing it together. The Xu family clearly had their reasons for inviting the children, but since they hadn’t openly stated anything yet, she wasn’t about to bring it up first.

She nodded at Su Li. “Of course you can go. But you can’t go empty-handed.”

Su Li paused for a beat, then nodded seriously. “Don’t worry, Mom—I’ll bring a gift! Our milk tea business at the snack stand with big brother is doing really well!”

Gu Zi ruffled his hair, eyes warm with pride. “You and Su Bing are both so impressive. Already little entrepreneurs at your age! You’re going to be amazing one day. Now go inside and do some reading—knowledge is what makes you powerful!”

Su Li lit up like a firecracker. Energized, he dashed off to hit the books.

Su Bing watched from the side, marveling at how just a few words from their mother could inspire his brother like that. Mom really did have a way with them.

Gu Zi was about to head to the kitchen to wash some vegetables when someone knocked on the door. She walked over, opened it, and was stunned.

Standing there were all three of her old roommates: Li Juan, Tang Xue, and Zhao Ling—not a single one missing. Each of them held bags filled with fruits and sweets.

“You’re all here?” she asked, blinking in surprise. “What’s going on?”

Classes had resumed, but Gu Zi had a few medical checkups to complete, and Su Shen had suggested she stay home until they were done. It would save the hassle of requesting time off repeatedly. They had already decided she would attend classes until the end of May, then take a break to prepare for childbirth.

The university had approved it—after all, Gu Zi was a top student and wouldn’t have trouble keeping up.

Li Juan, standing at the front, explained, “We heard from Chen Xi that you’d taken leave to rest at home. And we thought—as your dormmates—we had to come visit you. So we asked Chen Xi for your address and came right after class. How are you feeling, Gu Zi?”

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