"You're not fit to be a mother!"

At his words, the room fell silent. Xue Lang stood with his mouth agape, staring at Lin Mu in astonishment. He thought Lin Mu was being incredibly arrogant to speak that way about Su Ke'er's mother.

Qin Yan's face was frozen in disbelief. She knew Lin Mu had changed a lot. He had become domineering and overbearing, even somewhat aloof. But she never imagined he would scold Su Ke'er's mother so mercilessly. Although she also disliked the woman, she was still an elder, after all.

"You..." Mother Su pointed at Lin Mu, her face pale with rage and her chest heaving violently. "Fine! Just fine!" she seethed, fixing her gaze on him. Her eyes blazed with a fury that looked ready to erupt.

"Enough!" a cold voice cut in.

Everyone turned to see that Su Ke'er was awake.

"Ke'er, you're awake?" Qin Yan hurried over to her side. After a quick check, she let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you're alright. You scared me to death! Didn't I tell you not to have anything cold?"

Su Ke'er looked at her mother with a complicated expression and silently shook her head.

"Ke'er! You're finally awake!" Mother Su burst into tears and rushed over to hug her daughter. "Oh, my child, if anything had happened to you, I, your mother, would be a sinner."

Seeing Mother Su's theatrical display, even Qin Yan couldn't help but frown.

With a placid expression, Su Ke'er pushed her mother away. "Mom, you should go."

Mother Su was stunned. She rubbed her eyes until they were red and cried, "Ke'er, what do you mean? Are you kicking me out? I'm your mother! How can you trust outsiders over me?"

"That's enough!" Su Ke'er clutched her head and roared, "You gave birth to me, yes, but did you ever raise me? When you ran off with that man and abandoned me, did you ever stop to think that I was your daughter?"

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.

"Ever since I was little, all you've ever cared about is gambling! When you had money, you bought expensive things for yourself. When you were broke, you sold off everything in the house. You even took the money for my school registration and my medicine to go gamble. Have you ever fulfilled a single duty as a mother?"

Hearing Su Ke'er's words, everyone fell silent. The other doctors quietly excused themselves. Xue Lang wanted to leave too, but he was reluctant to give up.

With red-rimmed eyes, Su Ke'er said, "For all these years, I've gritted my teeth and overcome every hardship by myself. Now, I'm begging you, can you please just leave me alone?"

Mother Su's mouth hung open as she stared at Su Ke'er, looking utterly devastated as tears welled up in her own eyes.

"Ah, yes... you're all grown up," Mother Su said painfully. "I was wrong back then, Mom wronged you. I know my mistake now, and I'll try my best to change."

Fearing Su Ke'er would get angrier, she quickly added, "Ke'er, you get some rest. I'll head back first. Later, I'll make some soup and bring it over. How long has it been since you've had my cooking? When you were little, you loved the food I made."

"Anyway, I'm leaving now," Mother Su said, wiping away her tears. She left the ward with an expression of guilt and regret.

Xue Lang hurried to follow her out, but not before shooting a hateful glare at Lin Mu.

"Brat, just you wait!"

「Outside the hospital.」

Mother Su wiped her eyes. "Xiao Xue, sorry you had to see that."

Xue Lang shook his head nonchalantly. "Auntie, what are you talking about? It's not your fault."

Mother Su sighed. "I'm the one who failed Ke'er, so it's only right that she hates me."

"Auntie, you must have had your own difficulties," Xue Lang consoled. "I'm sure Ke'er will understand one day."

"Yes, yes, she'll definitely understand," Mother Su nodded eagerly, then asked hesitantly, "So, Xiao Xue, about you and Ke'er..."

Xue Lang spoke with sincerity, "Auntie, I genuinely like Ke'er, it's just that she..."

"Xiao Xue, don't you worry," Mother Su immediately interrupted. "As far as I'm concerned, you're my only son-in-law! As for that stinking brat from before, he can forget about having any ideas about my daughter!"

At the mention of Lin Mu, Mother Su looked as if she were grinding her teeth in anger. That little bastard actually dared to slap me! I'll make him pay for this!

"Auntie, don't worry," Xue Lang sneered. "I won't let him get away with treating you like that!"

"Xiao Xue, you mustn't do anything rash," Mother Su cautioned deliberately.

Xue Lang chuckled. "Rest assured, Auntie. I'm not crude and disrespectful like some people."

"Right, right!" Mother Su nodded profusely before adding with some feigned reluctance, "You know, Xiao Xue, with Ke'er sick in the hospital, I've been so busy taking care of her that I haven't been able to work..."

"I understand, Auntie," Xue Lang nodded with a smile. He took out his wallet, pulled out all the cash inside, and pressed it into Mother Su's hand. "Auntie, this is all the cash I have on me. Give me your bank account number in a bit, and I'll transfer some more money to you."

Mother Su took the money without hesitation, though she said, "Oh, how can I accept this? It's too much." Despite her words, the smile on her face was impossible to hide.

Xue Lang laughed. "Auntie, we'll be family soon. There's no need for such pleasantries between us."

"Yes, yes, we're all family."

「The hospital ward.」

"Ke'er, are you okay?" Qin Yan asked, sighing inwardly as she looked at Su Ke'er's red-rimmed eyes and pained expression.

"Sister Yan Yan, thank you." Su Ke'er managed a small smile. "I'm fine."

"Alright. I really can't stay; I have two surgeries to get to." Qin Yan glanced at Lin Mu, hesitated, then said, "Lin Mu, please keep Ke'er company for a while. I'll come back after I'm done."

With that, she rushed out of the room.

"Ah, Sister Yan Yan..." Su Ke'er didn't even have time to stop her. She must have been in a real hurry.

After Qin Yan left, only Lin Mu and Su Ke'er remained in the ward. Lin Mu stood by the window, watching the people outside. Su Ke'er, wrapped in a blanket, leaned against the bed and occasionally studied him.

"President Lin... I'm sorry about earlier," Su Ke'er said, breaking the silence, though her expression was a little awkward.

"It's nothing," Lin Mu replied. "You're my employee. Of course I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Just an employee?" Su Ke'er muttered to herself, a strange look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Lin Mu asked, puzzled.

Su Ke'er's face flushed, and she fell silent.

"If you need something, just say it. You don't have to be so formal with me." Su Ke'er was hurt because of company business, so he felt that as the Chairman, he should bear some responsibility.

"I... I need to use the restroom..." Su Ke'er's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, her face so crimson it looked like it might bleed.

"The restroom?" Lin Mu understood at once. He stood up. "I'll step out for a moment then."

"But I can't stand up," Su Ke'er said, panicking at the thought of him leaving.

Lin Mu froze. "Then how did you go before?"

Su Ke'er bit her lip, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It was... my mom who helped me."

Lin Mu was speechless.

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