“What, that person—Fang Yicheng?” Gu Yan despised his subtle probing the most.
Liang Feifan certainly knew whose number it was. When Fang Yicheng sent someone to the pub to rescue Gu Yan, he called Fang Yicheng back after Gu Yan fell asleep, according to the call log. He remembered that long string of numbers after just one glance.
"What does he want with you?"
"I don't know, he just said he wanted to meet me." Gu Yan casually stuffed the shawl back in and then dragged out a suit.
Liang Feifan seemed to take a deep breath, as if trying to suppress his emotions. "Yan'er... if I said I didn't want you to go, wouldn't that be petty of me?"
"Yes!" Gu Yan answered decisively, turned around and went to the shoe rack on the left to pick out shoes. He held her tightly and refused to let go. The two of them walked forward, entangled and intertwined.
Her habit of choosing clothes and shoes was terrible. She would pick something up, look at it, and if she didn't like it, she would just toss it aside. By the time she was satisfied with her outfit, her walk-in closet looked like it had been ransacked. It took two maids half a day to organize her clothes every day. After she moved out to live on her own, she still made a mess of her wardrobe every day. If no one paid attention to it, she would have to search for her clothes in the mess the next day. Later, when she lived with Gu Mingzhu, she was scolded countless times before she finally toned it down a little.
Liang Feifan watched her pick and choose, and even though he knew she did this every day, he still felt uncomfortable—did she really need to dress up so specially to see Fang Yicheng?
But after arguing with Fang Yicheng so many times, every time he calmed down and seriously reflected, he realized that the problem lay in his distrust of her. In the end, he lacked a sense of security. Whenever he thought of the scene of the perfect young couple smiling and looking at each other, he wished he could tie Gu Yan to his side with a rope and not let her go anywhere, and not allow anyone else to get close to her except him.
But he couldn't really tie her down; they were about to get married, and he'd be ashamed if they lacked even this much mutual trust. Besides, Gu Yan's stance on Fang Yicheng had always been quite firm.
Gu Yan finally picked out all the clothes and shoes, threw them all on the bed, and turned to hug the awkward man who was frowning and deep in thought. "You're so petty. Have you thought it through yet? Fang Yicheng and I are meeting at the 07 Club in the east of the city. The ice cream there is really good. Do you want me to take you there?"
Liang Feifan couldn't help but chuckle at her coaxing tone. He tapped her little nose and hugged her even tighter. "No, your husband is busy making money to buy you more ice cream." He did have something to do that afternoon, and besides, he should learn to give her some freedom.
"Oh no! The vinegar barrel is on strike today!" Gu Yan exclaimed, her eyes wide, seemingly genuinely surprised.
Liang Feifan didn't join in her laughter and joking. He pulled her into his arms, kissed her forehead, and looked at her earnestly. "I know I've restricted you too much before. I'll slowly change, slowly learn to truly tolerate you. Maybe I can't adapt right away, maybe I'll still be domineering and upset you sometimes... So no matter what, you have to tell me, tell me your thoughts. We'll always find a way to maintain the right distance, right? After all, we still have a long life to spend together." He spoke with deep affection and tenderness, his sincerity coming from the bottom of his heart. Gu Yan's nose tingled, and she didn't know what to say. She softly murmured an "Mmm," turned her back to change clothes, and didn't look at him. Liang Feifan didn't speak either, helping her zip up her clothes and straightening her hem. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long hair and cheeks. The afternoon breeze, carrying the warm scent of the sun, drifted in through the slightly closed curtains. The room was silent, beautiful like love honed by time—perfect, perfect.
...
Fang Yicheng remained as gentle and refined as ever. When Gu Yan arrived, he was already waiting in the private room, sipping tea and looking out the window as if he were thinking about something.
"I ordered you a bowl of rock sugar snow frog soup. See if you'd like anything else?" He helped Gu Yan adjust her chair and handed her the menu. Gu Yan had just eaten and shook her head, not wanting anything.
"What do you want? Are you going to give me a wedding gift?" Gu Yan was in a very good mood and joked with a smile.
Fang Yicheng's hand trembled slightly as he poured the tea, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled gently. "When is the wedding date?"
"The 15th of next month."
Fang Yicheng stared at the tea leaves slowly unfurling in the cup, and sighed almost imperceptibly, "He really has a knack for it." November 15th is Gu Yan's birthday.
"Besides the red envelope, what other gifts do you want?" He really didn't know what Liang Feifan couldn't give her, so he simply asked her what she wanted. She said he would search high and low for it.
Gu Yan laughed and scolded, "Fang Yicheng, are you even sincere? Of course, you should choose a gift to surprise me."
"Hehe," he chuckled, "Alright, I'll definitely give you a surprise. Is Liang Feifan handling all the wedding preparations? Uncle Gu seems quite relaxed, spending his days drinking tea and playing chess with my father." Fang Yicheng took a sip of tea, his head slightly lowered, his expression obscured by the shadows of the window frame.
“Oh, not at all. Liang Feifan has been incredibly busy these past few months. He said he wanted to take time off for his honeymoon, so he can only spare a little time outside of work to oversee things. Li Weiran and Ji Nan are in charge of the wedding arrangements, Rong Yan is handling the guest reception and socializing, Qin Song and Chen Yubai are finalizing the wedding schedule, and there are so many other chores. My sister often comes to help too. As for me, I just do odd jobs and offer suggestions.” Gu Yan spoke of this grand and complicated wedding with a mix of joy and worry. Liang Feifan felt sorry for her seeing how busy she was, saying that no bride should be bothered with all this, and that they should just take care of it. But she liked it this way, busy with her wedding preparations, as if all the beautiful things were falling into place by her own hands, gradually taking shape, step by step, leading her towards happiness. Although, her suggestions often made Rong Yan and the others sigh to the heavens—why did they have to suffer after all, having already given birth to Gu Yan!
Gu Yan thought he was just asking a simple question, so she simply complained. Fang Yicheng suddenly laughed out loud. He had been in officialdom for too long, and his speech was used to being roundabout. But she was Xiao Yan—it seemed that the two of them were indeed drifting further and further apart.
"Uncle Gu doesn't approve of your marriage?" Fang Yicheng asked her directly after his smile.
Gu Yan frowned and nodded. "I'll talk to him in the next couple of days. He's not in good health, so he's pessimistic about many things and overthinks things."
"That's it?" Fang Yicheng's calm demeanor was seen by Gu Yan as a subtle test. She felt a sting in her heart, and her tone immediately turned unfriendly. She threw the celadon spoon in her hand into the bowl, the crisp sound sending a chill down her spine. "What else could it be? What exactly are you trying to say? Your stammering is annoying."
Let go
"That's it?" Fang Yicheng's calm demeanor was seen by Gu Yan as a subtle probing. Her tone immediately turned hostile, and she threw the celadon spoon in her hand into the bowl. The crisp sound sent a chill down her spine. "What else could it be? What exactly are you trying to say? Your stammering is annoying."
Fang Yicheng sighed, annoyed by her retort. He knew Gu Yan all too well; she got angry over just a few words. "Do you know why Uncle Gu opposes your marriage? I mean his real thoughts, not the official answers Mingzhu gave—we all know how good she is at, well—beautifying the facts."
"Isn't it just that she traded me and Liang Feifan for Dad's release? Don't even mention keeping it from me, even if she had told me, I would have gone myself to save Dad. What other choice did she have in that situation? Besides, why do you blame her? Do you think I would have waited for you for the past seven years without Liang Feifan?" Gu Yan leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and held her small chin high.
She thought she had made herself clear enough during their last parting, and that he had sincerely come to wish her well this time. She was already fed up, and now he had to interfere. Didn't he realize that the root of all this was Fang Yicheng?
Fang Yicheng stared at her for a long time, then turned his face away, gazing intently out the window. "How could I dare to think that... So you know everything? And you don't blame him. You don't blame him?... Heh, Xiaoyan, your principles of forgiveness really are—different for each person." It turns out that forgiveness has no black and white distinction, no justice to speak of. Whether it's a heinous crime or a trivial matter, it all depends on her heart.
“Since you already know, I have nothing more to say. Uncle Gu wanted me to act as a mediator,” he said, stroking the cup in his hand with a faint smile. “But, well, how could I possibly persuade you—you’ve always been so willful.” He looked at her helplessly. “I asked you out for two reasons: first, to find out if you were fully aware of the situation; and second, to congratulate you in person on finally getting married.”
Gu Yan realized she had gone too far after venting her anger, and hearing his witty and nonchalant words, she just pursed her lips and said nothing.
“I’m still quite self-aware. I’ve come this far, and I won’t still try to change anything. But, Xiaoyan, Uncle Gu’s condition isn’t very optimistic. The new drugs we’re using are very effective in controlling his condition, but his body’s resistance to them is also much greater than with regular anti-cancer drugs. The current suitable conditions for surgery won’t last long. I’ve consulted many experts, and now is the best time for surgery.” He spoke earnestly.
“I’ve tried to persuade him, but like you said, Uncle Gu’s stubbornness is something even my father would have to admit defeat to. Xiao Yan, I don’t mean any harm. I just want to say, can’t you postpone your marriage with Liang Feifan?” He said calmly. “If you talk to Uncle Gu, even if he agrees to the two of you, it will cause him a lot of emotional turmoil, which is really bad for his health right now. Besides, it might take several days. Why not just cut the Gordian knot? —Actually, I know I shouldn’t be saying this. But Uncle Gu and Sister Mingzhu are fighting like crazy right now, and I’m only thinking about Uncle Gu’s condition—” He became more and more incoherent as he spoke. In fact, his words were—no matter how well he thought about them, they seemed ill-considered.
Gu Yan pursed her lips, listening quietly to him, her left hand unconsciously pinching her right arm. "I understand." She was easily swayed, and Fang Yicheng's words were reasonable and well-founded. She was wavering considerably. The wedding was going to happen anyway, so a little delay wouldn't be a big deal, right? She was just worried that Liang Feifan would be unhappy again. Just thinking of that awkward man made Gu Yan's lips curl into a smile.
Fang Yicheng nodded, and the two remained silent for a moment.
"I was just now— um, Yicheng, don't be angry with me. I've been so confused and upset these past two days because of Dad and my sister's constant nagging." Gu Yan turned her head and stirred the snow frog in her bowl, which was gradually turning into mush, and apologized softly.
Fang Yicheng moved the bowl of disastrous dessert aside, took a cup and poured her a cup of tea. "You silly girl, why would I hold this against you? When have you ever spoken so impulsively?" He pushed the tea towards her, and Gu Yan took it, sipped it, and smiled faintly. Actually, Fang Yicheng had a very brotherly feel to him.
The two chatted aimlessly for a while, then Fang Yicheng noticed it was getting late and he had to leave. Gu Yan, feeling a bit confused, said she wanted to stay a little longer.
"Call me anytime if you need anything, okay?" He stood up, took his coat, and hung it in his hand, smiling gently and warmly.
Gu Yan smiled and nodded.
He walked towards the door, his hand already on it, but then he turned back and asked, "Why did you never ask me where I was for the past seven years? Why didn't I come back to find you?"
Gu Yan leaned back in her chair, her expression calm. "Oh. So, where have you been these past seven years? What have you been doing? Why haven't you said a single word to me?"
Fang Yicheng was only two meters away from her, yet his smile seemed to transcend a vast distance, a distance too great to be crossed in this lifetime. "In the first year, I constantly ran away from home, constantly searched for you, and constantly got caught and brought back. I went from receiving the honor of a special merit to becoming the laughingstock of the Fang family. From the second to the fifth year, I went south, climbing the social ladder by any means necessary, even using connections I used to despise. Because my father said that if a man wants something he can't have now, there's only one path: power. As I've done countless times before, I firmly believed him. By the fifth year..." "By then, I had finally become quite popular, and I returned with a mixture of fear and anticipation. I already knew you were with Liang Feifan, and I was prepared for battle." His eyes shone brightly with the memory. "That day was also your birthday. You and he set off fireworks all night on the mountaintop, and I watched from the foot of the mountain all night. At dawn, you were carried down the mountain on his back, and even in your sleep, your smile was so sweet. I didn't know how to approach you, how to face you… Just like back then, caught between the beliefs we'd held since childhood, I lost my way again. The next day, I went back south."
"For the remaining two years, I devoted myself to thinking about how to face you again."
His smile was so gentle, just like that afternoon ten years ago, when the handsome young man in black extended his long, firm fingers to hold hers, gently calling her name with a smile, and boldly entering her heart.
“I thought you would stay in the past and wait for me, just like I did. So, I appeared in front of you again.”
"Report complete."
He finished speaking with a smile and a trembling voice.
These seven long years have passed, and all they've shone through is this little bit of light and shadow, summed up in just a few words. In this missed opportunity that has already ended, his mistake was assuming that time was merely a passing phase, while overlooking the most important thing—her heart.
Gu Yan nodded, and the report was approved.
The two gazed at each other from afar, their eyes reflecting the passage of time and the wisdom of life's many experiences. This time, they had truly let go.
Gu Yan smiled and lowered her head to sip her tea, while Fang Yicheng smiled, opened the door, and strode out.
So this is the state of being at peace.
...
The atmosphere at the dinner table was very strange. Several times, Gu Yan would take the opportunity to go to the kitchen to get some fresh air while getting soup and rice.
In contrast, Gu Boyun and Gu Mingzhu appeared relaxed, leisurely enjoying their meal with an air of contentment, though a silent battle of stubbornness raged in the air between them.
Gu Yan finally couldn't dawdle any longer. She put down her rice bowl and said sincerely and gently, "Dad, Fei Fan and I have set our wedding date for the 15th of next month."
"Hmm," Gu Boyun responded, continuing to pick up food with his chopsticks.
Gu Yan had prepared all her rebuttals to his objections, but this time it felt like she was punching cotton; she stammered and couldn't utter a word for a long time.
"Then... Dad, will you come?"
“You don’t even bother asking me about your life’s most important event, so why should I, your father, go? Your sister can go.” Gu Boyun was calm and composed, his words unhurried yet revealing Gu Yan’s weakness. Gu Yan panicked, “No! Dad, of course I’ll listen to you—”
"—Then I'll tell you not to marry Liang Feifan!" Gu Boyun slammed down the bowl in his hand and raised his voice.
Seeing him become agitated again, Gu Yan felt even more annoyed. She lowered her head and gently persuaded him, "Dad, I know about what happened in the past. Liang Feifan saved you and took me away. But what does that matter? He's very good to me, and I can't live without him. Didn't you say you wanted me to have an easier life? I'm doing very well with him. Why don't you happily accept us?"
Gu Boyun glanced at Gu Mingzhu, who was eating quietly and ignoring him. No wonder she had been so confident these past two days. It turned out she had told Gu Yan everything before he could. As expected of his daughter, Gu Boyun, she was truly a case of "if the enemy doesn't move, I don't move; if the enemy moves, I move first." Ha, she really had surpassed her teacher.
"Why should I accept this son-in-law? Because he and my eldest daughter conspired against me? Because he took advantage of my misfortune? Because I was senile and personally sent my daughter into his arms? Because he is powerful, wealthy and influential?" Gu Boyun put down his chopsticks.
“Because you were a bit too angry back then, Liang Feifan paid a bit too much of a price,” Gu Mingzhu said, picking at the rice in her bowl, taking a small, leisurely bite, chewing slowly, glancing at Gu Yan, and sneering, “The robbery he struck also had endless troubles.”
Gu Boyun snorted coldly, not intending to argue with her.
Gu Yan held her father's hand and gently pressed it to make him relax. "Because I want to marry him, I love him."
Gu Boyun snorted coldly, "Is it because my useless body needs his power and money to save it again?! Is someone trying to use this opportunity to push you out again?!" He glanced at Gu Mingzhu, whose face was gloomy, "Xiaoyan, why are you so naive? Your father is already in his fifties, why would he care about life and death? Why are you being so stubborn?"
Gu Mingzhu finally finished eating, put down her bowl and chopsticks, and elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Indeed, this time is different from seven years ago. It's not certain whether she'll be able to get off the operating table. This deal is definitely not worth it."
Gu Boyun's face turned pale with anger. "Do you think I'm like you, willing to trade her happiness for money!"
"Of course there's a difference. Your stakes are much higher than mine. And compared to me, your partnership is far too fickle. We've been together for seven years; what's the point of making a scene now?"
Gu Boyun slammed down his chopsticks, his facial muscles twitching slightly with excitement. "I know I've been wrong for many years, so this time I will absolutely not compromise again! Don't even think about using Gu Yan's marriage as leverage!"
"I'm making this change! You have to have this surgery whether you like it or not! I might as well knock you out and send you into the operating room! Do you think it's easy to bring in these world-class doctors? To let you throw a tantrum and cause trouble like this? Do you know how much effort Liang Feifan has put into your treatment? Even if you're senile, you can see how he's treated Gu Yan all these years, right? Please, have some sense! Just because you're sick doesn't mean the whole world revolves around you!" Gu Mingzhu finally lost her temper and confronted her father head-on.
Gu Yan stepped between the two, frowning anxiously, "Sister! Please stop talking!"
"Dad, it really isn't a deal. Liang Feifan and I have been together for seven years, and I've fallen for him. Please don't get so worked up. Let me explain slowly, okay?"
Gu Boyun shoved her away, pointed at Gu Mingzhu's nose, his finger trembling, "Let me tell you! If I had known about your agreement with Liang Feifan back then, I would have preferred to be shot!"
"What a pity, even if you died now, this wish would never come true. What, you've lived for seven years, that's enough, and now you're about to give up as your days are coming to an end? Trying to renege on your promise?" Gu Mingzhu stood up with a cold face, not giving an inch.
Snap!
Extra Chapter: Rong Er and Xiao Si
The lights were dim.
A small figure huddled on the chaise lounge, curled up like a tiny shrimp, with slender, boneless hands softly covering her eyes.
Rong Yan sat on a sofa not far away, expressionless, downing one glass of strong liquor after another.
When Qin Song hurriedly pushed open the door and walked in, he saw this quiet and eerie scene. "Fourth Brother..." Rong Yan shot him a sharp look, and Qin Song swallowed the rest of his words.
Ji Nan immediately sat up and asked repeatedly, "Where is he?"
Qin Song hesitated, glancing at Rong Yan. If he had known Rong Yan was here, he wouldn't have come even if he had ten times the courage. His second brother was usually the most approachable, polite, and elegant, but when he really got serious, he was more frightening than anyone else. Offending his eldest brother would at most result in a beating, and his third brother would just be tormented a bit. But his second brother—no one knew where his limits of madness lay; the unknown was the most terrifying. Qin Song was terrified at this moment.
"Ah Song, where is Li Yan?" Ji Nan, without even putting on her shoes, jumped off the ground and pounced on Qin Song barefoot, shaking him violently by the shoulders. Qin Song was exhausted from her shaking and quickly begged for mercy, "Yan Hui said he's still in the hands of those people overseas. Yan Hui doesn't deal in arms and doesn't have much of a relationship with them, besides—Fourth Brother, stop shaking me, stop shaking me, I'm going to vomit blood!"
Ji Nan let go of him, turned around, grabbed his coat, and walked out.
Before her hand could even touch the doorknob, she was pulled back by a strong force. Rong Yan held her tightly in his arms, his face ashen. "Xiao Liu, get out."
Qin Song slipped away as fast as he could. Don't call him disloyal; they all knew that there was always a difference between the second and fourth brothers, and Rong Yan wouldn't do anything to Ji Nan.