novelraw Chapter 66 What is there to fear?
Chapter 66 What is there to fear?
As soon as Gu Yanshen and Lin Chen stepped into the courtyard of the Misty Shadow Manor, someone quietly whispered the news to Song Zhihe.
"Yan Shen!" Song Zhihe, who was dressed up, almost lifted her skirt to greet him, her face showing undisguised surprise.
For the past two months, she had tried countless methods to get close to him, but Lin Chen had thwarted her every time. How could she not be overjoyed to see him in person now?
"Where is Gu Yanxu?" Gu Yanshen didn't stop walking. His gaze swept over the luxurious courtyard. His tone was cold and hard, without the slightest bit of pleasantries.
Song Zhihe immediately said, "I know, I'll take you there!" She couldn't miss this hard-won opportunity to walk alongside him.
Gu Yanshen didn't even spare her a glance, heading straight ahead. Song Zhihe tried to naturally move closer to his side, but a figure subtly slipped in, placing itself between them.
It's Lin Chen.
His steps were steady, his expression calm, yet he acted like a moving human barrier, precisely blocking any possibility of Song Zhihe getting close.
Song Zhihe was secretly annoyed—she had finally experienced Lin Chen's "duty-bound" firsthand. He was impervious to both soft and hard approaches, and his level of vigilance was simply top-notch. It was a real shame he wasn't a bodyguard!
Inside the banquet hall, the lights were dazzling and the music was deafening. Well-dressed rich kids and beautiful young stars clinked glasses, joked and laughed, indulging in the most extravagant atmosphere.
Gu Yanshen and Lin Chen kept their eyes straight ahead, ignoring the glitz and clamor around them.
Soon, they found their target in a circular sofa in the corner. Gu Yanxu sat there alone, surrounded by two scantily clad, exquisitely made-up actresses who were giggling and trying to strike up a conversation with him. But Gu Yanxu's aura was clearly out of place in the glitz and glamour around him. His brows were slightly furrowed, his eyes were somewhat unfocused, and he was idly swirling a glass of wine in his hand, appearing absent-minded and even carrying a hint of barely perceptible irritation.
"Gu Yanxu!" Gu Yanshen's voice was not loud, but it carried a chilling quality that pierced through the noise.
Gu Yanxu looked up at the sound and saw Gu Yanshen and Lin Chen. His body stiffened instinctively, and his first reaction was to get up and run away.
But Lin Chen was faster.
With a slight movement of her foot, she had subtly blocked his possible path, her face still bearing that businesslike expression.
"Let's talk."
Gu Yanxu was "invited" by the two men to a secluded suite in the manor.
Lin Chen pushed open the door, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a skirt that had quickly darted to the door and was trying to listen.
Lin Chen remained expressionless, slightly turned his body, made a standard "Do Not Disturb" gesture to Song Zhihe, and then calmly closed the door, completely isolating the inside from the outside.
The room quieted down.
"How long do you plan to hide?"
"I...I haven't thought it through," Gu Yanxu said in a muffled voice.
"How long will you think about it?" Gu Yanshen's tone was stern. "Gu Yanxu, you've always been carefree and irresponsible since you were little, but in my eyes, you're not a bad person at heart, in fact..." He paused, "When we were little, every time I was locked in a dark room, it was you who secretly slipped candy through the crack in the door, wasn't it?"
Gu Yanxu looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with shock. He had been so discreet; he was afraid then too, afraid that he would be isolated and targeted.
"So, look at your own heart clearly." Gu Yanshen's gaze was sharp, as if it could pierce through his cynical exterior. "If you were really living a life of debauchery and carefree revelry like everyone else here tonight, I would never come looking for you again. But the way you look is just like the way your little dog looked when it got lost when you were a child—bewildered, helpless, and even a little sad. This shows that you are not without feelings for Jin Qiqi."
"Heh..." Gu Yanxu gave a bitter laugh, lowered his head again, and unconsciously rubbed his wine glass with his fingers. "Brother, I'm the most useless one in the Gu family. From childhood to adulthood, besides causing trouble and giving the elders headaches, I seem to be good at nothing. I've seen too much... My mother couldn't sleep night after night because of my father's affairs, and cried her eyes out. I'm afraid... afraid that I will eventually become like my father, afraid that Qiqi will become like my mother, and even more afraid that our children... will become another me."
He looked up at Gu Yanshen with a complicated expression: "Brother, do you know? I've actually... always envied you."
Gu Yanshen raised an eyebrow slightly.
"You may not believe it, but you are capable and have your own opinions. Even if you were bullied badly when you were a child, you were able to make your way out on your own and do what you wanted to do. As for me..." He shook his head self-deprecatingly, "It seems like I'm just a vine clinging to the big tree of the Gu family forever, unable to find my own direction."
"Now," Gu Yanshen's tone softened slightly, "ask your own heart, what do you really think? What choice do you want to make?"
"Fear stems from indifference. If you truly don't care, what is there to fear?" Gu Yanshen looked at his struggling expression, knowing that some hurdles must be overcome alone. He stood up: "Yanxu, some things don't offer a chance for regret. Ranran said that Jin Qiqi has decided to have surgery tomorrow. You... decide for yourself."
After saying that, he didn't linger, opened the door, and walked out.
Song Zhihe immediately came forward, a flawless smile on her face: "Finished talking?"
"Lin Chen?"
He just said he was going to the restroom.
Gu Yanshen glanced at his watch; it was already past eight. He took out his phone and sent Lu Xiran a message: [I've finished talking to him. Wait for Lin Chen, I'll be right back.]
Almost the instant the message was sent, her phone vibrated. Lu Xiran's reply popped up: 【Uncle is the best! [Starry eyes] Love you, muah~】
Gu Yanshen's usually cold and aloof lips curled up slightly involuntarily, and a faint but genuine warmth flickered in his eyes. This subtle change in expression stung Song Zhihe, who had been watching him intently.
But she quickly composed herself, her smile even becoming sweeter: "Lin Chen might be a little while longer, why don't we sit in the lounge next door for a bit?"
She deliberately softened her voice, carrying a hint of grievance: "Yanshen, you said you would always remember my kindness. How come now... you won't even sit alone with me for a while?"
Gu Yanshen frowned slightly and nodded in agreement.
Song Zhihe was overjoyed and quickly led him to a more private and elegant lounge next door.
Gu Yanshen sat down on the single sofa, still focused on his phone, his fingertips tapping on the screen, clearly continuing his chat with Lu Xiran, his eyes showing a gentleness he had never shown when facing her before.
A dark glint flashed across Song Zhihe's eyes. She picked up the champagne that had already been placed on the table and handed it to Gu Yanshen.
Gu Yanshen was looking down at his phone when he casually took the glass from the rim without even glancing at it.