In her past life, the elders in the village always said that foreigners were soul-snatching creatures—if they glanced at you, your spirit would be taken away.
Whenever a child cried at night or an adult suddenly fell ill, it was always blamed on them.
Yan Zhao naturally believed what Gu Yu said.
He had read the most books and seen the most of the world.
Since he said it wouldn’t happen, then it definitely wouldn’t.
Thinking this to herself, the tight knot of fear in her heart slowly loosened, though her steps still unconsciously drew a little closer to him.
The restaurant was crowded.
At a glance, almost everyone was in pairs—boys and girls together.
Their clothes were stylish and bright, their manners natural, clearly people who had grown up in the city.
Yan Zhao was led by Gu Yu to sit down.
The chair was soft, sinking slightly when she sat, but she instinctively straightened her back, placing her hands properly on her lap, feeling completely out of place.
Gu Yu sat across from her.
The light fell on him, illuminating his clean, handsome features.
Seeing her so reserved, the corners of his lips lifted slightly, his tone gentle. “This dress suits you very well.”
Yan Zhao’s cheeks immediately flushed at the compliment.
When she had changed into the dress, she had hardly dared to step out the door—it was only because Gu Yu insisted and pulled her along that she came out.
At the restaurant, her attention had been diverted by the matter of the foreigners.
Now, with his words, that shyness slowly returned to her face.
Just as the atmosphere between the two was pleasant, a man walked over.
The man stood by the table, his gaze lingering on Yan Zhao for a moment.
Yan Zhao’s features were naturally lovely, though years of hard labor had left her skin somewhat rough.
Today, with the face cream Gu Yu had bought for her and the new dress, under the overhead light, she appeared much softer.
Coupled with her lowered head and slightly reserved demeanor, she exuded a delicate charm.
The man’s eyes noticeably brightened.
He then spoke with a teasing tone, “Gu Yu, I always thought you were a monk. I didn’t expect you to actually be won over by this Miss Liu.”
When Yan Zhao heard the words “Miss Liu,” the warmth from the earlier compliment vanished almost instantly.
It felt like being doused with cold water.
She instinctively glanced up, then quickly lowered her eyes again, her fingers tightening slightly, her heart inexplicably skipping a beat.
Gu Yu’s expression also changed in that instant.
The gentle smile on his face remained, but it noticeably faded, the emotions in his eyes clearly restrained.
He looked up at the other man, a slight curve at the corner of his lips, his tone indifferent. “Young Master Hu, I have no relationship whatsoever with Liu Manqing.”
His words were clear and direct.
Then, his gaze returned to Yan Zhao, and he introduced her generously. “This is my wife, Yan Zhao. She’s been in our hometown all this time and only recently came here at my request.”
At these words, Young Master Hu visibly froze.
He blinked, took another look at Yan Zhao, and only then realized he had mistaken her for someone else. Embarrassment immediately washed over his face, and he quickly waved his hands. “Ah, I see. I’m sorry, my apologies.”
When Yan Zhao heard the word “wife,” her breath involuntarily hitched.
She didn’t look up, but her back unconsciously straightened a little as she sat there.
Young Master Hu reacted quickly, gesturing for someone to bring over a few pastries. With a smile, he said it was an apology and asked them not to take it to heart.
Before long, the plate was brought to the table.
It was pale and soft, looking nothing like ordinary pastries.
Yan Zhao froze for a moment.
In her previous life, she had only tasted powdered milk once.
That was when she was gravely ill and on the verge of death, and Li Ling reluctantly shared half a small bowl with her.
The sweetness tasted unreal.
She still remembered that flavor to this day.
Because Yan Zhao had never tasted anything truly delicious, that memory remained deeply etched in her mind.
She didn’t dare move, only stealing a glance at Gu Yu.
Gu Yu had already picked up a small knife, his movements natural as he cut the cake.
But unexpectedly, even a simple meal couldn’t proceed without incident.
No sooner had Young Master Hu left than Yan Zhao found herself unable to even bring that soft cake to her lips, as a figure appeared before their table.
Liu Manqing.
Yan Zhao recognized her at a glance, pausing in genuine surprise.
Gu Yu’s expression, however, darkened instantly.
Liu Manqing seemed to be holding back her anger, her voice rising sharply and without restraint: “Gu Yu, how dare you take back the patent?”
The restaurant was already quiet, and with her outburst, people nearby immediately turned to look.
Before Gu Yu could respond, Liu Manqing, now emotionally unhinged, raised her hand to slap him across the face.
In that very moment—
Yan Zhao moved first.
She stood up abruptly, gripping Liu Manqing’s wrist tightly.
Liu Manqing looked down, her expression twisting into something fierce, her voice shrill: “Who do you think you are, daring to stop me? You—”
Her other hand immediately rose, aiming directly at Yan Zhao.
This time, Gu Yu gave her no chance.
He kicked out.
His movement was swift and ruthless.
Liu Manqing lost her balance entirely, collapsing to the floor from the force.
The restaurant fell silent in an instant.
Countless eyes turned toward them.
Yan Zhao’s heart skipped a beat.
She knew all too well how easily such scenes could be misinterpreted.
Especially since Gu Yu was still a university student—his reputation was paramount and must not be tarnished by misunderstandings.
Without hesitation, she spoke up, her voice loud and clear, cutting through the surrounding noise: “Why do you keep pestering my partner? As a city girl, have you no shame?”
The restaurant soon buzzed with activity.
Some clearly recognized Liu Manqing, their eyes shifting between her and Gu Yu as they whispered something.
Soon, hushed murmurs spread through the crowd.
The gazes that had been fixed on Gu Yu slowly shifted, taking on ambiguous undertones.
Before long, restaurant staff hurried over to inquire about the situation.
Young Master Hu, having just been part of the earlier misunderstanding, quickly came over to see what was happening.
The scene grew momentarily chaotic.
Liu Manqing tried to speak, but her emotions were completely out of control, compounded by the force of Gu Yu’s kick.
Her words came out fragmented and incoherent.
In the end, she was dragged out by two people, one on each side.
The restaurant quieted down once more.
But the lingering stares did not immediately fade.
When Yan Zhao sat back down, her hands were still trembling slightly.
The adrenaline faded slowly, and she didn’t even realize it herself—only that her fingertips rested on the edge of the table, unable to steady themselves.
Gu Yu sat down beside her, reaching out to take her still-trembling hands into his palms.
His voice was low, his tone steady, carrying a deliberately slowed reassurance: “If you were so scared, why did you stand up just now?”
Yan Zhao pressed her lips together, taking a few seconds before replying, “I don’t care what she says about me, but she can’t be rude to you.”
Gu Yu had been observing her reaction, but upon hearing these words, his fingers paused for a moment.
He didn’t speak immediately.
That moment of silence was brief, yet it felt inexplicably tense.
Then, he let out a low chuckle.
The laughter was deeply restrained, not outwardly expressed—it only flickered in his eyes before he quickly reined it back in.
“Is that so,” he said.
His tone was light, as if confirming something, or perhaps committing these words to memory.
His gaze settled on her face, neither avoiding nor drawing closer, simply watching quietly with a focus born of excessive restraint.
“Zhaozhao protecting me like this,” he spoke slowly, “I’ll remember that.”
It wasn’t gratitude, but more like a statement confirming ownership.
Yan Zhao blinked…
…
In the end, Gu Yu still packed up the barely touched steak and cake.
By the time the two left the restaurant, it had already grown dark outside.
Returning to their new home, once the door closed, all the outside gazes and whispers were shut out.
Gu Yu set down the things, not in a hurry to eat.
He had somehow procured a small table, placing it in the middle of the room, and lit a candle.
The flame flickered gently.
Then, he unpacked the steak and cake one by one, arranging them neatly.
The room instantly felt different.
Yan Zhao stood nearby, watching this scene, her heart pounding fiercely.
That pounding wasn’t from panic—it was fast and chaotic, impossible to suppress.
She had never imagined that a man would be willing to do so much for her.
Not to appease others, nor to put on a show, but simply, quietly, taking care of each detail.
Her throat tightened, and a sense of unreality suddenly washed over her.
She even couldn’t help but wonder—
Was she still drowning in that cold water?
Was all of this just a dream before death?
Gu Yu led her to sit down, then pushed the candle toward the center of the table. The flame fell upon the surface, gently flickering.
He said, “Consider this a candlelit dinner.”
Yan Zhao lowered her head to eat. She couldn’t quite discern the taste of the steak, only knowing it wasn’t as hard to swallow as she had imagined.
But when the slice of cake was pushed in front of her, she still paused.
Carefully, she scooped a small bite and brought it to her mouth.
It was soft.
Sweet and fragrant.
The sweetness wasn’t overpowering—it melted slowly, spreading from the tip of her tongue to her heart.
Yan Zhao froze for a moment.
She suddenly remembered the feeling from her past life when she drank that powdered milk—just like this, as if her entire being was enveloped in a warm, gentle flavor.
She kept her head down, eating bite after bite, slowly but without pause.
This was one of the most delicious things she had ever tasted.
However, the day still had its share of twists.
Just as the two were halfway through their candlelit dinner, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
Gu Yu looked up, stood, and went to answer it.
Someone outside spoke in a low voice. Yan Zhao couldn’t make out the words clearly, only seeing Gu Yu’s expression gradually tighten.
He stepped out for a while.
When he returned, his demeanor had completely changed.
Gu Yu walked up to her, his tone gentle: “Zhaozhao, I need to go out for a bit. I might be back very late.”
He paused, then added: “I’ll get hot water ready for you first. Don’t wait up for me tonight.”
Yan Zhao was taken aback and instinctively asked: “Where are you going?”
Gu Yu fell silent.
In that instant, Yan Zhao understood.
This matter probably couldn’t be shared with her.
She immediately shook her head, her tone a bit urgent: “It’s fine. If you’re in a hurry, just go. I can manage the hot water myself.”
Gu Yu shook his head.
Then, he somehow produced a bucket of hot water and placed it to the side: “You can wipe yourself down tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the bathhouse.”
After saying this, he turned and carefully tidied the bed, shaking out the quilt and spreading it flat and smooth.
Only after everything was done did he pick up his coat and head toward the door.
The sound of the door closing was soft.
Soon, only Yan Zhao remained in the room.
After Gu Yu left, the room suddenly fell quiet.
The candle on the table was still burning, its flame flickering gently.
The bucket of hot water emitted steam, warming the room slightly.
Yan Zhao stood still where she was.
Her heart felt hollow—she couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or worry.
She stared at the flickering flame for a few seconds before slowly letting out a sigh, forcing herself not to dwell on it.
He said he would return, so he definitely would.
…
Outside the courtyard, night had completely descended.
As soon as Gu Yu stepped out, he saw several people standing under the streetlamp.
They were police officers.
No one rushed forward, and their attitude was relatively polite.
Hu Shao was there too.
As soon as he saw Gu Yu come down, he immediately approached, his tone clearly a bit helpless: “Liu Manqing reported this. The Liu family also sent people. They originally wanted to take her away directly, but she went crazy at the police station and refused to cooperate no matter what. They had no choice but to ask you to come along.”
…
Back inside, Yan Zhao gave herself a quick wipe-down.
She walked to the bed and looked at the freshly made bed—clearly larger than the one in the dormitory and neatly arranged.
Actually, when they were buying the bed, she had hesitated.
She had even asked whether they should just get two beds.
Gu Yu had looked at her then, clearly taken aback, his tone tinged with confusion: “Why?”
She couldn’t explain it at the time.
Then, the bed seller nearby immediately chimed in: “What married couple sleeps in separate beds? That’s so inauspicious.”
Thinking of this, Yan Zhao felt her face grow warm.
She quickly suppressed the thought, scolding herself inwardly and forcing herself not to overthink it.
Yan Zhao turned over, staring at the ceiling for a while as her thoughts gradually drifted.
During the day, while walking outside, she had seen the small stalls along the roadside selling food and daily necessities. People came and went, and business seemed quite good.
And no one got arrested for it.
Yan Zhao slowly began to consider whether she should also find some work.
She couldn’t let Gu Yu support her forever.
Nor did she want to become a burden to him.
As Yan Zhao pondered this, she waited for Gu Yu to return.
But the room was too quiet, and the candlelight was soft. As she thought, she unknowingly drifted off to sleep.
Her sleep was uneasy.
When she woke again, the sky was already bright.
The space beside her was still empty.
Yan Zhao’s heart tightened sharply, and all drowsiness vanished instantly.
She sat up, her first thought—had something happened to him?
The thought came swiftly and urgently; she didn’t even have time to think it through before she threw off the covers and got out of bed, already wondering whether she should go directly to the university to find him.
But as soon as she stood up, her gaze was drawn to the table.
Two large meat buns were neatly arranged on the table.
There was also a porcelain cup.
Yan Zhao paused for a moment, walked over, and lifted the lid of the porcelain cup.
Inside was a bowl of soy milk.
The steam hadn’t yet dissipated, clearly placed there not long ago.
Had Gu Yu returned?
A look of joy spread across Yan Zhao’s face. She picked up the porcelain cup, feeling its warmth in her hands.
His return meant he was fine; if he wasn’t here now, it must be because something had come up at the university.
She had already thought of a way to earn money last night, and today Yan Zhao planned to give it a try.
After a moment’s thought, she went to retrieve the money Gu Yu had left for her.