Chapter 262 - 117: Bro, Don’t Mention It

Chapter 262: Chapter 117: Bro, Don’t Mention It

She didn’t know why she’d dreamed of an unfamiliar body of water.

She tried her best to recall it, but she couldn’t remember the details. It was all shrouded in a fog, making everything blurry.

It was, in fact, a nightmare.

She should have been at home, but for some reason, she had gone to that body of water.

’What exactly happened here? Why does he always think the villa is so dangerous?’

She thought back on the day’s events, the people she’d met, and the things they’d said.

Teacher Song had said he’d take them all out to have a good time.

Her father had told her not to worry.

Aunt Wu had advised her not to keep things bottled up inside.

Zhiruo had told her not to be impulsive or act on a whim.

She glanced out the window again. The commotion was gradually dying down, with only the Doberman barking from time to time. Hearing it, she let out a small smile. The house had been full of "strangers" the past two days; it must have driven the poor dog crazy.

’This whole affair should be over now.’

She was feeling a little sleepy now. She gave a small stretch. She had worked up a bit of a sweat while singing today, so she planned to take a bath later and then go to bed.

’This is good. Everyone is happy.’ She took one last look at the courtyard. The moonlight was lonely. Out on the vast, snow-covered plains, perhaps many things were yet to happen.

Gu Qiuyan returned to the sofa and turned on the television.

She didn’t bother choosing a specific movie, just played whatever came up. Kicking off her slippers, she curled her legs to one side and sipped slowly from her cup. She would laugh at the funny parts, fast-forward through the boring ones, and purse her lips at the poorly-made scenes. If her patience wore thin, she’d simply switch to another one.

Until the door to the room was pushed open.

Gu Qiuyan had just turned her head when the man in the lead spoke:

"Why aren’t you in bed yet?"

"I was waiting for you to come back."

Gu Jianhong handed his teacup to the housekeeper, changed his shoes, and sat down on the sofa.

"Feeling reassured now?"

"Mmm—"

She drew out the sound.

"They’ll be back later, around ten o’clock," Father Gu explained out of habit. "I’m having two men watch from the car tonight. They went to grab a bite to eat and will probably be back to change shifts after ten..."

"You can just arrange it. You’re talking like you’re giving a work report. It’s not like I know who those two are anyway."

Father Gu chuckled.

"I’m having a hard time figuring you out, sweetie. Are you concerned or not? You were the one who asked me to bring people back, and now you’re the one who doesn’t want to hear about it."

"I was very concerned back then." Gu Qiuyan propped her chin on her hand, her eyes on the TV. "But everything’s fine now, isn’t it?"

"It’s good that you’re not concerned. That’s how it should be. The car will be parked downstairs. If it’s too noisy, just let me know, though it shouldn’t be. I’m going to the study for a bit. You should head upstairs and rest easy."

He said, half-jokingly,

"With so many people standing guard in the living room, no one is taking you away tonight."

Gu Qiuyan nodded and said okay, her focus fixed on the screen. She was watching a horror movie, and the ghost was just about to appear, but her dad’s rambling had completely killed the atmosphere.

Gu Qiuyan simply turned off the TV. The man gave a helpless smile, and the girl huffed, wished him a good night with a laugh, and got up to get a carton of milk, planning to heat it up and take it upstairs.

This was a girl like a princess, a true young mistress of a wealthy family, well-protected by her super-rich father. The world wouldn’t stop spinning if someone was missing, and neither would she fall apart over anyone’s absence.

Gu Qiuyan put the milk in the microwave to heat. While she waited, she idly scrolled through her phone. DING! The milk was ready. Just as she was lifting the cup to her lips, a new message appeared on her phone.

It was from Teacher Song.

He had sent a photo.

In the photo was a motorcycle.

Standing next to the motorcycle was an all-too-familiar person, despite the face mask.

It was the kind of photo guaranteed to throw one’s heart into turmoil.

Because she almost instantly connected it to the motorcycle the bodyguards had found on Ring Mountain Road last night.

It was followed by another message.

"So, uh... Shutong has been running around outside these past two days. He even has a high fever, and he’s still not home. I have no idea what he’s so busy with."

This was a question the person on the other end of the line couldn’t understand, but Gu Qiuyan immediately knew the answer.

She stared blankly at her phone screen. A picture and a single sentence, and then nothing more, as if a stone had dropped into the sea. It seemed to say nothing, yet at the same time, it said everything.

So she exited that screen and opened her chat with him.

’It’s always the same few phrases, over and over. She could practically recite them by heart.’

The boy on the other end would just say:

"How are you?"

"Stay safe."

"Lock your doors and windows."

"Be careful at night."

"...I had a big lunch, but I was so busy having fun I barely ate a few bites..."

"Everything’s great on my end."

’Is it really great, though?’

Now, the meaning of all those phrases was turned on its head, crashing over her like a tidal wave. They had always hidden something she didn’t know. Suddenly, Gu Qiuyan understood everything.

’He’s an idiot. A complete idiot. I told him over and over that nothing would happen, that my dad was back, that there were bodyguards at home. I told him to go home and rest, that he didn’t need to protect me... But why wouldn’t you listen?’

She didn’t know how long she stood in front of the microwave until the housekeeper walked over quietly.

"You’ll burn your hand. Why are your eyes a little red?"

"They’re not." Gu Qiuyan’s voice was a little hoarse today. She covered her mouth and yawned. "I’m just a little sleepy."

"Did your friends message you again?"

"They’re still worried about me."

"I see," the woman said with a smile. "Well then, tell them not to worry. You’re home tonight, you’re not going anywhere, so get some sleep soon."

"Mm, I know."

When she turned around again, the girl’s expression was already calm.

She picked up the cup, walked slowly to the elevator, and slowly pressed the button.

She waited as the elevator descended slowly and its metal doors slid open.

The long, wool-carpeted hallway was so quiet she could only hear her own heartbeat. Walking down it felt like passing through a deep, dark tunnel.

Upstairs and downstairs were like two different worlds.

Everyone from outside had returned, and it was unavoidably a bit noisy.

But on the second floor, she was alone. She had said she would lock her door when she slept tonight, so no one would disturb her.

Gu Qiuyan locked her bedroom door.

The moon hung high in the sky. A thin layer of condensation had formed on the glass, as if the moonlight had turned to frost.

She was wearing a wine-red robe, getting ready to take a bath and head to bed quickly, but her plans were disrupted by an unexpected turn of events.

She unbuttoned her robe, one button at a time. The heat was on in the bedroom, so it was nothing like the cold outside. Barefoot, she walked into the walk-in closet and stood before the vanity mirror.

’Before, she thought the best solution was to have the bodyguards come to the house.’

’But how could an idiot like him understand what she was saying?’

Now, she yanked open all the closets and pulled out the thickest clothes she could find, stubbing her toe on the corner of a wardrobe in the process.

There was a floor-to-ceiling window in the room.

Gu Qiuyan also knew that beyond the floor-to-ceiling window was a terrace, and below the terrace lay the vast, moonlit wilderness, where there was no one to be seen;

And so, she quickly dialed his number. Despite trying her best to remain composed, her breathing grew rapid.

Finally, the call connected. She said—