Chapter 18: "Did you and Gu Shiyan break up?"

Gu Shiyan rose and called for the maid to come in and unwrap all the gifts, then store them in the warehouse.

“Should I open this one too?” Aunt Wang pointed to the yellow heart-shaped box sitting alone on the sofa.

Gu Shiyan lifted his eyelids and glanced at it, then murmured an assent.

Aunt Wang picked up the box, about to untie the ribbon, when she was suddenly stopped.

“Leave it there.”

Her movements paused. “Should I put it back in its original spot for you?”

Gu Shiyan felt stifled and irritable inside, and nodded.

He looked at the string of messages Li Zhao had sent—asking if he wanted to join them at the bar.

Gu Shiyan had meant to refuse, but the room felt unbearable; his chest was tight, and a noisy place with crowds, like a bar, could suppress many vexing thoughts swirling in his mind.

He replied that he would go.

He went to the wardrobe and grabbed a light suit jacket at random. Near the door, he paused, fingers raised, “Don’t touch that…”

Aunt Wang, still unwrapping gifts, looked up, “Which one?”

“The yellow one.” Gu Shiyan replied coolly, already turning to leave.

Color Bar.

Today, Luo Xing wore a little black dress, a rare departure from her usual style.

The off-shoulder neckline revealed her delicate collarbones and her fair, slender neck. Above that was a beautifully made-up face, the subtle eyeliner accentuating her bright and charming features with a hint of allure.

The hem of the dress was layered with black lace, puffing out the satin skirt. Under the cascade of lights, shadows played across the skirt, switching between brightness and darkness.

Yun Cai tugged at Luo Xing, “You’re all dressed up in this cute dress, but you’re still wearing little white sneakers.”

Ming An glanced down and nodded, “It does look a bit mismatched.”

Luo Xing tapped the floor twice, “But they’re comfortable! I really can’t get used to those other shoes.”

Yao Xiangming, knowing they were coming to the bar, had changed into a black shirt, looking a touch more mature than before.

Luo Xing glanced at Shen Que, “I told you to wear something more grown-up, but you insisted on a white shirt—your student vibe is practically written on your face.”

“I am a student,” Shen Que replied indifferently.

They found a table and sat down. It was still early, so the place wasn’t crowded yet.

Luo Xing surveyed the slightly empty surroundings, a little disappointed. “Isn’t this supposed to be the hottest spot? It doesn’t look very lively.”

Yao Xiangming summoned the waiter and started ordering drinks. “Just wait, soon it’ll be so packed you’ll be gasping for air.”

The waiter was thoughtful. Seeing there were so many of them, he brought two iPads.

One went to Yao Xiangming, the other to Luo Xing.

“It’s like a pure white lotus mistakenly wandering into the marsh!” An excited voice echoed nearby, catching the attention of all five.

Luo Xing looked toward the source. Many in the bar were glancing at the entrance.

Gu Shiyan glanced at Su Mo, who followed beside him. “Why are you tagging along?”

Su Mo smiled serenely. “Su Wan asked me to get along with you, can’t I just put on a show?”

Gu Shiyan looked down at this girl who had just been obedient and now was casually calling her mother by name.

There was a flash of cunning in Su Mo’s eyes. “Gu Shiyan, the truth is, we’re the same kind of people.”

The bar was dimly lit, people coming and going in the center. Luo Xing only saw a tall figure in a suit jacket, accompanied by a petite girl in a white dress. There was a staff member leading them to the elevator.

Luo Xing was still swiping the screen unconsciously. As the elevator doors were about to close, her gaze passed unhindered straight into the elevator.

The crowd that had blocked the way earlier had dispersed, as if by fate.

Through the gloom, Luo Xing saw Gu Shiyan in the elevator, dressed in a casual suit, standing beside the girl who had just been praised as the “white lotus wandering into the marsh.”

With one hand in his pocket and the other holding his phone, a fringe of hair shadowed his long lashes. He bowed his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the screen.

Who knows what the girl beside him said—he turned to look at her, smiled faintly, and glanced at his watch.

Both were dazzling.

As the elevator doors closed, Luo Xing saw her own flushed eyes reflected in the silver surface.

“Little Star?” Yun Cai tugged at Luo Xing’s hand. “What are you staring at? Did you see someone you know?”

Luo Xing snapped out of it and shook her head. “No, I didn’t.”

She looked at the array of pictures on the screen and handed it to Yun Cai. “You pick. I’ll have the same as you.”

Ming An touched Luo Xing’s forehead. “Star, what’s wrong? You were just so excited you nearly ordered everything, and now you suddenly don’t care?”

Luo Xing lowered her eyes, turning the glass in her hands. Inside was warm water, poured for her by Shen Que upon arrival.

She spoke in a low voice, “What I like doesn’t matter.”

Her faint words drowned in the heavy metal music.

Luo Xing picked up her vibrating phone.

She’d added Su Mo last time, but neither had messaged or even sent a greeting sticker.

Now, a sudden message appeared.

[Did you and Gu Shiyan break up?]

Luo Xing’s thumb hovered over the chat box, intending to reply with a simple “yes.”

But the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Why did she have to answer Su Mo? Su Mo had added her first; she’d agreed, but Su Mo never greeted her.

Now, out of nowhere, she asks if Luo Xing and Gu Shiyan broke up. And in that tone.

Luo Xing had no idea what tone Su Mo had used, but upon seeing those words, she imagined a little figure standing over her, nose upturned, disdainfully asking:

Did you break up with Gu Shiyan?

She could even picture the next sentence:

How could you shamelessly cling to him and not break up?

The more she thought, the angrier she became. Her breath quickened, chest rising and falling.

She stared at the message on her phone.

Furiously, she typed:

[If we didn’t break up, what of it?]

The moment she sent it, Luo Xing bit her lip, wanting to retract it, her fingertips trembling with anxiety.

“Damn!”

Luo Xing almost never cursed aloud.

So when the word burst from her lips, Yun Cai, Ming An, and across from her, Shen Que and Yao Xiangming, were all stunned.

Shen Que was the first to stand and try to grab Luo Xing’s phone.

Luo Xing clutched the device, refusing to let go, and pressed the power button.

Yun Cai hugged Luo Xing’s shoulders. “What happened? Why are you cursing?”

“I tried to retract it and ended up deleting it!” Luo Xing said, then buried herself in Yun Cai’s arms, clutching her phone.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. What did you want to retract?”

Luo Xing told them about seeing Gu Shiyan in the bar and Su Mo’s provocative message afterward.

Yun Cai immediately defended her. “What trash! The perfect match of scum and bitch!”

Luo Xing picked up her glass, used to drinking water through a straw. She grabbed one from the table, took a sip, and kept it in her mouth. “So what do I do now? I told her we didn’t break up. If Gu Shiyan sees it, it’ll be so embarrassing. What if he comes to confront me?”