"What could be wrong?" He Teng paused for a moment before telling He Zhilan about the Gu head’s apology over the phone.
"Was Gu En’s car accident serious?" He Zhilan asked gently biting her lip.
"I’m not entirely sure, but Gu’s head indicated that she’s still in intensive care. Zhilan, Gu’s head apologizing on Gu En’s behalf means that you won’t be able to receive a personal apology from Gu En. However, as her father, his apology carries weight both in sentiment and in reason."
"Brother, I don’t need an apology from Gu En. I just need her to stop tormenting me in the future. An apology from Gu En is too much to ask; and even if she did apologize, it doesn’t necessarily mean it would be sincere. What good is a fake apology? Now that Gu’s head is aware of Gu En’s actions, he should keep her in check from now on, right?"
He Zhilan smiled and shook her head. She also knew Gu En’s character well. If Gu En were to apologize, it would certainly be insincere, and perhaps she would resent He Zhilan even more because of the grudging apology.
Hearing He Zhilan’s words and seeing her unfeigned indifference, He Teng lifted his hand, gently patting He Zhilan on the head, murmuring to himself, "I will strive to climb higher. Even if I can’t compete with them or it’s only for you, we should think thrice before we act."
He Teng’s voice was very low, He Zhilan barely heard him, and only faintly caught the words ’for you’ and ’think thrice’, "Brother, what did you just say?" He Zhilan asked He Teng in confusion, but He Teng just lightly replied nothing, then urged He Zhilan to eat.
The fifth day of the New Year was He Zhilan’s last day at the base. She would be returning to the capital on the morning of the sixth day, and then going to work in the afternoon.
Lan Li finally returned to the base on the morning of the fifth day, along with the Gu family head’s orderly.
Upon returning to the base, Lan Li immediately sought out He Teng and He Zhilan, and called them separately into the office.
"Captain He." The young soldier saluted He Teng first, then addressed He Zhilan, "Sister-in-law, I am the Gu family head’s orderly. This time, I have come to visit you specifically under the orders of the Gu family head. Because the Gu family head’s beloved daughter had a car accident and due to certain work-related reasons, he was unable to visit you personally. He asked me to apologize to you on his behalf."
Having said that, the young soldier handed an envelope to He Zhilan, saying, "Sister-in-law, this is something that the Gu family head specifically instructed me to give to you. Miss Gu should have apologized to you in person for causing your injury, but since she is currently hospitalized, she couldn’t come to the base. Here are the medical expenses and some nutritional supplements that the Gu family should have given you a long time ago. Please accept them!"
The young soldier’s face was expressionless as he spoke, clearly he was conveying or repeating the Gu family head’s instructions carefully.
He Zhilan didn’t reach out to take it. Seeing the atmosphere becoming tense, Lan Li reached out and took it instead. He then told the young soldier to go back and report.
After the young soldier had left, Lan Li began to speak, "This is the medical and nutritional expenses that the Gu family should give. No matter who Gu En hurt that day, it’s the responsibility of the Gu family to bear. He Teng, tell your wife to accept it."
Seeing the two of them still not speaking, Lan Li continued, "On the day Gu En had the accident, I made a call hoping to have her come to the base to apologize personally. However, I didn’t expect that, afraid of being scolded, she got in the car and drove aimlessly. Because she was distracted, she ended up driving through the guardrail and falling into the river with her car. Thankfully, a kind passerby immediately called the police and jumped in to save her. Despite this, she still spent a full eighteen hours in the operating room before the doctors could pull her back from the brink. She spent three days and three nights in intensive care before she finally woke up."