Chapter 146: I Regret It

"The day you drove me away, my mind was unsettled, I couldn't work at all, my thoughts were filled with you."

The man, always decisive and ruthless, now has his cold, hard aura completely shattered, each word bleeding with tears, bearing the pain of regretting his past.

"Seven years ago, at the engagement banquet of you and Gu Jin Xing, I took you away. I know it was crazy, shocking to the world, but truly, I've never once regretted it."

"Four years ago I proactively asked for a divorce with you, and yet not a single day have I not regretted it."

A few drops of scorching tears struck Meng Shutang's neck; her body tensed slightly, but the man didn't notice at all.

"I regret not cherishing you properly, regret pushing you farther and farther away."

The man held Meng Shutang tightly, tightening inch by inch, as if to meld her into his very bones.

He restrained his whole‑body tremor, his tone full of humble surrender, "Today, I've thought a lot."

"I have no issue with Gu Jin Xing; I'm happy he's back. It's only when he gets close to you that I become insanely jealous."

"It's my narrow selfishness; I should trust you, not act only according to my own feelings."

"From now on I won't fuss over these; as long as I can stay by your side, I'm willing to change anything."

Meng Shutang gently pushed him.

The man, like a sulking child, pressed tightly against her again.

Meng Shutang still pushed him away, cupping his face.

Twilight fell on his face, the contours sharp as knife cuts, high brow bones, slightly sunken eye sockets, and superior lip shape.

His appearance bore no flaw; his noble, handsome bearing carried both an oppressive and a shattered feel, a visage that could astonish the ages at a glance.

Meng Shutang looked at his despondent, reddened eyes, feeling a dense ache in her chest; she couldn't help but lean close to his cool, thin lips and press them, "I didn't truly mean to drive you away…"

Gu Yunci was startled; this was Meng Shutang's first initiative since that rainy night four years ago.

He looked at her, "Are you feeling sorry for me?"

The two were very close, foreheads touching, noses tip to tip.

But Gu Yunci still stared at her deeply, fearing to miss any expression.

Meng Shutang blushed shyly, yet still nodded slightly, "Mm."

The man barely waited any longer, one hand gripping the back of her neck, and kissed her uncontrollably.

The thrill of lips and teeth meeting surged into her brain like a flood, the tongue feeling as if electrified.

Little by little, he passed his scorching breath to her.

Meng Shutang, stirred by his allure, wrapped her arms around his neck, slowly trying to accommodate him.

After all, four years without intimacy; the earlier times he forced kisses, so Meng Shutang's initiative seemed raw and clumsy.

But hearing his heavier breathing, the man couldn't help but laugh.

Their kiss was so engrossed that Gu Jin Xing, standing at the doorway, went unnoticed.

Gu Jin Xing watched the glaring scene before him, his smile gradually stiffening.

His brow bone tightened, his gaze fixed on the entwined lips of the two; Gu Yunci was earnest, controlling this intimacy; Meng Shutang was serious and invested, clearly moved.

His hand clenched slightly, unable to imagine that she had personally driven him away that morning.

That night he was gone only a moment, and the two were already embracing.

His Adam's apple rolled hard, his complexion shifting from pallid to iron‑blue.

He didn't go in to look for anything, turned, said a brief word to Grandma, and left.

During dinner, Grandma called everyone to eat, mentioning that Gu Jin Xing had returned midway.

Meng Shutang was surprised, "He's here, when?"

Li Xiuyun replied, "Just right after his brother."

Meng Shutang glanced at Gu Yunci, who was playing with Xin Xin, noting that since she had just comforted the man, his mood, like a roller coaster, had clearly improved.

Standing in the living room, she could still hear his laughter coming from the children's room.

That laugh was deep and magnetic, its timbre clear yet rich, wrapped in a hint of laziness, pleasant enough to seem able to crush a heart.

Meng Shutang turned, "Got it, Grandma. In a bit I'll ask him if anything's wrong."

That night, after dinner, Gu Yunci played with Xin Xin a while longer, then voluntarily suggested leaving.

Li Xiuyun still couldn't quite believe it; she thought he would most likely whine and not want to go.

Meng Shutang returned to her room, took out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Gu Jin Xing.

【Grandma says, "You're back again?"】

The reply came almost instantly, 【"Mm, the watch fell there."】

Meng Shutang: 【"Do you need me to deliver it?"】

Gu Jin Xing: 【"No need, I'll come get it tomorrow."】

The next day, Gu Yunci bought breakfast early and came to Qingluju.

Grandma, upon getting up and seeing a table full of food, thought it was Lu Shenyang's delivery, "Shenyang, you came so early!"

Gu Yunci wiped his hands and came out of the kitchen, "Grandma, it's me."

The man gave a faint smile, just as Lu Shenyang had tended to Meng Shutang before, sitting beside her, skillfully arranging the bowls and chopsticks, peeling eggs and large shrimp, and even opening the hot drink meant for Meng Shutang.

Seeing Xin Xin come over, he stood up again and lifted Xin Xin onto the children's seat.

The whole sequence was silky and smooth; every move silently took over the role that had belonged to Lu Shenyang.

Li Xiuyun had once intentionally tried to matchmake Lu Shenyang and Meng Shutang.

Now it seems she was truly busy in vain.

A few people were quietly eating when the door suddenly knocked.

Gu Yunci got up to open the door and saw Lu Shenyang standing there holding breakfast.

But as soon as he stepped inside, he froze.

On the dining table lay a lavish breakfast; the empty seat beside Meng Shutang was clearly left when Gu Yunci rose to open the door.

The breakfast in his hand looked rather glaring—'You eating?'

Li Xiuyun stood to take it, saying, 'It's fine; we'll save these for tomorrow.'

As Gu Yunci walked back, he suddenly suggested, 'Why not have Minister Lu take this food back to the museum? There are lots of young people there who, rushing out of bed, have no time to buy breakfast.'

Lu Shenyang hadn't even poured his drink before speaking.

Li Xiuyun's mind conjured a scene from a short video she'd seen: a crowd of girls squeezing onto buses and subways, applying makeup in the vehicles to save time.

'Alright, Shenyang, take it to your coworkers!'

Lu Shenyang gave a slight nod, 'Okay.'

After Lu Shenyang sat down to eat, his eyes unintentionally lingered between Gu Yunci and Meng Shutang.

When he left last night, how grim Gu Yunci's face was, how dead his mood— he knows better than anyone.

In just one night, Meng Shutang had come to rely on him so much.

He lowered his eyes and gave a faint smile.

Grandmother saw it and laughed too.

After finishing the meal, Lu Shenyang said he had business and left; not long after his departure, Gu Jin Xing came over.

When he arrived, the family of three were happily playing on the mat.

Seeing him, Gu Yunci smiled gently, as if back in his youth, and said, 'Jin Xing has come.'

Gu Jin Xing's heart sank; he used to keep his distance and be on guard, giving him the cold shoulder because he was close to Meng Shutang.

Now, for Meng Shutang's sake, he is willing to set aside twenty-three years of obstinacy, openly revealing tenderness without reserve.

A flash of gloom and ferocity flickered in his eyes.

A thought in his mind grew firmer: the present peace in this household is merely the most ironic prelude to a brewing conspiracy.