Gu Chuyi took a sharp breath, staring blankly at Fu Chen with tightly pressed lips. Fu Chen, hands in his pockets, had an inscrutable look in his eyes and a strange smile on his lips. "Don't remember that night?"
"What night?" Gu Chuyi decided to play dumb, her eyes wide and watery.
Fu Chen sneered, stepping forward, his gaze becoming unfathomable. Gu Chuyi's fingers curled, her heart racing. "I... I need to go out."
Throwing out those words, Gu Chuyi turned to run, but the tall, imposing man quickly caught her, pulling her back. "Not going to explain?"
"I forgot." Gu Chuyi's face flushed like it was burning, her cheeks hot.
She struggled to break free from his grasp, not daring to look directly at him, fearing she might bite her tongue from embarrassment.
"Let go, I need to go out. The meal's starting," Gu Chuyi mumbled, her brows knitted together.
Fu Chen gave her a meaningful look, a faint smile playing on his lips, and slowly let her go. As soon as Gu Chuyi was free, she bolted, glancing back occasionally to see if he was following.
She panted, trying to calm her racing heart. Just then, her thoughts drifted back to that night two days ago.
It was a weekend night, with nothing to do. Gu Chuyi suggested that Chi Ye and Fu Chen join her for a night out at a bar.
X Bar.
The bar's night scene was intoxicating, the dim lighting creating a dreamy atmosphere. Under the flickering neon lights, the bartender elegantly mixed a colorful cocktail, drawing in one thirsty, lonely soul after another.
"Cheers—"
"Cheers—"
"Cheers—"
Gu Chuyi, Chi Ye, and Fu Chen clinked glasses, their faces glowing with excitement and joy.
"Why did you suddenly ask us out for drinks?" Chi Ye asked with interest, his eyes deep as obsidian.
Gu Chuyi put down her glass and said angrily, "I worked an extra hour today and needed to relax. We're good friends, so of course you had to come with me. We're not leaving until we're drunk tonight."
She downed her drink in one go, full of bravado.
Chi Ye snorted, mocking her, "You?"
"Me? You look down on me? Go to hell." Gu Chuyi put her hands on her hips, bit her lip, and threw an empty glass in Chi Ye's direction.
The glass was caught mid-air by Fu Chen, who said in a low, stern voice, "It's not good for girls to drink too much."
"Fine, fine, you men all look down on me. I'll drink by myself, okay?" Gu Chuyi pretended to be angry, poured herself another drink, and downed it.
She was determined to show them that women were just as good as men.
"That's enough!" Fu Chen snatched the glass from her. "Be careful, you'll get drunk." His eyes softened, as if he were speaking to a lover.
Gu Chuyi was momentarily stunned, studying Fu Chen intently. Was this an illusion? How did he suddenly seem so dazzling, like a god descending from the heavens?
She snapped out of it, patting her head, trying to clear her mind, and mumbled to herself, "What am I thinking? No way, absolutely no way..."
"What's wrong with you?" Fu Chen's voice drifted over, causing Gu Chuyi to shiver and quickly shake her head, forcing a fake smile. "Nothing, nothing, haha..."
"Your smile is so fake," Chi Ye said mercilessly, rolling his eyes at her.
At some point, Chi Ye stepped out to take a call. When he returned, he said he had to leave, making Gu Chuyi uneasy. Now, it was just her and Fu Chen, and the atmosphere was even more awkward.
Gu Chuyi hurriedly grabbed Chi Ye's sleeve, smiling ingratiatingly. "Does it have to be done tonight? Is it really so urgent?"
Chi Ye swatted her hand away and said seriously, "Overtime. Do you think it's important?"
Gu Chuyi's mouth twitched, cursing inwardly. Why did it have to be overtime now? She cried out silently in her heart, "Heavens, why..."
After dropping that bombshell, Chi Ye walked off.
Fu Chen, sitting elegantly beside her, was unnoticed by the bar's patrons due to the late hour, and his presence didn't cause a stir despite his fame.
"Chi Ye, that traitor. Forget him, we'll drink on our own." Gu Chuyi muttered a curse and downed another drink.
Fu Chen watched her without a word, a faint smile occasionally appearing on his lips, unnoticed even by himself.
Ignoring Fu Chen's attempts to stop her, Gu Chuyi downed three more drinks in quick succession. By now, her face was flushed, and she was clearly drunk, swaying on her feet.
Fu Chen let out a long sigh, realizing he'd have to carry her back to the Gu family home tonight.
Gu Chuyi staggered as she walked, and with Fu Chen's help, they finally made it out of X Bar. The cool breeze hit her face, making her head throb.
In her daze, Gu Chuyi vaguely heard the normally gentle Fu Chen curse, "Damn it, my car..."
Frustrated, Fu Chen ran his fingers through his hair, then looked down to see a parking ticket stuck to his windshield. He picked it up and glanced at the teetering Gu Chuyi.
"Chuyi, I'll call a taxi to take you home." Fu Chen approached her, and as she looked up, she saw his impossibly handsome face, his features sharp and defined like a sculpture.
"Oh," Gu Chuyi muttered, dazed.
Fu Chen helped her to a nearby bench to sit, then walked over to the roadside to hail a cab.
After a while, Fu Chen returned, a bit frustrated. "Couldn't get a taxi. I see a hotel up ahead; I'll take you there to rest."
Gu Chuyi, barely conscious, nodded absentmindedly, "Mmm, mmm, mmm," having no idea what he had just said.
Fu Chen thought for a moment, then took out his phone and sent a message to Gu Xiu.
[Gu Xiu, I went out tonight with Gu Yi and Chi Ye. We had a bit too much fun, and Chuyi got drunk. My car got towed by the traffic police, so we can't go back tonight. I booked a room for Chuyi.]
He sent the message along with their location.
Five seconds later, Gu Xiu replied, [Alright, be safe.]
Fu Chen put away his phone and took her to a five-star hotel. The receptionist gave them a knowing look, but with his baseball cap pulled low, Fu Chen wasn't recognized. His appearance and strong build made it clear he was no ordinary person.
"Sir, one room?" The receptionist asked with a bright smile.
Fu Chen paused, tightening his hold on Gu Chuyi, and replied, "Two rooms."
"Two?" The receptionist frowned, as if questioning why he'd leave a girl alone. What if she encountered a bad guy?
"Yes."
The receptionist didn't argue, handing over two key cards.
"Thank you," Fu Chen said with a slight smile, then helped the staggering Gu Chuyi to the 25th floor.
In the cramped elevator, they stood close together, their breaths mingling. The atmosphere between them grew increasingly intimate.
[You can read ahead to chapterr 135 here]
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