Chapter 157: Severe Injury

During the recording of the Top 6 to Top 4 round of The Voice, even though Su Tong had advanced as the third place in his group, he was now ranked first, securing his spot in the finals with absolute certainty.

The live broadcast would take place in two weeks. During this period, Su Tong remained overwhelmed with work, as Apartment for Love was finally ready to be sold. Su Tong was the primary person in charge of the post-production, handling the musical score and various other details.

Because of this, Zhang Xin had also been extremely busy, carrying the tapes of the first few episodes to various television stations and video streaming websites to peddle the broadcasting rights for Apartment for Love.

Although Sister Ya held significant power at Qinhuang, because Qinhuang had initially rejected the production of Apartment for Love, Su Tong and Zhang Xin had decided not to consider them, choosing to pitch it everywhere else first.

After running around for a week, aside from Star Hang Satellite TV purchasing the premiere rights, only one second-tier channel signed a contract at 150,000 per episode.

The premiere rights for Star Hang Satellite TV were sold at 400,000 per episode.

Having only just recovered their production costs from the sale to Star Hang Satellite TV, Zhang Xin naturally refused to stop there and traveled all over the country.

If not for the fact that Yang Feifei starred as the female lead, probably not a single TV station other than Star Hang Satellite TV would have been willing to buy it.

In just over a week, Apartment for Love was sold to three television stations and two video streaming websites.

"Sister Xin, you've worked hard." When Zhang Xin returned from another trip out of town, Su Tong went to the company to see her, personally pouring her a cup of water and tea.

Zhang Xin looked exhausted, but her eyes were still full of passion. "It's fine. I like this kind of busy life; it makes a person forget all their unhappiness and leaves no time to think about other things."

Su Tong had long sensed that Sister Xin must have been hurt in past relationships; otherwise, very few women would willingly choose to live this kind of lifestyle.

"When are you going to get married, Sister Xin? You're not getting any younger. Don't end up unable to find a husband and make me support you in your old age," Su Tong joked with a laugh while massaging Zhang Xin's shoulders.

Zhang Xin was already used to Su Tong's nonsense and didn't take it to heart. "There's no rush. Getting married at forty isn't considered late. Living a brilliant life beats anything else. Before the age of twenty, you basically study for your family; after twenty, you work hard and live for your other half. I only started living for myself in the past couple of years, so I won't be getting married anytime soon. I'll consider looking for a boyfriend at thirty-five and get married and have children before forty."

"Then you must take good care of your health. If a woman is too overworked, she ages very quickly. No amount of skincare can withstand the corrosion of time; the traces of time infiltrate everywhere." Su Tong felt a genuine ache in his heart for this older sister.

Building a studio from scratch and watching it thrive was largely due to Zhang Xin's monumental contributions. Su Tong only had to sing a bit and write a bit, living a fulfilling life but nowhere near as exhausting as Zhang Xin's.

Besides, he was still young, and youth was his capital.

Some thirty-year-olds, due to being busy and lacking exercise, already had drastically weakened bodies.

"Xiao Tong, even if what you say sounds unpleasant, it makes a lot of sense. It's a pity your sister is old." Zhang Xin sighed. If not for the age gap, she felt she might have fallen for Su Tong as well.

Su Tong channeled energy through the pores of his hands to massage Zhang Xin's head. Before long, Zhang Xin leaned back in her chair and fell into a deep sleep.

"I never expected to have a thing for mature women older than me." Su Tong left Zhang Xin's office and took a deep breath. He didn't want to keep talking to Zhang Xin because he realized he was losing control, his hands constantly tempted to move downward and cup Zhang Xin's full breasts.

The Creator was truly wondrous; why did He make men adore women so much?

Before he even left the company, Su Tong suddenly received a call from Xiaoyu.

After hanging up, his expression turned gloomy and filled with anxiety. He quickly made a phone call and immediately rushed to the airport.

In the car, he used his phone to book the earliest flight back to Seaside City.

Upon getting off the plane, Su Tong did not rush home; instead, he headed straight to a hospital.

Outside the hospital operating room, Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao were sitting on a bench, sleeping with their heads resting on the lap of a pure and exceptionally pretty girl.

That girl was none other than Gao Litong.

Seeing Su Tong appear in a whirlwind, Gao Litong's eyes turned red and she wanted to stand up. However, with Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao sleeping on her lap, she ultimately stayed seated.

Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao shared an inexplicable telepathic connection with Su Tong. The moment he arrived, both woke up almost simultaneously.

"Brother."

"Gege."

The two sisters scrambled up and ran toward Su Tong.

It was only then that Su Tong noticed a large amount of blood stains on the two sisters' clothes.

"Wuwu..."

The two sisters threw themselves into Su Tong's arms and wept bitterly. They had already cried before and had only fallen asleep in Gao Litong's arms after crying themselves to exhaustion.

"Are you hurt? Are either of you hurt?" Su Tong searched all over Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao, finally feeling a slight sense of relief when he found no injuries.

The blood on the two sisters belonged to someone else.

To be precise, it belonged to their father.

"Don't cry, don't cry, Brother is back." Su Tong scooped the two sisters back onto the bench.

After comforting Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao, Su Tong turned to Gao Litong, who was quietly wiping away tears nearby, and said, "Thank you."

Gao Litong shook her head slightly, her beautiful eyes red-rimmed and her nose flushed.

Gao Litong was the person Su Tong had called before heading to the airport.

"Xiaoyu, you did the right thing by calling 120 first, then asking the neighbors for help, and finally calling me." Su Tong doted on Xiaoyu to his very core; she was simply too sensible.

Today was Saturday, and Su Father hadn't gone to work at the construction site. He had taken Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao out to play, and upon returning home, they discovered a burglary in progress—the intruders were brazenly trying to move Xiaoyu's piano and violin out of the house.

Su Father stepped in to stop them and was beaten by the two intruders during the scuffle.

According to the villagers, it was the work of several local drug addicts from the village and a neighboring village who lived by petty thievery and had previously stolen things from many families in the village.

"Junkies!"

Su Tong burned with rage; the term referred to young drug abusers.

Ever since Su Tong had taught him a lesson last time, Su Father hadn't touched alcohol for over a month, which had even surprised Su Tong.

"Did you call the police?" Su Tong asked.

Xiaoyu nodded, clenching her small fists, expressing great anger toward the emergency services and the police for their inefficiency, saying that they had taken a very long time to arrive after the call.

The perpetrators had fled, and the police were currently issuing a wanted notice. However, Su Tong didn't believe the police would put their hearts into it. Gao Litong's family had certain connections in high places, so having her step in would yield better results.

The reason Su Tong called Gao Litong wasn't just because she had money and could advance the hospital fees; it was also because of this.

"Brother, before the ambulance came, Father had something he wanted me to tell you before he passed out." Xiaoyu's eyes turned red again.

"Hmm," Su Tong nodded.

"Father said, please don't take Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao away, and that he won't drink anymore," Xiaoyu cried. In her eyes, Su Father was the most loving father in the world.

At that moment, the door to the operating room opened, and Su Father was pushed out by nurses, lying on a hospital bed.

Su Father was unconscious, his head wrapped in thick gauze, and his hands were bandaged as well.

Junkies would do anything for drug money. Rumors said they had even tried to kidnap Xiaoyu and Xiaoxiao at the time, which was why Su Father had fought them desperately, resulting in severe injuries.

"Dad." Seeing Su Father's miserable state and the oxygen mask over his face, Su Tong's tears instantly fell. (To be continued...)