Translator: Helliot
Editor: P’Raikantopeni
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He wanted to go out, he was anxious to go.
Gu Ze promised that he would let him go outside, but he could very well go back on his word. He may be just giving him some hope so that he could pour an ice-cold bucket of water over his head later.
“Where are you trying to go?”
“To work.”
He had to work so that he could earn money. He had to pay Ye Yan and Gu Ze back, and he also needed money to take care of Meng Yi.
“What kind of work?”
“Anything, as long as I can work.” He hoped that he could find a job where his records wouldn’t be checked, and where they wouldn’t ask for a resume. Maybe he could hand out flyers, work as a cleaner, or take on some other menial job.
“Well, you want a job, don’t you? I’m in need of an assistant,” he proposed as he stared at Meng Fu’s handsome chin with a burning gaze, watching it sink deeper down into his collar.
Gu Ze was offering to hire him as his assistant? Was that a joke, or was he serious? Didn’t he already have Secretary Wang? Oh, that’s right. It’s because everyone in the restaurant knows him. They’ll all gossip about him and call him names behind his back.
He pondered for a moment with his head down. “Mr. Gu, I don’t think I’m suited for that kind of work.”
I don’t want to hear their criticisms anymore.
“If I say you can do it, then you can do it.”
“I’m really not fit for the job, Mr. Gu. I’m not capable for it.” His raised his eyes slightly to look at him as he voiced a quiet resistance. He would rather do menial work instead.
The click of a lighter sounded in the midst of the silence. Gu Ze lit a cigarette and leaned against the window, eyes narrowing. Seemingly in thought, his brows furrowed.
He asked, “Do you smoke?”
Meng Fu shook his head.
“If you haven’t tried it, how will you know whether you’re capable or not?” he asked insistently.
“I don’t want to work as Mr. Gu’s assistant.”
He spoke honestly.
He was waiting for Gu Ze to rebuke/chastise him, or to erupt in fury.
“I know you’re avoiding me.” he took a drag from his cigarette.
Wisps of smoke spread out in the room.
“Meng Fu, you know that’s not possible, so why do you insist on trying?” a deep voice emerged, seemingly exposing Meng Fu’s deepest thoughts.
Meng Fu, I know you’re scrambling for any possible opportunity to distance yourself from me, but what a shame… I just want you by my side for every moment possible.
“Am I that scary to you?” His questions continued.
Cold eyes scrutinized Meng Fu.
“No, you’re not scary.”
Gu Ze wasn’t scary. He just wished that he never hit He Manyu and their child back then. Maybe he could even be friends with Gu Ze if they crossed paths then.
Gu Ze suddenly broke out in laughter as if he had just heard some pleasant news. His cigarette was also about to burn out. Standing up, he walked over to Meng Fu and leaned over, puffing a ring of smoke in Meng Fu’s ear. “If you’re not scared of me, then be my assistant.”
Light footsteps left the room.
Meng Fu leaned his head against the clear glass of the window. Meng Fu, you don’t have any other choice, do you?
As soon as Gu Ze left the room, Wen Xueyan appeared to be waiting for him at the stairs. “Big Brother Gu Ze.” As soon as she saw the frown form on his brow, she pursed her lips, unsure of what to call him.
However, Gu Ze took no notice of her and went straight downstairs.
And so, Wen Xueyan followed him from behind. “Big Brother, do you really not remember me anymore? I came over to your house to play a lot when we were kids. I’d always be right behind you, and while we were playing on the sand pit, you got some sand in my eye and I ended up crying a lot…”
“Aunt Zhang.” Gu Ze completely disregarded everything that the woman said behind him. “Go and prepare supper, and make it light. Bring it up to the study once it’s ready.”
“Big Brother.”
“Miss Wen, is there anything else you need?”
He turned around with a playful smirk on his face, his disdain vaguely visible in his smile.
“Have you really forgotten?”
Gu Ze stood with a finger on his temple as if he were trying hard to remember, but then he raised a smile at her. “Oh, my memory’s really bad so I really can’t remember. Also, calling me Big Brother sounds even more disgusting.”
He walked around Wen Xueyan and went upstairs.
Wen Xueyan had a bitter expression on her face. He wouldn’t accept being called Big Brother Gu Ze, but Big Brother was also declined. Watching him go upstairs, she had no idea whether she should follow or not, and if she did, what would she say? It really seemed like Gu Ze did not remember her at all.
Aunt Zhang quickly prepared some food and brought it up to the study.
Meng Fu was called over to the study by Gu Ze, where he was pulled to the sofa. “Eat.”
“Mr. Gu…”
“You haven’t had dinner, have you?”
He had only returned at seven o’clock, and the wage he received from the milk tea shop was probably barely enough to afford him the bus ride home.
“I…”
He thought that he had been summoned over so that he could pass him a book, or so that he could vent his desires on him in the study, but he never thought that he would call him over to eat.
He was indeed hungry. He hardly ate anything during lunch, and he had nothing for dinner, so his stomach was empty right now.
Gu Ze placed a bowl of rice into his hands. “Eat.”
For a moment, he felt a sense of warmth flowing into his heart from the steaming bowl of rice against his cold palm. Glancing at Gu Ze’s cold face from the corner of his eye, he mustered, “Thank you.”
He silently dug up some rice with his chopsticks when a piece of meat was suddenly placed in his bowl. It was Gu Ze who put it there.
A strange feeling emerged in him as the food went down his stomach.
After finishing the bowl of rice, Gu Ze handed him another and piled up a sizable portion of side dishes on it. “Finish it.”
After dinner, he sat on the sofa, unmoving. Gu Ze asked, “Are you full?”
“Mm.”
Gu Ze wiped his mouth with a tissue, but his hand suddenly paused. Then, leaning in, he pecked him on the lips.
Meng Fu flinched once, but he made no effort to avoid him after that.
He couldn’t tell what he was feeling.
Like a drop of dye in water.
“I have a dinner to attend tonight. If you get bored, you can read in the study. A woman is going to be staying here at home, but you don’t have to pay her any attention and just ignore her if she approaches you,” Gu Ze ordered.
When he said the word “home”, he said it so naturally that it made it seem as if this was their home, both him and Meng Fu.
“Mm.”
Gu Ze stood up and made to leave, but when he reached the door, he turned back around and lifted Meng Fu’s chin, kissing him again before going out of the study.
Affection, once hidden, now exposed, past hatred gradually fading away.
Everything was covered in a veil that he could only vaguely see through.
When Gu Ze reached the first floor, Wen Xueyan jumped up from the sofa, seemingly having recovered from her grievance from earlier. “Gu Ze, I don’t mean anything else by this. I really just want to stay for a few nights and I definitely won’t disturb you. It’s fine even if you forgot about me…”
Gu Ze couldn’t even be bothered to hear her yap on about nonsense. He asked Aunt Zhang to go upstairs and retrieve the dishes before putting on his shoes and getting ready to go out.
But Wen Xueyan was insistent to continue. “Gu Ze, I need to check on some law references from your study.”
He suddenly paused. After putting on his shoes, Gu Ze stood up again. “Miss Wen, aren’t you supposed to be a renowned barrister? What more information do you need to refer to? Hmph, the threat about the gangsters must be a lie too, huh?”
“No, I just… I really do need to check on some references.”
Meng Fu was in the study, so how could he allow this woman to disturb him? “My study is no place for outsiders to come and go as they please. If Miss Wen can’t settle this lawsuit, then it would’ve been better not to accept it in the first place. There’s no need to force it if you don’t even have the capability to finish the job.”
Every single word was like a thorn.
After saying his piece, Gu Ze left.
Wen Xueyan stood at the doorway, grievances piling up in her heart again.
When Aunt Zhang arrived at the study to clean up the dishes, Meng Fu offered to help, but Aunt Zhang was determined not to allow him to work. When she left the room after cleaning up, she found Wen Xueyan standing right outside the door.
“Would it be all right if I look through some materials inside?” She asked sweetly.