He was momentarily stunned again. “Mr. Gu… which Mr. Gu?”
Gu Qingyu? Fu Tingchuan’s heart skipped a beat, an uneasy premonition rising.
As he asked, he already lowered his gaze to the surveillance footage.
On the screen, after Wen Ying angrily hung up, she opened the door of a black Maybach. In the back seat sat another person, though the face wasn’t visible.
Fu Tingchuan’s expression changed. He snatched the mouse, rewound the footage, and froze it the moment the man got into the car.
It was indeed Gu Qingyu.
Realizing this, Fu Tingchuan panicked, dialing Gu Qingyu’s number while running outside.
He didn’t even know why he was panicking, he knew the two of them were impossible.
Yet Gu Qingyu was kind, gentle, and accommodating, even helping Wen Ying earlier that day.
Fu Tingchuan, as her fiancé, had not believed Wen Ying, had misunderstood and blamed her, and ultimately left her alone.
He felt both ashamed and anxious, worried Wen Ying might be disappointed in him and grow fond of Gu Qingyu.
He dialed Gu Qingyu’s number repeatedly, but no answer came.
Fu Tingchuan was incredulous, shocked, recalling Wen Ying’s brief startled cry. His eyelids twitched, and his breathing grew rapid.
He instructed the driver to head to Gu Qingyu’s residence, biting his teeth and refusing to give up, continuing to call both Gu Qingyu and Wen Ying.
He told himself to stay calm, not to overthink—things surely weren’t as he feared. Wen Ying had only taken a ride with Gu Qingyu; it was a normal, innocent act.
Wen Ying liked him too much to have anything to do with Gu Qingyu.
Gu Qingyu had been his childhood friend, deeply bonded; he couldn’t betray him and his fiancée.
Yet, despite all his rationalizations, his mind uncontrollably pictured them together.
The car reached Gu Qingyu’s residence; the guard recognized Fu Tingchuan and let him through.
He closed his eyes, clearing his mind of all thoughts, and entered.
Gu Qingyu’s mother was surprised. “Tingchuan, why are you here? Looking for Qingyu? He hasn’t returned yet.”
“Not returned…” Fu Tingchuan’s palms tightened. He asked calmly, “Aunt Gu, do you know where he went?”
Gu Qingyu’s mother found it odd; why come home looking for someone?
“Wasn’t he attending that business banquet? He should be back by now,” she said, glancing at the darkened sky. “Did something happen?”
“It’s like this, Aunt Gu. I went to the banquet with my fiancée, Wen Ying, but we left halfway for some reason. I lost contact with her, so I checked the surveillance. I saw she left in Qingyu’s car, and I want to ask him if he knows where she is. But he isn’t answering my calls.”
“She left in Qingyu’s car?” Gu Qingyu’s mother knew her son well—though gentle in appearance, he wasn’t particularly warmhearted.
She suddenly recalled the mark on Gu Qingyu’s collarbone and her eyelids twitched, but that was impossible.
She knew her son; no matter how reckless, he wouldn’t betray his childhood friend’s fiancée.
She dismissed the thought. “Maybe he didn’t see his phone. Try calling again.”
Fu Tingchuan called once more in front of her, still no answer.
Gu Qingyu’s mother picked up the landline herself. “I’ll try.”
Still no answer.
Aunt Gu let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “No one’s picking up.”
“Maybe he’s busy, hasn’t seen his phone,” she comforted him. “Don’t worry, it’s just temporary.”
Fu Tingchuan hoped so. He lowered his gaze, thanked her, and left.
He had someone check the couple’s hotel records and property, searching place by place through the night.
By the next morning, they found a hospital under Gu Qingyu’s name.
When he asked about Dr. Gu, a young nurse quickly said, “Dr. Gu is in surgery, he’s been very busy lately with appointments every day. If you need to see him, it might take a long time.”
Fu Tingchuan felt relieved. Gu Qingyu wasn’t ignoring calls, he was working.
He also felt ashamed for doubting his friend and fiancée.
But Wen Ying had indeed left in Gu Qingyu’s car, and coupled with that startled cry, he was still worried if something had happened to her.
Since he couldn’t locate her, he decided to wait for Gu Qingyu to come out and ask directly.
He waited for two to three hours.
When Gu Qingyu finally emerged, Fu Tingchuan’s eyes were bloodshot, no trace of his earlier vigor.
His first words were, “Qingyu, where’s Wen Ying?”
His voice was hoarse, face exhausted.
Gu Qingyu’s gaze swept over him, showing no concern for why he was in such a state.
He adjusted his frameless glasses and asked leisurely, “Your own fiancée—why are you asking me?”
Fu Tingchuan froze, ashamed.
Of course—if he hadn’t abandoned Wen Ying, his fiancée wouldn’t need to ask anyone else.
He stammered, dejected, “I’m sorry, but I can’t find her. I checked the surveillance, she left in your car. Where did you drop her off?”
Gu Qingyu lowered his eyes slightly, tone calm and even. “Why not ask her yourself?”
Fu Tingchuan panicked. “I’ve called her repeatedly, no answer. I’m worried something happened. If you know, just tell me—stop teasing!”
Gu Qingyu thought of the girl who had been sleeping in his bed before leaving, and smiled unconcernedly. “I don’t think anything will happen.”
Fu Tingchuan frowned. “How do you know?”
His gaze was suspicious, but Gu Qingyu had already turned. “Why not call her yourself?”
Fu Tingchuan was frustrated, what good would calling do? He had tried endlessly.
Still, he dialed Wen Ying’s number once more.
Surprisingly, it connected.
On the other end, Wen Ying’s voice was hoarse and sleepy. “Hello? Who is it?”
Fu Tingchuan’s heart thumped violently. He opened his mouth to speak, but she seemed to see the caller ID, realized who it was, muttered, “It’s you again, annoying!”
Then she hung up.
She was fine. Fu Tingchuan exhaled. He glanced at his phone, then at Gu Qingyu with some suspicion. “How did you know it would connect now?”
Gu Qingyu sat in his office chair, eyes under his glasses faintly smiling. “A guess. People usually put phones on silent at night, right?”
He paused, then added with a slight smile, “Besides, she’s still mad at you.”
Angry, she naturally wouldn’t pick up. Sleepy and with defenses down in the morning, she might not notice the caller.
Fu Tingchuan thought it made sense, and thinking of his night of worry and suspicion, he exhaled deeply.
He smiled at Gu Qingyu. “Thanks, Qingyu.”
Gu Qingyu’s lips curved faintly, smile unreadable.
Fu Tingchuan remembered Wen Ying hanging up upon hearing his voice, still unaware of her location, and asked, “But you still haven’t told me—where did she ask you to drop her off?”
Gu Qingyu lowered his gaze, fingers tapping on the table, not answering directly. “She didn’t want to tell you, did she?”
Thinking of his misunderstanding of Wen Ying yesterday, leading to the current predicament, Fu Tingchuan’s face flushed. “But…”
“She doesn’t want to see you. Even if you know where she is, what’s the use?” Gu Qingyu paused, eyes scanning the dark circles under his friend’s eyes, then smiled. “I think you’d better go home and sleep.”
Fu Tingchuan knew Gu Qingyu was right, but he didn’t want to go to sleep yet, muttering stubbornly, “It’s just a misunderstanding. Once I explain, she’ll forgive me. But I need to find her first. You’re my best friend, you have to help me—how can you hide her from me?”
Gu Qingyu’s eyes softened slightly.
Fu Tingchuan realized Gu Qingyu simply didn’t want to answer.
Gu Qingyu had always been like this—professional integrity prevented him from revealing things others shouldn’t know, no matter how much one asked.
Fu Tingchuan had no choice but to leave.
Before leaving, he caught a glimpse of Gu Qingyu playing with something in his hand.
He leaned closer and saw it was a women’s earring, set with a red gemstone, clearly valuable.
Fu Tingchuan felt it looked familiar, though he couldn’t place it.
He joked, “Got a girlfriend?”
After saying this, he felt strange—didn’t Gu Qingyu just say he had no one he liked?
Then he recalled Yi Jie’s remark about “something going on.”
Perhaps there really was something, just unwilling to admit it, or perhaps they had quarreled yesterday.
Fu Tingchuan thought of his own quarrel with Wen Ying—likely, if anyone asked her about someone she liked, she’d say no.
He couldn’t help but smile wryly; he hadn’t even figured out his own matters, let alone anyone else’s.
“Girlfriend?” Gu Qingyu paused, fingers on the earring, tone lightly mocking.
He shook his head with a faint smile. “Not exactly.”
Fu Tingchuan was puzzled. “Not pursued successfully?”
Gu Qingyu returned the earring to his pocket, giving a slight hum, acknowledging silently.
“Who is she? So picky even you can’t be satisfied?” Fu Tingchuan, surprised, felt ashamed again.
Since Gu Qingyu liked someone, he surely wouldn’t be interested in Wen Ying. Fu Tingchuan’s previous suspicions were completely unfounded.