Mist welled up in Gu Qingyue’s eyes. Deeply moved to the point of tears, she sniffed and forced back the urge to cry as she said, “Shang Yuze, thank you.”
The corners of Shang Yuze’s lips curved slightly. Then he seemed to think of something, and his expression turned a shade more serious. “How did you find out about this?”
Gu Qingyue told the truth. “I heard it from Gu Jiaxin.”
A chill crept into Shang Yuze’s dark eyes. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as a flash of coldness passed through them. “Did someone from the Gu family come looking for you?”
Yet his voice remained as gentle as ever.
“No.” Gu Qingyue shook her head. “Gu Jiaxin and I go to the same school. We just happened to run into each other.”
Shang Yuze held the steering wheel with one hand, his narrow phoenix eyes sharp and cold. “The Gu family’s capital chain has run into problems. They’ve been looking everywhere for help recently. What do you plan to do?”
Gu Qingyue blinked in confusion, her long, thick lashes fluttering lightly. She did not quite understand what he meant.
Shang Yuze explained, “I can help the Gu family fill the funding gap, or I can make the Gu family disappear from Beijing altogether.”He had not acted against the Gu family solely out of consideration for Gu Qingyue.
Gu Qingyue froze. She lowered her gaze, seemingly thinking over his words.Past memories flashed through her mind like scenes from a revolving lantern.
Shang Yuze did not rush her. He drove quietly, the stillness of the car broken only occasionally by the sound of a horn.
Outside the window, shadows of trees swayed. The cold wind swept by, hiding the stars in the sky. The starlight dimmed, yet the moon remained clear and bright like water.
Gu Qingyue’s voice slowly sounded.“The Gu family did raise me for eighteen years. I don’t want to be too ruthless, but they drugged me and sent me to an old man’s bed. I can’t forgive that. As for what comes after…”
She paused briefly. “That will depend on the Gu family’s fate.”During those eighteen years, the Gu family had indeed not abused her. Letting the Gu family go this time would be her way of cutting off the debt of being raised by them.
“Alright, I understand.” Shang Yuze nodded, then asked another question. “Why did the Gu family adopt you?”
At the time, he had only ordered an investigation into Gu Qingyue’s personal information, why she had appeared at the hotel that night, and why she had been drugged.If he truly wanted to dig deeper, he could have uncovered the truth. Still, he wanted to hear it directly from her.
“To take misfortune on behalf of Gu Jiaxin.” Gu Qingyue did not hide it. As a firm materialist, she naturally did not believe in such things.Her attention was on the view outside the window. She did not notice the change in the man beside her when she said those words.
A cold sharpness flashed in Shang Yuze’s eyes. His pupils darkened, and his clear, aloof aura took on a trace of cold anger and restrained brutality.
The phone rang abruptly. He glanced at the in-car screen. It was his subordinate, Shang Zhou. He did not avoid Gu Qingyue and directly slid to answer the call.
Shang Zhou’s respectful voice came through the line. “President Shang, everything you asked for has been delivered. Where would you like it placed?”
Shang Yuze cast a sidelong glance at the girl beside him. “I bought you some clothes. Should they be put in your room now, or when we get home later?”
Gu Qingyue was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly said, “Now is fine.”
Shang Yuze instructed, “Put them in the madam’s room.”The word “madam” rolled off his tongue with ease. Gu Qingyue’s heart skipped a beat when she heard it. Heat rushed to her face, and she quickly turned her head away in flustered embarrassment.
She did not know if it was because the car was too warm, but her entire face felt like it was burning.
Shang Yuze caught sight of her flushed earlobes and the corner of his lips lifted almost imperceptibly. A subtle glimmer passed through his eyes.She really was an easily shy girl.And quite endearing.
When Gu Qingyue returned to her bedroom, she stared at her walk-in closet in shock.
From hair ties and clips to sleepwear, and all the way to jewelry, haute couture dresses, and all kinds of new shoes, the closet was nearly bursting. The few clothes she had brought with her were all squeezed into a corner.
Unopened skincare products and cosmetics were neatly placed on the vanity.
Shang Yuze looked over the crammed closet and said with dissatisfaction, “This walk-in closet is a bit small. Later, I’ll have someone remodel a bigger one for you.”
Once Gu Qingyue moved into the master bedroom, this room could be converted entirely into a walk-in closet.
Gu Qingyue waved her hands in a panic. “It’s enough. It’s more than enough. There’s no way I could ever wear all of this.”In all her life, she had never bought as many clothes as Shang Yuze had bought for her in this single time.
Shang Yuze did not think much of it and said calmly, “You don’t need to wear them all. Just choose what you like.”
At an age when she should have loved to dress up, she had only two or three outfits, some already faded from washing.The Gu family was a well-known household in Beijing and never lacked money, yet they were truly stingy toward Gu Qingyue.
It was the Gu family who had made Gu Qingyue take misfortune on behalf of Gu Jiaxin. Whether it truly worked or not, the Gu family believed in it, and Gu Jiaxin had indeed grown up safely.
Calling Gu Qingyue Gu Jiaxin’s lifesaver would not be an exaggeration.And yet, this was how the Gu family treated their benefactor.Repaying kindness with ingratitude. No wonder the company ran into financial trouble.
Gu Qingyue’s eyes grew hot as mist gathered within them. Tears rolled down silently.
Seeing her tears, Shang Yuze’s heart tightened. He gently wiped the tears from her face with his fingertips and asked softly, “Did I do something wrong?”
He had never dated before. He truly lacked experience in this area.
Gu Qingyue cried until her breathing hitched as she sobbed, “No. It’s just that you’re being too good to me. No one has ever treated me this well before.”
It was only after she entered university that she bought herself a few decent outfits. If not for her top exam results, the bonuses from the state and the school, and Jing University waiving her tuition, she would probably have had to work part-time just to get by, let alone study two majors.
Even so, she never dared to spend money recklessly. As long as she had clothes to rotate, that was enough. She had never bought cosmetics at all.
Shang Yuze placed his hand on her head and gently rubbed it, his voice warm. “We’re husband and wife. No matter how good I am to you, it’s only right.”
Gu Qingyue looked at Shang Yuze in this gentle state. Her nose tingled, and tears fell again.
Shang Yuze wiped her tears clean. Looking at her eyes, red like a little rabbit’s, he tapped her reddened nose lightly with a finger and chuckled. “Why do you cry so easily?”
Gu Qingyue did not like hearing that. She pouted and muttered, “I don’t.”She was just too moved. No one had ever been this good to her before.
Shang Yuze pinched her soft cheek. “It’s getting late. You still have class tomorrow morning. Get some rest early.”
Gu Qingyue nodded with smiling eyes. Her long lashes, damp with tears, glistened in the light like scattered diamonds.