After returning to the hotel room, Lu Youze immediately pushed Gu Xuanze into the bathroom without saying a word. “Go take a shower, change into clean clothes, then we’ll talk.”

Gu Xuanze moved quickly. Before Lu Youze had even figured out how to start the conversation, he was already out of the shower, his hair still wet, the towel in his hand, and just a bath towel wrapped around him. Although he was eager to leave the bathroom, Gu Xuanze seemed to be afraid of something, not daring to approach Lu Youze. He just stood at the bathroom door, looking at him with hesitation.

Seeing Gu Xuanze like this, Lu Youze couldn’t help but sigh. He softened and waved at Gu Xuanze, who seemed to want to say something. “Aze, come here.”

A quick flash of something appeared in Gu Xuanze’s eyes, and without hesitation, he walked to Lu Youze’s side. To the outside world, Gu Xuanze was cold and distant, but right now, he looked obedient and pitiful, like a large dog looking at Lu Youze.

Seeing Gu Xuanze so aggrieved, Lu Youze felt both amused and exasperated. Why did it feel like he was the one bullying him?

“Aze, didn’t I tell you that I’m not in a hurry?” Lu Youze patted the seat beside him, signaling for Gu Xuanze to sit down. Once Gu Xuanze was seated, Lu Youze took the towel from his hand and began to dry his still-damp hair. “Aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?”

Lu Youze actually had a surge of unnamed anger inside, but he was desperately trying to suppress it. His movements as he dried Gu Xuanze’s hair were a bit rough, but Gu Xuanze didn’t dare complain, quietly letting Lu Youze mess with his hair.

“Aze, I’m just scared,” Gu Xuanze lowered his eyes, making it hard for Lu Youze to read the emotions in his gaze. It was impossible to tell if he was genuinely scared or if he was using a trick on Lu Youze, or maybe it was both. “I’m afraid that if I came out late, the room would be left with just me.”

When Lu Youze heard these words, it felt like his heart was being pricked with a needle. It wasn’t very painful, but it made him feel uncomfortable. He paused his hand, then simply placed the towel on Gu Xuanze’s head and turned him around. The hotel room’s sofa wasn’t very big, so they were sitting facing each other, their bodies pressed close together to fit both of them, preventing Gu Xuanze from falling off.

They were so close that they could hear each other’s heartbeat. Gu Xuanze gazed at Lu Youze’s face, so close that it was almost overwhelming, his senses filled with the scent of Lu Youze mixed with his own pheromones. He had to restrain himself from leaning in to kiss him.

The calmer Lu Youze acted, the more afraid Gu Xuanze became. At this moment, he dared not make any rash movements.

Lu Youze stared into Gu Xuanze’s eyes, not giving him a chance to evade. After acting in countless TV dramas for years, he knew that if things weren’t resolved, they would only get more troublesome.

“Aze, if you don’t want the thing you’re afraid of to happen, then explain everything to me clearly!”

Although the surveillance footage was crystal clear, and Lu Youze could completely confirm that Gu Xuanze was the father of the child in his belly, no matter what excuse Gu Xuanze had, if it wasn’t consensual, then it was a crime. Yet, Lu Youze still felt there were many uncertainties. With Lu Youze’s originally proud and self-assured nature, if Gu Xuanze had truly forced himself on him, even though he’d become disillusioned because of Yu Li, he still wouldn’t have done nothing.

Lu Youze wasn’t sure whether this was bias or protecting someone, but he just felt that things weren’t so simple. He wanted to believe in his lover. Gu Xuanze loved him so much; if the situation back then hadn’t been one where it seemed “necessary,” he didn’t think Gu Xuanze would have forced him. After all, this man loved him deeply and had his own pride. More importantly, he was smart and self-controlled. He knew that once they crossed that line, there wouldn’t be even the slightest chance left between them.

In reality, if not for his unexpected appearance, Gu Xuanze and Lu Youze might have never crossed paths again.

So, that night, in that room, in the place the camera couldn’t capture, what really happened? Lu Youze had been taken by force, and the only one who could answer him now was Gu Xuanze.

Gu Xuanze’s emotions were rolling, but soon everything returned to calm. He stood up from the sofa and sat on the edge of the bed. Being too close to Lu Youze, he couldn’t keep calm.

“Youze, will you believe me?” Gu Xuanze looked at him, his eyes flickering with something. “No matter what I say?”

That night, Lu Youze didn’t believe him. Every time he thought back to the cold look Lu Youze gave him, he felt a sharp pain. It was a memory he didn’t want to touch, but that painful and beautiful night was something he would never forget.

But now, things were different. The Youze now wasn’t the same as back then. Gu Xuanze looked at him with a trace of hope. If it were this Youze, he believed he would trust him.

Lu Youze looked at Gu Xuanze, whose eyes were filled with the fearful expression of a rabbit, pitiful and helpless, with a hint of hope. His heart trembled, and he was even more certain of his initial guess.

“Gu Xuanze,” Lu Youze decided to give him some reassurance. He wasn’t the same as before. He trusted his judgment when it came to men, and anyway, he had already made up his mind about Gu Xuanze. He looked at him, his eyes without a trace of doubt—only trust. “As long as it’s you, I’ll believe it. So, whether it’s about this matter or the long years ahead, I hope you won’t hide anything from me, even if it’s for my own good!”

He promised him a future and gave him absolute trust. Both were exactly what the now-terrified Gu Xuanze needed the most.

Gu Xuanze’s eyes reddened. In the end, he couldn’t hold back and hugged Lu Youze. He thought that even if Lu Youze were to take his life now, it wouldn’t matter. As long as he looked at him this way, he was willing to give up everything he had.

Gu Xuanze held Lu Youze, burying his head in his shoulder without saying a word.

Lu Youze didn’t rush him. After a while, when Gu Xuanze finally let go of him, his hair, freshly washed, was smooth against his forehead. With his bangs down, he seemed softer and more obedient. He sat back on the bed, and when he looked at Lu Youze again, his expression had returned to its usual calm.

“Youze,” Gu Xuanze’s voice carried a hint of apology. “I’m not trying to make excuses, but that night really had its reasons.”

But deep inside, he knew he was evil and despicable. No matter what the reason was, he had acted out of selfishness and caused Lu Youze pain, and those were undeniable facts.

“Mm,” Lu Youze nodded, signaling for him to continue.