"Me, incompetent? I deserve to be in prison? Who do you think I was trying to protect from humiliation back then when I threw those punches?"
Gu Yuan roared in fury. Lin Xiangyu’s words were like a meat cleaver, hacking away at his heart.
"That is exactly why I call you incompetent. There were so many ways to solve that problem, yet you chose the most idiotic one!"
Lin Xiangyu helped Wen Hao up with a look of distress. "Wen Hao, hang in there. I’m calling an ambulance right now."
Gu Yuan finally saw it clearly: there had long been no place for him in Lin Xiangyu's heart.
"So, Lin Xiangyu, you’ve fallen for this man, haven't you?"
From the moment he was released from prison until now, everything Lin Xiangyu had given him was either a cuckolding or a soft blade to the ribs. All Gu Yuan wanted now was a clear answer: did she love him at all anymore?
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting now? Apologize to Wen Hao this instant!" Lin Xiangyu snapped, her eyes filled not just with anger, but with profound disgust.
"Apologize to him? Are you joking?"
"Lin Xiangyu, today, you must choose between me and Wen Hao. Either I leave, or he does."
If she still loved him, he could let bygones be bygones.
"Then go ahead and leave. Wen Hao is a doctorate holder who studied in Western Europe and my right-hand man. He is indispensable to the company's success today. And you? What have you brought me? Society moves fast; you’ve been out of touch for three years in prison. Please improve your own self-improvement before you talk to me."
The dull blade cutting into flesh was the most painful of all.
The only reason Lin Xiangyu had achieved what she had today was because Gu Yuan had saved the former president of the Tiannan City Chamber of Commerce while in prison. To repay the favor, the man had offered to help Gu Yuan’s wife climb the corporate ladder. Gu Yuan had never told Lin Xiangyu any of this. He knew that if he told her now, she wouldn't believe him; she would only call him delusional.
Gu Yuan took a deep breath and let it out with a tremor. Things had reached this point; their fate was sealed. There was no need to cling on any longer. He turned and walked away.
"Ms. Lin, I’m so sorry. I’ve ruined your relationship with your husband!" Seeing Gu Yuan leave, Wen Hao feigned regret.
"Wen Hao, this has nothing to do with you. Don't blame yourself. It’s all my fault for letting that manic man break in and hurt you. Why hasn't the ambulance arrived yet? I'll drive you to the hospital myself!"
Lin Xiangyu helped Wen Hao up, and the two walked toward the underground garage.
...
Soon, they arrived at the hospital. Lin Xiangyu busied herself with everything, securing a special VIP suite for Wen Hao’s recovery.
"Rest well here. The company will cover all expenses. Also, starting next month, your salary will be doubled," Lin Xiangyu said in a soft, gentle voice.
"Actually, Ms. Lin, there is one thing I hid from you."
"What is it?"
"Actually, I had already met Brother Yuan. It was this morning. He called you on a video chat, and I answered it for you."
Wen Hao expected Lin Xiangyu to be annoyed, but she only offered a knowing smile.
"It’s fine. I already knew. You handled it well."
...
Leaving the Champs-Élysées Mansion, Gu Yuan walked toward the Gu Family Old Residence.
In truth, Gu Yuan was a child of a fairly wealthy family and had lived a life of comfort, yet he had always felt lonely. When he was fifteen, his parents divorced and started new families. He had once been the apple of their eyes, only to become a burden that neither wanted.
It had been ten years. His parents hadn't called once. Even when he got married, he had invited them to the wedding. Both agreed over the phone, but neither showed up.
Gu Yuan was lonely. Even with family, he was treated as a nuisance. From the age of fifteen, he lived alone. Without parental guidance or companionship, he began to spiral, wasting his time in aimless mischief.
It wasn't until he was nineteen that he met Lin Xiangyu. She gave him the feeling of a real family. This led Gu Yuan to give his all, pouring his heart and soul into supporting her and her entire family. He had sold the property his parents left him after their divorce, as well as an apartment in the city center worth three million, all to help Lin Xiangyu start her business.
But now, everything had changed. He had given his money, his heart, and his youth, only to be tossed aside.
Fortunately, he hadn't sold the Gu Family Old Residence, or he wouldn't even have a roof over his head. He had his father to thank for that—since he had taken the family to immigrate, the house was still his.
He hadn't been back in three years. Everything had changed; the area had been redeveloped into a tourist attraction.
"Huh? The lock on the old residence is gone. Is someone inside?"
Just as Gu Yuan prepared to push the door open, someone from the inside opened it, blocking his path.
"Sorry, you’re not qualified to enter this place!"
The man was Gu Yuan’s brother-in-law, Lin Lei. He looked at Gu Yuan with a haughty, superior air.
"Lin Lei? Why are you here? And this is my home! What right do you have to stop me from entering?"
He had just been released from prison, and Lin Lei didn't look surprised at all. That meant Lin Xiangyu had warned him in advance.
"You wounded someone years ago and had to pay a huge compensation. This house was sold off long ago. My sister became successful and bought it back. Now, the house is named Lin, not Gu."
Gu Yuan laughed in disbelief. "Without my help, does your sister have the capital to buy this place? Besides, I only hurt that man in the first place because of your sister."
"You only gave my sister a little startup money back then; what does that amount to? My sister reached this position today, becoming one of the Top Ten Outstanding Youth of Tiannan City, all on her own merit, with help from Brother Wen Hao. Do you know how much my sister's company is worth? Eight hundred million! Look, you're not someone I can be bothered with anymore. Get lost, before you waste any more of my time."
Lin Lei slammed the door shut and locked it.
Gu Yuan was truly enraged. Back when he and Lin Xiangyu were dating, Lin Lei had been gambling online, borrowed from loan sharks, and nearly lost his life. To survive, he had knelt and begged Gu Yuan for help. For the sake of his girlfriend, Gu Yuan had spent five hundred thousand to pay off Lin Lei’s debts. At the time, Lin Lei had sworn, "Brother Yuan, from now on, you are my brother-in-law, my only brother-in-law!"
Only a few years had passed, and the gratitude had been forgotten entirely, turning into this cold, unrecognizable rejection.
Gu Yuan prepared to kick the door open and force his way in.
The door opened once more, but this time, he saw his mother-in-law, Li Xiuqin, wearing a fawning smile as she fawned over a young, handsome, wealthy man. The two walked right past Gu Yuan, with Li Xiuqin pretending he wasn't there.
"Young Master Gao, from now on, with our two families united, your wisdom combined with my daughter’s talent will surely lead us to greater heights."
"Does your daughter even fancy me?" Young Master Gao asked.
"She does, of course she does! Young Master Gao is talented, young, and promising, a true heartthrob. My daughter, Lin Xiangyu, has admired you for a long time!"
The smile on Li Xiuqin’s face couldn't have been wider.
"Very well. In that case, let’s set a time for Lin Xiangyu and me to go on a date." Young Master Gao’s lips curled into a faint smile.
"Why wait for another day when we can do it tonight? Young Master Gao! I’ll make sure Xiangyu dresses up beautifully."
"Fine, tonight at eight o’clock. Let’s meet at the Alice Hotel!"
That hotel was a themed hotel for couples; meeting there was a clear invitation to spend the night in bed.