Was he threatening her? He was, right?
Wen Ying found it hard to believe, feeling as though the man had gone mad.
Gu Qingyu: 【I’m coming in right now.】
Startled, Wen Ying abruptly stood up. Panic surged within her, afraid that Gu Qingyu might really come in and leave her with no way to handle the situation. Under the gaze of the other three, she could only pretend to remain calm. “I’m going out for a bit.”
Fu Tingchuan quickly put down his chopsticks. “Where are you going? I’ll go with you.”
“No need, I’m going to the restroom.”
With that, she hurried off in the direction of the restroom, then glanced toward the back garden before suddenly turning and rushing toward the front entrance.
Fu Tingchuan watched her hurried retreat with some surprise but said nothing, assuming she was simply in a rush to use the restroom.
Mrs. Fu’s brows faintly furrowed, though she soon smiled with a hint of indulgent amusement. “This child is still the same as when she was little, always so careless.”
Rong Xi calmly took a sip of her wine, saying nothing.
Meanwhile, after sending his message, Gu Qingyu made no move to get out of the car. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he casually tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.
A moment later, when his gaze caught sight of the figure hurrying toward him, the corners of his lips curved upward as expected.
Wen Ying pulled open the passenger door and got in. “Are you crazy?”
Breathing slightly uneven from running, she urged, “Drive. Go farther away, don’t stay here.”
He had actually parked right at the entrance of Yushui Bay. Was he trying to make sure no one missed it?
Gu Qingyu glanced at her displeased expression, then obediently turned the car around and drove it to a secluded corner.
Wen Ying looked around carefully, only relaxing once she was sure no one would notice them.
But just as she turned back, a shadow loomed over her. Gu Qingyu suddenly leaned in, his scent mixed with disinfectant instantly surrounding her.
With two fingers, he hooked her delicate chin, glanced at her tightly covered neckline, then looked at her face again, studying it before smiling. “You look beautiful dressed like this too.”
Caught off guard by the compliment, Wen Ying’s words stuck in her throat. Annoyed, she slapped his hand away. “Do I need you to tell me I’m pretty?”
“Just say it. Why did you call me out here?”
“Do you want to do it?” he suddenly asked.
“Wh… what?” Wen Ying’s mind blanked for a moment.
“Didn’t you want to do it in the car last time?”
“When did I ever…”
The memory from last time rushed back, and her voice faltered.
His faint breath lingered near her nose, making her heartbeat quicken.
His hand cupped the back of her head, his thumb gently brushing her soft lips as though, with just the slightest hint from her, he would kiss her immediately.
Wen Ying’s breath hitched. She turned her head away and pushed his hand aside. “You called me out just for this?”
Then she paused, realizing something. Their relationship had always been like this. What else could it be?
Turning back, she added, “Do you even know I was in the middle of dinner? My mom and the others are still waiting for me.”
The implication was clear. She didn’t have time.
Gu Qingyu remained leaning over her, his gaze fixed on her without blinking, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Have you eaten enough? If not, I can take you somewhere else. What do you want to eat?”
“Is this about food?”
“Then should we go home?” he asked again. “Or you can stay here tonight, and I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
Wen Ying froze for a moment before realizing what he meant.
After a brief silence, she frowned slightly. “I only stayed at your place for a few days. That’s not my home.”
The smile on Gu Qingyu’s lips faded, and then she continued, “Gu Qingyu, I think we should end things here. Don’t come looking for me anymore.”
Wen Ying considered herself a decisive person. Hesitation would only bring trouble.
She had only gotten involved with Gu Qingyu to get back at Fu Tingchuan.
But now that everything had turned out to be a misunderstanding, her reason for revenge was gone, and continuing this relationship had no meaning.
The smile finally disappeared from Gu Qingyu’s lips. His light brown eyes stared at her through his glasses without blinking.
Under his gaze, Wen Ying felt a bit guilty and unconsciously avoided his eyes.
“End things here?”
Gu Qingyu’s smile returned, but the words were drawn out slowly, as though they had been rolled over on his tongue and ground deep into his heart.
He chuckled softly, a trace of amusement in his tone. “Wen Ying, are you seriously playing me?”
Wen Ying frowned. “Didn’t you know from the beginning?”
Although abruptly breaking things off might seem a little unfair, they had never had a proper relationship. It had always been just for fun, something both of them understood.
She had always thought Gu Qingyu knew and accepted that.
But now, the way he asked made it seem as though she was some heartless scoundrel.
“Gu Qingyu, I told you from the start. I don’t need you to take responsibility, and I won’t take responsibility for you either. We were just playing around. Now I don’t want to anymore, so it’s over. What’s wrong with that?”
Gu Qingyu tapped his long fingers lightly against the back of her seat, his smile faint. “Wen Ying, you should understand that some things don’t begin just because you say so, and they don’t end just because you say so. Do you understand?”
“What do you want then?”
Gu Qingyu took her soft, fair hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently, his expression still warm. “Weren’t you using me to get back to Tingchuan? Then use me to the end.”
“There’s no need anymore.” Wen Ying pulled her hand back. “Do you remember the first time? I misunderstood him and Lin Shiwei, so I came to you. I admit I wanted to use you to get back at him, but I’m sorry. He told me today that I misunderstood. There’s nothing between him and Lin Shiwei, so…”
“So now that the misunderstanding is cleared, you want to be with him properly and dump me, is that it, Wen Ying?”
Gu Qingyu finished her sentence, his eyes dark behind the lenses, devoid of any trace of a smile.
“Yes.” Wen Ying met his gaze directly without hesitation. “Since it was a misunderstanding, I want everything to go back to how it should be. And I’ve already promised him we’ll be together properly from now on.”
“You promised him?” Gu Qingyu let out a mocking laugh. “What about what you promised me?”
That night in the bathroom, she had agreed to consider an arranged marriage with the Gu family.
But she had only said she would consider it, not that she would definitely agree. Wen Ying didn’t feel guilty about it.
Besides, her agreement alone meant nothing. Her parents would have to agree as well.
There was no point arguing over who was right or wrong. Wen Ying said impatiently, “Didn’t I tell you before? Don’t take things said in bed seriously.”
“Let’s part on good terms.”
“Part on good terms?” Gu Qingyu laughed again. His fingers caught her chin, his smile unreadable. “Wen Ying, who said I want to part with you on good terms?”
“Then what do you want?” Wen Ying’s expression turned cold. “Expose our relationship?”
“How could you think of me like that?”
Gu Qingyu lowered his head slightly and kissed the corner of her lips, his tone gentle. “Didn’t you want to play? Just keep playing with me like before.”
It was the first time Wen Ying had heard such a request. She almost laughed in disbelief.
She pushed him. “I don’t want to play anymore. Don’t you understand?”
Her strength was no match for his. Not only did she fail to push him away, but he caught her hand instead.
Holding her soft hand in his palm, he toyed with it absentmindedly. “Why not? Are you afraid Tingchuan will find out?”
Wen Ying grew annoyed. “Are you seriously going to cling to me? If you want to play, find someone else. I have a fiancé!”
Gu Qingyu paused slightly before smiling again, calm and composed. “So what if you have a fiancé? Didn’t you have one when you were with me before? Didn’t we still have fun?”
Before she could speak, he kissed her again, this time not letting go immediately, his lips lingering.
The night was deep, the car dimly lit, their breaths intertwining in an intimate haze.
His lips shifted to her ear, brushing lightly as he murmured, “What Tingchuan told you is only one side of the story. Maybe there’s nothing between him and that secretary, but the fact that he ignored your feelings to defend another woman is real. Even if there’s nothing now, it doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future. Don’t you think so?”
His voice was gentle, coaxing. Wen Ying felt her heart tighten.
She knew he wasn’t saying this with good intentions, yet she couldn’t stop herself from thinking along his line.
Fu Tingchuan and Lin Shiwei were the male and female leads of this story. Even if nothing was happening now, it didn’t mean nothing ever would.
And Gu Qingyu was right. Whether they had slept together or not, Fu Tingchuan had repeatedly defended Lin Shiwei.
He might be admitting his mistakes now, but that didn’t mean he would truly change. If something happened to Lin Shiwei again, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t revert to his old ways.
“So, you can keep using me.” His warm breath brushed her ear, his voice low and enticing. “Tingchuan is still your fiancé, but everything he can’t give you, I can. Just keep seeing me like before. What do you think?”
Wen Ying looked up at him. At some point, he had removed his glasses. Standing against the light, his pale brown eyes were hidden in shadow, his emotions unreadable, yet her reflection was clearly mirrored within them.
His lips curved in a faint smile, still slightly flushed from their earlier intimacy. The dim light softened his sharp features, making him look dangerously alluring, like something that could drag her into an abyss if she let her guard down.
Her heartbeat grew uneven as she stared at him. “You said that yourself.”
“Mm, I did.”
“Since it’s just playing, then stay within your boundaries. Don’t do anything on your own initiative. Understand?”
Gu Qingyu didn’t answer. Instead, he smiled. “Then shall we play here?”
His arm circled her waist as he lowered his head to her neck, his breath warm. “Don’t worry, no one will see.”
Wen Ying was wearing a black and white fitted dress that accentuated her slender waist, paired with black ankle boots. Only a portion of her fair calves was visible, her slightly curled long hair cascading over her shoulders, making her look captivating.
He kissed her lips again, his hand moving up from her leg. Wen Ying let out a soft sound, her breathing turning uneven. She quickly pressed down on his hand and turned her head away. “Not now.”
She hadn’t forgotten there were still three people waiting for her at home. She had neither the time nor the mind for this.
Besides, they had been together for the past few days. They had just been intimate last night, and she was still tired.
Gu Qingyu didn’t force her. He smiled and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Remember to have Tingchuan go back to his own place early.”
Wen Ying was about to remind him that Fu Tingchuan was her fiancé and he had no right to say that, but before she could speak, his long fingers lightly tapped her neck, his smile meaningful. “I’m doing this for your sake, unless you want him to find out.”
Where his finger touched, there was a fresh mark he had deliberately left. If her hair were lifted, it would be clearly visible.
Not to mention the other marks scattered across her body, all proof of their recent intimacy.
Wen Ying touched her neck, then hurriedly pulled down the car mirror, brushing her hair aside to check. Sure enough…
Although she hadn’t planned on spending the night with Fu Tingchuan anyway, being set up like this annoyed her.
Grinding her teeth, she suddenly leaned forward and bit down on his neck.
She didn’t hold back. Only when she tasted a hint of blood and heard his muffled groan did she release him.
Fixing her slightly disheveled hair, she opened the car door and warned coldly, “Get lost. If anyone finds out, you know the consequences.”
Her cold, heartless demeanor was nothing like the tenderness she had shown him days ago.
Gu Qingyu tilted his head back slightly, exposing his smooth jawline. His fingers brushed over the bite mark on his neck as he smiled, completely unconcerned.
Wen Ying shot him a glance, slammed the car door, and left. After adjusting her expression, she walked back into the dining hall.
Everyone had basically finished eating, but since she hadn’t returned, they had been waiting.
Seeing her finally back, Fu Tingchuan stepped closer. “Why did you take so long?”
Wen Ying avoided his gaze and answered vaguely, “I’m full now.”
Fu Tingchuan stood up. “Mm, I’m done too.” He reached for her hand. “Want to take a walk to digest?”
Her fingers stiffened slightly. She instinctively wanted to pull away, but in the end, she held back and nodded.
Rong Xi suddenly spoke up. “By the way, Wen Ying, I have a flight to M Country tomorrow morning for an international conference, so I won’t be staying tonight.”
“You’re leaving again?”
Wen Ying pulled her hand free from Fu Tingchuan and grabbed Rong Xi’s arm, complaining, “Can’t you stay and keep me company for a day? You’re always busy. What’s so important? Look at yourself, what kind of mother is like this?”
Rong Xi paused, then said helplessly, “Let Tingchuan keep you company.”
“Who wants him to?”
Fu Tingchuan quickly added, “I can take time off tomorrow to be with you, or you can come to the company and hang out.”
Mrs. Fu chimed in, “Yes, Wen Ying, you can come to our place too.”
“I’m not going.” Thinking of her last visit to the Fu residence, Wen Ying frowned, feeling resistant.
Both Fu Tingchuan and Mrs. Fu were momentarily stunned, but he recovered first.
After thinking for a moment, he said, “Then I’ll take time off to be with you. I heard there’s a nice hot spring resort recently. We could go there for a few days. What do you think?”
Rong Xi watched Wen Ying’s reaction, thoughtful. Then she said calmly, “That works. You two can go have some fun.”
“But,” she added, looking at Wen Ying, “you can’t keep idling around like this. You’re already twenty-six. It’s time you start getting involved in the company. When you come back from the resort, you’ll take over Xingyu for practice.”
Wen Ying immediately protested, “But I don’t know how to manage a company.”
Her academic performance had never been good. Only in the arts did she show some talent, which was why she had attended an arts school.
Rong Xi didn’t mind. The company was already stable and only needed routine management. Even if Wen Ying knew nothing, she could always hire professional managers later.
“You don’t need to understand. I’ll assign an assistant to help you.”
Mrs. Fu added, “If you really don’t understand, you can ask Tingchuan. He’s been managing a company for years.”
“It’s settled,” Rong Xi concluded firmly.
Mrs. Fu smiled. “Since President Rong has things to do, I’ll take my leave as well and let the young ones have some time alone.”
“I won’t keep you then.” Rong Xi had the driver bring the car around and personally saw Mrs. Fu out.
Afterward, Rong Xi also left. Before leaving, she told Wen Ying, “I’m going now. Behave yourself and don’t cause trouble.”
Wen Ying responded impatiently, “Got it. What trouble could I possibly cause?”
Rong Xi gave her a meaningful look, then glanced at Fu Tingchuan before leaving without another word.
The night was deep, but the lights in Yushui Bay were bright. Fu Tingchuan looked at Wen Ying’s delicate profile, recalling earlier events.
After a moment, he asked, “You didn’t answer my calls for days, and I couldn’t find you anywhere. Aunt Gui said you hadn’t come home. Where did you go?”
Caught off guard, Wen Ying froze for a moment before turning to him. “Why are you asking?”
“I looked everywhere for you and couldn’t find you. You should at least tell me where you were hiding. Otherwise, if you disappear again next time you’re angry, I won’t even know where to look.”
He smiled lightly, half joking.
Fu Tingchuan, as the male lead, was very handsome. He had a high nose bridge and sharp features, with deep-set eyes that carried a hint of mixed heritage. When he smiled, it softened his usual coldness, giving him a youthful, sunny charm.
Gu Qingyu, on the other hand, was different.
His eye sockets weren’t deep, but his brow bone was well-defined. His facial lines were smooth, and the slight upward tilt at the corners of his eyes made him look gentle yet passionate, embodying a distinctly Eastern beauty.
When he smiled, he appeared refined and warm, clean and scholarly, naturally drawing people in.
Thinking of Gu Qingyu, Wen Ying’s eyelids twitched. She turned and walked toward the living room. “Why should I let you find me?”
Fu Tingchuan followed behind her. “Otherwise, if I make you angry again, I won’t even have the chance to apologize.”
“Then can’t you just not make me angry?”
He paused, then nodded. “You’re right. I’ll try not to make you angry in the future.”
Wen Ying sat on the sofa and turned on the TV.
There had been a time when their relationship was good. But after Fu Tingchuan took over the Fu Corporation, he became busy and stopped paying attention to her, often brushing her off impatiently.
When Lin Shiwei appeared, their conflicts escalated. Most of their encounters ended in arguments.
He had often treated her coldly, blaming her more than anything else. Moments of peace like this were rare.
She had once thought that if he would just coax her a little, she wouldn’t hold grudges.
But he never did. Over time, she stopped expecting it.
Now he was constantly accommodating her, but she felt nothing.
“That day when I called you, you suddenly cried out and hung up. Did something happen?”
Hearing this, Wen Ying recalled the scene and her heart skipped violently.
She tucked her hair behind her ear, turning away to hide her flickering emotions. “Nothing happened.”
“Then you…”
“Oh, stop being so annoying. Someone bumped into me and startled me, that’s all.”
“I see.” Fu Tingchuan relaxed slightly, then frowned again.
The sounds indoors and outdoors were different. If she had been outside, there should have been more background noise, but he hadn’t heard anything at the time.
Still, since Wen Ying didn’t want to talk about it, he didn’t press further.
She had finally forgiven him. There was no need to upset her again.
Changing the topic, he said, “By the way, do you know about Qingyu and Xu Yanxi?”
“Wha… what?” Wen Ying was stunned. What could Gu Qingyu and Xu Yanxi possibly have?
“I think they’re together.”
“How do you know?”
“The day I went to find you, I saw them kissing in a restaurant. I didn’t recognize her at first, just thought Qingyu had a girlfriend. But later, when I went to Old City Time to look for you, Qingyu was sitting with Xu Yanxi. They must have gone together. Didn’t any of you find that strange?”
Wen Ying’s eyes flickered. “I… guess so. I didn’t notice.”
She hadn’t expected that Fu Tingchuan had seen her and Gu Qingyu together and mistaken her for Xu Yanxi.
Thinking back, she clenched her teeth inwardly. Gu Qingyu must have done it on purpose.
No wonder he had suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Saying he just wanted to kiss her had been a lie.
“I was really shocked. I always thought Qingyu was calm and reserved, not the type to do something like that in public, but who would have thought…”
“How did you know it was Xu Yanxi? Just because they were sitting together?” Wen Ying felt conflicted. She didn’t even look like Xu Yanxi.
“I didn’t see her face clearly, but it had to be her. She wasn’t wearing earrings, and Xu Yanxi doesn’t wear them either. Plus, they were sitting together. It can’t be that much of a coincidence.”
Fu Tingchuan glanced at Wen Ying’s ears. She was wearing a small hoop earring, simple but elegant.
Wen Ying loved wearing earrings and matched them with every outfit. It was only that day she had lost one and didn’t wear any.
She hadn’t expected that coincidence to lead to such a misunderstanding.
Sometimes, coincidences really did exist.
Wen Ying didn’t respond, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.
Just as she was about to look away, he suddenly said: “Wen Ying, I want to kiss you. Can I?”