Chapter 475: Chapter 475 - 469: So What If You’re Photographed?

The bags on the backs of those two people were bulging, standing there, looking quite unremarkable from head to toe, yet somehow they gave off a peculiar feeling.

They didn’t come near to undergo security checks. When one of them noticed Mr. Xv’s gaze towards them, he casually took out a pack of cigarettes and prepared to light one, only to be advised by a passing nurse not to smoke in the hospital. From a distance, it seemed like he was pestering the nurse about where the smoking room was. The nurse helplessly pointed in the direction of the end of this floor’s corridor, and only then did they nod and walk away naturally.

After working in this industry for a long time, one’s vigilance is generally high, and there’s a keen sensitivity to the existence of some things. Mr. Xu took another look at them, seeing that they had already entered the smoking room, confirming that they were probably not reporters ready to sneak photos of Shi Su, and then he retracted his gaze, but still stood behind Shi Su to shield her as much as possible.

"Is Mr. Shi in room V06?" After passing the security check, Shi Su retrieved her credentials and asked.

The nurse beside her saw the name Shi Su on her ID card and nodded: "Yes, however, room V06 is the intensive care unit, and only one family member is allowed in at a time. There is currently another family member inside, so Miss Shi might have to wait outside and can’t visit right away."

"Alright, understood."

Shi Su spoke while heading in that direction.

After getting through security, Mr. Xv looked back a couple more times; those two hadn’t come out from the smoking room again, thinking he might have been overthinking it. Even if Shi Su appeared in the hospital, it was only to visit an elderly family member. Even if she were photographed, there wouldn’t be much of a selling point. It wasn’t worth those paparazzi trying to sneak in through layers of barriers to secretly photograph her.

Moreover, even if she were indeed captured and exposed, it would only demonstrate Shi Su’s filial piety, taking time out of her busy schedule to visit her grandfather. Although rumors have always spread that Shi Su and the Shi Family don’t get along, this could actually dispel those discord rumors and serve as positive publicity.

So what if she’s photographed?

Shi Su indeed strikes as an extremely dedicated artist, evident from her demeanor when they first met today. The usual gossip flying in the circles can indeed be disregarded. Such a composed and gracious girl, no wonder many directors enjoy working with her and have a fond impression of her.

Shi Su had already reached the door of Mr. Shi’s ward.

It indeed was a critical intensive care unit, yet also one of the VIP rooms of the capital’s largest and most authoritative hospital, so there’s no doubt the environment inside wasn’t bad. There were at least five nurses waiting outside along with a few people, possibly family or relatives of the Shi Family, whispering amongst themselves. Seeing Shi Su walk over, a few of them seemed surprised, as if they didn’t recognize her; some did, but clearly didn’t expect she’d actually come.

Through a glass wall that wasn’t very big but provided a clear view of the outside of the intensive care unit, Mr. Shi could be seen lying drowsily on the hospital bed, with instruments attached or wires clipped to his fingers and body, with tubes inserted in places not visible, lightly covered by a blanket. Though hard to tell exactly where from this angle, it was apparent he was very weak. The various instruments in the ward displayed real-time monitoring data of Mr. Shi’s body.

Witnessing such a scene, Shi Su’s gaze paused for a moment, suddenly recalling over twenty years ago when, as a child of only a few years, she stood in a hospital room, watching her mother, also covered in tubes, lying motionlessly until she passed away.

What was she thinking back then?

She was only a child, seemingly not even five years old.

She already understood her mother’s death was linked to Shi Lingkang and that woman by his side.

The Shi Family, a place that had haunted her with nightmares since childhood, not allowing her a single normal day; she wished never to have any connections with it again in this lifetime.

To her, kinship and blood ties only meant Shi Mianmian, her true blood relative; everyone else was irrelevant to her.

She observed Mr. Shi’s sleeping face neutrally. He was originally a very tall and slender kind of elder, showed signs of a good appearance in his youth, but at this moment, the torment of illness left his cheekbones sunken, the color of his face sallow, and the whole person exuding exhaustion as if he were a dying lamp.

For an elderly person who has reached this stage, leaving sooner might bring less suffering.

But he was, after all, Mr. Shi. Now, it wasn’t a matter of whether he wanted to go but whether the Shi Family could allow him to go before resolving all the ’issues’.

The turbulence within the capital’s business circle was anything but ordinary; every slight change would be captured by those with keen senses.

As an example now, Shi Su was merely there to take one last look at her elder, but the look in the eyes of the few people behind her practically bore a hole through her back.

"The person inside is Mr. He," Mr. Xv whispered as he walked up behind Shi Su: "It seems Mr. He’s been in there for a while; it’s finally his turn to go in, but it seems Mr. Shi has been comatose for quite a while with no way to communicate normally."

Shi Su glanced at the situation inside the ward without speaking, then turned back to give Mr. Xv a look, asking him if he needed assistance in delivering something to Mr. He.

Mr. Xv pulled a stack of materials wrapped in kraft paper from his briefcase and showed her: "Mr. He will probably be out soon. I’ll give it to him directly later when he comes out. If you want to go in, you can go in then. I will discuss the program affairs with He Dao afterward; he doesn’t know you’ve signed yet."

Shi Su retracted her gaze, noticing that Mr. He seemed to feel the eyes from outside, subtly turned to look out, brightened noticeably upon seeing Shi Su and Mr. Xv, delighted to encounter Shi Su there. He immediately made a silent gesture in the ward, indicating he would be out soon.

Shi Su nodded.

"Shi Su." Suddenly, someone spoke from behind her.

She turned around and saw a man in his thirties standing there, who had been outside the ward door all along, wearing glasses that made him look quite refined, politely greeted her: "I’m Shi Xiangchao. It’s unexpected our first meeting would be here. You can call me Xiang Chao."

"Brother?" Shi Su appeared to be smiling, although her eyes revealed little emotion, and the smile didn’t reach them: "I’ve lived for these twenty-six years and never knew I had so many brothers; how come suddenly there’s another one?"

Shi Xiangchao remained unfazed by the subtle sarcasm in her tone, replied gentlemanly with a light smile: "It’s indeed presumptuous, and certainly a first meeting. I am Mr. Shi’s grandnephew, having returned from abroad last year. This past year, I’ve been working together here in the capital with my uncle, your father Shi Lingkang. While you don’t know much about me, I’ve heard quite a bit about you."