novelraw Chapter 23 For You
Chapter 23 For You
"Song Zhihe," Gu Yanshen stepped on the brakes and stopped at the red light. He turned his head and clearly uttered a few words, "I'm getting married."
The air inside the carriage seemed to freeze for a moment.
The color drained from Song Zhihe's face. She stared at him blankly for a few seconds before blinking very slowly, her voice as soft as a feather: "My fiancée... is at home?"
Her gaze tried to glean information from every subtle expression on his face.
"Yes," Gu Yanshen answered crisply, turning back to look at the traffic light ahead, which had turned green.
The car restarted.
"Then..." Song Zhihe suddenly gave a soft, almost heartbreaking laugh, "Then why did you come out to pick me up?"
Gu Yanshen's jawline tightened, and he didn't answer. The only sound in the car was his steady breathing.
"Take me to see her?" Song Zhihe suddenly changed her tone, with a pale provocation. "That girl named Lu Xiran. The Lu family's...fallen heiress? I'm very curious, what kind of girl could make you agree to marry her?"
"What exactly do you want?" Gu Yanshen's voice turned completely cold, tinged with suppressed anger. "Song Zhihe, tell me, what is the purpose of your sudden return this time?"
"For you." Song Zhihe stopped beating around the bush. She reached out again, this time faster and more stubbornly, tightly covering the back of his hand that was gripping the steering wheel. Her fingertips could even feel the slightly raised veins on the back of his hand. "Gu Yanshen, you can't get married."
Gu Yanshen abruptly pulled his hand back; the movement was small, but it carried immense force and decisiveness. Song Zhihe's hand suddenly missed its target, hanging in mid-air, appearing exceptionally lonely.
"Impossible." He said firmly.
"Didn't you only get married for Grandma's sake?" Song Zhihe's voice became urgent, tears welling up in her eyes again, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. "Grandma wants to hold her great-grandson, wants to see you get married, right? Your third aunt told me all that! Yanshen, I can do it... For you, I can give up my career..." She bit her pale lower lip. "I only beg you not to punish me this way, don't find another woman to make me angry, okay?"
"You're overthinking it." Gu Yanshen turned his face away. "My marriage is none of your business."
"None of my business?" Song Zhihe's voice suddenly sharpened as if stung by those words. "You dare look me in the eye and say that you married Lu Xiran not because of Grandma Gu's wish? If it weren't for those reasons, given her family background and the length of time you've known each other, how could you possibly marry her? Gu Yanshen, can you fool others, but can you fool yourself?"
"Song Zhihe!" Gu Yanshen said in a low voice, his impatience almost reaching its breaking point. "This is the last time. Where do I take you? My marriage is a done deal and will not be changed for anyone or anything."
Song Zhihe stopped speaking, only biting her lip tightly. She turned her head to look out the window, tears silently streaming down her face, her shoulders trembling slightly.
The air inside the car was so oppressive it was suffocating.
After a long silence, as the car slowly drove into the entrance of the VIP passage in the basement of the Gu's Hotel, Gu Yanshen finally spoke as if in resignation: "Top floor suite, my private elevator. No one will see you."
Song Zhihe did not respond immediately.
She slowly turned her head, her face still wet with tears, and gave a pale smile that carried a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Look..." she said softly, her voice thick with nasal tone, her gaze lingering longingly on his cold, handsome profile, "You still... can't bear to see me suffer."
"Don't overthink it." Gu Yanshen started the engine.
His movements were swift and decisive; he didn't even glance at her again.
Gu Yanshen's heart sank—without warning, the image of Lu Xiran standing at the door when he left home, her eyes filled with confusion and a hint of barely perceptible expectation, softly asking him, "Will you... come back tonight?" appeared vividly in his mind.
He avoided answering at the time, thinking it was just a temporary reassurance.
Only then did he realize that his subconscious avoidance might have already left a clear mark in her heart, a mark called "choice".
The sky was already tinged with the gray light of dawn. With no time to waste at the morning's high-level meeting, Gu Yanshen immediately turned around and headed to the company.
Sitting in the quiet office, he repeatedly opened WeChat, the pinned chat window remaining silent. He hovered his finger above the input box, typed a few words, then deleted them.
Explain? How could he explain? How should he introduce Song Zhihe? Their relationship was far too complicated. And how could he explain to her that Song Zhihe had suddenly returned to the country seeking help, and he couldn't just stand by and do nothing?
Even he himself felt it was pale.
Finally, he turned off the screen and placed the phone face down on the table.
Outside the window, the city is awakening. And something quietly growing seems to become clear and piercing in this hazy morning light.
Lu Xiran waited all night.
Outside the window, the pitch blackness gradually gave way to a pale dawn, before being fully illuminated by the morning light. The bed beside me remained empty, cool and smooth, without a single wrinkle.
Gu Yanshen did not return.
Where did he go?
Is he with that person named "Zhihe"? What are they doing now? Is he using the same hands that dried her hair and stroked her cheek last night to soothe another woman's emotions?
Countless questions swirled around her like vines, suffocating her heart. She picked up her phone, her fingertip hovering over his number, hesitant to press the button.
From what standpoint did she ask this?
It's just... a contract.
These words were like fine needles, gently pricking the softest part of her heart. She took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the churning, bitter emotions, and got up to wash and dress.
The person in the mirror had faint dark circles under her eyes. She applied some powder and chose a bright-colored lipstick. At least she looked more energetic.
The mornings at Yunyuji are no longer the bustling scene of the past.
This upscale, privately-run courtyard restaurant was once renowned among gourmets in Haicheng for its secluded and elegant environment and uniquely crafted dishes.
But ever since the demolition of the suburban plots began, the roar of heavy machinery has been incessant day and night, and the bluestone road leading to Yunyuji is now always covered with a layer of dust that cannot be dispelled.
The streets were deserted, and the courtyards were quiet.
To make matters worse, Lu Hao's catering brand recently underwent a transformation, opening a "Song Yu Ji" restaurant on the top floor of Gu's Shopping Mall.
Not only was the location excellent and the decor luxurious, but the company also poached several long-time employees by offering more favorable prices and using the "original Yunyuji team" as bait. The list of old customers that Lu Hao had in his hands became a precise weapon for his attack.
Many loyal customers were half-invited and half-coaxed to the new place.