Chapter 20: The Escape Plan

Gu Fangyu felt a numbness creeping over her scalp, an indescribable sensation.

Gu Yao, watching Xie Chenhao defend Gu Fangyu, grew even more vicious.

“Are you still protecting her after all this time?” she yelled, punching and kicking Xie Chenhao. “Let go! You’ve tried every trick to break off our engagement, but look at her—she doesn’t even take you seriously. Xie Chenhao, you’re just a pathetic soul starved for love!”

Xie Chenhao’s face darkened as he grabbed her, pulling her into his arms.

But Gu Yao’s eyes were filled with fury; she couldn’t be restrained.

Disregarding all decorum, she cursed loudly into the night: “Gu Fangyu, what are you up to sneaking here in the middle of the night to seduce a man? What, are you that desperate? You chose Xie Chenhao just because you knew he liked you, so you could keep him dangling! Such low, dirty tricks—truly despicable. Only parents with such vile genes could produce someone like you!”

Gu Fangyu’s delicate face tightened, anger flashing in her eyes.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward and slapped Gu Yao sharply across the face.

Gu Yao was stunned, momentarily forgetting to resist.

“Ah, Gu Fangyu…”

Gu Fangyu stopped her before she could lose control further. “Do you want everyone in this building to hear you?”

Gu Yao’s lips quivered, hatred blazing in her eyes.

“Keep going, keep making a scene. Tomorrow’s entertainment headlines will be about the Gu family scandal,” Gu Fangyu said bluntly.

Xie Chenhao glanced apologetically at Gu Fangyu, then helped Gu Yao into the car. “I’ll take you back to the hospital.”

This time, Gu Yao didn’t cause a fuss and obediently got in.

After they left, only two people remained on the wide street.

The once domineering Gu Fangyu had lost all her momentum.

She didn’t expect Gu Hanchen to take her side, but he couldn’t even remain neutral.

Gu Fangyu shifted her steps, unsure whether it was his coldness toward her these days or his attitude toward Gu Yao that sparked her rebellious spirit.

Without thinking, she turned and started walking back.

“Get in the car,” the man’s cold voice cut through the air with undeniable authority.

In the past, Gu Fangyu would have obeyed immediately.

But this time, she not only refused to get in, she quickened her pace.

After a few steps, her body suddenly felt light.

The next moment, the man was carrying her toward the car.

Struggling, she was gently placed onto the passenger seat.

She tried to rise, but the man’s hand stopped her.

Gu Hanchen’s face was cold and silent as he decisively yanked the coat from her shoulders and threw it to the ground.

“You...” Gu Fangyu looked up.

The man cupped her chin with one hand and kissed her without hesitation.

This kiss was laced with thirty percent anger and seventy percent punishment, clearly meant to teach her a lasting lesson.

Under the dim streetlight, their shadows intertwined.

Gradually, Gu Hanchen’s kiss softened.

He lingered between her lips before pulling away, his deep eyes fixed on her face.

His hoarse voice carried a warning: “If you don’t want a scandal to bring shame on the Gu family, stay away from Xie Chenhao.”

Before Gu Fangyu could fully respond, he took off his coat and draped it over her.

Then he closed the car door.

Gu Hanchen got in and started the engine.

Gu Fangyu moved her lips but didn’t dare to challenge his authority further.

Quietly, she took out her phone and sent a message to Jiang Qi.

“Who are you texting?” the man glanced sideways while driving.

“Your dear brother-in-law. Why don’t you tell your sister now?” Gu Fangyu snapped, still irritated.

Sure enough, Gu Hanchen’s face turned colder.

After a pause, he asked again, “Was it really just a hospital visit?”

Gu Fangyu’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at him, searching for any hint on his face.

But his expression remained unreadable—no clue whether he suspected anything.

“Speak,” he urged, seeing her silence.

“You’ve already checked everything, why ask?” she guessed boldly.

To her surprise, she was right.

Gu Hanchen had indeed investigated.

“If you’re unwell, why not go to a hospital owned by the Gu Group?”

“Why should I?” she countered.

He evaded the question: “I’ve sent your test reports to specialists. They’ll review them and come up with the best treatment plan.”

The more he pressed, the heavier her heart sank.

It was clear she couldn’t bluff her way out.

“I don’t want to be examined.”

“Why not?”

“No reason,” she feigned stubbornness, hoping to stall.

He glanced at her, lips pressed thin, silent.

Then, without warning, he turned the steering wheel and pulled the car over.

Gu Hanchen shifted slightly, steadying one hand on the wheel, his sharp gaze locked on her as if trying to see right through her.

Gu Fangyu felt uncomfortable under his stare, her throat tightening with guilt.

“I just don’t want to become a commodity. You push so hard for tests just to put a price on me—checking my fertility, then finding some man to marry me off to advance the Gu family’s business alliances.”

The man raised an eyebrow, surprised by her perspective.

With a soft sigh, Gu Hanchen unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her into his arms.

She instinctively struggled.

But he held on tighter.

He wrapped her close, turning her to face him. “Is this all you think about?”

Gu Fangyu blinked, confused.

When her mother proposed the matchmaking, he had agreed silently.

Wasn’t all this fuss over medical tests just to assess her value for some transaction?

“It’s just a physical exam,” the man patiently explained.

But Gu Fangyu was unmoved.

She pushed his hand away. “Even if that’s true, I don’t like it. I’m healthy; I don’t need tests.”

Gu Hanchen’s dark eyes narrowed, his gaze sharpening. “Are you refusing because you don’t want the exam, or because you’re afraid of what it might find?”

Realizing her mistake, she froze—forgotten how perceptive he was.

“Did you really just happen to meet Xie Chenhao at the hospital?” he fired a heavy question.

Gu Fangyu snapped back to clarity, her mind racing.

Lowering her head, she reached up to twine his tie around her finger, whispering, “You can check everything anyway.”

The man chuckled softly, lifting her chin. “Good. Don’t try to pull any tricks behind my back. If I find out, you’ll regret it.”

Gu Fangyu nodded quietly, trying to bluff her way through.

Though she didn’t know what Gu Hanchen had uncovered or how much he knew, for now, if he didn’t ask, she’d pretend ignorance.

Her fingers still played with his tie, her big eyes flashing innocently. “I wouldn’t dare—nothing escapes you.”

“Good to hear,” he snorted, clearly skeptical of such empty promises.

He withdrew his tie from her hand.

Seeing his expression soften, Gu Fangyu dared to tug it back.

He raised an eyebrow.

Her lips parted slightly. “Will the Gu family all be there for the exam in three days?”

“Mm. I’ve arranged a specialist team to set up your tests. I have a meeting that morning, so Lin Mu will accompany you first. I’ll come later.”

Her eyes brightened at the news.

But she hid it quickly, burying her head against his chest, murmuring sullenly, “Okay.”

Gu Fangyu pondered silently, fearing this might be her only chance.

To succeed or fail, it all hinged on this moment.