DITN: Chapter 9

Five minutes later, Fang Jin was driving in front, while Gu Yuan and Chi Qiu sat together in the back seat. The passenger seat was respectfully occupied by the Hermès crocodile leather bag, an object valued at several hundred thousand yuan.

The atmosphere in the car was tense and fraught with mutual antagonism. Fang Jin’s eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the rear bumper of the car ahead when he heard Gu Yuan’s cold voice from behind: “Miss Chi, I believe there might be a misunderstanding on your part. Although Auntie Chi is Gu Yang’s mother, and I have always held her in great respect, she has absolutely no say in matters of my marriage…”

To Fang Jin’s surprise, Chi Qiu’s tone shifted dramatically, becoming cloyingly sweet and girlishly deferential:

“Mr. Gu, I think it is you who is mistaken. My aunt only has your best interests at heart. She has always taught me to adhere to my wifely duties and follow your wishes obediently…”

Fang Jin’s hand, gripping the steering wheel, nearly trembled.

“…I don’t need that,” Gu Yuan finally replied with a stiff, cold tone after a pause of several seconds. “You don’t need to be obedient to me in any way.”

Chi Qiu immediately asked, “Is this because of that woman just now? If so, I won’t mind at all. It’s common for men to have a bit of fun outside these days, so please don’t mistake me for a narrow-minded woman because of this!”

Gu Yuan reflexively glanced at the driver’s seat.

“No, Miss Chi, that’s not what I meant…” Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly ran out of words. Good heavens, that was precisely why he had deliberately let his mistress appear before Chi Qiu earlier!

“Then what’s wrong with me?”Chi Qiu’s voice quivered as if on the verge of tears. “Did I do something to make you dislike me, Mr. Gu?”

Faced with a fragile beauty like a delicate flower, gazing up at you with large eyes that could summon tears instantly, no one could bring themselves to speak harshly.

Gu Yuan’s thick, defined brows furrowed slightly. After a long pause, he forcefully swallowed his displeasure and put on the flawless, formal air of an immaculate corporate negotiator: “No, Miss Chi, a lady of your caliber is the epitome of a well-bred woman. It is I who have the bad temper, and I apologize for startling you—”

Chi Qiu cut in anxiously: “It’s nothing at all! I know men face a lot of pressure and can be short-tempered sometimes. Even if you were like this every day, I wouldn’t mind it, Mr. Gu!”

Silence descended upon the car. Gu Yuan stared at her for a long time.

“I mind,” he finally admitted after a while.  “I am quite satisfied with the current state of things and simply do not wish to get married.”

Chi Qiu looked utterly devastated, gazing at Gu Yuan with glistening eyes, remaining silent for a long moment.

Gu Yuan’s thoughts drifted for an instant. He recalled an incredibly similar moment—that day in the garden, Fang Jin had also looked at him with a frown, his eyes shimmering as if holding back tears. It was unclear whether it was surprise, shock, disgust, or genuine anger that brought him to the brink of crying.

Few dared to face him with such an expression. After all, the Great Young Master Gu did not pay millions a year to look at a mournful face; even if your house had just burned down, you’d better force a smile in front of him. So, he had mused over the incident several times afterward, concluding that his indescribably complex feeling then must have stemmed from a rare stir of guilt and curiosity upon seeing someone about to weep in his presence.

Yet, staring at Chi Qiu now, he felt that his past reasoning was completely wrong.

At this moment, facing Chi Qiu’s tearful gaze, he felt nothing at all.

“My apologies, Miss Chi. You are a well-bred lady; I am simply not worthy of you.”

Gu Yuan habitually took a handkerchief from his suit pocket and offered it to her. Chi Qiu accepted it, sobbing gently, and asked through her tears, “You… do you truly believe that?”

Gu Yuan answered sincerely, “I truly do believe it. Miss Chi is a fine choice for a spouse; the fault is entirely mine.”

“Then… could you grant me one favor?”

“What is it?”

“My aunt and Mr. Gu have been very insistent about this matter. Would you please inform them that it is your own reluctance to marry that is the real reason?” Chi Qiu dabbed her tears dry and looked up, flashing a captivating smile: “—That way, my aunt won’t be able to pressure me constantly.”

Gu Yuan: “…”

The silence in the car was prolonged. Fang Jin nervously peered into the rearview mirror, seeing Gu Yuan and Chi Qiu facing each other motionless, the air around them so tight it felt ready to explode at any moment.

“Miss Chi,” Gu Yuan finally said, his voice level. “I have my own way of explaining things to my father. This is not a matter for you to interrupt.”

Chi Qiu curved her rosy lips into a knowing smirk: “Is that so?”

She pulled out her phone, turned on the speaker, and Gu Yuan’s own voice echoed from it:

“I mind. I am very satisfied with the current state of things and simply do not wish to get married… Miss Chi is a fine choice for a spouse; the fault is entirely mine…”

Fang Jin’s breathing hitched. Traffic was heavy during rush hour. As he kept his hands on the wheel, he stole a glance at the back. Just then, he heard Gu Yuan ask calmly, “Was that intentional?”

Chi Qiu merely shook her phone with a meaningful look.

In the next second, Gu Yuan swiftly stretched out his hand, snatching the phone from Chi Qiu’s grasp!

Chi Qiu let out a sudden shriek, just as a car on the side abruptly cut across the lane. Fang Jin was startled and momentarily distracted, slamming on the brakes!

Screech— The tires shrieked as they scraped the pavement. The Lexus abruptly halted in the middle of the road. The traffic behind immediately jammed on their brakes, and a chorus of angry horns erupted at the intersection.

Chi Qiu was caught off guard and nearly slammed her head into the front seat. Gu Yuan steadied himself by bracing one hand against the driver’s seat backrest.

The protesting horns blared relentlessly from behind. Fang Jin was also severely shaken, saying hoarsely, “I’m… I’m sorry, I was just startled and that’s why…”

He composed himself and was about to press the accelerator when he heard the faint click of a door opening and closing behind him. Gu Yuan then walked up to the front and sharply knocked on the window.

Fang Jin lowered the driver’s side window. Gu Yuan’s expression was unlike his usual self; though his face was devoid of overt expression, his cold, sharp features and tightly pressed lips silently conveyed the intensity of his inner rage.

“I apologize, Mr. Gu, I…”

“Get out of the car.”

Fang Jin had no choice but to exit the driver’s seat. Just as he reached for the rear door, Gu Yuan spoke coldly: “I told you to go to the front passenger seat!”

“…”

Fang Jin could truly feel that Gu Yuan’s current anger was different from his usual displeasure. Though outwardly similar, the deeper, more profound fury underneath was unmistakable.

Was it because they had almost been in an accident?

Fang Jin dared not utter a single sound. He walked around and opened the passenger door, then watched as Gu Yuan slid into the driver’s seat, grabbed the Hermès bag, and tossed it into the back. Immediately after, he slammed the car door shut with a resounding thud!

Throughout the return journey, Gu Yuan did not utter another word, and neither did Fang Jin nor Chi Qiu. The Lexus drove directly to the downtown apartment complex where the Great Young Master Gu often resided. Gu Yuan opened the door and stepped out without even saying goodbye.

Fang Jin stole a glance at his dark, icy expression. After hesitating for a few seconds, he couldn’t stop himself from following him: “Mr. Gu… Mr. Gu! My mistake just now was my fault, I apologize, it will never happen again…”

“Do you know what the consequences would be if an accident occurred at that speed?” Gu Yuan interrupted him frigidly. “Do you know what would happen if there were a chain collision, or if I were injured in the back and had to be rushed to the emergency room?!”

Fang Jin was rendered speechless.

He felt a choking, bitter lump lodged in his throat. After a long pause, he managed to whisper: “…I apologize.”

Gu Yuan threw him a stone-faced glance, then turned and walked away.

Fang Jin stood stunned in place. After a moment, he rubbed his eyes with a pained expression and slowly walked back to the car.

Chi Qiu rolled down the window, cautiously watched him, and then said softly after a while, “I’m sorry, that was my fault just now…”

Fang Jin forced a smile. “It’s fine. Mr. Gu is right; I was careless driving.”

He sighed deeply, staring fixedly at the small ornament hanging beneath the rearview mirror. It was an exquisite safety charm tied with a red Chinese knot, originally a gift diligently handmade by one of Gu Yuan’s mistresses, which Gu Yuan had casually discarded and Fang Jin had kept hanging there ever since.

Chi Qiu rested her chin on the back of the passenger seat, tilted her head, and carefully studied Fang Jin’s expression. After a long moment, she suddenly asked, “Why are you so upset?”

“Anyone would be upset after being scolded by their boss.”

Chi Qiu’s gaze followed his to the small safety charm. After a long time, she seemed to grasp something and asked, “Are… are you perhaps in love with that arrogant jerk?”

Fang Jin was startled and immediately denied it vehemently: “No, of course not! Actually, Mr. Gu is particularly sensitive because he was in a car accident before. I can understand that; I just didn’t react quickly enough, which is why…”

Chi Qiu looked at him with a hint of pity, an expression that could almost be called gentle.

“…Anyway, let me take you back now.” Fang Jin himself probably found his words hollow, as he gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I truly apologize for today.”

Chi Qiu looked as if she wanted to speak but ultimately said no more, simply patting him lightly on the shoulder.

Perhaps due to his low spirits, Fang Jin did not sleep a wink all night, staying awake until dawn.

The next day when he arrived at the office, he had two distinct dark circles under his eyes and looked pale and haggard. When Supervisor Xu from the HR department passed by the assistant office, he saw this and later thoughtfully brought him two pieces of chocolate.

Fang Jin thanked him. Feeling slightly better after eating the chocolate, he perked up and went to the pantry for a cup of black coffee.

However, as soon as he pushed open the glass door to the pantry at the end of the corridor, he immediately bumped into Gu Yuan walking out with a coffee cup in his hand. Fang Jin froze, quickly lowered his head, and stepped to the side, preparing to let Gu Yuan pass. Yet, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the pair of black leather shoes stop right beside him.

Fang Jin didn’t look up, but he could feel Gu Yuan’s gaze fixed on the top of his head. He even felt a strange, subtle heat.

“…” Gu Yuan suddenly spoke, asking, “What is wrong with your face?”

Fang Jin was slightly taken aback. “Nothing, I just didn’t sleep well last night—”

Gu Yuan was silent for a while. A strange, awkward tension enveloped the narrow pantry.

“I was too irritable yesterday; don’t take it to heart,” he said after a moment. “Actually, it wasn’t your fault. I was in the wrong.”

His words had a long, lingering quality, but the meaning didn’t fully register in Fang Jin’s mind until several seconds later. The realization instantly constricted his heart, sent blood rushing to his cheeks, and left even his fingertips feeling numb and senseless.

Fang Jin opened his mouth. After a brief pause, he managed to keep his voice steady: “I apologize. I was careless driving… I almost implicated you…”

Gu Yuan, who was about to say something else, had a subtle change of expression upon hearing the word implicated.

“It’s a good thing I didn’t cause Mr. Gu any harm,” Fang Jin paused, then murmured, “I will be much more careful when driving from now on.”

Gu Yuan watched him without blinking, his expression a complicated mix of emotions, seemingly hesitating over whether or not to speak. After a long moment, he finally sighed silently, giving up. “You must have misunderstood what I meant. It’s not what you think. Never mind. Do you have any meetings this morning?”

Fang Jin shook his head, puzzled.

Gu Yuan said curtly, “Follow me.” Without waiting for the bewildered Fang Jin, he walked straight to the secretarial office, stuck his head in, and frowned at the secretary who was covertly eating her breakfast dumplings behind the computer: “I’m taking Assistant Fang out for a while. Cancel my morning routine meeting!” Then, ignoring the secretary’s nearly choked expression, he headed directly toward the elevator.

Fang Jin was deeply confused and had no choice but to follow him out. Gu Yuan didn’t call the driver, Uncle Zhang, but drove the black Mercedes himself, instructing Fang Jin to sit in the front passenger seat. He drove them away from the city center.

The street scenery rapidly receded behind them. Gu Yuan remained silent, appearing to be in a less than pleasant mood. Fang Jin noticed that their route was gradually heading towards the suburbs, but Gu Yuan didn’t use the navigation system, suggesting he was very familiar with the destination.

The outer ring road was uncongested, and they drove quickly. After about half an hour, they reached their destination. Gu Yuan pushed the door open and got out. Fang Jin looked up and was startled to see that it was a public cemetery!

Who could Gu Yuan be visiting? His mother?

But Gu Yuan’s biological mother came from a prominent family, died during childbirth, and was grandly interred by Gu Mingzong. She certainly wouldn’t be here.

Gu Yuan likely sensed Fang Jin’s confusion and said with a half-joking tone, “The person buried here… well, she was my first love.”

Fang Jin immediately choked on his saliva.

Gu Yuan forced an awkward, self-deprecating smile, his expression somewhat low. He beckoned for Fang Jin to follow him inside. They passed through the reception area, which led to a small path paved with white cobblestones. This path ran toward a hillside covered in green grass, where clusters of slate-grey stone monuments stood. The quality of the stone was clearly good, and weathering had given them a sense of ancient simplicity and history.

After walking for a few minutes, Gu Yuan navigated through the scattered monuments on the lawn and stopped before an unmarked stone tablet.

“This is it.”

Fang Jin moved to his side. The tablet bore no name or dates of birth and death; it was a smooth, plain surface, with only a line of vigorous handwriting carved into the bottom right corner: Erected by Gu Yuan.

“I carved it myself. I even took a few months of lessons just for this.”

Fang Jin was utterly astonished. After a moment, he asked cautiously, “What happened?”

Gu Yuan sighed: “You know I was in a driving accident when I was seventeen or eighteen, right?”

—But you were driving alone late at night, weren’t you? I never heard that anyone else was in the car when the accident happened.

Gu Yuan saw the question in Fang Jin’s eyes and shook his head. “She didn’t die in the car crash. I’ve never mentioned this before. Not even my father knows. You are the first person besides me to ever come here. So, whatever you hear next, I beg you to keep it absolutely confidential. This matter has been weighing on my heart for many years.”

He paused, then continued, “I have Rh-negative AB blood, inherited from my father—it’s the rarest type of ‘Panda Blood.’ She had the same blood type as me. Many years ago, she was sold to my family, specifically to be a blood donor in case of an emergency.”

Fang Jin’s mind went blank, his eyes staring dazedly at Gu Yuan.

For a moment, he thought he was experiencing auditory hallucinations.

“I only saw her once when I was very young at the Gu estate. She was a truly, truly beautiful little girl, sitting on the steps crying. She told me her parents were gone. Later, I asked the housekeeper and found out her parents owed a lot of loan sharks and committed suicide. She was sold to our family to supply me with blood.”

“In truth, with advance preparation, even Rh-negative AB blood can be sourced if needed. But accidents always happen, and someone from a family like mine is destined to face more risks. She was brought in like a piece of merchandise, a sacrifice to ensure my life was foolproof.”

Gu Yuan smiled mockingly.

“After I learned about this, I couldn’t stop wondering what became of her. Whenever I was happy, joyful, or surrounded by people celebrating my birthday or a holiday, I would wonder what kind of life she was living. Did she know her fate? Was she living each day in fear of being sacrificed, of being murdered? She was such a beautiful little girl. Was she afraid to die?”

“Do you know that feeling? It’s like there’s someone in this world intrinsically linked to your life and fate, someone you saw only once, yet you constantly think about her, constantly worry about her. She became like a shadow integrated into your body, and gradually, that feeling started to resemble the longing you feel for a lover…”

“…And then what happened?” Fang Jin heard himself ask.

His voice sounded incredibly calm, but only he could detect the slight tremor in the final word.

“There was no ‘then.’ Then I got into the car accident,” Gu Yuan’s voice gradually dropped. “The last thing I remember was desperately gripping the doctor’s hand on the stretcher. I wanted to tell him not to let her give me blood, not to save me, to just let me go to that world alone—but my consciousness was already chaotic then, and I’m not even sure if I managed to say the words out loud.”

He pointed to his wrist artery. “They transfused a whole lot of blood during the surgery, enough to completely drain her… For all these years, I have never dared to imagine what she looked like when she died. I killed her. Because of my mistake, I literally took her life.”

Fang Jin felt as if he was lost in an absurd dream.

“But…” he said blankly, “How can you be so certain that she… truly…”

“The accident happened out of town. That hospital had no inventory of Rh-negative blood, and I confirmed it with my father afterward.”

Gu Yuan was silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.

“The moment I woke up in the hospital, I honestly didn’t want to live… Do you know? Every beat of my heart is a reminder that an innocent, unjustly perished soul is deeply embedded within my body, that her weeping is in the depths of my bloodstream. If I hadn’t driven that night, if I hadn’t taken that highway, if I hadn’t been driving the GT2 whose front tire suddenly blew out… No matter how much I regret it now, time will never rewind to before everything happened.”

“So now you understand why I was angry, Fang Jin? It wasn’t because I blame you, but because… I cannot afford to have anything happen to me again. There’s always someone else who pays the price for my mistakes, and I don’t want to harm anyone else.”

Fang Jin’s throat felt clogged, unable to form a word.

The air he inhaled seemed to turn into a bitter fire stream, causing a violent ache in his chest.

Gu Yuan took a deep breath, and then slowly, completely exhaled, as if momentarily pushing aside the heavy burden that perpetually clung to him.

“Since then, I’ve donated blood regularly and have been a long-term philanthropist for blood services, but it doesn’t make me feel much better. I never told anyone about the incident back then; you are the only person I’ve ever told. Please keep this secret for me.” He extended his hand to Fang Jin, saying sincerely, “I overreacted yesterday. I apologize. I… I simply couldn’t stand the thought of seeing you get hurt in front of me.”

Fang Jin stared at the outstretched hand before him, motionless, feeling a bitter fluid slowly seep out from the depths of his heart.

With slightly trembling fingers, he took Gu Yuan’s hand, then stepped forward and gave him a hug.

Gu Yuan seemed momentarily stunned, but immediately embraced him back instinctively. Fang Jin pressed his chin tightly against Gu Yuan’s muscular shoulder. Through his blurred vision, he looked at the three characters carved on the tombstone: Erected by Gu Yuan. They were vigorous and sharp, carrying a chilling, deep-seated frostiness.

Through those three words, he was momentarily swept back to that blood-soaked corridor, the ambulance rushing past him towards the operating room. The red light on the wall flashed urgently, each pulse like a menacing, bloody glare charging towards him. Terrified, he pressed himself tightly against the wall, trying to make himself inconspicuous, yet everyone who passed seemed to look at him with a deliberate, knowing gaze.

Those glances were like knives cutting flesh, as if they would pounce on him at any moment, pin him down, and forcefully drain the blood from his body until it was bone-dry.

Fang Jin squeezed himself harder into the corner. Just then, the ambulance was rapidly pushed past him. Lying on the stretcher was the handsome and noble young master of the Gu family, his entire body a mass of blood and flesh, his features barely discernible. He was desperately using his last shreds of consciousness to raise his hand and grab the doctor, his lips moving slightly, seemingly trying to say something.

…What is he saying? Fang Jin wondered subconsciously.

It was over in an instant. The stretcher was pushed into the emergency room, and the red “In Operation” light immediately illuminated.

Gu Mingzong stood nearby, his face dark as water, his hands jammed into his trouser pockets, staring intently at the tightly closed operating room door. A moment later, the door opened again, and a doctor hurried to him: “Mr. Gu, the patient urgently needs a blood transfusion right now. We have requested an emergency supply from the blood bank, but the hospital currently has no stock—”

Gu Mingzong asked, “What did he say just now?”

The doctor was momentarily confused.

“…He said, don’t give me blood,” the doctor clarified hesitantly. “He said not to let that girl give me blood.”

In the cemetery, Fang Jin hugged Gu Yuan tightly, then whispered hoarsely: “I heard it…”

That sentence you weren’t sure you spoke—I actually heard it.

He tightly closed his eyes. A single tear slid down his cheek and silently soaked into the fine fabric of the shirt.

Gu Yuan felt a little dazed. He only felt the wind sweep across the grass, passing through the grey-slate monuments and whistling past his face. All his senses were focused on Fang Jin’s body in his arms. Then, a drop of scalding-hot tear permeated the fabric and somehow burned its way deep into his heart, causing all his muscles to reflexively tense up.

…Is he crying? Is he truly crying this time?

Gu Yuan slowly raised his hand, and after a long moment, carefully placed it on Fang Jin’s back, stroking it gently.