Occupy Your Heart And Love

In the quiet and empty corridor of the hospital, the cracked floor tiles shone under the dazzling ceiling light.

The silence was broken by the door being pushed open. Urgent footsteps came from the half-opened door with a gust of cold wind, which seemed to make the rows of pale lights sway.

Sweat trickled down Lily Gu's forehead. She was out of breath. As her hand supporting the gurney slipped, she fell heavily to the ground.

Her toes were bloody as she didn't realize when the shoe on one of her feet had disappeared. Her wounds were caked in mud. She had endured the pain for so long that she had become numb.

A nurse came running towards her and helped her up. "Are you all right, Dr. Lily?" Lily Gu pushed her away fiercely!

Her eyes were as red as a manic rabbit. Biting her lower lip, she looked at the nurse and yelled, "Forget about me! Take my father to the emergency room. Hurry up!"

The nurse nodded in panic. After hesitating for a while, she pushed the gurney away, leaving Lily Gu behind her.

With her hands on her knees, Lily Gu lowered her head and her hair fell over her face, concealing her expression. The only sign of her distress was her quivering shoulders, which, in turn, made her hair shake as well.

"Dad...,"

she murmured. Her nose twitched. The tears that she had been imprisoned in her eyes for a long time finally poured out like a flood.

She thought she was a very terrible daughter.

It was true.

Her father did not understand her and forced her to take over the family business, but that was no reason for her to say those vicious words to him.

Absolutely not.

He was her father, after all! They depended on each other.

Lily Gu didn't come to her senses until the nurse came back to her.

"Dr. Lily? Oh my God! Why are you still sitting on the ground! Get up. Mr. Jacob has been taken to the operating room. He will be fine!" With her help, Lily Gu slowly sat on the chair in the corridor.

Her face was as pale as the light above her.

She moved her lips and said hoarsely, "My father... Will he be okay?"

"Of course! Mr. Jacob has such an excellent doctor as her daughter. God will bless him! Dr. Lily, you have hold on for him right now, okay?"

Lily Gu nodded and suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

'An excellent doctor?' she thought to herself.

Yes, she was very good at her profession. Many patients' families specially asked for her to perform operations as she had a reputation for pulling back dying patients from the clutches of death. That sense of accomplishment was incomparable to anything.

However, her father never shared their opinion nor did he feel proud of having a daughter who was a doctor.

For him, she was born to take over the huge YS Group in the future and she had no say in the matter.

Leaning against the back of the chair, Lily Gu gently rubbed her eyebrows with her fingers, but the wrinkles on her forehead could not be smoothed.

She was very tired.

She knew very well that she had to make a choice between the hospital and the company. This caused a lot of conflict between the father and daughter. If it went on like this, she would end up sending her father to his grave with the stress.

The nurse held her hand and kept her company.

By the time the operation ended, Lily Gu had fallen asleep on the nurse's shoulder. Suddenly, she felt something warm wrapped around her and then opened her eyes in a trance.

"Dr. Joe..." rubbing her sore eyes, she murmured to the man, who was bent over, about to drape a coat over her frail figure.

Joe Zhou stood up awkwardly and coughed self-consciously. "You can sleep in my duty room. It's cold out here. If you catch a cold, I will have to treat you."

Seeing him, the nurse smiled knowingly and sneaked away.

Lily Gu casually lifted his coat, stood up gingerly with the help of a chair, and handed it back to Joe Zhou. "Come on. Are you so kind as to treat me? You have been teasing me all day long. Do you still care about me?"

Hearing this, Joe Zhou frowned and said in an aggrieved tone, "Lily, do you have any conscience? We are both pitiful people who share the same problem. When did I tease you? Anyway, I won't quarrel with you. What happened to Mr. Jacob? Did you piss him off?"

Lily Gu rolled her eyes at him and said nothing.

"Oh, you really did piss him off?" Joe Zhou was just pulling her leg. He didn't expect his guess to hit the mark. Lowering his head, he said, "Actually, I admire you very much. When I told my father that I wanted to be a doctor and wouldn't take over the company, he didn't argue with me at all and went straight to the duster. Well, well, Lily. You are something."

She was at a loss for words so she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Don't talk nonsense. Don't you see how anxious I am?"

Joe Zhou patted her on the back and said, "It's okay. Don't worry. I just went to the operating room to check. It's not a big deal."

Hearing this, Lily Gu breathed a sigh of relief. She put one hand on her forehead and closed her swollen eyes, offering a silent prayer of thanks.

Just then, a figure stormed into the hospital like a whirlwind and before anybody could react, a light flashed in Lily Gu's eyes.

Crack!

Lily Gu staggered from the force of the slap. If it hadn't been for Joe Zhou's quick response and agile actions, she would have fallen on the ground.

Holding her in his arms, he looked at the woman in front of him angrily. "What the hell are you doing?" How could she hit a doctor in a hospital? The mystery figure laughed sardonically and stared at Lily with venom dripping from her eyes.

Gritting her teeth, the woman screamed, "You shameless bastard! You have caused so much stress to your father that you sent him to the hospital and now here you are flirting with this man! Aren't you afraid that your father won't get up from the bed?" Red-hot rage coursed through Joe Zhou's body at this accusation.

He stepped forward to put this nasty figure in place but was stopped by Lily.

Covering the half of her face, which had been slapped red, she clenched her fist. Narrowing her eyes, she remarked snidely, "You have finally shown your true colors, haven't you? Don't think that I don't know what you are planning. You want to steal my father's property, don't you? If there is such easy money to be made, why would anybody need to work hard? Do you agree, Mom?"

Julie was stunned by Lily's words. Her hand, which was about to deliver another slap, stopped in midair. Narrowing her eyes, she demanded, "Lily, you are willing to call me Mom now, huh? Why don't you ever call me Mom in front of Jacob? I've been in your family for more than ten years and I've finally become your mother. But you never accepted me all these years. You are always grumpy around me."

"Mom, that's enough!"

Lily was incensed. Her father was still in the operating room and his prognosis was uncertain. This stupid woman was discussing trivial matters at a time like this. Moreover, she was the reason for her biological mother's death. Julie had forced her mother to her grave by mentally torturing her over time and then swooped in to take her place in the Gu family!

"Why are you getting impatient with me now?" With her arms crossed over her chest, Julie stood up straight and snorted. "We have to make a deal today. If Jacob can't survive this, I want at least half of the share of the YS Group. In addition, the Gu family's villa should also be in my name. I'm not greedy for the rest. Let's divide it. You take seventy percent and I'll take thirty percent. What do you think?"

Lily immediately slapped her without a second thought.

The slap knocked Julie out. Her neatly-tied hair came undone and splattered over her face.

Julie glared at Lily as though she wanted to strangle her. Hatred was hidden in the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. "How dare you hit me?"

She stood up, ready to attack Lily but Joe caught her wrist firmly.

"Miss, please have some respect. I can't interfere with your family affairs, but I can't turn a blind eye either, especially when it comes to Dr. Lily's safety. If you continue to create trouble like this, I will have to resort to some harsh measures. I'll call the police and have you arrested."

Sure enough, Joe's threat had the desired result. After a pause, Julie pointed at Lily with her sharp nail, merely inches from her eyes and said, "Let's wait and see. If you disobey your father and refuse to take over the YS Group, he has promised me that he will give me half of the property. Then don't come crying to me!"

With that, she turned around and stormed out in the same way that she had arrived.

Lily stood still. She didn't slap Julie very hard, but her palm was tingling from the impact, which made her feel very uncomfortable.

She didn't normally fight with others no matter how bad the situation got.

But Julie pushed her over the edge. How could she talk this way at this moment? Her father had always loved Julie very much and he still took care of her as before. As his daughter, she thought it was enough but her stepmother was not satisfied. She was greedy for her father's property and mocked her secretly.

Lily gritted her teeth and felt that the slap was worth it. 'Just take it as a slap for my late mother, '

she thought to herself. Bending down, she took off the shoe on the other foot and threw it into the trash can. Then she started to walk out barefoot.

"Where are you going?" Joe immediately stepped forward, stopping her. "Don't do stupid things."

"Do you think I'm a clueless little girl? I'll go back home and get a change of clothes, and also buy some nutritious food," she explained. Lily found him amusing.

Joe nodded and squinted at her. Suddenly, he asked, "Are you hiding something from me?"

Lily was stunned. Lowering her head slowly, she confessed, "No wonder you're my mind reader, Joe. In fact, there is another reason why I quarreled with my father today. He thought it was time for me to get married. But I don't even have a boyfriend right now. He said I was unfilial."

"What do you think of me?"

She was stunned. Shaking her head with a wry smile, she replied, "Don't joke with me. I'm not in the mood now."

Joe thought for a while and said hoarsely, "You still can't forget him, can you?"

A mix of irritation and disgust flashed across Lily's face. She walked towards the exit without another word and turned to wave at him. Joe's face turned gloomy.

Lily drove her Hyundai, which was due for retirement, at a leisurely pace. There were a few scratches on the car, which happened when she was rushing to the hospital earlier. She was feeling too lost and sad to care about it.

It was dark outside. There were few people on the road and even fewer cars passing by her.

So when there was a huge collision in front of her, Lily was startled.

Was there an accident?

Did she hit someone? Getting out of the car in a hurry, she spotted the black Phaeton in front of her in a bad state.

The left light of the car had been broken and the glass was scattered all over the ground.

Her eyes darted around in panic and she saw that the traffic light was red.

'Damn it! I ran a red light. It's all my fault.'

Lily walked over to the driver's side of the Phaeton. Leaning forward, she peered inside but the black film on the window prevented her from seeing the driver's face clearly.

She had no choice but to knock on the window. "I'm really sorry. I was careless. Please check the condition of your car so that we can deal with the compensation."

The man didn't move, as if he hadn't heard her.

"I'm in a hurry. Can you step out of the car please?" Something felt strange.

The man still didn't move.

She was starting to get antsy. After pausing for a moment, she reached out to open the door but suddenly she heard the window being rolled down.

She raised her head and squinted.

The man's face slowly appeared in front of her. His eyes were as plain as water and his nose was straight. His thin, angular lips were slightly pursed and there was an intriguing smile on his face. Turning his head slightly, he looked at her without blinking. His pupils shrank slightly just for a second before returning to normal.

Lily's mind went blank.

Her fingertips were cold and numb. Suddenly she spun on her heel and left.

"Miss Gu."

The man stopped her.

"Long time no see."

Lily's heart was racing and her mouth went dry. She nodded casually and took another step forward.

"Lily!"

This time, he did not call her "Miss Gu."

Peter Bai suddenly pushed the door open, jumped out of the car and ran to catch up with her. Grabbing her shoulders, he pulled her towards him and lowered his head. He kissed her deeply and passionately without demur.

Peter Bai gripped her waist and twisted her arms behind her back. Cradling her head, he kissed her hotly with a mix of bitterness and affection as he plundered her mouth wantonly.

Lily felt that the sky and the earth were spinning around. This man who had disappeared from her life for a long time caught her off guard. Her body reacted without her consent and in an instant, she lost all her resistance.

The glow of the headlights of both cars washed over them, making her face look paler. Her hair flew in the wind, floating behind her like a black waterfall.

Peter Bai held her waist tightly, unwilling to let her go. "Lily..."

Crack!

All of a sudden, Peter Bai received a slap. He stood motionless for a long time.

"Are you a bandit or a rogue? Peter, I can sue you for sexual harassment, okay?" He licked his numb lips and said in a low voice, "Then sue me! But I want to taste you again before you do that."

He trapped her in his arms once again, held her face with both hands, and kissed her hard.

Lily tried her best to avoid him but there was no way to escape. She closed her mouth to prevent his tongue from entering. Unexpectedly, he pinched her neck and when she cried out in pain, he took advantage of her.

His tongue danced with hers and he began to lick and bite her lips affectionately over and over again, tirelessly.

She was out of breath and even her legs were wobbling.

After kissing her senseless, Peter Bai suddenly pulled away and looked down at her intently. Before she could react, he grabbed her waist and flung her over his shoulder!

"Let me go! Peter! You lunatic, put me down!"

He turned a deaf ear to her protests. She battered his back with punches, which felt like soft rain to him. Peter shoved her into the back seat without much ado and started the car quickly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lily scrambled up and grabbed his shirt collar from behind. "We have broken up, Peter!" she shrieked.

"It doesn't matter. We can start over again," he replied flatly.

"I don't want to do that! Stop the car. I have something important to do!"

He sneered. Glancing at her in the rearview mirror, he asked, "Something important? Like what? You have a date?"

After a pause, Lily loosened her grip on his collar a little but then suddenly grabbed it again with more strength than before. Raising her chin, she said in a disdainful tone, "Yes, I have a date with another man. Do you know that I'm engaged to someone, Peter? It just happened yesterday. He is my colleague and the future heir of the Zhou Group. He is a talented and handsome man."

The man was stunned for a few seconds and suddenly stepped on the brake.

"What did you say?"

His voice was low and dangerous.

Lily smiled sardonically and stated, "I said I'm engaged. I'm someone else's fiancee. Do you understand, Peter? I don't know why you have suddenly appeared in my life and I'm not interested in how you have been doing all these years. Whatever we had is all in the past now. We have separated and I don't want to have anything to do with you. I'm sorry. I don't want to get back together with you."

With that, she pushed the door open and got out of the car. A blast of cold wind instantly hit her body.

She sprinted away without looking back.

Like a deranged rabbit, Lily ran wildly on the empty road with her hair dancing behind her in the wind. She was still barefoot and completely unaware of the pain in her feet. She just kept running in panic.

Peter was back.

He finally came back.

Her legs were numb by now so she gradually slowed down.

The more she ran, the heavier her legs felt as though they were filled with lead, eventually making it impossible for her to move any further.

Squatting down slowly, she wrapped her arms around her thin body. The harsh wind made her shiver.

Her heart sank.

She thought of the storm five years ago. Peter's words wreaked more havoc in her life than that storm.

Large raindrops hit her face one after another, pricking her all over as if each one was a needle, leaving her body covered with wounds.

He stood still as a rock in front of her, his eyes cold and emotionless.

"Lily, it's over. I don't love you. I have never loved you. For me, you are just a way to deal with my loneliness. I'm going abroad. I won't take you with me. Lily, you will never be a part of my life. Let's break up peacefully. Don't make things difficult for anyone. Got it?" he said ruthlessly.

She raised the corners of her mouth sadly.

"What's wrong with you, Peter? Today is my birthday. You were going to propose to me. You are lying to me, aren't you? This must be a lie. It's raining heavily. Let's go back and discuss this, okay? I'll make your favorite desserts. Didn't you say..."

"Enough! Lily, are you deaf? Can't you hear me? Don't you think a woman should have some dignity?"

These words pierced his heart first like a sharp dagger and then they pierced Lily's cruelly.

Her heart shed blood like water.

She didn't know how she did it but she managed to nod calmly, say goodbye politely, and walk away from him forever.

She recalled that she had kept walking, as if the road had no end.

The roar of the torrential rain made it hard for her to escape the grief in her heart.

However, she didn't want to escape. She just walked in the rain, feeling hollow inside.

A flash of lightning streaked through the night sky, illuminating her ashen face. The thunder rumbled so loudly she felt like she might go deaf.

'Should I just kill myself?' Lily thought miserably. But the truth was, she did die in the heavy rain on that fateful night without realizing it. In other words, a part of her was dead now.

There was no greater grief than death.

Nothing was more painful than this. Absolutely, nothing.

Being hurt by the one you love is worse than death.