The fake heiress loves to act? The max-level boss isn't interested in playing along.

Zhou Yun took the bowl and chopsticks to the washroom outside the ward.

The water was rushing, but her mind was in turmoil.

Aside from feeling sorry for Fu Hua, she was also filled with helplessness towards her son.

"Auntie, let me help you."

Fu Hua followed, a hint of melancholy in her eyes.

"The water's cold, Auntie, have some."

Zhou Yun quickly finished, wiped his hands clean, grabbed Fu Hua's hand, and looked her up and down a few times.

Over the past month, Fu Hua's complexion has visibly deteriorated.

Zhou Yun felt even worse and sighed, "Huahua, Auntie wants to apologize to you, really."

Zhou Yun's voice was choked with sobs, her tone filled with guilt and heartache.

"It's our son Aci who has wronged you. Don't take it to heart and don't hold it against him."

"He's been feeling down lately, stuck in a rut, and won't listen to anyone."

He wasn't like this before. Our whole family has seen how good he was to you, and it pains us deeply.

The reason he's become like this isn't because he doesn't love you; it's because he can't get over that hurdle in his heart.

He was the most outstanding soldier in the army, a pillar of strength, always protecting others and never showing weakness.

Now that he's suddenly lost both legs and needs constant care for everything, he feels inferior and miserable. He feels unworthy of you, afraid of being a burden to you, afraid of ruining your life. That's why he deliberately puts on that cold demeanor and speaks harshly to you, just to force you to leave.

"Auntie, I know."

Fu Hua's eyes dimmed slightly: "I understand."

Zhou Yun secretly wiped away her tears: "You don't know, he's in an even worse mood when you're not around. When he was little, he was naughty and his dad would spank him until his bottom was swollen, but he wouldn't shed a single tear. Now..."

"He wouldn't let us see his vulnerability. He said he wanted to break up and said cruel things, but he was in more pain than anyone else and couldn't bear to part with you more than anyone else."

Fu Hua's nose tingled slightly; how could she not understand the meaning behind a polite refusal?

It is precisely because I understand that I feel even more pain.

She gently patted Zhou Yun's hand, shook her head, and said calmly, "Auntie, please don't say that. I don't blame him, I really don't."

I know he's suffering inside, and I know he's doing it for my own good; I understand.

You don't need to apologize to me. This isn't your fault, nor is it his. Right now, he just needs time to process this.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me or him. What he needs most right now is to focus on his recovery; nothing else matters."

Seeing how sensible Fu Hua was, Zhou Yun felt even more guilty.

Tears welled up in her eyes: "You're such a sensible child, that's why you always suffer in silence."

Everything you did for Aci is remembered by everyone in the Xie family. We never thought of letting you down.

No matter what happens in the future, I hope you won't wrong yourself or make things difficult for yourself. You're still young and have a bright future ahead of you; you shouldn't let these things hold you back.

"If you really... we won't blame you. You've done everything you could."

Fu Hua smiled faintly, her smile tinged with weariness: "I know, Auntie, I understand. Let's go back to the ward first; I'm worried about him being alone in there."

Zhou Yun sighed, said nothing more, and followed Fu Hua back to the ward.

Pushing open the door, the atmosphere in the ward was oppressive. Xie Ci lay quietly on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

His profile was cold and hard, devoid of any expression, as if the argument and heartbreak just now had nothing to do with him.

Fu Hua walked to the bedside and, as usual, reached out to tuck the blanket around him.

I also wanted to check if the bandages on his stump had loosened, since he had only recently recovered and every detail needed to be taken seriously.

Her hand had just reached out, before it even touched the blanket...

Xie Ci noticed and quickly moved to the side, deliberately avoiding her touch.

His gaze never fell on her from beginning to end.

His tone was indifferent: "I can do it myself."

Those few simple words were like a cold knife, piercing Fu Hua's heart.

Fu Hua's hand froze in mid-air for a long while before slowly withdrawing it.

She wasn't angry; the last vestiges of hope in her heart were gradually extinguished.

Looking at Xie Ci's resolute profile, she knew in her heart that he was determined to sever ties with her.

He must reject all her care and completely push her out of his world.

She wasn't afraid of hardship or toil, but she was afraid of the overwhelming joy and the firm choice she had made.

For him, all of that became unnecessary entanglement.

That was something she didn't want to see.

Now, he would rather endure the pain and discomfort than accept even the slightest kindness from her.

Fu Hua stood by the bed, silently watching him for a long time.

After a while, even Zhou Yun, who was watching from the side, couldn't help but want to speak up and smooth things over.

Finally, Fu Hua took a soft breath, suppressing all the bitterness and heartbreak in her eyes.

His voice was calm and even: "I still have work to do, I won't disturb your rest."

After saying goodbye to Zhou Yun, she didn't look at Xie Ci again and turned to walk out of the ward.

Her steps were steady, and her silhouette appeared as aloof as ever.

Only she knew that with each step she took, her heart felt like it was being ripped apart, the pain making it hard to breathe.

She didn't turn around, nor did she dare to.

She was afraid that if she turned around, she wouldn't be able to hold back her tears.

What I fear even more is that if I turn around, I won't be able to bear leaving.

Zhou Yun felt both anxious and heartbroken. She glared fiercely at her son on the hospital bed, and could no longer hold back.

She walked to the bedside and persuaded him: "Son, what are you trying to do? You clearly can't bear to part with her, you clearly care about her more than anyone else, so why do you have to drive her away?"

Huahua is such a wonderful girl. We've all seen everything she's done for you lately. She doesn't look down on you, she's not afraid of being a burden, and she's wholeheartedly devoted to you.

How could you... be so heartless as to treat her like this? You're not just forcing her, you're torturing yourself and her!

Xie Ci gazed out the window, refusing to speak.

Zhou Yun stood beside him and continued to persuade him: "Son, you can't deny everything and push away the people who are truly good to you just because you're hurt."

We know you're suffering inside, but relationships aren't like that. Huahua hasn't given up on you, how can you give up on yourself first and abandon the relationship between you two?

By deliberately ignoring and rejecting her, you're breaking her heart.

You can't let her down, you can't miss out on such a wonderful girl!

Xie Ci continued to look out the window, his eyes remaining completely unmoved.

But only he knew that his heart was in turmoil, and he was in unbearable pain.

The moment Fu Hua turned and left, it felt as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out, leaving him with an empty void.

But he still managed to suppress all his emotions, without turning back or trying to stop him.

He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, all that remained in them was a deathly, resolute stillness.

His voice was hoarse but firm: "Mom, it's precisely because I know she's good that I have to force her to leave."

I'm like this now, a useless person, destined to spend the rest of my life in a hospital bed, needing constant care.

I can't give her a future, I can't give her happiness, I'll only be a burden to her for the rest of her life.

"I am different from her. She is talented, has a career, and has a wonderful life. She should not be trapped next to me, a disabled person."

Can she stay with me for one year, two years, or ten years?

One day, this love will be exhausted. One day, she will get tired of this life, regret her current choice, and feel tormented.

Mom, I can't bear it, I really can't bear to see Huahua suffer even the slightest bit.

I couldn't bear to see her being gossiped about, I couldn't bear to see her give up her future, I couldn't bear to see her spend her whole life on me.

"A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one. Separating now is the best choice for her. She won't be criticized because of me; she's done what she should have done."

"Given time, she'll forget me, meet someone better, and live the fulfilling life that's rightfully hers."