Chapter 20: He did it on purpose, he pretended

“Go.”

Gu Jingyao said in a deep voice.

His voice was the same as usual, but it carried an undercurrent of anger, chilling.

Wu Kairui quickly followed Gu Jingyao.

A smile appeared on Shen Haoyang’s face, secretly pleased.

“By the way, Moran, do you have any good gift recommendations? For my grandfather.”

Speaking of gifts, Lin Moran immediately thought of the cabbage Old Wang was carving. Shen Haoyang had mentioned Grandpa Song’s birthday earlier, and she already had a target for this cabbage.

“You’re his nephew, he’ll be happy no matter what you give him.”

Lin Moran replied, “Also, don’t wander around too much, Grandpa will be happy.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?”

Lin Moran smiled faintly.

“Then I’ll go busy myself, I’ll make another appointment later.”

“Goodbye.”

Lin Moran saw him to the door.

This was her shop etiquette; unless there was something special, she would see all customers to the door.

As soon as Shen Haoyang left, she suddenly noticed Gu Jingyao standing at the door of another shop, his eyes fixed on her.

Lin Moran ignored him and continued working.

She didn’t think he was concerned about her; it was just that seeing a young man in her shop triggered his possessive instincts.

They were getting a divorce anyway; why should she care so much?

Her relationship with Shen Haoyang was pure and clean.

She was open and aboveboard.

In a blink of an eye, Gu Jingyao was gone.

Lin Moran’s expression was cold, but she felt something was amiss.

She felt Gu Jingyao was up to something.

The next day, before she woke up, she heard people whispering outside her room.

“Oh, so pitiful.”

“He’s been squatting at the door for many days.”

“A few days ago, when he saw someone coming out, he left immediately. He probably didn’t want to disturb us.”

“Today, I saw Comrade Gu huddled together, with his clothes wrapped around him. He was clearly freezing.”

“Moran, open the door.”

A knock came.

Lin Moran paused for a moment, then opened the door.

As soon as the door opened, she saw Gu Jingyao huddled in the corner by the door, covered with a coat. Yes, he was squatting, not sitting. He didn’t sit on Gu Quanzhe’s small stool; today, he was squatting, his eyes slightly raised, his eyelashes faintly misty, looking like a bullied, pitiful Lin Daiyu.

“Comrade Lin, this isn’t right!  Couples quarrel, but you shouldn’t chase someone out!”

“We saw him outside before, and we didn’t interfere. But it’s been a long time. There’s a limit to sulking. What if he freezes?”

Other aunties in the courtyard spoke up for Gu Jingyao.

Lin Moran looked down at Gu Jingyao.

She had known about him sleeping at her door the next day.

He always came late at night and left early in the morning, not affecting their mother and son’s life, so she turned a blind eye.

He would eventually get tired and leave.

Usually, he left before dawn, but today he deliberately stayed until everyone woke up.

It wasn’t autumn yet; it wasn’t necessary to cover oneself at night.

For the past few days, he had been wearing short sleeves at night, but today he deliberately covered himself with a coat.

The clothes were so thick that his forehead was covered in sweat.

Was he cold?

Not at all!

He was doing it on purpose.

Gu Jingyao slowly stood up, deliberately stretching his legs as he rose, appearing unsteady. He said to everyone apologetically, “I lost my balance, almost fell.”

“Auntie, it’s not Moran’s fault. It’s cool outside, not because of Moran.”

“Cough… cough…”

After speaking, he started coughing uncontrollably.

His hair covered his forehead, his thick eyebrows and big eyes, his handsome brows slightly furrowed, and a strained smile on his lips, completely different from his previous resolute, handsome, and authoritative image. He looked weak and pitiful, full of vulnerability.

Lin Moran saw one word on his face: Dog!

Dog man, so good at playing the victim!

The aunties couldn’t bear it and collectively attacked Lin Moran.

“Moran, look how good Comrade Gu is. He was chased out and didn’t say a bad word about you. Where can you find such a cultured man?”

“Yes, Comrade Gu has contributed to the country, he’s a hero, we should be nice to him. Because he protects our country, we can live in peace.”

“Comrade Gu looks really uncomfortable. Oh, should we take him to the hospital?”

Lin Moran wanted to say, Auntie, please open your eyes.

Is he a fragile person?

He’s faking it!

“Going to the hospital is expensive, just drink more water at home. Comrade Lin doesn’t earn easily, save where you can.”

An aunt who noticed something winked.

Then a group of people echoed, “Yes, rest first, if it’s really bad, then go to the hospital.”

“Comrade Lin, pour Comrade Gu a glass of water. Don’t sit outside, how cool can it be outside? Besides freezing, you’ll get bitten by mosquitoes.”

“Thank you for your concern. I’ll go in now.”

Gu Jingyao lowered his brows slightly, his eyes looking at Lin Moran timidly as he entered.

Lin Moran looked at him coldly, saying nothing.

Gu Jingyao quickly retreated the leg he had stepped into the house, lowering his head and brows.

His appearance made the aunties at the door erupt with a lifetime’s worth of righteousness, “Comrade Gu, why are you still afraid to come in?”

“What are you afraid of? We’re here.”

“Go home! What kind of man squats at the door every day without going home?”

“If Comrade Lin doesn’t agree, we won’t leave.”

“If she still doesn’t agree, we’ll go to the Women’s Federation to help you.”

Lin Moran let out a long sigh.

If it weren’t for the aunties who lived in the same courtyard, she would have fought with them all.

“Moran, let’s go inside and talk.”

Gu Jingyao lowered his head, his voice low and pleading.

Lin Moran walked back into the house.

Gu Jingyao immediately followed.  As the door closed, he didn’t forget to say to the aunties, “Thank you for your concern, Moran is fine. We’ll live a good life.”

“Is this interesting?”

“Is this meaningful?”

Lin Moran stood in the middle of the room, her arms crossed, her eyes cold.

Gu Jingyao, discarding his weak, helpless, and fragile appearance, sat upright on a stool, his posture straight, his face elegant, his eyes calmly looking at Lin Moran.

Shameless.

Who says a person with a straight posture has a righteous heart?

Using the aunties like this was simply ruthless.

What angered her most was that the aunties were very happy, feeling they had done something very meaningful.

“A desperate measure.”

Gu Jingyao replied.

His former leader had told him that the power of the people is infinite, unbreakable, able to protect the mountains and rivers, and uphold justice.

He rarely used this trick, but he used it today.

The effect was indeed excellent.

Lin Moran sneered.

“I have no ill intentions.”

Gu Jingyao said in a low voice.

“Even if you did, the people outside wouldn’t believe it.”

Now, everyone thought she was bullying Gu Jingyao, not letting him in.

She was neglecting a national hero.

In short, she was wrong.

“Gu Jingyao, is Xu Jingya’s foot better? Foot injuries are very painful and inconvenient. Compared to her, I think she needs you more.”

Lin Moran sat down indifferently, looking at him leisurely.

He didn’t accompany his white moonlight, but came here and played the victim.

Today, she would tear off his mask!