“Are you sure?”
Gu Yan unconsciously tightened his fingers.
This was indeed an extremely important identifying detail.
The man hurriedly nodded.
“Absolutely! I’m certain!”
“It left a very deep impression on me at the time.”
“Don’t people always say that someone with a mole on their wrist is generous and loyal?”
“That’s exactly why I trusted him.”
The middle-aged man had been born in a remote mountain village.
After struggling for years, he had finally managed to leave the mountains, only to suffer further hardships because of his lack of education.
As a result, he was particularly superstitious and deeply believed in traditional folk sayings.
A single insignificant mole had been enough to make him lower his guard.
Gu Yan silently committed this important information to memory.
When he raised his eyes, he happened to meet the man’s frightened, uneasy gaze.
The skin surrounding those eyes was covered in wrinkles far deeper than someone his age should have had.
They were etched into his face like marks carved by a knife.
Curious, Gu Yan asked another question.
“Since the attempt to follow him failed and the person who hired you broke his promise, the smart thing would have been to cut all ties with the incident.”
“So why did you risk coming back to the repair shop?”
The man rubbed his nose with a thin, bony hand.
His bitter smile was filled with helplessness and sorrow.
“I’m useless. I couldn’t earn enough money to pay for my daughter’s medical treatment.”
“So I started thinking about the car I’d driven that day.”
“That car wasn’t even old enough to be scrapped.”
“I thought I could sneak back, put its original license plates on, drive it away, and sell it for money.”
Gu Yan remained silent.
The man’s life truly hadn’t been easy.
If he hadn’t been driven into a desperate situation, he probably wouldn’t have considered doing something like this.
After a while, the man nervously glanced around at everyone in the room.
He asked in a trembling voice,
“I’ve told you everything I know.”
“And I won’t steal the car anymore.”
“Can… can I leave now?”
Gu Yan nodded.
“Yes.”
The man immediately brightened with relief and hurriedly turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Gu Yan called after him.
The man’s footsteps froze.
His voice trembled slightly.
“I-Is there something else?”
Gu Yan pulled a sheet of paper from the security guard’s desk and quickly wrote something on it.
“Here’s my contact information.”
“If that person contacts you again, or if you remember anything else, please let me know.”
“As for today’s payment…”
Gu Yan took a bank card from his pocket and held it out to the man.
“I happen to have another hundred thousand yuan in this account.”
“I’ll have someone take you to the bank later so you can withdraw it in cash.”
The man stared at the bank card in shock, his mouth hanging open.
“No… but this…”
His lips moved awkwardly as he struggled to find the words.
He hadn’t been particularly helpful, so he genuinely couldn’t understand why Gu Yan was offering him so much money.
The man nervously wiped his hands, not daring to accept the card.
He searched his mind for the proper way to address Gu Yan.
Should he call him boss?
Or was there some other title he should use?
His confused, hesitant expression looked almost comical.
“If I’m telling you to take it, then take it.”
“Doesn’t your daughter desperately need money to save her life?”
Gu Yan’s tone remained calm.
Holding the card between two fingers, he slipped it directly into the man’s pocket.
The man dropped to his knees with a thud.
But the two people standing nearby immediately pulled him back to his feet.
“Thank you! Thank you, my benefactor!”
“May a kind person like you be blessed with peace and safety for the rest of your life!”
The man wiped away his tears and thanked Gu Yan repeatedly before finally leaving.
After he was gone, the expressions of Gu Yan’s two subordinates became somewhat complicated.
Gu Yan’s gaze slowly settled on the man’s retreating figure.
“I know what you’re thinking.”
“That hundred thousand yuan wasn’t given away for nothing.”
“Quietly spread the news that a suspicious person has been spotted near the repair shop.”
“Then arrange for someone to move the Camry somewhere else.”
“Make the whole thing look convincing.”
“I believe it won’t be long before the person behind this becomes too anxious to sit still.”
“One way or another, he’ll have to contact that man to find out exactly what happened.”
“As for the man himself, arrange for someone to stay in regular contact with him.”
“If he’s struggling financially, offer him some assistance and support from time to time.”
“He’s accepted my money, and now he owes me a favor.”
“That means he’ll have to report everything to me from now on.”
The subordinates immediately understood.
Gu Yan’s hundred thousand yuan hadn’t merely purchased today’s information.
It had also secured access to any information the man might obtain in the future.
Gu Yan opened the door and walked outside.
If he wanted to turn someone to his side, he had to show a certain amount of sincerity.
Offering someone additional comfort when they were already doing well was certainly a kind gesture.
But providing warmth to someone freezing in the snow was far more meaningful.
*
After finishing his business at the repair shop, Gu Yan suddenly realized that it was almost noon.
Wang Zhiliang had grown accustomed to attending classes with him every day.
Now, he was frantically sending WeChat messages, demanding to know why Gu Yan had skipped class that morning without inviting him along.
He also complained that Gu Yan had missed a spectacular show.
Lin Chen had been publicly reprimanded in front of the entire faculty.
Gu Yan typed a reply with one hand.
Gu Yan: [That’s quite a shame, then.]
Wang Zhiliang: [You missed something even more exciting! Your younger brother, Gu Xingxing, broke up with Lin Chen!]
This genuinely surprised Gu Yan a little.
He had once believed that through his persistent efforts, he might be able to change his own ending in the original novel.
But he hadn’t expected the two main characters of the original story to break up so quickly.
For a moment, Gu Yan didn’t know whether he should be happy.
Lin Chen and Gu Xingxing’s breakup proved that the ending written in the original novel could indeed be changed.
However, that also brought a new problem.
Gu Yan no longer knew how the story would unfold from this point onward.
He could no longer rely entirely on the novel to determine who was good and who was bad.
It felt almost as though his special advantage had suddenly disappeared.
Wang Zhiliang was still enthusiastically describing the scene of their breakup.
He remained immersed in the satisfaction of seeing that pathetic man’s true colors finally exposed.
He was genuinely happy for his best friend.
So he failed to notice that Gu Yan hadn’t said anything for quite some time.
*
That evening, after finishing his last class, Gu Yan left the university.
Out of habit, he headed toward his apartment.
But halfway there, he suddenly remembered—
He had already moved into Yi Heng’s place!
There was practically nothing left in his old apartment now.
Gu Yan stood by the roadside and casually kicked a small pebble.
Just thinking about the fact that he and Yi Heng were now technically living together sent a warm sensation through his chest.
Then adrenaline seemed to surge wildly through his body, making him inexplicably nervous.
They still had to do their contact therapy today.
What if Yi Heng suddenly brought up what happened last night?
Countless possible explanations flashed through Gu Yan’s mind.
But after considering them all, he decided that pretending to be clueless would probably be his best option.
When Gu Yan arrived outside Yi Heng’s apartment, he paced back and forth for two or three minutes before finally daring to enter the passcode.
He slowly pressed each number, silently praying the entire time.
Please, Yi Heng, don’t mention last night!
A few seconds later, the door opened.
The housekeeper greeted him with a warm smile.
“Mr. Gu, welcome home!”
Yi Heng must have given her instructions beforehand again.
Even the way she addressed him had changed.
Gu Yan awkwardly touched his ear.
“Mm.”
He glanced inside and hesitantly asked,
“Has Yi… Yi Heng not come home yet?”
The housekeeper handed him a pair of indoor slippers.
“That’s right. President Yi said he has work to handle at the company tonight and won’t be back until very late.”
“He told you to have dinner first and not wait for him.”
Gu Yan’s eyes flickered.
He secretly let out a sigh of relief.
“Ahem… I understand.”
He looked around the clean, brightly lit living room.
The elegant, minimalist marble surfaces reflected the ceiling lights overhead.
From now on, he would be eating meals here with Yi Heng.
*
The housekeeper brought out a freshly prepared steak.
To Gu Yan’s surprise, it was cooked exactly the way he liked it.
The housekeeper smiled.
“I prepared this according to President Yi’s instructions.”
“Please try it, Mr. Gu, and see whether it’s to your liking.”
“Yi Heng asked for this?”
The skin near Gu Yan’s ears turned slightly red.
“Yes. I’ve also made some pork rib soup. I’ll bring you a bowl in a little while.”
Gu Yan held his knife and fork, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
“Actually, you don’t have to go to so much trouble…”
“Oh, that won’t do!”
The housekeeper gave him a knowing smile.
“President Yi said you’re too thin and need to eat more.”
Gu Yan’s fingertips trembled slightly.
His earlobes slowly changed from pale pink to deep red.
He lowered his gaze and concentrated on eating.
But because of what the housekeeper had said, he finished even his favorite steak before he had properly registered how it tasted.
*
After dinner, the housekeeper finished tidying everything up and left for the day.
Gu Yan was left alone in the spacious, empty apartment, unsure what to do with himself.
After all, this wasn’t originally his home.
He felt somewhat restrained and awkward about doing anything.
Yet his belongings had blended surprisingly well into Yi Heng’s apartment.
The bookshelf in Yi Heng’s study was enormous and made of solid wood.
There was more than enough room for Gu Yan’s books.
However, he had absolutely no idea what the moving company workers had been thinking…
They had actually placed a childhood photograph of Gu Yan crying right on Yi Heng’s work desk!
Fortunately, Yi Heng wasn’t home.
Feeling guilty, Gu Yan nervously pressed his fingertips together.
Then he secretly picked up the photo frame and slipped it into his bag.
After wandering around the apartment, Gu Yan briefly organized his clothes and bedding in the guest bedroom.
Then he sat down at the dining table, reviewing his coursework while waiting for Yi Heng.
Before he knew it, it was already past ten in the evening.
Gu Yan put down his pen and checked the time.
“Why isn’t Yi Heng back yet?”
He muttered to himself.
He was starting to feel sleepy, but with Yi Heng still away, he felt a little awkward about simply going straight to bed.
So he forced his heavy eyelids to stay open and headed into the bathroom, hoping some cold water would wake him up.
Gu Yan yawned.
But when he reached for a towel, his fingers suddenly stopped.
Right beside his pale blue towel hung Yi Heng’s, the two pressed closely together.
Looking at the countertop, he noticed that even their toothbrush cups and toothbrushes were arranged in matching pairs.
Just like a real couple.
The thought startled Gu Yan.
He stared at himself in the mirror, his heartbeat suddenly accelerating beyond control.
What was happening to him?
His heart felt as though it had been filled to the brim.
It was as though something had struck his very soul.
Something seemed ready to burst out of his chest, yet an invisible, delicate barrier was holding it back.
Just then, a sound came from the entrance.
Yi Heng was home.
Gu Yan jolted and hurriedly wiped his face with the towel.
The moment Yi Heng entered, he noticed the books and stationery spread across the dining table.
His usually indifferent expression softened almost imperceptibly.
Gu Yan emerged from the bathroom.
He hurriedly swept everything on the table into his bag.
“Sorry, I forgot to tidy up.”
“It’s all right.”
Yi Heng draped his coat over the sofa and walked steadily toward Gu Yan.
From the corner of his eye, Gu Yan noticed Yi Heng’s perfectly tailored suit trousers drawing closer.
His entire body unconsciously tensed, and his movements became stiff.
The memories of the previous night surfaced in both their minds at the same time, stirring every nerve.
Their first kiss had been brief and tentative, almost like an experiment, yet also like a deliberate tease.
Emboldened by alcohol, Gu Yan had acted without restraint, leaving the taste of liquor lingering on both their lips.
But the kiss that followed had been like a sudden torrential downpour.
Intense and overwhelming, carrying a hint of punishment, it had drawn them into a lingering embrace.
Gu Yan pressed his lips together.
He didn’t need a mirror to know how red his face had become.
No…
Gu Yan gritted his teeth.
They were both adults.
It was just two mouths touching, wasn’t it?
What was there to be embarrassed about?
He cautiously raised his head.
Only to discover that Yi Heng’s gaze was resting directly on his lips.
Yi Heng began to speak.
“You—”
“I was just drunk and acting like a shameless flirt last night! Please don’t take it seriously!”
Gu Yan interrupted him at lightning speed.
“Anyway… anyway, you kissed me back in the end.”
“So we’re even!”
Yi Heng looked at him steadily without averting his gaze.
“Actually, I was going to ask whether your headache had gotten better.”
“Uh… huh?”
So he hadn’t been about to mention last night.
Gu Yan turned his head away in embarrassment.
“It stopped hurting ages ago.”
Yi Heng nodded.
“Mm. Then, about today’s contact therapy…”
“Just a hug, like we usually do, is fine.”
Gu Yan spoke softly.
Yi Heng knew how easily embarrassed Gu Yan was, so he didn’t say anything more.
He simply stepped forward and gently gathered Gu Yan into his arms, just as he always did.
But after what had happened the previous night, Gu Yan felt that something between them had changed.
The embrace was still warm and reassuring.
Yet suddenly, Gu Yan found himself unable to think.
His body had also become unusually sensitive.
Every place Yi Heng touched sent an involuntary shiver through him.
Surrounded by Yi Heng’s pheromones, Gu Yan lowered his eyelashes.
At one fleeting moment, when his nerves were stirred, a tingling sensation flashed through him like an electric current.
Thinking about it carefully…
Yi Heng had always respected his wishes.
He had consistently cooperated with Gu Yan’s treatment and had even gone out of his way to care for him.
“Why are you so good to me?”
The question circled through Gu Yan’s mind again and again, almost escaping his lips.
But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to ask.
He was afraid he might simply be imagining feelings that weren’t there.
Perhaps Yi Heng was just an exceptionally responsible person.
“Then why do I care about him so much?”
That question struck him like a fatal blow, leaving him completely speechless.
He felt as though he was on the verge of discovering the answer.
Yet he couldn’t be certain whether that answer was right.
Just admit it.
You’re simply attracted to his good looks!
A particularly annoying voice echoed through Gu Yan’s mind.
“What’s wrong?”
Yi Heng noticed that Gu Yan had become distracted.
Caught off guard, Gu Yan barely managed to clumsily conceal the complicated emotions in his eyes.
“N-No, it’s nothing. I’m just a little sleepy today.”
“Then you should get some rest early.”
Yi Heng’s voice felt like a tiny needle gently pricking Gu Yan.
In an instant, a strange tingling sensation spread through the place where his brain met the top of his spine.
“Okay.”
Gu Yan fled.
It was no exaggeration to say that he practically ran away in a panic.
Yi Heng was far too intelligent.
Gu Yan was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would reveal something he wasn’t ready to admit.
*
Yi Heng’s apartment was a little farther from T University.
However, taking a taxi was extremely convenient, and the journey only took a little over twenty minutes.
Yi Heng had originally arranged for a driver to take Gu Yan to and from university.
But Gu Yan had refused.
Wang Zhiliang was walking with a basketball tucked beneath his arm when he happened to see Gu Yan getting out of a taxi near the university entrance.
He found it rather strange.
“Hey? Isn’t your apartment right around here?”
“Why would you need to take a taxi?”
Gu Yan vaguely made up an excuse.
“I stayed at the Gu family house last night.”
“The Gu family house?”
Wang Zhiliang’s voice immediately doubled in volume.
“Why would you go back there for no reason?”
“Are you deliberately looking for trouble?”
Gu Yan walked ahead, pulling the hood of his sweatshirt over his head as he awkwardly changed the subject.
“How come I haven’t seen you going out partying at night lately?”
It would have been better if he hadn’t brought it up.
The moment he mentioned it, Wang Zhiliang became deeply aggrieved.
He immediately launched into a loud complaint.
“You’ve got some nerve asking me that!”
“Didn’t we promise each other that we’d go clubbing and drinking together?”
“And what happened?”
“You’re always busy!”
“You leave me all alone, miserably waiting by my phone!”
“I haven’t seen you take the initiative to invite me out even once!”
Once Wang Zhiliang started bringing up old grievances, he sounded just like a neglected wife complaining about her husband.
His mouth kept running nonstop, giving Gu Yan a headache.
Gu Yan knew he was in the wrong.
“All right, all right. I was wrong.”
“I betrayed the organization.”
“I’ll reflect on my mistakes.”
Despite being a tall, muscular Alpha, Wang Zhiliang was now whining pitifully.
“Why does that sound exactly like something a scumbag boyfriend would say?”
Gu Yan was so exasperated that he laughed.
“Then tell me, what am I supposed to do to prove myself?”
Wang Zhiliang’s eyes darted around thoughtfully.
Then he waved a hand enthusiastically, his tone suddenly turning cheerful.
“Isn’t that simple?”
“It’s been ages since we last went clubbing!”
“Come dancing with me at the bar tonight.”
“Then I’ll consider that you haven’t forgotten our original promise!”
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