There are still five minutes until the hero escapes from marriage. - Chapter 40

Su Mengyao had been in this hospital for over half a month.

At the press conference, she had been beaten, causing internal injuries and disfigurement. In the end, she was saved by Shen Han Feng, who rushed to her aid.

At that time, she had little desire to fight for her life.

She had meticulously dressed herself, trying her best to look beautiful and proper. She had done everything she could to meet her lover. This relationship might not be pure, but who dictates that love must be entirely pure? Is it not love to be attracted to someone because of their wealth and appearance? Those who criticize, scold, despise, and reject her, are they truly righteous?

No, they are simply envious and angry because she achieved success and possessed everything they could not. That’s why she was envied, scorned, and verbally attacked.

She loved Gu Xianting, loved his wealth and influence, loved his looks and demeanor. Her only mistake was the impure means she used to start this relationship; she had intentionally approached him. But so what? The choice in this relationship always lay with him.

If he had not wanted her, no matter how much she tried, he would never have looked at her!

This error was not hers alone. He loved her so much, willing to give up Wen Zhao for her, so how could he not be willing to bear the blame with her?

She had hoped to greet a Gu Xianting who would love her wholeheartedly at the Gu family corporation.

But she found only violence, insults, his indifference and impatience, and all the onlookers’ ridicule and sarcasm. She looked at him as if he were a complete stranger.

Why did he treat her like this? Why did people only scold her and let him off?

Was the world so double-standard?

She was beaten and lying on the ground, while he could elegantly sit in a wheelchair, guarded by bodyguards and leave.

At that moment, she felt that if these people beat her harder and let her die here, it would be better. After all, she had no idea how to face the future, or rather, did she even have a future?

In her social death, abandoned by her lover, could she still have a future?

She wondered how she had ended up like this, step by step.

Her entire body ached from the beating, blood flowing from the wounds on her face, blurring her vision. She couldn’t see the outside world clearly.

Perhaps because she couldn’t see, some images in her mind became extraordinarily clear.

On the island, Wen Zhao had forcefully dragged her to the mirror, making her look at how wretched, pitiful, and weak she appeared.

“You ended up like this because to you, men are more important than anything else. Look at yourself now!”

“You became what you are because of the man you speak of!”

“You think you won? Winning means you got a man?”

“But what can this man give you? He can’t even protect himself!”

“Look at him, look at this person. If I want, I can make him have nothing. Even if he hates me, as long as I want him to, he must stay by my side, even if it’s just acting, he must play the role of a perfect husband! What is there about this person that’s worth me remembering?”

“He can give you everything you want, protect you, and with his affection, you can deal with anyone you want, get everything you want.”

“But once he’s broken and lost everything, you will have nothing too!”

“Why can’t you understand that what you rely on is not some domineering CEO but yourself!”

“Once a person takes a shortcut, they become addicted to the pleasure of easy gains, Su Mengyao.”

Su Mengyao curled up tightly.

The words Wen Zhao had once told her, which she couldn’t explain why, now became incredibly clear.

She thought it was mockery, cold words from someone in a high position.

But now she understood that she had spoken the truth.

If she wanted to, she could indeed make them lose everything, even make Gu Xianting, no matter how, act as a good husband.

She suddenly felt like laughing, but also a bit like crying.

Those words came from Wen Zhao, who was what? A high-born lady, the head of a conglomerate, considered a winner in life by many. But to her, this person had been a failure for a long time.

Yet, the despised failure had tried to make her understand some truths, but she hadn’t listened back then.

So, she ended up like this, beaten on the ground, mocked like a dead dog, with no one to rescue her.

Yes, Wen Zhao was right. Once someone takes a shortcut, they lose the will to work hard.

Now, she couldn’t even get up on her own.

She had forgotten how she managed to hold on before meeting Gu Xianting, when she had nothing but a fighting spirit. She felt a bit disoriented. How had she ended up in this situation?

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Han Feng arrived and rescued her from her desperate state. She looked up at him, thinking that she was indeed a despicable person, clinging to him like a parasite clinging to a tree.

“Brother Han Feng,” she clutched his collar tightly as he held her, “You’re all I have now.”

Wen Zhao was right. The pleasure of easy gains is addictive.

He took her to a private hospital. Her internal injuries were severe, and she was rushed into the operating room, narrowly escaping death.

The only thing she wanted after surviving was revenge. She hated Wen Zhao and Gu Xianting equally, but she knew her own weakness and that she couldn’t do anything on her own.

But that’s okay.

She still had Shen Han Feng.

What? You say he is about to get engaged?

Ha, the engagement hasn’t happened yet.

She didn’t care about Gu Xianting’s fiancée back then, so what about an unmarried fiancée now? She was now the one Shen Han Feng loved. As long as she nodded, as long as she looked back, hd would be willing to give up other women for her.

In fact, her gamble paid off.

After she showed full dependence on him, he rejected the Chen family’s young lady. The Chen family’s young lady, upon learning that he was involved with Su Mengyao, was disgusted as if she had eaten a fly, and almost fled from his life overnight.

“Yaoyao, I’ve already made an appointment with Dr. Zhao.” Shen Han Feng, holding her in his arms, felt a deep sense of satisfaction, as if all past regrets had been filled. “Don’t worry, after the surgery, in a month, you’ll be a new you.”

She pulled away from his embrace, looked up at him with complete trust and dependence in her eyes. “Brother Han Feng, will you still love me when I’m no longer the same person?”

“Of course, I love not your appearance but you,” he said, “Anyone could abandon you, but I won’t.”

Su Mengyao showed a touched expression, her eyes reddening, but she felt no emotional shift inside. She now understood a truth: a man’s words might be sincere, but his betrayal and abandonment can be just as sincere.

Shen Han Feng couldn’t always stay with her. After all, he was taking over the Shen family business, with many matters to attend to. As a son born out of wedlock, he had to work harder to prove himself.

Su Mengyao, understanding and considerate, sent him off. Back in her hospital room, she coldly looked at the call log on her phone.

She slowly saved the number, labeling it as “Express Delivery.”

She touched her face, wrapped in bandages, with a scar beneath. If it weren’t for the surgery and recovery, she would have already fixed her face. But now, it wasn’t too late.

The next day, Shen Han Feng took her to the renowned Dr. Zhao’s plastic surgery clinic.

Yes, the only way to change her situation now was to change her face.

Many photos of her had been spread around, turned into various memes. Even if Shen Han Feng wanted to remove them, it was useless. People tend to rebel against prohibitions; the more you try to stop it, the more it spreads.

“Yaoyao, I’m right outside,” he held her hand, speaking to her with deep affection, “Don’t worry. Dr. Zhao’s skills are top-notch. After you wake up, you’ll see a completely new you.”

“Okay.” she wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head, and kissed his lips. “Brother Han Feng, when I’m fully recovered, let’s be together.”

His eyes showed surprise, and he smiled. “Okay, I’ll wait for you to get better. In the future, I will give you a grand wedding.”

“Mm.” she lay back, closed her eyes, and was wheeled into the operating room.

He sat outside, leaning against the wall. He recalled Su Mengyao’s words, his lips curving up uncontrollably. An indescribable excitement surged through him, almost making him shiver.

For so long, not getting what he wanted had almost become an obsession—or rather, it already was.

While Su Mengyao was undergoing surgery, Gu Xianting was still in the private hospital, gritting his teeth as he underwent rehabilitation training. He had voluntarily extended the sessions, desperately wanting to recover as quickly as possible.

Sitting in a wheelchair, he found many things inconvenient. His only thought now was to recover quickly and confront Su Mengyao, to ask her why she had betrayed him!

Perhaps because of this strong desire, he made significant progress every day.

Half a month had passed, and he could now put away his crutches and walk slowly for five minutes. He believed that with continued effort, he would soon recover to his condition before the accident.

At this time, inside the Gu Corporation, Wen Zhao had just finished a meeting. The butler, now in a tailored suit, made his already outstanding demeanor even more distinguished.

“Xu Nian wants to invite you to dinner,” the butler said, placing a hand on her shoulder and kneading the stiffness caused by sitting too long. “It might be related to Gu Ruoxian. What are your plans?”

Wen Zhao leaned back, resting against the butler’s shoulder, and looked up at him with a smile that was neither fully sincere nor insincere. “She’s your sister; do you have any thoughts on this?”

“To someone who is scheming to ruin me, I have no thoughts,” he said expressionlessly.

The relationship between him and Gu Ruoxian was more than just bad; it was downright hostile.

He could understand her hatred, but she should not direct it at him. Ultimately, his birth was not his choice. Gu Ruoxian’s choice to attack him was just picking on the weaker target, unable to deal with her parents or the shareholders who disregarded her, she turned her attention to the more vulnerable Gu Xianting.

“Then let’s go to dinner,” Wen Zhao said. “I actually admire your sister a bit. Though her methods are not entirely upright, she knows what she wants from the beginning.”

Gu Ruoxian wanted the power of the Gu family. She was clear about her goal and was willing to risk everything for it.

In the previous life, Gu Ruoxian and Su Mengyao were both final winners. Gu Ruoxian became the de facto head of the Gu family, while Su Mengyao became the president’s wife. They each got what they wanted—one got power, the other money.

Only Wen Zhao, who wanted Gu Xianting as a person, ended up with nothing and lost everything in the end.

After all—how can one obtain something that never existed from the start?

When Wen Zhao and the butler arrived at the hotel Xu Nian had arranged, it was already past six in the evening.

Autumn had arrived, and it was already dark, with only a faint light on the horizon.

Xu Nian was seated by the window, with Gu Ruoxian beside him.

Upon seeing Wen Zhao, her face stiffened momentarily. Seeing Wen Zhao reminded her of her failure. She had been confident of her victory initially, but ended up at the bottom because of a useless ally.

“President Wen, why didn’t Xianting come with you?” She couldn’t help but ask first.

Wen Zhao smiled. “Xianting has been working hard on rehabilitation lately.”

Gu Ruoxian thought of how Gu Xianting’s leg was broken and found it awkward to mention the incident, as it was her actions that had led to the subsequent troubles.

“This gentleman is…” Xu Nian asked, his gaze falling on the butler beside Wen Zhao.

“He is my assistant,” Wen Zhao said. “You can call him Assistant Wen.”

Xu Nian looked at the butler for a while. He knew about the luxury car incident where Wen Zhao had personally gotten involved. He found it somewhat amusing that despite the public’s perception of Gu Xianting as a repentant sinner and the loving couple he and Wen Zhao were, the so-called devoted Wen Zhao was openly keeping a pretty boy around Gu Xianting.

But it was all deserved for him. Just thinking of his innocent and tragic daughter made Xu Nian wish to flay Gu Xianting alive.

“What a coincidence, you share the same surname,” Gu Ruoxian said with a sarcastic smile, “Assistant? It’s just a cover-up.”

Wen Zhao was not bothered by her sarcasm. After all, dismissing the barking of a loser was easy.

“Let’s get to the point. Why did you invite me?” Wen Zhao asked directly, not intending to engage in small talk.

“I’m planning to hire Miss Gu to work for me,” Xu Nian said. “I’m setting up a branch in the U.S., and I believe Miss Gu’s abilities are impressive.”

Wen Zhao assessed him and confirmed he was serious. She simply nodded. “Good. Miss Gu managed the Gu Corporation well before; I’m sure she’ll do an excellent job with your U.S. branch.”

In the previous life, Wen Zhao lost to Gu Ruoxian due to her own underestimation, but this time, she had won and had no intention of pursuing her to the end.

Her phone rang at that moment. Wen Zhao glanced at it and then smiled faintly.

“Sorry, I have an urgent matter and need to leave. Enjoy your meal,” Wen Zhao said, grabbing her phone and standing up.

Xu Nian did not insist on her staying. His purpose today was simply to inform her of his decision.

As she and the butler left, Xu Nian watched their retreating figures and thought of the phrase “a perfect match.”

“You said it was Wen Zhao who asked you to contact me,” Gu Ruoxian said, turning to him.

Xu Nian retracted his gaze and nodded. “Yes, Wen Zhao asked me to contact you.”

At the time, Xu Nian thought Wen Zhao was just worried about Gu Ruoxian causing trouble and wanted him to keep an eye on her. But now it seemed there might be more to it.

Gu Ruoxian laughed with a hint of contempt in her eyes. “She really is… arrogant.”

She saw Wen Zhao as an enemy and wanted to drag her down, but Wen Zhao still showed some pity. Wen Zhao’s reason for sending Xu Nian to find her wasn’t just to prevent her from causing trouble but also perhaps to ensure she didn’t do something irreparable out of desperation.

Wen Zhao underestimated her too much.

At this moment, Wen Zhao and the butler had already gotten into the car. She entered the address directly into the navigation system.

“Is something happening?” the butler asked while driving.

“Of course, something significant is happening,” Wen Zhao replied, looking at the messages from someone who had been keeping an eye on Gu Xianting.

“We’re going to catch someone cheating,” Wen Zhao said. “The bait is set, and the fish has taken the hook.”

During this time, Gu Xianting had been diligently rehabilitating. Now, under the guidance of specialists, he had started working out to regain his lost muscle and strength.

In addition, the private investigator he hired had been continuously sending updates about Su Mengyao.

Despite multiple attempts, he had been unsuccessful in meeting Su Mengyao.

A month had passed since Su Mengyao’s surgery, and today was the day for the doctor to remove her stitches and bandages.

Su Mengyao sat on the hospital bed, feeling nervous. Dr. Zhao, with full confidence, said, “Miss Su, don’t be nervous. You need to trust me and yourself.”

“Yes, Yaoyao, don’t be afraid. I’m here with you,” Shen Han Feng held her hand to give her strength.

Su Mengyao slowly nodded. “I’m ready.”

Dr. Zhao began unwrapping the bandages from her face. As the white bandages were gradually removed, Su Mengyao’s face appeared in the mirror.

Dr. Zhao looked at the results with satisfaction. “How is it? I told you, you’ll be my most perfect masterpiece.”

The young woman before him had shed her previous ordinariness. Now her face was like a masterpiece sculpted by the goddess Nuwa, perfect in every aspect—from facial shape to features.

Su Mengyao stared at her reflection in disbelief. She raised her hand, lightly touching the mirror, then withdrew it and gently touched her face.

“Is this really me?” Tears suddenly streamed down her face.

“Of course, it’s you,” Shen Han Feng said, reaching out to wipe her tears. To him, her tears were likely from the joy of seeing her perfect new face.

“From now on, come for follow-ups once a month, and after full recovery, once a year will be enough,” Dr. Zhao instructed.

“Thank you, Dr. Zhao,” Shen Han Feng said, expressing his gratitude.

“It’s my duty,” Dr. Zhao replied, as everyone knows that money is a significant motivator.

Su Mengyao was not paying attention to the conversation between the doctor and Shen Han Feng. She was fixated on her reflection. The scars from the malicious acts of others had vanished. Shen Han Feng’s words were true; Dr. Zhao’s skills were indeed excellent.

Her thoughts drifted to Wen Zhao.

Previously, people often compared her to Wen Zhao, wondering why Gu Xianting favored her over Wen Zhao. Was Gu Xianting blind?

Now, with her new face, even in the face of Wen Zhao, she felt no fear. However, she no longer cared about such things.

Shen Han Feng helped her put on a hat and coat and took her out of the hospital.

“Yaoyao, we need to get a new ID tomorrow. Have you decided on your new name?” He asked gently.

With her new face, a new name was necessary for a fresh start.

“I’ve decided,” she said. “I want to be called Fang Xingyao.”

Su Mengyao’s mother’s surname was Fang, and Xingyao means “new bright”—a new beginning for her.

In the underground parking lot, Gu Xianting, dressed in a black trench coat, stood in the shadows, keeping an eye on a certain direction.

Finally, he saw Shen Han Feng. His gaze fell on the woman beside him.

The woman had a completely new face, but he still recognized her from her eyes—this was Su Mengyao.

He moved forward, about to call out to her, but in the next moment, a hand grabbed his mouth from behind and restrained his arm.

He was startled and instinctively struggled, but his resistance was quickly subdued.

He was dragged a little further inside.

Meanwhile, Su Mengyao vaguely sensed some commotion. “It seems something is happening over there.”

“That’s none of our concern. Let’s go,” Shen Han Feng said, opening the car door and helping her inside.

The car quickly started and drove away, eventually disappearing from sight.

Gu Xianting’s eyes widened in shock and fear as he looked at Wen Zhao, who was standing by the car. Cold sweat poured down his back.

“Honey, shouldn’t you be at the gym at this time?” Wen Zhao’s tone was indifferent, and her gaze was cold. “Care to explain why you’re here?”