Chapter 19: The Affair Discovered

Xie Chenhao tightened his grip on Gu Fangyu’s hand involuntarily. Even as an outsider listening in, he felt compelled to speak up for her: “If none of you can accept Fangyu, why insist on keeping her just for the sake of the Gu family’s reputation? Gu Hanchen, even now that Gu Yao has returned to the Gu family, Fangyu has called you brother for twenty years. Are you really so heartless?”

The man’s expression remained unchanged, utterly cold and ruthless: “The Gu family has only one daughter, and that is Gu Yao.”

Gu Fangyu’s face turned pale once more. Although she had long held little hope, hearing those words with her own ears still stung deeply. How could he be so cruel?

Suddenly, Gu Fangyu wrenched her hand free from Xie Chenhao’s grasp and stepped out from behind him. “I’ll say it again: I didn’t push anyone, nor did I ruin the marriage. I have other matters to attend to. I’m leaving now.”

Without looking back, she walked away.

Footsteps followed behind her. Then came the agitated voices of Xie’s parents.

Gu Fangyu froze, still caught off guard, when Xie Chenhao reached her side, took her hand, and started walking with her.

She instinctively tried to pull away.

“Don’t move, unless you want me to carry you out.”

As expected, his words worked.

With such a commotion already made, she didn’t want to make things any more embarrassing.

Xie Chenhao’s face was grim as he led her straight out of the hospital.

While driving, he called Jiang Qi: “Arrange for an obstetrician to check on Fangyu—she was hit.”

Gu Fangyu was startled.

She hadn’t expected him to be so attentive, to notice something like that.

In truth, she had avoided the impact, but perhaps due to her nerves, her lower abdomen had been aching faintly since earlier.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Jiang Medical Hospital.

Upon hearing the situation, Jiang Qi cursed under her breath.

“That Gu Hanchen is utterly inhuman. Even if you have no blood ties with the Gu family, at least—” She nearly blurted out more but stopped herself just in time.

After handing Gu Fangyu over to Jiang Qi, Xie Chenhao left.

Gu Fangyu thought he had gone back to see Gu Yao, but to her surprise, he returned ten minutes later, carrying an ointment.

So he had gone to the surgery department to get medicine.

He handed the ointment to Jiang Qi. “She twisted her ankle. Please apply this for her later.”

No matter how Jiang Qi looked at it, Xie Chenhao seemed far more suitable than Gu Hanchen.

***

Leaning towards Gu Fangyu, Jiang Qi whispered, “Why don’t you just take him for yourself? Since Gu Yao is convinced you stole him, you might as well make it true and not lose out.”

Gu Fangyu was helpless but admired Jiang Qi’s twisted logic.

“Do you really think Gu Hanchen will let him go?”

Let alone anything else, if Gu Hanchen knew, he might not only suffer himself but drag Xie Chenhao down as well.

Even now, it was likely already causing trouble.

Fortunately, Gu Fangyu’s checkup showed no major issues.

She told Xie Chenhao to leave first; after all, with such a scandal, the Gu family needed to give an explanation.

Though uneasy, Xie Chenhao could only entrust Jiang Qi to care for her.

Before leaving, he gazed at her intently. “So, it was the Gu family forcing you to break up with me, right? There’s still a part of you that cares for me.”

She refused to answer. Whatever happened in the past could not change the present.

Gu Fangyu decided not to return and went back to the Jiang residence with Jiang Qi.

The two of them stayed holed up in the bedroom, planning for the checkup three days later, though no clear solution emerged.

Half an hour later, Xie Chenhao messaged her to come downstairs.

“You told him?” She showed the message to Jiang Qi.

Jiang Qi glanced at it. “Sorry, Xie Chenhao asked about you, so I told him.”

Gu Fangyu knew it was well-intentioned.

Xie Chenhao seemed aware she was reluctant to go down, sending another message: “I know you haven’t eaten, so I ordered something for you. Come down and get it, then I’ll go.”

After hesitating, she put on her coat and stepped out.

On the internal road outside the apartment, his slender figure leaned against the car. The streetlight stretched his shadow long and lonely.

Xie Chenhao approached her as she descended.

Seeing her thinly dressed, he took off his own coat and draped it over her.

Gu Fangyu instinctively tried to take it off but was stopped.

“Wear it. You’re pregnant now; you can’t catch a chill.”

Her hand on the coat paused briefly but she didn’t remove it.

“Don’t worry, Gu Yao won’t bother you anymore,” Xie Chenhao said first, reassuring her.

Gu Fangyu guessed he had just come from the hospital, and the two sides must have reached an agreement.

Her lips moved slightly but she said nothing.

Their journey thus far felt like a cruel twist of fate.

When Gu Yao first returned to the Gu family, her parents spared no effort to make up for the lost twenty years.

***

They even forced her to give way without hesitation when they learned she liked Xie Chenhao.

Gu Fangyu found it unbelievable.

Tears brimmed as she felt deeply wronged. “Xie Chenhao is a living person with blood and flesh, not some object you can just order away.”

Yet, in the end, Gu Hanchen broke into her room late at night for his own sister and took her by force.

She knew Xie Chenhao wouldn’t mind, but she couldn’t overcome the emotional barrier, so she ended the relationship.

“What really happened back then? You still won’t tell me?” Xie Chenhao stared at her, hope and hurt in his eyes.

She turned away. “It’s all in the past.”

“It’s not over!” He suddenly grew emotional, gripping her hand tightly. “How can you not understand? You say you don’t want our relationship, but you won’t even give me a reason. Gu Fangyu, don’t you think you’re being cruel?”

She lowered her gaze, her eyes veiled from his searching look.

When she lifted them again, only coldness remained. “Does it matter? We were never meant to be.”

She cruelly pushed his hand away little by little.

“Was it the Gu family forcing you, or Gu Hanchen?”

“No one forced me.” Her expression was calm.

Xie Chenhao’s anger flared. “You’re lying!”

She was startled, sensing he might have discovered something.

The atmosphere thickened instantly.

Suddenly, a car’s headlights shone towards them.

Gu Fangyu instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes.

They both looked towards the light.

Gu Hanchen’s ostentatious luxury car screeched to a halt just a meter away.

Through the windshield, Gu Fangyu could see the man’s shadowed handsome face.

The next moment, Gu Yao stepped out of the car.

She charged over and slapped Gu Fangyu again.

This time, Xie Chenhao caught her wrist first and stared coldly at her. “Gu Yao, what are you doing?”

Gu Yao, seemingly provoked, glared fiercely. “What am I doing? Shouldn’t I be asking you what you’re doing, meeting like this alone with a woman?”