Translator: Helliot
Editor: P’Raikantopeni
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He looked coldly out the window, his nails digging into the seatbelt. After a while, he finally spoke up. “Mr. Gu, just let me off here.”
He didn’t want to be in the car. The girl sitting in the back was most likely in love with Gu Ze and he did not want to be the third wheel.
However, Gu Ze continued driving as if he didn’t hear him.
“Mr. Gu, I’ll head straight back to the Gu residence. I won’t go anywhere else,” he said, almost as if to make a pledge.
“Do you have money? Or are you expecting to go home on your two legs? Do you even know the way back? Or maybe you’re planning to just turn around and look for Xie Zhenzhen again when I let you out?” Gu Ze tossed out several questions at once.
Things seemed to take a turn near the end.
“I can earn the fare back myself, and… I won’t look for Xie Zhenzhen.”
“No, I don’t believe you, just stay with me. You’re not allowed to go anywhere, Meng Fu.”
He didn’t want him to leave. If possible, he wished he could keep him attached to himself at every moment.
“Mm.” He hummed an almost imperceptible answer.
No more words were exchanged on the way. After getting out of the car, they went straight to Gu Ze’s restaurant, but Meng Fu stopped at the door, his body trembling and face going pale. The people who worked here all knew him. Everyone here knew that he was a murderer, and they all believed that he was just a slut spreading his legs for everyone in prison.
“Meng Fu, what’s wrong with you?” Shui Qing pointed out his condition on purpose. “If you’re not feeling well, why don’t you head back first?”
Gu Ze looked back and seemed to understand something, so he turned around. “Let’s go to a different restaurant instead.”
They all returned to the car.
“Gu Ze, why the sudden change of mind?” Shui Qing asked.
“Had it too much, got bored. If you want to eat there, you’re free to get out of my car now.” Gu Ze kept the car parked on purpose as if he were waiting for Shui Qing to get out.
“I feel like changing things up myself.” Shui Qing smiled, but her fists were clenched tight. This meal with Gu Ze was hard-fought, so there was no way she was getting out.
After arriving at another restaurant, they were seated at one of the 4-diner tables in the corner, which felt awkward no matter how they positioned themselves. Meng Fu knew that he shouldn’t be stuck between the two of them.
However, his urge to run was kept in check by Gu Ze’s firm and deep gaze.
He was dragged to the table by Gu Ze and made to sit next to him.
Shui Qing was also staring at him, but with a sharp look in her eyes that seemed to be probing him, mixed in with some puzzlement.
Once their food arrived, Shui Qing served a slice of beef to Gu Ze, placing it in his bowl affectionately.
Gu Ze raised a brow and snorted, but he didn’t say anything as he put the slice of meat into his mouth.
Happy, Shui Qing said to him, “Gu Ze, I’m attending a press conference for a new movie announcement tomorrow. Will you be free to come and take a look?” she asked cautiously but filled with hope.
“Didn’t you say you were old news? I didn’t think you’d still get a role,” Gu Ze made a questioning remark, completely unaware that he was trampling on sore wounds.
Shui Qing seemed embarrassed, but she explained, “A sponsor I knew gave me a hand. I’ll be playing the part of the supporting female lead.” She also added, “Oh, but there’s nothing going on between the sponsor and me.” It was as if she was worried that Gu Ze would misunderstand her.
“I don’t really care about your relationship with your sponsor.” There was still a smile on Gu Ze’s lips, but it was cold and distant. “I guess I should congratulate you on the new project.”
“So… Tomorrow?”
She still had a shred of hope left.
Even if that hope was unlikely to come true.
“I’m busy tomorrow so I won’t be able to head over.”
A look of disappointment emerged in her eyes, but she still did not give up. Hoping to get even a word more out of him, Shui Qing began talking about her role in the new movie. “Gu Ze, I’ll be playing a character who’s secretly in love with someone else…”
Words seemed to pour out endlessly.
As Meng Fu listened on, it seemed to him as if she were talking about someone else, but at the same time, it felt like she was talking about herself, which just made him want to leave even more, but he knew it was impossible. So, he just stared listlessly at the wine glass on the table, emptying his mind completely.
Under the table, a hand suddenly clasped his firmly. The large hand was very warm, and it was even sweating a little.
He froze, then slightly turned his head to look at Gu Ze.
Gu Ze released his hand and interrupted Shui Qing to speak to Meng Fu. “Why aren’t you eating?”
Since he wasn’t moving, Gu Ze grabbed his wrist and placed a pair of chopsticks in his hand. “Eat,” he gave a curt order.
“Oh… All right.”
In fact, he didn’t really have an appetite.
However, Gu Ze was staring holes into him with his enigmatic gaze, so he had no choice but to pretend to eat.
“Gu Ze, I think this character really suits me. What do you think?” Shui Qing smiled, continuing the topic from before.
Gu Ze’s response was very obviously perfunctory. “Yeah, suits you.” His eyes were locked to the side, admiring Meng Fu’s soft mannerisms as he ate.
“Gu Ze, is Meng Fu still staying at yours?” Shui Qing asked while staring intently at him.
Gu Ze glanced at her. “Shui Qing, haven’t you heard that one should not speak at the dinner table, or am I to gather that people of the entertainment circle are lacking in culture?”
This annoying woman just won’t shut up.
All he wanted to do was watch Meng Fu quietly.
Shui Qing bit her lip. Her tears were about to fall down, but she forced them back. She no longer said anything for fear that Gu Ze would find it irritating.
All of a sudden, somebody’s phone rang. Gu Ze checked his phone and had Meng Fu make way for him to leave the table so he could take the call. It was Secretary Wang calling, but he had no idea what he needed.
As soon as Gu Ze walked away, things became even more awkward at the table.
Meng Fu peered up slightly to see a tear run down Shui Qing’s cheek, but she quickly dabbed it away with a tissue.
While her eyes were still glistening with tears, she moaned through a choked sob. “That’s just the way he is… He doesn’t have space for anyone but He Manyu in his heart.”
It was unknown whether those words were meant for Meng Fu or herself.
He Manyu and her child… the mention of her drilled into Meng Fu’s heart/just being reminded of her made his heart clench painfully.
“Strangely enough, he seems to treat you even better than he treats me.”
Better…? Really? Meng Fu pondered her comment. No… Gu Ze couldn’t possibly treat him well. He hated him.
“Meng Fu, could you leave first? I really would love to have some time alone with him. I’m worried he won’t see me again after lunch today.” Shui Qing’s tears fell again.
“I’ll go.”
That was his intention from the start, and seeing Shui Qing this way just made it even harder to stay.
Just as he had stood up and was about to leave, Shui Qing stopped him. “Take this.” She took out a 100 yuan bill from her purse.
“No need. Please help me tell Mr. Gu that I haven’t run away. I’ll go back.”
After refusing the money, he turned around and went straight for the door, leaving in a hurry.
“Charity” was the only word to come to mind when he thought about the 100 yuan. Once he was out the door, he jogged faster and faster until he reached a bus stop far away where he sat on the bench.
Cars came and went in front of him. The occasional honk would go off, its piercing loudness filling the air. Occasionally, strangers would pass him by, all of whom had indifferent expressions on their faces.
Even the slightest bit of warmth was a luxury in this world.
Meng Fu pulled his sleeve down and looked at the terrible scar on his wrist.
Bit by bit, he was enveloped by the numbing cold.