CHAPTER 157: CHAPTER 157: HELPLESS

This was the first time Ji Yu realized that there really were people who acted without expecting anything in return.

"Why are you doing all this? Gu Qixiao, don’t you think it’s unfair to yourself?"

"I do it because it makes me happy." Gu Qixiao cared deeply about Ji Yu’s feelings and knew she probably wasn’t feeling great inside either.

"Don’t worry, I won’t use any of this to force you, and even if I give so much, I know exactly what I’m doing. I’ve always been clear-headed, so you don’t have to worry."

When it came to this matter, he was strangely persistent.

But he remained clear-headed.

So clear-headed that even though it hurt, he still showed no signs of wanting to give up.

This time, Ji Yu didn’t say much further; however, her heart felt a little uneasy.

Even the doctor who came to check on her noticed something was off between the two.

"Young lady, your husband treats you very well. He stayed here all night taking care of you. If there’s something wrong, just talk it through. Why fuss over it?"

"He’s not my husband." Ji Yu didn’t understand why people kept assuming there was a bond between them.

The doctor’s expression became awkward for a moment. "Ah, is he your boyfriend then? A boyfriend who cares for you this much..."

Thinking about Ji Yu’s pregnancy, the doctor couldn’t help but find their relationship somewhat suspicious.

In the end, the doctor simply shut his mouth.

He likely mistook them for young lovers who got pregnant before marriage.

After the doctor left, Gu Qixiao sat silently on the side as though he was flipping through files, though not a single page had actually been turned for quite some time.

"I want to sleep a bit more. You should rest too; I can tell you probably haven’t slept for a while."

Otherwise, how could he look like that?

Gu Qixiao didn’t respond, seemingly agreeing with her statement. Yet, as Ji Yu drifted off to sleep, he still couldn’t help but walk to her bedside.

Looking at her delicate face, his heart was flooded with mixed emotions.

Just then, Assistant Li walked in with lunch.

Seeing the scene before him, he wasn’t sure how to react.

"President Gu, your lunch delivery."

"Leave it there. How’s the situation with the Lin family?" he asked in a subdued voice.

Lately, the Lin family’s actions had been nothing short of outrageous.

Which meant the contract negotiations were doomed to fail.

"The Lin family still refuses to terminate the contract. It seems this will require some time to negotiate."

After all, with the project at a standstill, both families were suffering losses. It was just a matter of when the Lin family would be willing to compromise.

Gu Qixiao wasn’t surprised by this outcome. "Keep monitoring their situation closely. Make sure you don’t agree to any of their demands."

"Understood."

As Assistant Li left, he caught a glimpse of Gu Qixiao carefully keeping watch at Ji Yu’s side. His concern was plain to see.

It was just unfortunate that when Ji Yu was awake, Gu Qixiao wouldn’t dare show such emotions.

With a sigh, Assistant Li couldn’t help but think that Gu Qixiao’s path in love was indeed full of hardships.

After Assistant Li left, the room returned to silence.

Gu Qixiao didn’t seem inclined to eat his lunch. Instead, he took a short nap on the side bed, only to wake up and realize Ji Yu was already awake.

She was leaning against the bed, looking at something, though her expression didn’t appear good.

"Is there anywhere else you feel uncomfortable? Should I call the doctor?"

Ji Yu shook her head. Seeing that he’d woken up, she simply asked, "Why did you cancel the collaboration with the Lin family so quickly? Did Uncle Gu agree to it?"

Gu Qixiao assumed she was merely being polite, unaware that she had known his father for quite some time.

"My dad has always said that in business, you must act decisively before the other side does. Given their personality, it was inevitable that our collaboration wouldn’t succeed."

Previously, their relationship was purely based on mutual interest. But now, things had changed.

With Ji Yu involved, it was clear they had begun to see him as a threat and would certainly make more moves in the future.

So there was no point in holding on to the partnership.

"I didn’t make this decision because of you; it’s simply because they’re problematic from the start."

Seeing how insistent he was, Ji Yu’s expression softened slightly. Perhaps reality was indeed frustrating; she could only sigh. "Since you’ve made the judgment, let’s deal with this together. But don’t let the Gu family suffer unnecessary losses."

Despite the friction between them, the Gu family’s interests still couldn’t be compromised.

Gu Qixiao was surprised, puzzled as to why Ji Yu cared so much about the Gu family’s matters. "Why do you take an interest in this?"

"Our issues shouldn’t interfere with our families’ businesses. It goes without saying."

Besides, the Lin family was bothersome for the Ji family too, so the matter had to be dealt with swiftly.

After agreeing on how to handle the situation, the dynamic between them changed perceptibly. Ji Yu’s gaze toward him grew noticeably more composed.

"So now that we’ve agreed to deal with the Lin family together, does this mean we can interact normally from now on?"

"Of course." Ji Yu was well aware that some things were inevitable, and it was better to address them directly than to keep avoiding them.

Whatever the intentions might be, at least the current outcome was favorable.

The connection between Gu Qixiao and Ji Yu deepened, and it was increasingly obvious how much he cared for her.

Even Madam Ji felt it wouldn’t be long before things developed between them.

"Yu, if you really like Gu, then talk to him properly. He treats you very well and surely wouldn’t mistreat you in the future."

Ji Yu couldn’t help but recall Madam Ji’s reaction upon learning about her divorce from Gu Qixiao. Thinking about her mother’s current attitude toward him, she almost wanted to laugh.

But she held it back. "Mom, aren’t we already working things out? Don’t start thinking about random things."

She truly was sincere regarding matters involving Gu Qixiao.

But to avoid running into Mr. Gu, she always made sure to meet Gu Qixiao outside to discuss things.

It was clear Gu Qixiao was curious about why Ji Yu seemed to know so much about his family.

"Have you looked into things about my family?"

Ji Yu thought he was being paranoid again and couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "I don’t care about your family’s business. But the Gu family’s affairs shouldn’t be a secret, should they?"

Gu Qixiao wasn’t accusing her. He simply found the whole situation somewhat strange. "That wasn’t what I meant—you really don’t have to misunderstand me."

He understood well that Ji Yu wouldn’t have any ulterior motives regarding this, so it had been nothing more than a casual question.