Chapter 133: Intimacy of the Old House

Gu Yunci's thin lips moved to her delicate earlobe, first giving an extremely light brush, as if testing, yet also indulgent.

His scorching breath sprayed onto Meng Shutang's sensitive ear, stirring a fine shiver.

"... I'll hide you, hide you in a place no one can find, a place belonging only to me."

After speaking, he covered Meng Shutang's slender, fair swan neck, urgent and deep, kissing her jaw from the side of the neck, and finally her lips.

This kiss was not as gentle as before; it was forceful and domineering, prying open her pearl teeth, driving straight in, entangling her crabapple‑like little tongue, giving her no chance to breathe.

"Gu Yunci, don't... don't do this."

In the pause of the kiss, his hand pressed against her chest and pushed forcefully; dissatisfied with her reaction, the man deepened the kiss and gave her lip a neither light nor hard bite.

He gave her no chance to refuse.

Meng Shutang knit her eyebrows.

Her slender fingers unconsciously clenched his collar, fingertips sinking into his solid muscle, unsure whether to push him away or pull him closer.

The man seemed to enjoy her reaction, curling his lips into a smile.

Outside, Gu Jin Xing saw the scene clearly through the ajar door.

He stood there stunned, and the scene from seven years ago flashed in his mind.

He had been dating Meng Shutang for a month, and the two of them hadn't even seriously held hands, let alone a kiss that made one's face flush and ears heat.

At that time he was focused on restoring ancient pearls, and gave little thought to romantic affairs.

But Gu Yunci was different; thinking back, when he first brought Meng Shutang home for Gu Yunci to meet, Gu Yunci's look at Meng Shutang was not innocent.

It was possession, desire, and restraint.

Could it be that at that time, in places he couldn't see, Gu Yunci was already doing this to Meng Shutang?

Otherwise, how could Meng Shutang, who had only seen his two sides, willingly go with him at the engagement banquet?

Especially recalling the saying, "The road to a woman's heart goes through a winding goat‑trail."

The turmoil of betrayal, the guests' gasps, comments, even snickers, in an instant shattered Gu Jin Xing.

He staggered backward, and when he went downstairs he accidentally knocked over a flowerpot.

A clang sounded, also startling Gu Yunci inside the room, who was pushing Meng Shutang and had her pinned to the bed.

The man had just ripped off his tie and tossed it aside; hearing the noise, his body tensed.

Startled, Meng Shutang curled into his arms, his strong hand embracing her, waves of warm breath beating against her brow.

"Aunt Song, Aunt Song..."

Before Aunt Song could arrive, Meng Shutang pushed him aside, sat nearby, and fixed the buttons under her neck that his heat had undone.

When Aunt Song opened the door, she saw Gu Yunci's forehead dotted with light sweat, and Meng Shutang's face flushed, eyes downcast, hurriedly tidying her slightly disheveled collar.

She immediately understood and asked, "Young Master, what's wrong?"

"What was that noise just now?"

Aunt Song glanced and said, "Second Young Master passed by here, accidentally knocked over a vase; the servants are already cleaning it up."

Gu Yunci nodded slightly, "I understand."

Aunt Song gave Meng Shutang a brief smile as she left; the door just closed when Meng Shutang complained, "Gu Yunci, why didn't you close the door?"

Gu Yunci came to her side, crouched, grabbed her hand and kissed his fingertips, "I missed you so much; it won't happen again."

Before dinner that night, the elderly lady and Gu Yunci were in the living room keeping Xin Xin company.

Gu Jin Xing came onto the balcony, walked over to the solitary Meng Shutang, and said, "The sunset at the old house is beautiful; when I was a child, my mother often took my brother and me to the back mountain to watch."

"My mother was skillful; she could even sketch what she saw."

Hearing the movement, Meng Shutang turned around, "I hadn't seen you all afternoon; I thought you had gone out."

"No, I've been in the room all along."

"What were you doing in the room?"

"I've been reflecting; seven years ago I was too foolish, thinking that if I was good to you, you'd be happy.

Now I understand, perhaps what you wanted from the start wasn't any of this."

"Tang Tang, I'm sorry."

Meng Shutang was actually especially afraid of Gu Jin Xing bringing up the past, after all, she truly felt sorry for him.

"You don't have to say that; you are a very good person, a very gentle person; it's me who owes you an apology…"

Before she could finish, a tall, slender figure approached, a warm palm resting on her shoulder.

She turned her gaze and saw Gu Yunci standing beside him with a smile, looking at her, but his words were addressed to Gu Jin Xing: "She hasn't wronged you; rather, I, as your big brother, do owe you a bit."

But not much.

After a pause, he commanded Gu Jin Xing in an unmistakable tone, "Even if we aren't remarried now, you still may not call her Tang Tang."

He had endured for two days and decided not to endure any longer.

Only he could call Meng Shutang "Tang Tang"; no one else was allowed.

Gu Jin Xing was a man who cared deeply about face; seeing his pallid complexion, Meng Shutang thought Gu Yunci had truly gone too far.

"Just a name; my neighbors all call me that."

She meant that a name is merely a label—whether Shutang or Tang Tang, it's just a nickname.

Gu Jin Xing calling her that probably doesn't mean much!

After all, it was the two of them who did something that wronged him.

At any time, Gu Jin Xing remains an innocent, gentle ex.

Seven years later, he returned.

He never blamed her, never had a heated argument with her, and never said a harsh word.

When an ex reaches this level, what else is there to criticize?

But thinking about how she always resented Gu Yunci calling Bai Cixian 'tagntang', she felt it wasn't quite like that.

But at this moment, she couldn't care less about that.

Gu Yunci hurt Gu Jin Xing seven years ago; now he can't be so overbearing and domineering.

While she was silently pondering, Gu Yunci tightened his grip on her hand and said, "Be obedient, don't make a sound."

Gu Jin Xing looked at him, one hand in his pocket, clearly no longer holding the reverence and submission he had seven years ago for his elder brother, and said, "When we first met, that's what we called her."

Brother, you saying I can't call her that now—isn't that too overbearing?

Gu Yunci snorted lightly, "Are you sure you two called her that the first time you met?"

Their first meeting was when Meng Shutang was 14 and Gu Yunci 17, at the Cangpinge west of the city.

At that time, Meng Shutang and Gu Jin Xing merely bumped into each other; they didn't know each other and didn't speak at all.

Gu Jin Xing froze.

Gu Yunci held Meng Shutang tighter, "Even Grandma wouldn't want to hear you address your sister-in-law like that; you'd better not come back having failed to be filial to her before angering her."

In an instant, a gloom settled over Gu Jin Xing's eyes.

He lowered his head, standing there alone, forlorn and desperate.

Seeing this, Meng Shutang's mind flashed back to the engagement banquet seven years ago, when Gu Yunci pulled her away and Gu Jin Xing stood desperately in the crowd.

He was such a shy, reserved person, yet he was left behind at the scene where his older brother snatched away his fiancée.

Faced with the criticism, gossip, and ridicule of the crowd…

At that time, Meng Shutang followed Gu Yunci without hesitation.

But now she can't abandon him, at least she can't stand by and watch Gu Yunci bully him like that.

She stepped out of Gu Yunci's embrace and stood on Gu Jin Xing's side.

"Gu Yunci, your words are too harsh!"

Meng Shutang always believed that Gu Jin Xing was still that gentle, deep-feeling person from back then.

He was forever tongue-tied, unlike Gu Yunci's cold, sharp tongue; any cold-blooded remark could roll off his lips effortlessly.

Gu Yunci's brows knotted tightly as he looked at Meng Shutang with some helplessness, "You haven't done anything wrong to him; you don't owe him anything…"

He hadn't finished speaking when Gu Jin Xing timidly interrupted.

"Brother, I never expected that after seven years, when I came back, you'd still have such a big opinion of me."

"I call Shutang 'Tangtang' because her nickname is pleasant, and also because once when she had a fever, she took my hand and had me call her that."

Gu Yunci listened, his knuckles grinding against the white jade railing.

In his mind rose the memory of a time after their marriage when Meng Shutang had a fever, likewise taking his hand and saying that calling her Tangtang sounded nice.

He felt his head was about to explode.

"Since you don't like it, Brother, I'll always listen to you from now on and will never make you angry."

"Nor will I make things difficult for Shutang…"