Before Yan Zhao could fully process what was happening, she saw a slightly plump, older man in a blue work uniform rushing over.
He recognized Gu Yu.
Without waiting for a response, he raised his hand—
Smack!
He slapped the waiter hard on the head.
The sound was so sharp it seemed to make the entire restaurant tremble.
The waiter knelt on the floor, not daring to make a sound.
The older man didn’t even have time to scold him further. Gritting his teeth, he pushed the waiter forward. “Hurry up and apologize to the family!”
The waiter’s voice trembled with fear. “S-sorry… I was blind… Please don’t be angry…”
Yan Zhao nodded and replied softly, “It’s fine.”
But her gaze couldn’t help but drift toward Gu Yu.
He stood beside her, not saying a word, yet he was more intimidating than if he had taken direct action.
He was gloomy, like frost and snow accumulated over many years.
His eyes were so dark they held no light, as if he had been completely swallowed by a sudden surge of anger.
Yan Zhao was all too familiar with this expression.
So familiar that her heart tightened and a chill ran down her spine.
This was Gu Yu when he was extremely angry.
The last time she had seen him like this was when they were children.
She couldn’t remember exactly what had happened back then.
She only remembered that Gu Yu had worn this exact expression.
Quiet and expressionless.
Then, that child had almost been beaten into the hospital, and it took three or four adults to pull Gu Yu away.
And now, his expression was exactly the same as it had been back then.
Afraid he might act impulsively again, Yan Zhao gently tugged at his sleeve. “Gu Yu…”
Her voice was very soft, cautious and nervous.
But that single call seemed to pull him back from his anger.
Gu Yu’s shoulders shifted slightly, and a flicker of light returned to his previously lifeless eyes.
He said in a low voice, “Let’s go.”
There was no extra emotion in his tone, but with a firm tug, he led her out of the state-run restaurant.
The cold wind outside hit her face. Yan Zhao was about to apologize, to explain that she wasn’t that fragile.
Gu Yu stood before her, his fingers quickly yet restrained brushing against her cheek, as if checking if she was hurt.
The next second, he took off his own coat and draped it over her shoulders.
The movement was swift and natural.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “I’m here.”
Yan Zhao was stunned for a moment, then quickly shook her head. “I… I’m really fine…”
But her eyes were slightly red, and something welled up in her chest.
She hadn’t expected him to protect her like this.
Gu Yu took her hand again and led her back to the university.
This time, he didn’t take her to an outside restaurant.
Instead, he headed straight for the university cafeteria.
It was mealtime, and the place was bustling with noise and chatter.
But the moment Gu Yu appeared, the entire line fell silent as if someone had pressed a mute button. Rows of eyes turned toward him.
Some looked up, some whispered, some stared secretly.
And when those gazes landed on the dusty-looking girl he was holding hands with—
The murmurs clearly grew louder.
“Who is that?”
“Is that Teaching Assistant Gu’s girlfriend?”
“No way, she looks so rustic…”
Yan Zhao froze under their stares.
Her heart raced chaotically, and her palms were sweaty.
Standing among these clean, polished university students, she felt utterly awkward and out of place, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to disappear into.
Yan Zhao instinctively tried to pull her hand out of Gu Yu’s grasp.
But Gu Yu only tightened his grip, holding her even more firmly.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he leaned down and asked her, “What would you like to eat?”
The tone was very gentle, carrying a hint of coaxing, and it drowned out all the whispers.
Then Gu Yu swept a glance at those who were brazenly staring over.
Everyone immediately fell silent.
Because Gu Yu’s expression at that moment was terrifying.
…
By the time the two of them finished buying food and returned to the dormitory, the sky outside had already darkened, leaving only scattered student shadows on campus.
Gu Yu pushed open the door and reached up to flip the switch—
A fluorescent light flicked on with a snap.
Bright, somewhat glaring.
Yan Zhao had seen electric lights in her previous life, but that was many years later.
She had never imagined she would see an electric light lit so soon, and here at Gu Yu’s place.
“You eat first.” Gu Yu placed the food on the table. “I’ll step out for a moment and be right back.”
The door closed softly.
The room fell quiet all at once.
Without Gu Yu beside her, Yan Zhao finally let out a long sigh, her whole body relaxing as if finally released from a tightly drawn string.
Her gaze unconsciously fell on her left hand.
That hand was slightly curled, still holding a trace of the strength from his palm.
Ever since she arrived in the capital, he had been holding her hand.
Yan Zhao raised that hand and stared at it for a long time.
Her palm felt faintly warm.
It was as if the warmth still lingered there, not yet faded.
She couldn’t help but rub it against her leg, trying to wipe away that heat.
Not long after, footsteps sounded outside.
When the door was pushed open, Gu Yu was bent over, his arms wrapped around a wooden bathtub so large it almost blocked the doorway, steadily carrying it inside.
Yan Zhao was startled and quickly stood up.
Gu Yu’s gaze first fell on the table.
Her rice bowl was completely empty,
but the dishes beside it… were almost untouched.
He looked for two seconds, neither asking nor showing displeasure.
Then he lowered his head again and continued with his own tasks.
Gu Yu still had a large piece of clean blue cloth tucked under his arm—a curtain meant to partition the room.
He gently set the bathtub down on the floor near the bed, producing a dull thud.
Then, with practiced ease, he stepped onto a stool and hung the partition cloth from above, forcibly dividing the small single room into inner and outer sections.
The inner section held the bed.
The outer section held the table, chairs, and the bowl from which she had just finished eating.
The bathtub sat quietly beside the bed, conspicuously prominent.
Gu Yu secured the last corner of the curtain, glanced back at her, and spoke in an unhurried tone.
“I’ve already eaten. Finish all the food. If you can’t eat it, throw it away, or it’ll spoil by tomorrow.”
With that, he left the room again.
As the door closed softly, Yan Zhao was stunned.
He had already eaten?
Where?
Yan Zhao looked down at the two dishes she had barely touched, then at Gu Yu’s bowl of rice.
If she didn’t eat it, it would be thrown away…
Then she would eat it.
By the time Yan Zhao finished both servings of food, she was so full she leaned back in her chair, panting.
It felt as if she had never eaten this much in her life.
Just as she was rubbing her stomach, the door opened again.
Gu Yu had returned.
He was carrying two heavy wooden buckets, his shoulder line taut from the weight, slowly pouring hot water into the bathtub.
Steam rose, warming the small room slightly.
Seeing this, Yan Zhao quickly stood up, wanting to help. “Let me do it, I’ll help you…”
“No need.” Gu Yu looked up. “You can start organizing your things now.”
As he spoke, he pointed toward a wooden cabinet nearby.
“The wardrobe is there. Put all your clothes inside.”
Yan Zhao gave an “oh” and nodded obediently, hugging her small bundle as she walked over.
But after taking two steps, she couldn’t help but glance back at him.
Gu Yu was focused on pouring water, his profile cast in a cool, clear light by the lamp, yet… steady enough to put one at ease.
Yan Zhao held her small bundle in her arms, crouched before the wardrobe, and gently pulled the door open.
The sight inside made her pause.
Gu Yu’s wardrobe… was startlingly empty.
The upper shelf was bare.
At the very bottom lay a few neatly folded clothes, all in similar colors.
Beyond that, the entire wardrobe was hollow.
Yan Zhao didn’t dare dwell on it, lowering her head to slowly unpack her clothes from the cloth bundle.
She didn’t have many clothes either—just old cotton garments she’d worn in the village.
She folded her outerwear and placed it in the farthest corner, trying not to take up too much space.
When she reached her undergarments, her whole body stiffened.
These… couldn’t be seen by Gu Yu.
Her face flushed crimson all the way to her neck. She clutched the thin, delicate garments tightly to her chest, quickly wrapping them in the cloth bundle—three layers thick—before daring to tuck them into the innermost corner.
By the time she finished, even the tips of her ears were burning.
Just as she closed the wardrobe door, the sound of water filling came from the other side of the curtain.
Amidst the steam, Gu Yu’s low voice followed.
“The water’s ready. You can wash now.”
Gu Yu’s voice was deep, settling into the cramped single room and stirring a quiet tremor in Yan Zhao’s chest.
Her voice was so soft it seemed about to scatter. “…This is for me?”
Gu Yu gave a slight nod. “I thought you’d probably want to clean up.”
Yan Zhao’s cheeks instantly tinged with a faint blush.
She had squeezed onto a train all the way from the south to Beijing, enduring wind and sun, her clothes worn, her hair disheveled. She did feel uncomfortable, but she hadn’t expected—
Gu Yu to be so considerate.
Not just considerate, but… meticulous.
When she looked up, her gaze happened to meet Gu Yu’s.
The lamplight fell on her, casting her slender figure in an exceptionally soft glow.
She was just over twenty, thin and somewhat frail, her skin slightly darkened from exposure to the elements. Yet up close, one could see how fair her skin was—as white as delicate porcelain.
Her eyes, though timid, were strikingly bright, like the amber Gu Yu had once seen at his teacher’s place.
Gu Yu’s breath suddenly hitched.
He swallowed almost reflexively, then lowered his gaze, suppressing his emotions as he placed two more wooden buckets beside her.
“This is hot water. You can add it halfway through.”
He spoke without looking at her, his voice muffled, almost overflowing with restlessness.
After finishing, he took a step back, standing outside the curtain, and added as an afterthought:
“I’m going to see my teacher later. I might be back very late.”
“Just leave everything after you wash. You can’t dump water carelessly on campus.”
“You don’t have to wait for me. You can sleep in the bed first.”
His instructions came naturally, yet each word made Yan Zhao’s heart warm slightly.
Yan Zhao couldn’t find any words. Standing in the steam, she didn’t dare move, only gripping the hem of her clothes and softly acknowledging with a hum.
Gu Yu didn’t look at her again, turning and leaving immediately.
The door closed gently.
Through the curtain, she heard his footsteps fade into the distance.
…
Gu Yu stood by the flower bed outside the dormitory, looking up at the night sky.
Late autumn in Beijing was turning cold, the wind chilling to the bone.
Yet Gu Yu felt as if he were on fire, his exhales hot, even scorching, in his throat.
He raised a hand to press against his brow, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t suppress the restlessness in his heart.
Just then, footsteps approached.
Chen Li walked over to the flower bed and couldn’t help but whistle at the sight of Gu Yu’s expression.
“Gu Yu, you really brought your country wife here?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Yu’s expression instantly darkened.
Cold and piercing.
“Chen Li.” Gu Yu raised his eyes, his voice lowered to a near whisper. “Watch your words.”
Chen Li froze.
That tone… he was genuinely angry.
He quickly waved his hands in an attempt to make amends. “Alright, alright, my bad. Your wife, your better half, is really here?”
Gu Yu fell silent for a moment.
The night wind brushed against him, but it couldn’t dispel the darkness in his eyes.
“…Yeah.”
Chen Li scratched his head, still unable to resist asking, “You’re not really planning to let her stay in your dorm all the time, are you?”
Gu Yu slowly turned his face.
That one glance sent a chill down Chen Li’s spine.
“She’s my wife,” he said, each word clear and deliberate. “We have a marriage certificate. Isn’t it only right that she lives with me?”
Hearing this, Chen Li hesitated on the spot. Watching Gu Yu about to walk away, his mind in turmoil, he finally couldn’t hold back and asked:
“Then… what about Liu Manqing? She’ll definitely find out your wife is here tomorrow. She’ll come looking for you…”
Gu Yu didn’t even pause in his steps.
He merely turned his face slightly, his expression cold and devoid of any emotion.
“What does that have to do with me?”
With that, he strode straight into the depths of the teaching building, his retreating figure clean and resolute.
Chen Li stood there dumbfounded for three seconds before grabbing his head with both hands.
“What do we do now?”
He had always heard Gu Yu say he had a wife back in the countryside, but no one took it seriously, thinking it was just some childhood betrothal arranged long ago.
But now, unexpectedly, it turned out to be true. This guy really had a wife—the kind with a marriage certificate.
When Liu Manqing finds out, she’s definitely going to make a scene.
…
Evening.
The moment Gu Yu pushed the door open, the entire dorm room fell silent.
Yan Zhao sat obediently on the chair, the damp ends of her hair dripping tiny beads of water onto her shoulders.
The dim yellow light fell on her profile, making her appear soft and quiet.
Gu Yu’s footsteps noticeably paused for half a second.
His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Yan Zhao immediately stood up, whispering, “I… I got the floor wet. I’m sorry, I’ll wipe it dry right away.”
Gu Yu glanced at the small, insignificant patch of water on the floor and shook his head.
“It’s fine.”
As he spoke, he pulled a clean, sun-dried towel from the wall and walked over to her.
“Let me dry your hair.”
A second before the towel touched her, Yan Zhao sprang up, waving her hands frantically. “No, no! I can do it myself. I’ll just go outside and let the wind dry it…”
Before she could finish, Gu Yu had already grasped her wrist and gently pressed her back into the chair.
“Don’t move.”
He lowered his head, his voice hushed.
“You’ll catch a cold.”
The moment the towel touched her hair, Gu Yu’s fingers, separated by the fabric, gently pressed against the nape of her neck. The warmth from his palm seeped through her skin, making it impossible to escape.
Yan Zhao froze completely.
She had thought he was just saying it casually and wouldn’t actually dry her hair himself.
It was also the first time she realized that when he got close, it could make someone feel so… breathless.
Yan Zhao lowered her head slightly, intending to pull away.
Now, the tips of her ears were burning red, as if on fire.
All these flustered, shy, and bewildered expressions were captured by Gu Yu without missing a single detail.
His movements noticeably paused for a moment.
The towel paused at the ends of her hair, but his fingertips uncontrollably brushed against the side of her temple.
He lowered his gaze, his eyelashes casting a deep shadow.
“Don’t move.”
His voice was low and hoarse.
Reminded by him, Yan Zhao truly dared not move, even her breathing softened.