Chapter 18: Bad Influence

◎ He’s showering—go bring him some clothes ◎

The room was pitch dark—no light, no sound. That muffled groan from earlier felt like a fleeting illusion, something that appeared and vanished in an instant.

No one knew how long the silence lasted. Gu Ying sat down on the edge of the bed, fumbling around in the dark, and said, “The power’s out. I can’t find a candle.”

Still no response from the bed, just the sound of steady breathing—perhaps an unspoken reply.

In the darkness, Gu Ying let out a helpless sigh. With a voice as soft as a whisper, trembling slightly with restrained fear, she murmured pitifully, “I’m afraid of the dark.”

That did the trick. The covers rustled—it was the sound of someone getting up.

Gu Ying’s eyes shimmered in the darkness with a triumphant smile.

She obediently rose from the edge of the bed, leaving space for Gui Xiwen to get up.

He walked through the pitch black with ease, navigating like he knew every inch. In no time, he was at the dressing cabinet, pulling out a red wedding candle from the drawer and lighting it.

The red candle flared up into a small flame. It flickered gently in the air, casting a dim glow that filled the room with a strangely intimate ambiance.

As soon as light appeared, Gu Ying’s expression brightened. She stepped forward to take the candle from Gui Xiwen, wanting to place it in the candleholder.

The candleholder was red too, trimmed with gold. The moment the candle was set in, it was as if the entire holder gleamed with divine light, creating a surreal sense of ritual—like she was making offerings to a deity.

Gu Ying almost laughed, but held it back.

She turned her head and saw that Gui Xiwen’s face was glowing bright red in the candlelight.

“Are you feeling hot?” she asked instinctively.

Gui Xiwen stood there dazed for a second before replying stiffly, “No.”

Gu Ying thought he was just being polite. She pointed toward the cabinet and said, “I saw a fan down there. If you’re hot, once the power’s back, feel free to use it. I’m not too healthy, so I probably shouldn’t use fans. But you can go ahead.”

“I’m not hot,” he repeated.

“Really? But your face is so red,” she said, studying him suspiciously. Even under the dim candlelight, the flush on his cheeks was hard to miss. She didn’t quite believe him.

He did look hot. She just couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t admit it.

“Wait, are you sick?” Gu Ying suddenly asked. She reached out to feel his forehead.

She was no stranger to illness. Every time the seasons changed, she’d catch a cold or run a fever. Back then, her mom, Sun Lan, would place her palm on her forehead just like this.

Her movement was smooth and instinctive. Gui Xiwen didn’t expect it at all. Her hand landed softly on his forehead before he could react.

Startled, he grabbed her hand and demanded, exasperated, “Do you even realize where you just touched?”

Gu Ying blinked innocently. “Your forehead?”

Gui Xiwen: “…”

He clenched his teeth. “Before that!”

“Before?” Gu Ying tilted her head and thought for a moment, then asked with big confused eyes, “Was it your thigh?”

Gui Xiwen bit his lip and said nothing.

Looking at the completely clueless girl in front of him, Gui Xiwen didn’t even know where to vent his frustration. He let go of her hand and stormed off, saying, “I’m going to splash my face with cold water.”

He practically fled the room, bent over the faucet, and began dousing his face with cold water over and over again.

The icy stream ran continuously, cooling the heat surging in his chest.

He braced himself on the sink with one hand, breathing heavily. Water dripped from his hair and down his cheeks, mixing with the suppressed frustration still lingering on his face.

After a long while, he grabbed a towel and wiped his face haphazardly before heading back.

Just as he stepped into the room, Gu Ying—who was sitting in front of the dresser undoing her hair—turned to look at him. Her eyes sparkled like stars as she blinked sweetly and asked, “Can I ask you for a favor?”

Gui Xiwen’s eyes flickered as he closed the door. “What kind of favor?”

Just as he softly shut the door, the door to another room creaked open at the perfect moment.

Zhang Dongling poked her head out, suspiciously scanning the living room.

She was certain she heard some noise outside just now. Was it Gui Xiwen who came out?

Why would he leave the bridal room on his wedding night? Because of the power outage?

But even with no power, it shouldn’t stop the bridal night—if anything, wouldn’t that make it easier?

Puzzled and curious, Zhang Dongling tiptoed out of her room and crept toward the bridal room.

She gently pressed her ear to the door and held her breath to listen closely.

Soon, she heard Gu Ying’s soft gasp: “Use a bit more force.”

Then came Gui Xiwen’s reluctant voice: “That’s all the strength I have.”

Outside the room, Zhang Dongling rolled her eyes so hard they could’ve fallen out. Gui Xiwen was a tall and strong young man—why was he acting so useless at a critical moment?

Inside, Gu Ying spoke again, “Like this, I feel really uncomfortable. Go a little faster.”

There was a moment of silence.

Zhang Dongling, anxious to hear more, leaned even closer to the door.

Finally, Gui Xiwen responded in a flat tone, “Alright, I’ll go faster. Is that better?”

Gu Ying let out a satisfied hum. “Mmm, that feels better.”

That was all Zhang Dongling needed to hear.

She pulled her ear away from the door, beaming like she’d just won the lottery. She rushed back to her room and cheerfully marked a circle on the calendar like she was commemorating a big event.

In the room, Gui Xiwen was clipping the candle wick when he saw her grinning from ear to ear. He chuckled and asked, “What good thing happened?”

Zhang Dongling, in high spirits, took the scissors from him and smugly said, “Of course something good happened! Just wait—you’ll be holding your grandson soon!”

Meanwhile, back in the bridal room, Gui Xiwen retracted his hand from Gu Ying’s back and asked, “Anywhere else you want me to scratch?”

“No, that’s enough. Thank you.”

Gu Ying had been undoing her hair when her back started to itch. She tried to reach it but couldn’t, so when Gui Xiwen came back, she casually asked him to help.

She had no idea that this tiny request had already led to a massive misunderstanding in Zhang Dongling’s mind—one that involved dreams of grandchildren.

Unaware of any of this, Gu Ying finished getting ready and stepped out to wash up. When she returned, she saw that Gui Xiwen had already made his bed on the floor.

He’d pulled out a mattress from the cabinet, laid down a sheet, and was lying on it steadily.

Gu Ying hadn’t expected him to be so proactive. As she climbed into bed, she glanced at the man on the floor.

Gui Xiwen had closed his eyes, motionless, pretending to be asleep.

Here we go again, she thought.

But Gu Ying didn’t expose him. She figured it was fine this way.

Gui Xiwen probably hadn’t figured out how to be around her comfortably yet, so he chose to avoid awkward conversations by faking sleep.

Gu Ying quietly lay in bed, pulled the covers up, and prepared to sleep.

Only then did she realize the candle in the room was still burning.

Candles were expensive these days—it was a waste to let it burn all night.

The candle sat steadily on the vanity, a fair distance from the bed. Gu Ying didn’t want to get up, so she pushed herself up and tried blowing it out from the bed. The flame wavered but didn’t go out.

Frustrated, she adjusted her posture, took a deep breath, and blew harder.

This time, the candle flickered wildly—but still, it stood firm, the flame burning steadily.

Gu Ying: “…”

Now she was getting annoyed.

Can’t even blow out a candle anymore?

Resigned, she lifted her blanket to get out of bed, but before she could, Gui Xiwen sprang up from his floor bed, walked over, and blew out the candle with one strong puff. Then he lay back down, pulled up his blanket, and resumed pretending to sleep—all in one fluid motion.

It happened so fast that Gu Ying was still frozen mid-action, her hand still gripping the blanket. Before she could react, Gui Xiwen was already lying down, breathing softly like he was deep in slumber.

In the darkness, Gu Ying let out a silent chuckle. She pulled her blanket back up and whispered, “Thanks.”

The man on the floor turned over.

And the night passed peacefully.

The next morning, when Gu Ying groggily poked her head out from the covers, she found the floor empty. The bedding had been tidied away and returned to the cabinet. She yawned, got dressed, and stepped out.

To her surprise, the moment she opened the door, she came face-to-face with Zhang Dongling’s overly meaningful expression.

Zhang Dongling was cleaning the living room. When she saw Gu Ying, she greeted her warmly, “You’re up already? You should sleep in a bit more—rest is important after a long night.”

Gu Ying blinked, confused. “I’m not tired though.”

The smile on Zhang Dongling’s face started to twitch.

She’d seen Gui Xiwen earlier, looking exhausted and groggy—it was obvious he didn’t sleep well. Now, look at Gu Ying—bright-eyed and full of energy.

Her tiny little daughter-in-law wasn’t even tired, but her big, strong son looked like he’d been through a war. What was the point of being so tall if he couldn’t last the night?

Zhang Dongling, heartbroken and concerned about her son’s capabilities, decided this wouldn’t do. He needed to be “nourished.”

With her usual impulsiveness, she made up her mind to go out and buy tonics for her son. She instructed Gu Ying, “Later, go with Xiwen to Old Wang’s stall for breakfast, alright? I’m heading out and won’t be back until noon.”

“Okay,” Gu Ying replied, rubbing her hair as she headed off to wash up.

By the time she finished, she saw Gui Xiwen waiting by the door—likely because Zhang Dongling had reminded him before leaving.

Gu Ying wiped her hands and followed Gui Xiwen out the door.

People around them were in a hurry, most rushing off to work at the factory. Amid the crowd, the two of them strolled along leisurely, standing out as the only ones unhurried.

But the two didn’t look like a couple on the second day of their marriage. They weren’t walking side by side, nor holding arms. Instead, they kept a distance of about two or three people between them, giving off absolutely no sense of intimacy.

Gu Ying deliberately kept behind Gui Xiwen, following his pace while maintaining a polite distance.

Occasionally, a neighbor would recognize them and greet them warmly: “Hey, off to get breakfast, newlyweds?”

Gui Xiwen said nothing. Gu Ying smiled at the passerby and replied, “That’s right.”

After that, Gu Ying noticed something subtle—Gui Xiwen slowed his steps.

So she took a few quick strides and caught up, walking side by side with him.

Gui Xiwen’s expression didn’t change, but his pace quietly adjusted to match hers.

The two made their way leisurely to Old Wang’s breakfast stall. Just as they approached, Gu Ying spotted Zhang Kuo and Ming Xue heading toward the same stall from a short distance away.

Gui Xiwen paused slightly beside her—clearly, he’d noticed them too.

Zhang Kuo and Ming Xue had been married for half a month now and were still very much in the honeymoon phase. They walked hand in hand, completely ignoring the road ahead, gazing at each other with eyes full of unconcealed affection.

Now that looked like a real newlywed couple.

The sweet atmosphere around them was so thick, anyone watching would instinctively feel moved to wish them a long and happy life together.

Gu Ying looked at the couple ahead, then slowly smiled. Without hesitation, she naturally slipped her hand into Gui Xiwen’s arm.

Gui Xiwen turned his head to glance at her, not with confusion, but faint surprise.

It was as if Gu Ying could always anticipate his thoughts and act before he did.

How strange. He was finding it harder and harder to understand this new wife of his.

Gu Ying didn’t bother looking at Gui Xiwen’s reaction. She pulled him over to a seat and asked him to go get breakfast.

At that moment, Zhang Kuo and Ming Xue, who had been absorbed in each other, finally looked up and spotted Gu Ying sitting at the stall, with Gui Xiwen next to her, holding breakfast.

Ming Xue froze and instinctively wanted to turn around and leave.

Since getting married, the one person she’d wanted to avoid most was Gui Xiwen. He had married Gu Ying to spite her, and now the two of them just happened to show up here, flaunting themselves in front of her—it felt almost deliberate.

Gui Xiwen probably hadn’t let go of his pride. If he ran into Zhang Kuo, who knew what scene might unfold?

Ming Xue didn’t want any conflict between the two. If they really clashed, Zhang Kuo would surely come out the worse for it. She tugged at his arm and suggested, “Let’s go to Old Chen’s stall instead, shall we?”

Since their marriage, Zhang Kuo had always been accommodating toward her, but this time, he refused: “There are seats here—let’s just eat here.”

Zhang Kuo understood Ming Xue’s concerns well. She didn’t want him to get into a fight with Gui Xiwen and wanted to avoid trouble.

But why should he be the one to back down? Was he supposed to give way every time he ran into Gui Xiwen in the future?

Maybe it was male pride or something else entirely, but today, Zhang Kuo was oddly firm.

Ming Xue, who had been with him for a while, had always thought he was gentle and easygoing. She didn’t expect him to suddenly show a trace of competitiveness today.

Thinking about the future, Ming Xue secretly smiled with satisfaction.

Well, of course. A future tycoon wouldn’t be someone without ambition. Zhang Kuo’s drive must run deep, just hidden under the surface.

So she gave in and let Zhang Kuo lead her to a seat.

Old Wang had been running his breakfast stall for a few years and knew almost everyone in the compound—especially Gui Xiwen.

Gui Xiwen used to come here often with Zhang Tao. Zhang Tao was a chatterbox, always talking non-stop during breakfast, while Gui Xiwen just listened silently.

But Gui Xiwen stood out. Even when he didn’t speak, just sitting there quietly, he attracted glances.

So Old Wang had a strong impression of him. When he saw that Zhang Tao wasn’t with him today and that he’d brought a young woman instead, Old Wang figured she must be the new wife he’d recently married.

What a pity, though—someone as striking as Gui Xiwen had ended up with a wife who wasn’t particularly pretty.

Old Wang sighed and shook his head.

Then he spotted Ming Xue and Zhang Kuo sitting down too.

Ming Xue was the prettiest girl in the compound—rosy lips, white teeth, a very lovely face. No matter where she went, people couldn’t help but look.

Beside her, Zhang Kuo seemed even more ordinary by comparison—plain and average in every way.

With looks like that, Ming Xue could’ve had her pick of suitors. Why on earth had she chosen someone as unremarkable as Zhang Kuo?

Old Wang sighed again.

Sigh, the more he looked, the more mismatched these two couples seemed.

Despite their apparent mismatch in Old Wang’s eyes, both couples had begun eating.

Ming Xue took a plate of pan-fried buns and ate them in small bites. Beside her, Zhang Kuo thoughtfully peeled a tea egg and gently placed the smooth, tender egg into Ming Xue’s bowl of porridge.

Her lips had picked up a light sheen of oil from the buns. Zhang Kuo noticed and immediately took out a cloth to softly wipe her mouth. His touch was incredibly gentle, as if he were handling a treasure.

Old Wang, busy with his stall, happened to glance over and paused for a moment.

These two… were clearly in love.

Doing something so caring in public like that—Zhang Kuo must really cherish her.

Old Wang couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. It seemed that marriage really wasn’t about status or jobs. What mattered most was whether two people clicked and could enjoy life together.

With that thought, he looked toward Gui Xiwen and Gu Ying. Zhang Kuo and Ming Xue were so obviously in love—what about them?