Chapter 128: Why Do You Want to Leave with My Brother?

Gu Yunci lowered his eyes and ate unhurriedly, not picking up on that thread.

Gu Yeheng saw this and said, "I know about this matter. I was the one who signed the original cooperation agreement!"

The old lady said, "Tangtang is back—why didn't you tell me?"

Saying this, the old lady clutched her chest. "All these years I've been worrying about her, unable to sleep soundly night after night."

"Yunci and that woman have no chance anymore. Mom, that woman was sent to the Gu Clan on commission by the Palace Museum, so stop stirring up trouble."

Gu Yeheng shot Gu Jin Xing a look, signaling him not to bring up the topic again.

Gu Jin Xing saw this and very sensibly and obediently shut his mouth.

Gu Yunci, who had said not a word, suddenly picked up a wet wipe to clean his hands. "Who says we have no chance? The kid is already old enough to run errands. We have to give the child a complete and stable home."

He stood up. "Take your time, everyone. Please excuse me."

The old lady froze for a moment before reacting. "Come back here."

Gu Yunci walked with one hand in his pocket, got halfway, and turned back around.

He walked casually, his gait unhurried, not deliberately upright, instead exuding a carefree languor.

He came to the old lady's side and stood firmly in place. "Grandma, what do you want to ask?"

The old lady said, "You said… Tangtang has your child?"

Gu Yunci glanced sidelong at Gu Jin Xing and nodded unhurriedly. "Before our divorce, she was pregnant with my child."

"The child was sick a while ago and had a DNA test done. It's mine."

Gu Yeheng was about to retort, but suddenly realized that no mother would use her child's health as a bargaining chip, and swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

"In that case, tomorrow, have Tangtang bring the child home for dinner."

Gu Yunci still wore that look of masterful composure. "Alright."

After Gu Yunci left, Gu Jin Xing returned to his room, handled some business, and took out his phone to call Meng Shutang.

"Tangtang, are you free tonight?"

Meng Shutang's sweet, gentle voice came from the other end of the phone. "I'm free."

"The convenience store at the school gate."

"Be there or be square."

The call had just ended when a warm figure suddenly pressed close behind her.

The sudden sensation made her heart panic. She turned around, and before she could make out who it was, her legs gave out and she fell backward.

Just then, a powerful arm caught her slender waist and pulled her into an embrace.

The deeply ingrained, clean scent of cedar enveloped her. Beside her frantic heartbeat, she heard a low, magnetic voice by her ear. "Don't be afraid, it's me."

Seeing it was him, Meng Shutang raised her hand and thumped him. "You scared me to death."

Gu Yunci held her hand. "Who were you on the phone with, so mysteriously?"

Meng Shutang put away her phone. "Jin Xing. He wants to take me to dinner."

Suddenly thinking of something, she looked up at him. "Jin Xing is back. You knew, right?"

Gu Yunci pressed his lips together. "Do you have to go to dinner with him? Can you not go?"

For some reason, with Gu Jin Xing back, Gu Yunci was very anxious.

Even with Lu Shenyang by Meng Shutang's side all those years, he had never been this anxious.

They shared the same mother, yet they were like born rivals in love, and Meng Shutang was the one they both adored.

Meng Shutang looked at him and said nothing.

"Just treat it as doing it for me."

Seeing her refuse, he lowered his head and pleaded bitterly.

Meng Shutang consoled him. "Seven years ago, after all, we were the ones who wronged him. Now that he's back, it's a good thing to talk things through."

"Honestly, I didn't expect him to reach out to me. I'm quite touched."

Saying this, she opened the car door, intending to drive away.

Gu Yunci grabbed her hand directly. "Tangtang, no need to explain, no need to apologize. Just keep your contact with him at the level of sister-in-law and brother-in-law."

Meng Shutang found Gu Yunci ridiculous. "Gu Yunci, I've been a bit nicer to you these past few days, and that made you think we have a chance again?"

"We're already divorced. Who I associate with is my freedom!"

Gu Yunci was stunned.

Meng Shutang didn't coax him any further and drove straight away.

After a busy day at the studio, at dusk, she drove to Jiangchengdaxue and stood at the convenience store entrance waiting for Gu Jin Xing.

Gu Jin Xing was very punctual, arriving ten minutes earlier than the agreed time.

He parked his car and walked toward her. Just then, a large truck crossed the road. Meng Shutang saw it and her heart couldn't help but tighten. "Jin Xing, be careful."

Gu Jin Xing stopped where he was and only came to Meng Shutang's side after the truck had passed.

Meng Shutang teased him. "You're still the same as when you were little—walking without watching the road."

"It's because you're here—I couldn't wait to run to you!"

Gu Jin Xing blurted out without thinking, saying what they used to say to each other when they were together seven years ago.

The moment Meng Shutang looked up and met his gaze, her eyelashes fluttered sharply. She hitched her bag higher on her shoulder and turned to walk toward the school gate.

"Jin Xing, I was the one who wronged you back then."

Gu Jin Xing followed her, just half a step behind. "I don't blame you. I've never blamed you. I'm just a little curious."

The two arrived at the school gate. Because they had called ahead to report before coming, they stated their grade and class, the guard called the counselor, and after confirming, let them in.

After entering, they walked along the tree-lined path on campus that was more familiar than any other.

The sunlight in the twilight was faint and soft, falling on people's faces and inexplicably adding a touch of warmth.

"Curious about what?"

"Why did you leave with my brother!"

Meng Shutang's fingertips paused slightly; she did not dare look at him.

She knew that what he wanted to ask was not about her being "forced" or anything of the sort.

What he wanted to ask was whether she had ever truly loved him.

"When I agreed to be with you back then, I didn't lie to you.

I seriously considered spending the rest of my life with you, too.

You were very good to me, helped me a lot. I was grateful to you, relied on you..."

But there was never love.

Gu Jin Xing's head slowly sank. "Then... why did you say yes to my proposal?"

"I thought feelings could be cultivated slowly, just like the older generation.

But I was wrong, completely wrong."

"You liked my brother from early on, didn't you?"

Meng Shutang pondered briefly. "Jin Xing, I told you before—the year I was fourteen, we met at Cangpinge west of the city.

Actually, before I saw you, I ran into your brother first."

With just one glance, Meng Shutang fell deeply in love with the young Gu Yunci—one glance, an eternity.

She loved him so much that, at such a grand engagement banquet, she—always cool and rational—lost her head over love, and for the sake of so-called butterflies in her heart, disregarded the eyes of the world and her engagement, and left with Gu Yunci, preferring to be covered in scandal!

Meng Shutang stopped, slowly turned around, and looked at Gu Jin Xing. "I'm sorry. These words of apology have been hidden in my heart for seven whole years.

I delayed you and let you down, but I never profaned your true feelings."

Gu Jin Xing was silent for a long time, then finally smiled as if a weight had been lifted, his voice very hoarse. "I understand."

She had never loved him.

The two walked a lap around the campus, then went to Tushuguan.

Inside, they sought out many memories together.

Coming out, both were ravenous. Meng Shutang asked, "Hungry? What do you want to eat? My treat!"

Gu Jin Xing pressed his lips together. "Let's say it at the same time, shall we? Let's see if, after seven years apart, we're as in sync about food as we were about picking books at Tushuguan."

Meng Shutang nodded.

"Tianxia Diyifen."

The two spoke in unison, almost without thinking.

Gu Jin Xing's eyes lit up. He was just about to sigh over something when he suddenly saw, at the end of the tree-lined path, a tall, slender figure standing silently by the lake.

The man was dressed entirely in black, an unfinished cigar pinched between his fingertips, his dark gaze locked onto Meng Shutang beside him.

He pressed his lips and gave a light laugh. "Tangtang, let's go over!"

The two had just gone inside and found a window seat to sit down when the door was pushed open. That tall, slender figure stood there backlit, eyes gloomily fixed on them.