Shadows
Director Wang is already fifty-three this year and only made headlines for being sued for domestic abuse against his wife.
At the time, the injury report circulated widely online. Qin Mingzhu had the misfortune of seeing it: the woman’s injuries were so severe that even years later, recalling them could send chills down one’s spine.
A woman who looked like a celebrity when she first married had, in just twenty years, turned into a gaunt, hollow-cheeked shadow of herself practically a living corpse.
If she hadn’t been locked in a basement for months and discovered by friends who then called the police, who knows how much longer she would have endured that living hell.
And now Qin Hai was actually using that scumbag, Director Wang, to threaten her!
A wave of revulsion swept through Qin Mingzhu. She slammed the phone shut and curled up, trembling.
Her grandmother was still in Qin Hai’s hands. If she made even a single move of defiance, Qin Hai would undoubtedly unplug her grandmother’s respirator without hesitation.
Qin Mingzhu hugged herself tightly. On the game screen, the “Game Over” blinked faintly, then slowly went dark from inactivity.
The darkness swallowed her silently. In that suffocating pressure, her heartbeat seemed deafeningly loud.
She struggled to breathe, cold sweat dripping down her temples.
For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to her childhood: a cold, damp, dark basement, with the occasional squeak of rats gnawing at the walls.
“Grandma!”
She whispered hoarsely, but the air she inhaled felt thick and sticky, like glue.
“Just an illusion… it’s all an illusion…”
Trembling, Qin Mingzhu crawled toward the door, her body limp as noodles.
She just needed to turn on the light.
So far… why couldn’t she reach it…
Click.
The door was pushed open from outside. Qin Mingzhu flinched like a frightened animal.
“Why didn’t you turn on the light?”
Soft light spilled through the gap in the door. Gu Jingchen stood against the backlight, his silhouette haloed in a golden glow.
His knotted fingers hovered over the switch, paused, and did not press it.
“You seem to be sweating a lot.”
He stepped into the light and knelt slowly beside her, the back of his cool hand resting on her forehead.
“Feeling unwell?”
His low, magnetic voice whispered at her ear, like a bright lighthouse in a boundless midnight sea.
The tension in the air loosened.
Qin Mingzhu gasped in fresh air, shaking her head from side to side. “No… I’m fine.”
“…I should still have the doctor come by,” Gu Jingchen said, frowning as he bent down and lifted her into his arms.
Her face was pale, strands of hair stuck to her cheeks, her spirit utterly depleted.
That night, Gu Jingchen called their family doctor. In no time, the doctor gave his verdict:
“A mild fever caused by short-term emotional stress. One night of rest will do,” he said, handing over a box of pills. “One pill per dose. Judging by her history, try to minimize stress in the future.”
“Thank you,” Gu Jingchen said, taking the medication with a nod.
Qin Mingzhu had already fallen asleep. He knelt on one knee by the bed, gently tilting her chin to give her the pill. “Wake up… take this.”
If she didn’t take it, she’d likely have nightmares tonight.
Gu Jingchen expected resistance, but Qin Mingzhu surprisingly obediently swallowed the pill with water, following his hand.
It was completely different from the spoiled, headstrong attitude she’d shown during the day.
He couldn’t resist brushing her hair aside and gently stroking her forehead.
“Mmm…” Qin Mingzhu unconsciously nuzzled his palm.
The softness of her touch felt almost like petting a cat. Gu Jingchen froze for a moment before awkwardly withdrawing his hand.
“Aunt Li, please bring a basin of hot water,” he said, tilting his head toward the door where Aunt Li had been standing for who knows how long.
“Jingchen, let me handle the chores!” Aunt Li grumbled, taking the basin. “You married a wife, not a mother. She’s never done this work before. How come marriage makes it harder for you?”
Gu Jingchen replied coldly, “She’s unwell. I’ll do it.”
He bent over, wringing out the hot towel, and gently wiped her palm-sized face. His movements weren’t perfect, but there were no mistakes.
He changed the water three times before finishing.
Aunt Li watched the whole process, feeling a pang of jealousy.
She’d grown up watching Gu Jingchen and Lin Zhi. Seeing Gu Jingchen treat a woman other than Lin Zhi so well was uncomfortable for her rigid mindset.
“Jingchen, my kid just arrived in the city and has nowhere to stay. Can he stay at the villa for a few days?” Aunt Li asked, rolling her eyes.
Gu Jingchen nodded lightly, indifferent. “Arrange it as you see fit.”
Aunt Li left in high spirits. Gu Jingchen sat alone at the bedside, pressing his fingers to his temples.
Though he held the majority of the Gu family shares, he hadn’t yet fully secured his position among all the descendants.
Predators surrounded him, all eyes on the shares in his hands.
He had to find a way out of this dilemma…
Pulling back the corner of the quilt, he closed his eyes, burdened with worry.
Suddenly, in his sleep, his waist tightened!
Gu Jingchen’s long-trained vigilance triggered instantly. Before opening his eyes, he reflexively bent his elbow and struck backward!
“Ah ”
Qin Mingzhu woke up in pain.
Rubbing her eyes drowsily, she mumbled, “I… I was just playing a game… where am I?”
Gu Jingchen feigned calm, holding her close and massaging her stomach. “Go back to sleep.”
“Why does my stomach hurt so much?” Qin Mingzhu asked, puzzled.
“Maybe you ate a mix of things tonight,” Gu Jingchen said, half-guiltily.
Thankfully, the pill had taken effect. Qin Mingzhu, only momentarily confused, snuggled into him and fell asleep soundly.
Gu Jingchen exhaled, looking down at her peaceful face, feeling a strange warmth rising in his chest.
He had assumed that someone as headstrong as Qin Mingzhu would make sleeping together difficult.
But she was so obedient.
It was his first time sharing a bed with someone; his eyes were heavy, yet his mind raced with activity.
The next morning, Qin Mingzhu, full of energy, sat cross-legged, practicing her breathing exercises. She glanced at Gu Jingchen, who was washing up, and asked playfully, “Did you sneak off last night to steal some wires?”
Gu Jingchen, biting his toothbrush, looked up. “Hm?”
“Otherwise, why would you look so tired?” Qin Mingzhu smacked him playfully. “I think I could knock you flying!”
Gu Jingchen wiped water from his chin with a towel, raising a brow. “You can try if you want.”
“Nope.”
She knew her limits facing a man with eight-pack abs wasn’t wise.
Content with her self-restraint, she chuckled and went downstairs for breakfast. But when she saw a child at the table, her eyes widened in shock.
She spun around and ran back upstairs, her plush slippers slapping against the floor.
“Husband… what year is this?”
Had she traveled through time?