Chapter 21: I've Had Enough of You

At 8 p. m., work was already over, yet someone still came into the shop.

"Manager Shen." The staff saw him and shouted in unison.

She didn't even turn her head.

"Liuli, Manager Shen has arrived."

The manager ran over and whispered to her.

"Hello, Manager Shen."

She didn't even look and shouted directly.

"Please have a seat, Manager Shen." The manager personally greeted him.

"Get me two coffees." the man said, his silver-gray hair making his face look especially refined, and some staff had already started swooning.

"Sure, please wait a moment."

She recognized the voice as somewhat familiar, then looked up and saw it was Ze Yan.

She knew the shop's boss bore the surname Shen, but she never imagined it would be Ze Yan.

At that moment he was looking at her, waiting for her to call out to him.

She thought it wouldn't be good to say she knew him here, after all she still had to work here.

"Sit." He spoke first.

She absentmindedly glanced out the glass.

Usually Gu Die comes to pick her up, but today he hasn't arrived yet, and she felt a bit uneasy.

What if he sees her again with another man?

She thought it over and still sat down; he saw it and didn't think much of it, saying it was just playing around.

"Ze Yan bro, thank you for coming to my grandmother's funeral."

The staff heard her call him Ze Yan bro and were stunned—this woman not only has someone pick her up every day, but she also knows Manager Shen!

The staff instantly felt resentful, but seeing Manager Shen present, they swallowed their words.

Liuli also knew she couldn't stay at this shop.

"That's proper."

Soon the manager brought over two coffees; at first he wondered why Manager Shen, coming alone, would order two coffees, but seeing Liuli sitting opposite him, he understood and gave her a meaningful look.

The manager is very kind and takes good care of Liuli; she usually only talks to him, and can't chat with others.

"Drink." He kept looking at her.

"I don't like drinking; you drink."

"What do you like to drink?" Ze Yan's instinctive reaction was to ask that question, and even he found it strange.

"You don't need to worry about me."

Ze Yan's eyes sank.

"I don't have your contact information yet, do I?"

"Probably not… why don't you give me your phone number?"

Liuli took out her phone, ready to note down his phone number.

If he hadn't carried her home in the rain, she still wouldn't know where she was.

She felt only gratitude toward him.

"Smack—" the phone was smashed.

She didn't even have time to react.

The staff's attention shifted again to the person who smashed the phone.

All they saw was him staring fixedly at Manager Shen.

Ze Yan, however, remained calm and even took a sip of coffee.

She hurried to pick up the phone—the phone must not be broken, as it held her grandmother's only photos!

You want his phone number that badly?!

Gu Die saw her anxious state and stepped heavily on the phone again.

She was about to pick it up, but saw the phone being stepped on again; the sound of the screen shattering was like her heart breaking.

"Smack—" another loud sound, she rose and slapped him hard.

"I've had enough of you……"

She grabbed her phone, pulled Ze Yan, and rushed out the door.

He only felt a burning pain on his face, and the gaze shadowed by his hair was dark and terrifying.

Chu Liuli……

He wanted to crush this woman to pieces!

He had intended to ignore her, but he simply couldn't stand seeing her with another man!

So he got in his car and followed her.

"Ze Yan bro, I want to go somewhere." Liuli, finally calming down, looked at Ze Yan.

"Where?"

"Uncle."

The uncle at the barbecue stall was sitting at the table drinking alcohol; business here wasn't as good as before, and I don't know if it's because of that incident.

The shop's emptiness was completely unlike before, and she felt even more guilty.

"Liuli, how did you come?" The uncle stopped drinking, rose, and welcomed Liuli.

"I just wanted to go home and have a look."

Okay, go take a look!

Uncle turned and sighed; if he said another word to Liuli, he couldn't help but cry. He truly pitied this child, and now he had lost his only remaining relative.

Uncle, I'll come see you another day.

Okay!

Uncle deliberately answered loudly, but in fact he was secretly wiping his tears.

She had walked down this alley so many times, each time happily.

But suddenly everything became sorrowful, and Ze Yan silently followed behind her.

In the room, everything remained as it was before, nothing changed, yet it also seemed as if everything had changed.

Before, this little house was her most beloved home, and inside was her most beloved grandmother.

Without her grandmother, does she still have a home?

She didn't turn on the light, sitting in the corner beside the bed.

She was afraid of the dark, but now she only wanted to stay in the darkness.

Wait for me a moment, I want to be alone for a while.

Ze Yan then waited outside the door for her.

Shen Zeyan.

Gu Die caught up and swung a punch at Ze Yan's face.

He was still impulsive.

Soon, Ze Yan's mouth corner bled; he wiped it and returned a punch to Gu Die.

The two fought outside, and she only felt annoyed.

If you two fight again, I'm leaving!

Liuli finally couldn't help but shout, and Gu Die had never heard her speak in that tone before.

The two almost simultaneously let go of each other.

Gu Die saw the room light was off, wanted to go in and turn it on, but Ze Yan grabbed him.

She's afraid of the dark.

Gu Die said that, and Ze Yan let him in.

Ze Yan didn't know she was afraid of the dark; otherwise he wouldn't have let her stay alone in the room.

Gu Die turned on the light and saw Liuli sitting in the corner, holding a broken phone, tears already streaming down her face.

Get out.

Liuli...

Do you want me to say it again?

Liuli looked at him; she didn't know how long she had cried, her eyes were red and swollen. Gu Die seeing her like that couldn't help but feel heartbroken, but didn't want to anger her, so he prepared to leave.

Lend me your phone for a moment.

Without a word, he handed her the phone and turned to leave.

His phone had no password, and she opened it directly.

While dialing, she unintentionally saw a number he had labeled 'Madam'.

She still looked at it.

The number looked increasingly familiar; it turned out to be her own phone number.

He had labeled her as 'Madam'?!

She didn't think much of it, just feeling it was merely a title.

Cheng Li... she dialed a number, and the call was answered instantly.

What's wrong?

A gentle voice came from the receiver.

I want to see you.

Where are you?

At home.

Wait for me.

Mm.

Hearing her voice off, obviously she had cried, Cheng Li panicked and drove over.

As soon as Cheng Li arrived, he saw two tall figures on either side of the doorway.

Shen Zeyan and Gu Die stood there like door gods, their faces still stained with blood.

Their gazes seemed ready to devour Cheng Li.

Liuli! Cheng Li didn't look at them, entered and searched for Liuli's figure.

He saw her in the corner, her face covered in tears, something he had never seen before.

She hugged him and finally couldn't hold back, bursting into loud sobs.

Gu Die's heart clenched; she could cry unrestrained in Cheng Li's embrace, but not in his.

Ze Yan's heart also sank; he wanted to know what kind of person could make her feel so safe.

It's okay, Liuli.

Hearing her cry made Cheng Li feel his heart ache to death.

Cheng Li... what should I do... it's so painful...

These past days she had been struggling to suppress her emotions; she was utterly exhausted.

She really wanted to cry properly.

"Crying out will make it not painful."

Cheng Li gently stroked her hair, gently answering her.

"I'm so useless… phone broke… what to do with grandma's photo…"

She cried harder and harder, her words full of self-blame.

Gu Die also felt guilty; he only saw her and Shen Zeyan momentarily angry, so he smashed the phone.

Previously he was such a steady and cold person, but now his actions are becoming more impulsive.

"If the phone is broken, just fix it, don't worry."

"What if it can't be fixed… Cheng Li… I really want to see her… why…"

She cried while sobbing.

"Grandma is watching you from heaven!"

"But I can't see her…"

At this moment, Liuli cried like a little child; Gu Die and Ze Yan outside the door felt a pang of heartache.

Gu Die wished he were Cheng Li, and Ze Yan also.

But Ze Yan couldn't understand why she had to be related to Gu Die.

He didn't know if he could still bring himself to do it.

"You will see her in your dream." Cheng Li only had this much patience for her.

"Don't cry, grandma doesn't want to see you sad."

Cheng Li wiped away her tears.

Upon hearing that, she immediately stopped crying.

Grandma used to love her smile, not her crying.

"Alright, not sad anymore."

Cheng Li again held her in his arms.

Her head rested on Cheng Li's shoulder, slowly stopping her sobs.

"I still have things to do, I'm leaving first."

Ze Yan looked at his watch, said to Gu Die.

"Don't get close to her anymore."

"That's impossible."

Ze Yan's mouth corner slightly rose; originally he also would be warned by Gu Die not to get too close to a woman.

Gu Die watched Ze Yan's departing back, again wanting to hit himself—what did he just say?! He couldn't show even a little love for her in front of him.

Once he knows he has feelings for her, she would be too dangerous.

He just couldn't understand why he's been so impulsive lately?!

Shen Zeyan is a problem, Cheng Li is an even bigger problem.

As long as she stays at the Gu Family, Shen Zeyan can't touch her, but Cheng Li doesn't know what to do.

She said they are friends; growing up together inevitably makes their relationship good, but this is too good! So good it makes Gu Die jealous!

He again can't do anything to Cheng Li, otherwise Liuli will dislike him more.

He racked his brains and finally came up with a plan.

Before leaving, Liuli tidied up the room, unintentionally finding a small box in the drawer.

The box contained a gold longevity lock necklace, a Liuli-made bracelet, and also a letter.

She only noticed the bottommost bracelet, that was the only valuable thing on grandma.

That was her dowry, yet it was left to her.

She desperately tried not to let tears fall.