Yan Zhao was just about to head back.
As soon as she took a step, Gu Yu pulled her back.
She blinked, a bit puzzled. Did he still want to talk to those two girls?
But Gu Yu turned his head and said very naturally, “We haven’t paid for the bath yet.” He added, “I don’t have any money. You’ll have to pay.”
Yan Zhao: “??”
She blinked again but quickly realized.
Gu Yu had given all his money to her when they were at home.
Yan Zhao’s face flushed, and she fumbled to pull out a stack of bills from her pocket—red and green notes mixed together.
This scene was witnessed by the two girls.
They exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock.
The handsome guy had no money and had to rely on the girl to pay?
And this girl just casually pulled out a stack of cash?
Their previously infatuated expressions instantly turned complicated.
Yan Zhao handed over the money.
The total came to one yuan.
The counter gave back forty cents in change.
Thirty cents per person.
When she took the change, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness it wasn’t a full yuan.
If it had been, the little confidence she had earlier would have probably crumbled on the spot.
But even thirty cents wasn’t exactly cheap.
She pinched the small change, quickly calculating in her mind before pushing the thought aside.
After all, they had already bathed.
And it had been truly comfortable.
Her body felt relaxed, and the lingering soreness in her bones had been washed away by the hot water.
Bringing up the money again would just spoil the mood.
She tucked away the change without another word, simply following Gu Yu as they walked out.
The cold wind outside blew away the warmth, and she felt much more awake.
Gu Yu naturally noticed her slight nervousness when paying and the subtle relief on her face when she heard the price.
He said nothing, only the corners of his lips curling slightly.
The smile was faint but unmistakable.
Gu Yu led her back.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, they were met with a commotion.
Angry shouts rose and fell.
Before Yan Zhao could even see clearly, someone rushed up to her, pointing and yelling, “Was it you who set my house on fire?”
Before the words had even finished, Gu Yu had already stepped in front of her.
Yan Zhao frowned at the accusation, the relaxation from the bath instantly gone. She spoke directly, “What nonsense are you spouting? We just came back from the public bathhouse.”
Someone in the courtyard immediately chimed in, “Auntie Hu, you’re accusing anyone you see of setting your house on fire. Maybe you started it yourself?”
“Yeah, when I came back just now, I saw the two of them paying at the entrance of the public bathhouse.”
Auntie Hu’s face instantly changed. She still wanted to curse, but her tone wasn’t as forceful as before.
These two had just returned and were already being wrongfully accused, their anger palpable.
As Yan Zhao and Gu Yu walked over, they caught the pungent smell of burnt material in the air.
She saw it at a glance.
The doorway of a nearby house was blackened with soot.
The doorframe and corners of the walls were all marked with traces of smoke and fire.
Most conspicuous were the two quilts thrown outside.
They were burned beyond recognition, edges curled, fabric charred black and stiff, completely unrecognizable from their original color.
Yan Zhao stared at the two quilts for a moment, feeling a twinge of schadenfreude.
Though she didn’t know how they caught fire, it was a pretty good burn.
Gu Yu withdrew his gaze, turned his head, and looked at Yan Zhao. “Come with me to the school later.”
Yan Zhao instinctively asked, “Why should I go to your school?”
Seeing her obvious reluctance, Gu Yu still took a step forward.
The distance suddenly closed.
He leaned down, lowering his head slightly, his breath falling close as he spoke. “Since you arrived, I haven’t taken you around properly.”
His voice was hushed, almost whispered into her ear.
Yan Zhao stiffened instantly.
Her heart raced wildly, and she unconsciously held her breath.
She instinctively shrank back half a step, her shoulders tense, and immediately shook her head, almost reflexively. “No, no need.”
Her words came too quickly, betraying a hint of panic.
She quickly added, “I don’t need to go around. I’ll be fine at home.”
Only after speaking did she realize her palms were sweating.
She truly meant it.
But Gu Yu was too close.
So close that when she retreated, he paused.
He didn’t advance further, but he didn’t create distance either.
Yan Zhao’s throat tightened. She instinctively clutched the hem of her clothes, her fingertips warm, yet she forced herself to stand firm, refusing to retreat again.
Gu Yu watched her for a moment before finally nodding. “Alright, I’ll take you another time. You must be tired today.”
Seeing him about to leave, Yan Zhao hesitated but still spoke up. “Then… can I go out to buy some pots and pans?”
As soon as she finished, she grew nervous, avoiding his gaze.
Gu Yu replied straightforwardly, “Of course.” Then he added, “But you don’t need to cook at home. I have meal tickets for the cafeteria.”
The words were ordinary enough.
Yet Yan Zhao’s face flushed instantly.
She pursed her lips, her voice so soft it was almost carried away by the wind. “I want to try… if I can make something to eat.”
Her words were barely audible.
If Gu Yu hadn’t been so close, he might not have heard them.
He looked at her, tilting his head slightly. “Do you want to sell food?”
Yan Zhao nodded gently.
This was something she had thought of while bathing.
Soaking in hot water had cleared her mind.
In her past life, she had only worked, with no real skills to speak of.
If there was anything she could do well, it was cooking.
It was passably good.
At least in her past life, everyone who had tasted her food praised it, and even Li Ling couldn’t find fault with it.
Gu Yu fell silent for a moment. “I’ve been thinking about sending you to school recently.”
At these words, Yan Zhao froze completely.
She looked up abruptly, her face filled with shock. “Someone like me… how could I go to school?”
Because of her background, if her aunt hadn’t taken her in back then, she would have died.
Gu Yu frowned slightly. “Don’t always belittle yourself.” He said, “Besides, didn’t you once tell me that only through education can one learn how to be a person?”
Yan Zhao was taken aback.
She had truly forgotten that.
After all, a lifetime had passed, and in her past life, her focus had been entirely on Gu Cheng—her days revolved around him, and her heart leaned toward him.
As for Gu Yu…
She had hardly given him a thought.
Those scattered words, occasional exchanges, and the quiet way he stood by—they only resurfaced bit by bit after she arrived in Beijing.
Like things buried in a corner by time, slowly brought into the light.
Yan Zhao lowered her head, silent.
She didn’t know what to say.
Gu Yu looked at her for a moment, already understanding.
He sighed, raised his hand, and let it fall on her head.
Not just a light touch, but with a bit of force, he ruffled her hair, making her already untidy strands even messier.
His tone lowered slightly, carrying a hint of barely noticeable grievance: “You’ve forgotten everything about me.”
Yan Zhao instinctively opened her mouth and said, “I’m sorry…”
The three words slipped out.
After apologizing, she realized she didn’t really have the right to apologize either.
In her past life, she was the one who fell in love with someone else, and she was the one who forgot.
Now, Yan Zhao felt that no matter what she said, it would sound like she was making excuses for herself.
Her emotions tangled together, she lowered her head, her fingers clenching and then loosening, unsure how to face Gu Yu for a moment.
Seeing her sink into self-blame, Gu Yu had already withdrawn his hand and didn’t press the matter further.
He began earnestly laying out her options one by one: “Going to school and making food don’t conflict. You can attend classes at night and prepare food during the day. Besides, I’ll help you too.”
Yan Zhao truly hadn’t expected this.
Even after all this, he was still thinking about her future.
The feeling of being genuinely cared for made her heart tighten, and she felt a bit flustered.
But regarding school, she knew very well in her heart.
She gently shook her head, her voice dropping: “School… I can’t do it.”
It wasn’t an excuse; it was the truth.
She knew how to read, but she had learned it when she was very young.
Later, she could only occasionally sneak a glance at a few words, remembering them in fragments.
As life grew busier, her focus shifted entirely to work and survival, and she had long forgotten most of the characters.
Now, the thought of going back to school, sitting in a classroom and listening to lessons, made her feel uneasy just thinking about it.
She truly felt she didn’t deserve it.
She glanced up at Gu Yu, then quickly lowered her gaze again, her tone unconsciously yielding: “I’m afraid I won’t understand anything and end up embarrassing you.”
Gu Yu didn’t continue trying to persuade her along those lines.
Nor did he keep dragging out the worries about whether she “could” or “couldn’t” or whether she was “afraid.”
He looked at her, his tone suddenly becoming very direct: “I’ve already paid the tuition, and I’ve already used up a favor. If you don’t go now, that’s what would really embarrass me.”
Yan Zhao: “…”
This was the first time she had felt Gu Yu’s firmness so clearly.
Gu Yu looked down at her.
His gaze fell low and heavy, almost resting on her tightly pressed lips.
For a moment, the air seemed to be weighed down by something.
Yan Zhao felt her heart tighten under his gaze, instinctively holding her breath. Before she could say anything, Gu Yu suddenly turned around and walked out without another word.
The door closed behind him, not loudly, but it made her heart jolt.
Only Yan Zhao remained in the room.
She stood there, stunned for a moment, before panic surged in her chest.
She almost reflexively thought Gu Yu was angry.
It was because she kept refusing, kept retreating, and it had worn his patience thin.
As soon as this thought surfaced, Yan Zhao didn’t even bother to put on her shoes properly and immediately chased after him.
The courtyard was dimly lit.
Gu Yu stood outside the door, his back to her, his shoulders and back stiff and straight.
Yan Zhao hurried over, reached out, and tugged at the corner of his clothes, her voice tinged with urgency: “Don’t be angry.” Without pausing, she blurted out: “I’ll go to school. I’ll go.”
Gu Yu had only stepped out to calm himself down.
Lately, the restlessness she stirred in him was becoming harder and harder to suppress.
And just now, that nervous yet stubborn look of hers had nearly made him lose his composure.
But now—
She was holding onto him like this.
Her grip wasn’t strong, but it was undeniably there.
Gu Yu didn’t turn around immediately. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and his breathing noticeably hitched for a moment.
He closed his eyes briefly before speaking slowly, his voice low and tight. “I’m not angry.”
It was just that, if things continued like this, he didn’t know how much longer he could hold back.
At this moment, when Gu Yu finally turned around, he deliberately took a step to the side.
The distance wasn’t large, but it was enough to suppress the nearly uncontrollable tension from earlier.
He stood very straight, his expression already restored to calm, as if that momentary tension had never existed.
Yan Zhao instinctively thought he was still angry.
She didn’t dare hold onto him again, slowly loosening her fingers and standing in place, her back slightly stiff.
Gu Yu spoke in a low voice, slowing his pace as if itemizing tasks one by one. “I enrolled you in night school. You don’t need to go during the day, just attend classes in the evening.”
“Start with learning to read. There’s no rush, and it shouldn’t be difficult for you.”
Yan Zhao had wanted to say something, but the words were swallowed back before they could leave her lips.
She no longer dared to refuse.
Afraid that saying one more word might truly anger him.
So she only nodded. “Okay.”
Gu Yu glanced at her but didn’t press further or say anything more, simply acknowledging her response.
And so, the matter was settled.
Afterward, Gu Yu still took Yan Zhao shopping.
Pots, pans, bowls, plates, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar—they looked at each item one by one.
Yan Zhao remained quiet the entire way.
Her mind was still preoccupied with what had happened earlier, convinced that she had upset him. So, throughout the trip, she offered no opinions, just obediently followed behind him, handing over the money when it was time to pay.
Her movements were practiced.
And natural.
But to onlookers, this scene felt a little off.
Many couldn’t help but steal a few glances.
Such a strikingly handsome young man, standing out even in a crowd, yet when it came time to pay, he didn’t reach for his wallet. Instead, the girl beside him handled the payment.
And that girl looked delicate and soft-spoken, her movements gentle—clearly not the type to take charge.
For a moment, various gazes and speculations quietly fell upon them.
Some were surprised.
Others carried ambiguous meanings.
Yan Zhao didn’t notice any of this.
She just kept her head down, carefully putting away the change, and silently followed Gu Yu’s steps.
Gu Yu, however, sensed those glances, but his expression remained unchanged. He even slowed his pace slightly, looking as though he was rather enjoying the situation.
But Yan Zhao eventually overheard.
At that moment, Gu Yu was standing at the counter, bending down to pick out clothes for her, picking up one piece and putting it down, his expression serious and focused.
Yan Zhao didn’t want any of it.
But she couldn’t outright refuse, so she shifted slightly to the side, deliberately putting some distance between them to let him know her reluctance.
She kept her head down, pretending to look elsewhere.
And it was at this moment that hushed voices drifted over from nearby.
“That boy is really good-looking.”
“Yeah, what a shame. Who would’ve thought he’d be a freeloader?”
“Exactly,” another person chimed in with a laugh, a hint of teasing in their tone. “But with looks like that, if he were with me, I wouldn’t mind letting him freeload either.”
As soon as these words were spoken, someone laughed out loud: “You’re really dreaming.”
Yan Zhao frowned and immediately looked up at those people.
His gaze was fierce.
Someone quickly realized that their earlier remarks had been overheard by the person involved, and their expression instantly turned awkward. They hurriedly tugged at the sleeve of the person beside them.
The person next to them noticed, and the laughter abruptly stopped. Their gaze instinctively shifted away, and they too fell silent.