Chapter 132: I Want to Marry You, I Want to Be Your Husband

Luo Xing tapped on her phone screen, dialing a number she hadn't called in a very long time.

A mechanical voice echoed through the line; no one answered.

Luo Xing tried again.

The only response was the persistent, rhythmic beeping of the automated system.

Luo Xing put her things back where they belonged. Watching the screen fade to black, she suddenly stood up, grabbed a coat, clutched a box, and walked out the door.

...

Gu Shiyan had just exited the terminal.

He turned on his phone and finally saw the missed calls from Luo Xing. There were several, all of which he had failed to answer.

Gu Shiyan frowned. His fingertip hovered over the screen, ready to call back.

After a long moment of hesitation, he suppressed the urge, turned his phone off, and didn't return the call. He hailed a taxi to his apartment. The driver dropped him off at the roadside, and as Gu Shiyan opened the car door to step out, he saw Luo Xing standing at the entrance.

Her exposed fingers and cheeks were flushed bright red from the cold. In the winter of Beicheng, there was no snow, but the dry, piercing wind was relentless; standing outside for even a short while was enough to turn one’s limbs stiff and numb.

"Why are you here?" Gu Shiyan ran over. Looking at the pitiful figure shivering before him, he had no idea how long she had been standing there.

"I came to return your things." The moment Luo Xing saw him, her eyes turned red, and her voice trembled.

No one had ever made her suffer such grievances, only Gu Shiyan. Every action he took could stir her heart. She often thought that if only the person she liked also happened to like her back, she wouldn't have to feel this miserable.

Gu Shiyan, wearing only a coat, took it off and wrapped it around Luo Xing. He stood behind her to block the biting wind. "What could be so important that you’d rather freeze out here than wait to give it back to me?"

Luo Xing moved her stiff hands. "Things that don't belong to me."

She handed him the box, and Gu Shiyan took it. "Your hands are so cold."

He held the box with one hand while clasping both of hers in his warm, dry palms. Having just stepped out of the car, his touch was searing. As his fingertips brushed her palms, he felt a faint dampness of sweat, and he frowned, reaching up to touch her forehead.

It was burning hot.

Ignoring everything else, Gu Shiyan held the box and pulled Luo Xing into the apartment. Luo Xing felt lightheaded, following him with sluggish movements. She let him guide her into the elevator and then into his room.

At the entryway, the slippers Luo Xing had left behind last time were still there. Those were from the summer. Gu Shiyan swapped them for his own winter slippers. When he touched her icy feet, his brow darkened further.

He turned on the heat, though it would take a while to warm the room. Gu Shiyan hugged her, his body heat seeping through her clothes.

"That belongs to you." The edge of the box in her hand pressed into her palm, leaving a white mark on her skin.

Gu Shiyan rubbed his cheek against the top of her hair. He had endured for so long, not even daring to send a message, all because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from seeing her, afraid of exposing her, and afraid that Gu Ming would hurt her. But the moment he stepped out of the car and saw the person he had been longing for shivering in the cold, all his calculations about the "big picture" vanished. He only wanted to bring her home.

The hands Luo Xing held between their chests began to warm up. Gu Shiyan glanced over; the water had boiled, so he went to the medicine cabinet to find some fever reducers. He pulled Luo Xing to the sofa, placed the small white pills in her palm, and handed her the warm water. "Take your medicine first. I’ve called a family doctor; they’ll be here soon."

Luo Xing pinched the pills, rubbing them thoughtfully.

"I’ve already taken some..." her voice was hoarse and weak. When she left the house, perhaps anticipating that she was already running a low fever, she had swallowed the medication without water.

"You knew you had a fever and still came out?" Gu Shiyan’s voice rose involuntarily, a pent-up frustration with nowhere to go. But when he saw tears sliding down her cheeks, he froze. He took the cup from her, knelt before the sofa, and gently embraced her. "I'm sorry."

Luo Xing felt as if her heart were being severed by a blade.

Gu Shiyan stroked her hair. "I’m sorry."

"Gu Shiyan, I know now," Luo Xing said softly. Her lowered eyes concealed a complex storm of emotions.

"Know what?" Gu Shiyan’s palm still rested on her shoulder, tightening slightly.

"All these days, you haven't been in touch because of Gu Ming, right?"

Gu Shiyan’s pupils constricted. "You..."

Luo Xing told him about the video she had seen on the camera Yao Xiangming had returned. "Answer me, is that it?"

Gu Shiyan handed her the water. "Drink some water first to soothe your throat." He lowered his eyes. "I..."

Before Gu Shiyan could explain, she pressed her warm lips to his, followed by a sharp sting. Soft strands of hair brushed his cheek. The water in his hand spilled, leaving a puddle on the floor. In an instant, Luo Xing pulled back to her original position.

Gu Shiyan looked at her and chuckled softly. "Does that count as a kiss..."

"It doesn't."

"Tell me all your plans," Luo Xing said, her tone unusually stubborn. "If you don't tell me, then we are finished."

He let out a very faint laugh, his voice weary. "Finished with me?"

"Tell me first, are you finally willing to give me a chance?" Gu Shiyan looked at her with a smile.

Luo Xing replied, "Tell me the truth first."

"Ask," Gu Shiyan nodded.

"Did you know about the will left by Grandfather Gu?"

"I only just found out."

"Did you know the bracelet was with me?"

"I was the one who had the old man give it to you."

Luo Xing’s breath hitched. "Why bid on the 'Star of Zhao Yi'? Was it for your former fiancée?"

"No, it was to give to you." Gu Shiyan opened the box, took out the 'Star of Zhao Yi,' and placed it gently and solemnly into Luo Xing’s palm. "This was meant for my wife."

"You..." Luo Xing’s voice was slightly hoarse; she felt her fever worsening. "But this isn't the Wen family’s heirloom—didn't you bid on it for Wen Nuan?"

"Luo Xing, I'm sorry." Gu Shiyan held her hands. "Wen Nuan was indeed my former fiancée, but that was only because I had never intended to marry in the past. Our engagement was decided by our families; I never acknowledged it. The 'Star of Zhao Yi' was given to the Wen family, and when they went bankrupt, they sold it at a high price."

"I never expected to see it at that auction." Gu Shiyan smiled faintly. "I want to get married. I want to marry you, and I wanted to give this to you."

"Gu Shiyan, you want to marry me for the sake of the inheritance, don't you? If it weren't for Grandfather Gu's will..." Luo Xing pushed him away and stood up. "You never once said you wanted to marry me, but the moment you knew about the will, you started being this good to me. You and Gu Ming both want what the old man left behind, don't you?"