Chapter 8

After that time we stayed together, Gu Xuchen became much colder again.

Sometimes, I felt a bit exhausted, always feeling like I was chasing after him, yet also thinking I had the advantage of being close, able to get ahead of others.

Gradually.

I started to come and go from Gu Xuchen’s office with ease. I even called him “husband,” and he would tacitly accept it, though evasively.

“Husband, let’s go have steak today.”

Leaning on the desk, I smiled and suggested.

Gu Xuchen glanced at me, his expression barely changing, and replied coolly:

“Wait until I finish my meeting.”

“Okay~”

I answered obediently, settling in for the long wait during his meeting, sitting there sipping milk tea, feeling a bit sleepy.

“Ye Min.”

Wang Xuan’s voice came.

I froze for two seconds, seeing that same contemptuous look on her face as before, and didn’t feel like responding.

Wang Xuan sneered, her voice indifferent: “I don’t know what tricks you played to make Gu Xuchen marry you, but I think there’s something you really ought to know.”

I pressed my lips together, immediately imagining she was about to say Gu Xuchen had some childhood sweetheart, or a white moonlight in his heart.

But.

I didn’t expect her to throw a stack of documents at me, looking rather old.

Thanks to years of reading romance novels, I quickly recalled my family background-fairly healthy and simple. The Gu Family, though single-parent, shouldn’t have any grudge against mine.

After my mental brainstorming, I raised my eyebrows and said calmly, “Sorry, I don’t want to know.”

Wang Xuan wasn’t in a hurry. She leisurely opened the file and tossed me a list.

The names on that list-

I vaguely remembered them as people who interviewed with me. We even exchanged experiences after it ended.

But.

Strangely, they all made it to the final interview, but their rankings were below mine.

“Where did you get this?”

I was a bit flustered.

Wang Xuan raised her eyebrows, laughing: “Didn’t you see the stamp at the bottom? This is an internal document from Gu Corporation. The keeper was your interviewer at the time, Tan Bai.”

Finally.

Wang Xuan, as if afraid I wouldn’t understand, said softly, “Let me put it this way: you ranked very high and were selected, but then you were kicked out. It was Gu Xuchen’s order-maybe he was afraid you’d bother him.”

Wang Xuan’s words were like a thorn, stabbing me hard.

I stared at the document, at the bright red seal, feeling my hands tremble.

“Why should I believe you?”

“You don’t have to. Go ask, then. Ask your colleagues, ask Gu Xuchen, whoever you want. See for yourself-besides Gu Xuchen, who else could change the list? Who would dare to?”

Me: …

“Oh, now that I think about it, I get it. Maybe Gu Xuchen was being pressured to get married and couldn’t tell what kind of person he liked, so he just wanted to find someone to fob off on his family. Come to think of it, it’s best to pick someone you dislike. That way, even if he treats you badly, he won’t feel guilty-”

“Shut up!”

I gripped my milk tea tightly, cutting her off in a low voice.

In an instant.

The plastic cup was twisted out of shape in my hand, milk tea spilling onto my hand, my clothes, soaking through the fabric and making me look a mess.

“What, did I hit a nerve? Is that why you’re so angry?”

Wang Xuan couldn’t help but sneer, letting out a long breath, her voice calm: “I heard Gu Xuchen gave you quite a few bags. That’s probably his way of compensating you. You should be satisfied.”

Wang Xuan was getting more and more carried away.

But I had no strength to refute her, because every moment of Gu Xuchen’s attitude seemed to prove that what she said made perfect sense, and there was nothing wrong with it.

It was just that I was too immersed in this beautiful dream.

I didn’t want to shed tears in front of Wang Xuan, but when I hurriedly left and stood at the stairway, I didn’t know which way to go.

I walked downstairs, lost and helpless.

My phone rang.

Gu Xuchen sent a message: Something came up, I can’t make it. You go by yourself.

I stared at the message on the screen.

I felt a little dazed.

Vaguely,

I heard someone calling me, but I felt as if all my strength had been drained, unable to respond.

“Ye Min! I’ve called you so many times as your mother-in-law, are my words just wind in your ears?”

Gu’s mother hurried over to me.

I looked at her, my eyes gradually growing wet, and after a couple of sobs, I couldn’t help but start crying.

“Hey, why-why are you crying…”

Gu’s mother looked at me, flustered, frowning as she took out a tissue and raised her hand to wipe my tears. “I just said a few words and you cry.”

The more she wiped, the more tears fell.

Crying, I hugged Gu’s mother, sobbing.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Don’t cry. If something’s wrong, tell Mom. Did that boy bully you?”

“Oh dear, don’t cry, don’t cry. Mom will stand up for you.”

“What happened?”

…

I cried so hard I couldn’t catch my breath, only able to shake my head helplessly.

All the past suffering seemed to surge up at this moment, mocking me, as if meeting him again was the end of all my hardships.

“Child, don’t be like this. Seeing you cry, it breaks Mom’s heart.”

“What happened? Tell Mom.”

Gu’s mother asked anxiously.

But I couldn’t say it, just like I couldn’t ask Gu Xuchen that question.

Gu Xuchen.

Do you really hate me that much?

Hate me so much you’d change the course of my life with your own hands.

Late at night, when everything was quiet.

I tossed and turned, unable to sleep, as if all the happiness I once thought I had now turned into sharp blades, stabbing straight into my heart.

Tears slid down the corners of my eyes.

Choking back sobs, I got up, wanting to go to the kitchen for some water.

But as soon as I approached, I heard Gu’s mother scolding inside, while Gu Xuchen replied half-heartedly, sounding perfunctory.

The tension in the air grew thicker.

Gu’s mother stood with her hands on her hips, mixing all sorts of words as she scolded.

Vaguely,

Her meaning was-

“What are you so busy with? You’re just like your father. Can’t you tell work from life?

Work needs effort, but doesn’t life need it too? What’s the difference between you and a robot?”

“Tonight’s matter is very important.”

Gu Xuchen picked up a glass with one hand, took a sip, his slender fingers resting on the cup, lowering his head to avoid Gu’s mother’s gaze.

“What could be more important than your wife?”

Gu’s mother was still angry.

The next second,

Gu Xuchen’s jaw tightened, his eyes cold as he looked at Gu’s mother, pausing before he said:

“Everything.”

As soon as the words fell,

Gu’s mother was stunned.

I also froze where I stood, as if struck by lightning, immensely grateful that the living room was dim and unlit at this moment.

“Get out, Fuck off!”

Gu’s mother shouted sharply.

I hurriedly hid to the side, afraid that if I was a step too slow, my dignity would be shattered.

Watching Gu Xuchen’s figure disappear into the darkness,

A despair I had never felt before washed over me, as if I were drowning in the ocean, losing all my strength bit by bit.