[May You Love Me as I Love You] Chapter 9: Heavy Snow

"Every time this mouth deliberately sings a different tune from me, I especially want to kiss it, so perhaps it'll be a little more obedient."

Gu Luxing finally released Song Er. As his hand stroked her shoulder, he naturally twirled a lock of her long hair, playing with it slowly. He rarely showed such a subtle smile, looking at Song Er with gentle eyes, yet speaking in all seriousness.

He had never been like this before. When they were together previously, Gu Luxing would just look at her deeply, obviously having things to say and things to do, but all of it would just melt into a deep melancholy in his eyes across the long passage of time.

Even when she occasionally tried to get closer, he would pull away as if shocked. He always deliberately maintained a distance between them, never overstepping his bounds, so disciplined that Song Er even started to doubt the intention of that kiss.

She had once been too shy to ask Gu Luxing for a reason, and Gu Luxing was never prepared to say. Later, when she left and returned, the one holding back was now her.

There was always one person holding back between them—Gu Luxing in the past, and her now.

Song Er felt a little self-conscious under his gaze. She hastily averted her eyes and changed the subject. "Right, what's going on with Gu Cheng?"

Gu Luxing had been playfully and amusingly twirling that lock of Song Er's hair. He stopped abruptly at her question, and the smile on his face instantly vanished, replaced by his usual calm demeanor. "Do you think I'm truly very broad-minded?"

Song Er knew Gu Luxing had always been sensitive about Gu Cheng. She'd asked carelessly in her rush to change the subject, only to hit a nerve with Gu Luxing.

"I didn't mean that," she quickly explained.

"Then you should know that I don't want you to be concerned about Gu Cheng's affairs."

Gu Luxing rose angrily. Song Er tried to reach out and pull him back, but he evaded her. She could only withdraw her hand awkwardly and quietly defend herself, "You clearly know that I don't like him."

"Then should I watch you stand openly with him, listen to everyone congratulating you as a perfect couple, made for each other, and also accept that you're good friends with him in private, trusting him without reservation?" Gu Luxing turned to look down at her. "Song Er, I love you. Seeing and hearing these things makes me jealous too."

Song Er's expression changed several times, and tears welled up in her eyes, though she didn't look sad. She asked uncertainly, "Can you repeat those last few sentences, please?"

Although Gu Luxing was still annoyed, he didn't realize the surge of emotion in Song Er. "Song Er, I love you. Seeing and hearing those things makes me jealous too."

Confirming she hadn't misheard, Song Er instantly leaped up and threw herself into Gu Luxing's arms, her muffled voice replying against his chest, "I love you too."

Gu Luxing was taken by surprise, until Song Er spoke again, "Hearing 'I love you' from you really sounds good."

He finally understood what the little girl was so delighted about and instantly lost his reason to be angry. He returned Song Er's hug but still maintained his posture, refusing to fully give in. "Don't think this means I won't hold a grudge."

Gu Luxing eventually told her about Gu Cheng. Given Gu Cheng's drunken state that day, he had to give her an answer to stop her from worrying needlessly.

"I told him that Gu Mingjing might be related to your parents' accident that year. He likely went to ask Zhou Yuwei afterward and learned some of the truth."

"But, that incident has nothing to do with him. He didn't do anything."

Gu Luxing reached out and tapped her nose. "You can distinguish that. It has nothing to do with him, but it has to do with his father. Do you think he wouldn't care about that?"

Gu Luxing was right. With Gu Cheng's personality and his feelings for her, it was impossible for him not to care. Drinking himself into that state was perfectly understandable.

Song Er complained, pushing the blame onto Gu Luxing, "You knew this would happen, so why did you tell him that?" When Gu Luxing shot her a cold look, she quickly and timidly defended herself, "You're his uncle, after all, practically an elder. You can't bully him."

"Then he should know his place."

"What do you mean?"

Gu Luxing suddenly became serious. "Don't always try to put ideas into your aunt's head."

Song Er didn't immediately understand, until the smile on Gu Luxing's face deepened. She realized what he meant, hit Gu Luxing's arm, and blushed. "Gu Luxing, you're too much!"

Monday morning, as soon as Gu Luxing stepped into his office, Han Xun came in to tell him, "Jiang Jingjing is here to see you."

Jiang Jingjing had been visiting Gu Group more and more frequently recently. Many employees even speculated that the two were preparing to resume the family alliance. After all, Jiang Jingjing hadn't had any dating rumors since Gu Luxing. Gu Luxing had many rumors a few years ago, but he had clearly toned it down in the past six months.

"Shouldn't you be at Jiang Group's morning meeting right now?"

"Do you not know why I'm here?" Jiang Jingjing angrily questioned. "Why is the project different from what we discussed beforehand? Do you think I still have the face to show up at Jiang Group? Gu Luxing, I told you this project is very important to me."

Gu Luxing had someone pour Jiang Jingjing a cup of coffee. He remained composed in the face of her fury. "It's a joint project between our two families. The terms I offered are not bad at all. How could it cause difficulty for President Jiang?"

"You!" Jiang Jingjing hadn't expected Gu Luxing to say that. "Gu Luxing, I don't mind you using me to get things done, but you should at least prioritize your own safety."

She had received news this morning that there were problems with Gu Group's project in Fangshan County, and that major news portals would soon start reporting on it. When that happened, it would be a major crisis, not just for Gu Luxing, but for Gu Group as a whole.

"If I, Gu Luxing, didn't even have that much ability, President Jiang wouldn't have cooperated with me in the first place, would she?"

Gu Luxing showed no sign of crisis, but Jiang Jingjing no longer believed him. "Gu Luxing, I can't put Jiang Group at risk with you. Let's terminate our cooperation for now."

After stating her decision, Jiang Jingjing left immediately. Han Xun, clueless about the situation, rushed in to ask what was going on. Gu Luxing could only tell him the truth. "Jiang Jingjing said she's terminating the cooperation."

"What's going on? She clearly knows we were about to..."

"Gu Mingjing is using Fangshan County as leverage."

The Fangshan County tourism development project was a cooperative project with the government. Gu Luxing wasn't responsible for it initially, but it was transferred to him after the previous person in charge resigned for various reasons. He had mostly resolved the issues, so how could a problem suddenly surface now?

Gu Group's morning meeting today truly seemed to be specially held for Gu Luxing. As soon as he appeared, everyone exchanged glances, each with their own thoughts.

Gu Luxing had been seated for a short while before Gu Mingjing arrived, his face glum, though it was unclear whom he was showing it to.

Gu Mingjing didn't bother with any lengthy preamble. He went straight to the point. "I believe everyone heard on the way here. Fangshan County is a tourism project we developed in cooperation with the Fangshan government in the first half of the year. However, due to certain reasons, not only has the progress been slow, but the construction period has also been delayed. Now, someone has exposed that we disregarded the lives and production of local residents during construction. The severity of the issue naturally doesn't need to be stated by me."

The demolition work had been completed when Gu Luxing took over. Now that this had been exposed, Gu Group needed someone to take responsibility, and currently, that person could only be him.

Gu Luxing just held the coffee cup in his hand, sipping it calmly. His face maintained its usual gentle demeanor. Only after he felt everyone's eyes on him did he finally react.

"Oh, the problem is quite serious. However, this is the first I'm hearing about it from President Gu."

"What? Director Gu doesn't know about this?" Someone asked in surprise.

Gu Luxing sighed helplessly. "If I knew, it wouldn't have reached all of your ears, would it, President Gu?"

Gu Mingjing glanced at everyone without changing his expression, his tone sounding distressed. "Now is not the time to investigate the cause. Let's think about how to solve it."

"How can we solve this? Since it's a project under Director Gu's supervision, he should certainly be the one to solve it. I don't think we can help much."

Gu Luxing adjusted his glasses and looked at the speaker, appearing somewhat troubled. "It's not that there's a problem, but..."

Someone then recalled that Gu Luxing was too busy to handle this and said, "President Gu, Director Gu has several key projects for the company next year. It's not appropriate to send him to Fangshan County right now, is it?"

Gu Mingjing asked everyone coldly, "Director Gu does have key projects, but is there anyone else among you who is more suitable to handle the Fangshan County issue?"

Those who were about to speak up for Gu Luxing immediately lowered their heads. The Fangshan County matter was currently thankless. They had only cooperated with the government in the first place to build a good image for Gu Group and strengthen their relationship with the government; otherwise, the cooperation was unnecessary. Naturally, no one wanted to be sent there.

Since that was the case, Gu Luxing had no need to argue. He only asked one more question. "Then how should the projects under my supervision be handled?"

Gu Mingjing's explanation this time was unexpectedly proactive. "For urgent ones, we will coordinate personnel. For non-urgent ones, it won't be delayed if you handle them after resolving the Fangshan County issue."

"Since President Gu has already made all the arrangements, it seems inappropriate for me to say anything more."

He claimed to have no objection, but to the directors present, it looked more like he couldn't have an objection. Because Gu Luxing was Gu Liangping's son from his second marriage, although he was favored in the Gu family, his shares were less than a third of Gu Mingjing's. Coupled with the shares Gu Mingjing had slowly acquired over the years, Gu Luxing's shares were no match for Gu Mingjing's.

After the decision was made, Han Xun stormed into Gu Luxing's office, tossing the documents onto the floor. "What's the meaning of this? The Fangshan County problem was clearly caused by his people's incompetence, which is why it was handed over to us. Now it's become our responsibility?"

"The Fangshan County problem would have to be resolved sooner or later."

"But does it have to be you? Can't the entire Gu Group find someone else to handle such a minor issue? And he specifically demanded you go in person."

"Han Xun!" Gu Luxing's face darkened as he rebuked him. "Everyone knows the current situation. You know what Gu Group means to me. The impact in Fangshan County is so huge right now. What's wrong with me going?"

"Then you should know what I mean. If you go, what about all the projects you're currently handling?"

"Don't you have a role?"

Han Xun paused, then realized. "I'm just cleaning up your messes!"

Gu Luxing glanced at the many curious onlookers at the door and didn't plan to say more. "Get out."

Han Xun left, exasperated, and quickly received a text message—"Who are you acting up for? You sound so resentful."

He immediately texted back—"If you don't act up, and I don't act up, the play isn't convincing."

Song Er only learned about the Fangshan County matter through conversations with colleagues. Later, a phone call with Su Xie gave her more information.

Since the holiday, she and Su Xie hadn't met, but they had kept in touch. They still hadn't found solid evidence to reopen the case regarding what happened that year. Although she and Gu Luxing were back together, she still wanted to resolve this herself. After all, Gu Mingjing was Gu Luxing's older brother, and she didn't want to put him in a difficult position.

After hanging up with Su Xie, Song Er immediately called Gu Luxing, but no one answered. It wasn't until late at night that she received a call back from him.

"Are you asleep?" he asked.

"Huh?" Song Er picked up the phone groggily, but instantly woke up when she heard Gu Luxing's voice. "I'm not asleep!"

Gu Luxing didn't call her out. He explained, "I was in meetings all afternoon. My phone was silenced, so I missed your call. Is something wrong?" His voice was unusually gentle, but it carried an undeniable weariness.

"Why did you go to Fangshan County?" Song Er asked anxiously.

Both Gu Group and the Fangshan government were currently trying their best to suppress the news there, but a few reports had still slipped out. Song Er had read them all online that afternoon and naturally understood the severity of the situation.

"Something came up suddenly here, and I need to go handle a few things," Gu Luxing explained, trying to downplay the situation to keep Song Er from worrying.

Song Er clearly didn't believe him. "I heard the situation is a bit complicated. Will you be okay going there?"

"It's nothing. Just a small issue. I'll be back as soon as I handle it."

Song Er wanted to say more, but Gu Luxing changed the subject. "The Lunar New Year is in two weeks. Have you decided where you'll spend it?"

The first few Lunar New Years she lived at the Gu house were spent with the Gu family. She would only go with Li Chongming to visit her parents' graves and have dinner when he had time. After going abroad, she intentionally avoided returning for those holidays, usually spending them casually with Su Xie outside. This year, she truly hadn't decided yet.

"Will you be back?" Song Er asked.

"It depends. If things here are finished, I'll naturally come back."

"Okay, good." Song Er replied, secretly deciding that if he didn't return, she would go to Fangshan County to find him.

Gu Luxing didn't press for an answer. Given her current state, forcing her to come to the Gu house might be a bit much. However, knowing her personality, she would probably still visit the Gu family. It wasn't appropriate for him to say anything about that.

Song Er was afraid of disturbing Gu Luxing, so they exchanged a few simple words and said goodnight. Even though she had been woken up from a light sleep, after hanging up, she found herself unable to sleep, staying awake until midnight before finally feeling sleepy again.

As the year-end approached, the company was mostly wrapping up work. The office was bustling with busy people. Su Xie had previously arranged two commercial performances for Song Er, and she still had one more to prepare for.

Li Chongming came to find her at noon. "Xiao Er, accompany your uncle for lunch today, okay?"

The two rarely saw each other at Song Group. Li Chongming was always busy, and she was busy too. This was the first time she had received such an invitation.

"Sure. I'll get ready and be right there." She shut down her computer and grabbed her bag before leaving.

Li Chongming chose a restaurant near the company with various cuisines, but Song Er only casually ordered a few dishes after taking the menu.

"Are you adjusting well?"

She was already used to his perfunctory questions.

"Very well," she answered.

"I heard Gu Luxing spared some time to help you a lot?"

Even though she hadn't intentionally avoided the topic, Song Er's nerves still tightened slightly when Li Chongming brought it up. "I didn't know much when I first came here, so I asked him to teach me a few things."

"Your relationship with him seems quite good."

Li Chongming smiled and spoke casually, but Song Er felt something was off, until Li Chongming added, "Has he told you anything about Gu Group?"

"Gu Group?" Song Er frowned subconsciously. "What about Gu Group?"

"Nothing much. I just heard that Jiang Group suddenly canceled their cooperation with them, and he was transferred to Fangshan County. I was just wondering if you knew what happened?"

Song Er didn't understand why Li Chongming would ask her this, but she played along. "I think I heard something about that. Is it serious? He didn't tell me much."

Li Chongming shook his head. "I only heard it from others, but it must be a big deal to send him to Fangshan County. I thought you might know something."

"No. He rarely talks about work with me."

Li Chongming had never cared much about her affairs. His questioning now made her suspicious.

Song Er pondered without showing it, casually continuing the conversation with Li Chongming. Although neither of them revealed the core of the issue, Song Er realized that Li Chongming probably wanted to find out from her what was happening at Gu Group. Unfortunately, she genuinely didn't know anything.

This lunch was a strain for Song Er. Afterward, she found an excuse to buy a cake and a coffee at a nearby dessert shop before returning to the company.

The weekend finally offered a much-needed day off, but Gu Ye came to find her. Because Song Er hadn't returned to the Gu house, the girl, after her phone invitation was rejected, simply came directly to find her.

"Sister Er, let's go shopping," Gu Ye urged a few minutes after arriving.

Song Er was lying on the sofa, lazily saying, "Shouldn't you ask Auntie Zhou or your friends to go shopping?"

"But their taste isn't as good as yours," Gu Ye leaned closer to Song Er. "The Lunar New Year is coming soon. Aren't you going to buy new clothes, Sister Er?"

Zhou Yuwei usually arranged these things. Even after going abroad, she would call and instruct her, but Song Er was always too lazy to bother, often avoiding it if possible.

However, she couldn't find a reason to refuse the girl's request.

Thus, a day she had planned to spend lying down, watching TV, and relaxing, turned into accompanying Gu Ye shopping in the cold wind and light rain.

Xuchuan hadn't had any snow yet this year, but the rain hadn't stopped, one shower after another, seemingly endless. If this were London, fluffy snowflakes would have been falling by now, the sound of 'crunch-crunch' underfoot.

Gu Ye was in high spirits, skipping and hopping happily. Song Er wasn't fond of shopping. She followed behind her, offering advice while picking out clothes for her.

It must be said that Song Er had excellent taste, though she tended to be too meticulous when selecting things. They spent the entire morning shopping, finally finding an outfit Gu Ye liked. They had lunch at a restaurant on the top floor of the mall, then planned to look around some more in the afternoon.

Song Er was much more casual about her own clothes. She found a brand she often wore, picked out a coat, tried it on, decided it fit, and went straight to the checkout.

Afterward, Gu Ye couldn't help but complain, "Sister Er, you're too casual about buying clothes for yourself!"

"It's fine. I think it suits me well." As she spoke, her gaze was caught by the display window next to her. After a moment of hesitation, she finally walked into the store.

Gu Ye quickly followed Song Er. "Sister Er, what are you doing here?"

Song Er smiled at her without explaining. Instead, she pointed to one of the coats and asked the sales associate, "Excuse me, do you have this coat in size 185?"

The associate immediately smiled and said it was a new item for the season, having just arrived yesterday, implying that if she wanted it, they could get it for her right away.

Gu Ye understood immediately, but what puzzled her was, "My brother doesn't seem to like wearing clothes like this."

Song Er's expression froze. She forced a calm explanation. "I just thought it looked good."

This coat indeed wasn't suitable for Gu Cheng. The cut and style were too severe, and the color was too dark, lacking distinctive features. Yet, the first time she saw it, she felt he would look very good in it.

Gu Ye didn't think too deeply about it. After re-examining the coat, she said, "Anyway, as long as Sister Er buys it, my brother will love it."

Song Er didn't refute her. She and Gu Cheng hadn't formally discussed some things, and she couldn't publicly reveal her feelings. If the little girl misunderstood, so be it.

Life was unpredictable. She wasn't sure what lay ahead, but she still felt that no matter what, she should at least do something for him now.

It was already the next day when she saw Gu Ye off. The girl had insisted on staying overnight at her place, and she had no choice but to let her.

As soon as Gu Ye returned, she told Gu Cheng that Song Er had prepared a surprise for him. Unfortunately, Gu Cheng's reaction was lukewarm, showing little interest, which made Gu Ye very angry.

After leaving the Song family that day, he had considered apologizing or explaining, but in the end, he did nothing. Gu Ye had invited him to come along this time, but he had refused, citing company matters.

He still didn't have the courage to discuss those things with Song Er while sober, so he could only pretend to be completely oblivious for now. As for how far Gu Luxing and Song Er's relationship had progressed, he wasn't curious. In any case, there was no longer a possibility for him and Song Er, even if Song Er forgave him.

Song Er had been feeling restless all week, though she couldn't pinpoint why. It was as if something was about to happen, and everything around her was covered in the unknown. She disliked this feeling intensely.

With the performance approaching, she had to go to the theater for rehearsal after work. However, Song Er was noticeably distracted during practice today, making continuous mistakes and constantly losing focus.

The theater staff noticed her state and asked worriedly if she felt unwell.

Song Er shook her head. "I'm fine." She didn't know what was wrong with her. She just couldn't concentrate, and her mind was a mess, with no discernible cause.

Assuming the rehearsals were too intense and she was physically drained, the theater told her to go home and rest to adjust her condition. As soon as Song Er arrived home, she unexpectedly received a call from Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng hadn't contacted her for a while, and she was a little nervous answering the phone, worried he was calling to discuss those issues.

"Gu Cheng, is something wrong?"

"Uncle is hurt and in the hospital. Are you going to come?"

Her heart plummeted with a "thud," and her head buzzed, hearing nothing. She tried to confirm if she had misheard, to understand how serious the situation was and what exactly had happened. Finally, she managed to say three trembling words: "Where is he?"

Where was he? She wanted to see him immediately. No amount of description was as important as seeing him herself, as being by his side.

She hastily grabbed her bag, hailed a random taxi downstairs, and rushed toward the hospital where Gu Luxing was.

She had only experienced this kind of panic once before: when she received the police call that year. Her clasped hands trembled uncontrollably, and anyone could see her panic. The driver tried to talk to her, but she didn't respond, even her final thank you was absentminded.

All the Gu family members were at the door of the operating room. They said Gu Luxing had fallen off the mountain while inspecting the site, sustaining injuries all over his body. They were fortunate the rescue was timely, or he might have lost his life.

"What's his condition now?" Song Er couldn't stay calm anymore, asking urgently. "Where exactly is he hurt? How serious is it? What did the doctor say—"

"He's still in the emergency room," Gu Cheng interrupted her calmly, taking her hand and leading her aside. "You sit here for a while. It'll probably be a while longer."

Song Er realized her momentary loss of control. She tried her best to restrain herself and calm down. Even though she was extremely worried about Gu Luxing's condition, she couldn't let the Gu family members notice anything unusual.

The surgery ended four hours later. The moment the light above the operating room door went out, Song Er's heart clenched in tension. Only when she heard the words "The surgery was successful" did she finally let out a sigh of relief.

The Gu family was already arranging his hospitalization. Song Er stood to the side with no right to speak. It was Gu Cheng who suggested, "You wait here for him."

Song Er hesitated for a moment, then agreed. "Okay."

The wait was always torturous. The Gu family left Xiao Zhang and Shu Le to look after him, and Song Er stayed with them. Gu Mingjing never showed up, claiming to be too busy with company matters, which was understandable given the magnitude of the incident.

From the afternoon until deep into the night, Song Er sat outside the Intensive Care Unit without moving. Midway, Shu Le advised her to go home and rest if she was too tired and come back after waking up.

Song Er shook her head. "I'm fine. Waiting here is the same."

She just wanted to be by his side, wanted him to feel it, wanted her to be the first person he saw when he woke up.

But even after the effects of the medication wore off, and even after the doctor said his condition was stable, Gu Luxing showed no signs of waking up. The Gu family members changed in shifts, but only Song Er remained seated there.

When Gu Cheng came over, she asked the worry in her heart for the first time. "He'll be okay, right?"

Two sleepless days had made Song Er look very haggard. Her voice was slightly hoarse, full of worry, even fear.

"He'll be fine. Do you want to rest for a bit?"

Despite being very tired, Song Er insisted, "No."

Gu Luxing woke up in the evening. Song Er had managed to sleep for a while at Gu Cheng's insistence, but she immediately woke up at the sound of Gu Luxing's cough, instinctively rushing to call the doctor. After all the checks were complete and the doctor said everything was normal, Song Er couldn't hold back, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

"Gu Luxing, I was scared."

She had tried so hard to control her emotions, telling herself not to cry, but facing him, she couldn't stop. All the worry and anxiety from the two days of sleepless waiting, all the uneasiness and fear, exploded at this moment.

Gu Luxing smiled helplessly. "Why are you crying?"

This made Song Er cry even harder. She buried her face on the side of Gu Luxing's bed, sobbing as she accused him, "Do you know how worried I was? If you hadn't woken up soon, I wouldn't have been able to hold on."

Gu Luxing tried to reach out and touch the person by his bed, but found he had no strength and could only give up. "I'm awake now, aren't I?"

"Do you know how long you were asleep? Almost three days. Every time the doctor came in, I was terrified, afraid they would suddenly say something bad. I was truly scared..."

Seeing her like this, Gu Luxing had no choice but to change the subject. "I'm thirsty."

Hearing his request, Song Er quickly wiped away her tears and poured a glass of water. But her face was still streaked with tears, and her small shoulders were still shaking with sobs, a truly heartbreaking sight.

Song Er slowly raised the hospital bed, carefully feeding Gu Luxing half a glass of water. She still wanted to say something, but looking at Gu Luxing's body, she could only pout sadly and sit by his side.

When the Gu family arrived, Song Er was still guarding Gu Luxing. Everyone saw her concern for him, but only Shu Le's eyes lingered awkwardly between the two of them. In the end, she said nothing.

Song Er wanted to stay, but she had the final performance of the year to attend. She had already delayed for several days and couldn't inconvenience the theater staff any further.

After the performance, it was almost the Lunar New Year's Eve. When Song Er went to see Gu Luxing, she brought the coat she had bought during her shopping trip that day.

"What a change of heart. You finally remembered me." Gu Luxing was referring to the time she returned to the country and hadn't given him a gift.

Song Er didn't want to reveal her thoughts. She pretended not to understand and spoke matter-of-factly. "Little Ye said you must wear new clothes for the New Year. She dragged me shopping, and I accidentally saw this one. I thought you'd look good in it, so I bought it."

"What about yours?"

"Huh?"

"New clothes," Gu Luxing reminded her.

Song Er was quick to respond this time. "It's not the New Year yet, so of course it's at home."

"Then wear it for me to see on New Year's Day."

Song Er stared at Gu Luxing strangely. After a long pause, she stated with certainty, "Gu Luxing, you've changed."

Words like that would never have come out of Gu Luxing's mouth before.

He didn't answer, picking up a newspaper next to him to read. That deliberate attempt to cover up his feelings only deepened the smile in Song Er's eyes.

Although Gu Luxing was recovering well, he still had some time before he could be discharged. With the Lunar New Year's Eve approaching, it seemed he would have to spend the holiday in the hospital this year.

Song Group had gone on holiday two days ago, so Song Er spent most of her time at the hospital now. Shu Le came to see Gu Luxing every day. Seeing Song Er there, she didn't ask any questions, but Song Er once saw Shu Le talking to Gu Luxing outside the door, but Gu Luxing never mentioned it afterward.

Next to Shu Le, Han Xun was the most frequent visitor. Song Er usually avoided them when they had things to discuss, but she still couldn't avoid seeing him.

Han Xun's attitude toward Song Er was still the same, but recently, he seemed a little more awkward. Song Er thought about it and decided to find a time to clear the air.

"Han Xun, how did I offend you?" Song Er stopped him downstairs when he came to visit again.

Han Xun hadn't expected her to proactively ask, but having followed Gu Luxing for so long, he still had some composure.

"You didn't," he replied calmly.

"Then what's with this attitude? Is it because I decided to go abroad without telling anyone? But I didn't know then that Gu Luxing wasn't planning on getting engaged."

"You just didn't trust President Gu at all."

Song Er was still annoyed about this. She was immersed in the grief of Gu Luxing and Jiang Jingjing's impending engagement, and Gu Luxing hadn't offered a single explanation. How could she have thought about anything else?

"That's unfair! He kept his mouth shut and told me nothing. Can you blame me for that? Besides, your President Gu later said that me going abroad was a good thing, that it allowed me to grow up, become independent, and mature my thinking."

Han Xun was exasperated. "President Gu just loves you too much."

"Are you jealous?" Song Er countered, then smiled ingratiatingly. "Handsome Han Xun, since I didn't do anything wrong, why don't you be the bigger person and forgive me?"

Han Xun didn't answer and walked past her to find Gu Luxing. Song Er didn't mind. When she put her mind to it, Han Xun was no match for her.

She wandered around downstairs and only went up after Han Xun left.

As soon as Gu Luxing saw her, he asked if she and Han Xun had made up. She didn't say anything, but Gu Luxing explained first. "He's mad at me, mad that I gave up such a good project for you during a crucial period."

Song Er was surprised he would talk about this but didn't press. She didn't want to get involved in the matters between Han Xun and him.

On New Year's Eve, Shu Le came to see Gu Luxing early, intending to stay and accompany him, but Gu Luxing refused.

The Gu family had invited Song Er beforehand, but she had politely declined, claiming she would be spending the New Year with her uncle this year. Yet, here she was at the hospital.

Gu Luxing smiled faintly when he saw her, saying with satisfaction, "Little Ye was right. You should wear new clothes for the New Year. You look lively."

Song Er ignored him and set out the food she had brought, treating it as their New Year's Eve dinner. After eating, Song Er scooped up a bowl of bone broth that Shu Le had brought that afternoon and gave it to Gu Luxing.

After finishing the soup, Gu Luxing lay on the bed and rarely sighed, "A while ago, I asked you where you planned to spend the New Year. I never thought it would be here."

"Stop talking about it."

Song Er was both distressed by Gu Luxing's injury and angry that he hadn't taken better care of himself. However, he seemed to be enjoying the forced rest.

"If it wasn't here, did you decide where you would go?"

She didn't really need to think about it. It would either be a simple dinner with Li Chongming or a visit to the Gu house. If he hadn't been hurt, there would have been another option.

"If you hadn't come back, it might have been Fangshan County," Song Er answered truthfully.

This answer clearly pleased Gu Luxing. He looked at Song Er thoughtfully and praised her. "Truly, I didn't spoil you for nothing."

That comment sounded a bit off, but before Song Er could figure out how to object, the sound of fireworks exploding outside filled the air, adding a festive New Year atmosphere.

"Can you help me to the window?" Gu Luxing requested.

Xuchuan had implemented a ban on fireworks in recent years, but there was usually a bit of leniency during the New Year. After all, the lively sounds made it feel more like the holiday.

Song Er watched the fireworks blooming across the sky and sighed. "We should have bought some sparklers and gone to the seaside to set them off right now."

"We will, once I'm better."

"Gu Luxing, once you're better, let's go see a movie, or go shopping. How about a concert, or a vacation?"

Song Er was excited. These were all things she wanted to do with him, without excuses, without being constrained by various reasons. They could do them together openly and honestly.

"Okay," Gu Luxing smiled gently, his eyes and brows full of affection.

Song Er moved a chair closer, propping her head on the back of it to watch the fireworks. Her voice was low, like a murmur. "Gu Luxing, do you know? The moment I saw you wake up, I had only one thought: Thank goodness you're okay."

Gu Luxing reached back and stroked her head. "I'm sorry. I worried you."

"I was genuinely scared then. I always seem to have a little bit of bad luck. I never know when fate will strike me a blow. I had just heard you say you love me, and I was finally starting to have some hope. I really don't want to lose you again."

That soft voice made her fear palpable.

"You won't. Never again."

Gu Luxing promised firmly. From now on, he would do everything in his power to protect her, so that only happiness remained in her future.

"Gu Luxing!" Song Er suddenly exclaimed. She opened the window a bit to confirm, then held out her hand to Gu Luxing. "It's snowing."

Hearing this, Gu Luxing looked toward the window. It was indeed snowing. Tiny, fragmented snowflakes, mixed with small ice pellets, hit the windowpane. If you listened closely, you could hear a 'shush-shush' sound.

The ice pellets that landed in her hand had already melted, but Song Er didn't mind. She looked out the window, her face full of joy.

She had thought Xuchuan wouldn't have snow this year. She hadn't expected it to finally arrive tonight, just as the New Year's Eve was drawing to a close. Was it Xuchuan's New Year's gift to her?

Let's just pretend it was.

When Gu Luxing looked back, the person next to him had actually fallen asleep, resting her head on the chair, looking serene and peaceful.

He remembered the first time he saw her—she had clumsily bumped into him, dirtying his newly bought shoes. It took him a while to remember she was the girl from the Song family who was coming to live with them. He had casually asked her if she was Gu Cheng's fiancée.

To his surprise, she had denied it. Her panicked and eager explanation was truly adorable.

Later, she accidentally entered his attic. In the moonlight streaming through the window, he watched her cautiously enter the room, timid yet unable to resist exploring, just like a kitten newly introduced to the world.

When she told the old lady in front of him that she needed him to tutor her, his instinct was to refuse. But seeing the expectant and longing look in her eyes, he agreed.

In the time that followed, he learned that she was poor at science, that she often struggled with simple arithmetic, that her geography was a mess, but that she excelled in Chinese and English.

Slowly, he learned that she liked listening to piano music, especially Chopin, that she suffered from insomnia when it thundered, and that she—liked him.

This was unexpected. He never thought things would turn out this way. He tried to avoid it, subtly distancing himself from her. But when she asked him plaintively if he hated her, he softened.

To prevent their relationship from becoming awkward, he could only suppress himself, responding to her delight with coldness and distance.

But he never thought that one day, he too would be unable to control himself, that his desperate desire to be close to her would ultimately shatter the calm he maintained on the surface.

He was a person used to solitude. Only when he was with her did he reveal a rare, genuine smile. She made him believe that perhaps there was another kind of happiness hidden in life.

Gu Luxing looked at Song Er, his eyes full of affection. Finally, he sighed helplessly. "After this snow, it should be sunny, right?"

The hospital was exceptionally quiet during the Lunar New Year. Those who could leave had essentially gone home. Song Er visited the Gu family to pay her New Year respects and went with Li Chongming to sweep her parents' graves. All other free time was dedicated to Gu Luxing. After so many years, it felt like the first time the two of them had spent so much time alone together.

She called Su Xie on the first day of the Lunar New Year and learned that he had returned to his hometown right after her performance ended.

Gu Luxing lived a very leisurely life after the New Year. The man who usually traveled all over the place during the holidays was now an idle patient in the hospital due to his injury, spending his days reading, sleeping, and cooperating with physical therapy.

Actually, it wasn't just because of the injury. Su Xie had told her during a phone call that because of the Fangshan County incident, Jiang Jingjing had terminated the project cooperation with him, and Gu Mingjing, seizing the opportunity to transfer him to Fangshan County, had also transferred several of his previous major projects to others.

No wonder Jiang Jingjing hadn't visited him for so long during his hospitalization. She had thought they had just missed each other due to her performances, but now it seemed Jiang Jingjing hadn't been here at all.

She had wanted to ask Han Xun about the situation, but he had been a frequent visitor during the New Year and then seemed to have disappeared for the past two days. She had also considered asking Gu Luxing, but after everything that had happened, he might not be feeling well, so she ultimately chose to pretend she knew nothing.

Nothing seemed to change until the start of the school term. However, she accidentally overheard Gu Luxing talking to Han Xun on the phone about an acquisition, though she didn't hear the details clearly.

She had originally planned to report back to school and then take time off for intensive training in London. However, Song Er was now worried about Gu Luxing's health. She could only delay, risking Carrie's wrath, which meant she had to rely on self-training domestically for the time being.

Gu Luxing initially disapproved of Song Er's plan, but Song Er could be stubborn. When his persuasion failed, he could only let her decide for herself, though her subsequent rigorous training kept him somewhat reassured.

Song Er also discussed it with Li Chongming and decided to temporarily step away from her work at Song Group to focus entirely on the competition.

Li Chongming hadn't expected her to stay at the company for very long anyway. Given her abilities, it was already impressive that she had persevered at Song Group for this long.

When she went to resign, President Xin unexpectedly took her out to dinner. The usually serious man smiled and told her that the project was feasible, but they had to wait for a comprehensive evaluation from the top before confirming whether to proceed. He wished her success in the competition.

Gu Luxing finally couldn't stand it anymore after more than twenty days in the hospital and insisted on being discharged. Song Er teased him mercilessly. "I thought you were the type who never got bored."

"Am I that boring in your eyes?"

"Absolutely! You answer one question at a time, and your words are so brief you're afraid of wasting a single character."

Song Er was packing his bags. The Gu family would be arriving soon to pick him up. When he fell down the mountain, he'd hit his head, broken his ribs, fractured his arm, and had countless minor injuries all over his body. She had genuinely feared he wouldn't make it, and she couldn't believe he was being discharged so quickly.

The Gu family essentially tacitly approved of Song Er taking care of Gu Luxing, but in reality, no one else knew the extent of it except Shu Le. Even Shu Le was conflicted, thinking she should talk to the two of them sometime.

Song Er didn't go back to the Gu house with him. She bought a bouquet of flowers as a token gift for Gu Luxing. When Shu Le and the others arrived, she chatted for a bit, then quickly made her escape, claiming she had training.

She took the opportunity to find Han Xun, wanting to ask about Gu Luxing's current situation. Han Xun simply told her he hoped she would have more faith in Gu Luxing. Seeing Han Xun's demeanor, she knew the situation was likely not simple.

After being discharged, Gu Luxing recuperated at home. Since their relationship couldn't be too public, Song Er didn't visit, relying on phone calls to ask about his condition.

Han Xun came to see Gu Luxing and saw him chatting on his phone, instantly scoffing, "Who was it that said typing is too much trouble and meeting in person is better?"

"Well, I have to be able to go out, don't I?" Saying this, Gu Luxing put away his phone and turned. "Let's go to the study."

Gu Luxing had mostly recovered. While a visible difference remained, it no longer affected his daily activities, except for the more severe injury to his hand, which still required physical therapy.

As soon as they entered the study, Han Xun locked the door and got straight to the point. "He's planning to expand overseas business, and if it's feasible, you're likely the candidate."

Gu Luxing analyzed the implication, pondering. "He wants me away from the headquarters so I won't interfere with his plans."

"He probably suspects you're investigating him but isn't sure how much you've uncovered, so he wants to transfer you out of the headquarters first."

"He's quite vigilant," Gu Luxing scoffed, then suddenly asked seriously, "Has he made any moves recently?"

"The same as before. But I heard he visited Jiang Group a few times, likely trying to secure the project Jiang Jingjing is currently working on."

Han Xun shared the information he had gathered. Gu Luxing was currently alone on his side, and the upcoming matters required him to be personally involved. Honestly, he felt overwhelmed.

Gu Luxing knew this too. He walked over to the side, calmly took some coffee beans, and slowly began to grind them. Han Xun offered to help, but Gu Luxing declined.

"The doctor said I can exercise moderately," Gu Luxing continued the previous topic. "What's Jiang Jingjing's stance?"

"She's still observing," Han Xun answered truthfully.

"We need to persuade Jiang Jingjing to observe carefully, lest she slip up and fall so hard she can't get back up."

After grinding the coffee beans, Gu Luxing brewed a cup for Han Xun using a siphon coffee maker. During the process, the entire study was filled with a rich coffee aroma.

Handing the coffee to Han Xun, Gu Luxing asked him, "Have you arranged the things I asked you to?"

Han Xun accepted the coffee without ceremony, pouring a cup of warm water for Gu Luxing as well. "Don't drink that while you're recovering." That was his explanation.

Gu Luxing didn't argue and actually picked up the warm water Han Xun offered and drank it. Han Xun then continued the previous topic. "It's all arranged. Once they make their move, we can start to reel in the net."

Gu Luxing walked to the window and opened it slightly. The cold air outside seeped in, carrying a rare freshness. He said casually, "It looks like I have to return to the company next month, no matter what."

Song Er thought about it and decided to talk to Gu Cheng. The current stalemate between them wasn't a sustainable solution.

"Gu Cheng, let's meet."

"Okay."

Gu Cheng agreed to her proposal without any hesitation.

They arranged to meet at Xu University. Since it was the weekend, there were few people around. The sky was gloomy, and an occasional gust of wind stung people's cheeks. Song Er arrived first. When Gu Cheng arrived, her face was completely hidden in her scarf and mask, with only her eyes darting around.

Seeing her like this, Gu Cheng felt as if they were meeting again after a century. When he arrived, Song Er didn't greet him with her usual warmth, only offering a faint smile as a conclusion.

They had been so decisive on the phone, but when they met, both were hesitant and unsure what to say.

"That—"

"I'm sorry."

Just as Song Er finally mustered the courage to clear the air, she was interrupted by Gu Cheng's "I'm sorry." They stopped walking and looked at each other, the atmosphere heavy.

Finally, Song Er forced a light laugh, tucking her hands into her pockets and walking forward, but the words she spoke were serious. "Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to apologize for. If you hadn't called me that day to tell me about the rehearsal, I might have died in that accident too. I should be thanking you. Thank you for saving me."

"If I had known what was happening then, I would have stopped it. That way you wouldn't have—" Gu Cheng still felt deeply remorseful about it.

Song Er interrupted him, finishing his sentence. "—That way I wouldn't have lived in your house, and I wouldn't have received so much care. Everyone in the Gu family was so good to me. I was truly happy every day I lived there."

She had held these words in for a long time. She knew his heart's knot and didn't want Gu Cheng to dwell on it.

Gu Cheng had always been by her side, caring for her and loving her. She was grateful and cherished all those little moments and didn't want him to feel guilty or self-blame because of that incident.

"Gu Cheng, I have never blamed you. I'm truly happy to know you and be your friend. On the contrary, I'm the one who did something wrong and owes you an apology."

Gu Cheng had already guessed what she was going to say. He had basically figured it out that day at the hospital when she nearly lost control. Even so, he still wanted to fight for himself. "Xiao Er, were you serious about getting engaged when you returned?"

Song Er's expression was slightly startled. She didn't want to lie to him. "Yes."

"Then if..."

"Gu Cheng." Song Er stopped him from finishing.

She suddenly stopped and looked at Gu Cheng very seriously. "It seems that ever since I became aware, everyone said I would marry you when I grew up. Over time, this became like a task, similar to studying or going to school, something I had to complete at a certain stage. No one told me if I had any other choice besides that."

"But later you discovered another choice?" Gu Cheng maintained his usual gentle expression, but anyone could easily see he was forcing himself to hold it together.

"No," Song Er instinctively denied, but then realized something was wrong, so she deflected. "I also considered fulfilling that promise, but I found that because of our almost innate relationship, I was willing to play with you and be your friend. I felt very comfortable and happy spending time with you. But it's the same as my feelings for Little Ye—it's a trust and dependence like family. It doesn't make my heart race or blush. It's not crazy joy."

She had always wanted to find a suitable opportunity to make this clear to Gu Cheng. Gu Cheng was the person who helped her through the saddest and most difficult times. He was the person she could trust unconditionally, the first person she was willing to confide in. He was a very important person in her life, but not a lover.

When she was with Gu Cheng, she never felt any shyness or awkwardness. She didn't worry about her image or demeanor. She could do anything freely and say anything without reservation. More than a lover, he was a best friend.

Gu Cheng's expression changed several times as he listened to her explanation. Finally, as if mustering all his strength, he managed to ask, "What about Uncle?"

"I love him." Song Er was full of guilt, unable to look Gu Cheng in the eye. "I'm sorry. I know this is ridiculous, but I can't control it. I... I'm sorry."

Gu Cheng looked at Song Er without saying a word. She thought he would be angry, furious, or perhaps scold her loudly. But after a long silence, he just reached out and gently stroked her head, saying, "I understand."

A single "I understand" ended everything. He had guessed the answer long ago, but hearing those words directly from her lips still made his heart twitch fiercely, a pain that spread through his entire body.

He loved Song Er, and that love hadn't changed even after more than ten years of no reciprocation. He wanted to protect her and prevent her from being hurt. If it weren't for that incident, he would have persisted, either challenging Gu Luxing fairly or using Song Er's slight sense of guilt. He wouldn't have given up this quickly.

Even after learning the truth today, he still yearned for a tiny glimmer of hope. If there were, he would abandon everything and choose her.

But there was none. Nothing had changed. And he had heard those three words, "I love him," from her mouth. It was the most direct statement Song Er had ever used, shattering his last bit of tiny hope.

He still couldn't put her in a difficult position. If he insisted, Song Er would feel guilty, unable to face Gu Luxing with a clear conscience. But how could he do that? This was Song Er, the girl he had secretly resolved to cherish for a lifetime.

So, despite the pain and reluctance, he had to put away all his feelings. He could persist in loving her, but he also had to learn to fulfill her happiness.

Before parting, Gu Cheng asked her, "Can I hug you?"

Song Er didn't refuse. As Gu Cheng gently put his arm around her shoulder, Song Er heard him whisper in her ear, "Let's just be family then."

She felt a stinging sensation in her nose, as if someone had punched her. Her eyes instantly turned red, yet she insisted on smiling and saying goodbye to Gu Cheng. The moment she turned around, tears finally fell uncontrollably with a "pat."

She had hurt Gu Cheng after all.

After recovering a bit from his injury, Gu Luxing actually started to idle away his time by looking for Song Er. In Han Xun's words, he was neglecting his duties. He heard this but didn't care. Now, he had no career to attend to and no family business to manage; he was completely free. Chasing his girlfriend was his main business.

To prepare for the competition's dance, Song Er spent most weekends in the dance studio. Gu Luxing would wait for her there, sitting to the side and attentively watching her dance.

Sometimes, Song Er would feel self-conscious and have to stop.

However, today, not long after Gu Luxing came to find her, he received a call from Han Xun and was quickly taken away by him. When she asked what was going on, neither of them answered.

Counting from his trip to Fangshan County, Gu Luxing hadn't been to Gu Group for nearly three months. He didn't even know that the two camellia trees at the entrance of Gu Group were in bloom.

"All the major and minor shareholders are here," Han Xun whispered to him.

As soon as Gu Luxing entered the conference room, he asked in feigned surprise, "What's going on? Everyone is so free today."

"Doesn't Director Gu know? This is to discuss the person in charge of the overseas assignment," someone quietly informed Gu Luxing.

He had already heard from Han Xun on the way there. Asking now was only to make the upcoming events more interesting.

"Overseas assignment? Are you talking about the foreign expansion plan?"

It seemed he was the star of this meeting again. He had been so popular recently, with meetings being held specifically for him at the drop of a hat.

Soon, Gu Mingjing arrived. When he saw Gu Luxing, his eyes fixed on him, as if trying to see through him.

"Let's start the meeting." Gu Mingjing only reacted after being reminded by his assistant. "Everyone knows we have had overseas subsidiaries, but their efficiency hasn't been great. In the past two years, our domestic development has been excellent, and we plan to synchronize this with the foreign market expansion. Because we value this, we need to transfer some personnel from the headquarters. Today, we're here to ask for everyone's opinions and whether there are any suitable candidates."

Gu Luxing subtly observed everyone present. They all looked at each other, remaining silent. Everyone knew that since the company emphasized this, the person assigned would undoubtedly be one of them. No one wanted to offend anyone right now, nor did they want to be the one to go themselves.

Until Gu Mingjing spoke slowly and deliberately. "I recall that President Jin's English is excellent, isn't it?"

The person whose name was called quickly explained, "President Gu, I currently have several ongoing projects, so I'm afraid I can't go."

"How about President Yan? I remember you spent some time in the overseas subsidiary."

"Several of my projects were in crucial stages last year, and I can't leave right now."

Gu Luxing watched them, finding their conversation amusing, and couldn't help but chuckle softly. He adjusted himself into a more comfortable position and said casually, "President Gu, why bother asking? Everyone in the company knows I'm the most idle."

"Are you interested?" Gu Mingjing naturally seized the opportunity.

"I am a little interested, but I still need some time to recover from my injury."

Gu Mingjing was surprised that Gu Luxing was suddenly interested in the overseas company, but he couldn't help but feel pleased. "There's still some time for preparation, so you don't need to rush."

"Then..."

Gu Luxing adjusted his glasses, deliberately drawing out his words. His eyes were brimming with suppressed laughter, making people nervous. But before he could finish, a small commotion started in the conference room. Everyone initially thought it was about the matter at hand. Then, after an assistant handed a phone to Gu Mingjing, his face instantly changed color.

"President Gu, what's going on?"

News suddenly broke online that several of Gu Group's recent acquisition projects had encountered problems, along with instances of forced oppression during acquisitions. As soon as the news came out, Gu Group's stock price started to fall.

Among everyone present, Gu Luxing was the least concerned, looking completely detached and unaffected.

"This..." Gu Mingjing was at a loss for an explanation. After much deliberation, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, "This is fake. The matters are still under discussion. How could there be a problem?"

"Brother, you must be mistaken. I haven't been to the company for a month, and even I know these projects ended mid-month. How can you say they're still under discussion?"

Gu Luxing still smiled like that, but everyone knew his smile was only meant to make the contrast more striking when his expression darkened later.

"How do you know that?"

"How could I know anything about Big Brother's highly secretive acquisition projects? Of course, I just heard it." As expected, Gu Luxing's face darkened. "However, these failed acquisitions have caused losses for the company. Why haven't you reported them yet, Big Brother?"

His tone was light, but it stirred up a huge fuss, and the commotion in the office grew even louder.

"You!" Gu Mingjing pointed his finger at Gu Luxing.

"Oh, right. You wanted to use the cooperation with Jiang Group to salvage the losses, but unfortunately, Jiang Group didn't agree."

"You're wrong! Jiang Jingjing has already agreed to cooperate with me."

Gu Mingjing proudly seized on Gu Luxing's slip, but the latter was completely unfazed.

"Is that so? Then the failed acquisitions are true. You all didn't know yet, did you?" Gu Luxing asked everyone using the same tone as the person who spoke when he entered the room, then motioned to Han Xun. "Then I'll just say a few words."

The projector in the conference room was turned on, as if it had been prepared long ago.

Gu Luxing stood up and took the microphone next to Gu Mingjing, his expression suddenly serious. "Everyone should know that since Mr. Gu Mingjing took over Gu Group, our company has developed very well. But there's one thing I don't understand."

He looked at Gu Mingjing. "Gu Group has an acquisition plan every year. Why can it always acquire various large and small companies at such low prices, and these companies subsequently generate excellent returns? To figure this out, I spent a lot of effort investigating. It turns out that our Mr. Gu Mingjing has been creating profits for our company through improper competitive means such as bribery, coercion, and even malicious deception. But I wonder if everyone remembers? My father once said that Gu Group is a company that values integrity and strives to win over consumers through quality. Is it right for such a company to rely on these tactics to survive?"

"Gu Luxing, I know you've always felt Father's distribution of shares was unfair, but there's no need to use these tactics to falsely accuse me!" Gu Mingjing angrily snatched the microphone from Gu Luxing's hand, nearly pushing Gu Luxing to the floor. He forced himself to remain composed and said to the directors, "Everyone, don't believe what he says. Since I took this position, I have been conscientious and dedicated to the company's development, and yet he is secretly using the Fangshan County matter to threaten me."

"Fangshan County. Speaking of which, I also have a question for Big Brother. Why did I fall like that in Fangshan County?"

"Your fall has nothing to do with me!"

"Then why did your man appear in this location the day before my accident?" Gu Luxing took out a photo from the folder on the table. The spot in the photo was exactly where Gu Luxing had fallen.

"What man of mine? I know nothing about this," Gu Mingjing said.

"Do we need to ask him face-to-face?" Saying this, Gu Luxing had Han Xun bring the person in. Jiang Jingjing also entered with him.

"Assistant Tan, I..." The man didn't recognize Gu Mingjing, but he recognized Gu Mingjing's assistant. The reason was self-evident.

"Big Brother, you hired him to frame me, gave him a sum of money to leave Xuchuan, but he was stopped by my people before he even left Fangshan County. Assistant Tan later thought he had fled out of fear and didn't follow up."

"Gu Luxing, aren't you tired of talking so much?" Jiang Jingjing was clearly waiting for this moment and was already impatient. She slammed the contract in her hand onto the conference table and said dismissively, "This is the contract your President Gu offered us. It clearly states that the two families can use the cooperation to maximize profits, and this maximization is far above our expected returns, as it includes, but is not limited to, using this cooperation to acquire related enterprises."

"President Gu, Jiang Group has always conducted business honestly and openly. I truly cannot engage in this kind of cooperation," Jiang Jingjing said, tearing up the contract in her hand.

"You clearly already—"

Jiang Jingjing let out a cold laugh. "I clearly already signed the contract? President Gu, didn't you look closely? That contract is wrong."

It was meant to be a simple meeting, but it had turned into this. It's not that everyone completely disbelieved Gu Mingjing, but Gu Luxing simply didn't give anyone a chance to object. Sure enough, immediately after Jiang Jingjing spoke, people from the supervisory authority followed, entering and immediately presenting documents, preparing to take Gu Mingjing away.

Gu Liangping's sudden appearance in the conference room surprised everyone. Even more surprising was that Gu Cheng was with him.

"Dad, why are you here?" Gu Luxing frowned unhappily.

"If I hadn't come, would you two have turned Gu Group upside down?" He said this to Gu Luxing, but then turned and slapped Gu Mingjing across the face. "You wicked son! I had someone specially warn you, thinking you would repent. I never expected you to not only not repent but to become even more egregious!"

"Dad, was I wrong to do this? You favor Gu Luxing and tell him everything, but what about me? I wanted to achieve something to prove myself. What's wrong with that?" Gu Mingjing's eyes widened.

Gu Liangping's voice grew louder. "Then is it acceptable to violate principles and do those things? When did I ever teach you that way?"

"Ha! You teach me? After Mom passed away, did you even remember to teach me?" Gu Mingjing struggled to break free from the people restraining him but failed. He could only shout, "Instead, you taught him how to investigate me, how to ruin me!"

"You did something wrong!" Gu Liangping was furious with disappointment.

"I sacrificed so much for Gu Group! What exactly did I do wrong?"

"Truly unrepentant!" Gu Liangping was beside himself with anger.

Gu Luxing noticed Gu Liangping clutching his chest. He quickly had Han Xun support him and turned to the people from the supervisory authority. "Take him away. We will cooperate with the rest of the investigation."

Perhaps he was too angered by Gu Mingjing, or perhaps he felt ashamed to face the directors of Gu Group. After Gu Mingjing was taken away, Gu Liangping only said, "Gu Luxing will temporarily serve as the President of Gu Group," and then left immediately.

Gu Luxing asked Gu Cheng to take Gu Liangping to the hospital, and Gu Liangping didn't object.

Finally, Gu Luxing gave everyone a brief explanation and discussed the cooperation with Jiang Jingjing. Her public statement about terminating the cooperation was actually part of the plan. Now that everything was resolved, the cooperation would naturally continue.

After everything was finished, Gu Luxing leaned back in his chair, a profound sense of melancholy clouding him.

Han Xun stretched, asking confusedly, "You don't look very happy."

Gu Luxing shook his head. "I started the investigation initially because Father instructed me to. Later, when I found out it involved the Song family, I hesitated. But then I thought about it and continued the investigation. I couldn't condone this sort of thing. I guess there's a bit of a heroic sense in that. But now that it's all resolved, there's no feeling of victory, just a sense of relief."

"Because you feel like you no longer have to carry that guilt?"

"Maybe," Gu Luxing sighed, choosing not to elaborate further.

The changes at Gu Group quickly spread throughout Xuchuan. When Song Er heard about it, she quickly called Gu Luxing to ask what happened. Gu Luxing didn't elaborate, only giving a brief explanation.

She had wanted to ask about Gu Cheng, but after thinking about it, she decided against it. She didn't really have the right to care about him anymore.

After the incident, Gu Cheng suddenly announced that he would be going abroad. The atmosphere at the dinner table had been strained ever since the major change at Gu Group. On the night the incident occurred, as soon as Gu Luxing walked through the door, Old Mrs. Gu had struck him fiercely with her cane, calling him an "ungrateful wretch."

The old lady had always favored Gu Mingjing more, especially since Gu Mingjing's mother had passed away early. Now that such a thing had happened, she couldn't scold Gu Liangping, so she could only vent her anger on Gu Luxing.

Gu Luxing hadn't resisted at all, silently enduring about ten blows with the cane before she stopped.

"I'm planning to go abroad soon," Gu Cheng said with a firm attitude, not sounding like he was discussing it with anyone. Gu Mingjing was currently under investigation, and the outcome was predictable. His announcement to go abroad at this time was somewhat surprising.

"What? You're going abroad?" Gu Ye was the first to exclaim in surprise.

"Yes, I've already decided," he explained gently, without any room for negotiation.

Everyone wanted to ask more questions, but Gu Liangping spoke up. "Since you've decided, if you need anything, you can ask A-Xing. I'll have him arrange it for you."

Gu Cheng looked at Gu Luxing. After a long pause, he said calmly, "Thank you, Uncle."

Gu Luxing told Song Er about Gu Cheng going abroad. Just as Song Er was hesitating about whether or not to say goodbye, Gu Cheng came to find her.

In the dessert shop, the aroma of wheat mingled with the sweetness of cream. Song Er poked the slice of mille-feuille in front of her, preparing herself for a long time before speaking. "I heard you're planning to go abroad?"

Gu Cheng had returned to his usual gentle smile, pushing his own dessert toward Song Er. "Yes, it'll be sometime soon."

"Where are you planning to go?" Song Er asked.

"Italy, I think."

The single word struck Song Er like an electric shock. She stopped everything she was doing and looked at Gu Cheng in surprise.

She remembered being on the boat in Tongxi Town, when he asked her which country she would choose if she went abroad, and she had said Italy. Later, he had said that he would always take her with him whenever he went abroad. But there would be no later now. He wouldn't be taking her anywhere anymore.

She suddenly felt her throat go dry. After several attempts, she finally heard her own hoarse voice. "That's nice."

Gu Cheng didn't notice her change and maintained his initial smile, agreeing with her statement. "Yes, I think it's nice too."

They didn't chat much after that. After finishing both desserts, they went their separate ways.

When she went to see Gu Cheng off, Song Er stood on the very edge of the group, never actively getting close to him. So much had happened at the Gu house that no one mentioned her engagement with Gu Cheng anymore. It was as if everything had silently concluded through this tacit agreement.

Gu Cheng said goodbye to everyone individually. When he came to Song Er, he hugged her without exception, then whispered in her ear, "If Uncle ever dares to bully you, I'll come back and beat him up for you." His voice was very soft, intended only for her to hear.

This was the first time he had spoken about her and Gu Luxing. Hearing this, her tears instantly fell. She choked out, "Please take good care of yourself."

Gu Cheng tightened the hug, and when he released her, he reached out and ruffled her hair, teasing her mercilessly, "Why are you crying now?"

This made Song Er's tears flow even more uncontrollably, like a floodgate had opened. Gu Cheng didn't dare tease her anymore and quickly handed her tissues, offering a few words of comfort.

Gu Luxing came over then and patted Gu Cheng's shoulder, saying solemnly, "Take care."

Gu Cheng acknowledged him, then acted as if he suddenly remembered something. "I think I left something in Uncle's study."

"Is it important?"

Gu Cheng raised an eyebrow, but in the end, he didn't answer Gu Luxing's question.

On the way back after seeing Gu Cheng off, Song Er was in a state of sadness. It wasn't entirely because Gu Cheng was going abroad. It was the thought of everything that had happened recently. The person she least wanted to hurt was Gu Cheng, yet her relationship with Gu Luxing was the greatest harm to him.

"Gu Luxing, I feel like I'm a bad person."

"Why do you say that?"

"I should have made things clear to Gu Cheng earlier, right from the start when I realized I liked you."

"Everyone was too young then. If you had told Gu Cheng, his reaction might have been even more extreme," Gu Luxing comforted her, subtly changing the subject. "Are you going abroad soon too?"

"Yes. If I don't go soon, Carrie will come to the country and kidnap me."

Gu Luxing didn't say anything. He was curious about something else. "What did Gu Cheng say to you in the end?"

He wanted to know what Gu Cheng had said to her that made her unable to hold back the tears she had suppressed for so long. But she wasn't planning to tell him. She deliberately said, "Of course he told me he likes me."

"Who doesn't know that?"

"Huh?"

Gu Luxing, as expected, added, "He's overestimating himself."

Song Er was just starting to enjoy teasing Gu Luxing, but he glared at her, and she quickly backed down, sitting obediently by his side. Gu Luxing's warning came to her ear. "Try saying that again next time."

She quickly admitted her mistake. "I was wrong. I promise there won't be a next time."

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