Yan Zhao looked up, only then realizing belatedly that Gu Yu was truly very tall.
Standing before him, she unconsciously had to tilt her head back to look at him, her neck slightly aching.
Gu Yu was probably even taller than his brother…
No, definitely taller than Gu Cheng.
Gu Yu also noticed her upward gaze.
He moved almost instinctively.
Bending his knees slightly, lowering himself to meet her eye level.
The action was so natural, so natural that Yan Zhao froze for a moment.
She had never seen anyone who would lower themselves simply because she was looking up.
In that instant, Yan Zhao instinctively took a step back.
But she couldn’t retreat.
Because Gu Yu had already raised his hands, gently cupping her cheeks.
It wasn’t a forceful grip.
His palms were warm, the temperature distinct.
It was as if he had wanted to do this for a long time but had been holding back.
“Don’t be angry.”
Gu Yu’s voice was low now, spoken slowly, “I have no relationship with them.”
He paused, then continued explaining:
“One of them has terrible grades, and the teacher asked me several times before I reluctantly agreed to help.”
“The younger one just now is the teacher’s only daughter, spoiled rotten, and I’ve never liked her anyway.”
Yan Zhao stared at him blankly.
Her mind was completely empty.
She actually wanted to say that she really wasn’t angry.
She also wanted to say that she just felt she shouldn’t be standing by his side.
But all these words, at the moment he cupped her face, got stuck in her throat.
Not a single one could come out.
Because his gaze was too earnest.
Gu Yu suddenly let out a low sigh.
In that moment, the calm on his face seemed to crack, revealing a rare hint of emotion.
“What do I need to do for you not to be angry?” he said softly, his tone slightly off, “Should I… have someone else explain it to you? Make it clear that I have absolutely no relationship with them?”
As soon as he said this, it sounded almost like a grievance.
Yan Zhao was taken aback and immediately shook her head, her movements somewhat flustered.
She reached out, gently pushing his hands away from her cheeks, her voice a little scattered.
“No.”
“I… I believe you, I really don’t not believe you.”
She paused, then instinctively added, her tone cautious.
“And I think, they’re to you…”
Before she could finish.
Gu Yu suddenly interrupted her.
“Don’t think what you think.” He looked at her, his gaze deep, “You need to think what I think, that’s what matters.”
Yan Zhao froze.
Gu Yu took a step forward, closing the distance, but didn’t touch her again. Instead, he spoke in a low voice, steady and leaving no room for avoidance.
“I think my meaning is already very clear.”
“Zhaozhao.”
When he called her name, his tone was slightly lower than usual.
Yan Zhao stood where she was, her heart suddenly pounding.
All the thoughts she had been suppressing and avoiding were laid bare by him so directly, leaving her no room to retreat.
The wind blew through the courtyard, the shadow of the small villa falling on the ground.
Yan Zhao was completely stunned.
As if pinned in place by those words, unable to regain her composure for a while.
Gu Yu watched her reaction, his Adam’s apple moving slightly, and finally let out another low sigh.
He knew very well that pushing any further would only make her retreat more.
“Forget it.”
His tone softened, “Let’s go back, you must be hungry.”
After saying this, he naturally reached out to take her hand, as if this was how things should end.
Yan Zhao almost reflexively pulled her hand back.
The movement was small, but the meaning was clear.
Gu Yu’s hand hung in the air for a moment before he withdrew it without pressing further, continuing to walk ahead.
Yan Zhao followed behind him, her mind already in turmoil.
She was genuinely confused.
From childhood to adulthood, she and Gu Yu… had never been particularly close.
She had always seen him as a younger brother.
When her aunt was alive, she mostly took care of him—making sure he was fed, clothed, and protected from cold and hunger.
After her aunt passed away, he excelled in his studies and grew increasingly distant, as if he had suddenly separated himself from the village.
The year he took the college entrance exam, he was admitted to the top university in the country.
After that, the two of them had almost no interaction.
At the time, all her attention was focused on Gu Cheng.
In her previous life, she had been willing to do anything and endure anything for Gu Cheng.
Even their divorce was handled through mailed documents.
As for Gu Yu, he never said a single unnecessary word from start to finish.
No attempts to keep her, no questions, nothing at all.
So Yan Zhao had always assumed—
He simply didn’t care.
But now, this person stood beside her, always doing things that made her feel ashamed and angry, saying things that were easily misunderstood.
Yan Zhao lowered her head, her steps slowing more and more.
She suddenly realized that she might never have truly understood Gu Yu from the very beginning.
…
Gu Yu led her out of the school. Yan Zhao understood his intention and whispered, “The cafeteria will do.”
Gu Yu didn’t stop walking, only replying calmly, “The cafeteria is closed.”
At these words, Yan Zhao’s heart tightened again.
She lowered her head, almost certain that the reason was entirely her fault.
If not for her, Gu Yu would already be having dinner at the professor’s house.
Gu Yu seemed to have sensed her change in mood long ago. He suddenly turned his head to glance at her, his tone steady, “If you keep blaming yourself like this, I won’t go to the professor’s house again.”
Yan Zhao abruptly looked up.
For a moment, her expression was one of utter astonishment, as if she hadn’t expected him to speak this way.
Gu Yu naturally noticed.
His heart stirred slightly, thinking her expression… was a little too obedient.
But he deliberately averted his gaze, as if truly intent on carrying out what he had just said.
Yan Zhao was already flustered.
She stared at him for two seconds, confirming he wasn’t just speaking casually, and quickly reached out, her fingertips pinching a small piece of his shirt fabric.
She was about to explain.
The next moment, several people walked toward them from ahead.
There were both men and women, all looking young and clearly students at the university.
After recognizing Gu Yu’s face, one of the male students paused for a moment before calling out loudly—
“Teaching Assistant Gu!”
The voice wasn’t particularly loud, but everyone heard it.
Several pairs of eyes turned toward them.
First at Gu Yu.
Then, naturally, at Yan Zhao beside him.
There was a moment of silence.
Yan Zhao quickly let go of his shirt.
Gu Yu nodded, appearing quite indifferent.
The group hurriedly nodded back. Some responded with smiles, while others couldn’t help but glance at Yan Zhao a few more times, their eyes filled with unconcealed curiosity.
This was also because the school was recently filled with rumors about this teaching assistant, Gu Yu.
They say Assistant Professor Gu dumped Liu Manqing for his country wife.
Who is Liu Manqing?
She’s both the campus belle and the factory flower.
Gu Yu seemed oblivious to those gazes, taking only a step forward and naturally shielding Yan Zhao behind him. He said softly, “Let’s go.”
His profile was sharply outlined by the streetlight’s glow, clean and handsome, the lines of his brow bone softening, no longer appearing sharp.
Those usually cold eyes were now lowered, steady and gentle in color, as if all their edge had been withdrawn.
It was a deliberate, conciliatory tenderness.
In that instant, the surrounding girls froze almost simultaneously.
Gu Yu had always been strikingly handsome yet aloof at school, with an elegant and distant demeanor—even his smiles carried a sense of detachment.
But now, he was slightly bowing his head, shielding someone from view, his voice lowered to a whisper, his tone slow and patient, as if afraid of startling the person beside him.
That contrast between his striking looks and unexpected gentleness was almost impossible to look away from.
The girls drew in soft breaths.
Only after Gu Yu had led Yan Zhao away did those few slowly come to a stop.
After a brief silence, whispers began to surface.
“…So that’s Gu Yu’s feudal, arranged wife?”
“She doesn’t seem as pretty as Liu Manqing.”
Someone added quietly, “And the way she was just now, timid and shrinking—honestly, it does seem a bit unsophisticated.”
As those words fell, another hesitated before chiming in.
“But Assistant Professor Gu really is different with her…”
No one immediately refuted that.
“Yeah,” another girl sighed. “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed Assistant Professor Gu could be so gentle.”
“All these years, who’s ever seen Gu Yu let anyone get close?”
“He even shied away when Liu Manqing took a step nearer.”
Someone’s tone shifted slightly, carrying clear envy.
“Honestly… Assistant Professor Gu is what you call devoted.”
“Even though his wife was arranged by his family, he hasn’t looked down on her and keeps her by his side.”
“If it were anyone else, they’d have found an excuse to break it off long ago.”
“Exactly.”
“I’d say, even though that girl seems unremarkable, she’s really lucky.”
The murmurs gradually faded.
…
The two soon arrived at a rather inconspicuous small street outside the campus.
Turning into the street entrance, they found a privately run small restaurant. The storefront wasn’t large, but it was brightly lit, with steam rising warmly inside.
The waiter who greeted them was noticeably more enthusiastic and polite compared to the state-run restaurant last time.
Yan Zhao lowered her head to look at the menu posted on the wall. She could read the words, but the prices made her heart tighten one by one.
After hesitating for a couple of seconds, she still pointed to the bottom line and said softly, “Just one bowl of dumplings, please.”
Actually, even dumplings weren’t cheap for her.
But it was the best she could accept.
Gu Yu didn’t say much, simply ordering a bowl as well.
Two bowls of dumplings were quickly served, white steam rising, the aroma spreading instantly.
Yan Zhao ate with her head down, focused and almost afraid to look up.
But this bowl of dumplings was truly too much.
She ate slowly, her cheeks slightly puffed, taking bite after bite, clearly struggling toward the end.
Just as she was wondering how to force it down, the bowl before her suddenly vanished.
Yan Zhao was startled, instinctively looking up.
She saw that Gu Yu had already taken her bowl to his own side, his expression so natural it didn’t seem like he was doing anything out of the ordinary.
Then he lowered his head and continued eating.
Especially the remaining half of her dumpling, still bearing the marks of her bite, was also directly placed into his mouth.
In the end, even the broth was finished off as well.
Yan Zhao froze completely.
Her cheeks flushed instantly, burning hot, and even the tips of her ears felt warm.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out. She could only lower her head and stare at the corner of the table, her heart racing uncontrollably.
Gu Yu set down the bowl, as if only then realizing something. He glanced at her sideways and said in a casual tone, “I saw you couldn’t finish it, but I was a bit hungry, so I helped you finish it. It’s just right—no waste.”
His tone couldn’t have been more natural.
Yan Zhao, who had just felt like her entire body was about to catch fire, felt her heart suddenly relax upon hearing these words.
So… he was hungry.
She felt a bit relieved.
Relieved that he was genuinely hungry; otherwise, she really wouldn’t have been able to finish this bowl of dumplings, and it would have been a shame to waste them.
And to be honest, the dumplings were truly delicious.
Thin wrappers, generous filling, finely minced meat, and a burst of flavorful juice with every bite, carrying a hint of fragrance.
She lowered her head and slowly savored the memory, wondering how they were made.
By then, Gu Yu had already gotten up to pay the bill.
On the way back to the dormitory, the night breeze cleared their minds considerably.
After walking for a while, he suddenly remarked, as if offhandedly, “They’re not as good as the ones you make.”
Yan Zhao paused in her steps and instinctively looked up at him.
Her expression was unmistakable.
Surprise, confusion, and a hint of disbelief.
Gu Yu glanced at her sideways, seemingly amused by her reaction, and said in his usual calm tone, “Once, when I was sick, you made dumplings for me.”
Yan Zhao was stunned.
Having lived a lifetime, such trivial details were truly hard for her to recall.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say she didn’t remember, but felt a bit apologetic.
But Gu Yu didn’t wait for her response.
As if he hadn’t expected her to remember in the first place.
He simply continued walking, leading her back to the dormitory.
As they neared the door, Yan Zhao suddenly noticed a piece of paper stuck to the door panel.
Black characters on white paper—it looked like it had been posted not long ago.
She was about to lean in for a closer look.
In the next moment, Gu Yu had already reached out and neatly tore off the paper.
His movements were swift.
The paper was folded twice and directly stuffed into his pocket.
He offered no explanation, simply pushed open the door and said, “Go inside. I’ll get water for you.”
Yan Zhao, who had still been thinking about the note, was interrupted by his words and instinctively looked up.
She quickly said, “Let me go with you. I should learn the way. I can’t have you helping me every time.”
She didn’t want to rely on him for everything.
Gu Yu paused but didn’t turn around.
“No need,” he said quickly and decisively. “This is the dormitory area. We’ll have to move out sooner or later anyway.”
At these words, Yan Zhao’s heart skipped a beat.
Move out?
Where would they move to?
She instinctively wanted to ask more, but before the words could leave her mouth, Gu Yu had already turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing around the corner of the hallway.
Yan Zhao stood at the door, her mouth slightly open, but in the end, she didn’t call out.
…
Yan Zhao took another bath.
Soaking in a bath in winter was truly comforting for the body.
In the countryside, she hadn’t had this luxury—heating water was too troublesome, and firewood and time were both too precious to waste.
But here, Gu Yu had said the university had a designated place for fetching water.
The water was just the right temperature, soaking into her body, slowly dispelling even the chill deep in her bones.
Yan Zhao relaxed for once, leaning against the side of the tub and closing her eyes for a while.
She didn’t notice that, beyond the cloth curtain, Gu Yu had never left.
The outer room was quiet.
Only the faint sound of water gently shifting could be heard.
He sat by the table, neither speaking nor moving, simply waiting quietly, as if confirming that she had truly let go.