Chapter 237: Unexpected

Song Jingyu watched Hao Manru being dragged onto the bank by the driver, then turned away with a cold face; he was thoroughly fed up with this mother‑daughter pair.

The driver sat on the bank, breathing heavily, while wondering whether he should give Hao Manru emergency rescue.

After all, if Hao Manru really came to harm, he probably couldn't escape responsibility.

But just as he hesitated, Hao's mother rushed over and yanked him away, shouting angrily, "Don't touch my daughter!"

The driver had just expended great effort rescuing someone; being pulled by Hao's mother, he almost fell to the ground.

He had good intentions saving someone; even if the other party was grateful, they still yelled at him, making him feel like a thug; thinking this, he felt some anger, but out of respect for Hao's mother's status he didn't show it.

Hao's mother lunged to the unconscious Hao Manru's face, frantically patting her, crying, "Daughter, how are you? Open your eyes quickly, I'm your mother!"

"How could you be so stupid, just jumping down like that? If something happens to you, how can I live?"

Although Hao's mother's method was wrong, after her tussle Hao Manru spat out a big mouthful of water, then began violent coughing and regained consciousness.

After regaining consciousness, Hao Manru's first words were: "Where's Jingyu brother? Just now, wasn't it him who jumped into the river to save me? Wasn't it him who gave me artificial respiration? I knew Jingyu brother loves me; he would never just watch me die."

"Mom, I've now become intimate with Jingyu brother; you must tell Dad to let Jingyu brother marry me."

Hao's mother looked at her daughter's hopeful eyes, a hint of hesitation flashed across her face; she dared not provoke her daughter further, only able to advise: "Manru, this isn't urgent; you just fell into the water and are soaked; let's go change clothes first, okay?"

Seeing her mother's expression, Hao Manru instantly sensed something was wrong; given her mother's temperament, shouldn't she be pulling Song Jingyu to make him take responsibility right now?

Why would she be told to change clothes first? Hao Manru immediately looked around, but didn't see Song Jingyu's figure; instead she saw a soaking‑wet driver standing nearby.

At that moment a terrifying thought flashed through Hao Manru's mind: could she not have been rescued by this driver just now?

Thinking of how that short, ugly driver had actually embraced her just now, Hao Manru let out a sharp scream; the unpleasant experience of that night flashed through her mind again.

Hao Manru screamed while struggling desperately, appearing as if she had suffered some humiliation.

The driver felt bewildered, "Hao, teacher, elder—this girl must be sick!"

Seeing her daughter like this, the driver still stood there as if nothing happened; Hao's mother immediately shouted angrily, "Get lost!"

The driver felt both wronged and angry: what had he done? Being yelled at repeatedly, this mother‑daughter pair were practically lunatics; he really had rotten luck for eight lifetimes to get this assignment.

But the driver said nothing, turned and left; Hao Manru didn't mind wearing wet clothes being uncomfortable, but he couldn't stand it—he needed to go back to the car right away to change into spare clothes.

After the driver left, Hao's mother desperately tried to calm her daughter's emotions; after an unknown amount of time, Hao Manru finally calmed down, painfully clutching her stomach, her face deathly pale.

"How are you?" Hao's mother followed her daughter's motion and saw that her pants had been stained red with blood at some point.

Having been through this herself, Hao's mother immediately understood what had happened; she hurriedly comforted her daughter: "It's fine, with Mom here it's fine."

Hao Manru was now in so much pain she couldn't speak.

After comforting her daughter, Hao's mother loudly called for the driver to bring the car over; the driver had just finished changing clothes, was startled by the shout, but still drove the car over as instructed.

Hao's mother took off her own coat to cover her daughter's body, then helped her daughter get into the car with difficulty.

Because Hao Manru's condition was urgent and Hao's mother didn't dare take her to a regular hospital, she could only find a nearby black clinic.

The driver was unmarried and didn't really understand Hao Manru's condition, so when Hao's mother said Hao Manru had menstrual pain, he believed her.

He thought this mother‑daughter pair were probably crazy; when sick they wouldn't go to a proper big hospital but insisted on coming to this shabby little clinic.

But the driver didn't say much; he did whatever Hao's mother said; facing her threat that today's affairs must absolutely not be told to anyone, he also nodded in agreement.

Hao's mother helped Hao Manru into the clinic; the doctor saw Hao Manru's condition and his face changed instantly.

Hao's mother immediately took out a large wad of money and shoved it into the doctor's hands, begging him to save her daughter no matter what.

The doctor hurriedly had people help Hao Manru onto the operating table; after several hours of ordeal, Hao Manru's life was temporarily preserved, but this incident caused her great bodily harm; she would probably never be able to get pregnant again.

Upon hearing this, Hao's mother's body involuntarily trembled; she would never be able to be a grandmother again; her daughter would never be able to have her own child in this lifetime.

The blow to Hao's mother from this incident was almost greater than when she first learned her daughter had been insulted.

She helplessly grabbed the doctor's hand, pleading for him to cure her daughter; her daughter was still so young—if she couldn't have children, how would she live the rest of her life?

The doctor could only shake his head helplessly, indicating he had done his best.

Hao's mother instantly fell into deep despair; at the same time, her hatred for Song Jingyu reached its peak.

She felt that her daughter's current plight was entirely Song Jingyu's fault.

If Song Jingyu had agreed from the start to marry her daughter, none of this would have happened.

Song Jingyu didn't know that Hao's mother harbored such immense hatred toward him; he continued his routine work, assisting the disaster area with post‑earthquake reconstruction.

Without the disturbance from Hao Manru and her mother, Song Jingyu felt his work became much easier.

When everything concluded, Song Jingyu and his team also received the rewards they deserved.

Song Jingyu placed a bright red medal into Su Ruo's hand, gave her a smart military salute: "Comrade Su Ruo, here I express my sincere thanks; I hope you can accept it."

Su Ruo felt the medal heavy in her hand; looking at the resolute, daring man before her, she felt some hesitation, but ultimately did not return the medal.

Perhaps she should give herself, and also him, a chance.

Su Ruo had never been a hesitant person; since her heart had already wavered, she wouldn't forcefully suppress it—after all, some things you won't know if they're bad unless you try them.

But if one day this feeling made her feel bad, she would also immediately leave without hesitation.