Chapter 88: Desire and Restraint

Aunt Li came over and took Xin Xin's hand. "Xin Xin, say bye-bye to the uncle and your classmate, we should go home."

Xin Xin's almond eyes were dark and bright, like black grapes soaked in water.

She looked at Aunt Li, blinking slightly, making people's hearts soften. "Where's Mommy? Did she leave early again?"

Early? Gu Yunci heard that word and his hand tightened slightly.

He remembered that morning at the convenience store entrance—he had clearly heard Meng Shutang calling Xin Xin, but in the blink of an eye she was gone.

Aunt Li glanced at Gu Yunci and smiled to cover up. "Mommy had things to do. She didn't leave on purpose."

Saying that, she pulled Xin Xin to leave, but Xin Xin wanted to stay and play with Gu Yunci and the others. "I want to stay with Uncle Gu. I'm not going."

Aunt Li grew a little impatient. "Look at you, child—why won't you listen?"

Xin Xin heard this and looked at Aunt Li pitifully. "Grandma Li, you don't like me anymore?"

"If you keep being this disobedient, I won't like you anymore."

"Auntie, don't scold the child." Gu Yunci couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up.

"Is this your child? Sir, you're meddling far too much. The child's mother already said so—what else am I supposed to say!"

Xin Xin heard this, lowered her head, let go of Gu Yunci's hand, and obediently took Aunt Li's.

As Xin Xin and the others were about to leave, Gu Yunci stopped them. "Auntie, is someone afraid of Xin Xin being with me?"

Aunt Li was taken aback. "You've misunderstood."

She didn't dare say more, took Xin Xin's hand, and left.

Xin Xin kept looking back with every step, still turning to look even after they had gone far.

But she still obediently followed and left. Ever since she once casually mentioned Gu Yunci and Meng Shutang got unhappy, she had figured it out.

Other than Uncle Shenyang, Mommy didn't want her to have contact with any man at all.

Watching them go far, Gu Yunci took out his phone and called Meng Shutang.

The first time, she didn't answer.

He called a second time, and this time, she answered.

He didn't beat around the bush. "Where are you?"

A moment of hesitation on the phone. "Do I have to tell you?"

Gu Yunci's tone was flat, but he was already panicking inside. "Of course. We're partners—I have the right to know the project's progress."

Meng Shutang gave a light cough. "The studio."

Gu Yunci sneered. "I just saw you at Xihu Gongyuan..."

He wanted to bluff her, but before he could finish, Chen Man's voice came through the phone. "President Gu, if you'd pursued her this hard four years ago, you two wouldn't have... ahem, sorry, you two—just pretend I farted. I'm the type who speaks without thinking."

Meng Shutang said nothing more and hung up directly.

In the car, Chen Man turned to look at Meng Shutang. "Hiding like this isn't a solution."

Meng Shutang frowned slightly. "I'm just curious. I've been in the same city as Meng Zhibang for fourteen years, yet we've never met once.

But with Gu Yunci, I see him almost every day."

"Hahaha..." Chen Man couldn't hold back and laughed out loud.

Meng Shutang was agitated. "You can still laugh? I'm about to break down. I'm genuinely afraid that one day he'll discover that Xin Xin is my daughter."

Chen Man said, "Even if he found out Xin Xin is his daughter, for Xin Xin, it might not be a bad thing.

The Gu family is an established family—wealthy, prominent, and distinguished. They could protect her for a lifetime of smooth sailing."

She paused. "From what you said just now, it sounds like Xin Xin has met him a few times and quite... likes him?"

This was exactly what gave Meng Shutang the biggest headache.

Chen Man sighed. "Interesting."

They headed to Wanxing Ge. Before arriving, they saw a Maybach parked by the roadside.

Chen Man was driving and spotted it first. "Tangtang, your 'belated devotion' has come chasing after you."

Meng Shutang raised her eyes and saw the car door open. Black trousers wrapped around long, straight legs that landed steadily on the ground.

Even just such a movement carried an undeniable sense of pressure and an aristocratic presence.

Chen Man stopped the car and didn't drive any further.

Gu Yunci got out, but not wanting to leave Song Yilin alone in the car, he reached out to let him out too.

Song Yilin refused. "I don't want to. I'll wait for you in the car."

The man didn't waste time, striding to the studio entrance. Seeing the door shut tight, he turned his eyes and spotted Chen Man's car, and walked over.

Chen Man rolled down the window a crack, but Gu Yunci didn't go to her side—he came to the passenger seat.

Chen Man glanced at Meng Shutang, then slowly lowered that side's window.

The man's well-defined hand rested on the car window as he leaned forward slightly, his refined and elegant manner peerless.

"Mrs. Chen, weren't you at the studio?"

His eyes were fixed on Meng Shutang, yet he was greeting Chen Man.

Chen Man gave a casual smile. "Just had a craving earlier, so I went to buy some red bean cakes. Would President Gu like some?"

The man rarely ate sweet, cloying snacks. Chen Man figured that with this one line, Gu Yunci would surely believe her.

The next second, the man reached in, his fingertip seemingly casually brushing past the tip of Meng Shutang's nose.

Meng Shutang's chest tightened.

Chen Man smiled faintly, unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned back to grab a bag from the rear seat, and handed it to Gu Yunci. "Still warm!"

Gu Yunci took it and inspected it very carefully.

When he saw that the red bean cakes had indeed been bought recently, his heart full of hope instantly dissolved into boundless disappointment.

He returned the red bean cakes to Chen Man, about to ask something else.

Meng Shutang had had enough. She glared fiercely at Gu Yunci with her beautiful eyes. "Are you done making a scene?"

Saying that, she opened the car door and got out. Gu Yunci dodged just in time, or else he would definitely have been hit.

After getting out of the car, she walked toward the studio. Gu Yunci panicked and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms. Meng Shutang struggled and was spun around, her back thudding against the car body.

He leaned in close, his other hand bracing against the car window beside her, trapping her entirely within that narrow space.

Warm breath fell on her temple, carrying a domineering yet crisp cedar scent. His gaze locked onto her heavily, even his fingertips radiating an irresistible possessiveness.

"I don't believe it. I was wrong."

Meng Shutang looked at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The two of them faced off like this, both desiring and restrained, making Chen Man cover her mouth.

After confronting each other for a few minutes, Meng Shutang pushed him away. "If you want to act crazy, go find Miss Bai. She's better at that."

With that, she turned and left.

Seeing Meng Shutang leave, Chen Man also took the red bean cakes and left. Passing by the Maybach, she caught sight of Song Yilin inside and suddenly thought of her own son.

Maternal love overflowing, she immediately took one out and offered it to him.

Song Yilin waved his hands repeatedly. "Auntie, I don't eat that."

His gaze casually glanced at Meng Shutang, and he thought, "Isn't that Xin Xin's mommy?"

He was about to call out to her when Gu Yunci bent down and sat in the car. The cold, imposing aura pressed down on him, and his mind was full of how Gu Yunci had just thrown his weight around.

"Uncle, why were you pinning down the pretty sister?"

Gu Yunci said, "What pretty sister? That's your aunt."

He was about to say, No she's not, that's Xin Xin's mommy.

The man barked a stern command at him. "Buckle your seatbelt and sit properly. We're going home."

Saying they were going home, the Maybach took him once again toward Qingluju, circled around Qingluju twice, and finally stopped beside Xihu Gongyuan.

The man did not get out of the car. He rested his chin on one hand, watching the lake surface with a heavy heart.

Seeing this, Song Yilin leaned over. "Uncle, you miss Xin Xin, don't you? I have a way for you to see her."

The man turned his eyes, his side profile bewitchingly handsome. "What way?"