Chapter 42: “You Hit Me for Qi Yanjing?”

“Think he got mad at Gu Yuchen?” Song Kairui joked.

Qin Zhaoli thought back to Qi Yanjing’s demeanor and replied after a moment, “Not likely… Besides, even if he were upset, why would he storm off on foot instead of driving?”

Song Kairui chuckled. “Guess we were overthinking it.”

He didn’t know Qi Yanjing well, but the way Qi Yanjing looked at Wen Zhixian seemed to say, ‘I need you.’ In Song Kairui’s eyes, they were well-matched.

The two seemed to operate on the same wavelength, though Qi Yanjing didn’t come across as entirely pure-hearted. He certainly didn’t seem afraid of Gu Yuchen.

That alone made Song Kairui certain—Qi Yanjing wasn’t the type to be rattled by Gu Yuchen.

---

Wen Zhixian sent a message to Qi Yanjing but didn’t receive a reply. She glanced at the clock—7:30 PM. He should have been home by now.

She walked out to the balcony and leaned against the window, trying to see when Qi Yanjing would return.

Suddenly, she spotted him downstairs, heading toward the gate of the residential complex—and standing there was Gu Yuchen!

A chill ran through her body. Could Gu Yuchen be targeting Qi Yanjing?

The answer was clear: yes. Gu Yuchen was too vicious not to.

The thought sent a surge of urgency through her. She didn’t even bother changing her shoes, rushing to the elevator in her slippers and heading downstairs.

She ran out of the elevator and came face-to-face with Gu Yuchen, who was stepping up the stairs.

“Zhixian,” Gu Yuchen greeted casually.

“What did you say to Qi Yanjing?” Wen Zhixian suppressed her anger, lowering her voice as she questioned him.

Gu Yuchen suddenly looked relaxed, letting out a laugh. “What could I possibly say to him? What do you think we’d talk about?”

“Then why did he leave?” she pressed. There was no way Qi Yanjing would walk away like that unless Gu Yuchen had said something.

Gu Yuchen shrugged, feigning innocence. “Maybe he’s overly sensitive? Or just a coward.”

The thought of what Gu Yuchen might have said, combined with the image of Qi Yanjing silently standing there, suddenly lifted Gu Yuchen’s mood.

“So what if they’re married? Zhixian and I have known each other since we were kids. Who does Qi Yanjing think he is?”

“He’s not like that!”

Gu Yuchen didn’t get angry; he even started explaining why he called Qi Yanjing sensitive. “I just told him about our past—how much you used to like me, how you loved being with me, how you’d hold my hand, share little stories, and even kiss me. I told him there’d always be a place for me in your heart. Then I asked him how much of your heart he thought he could claim—”

Slap!

Before Gu Yuchen could finish, Wen Zhixian struck him across the face, cutting him off mid-sentence.

The moment Gu Yuchen uttered those words, her mind went blank, her body frozen, and a chill spread through her veins. She wasn’t even concerned about what Gu Yuchen might do to her anymore. She was furious—enraged that he would say such things to Qi Yanjing.

He didn’t want her to be happy. He wanted her life to be as miserable as his.

Her palm stung from the force of the slap, trembling slightly.

Gu Yuchen’s head turned to the side, his messy bangs partially covering his face.

A heavy silence hung between them for a few seconds.

“You hit me… for another man?” Gu Yuchen asked, his voice filled with disbelief and pain. She had actually hit him—and for another man.

“That man is the one closest to me. He is my husband and my love. It’s perfectly justified.”

“Gu Yuchen, I will never be with someone who has hurt me and destroyed my spirit. The love I had for you was slowly eaten away by your attitude. When I needed comfort the most, it was Qi Yanjing who stood by my side. If I don’t love him, who else would I love?”

She smiled at Gu Yuchen, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. Her voice trembled as she delivered her final words:

“I will love him forever.”

Love didn’t completely fill their hearts, but it couldn’t be let go.

They relied on each other.

Gu Yuchen ran his hand through his hair, his eyes reddening. “And what about me? You hit me for him—don’t I feel pain too?”

Wen Zhixian let out a low, stifled laugh. “So you know what pain feels like? Back when you hit me, did you ever stop to ask if I was in pain? When you hit me over a glass, did you hesitate at all?”

His actions came back to bite him, and it felt like an invisible hand was gripping his heart, making it impossible to breathe. The pain was stronger than ever before.

Wen Zhixian brushed past him. She needed to find Qi Yanjing.

Still in her slippers, she ran toward the gate. Song Kairui and Qin Zhaoli had been standing there for a while. Seeing her approach, they pointed her in the right direction. “Qi Yanjing went down the street to the left.”

Qin Zhaoli felt a bit worried. It was late at night, and Wen Zhixian was wearing slippers and a casual long dress, her calves exposed to the cold.

As she watched Wen Zhixian head down the street, she let out a quiet sigh but didn’t follow.

“Why didn’t you go after her?” Song Kairui asked, a cigarette between his fingers, his hand dangling at his side.

“She needs time to cool off on her own.”

Song Kairui’s smile deepened. “I was just about to drag you along with me, but you didn’t give me the chance.”

Qin Zhaoli nodded in Gu Yuchen’s direction. “Go check on him.”

The two of them walked toward Gu Yuchen. Under the streetlight, the pale skin of his face was marked with a distinct red welt. They both saw it—Wen Zhixian had slapped him. She had finally struck back.

This time, neither of them said anything to dampen the mood. Qin Zhaoli simply said, “Yuchen, go home.”

Song Kairui noticed Gu Yuchen standing there stiffly. Letting him go back alone might lead to trouble, so he decided to drive him home.

On the way, neither of them said anything to provoke him. Sometimes, things just aren’t meant to be, and once they’re over, they’re over.

Today’s outcome was, after all, caused by Gu Yuchen himself.

Gu Yuchen leaned against the car window in silence, barely breathing.

The entire ride was steeped in dead silence.

---

Wen Zhixian called Qi Yanjing, but his phone was still turned off.

She followed the path Song Kairui had indicated, heading down the street to the left. After five minutes of walking, she still didn’t see him. The shop lights along the street glowed warmly, but why did she feel so cold?

Anxiety gnawed at her. In her heart, Qi Yanjing had never been a weak person. He was gentle yet strong. But… Gu Yuchen’s words had left her feeling defeated. Anyone would feel hurt hearing those words…

Maybe he couldn’t bear to hear those things and might even hate her. But right now, all she wanted was to see him.

Even if he wanted to discuss separating or divorcing, it wouldn’t matter. They had only met halfway through their lives, and she couldn’t let the trouble she brought weigh on him.

She had always expected to be alone. Just having him pass through her darkest moments was more than enough.

She walked along the roadside, searching for Qi Yanjing’s figure.

Suddenly, the glass door of a dessert shop not far ahead swung open. A familiar figure stepped out, holding a small cake.

She froze in place, unsure of what to do.

From a distance, Qi Yanjing saw her thin figure standing there. For a moment, he lost himself in thought. She stood there as though she might vanish at any second.