Yanan watched his retreating back and said inexplicably, "Tsk, what's the meaning of this? I told you everything I know, and this is your attitude! No wonder Susu doesn't want me talking to you; it's a waste of time!"
She huffily went to buy breakfast. When she returned to their place, Susu had already come out of her room. With huge panda eyes, she stood by the window, looking out at something.
Yanan put down the breakfast in her hands and said, "Stop looking, Qin Tianyi is gone."
"Who says I was looking at him? I'm checking the weather," Gu Susu pulled the curtains shut and sat down at the dining table. Seeing the breakfast on the table, she felt genuinely hungry.
"Eat up, eat up. I just bought it, and it's still warm. Eat more," Yanan urged.
Gu Susu smiled at her and picked up a fried dough stick, starting to eat.
Seeing her forced smile, Yanan relayed Qin Tianyi's message to her.
Listening, Susu felt a tightness in her chest and asked, "What does that mean? How did he find me?"
"We have the same question, but he left without explaining, so I don't know either," Yanan said, holding her cup of soy milk and drinking.
Susu still didn't understand and asked, "Why did he tell me to stay put here instead of using his power to drag me back to Lancheng? That's not like him. No, he must be playing hard to get. Yanan, let's finish eating and quickly pack our things. We should move somewhere else..."
"I don't want to move again. The person you're hiding from isn't Qin Tianyi. I told him everything about Yang Sijie forcing you," Yanan said, lowering her head. She immediately grabbed her soy milk and ran into her room, closing the door, afraid Susu would be angry and think she was too talkative.
Susu wasn't angry. Instead, she murmured as if waking from a dream, "He knows everything?"
Her heart ached. Would he believe it after knowing all this? Would his heart hurt as much as hers?
Or did he just leave like that, impulsively going to settle accounts with Yang Sijie?
Countless possibilities made her heart more chaotic. She kept thinking about the words he had asked Yanan to convey. In the end, she felt she should believe him, believe that he would come back for her. If he said so, he would definitely come.
In the following days, Gu Susu didn't live in constant dread. She and Yanan resumed their normal lives, as if Qin Tianyi had never appeared.
She still followed her plan, signing a small-batch production contract with a clothing factory, allowing some of her designs to be made into finished products. Then, she would sell them at market stalls, hoping to establish her unique fashion style in the market.
...
The truth Yanan spoke fell like a massive stone into his heart, causing his emotions to surge like a tidal wave.
But when he returned to Lancheng, he had already suppressed the urge to confront Yang Sijie directly. Reason told him that rushing to Yang Sijie now would only put both him and Susu in danger.
Protecting Susu's safety was the most important thing. Even if he had to fight Yang Sijie to the death, it would be a matter between two men; Susu should not be dragged into it again and suffer further.
Therefore, it was better to let Susu stay in Decheng and live the life she wanted, with no one disturbing her.
Recalling everything that had happened over the past year felt like a dream. He regretted why he hadn't firmly believed in Susu's love for him back then. Everything he said and did was forced. He felt like the biggest scoundrel. kanδん
He couldn't face Susu. He had the nerve to ask Susu for an apology, but who was the one who should apologize?
If a man couldn't even protect the woman he loved the most, what kind of man was he?
For the past few days, he had only blamed himself, not knowing what to do to soothe the pain in her heart.
A knock sounded outside the office. Qin Tianyi said in a low voice, "Come in."
Xiao Anjing walked in. Seeing him, Qin Tianyi still looked very haggard, his beard unshaven.
He had never seen Qin Tianyi so decadent and unkempt. He couldn't figure out what had happened, but Qin Tianyi had gone to the hot spring town to relax a few days ago, and now he seemed even more troubled.
Qin Tianyi didn't look at him and asked coldly, "What has Yang Sijie been up to lately?"
"He seems to have some urgent business and rushed abroad. However, he left some people in Lancheng, presumably to continue searching for Miss Gu."
Qin Tianyi suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, as if he hadn't slept for days and nights. He asked, "Gone abroad? Did our plan succeed?"
Xiao Anjing lowered his voice and said, "I'm contacting the police there. We should have news soon."
Qin Tianyi clenched his fist tightly, hoping this time he could completely tear off Yang Sijie's hypocritical mask.
"Very good."
Xiao Anjing had something else he wanted to tell Qin Tianyi, but seeing that his mood was bad again today, he didn't know how to bring it up.
Qin Tianyi noticed he seemed to have something on his mind and asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Tianyi, I want to go see Shu Yan in the countryside..."
"Just have someone keep an eye on her. You don't need to go personally, and besides, there's a lot of work at the group," Qin Tianyi interrupted him without much thought.
Xiao Anjing said, "If you have nothing else to do recently, come to the group more often. I'm really not at ease with others watching her there. No matter what their mother and daughter's intentions are, the medical conditions in the countryside are limited. Shu Yan is giving birth there, and I'm afraid something might happen."
"Is the child in her belly yours?" Qin Tianyi had long noticed his excessive concern for Shu Yan.
Xiao Anjing explained to him, "Of course not. But before, because I was afraid the group wouldn't be able to sustain itself, I kept encouraging her, telling her not to give up her good feelings for you and trying hard to facilitate your marriage. Instead, it has led to her current situation, so I feel I also have some responsibility."
Qin Tianyi looked at him again, slightly surprised.
From what he knew, Xiao Anjing was like a playboy, always passing through a hundred flowers without getting entangled.
Now that Shu Yan's situation had nothing to do with Xiao Anjing, he was actually going to take the initiative to take care of Shu Yan. Was this still the Xiao Anjing he knew?
"Have you fallen for Shu Yan?"
Xiao Anjing was slightly taken aback and immediately denied it, "How could that be? As I said, it's just because of what happened before, I feel a bit guilty towards her and want to make amends and help her. If I go personally this time and can persuade her not to be so infatuated with you, it will be a good thing for you and our group." wΑp.kanshu伍.net
Qin Tianyi agreed, saying, "Alright, if you want to go, then go. But she's not suitable for you. You must be careful."
After Xiao Anjing left his office, he knew better than anyone that Xiao Anjing, who had always considered himself a free spirit, had fallen for Shu Yan.
He also hoped that Xiao Anjing could find his other half. But if Xiao Anjing became infatuated with Shu Yan, it wouldn't be a good thing.
Shu Yan was thoughtless and reckless in her actions, but she was also skilled at manipulation. Given her personality, she wouldn't genuinely like Anjing. She would likely use this to stir up trouble.
However, Anjing hadn't admitted to liking Shu Yan, and he couldn't forcibly prevent Anjing from interacting with Shu Yan. This matter was truly troublesome.