Volume One, Chapter Five: Blocked

Zhou Xianyu also thought of this, and seeing his gaze grow increasingly intense, she hurriedly tried to stand up. "I'll do it, I'll blacklist him right now..."

Gu Qichuan quickly grabbed her restlessly moving body, pinning her by the shoulders while looking down at her phone, his voice deep and heavy: "Do it just like that."

Zhou Xianyu was very close to him; after their little struggle, she felt her body temperature rising, her cheeks flushed with a faint crimson, and her breathing uneven.

Summer was approaching, and the weather was somewhat sultry. She had even broken into a light sweat. Gu Qichuan refused to budge, insisting on keeping her before him to watch her block Jiang Wenhua.

Forced to sit in front of him, her nose was filled with his strong, familiar scent. Even though they used the same body wash, the scent he carried was somehow different from hers.

Zhou Xianyu began deleting and blacklisting all of Jiang Wenhua's contact methods with her phone. Gu Qichuan’s large palm, which had been holding her shoulders to keep her steady, had not yet been withdrawn.

Emotions surged and churned in his eyes, his lips curling into a slight arc. He stared at her from inches away, observing her reddened earlobes, the pleasant scent that belonged uniquely to her, and her fair, delicate face.

Since their marriage, this was the first time he felt as though he had truly drawn close to her. And she was no longer looking at him with fear or disgust, trying to distance herself.

A subtle atmosphere permeated the air. Zhou Xianyu turned her gaze to meet his somewhat dazed eyes. "It's done... look, he's gone from everything."

Gu Qichuan gave a soft hum. Even if she were acting, even if she were merely deceiving him, since she had chosen to approach him, she would have to be prepared to deceive him for a lifetime.

Gu Qichuan’s gaze was possessive, intense, and obscure. Zhou Xianyu could not decipher the emotions in his eyes, but her heart was beating rapidly.

She tossed her phone haphazardly onto the nightstand. "Enough talk, I'm going to sleep. Go dry your hair."

She lay down in bed, as if trying to cover up her nervousness, pulling the quilt up to her shoulders and curling up inside.

In truth, it wasn't as if they hadn't shared a bed since they married, but they were rarely together. Even when both were home, their sleep schedules often missed each other. Often, Zhou Xianyu would fall asleep while Gu Qichuan was still in the study; by the time he came to bed, she was already asleep, and by the time she woke up, he had already left for work.

Sometimes, she could only tell if he had come home the previous night by the residual warmth on his side of the bed.

Moreover, she and Gu Qichuan... had never been intimate. She had always viewed their marriage as a cooperative arrangement, never considering a physical relationship with him, nor could she accept such intimacy with someone she didn't love.

Once, when Gu Qichuan had been drinking, he attempted to kiss her; after she pushed him away frantically and wept in terror, he had left the room in silence and never touched her again.

Like now, with both of them awake and the atmosphere oddly enchanting, it was a first.

Lost in her thoughts, Zhou Xianyu drifted into sleep, feeling safe and comforted by the warm light of the bedside lamp. She turned on her side, gradually relaxing.

Gu Qichuan emerged from the bathroom and his eyes fell upon the small bundle of her. He paced over to her side.

His usually sharp, deep gaze was now gentle and tender. His large hand hovered over her fair cheek, yet he hesitated to touch her.

His eyes lingered on her crimson lips. His breath brushed over her, but he stopped short of kissing her, merely hovering in the air. Finally, he slowly stood up, returned to the bed, and carefully pulled her into his embrace.

***

On the other side, Jiang Wenhua’s anger remained unquenched. He paced back and forth in his room, smashing several items in his fury before collapsing into a chair, gasping for air.

A flicker of malice crossed his eyes. The number he had just dialed was unreachable; Zhou Xianyu had blocked all his numbers. She was actually being this ruthless...

Did she really think she could live comfortably with Gu Qichuan and be rid of them?

Jiang Wenhua sneered, searching his screen for Zhou Qianqian’s contact information.

He had always assumed that Zhou Xianyu would follow him forever—that no matter if he had a girlfriend or was married, there would always be a place for him in her heart.

But he had never expected that when the day finally came that the girl who used to chase behind him, calling him "Brother Wenhua" so sweetly, no longer liked him, he would feel such panic—as if something was quietly slipping away.

No, impossible. How could she stop liking him?

They had grown up together, experiencing countless life events that Gu Qichuan had no part in. Everyone knew that Zhou Xianyu, as arrogant and spoiled as she was, reserved her feminine tenderness for him and him alone.

Everyone knew that Zhou Xianyu was hopelessly in love with him.

So, it was impossible. Zhou Xianyu could not possibly have stopped liking him.

With trembling hands, Jiang Wenhua called Zhou Qianqian. The call connected, and a voice as gentle as water spoke: "Brother Wenhua, is something the matter so late?"

"Qianqian... I had a fight with your sister... could you help me persuade her?"

"..."

The woman sitting before the vanity, her expression soft, was gently brushing her hair. Her phone sat on the table on speakerphone. Zhou Qianqian looked up, her eyes filled with scrutiny and disdain.

"Brother Wenhua, you're saying... Zhou Xianyu and Gu Qichuan are together?"

"Yes! Otherwise, why would she refuse to help me? Qianqian, is there any way you can help me talk to your sister? Who in our circle doesn't know what kind of person Gu Qichuan is? What good can come of her falling for him?"

Zhou Qianqian gave a sarcastic smile, though her eyes were heavy with thought. Had Zhou Xianyu stopped being a fool? Or was she playing hard to get? Had she really stopped liking Jiang Wenhua?

The voice on the phone continued, but Zhou Qianqian cut off his rant, speaking softly: "Brother Wenhua, you're overthinking it. How could my sister stop liking you? Everyone has seen how much she has loved you all these years. This time will be no exception."

"When a woman is angry, you just have to coax her. Tell you what... the day after tomorrow, isn't the Lin family hosting a welcome banquet for the Young Master? He has a good relationship with Gu Qichuan, so Zhou Xianyu and Gu Qichuan will surely attend. When you see her then, just explain things properly."

Zhou Qianqian’s voice was filled with a smile, but her face was expressionless, her eyes narrowing bit by bit. *Zhou Xianyu, my dear sister, I have prepared a grand gift for you at that banquet...*

Reassured by her words, Jiang Wenhua felt his heart lighten significantly. After a few more hurried words, he ended the call.

***

Sunlight spilled in through the gaps in the curtains. The person in bed turned over slightly, opening her eyes in a daze to find the space beside her empty.

Zhou Xianyu rose slowly to wash and change into casual clothes—a pale yellow camisole paired with a beige cardigan—and prepared to head downstairs for breakfast.

As she passed the living room, her steps faltered. The man she assumed had already left for the office was sitting on the sofa, calmly holding a cup of steaming coffee while reviewing a document.