CHAPTER 467: CHAPTER 467: REALLY CARES

"How could I possibly just leave you like this? Yu, are you a fool? If I really wanted to leave you, I would’ve done it long ago. How could I still be by your side until now?"

Thinking about Ji Yu’s earlier behavior, he felt she must have endured a lot of suffering.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said something like this.

"Gu Qixiao, I truly don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore. I love you, but I can’t be with you. I need to protect your life."

She rarely cried, yet at this moment, she couldn’t help herself.

"I’ve always been here. I know you’re trying to protect me—isn’t that why I came to see you?" Gu Qixiao’s gaze upon her was filled with pain, knowing she must have gone through a lot over this period.

The ordeals she faced had shaped her into this. He hurt deeply for her.

"Yu, I love you, so no matter what you do, I can understand."

At this point, Ji Yu faintly realized something was wrong.

But perhaps it was because she was feverish and disoriented, not wanting to confront reality. Instinctively, she reached out to embrace the person before her.

And she managed to do just that.

The two of them could no longer be separated this time.

She cried for a while in Gu Qixiao’s arms, then drifted into a hazy sleep.

Gu Qixiao looked at her like this, and his heart ached terribly.

"Yu, you really are a fool. How could you do something so foolish in this situation?"

If Ji Yu wanted it, he could give her everything he had.

Yet now, because she feared he might be hurt, she used this ploy to avoid him.

The feeling left his chest aching terribly.

"If you stay here much longer, you’re likely to be discovered soon. I suggest it’s better if you try not to be found."

Lin Zhao saw them like this and suddenly felt a bit envious.

Gu Qixiao naturally had no pleasant attitude toward him.

"Why are you here?"

Lin Zhao knew that seeing his face would surely make him uncomfortable.

"President Ji needs some proper rest. You better not disturb her."

Of course, Gu Qixiao couldn’t bear to wake up the person beside him at such a moment.

Following Lin Zhao’s suggestion, he left the room immediately.

Watching Gu Qixiao’s decisive departure, Lin Zhao knew his mood must be awful. Yet, it was only because of Ji Yu that he forced himself to stay here.

"You should understand your situation with her by now, right? I see President Ji treats you very well. Sometimes I envy you—having encountered such a perfect love. But, unfortunately, even this comes with complications."

Lin Zhao felt pity for their situation.

Still, he now had a bold idea.

"If you have something to say, just say it already—why drag it out like this?" Gu Qixiao had long noticed his odd behavior.

"I have a suggestion. I wonder if you’d consider it."

Lin Zhao wasn’t entirely sure whether he’d fall for it.

"Speak your mind."

"I want to exchange identities with you. That way, you can stay by President Ji’s side. What do you think of this plan?" His gaze toward Gu Qixiao carried a hint of temptation.

Clearly, he knew Gu Qixiao wouldn’t turn down such a deal.

"Do you think I’d believe what you’re saying?" Gu Qixiao couldn’t possibly be foolish enough to trust his words.

"If you don’t believe me, then you have no way of getting close to President Ji." He used this as a way to draw closer to him.

"Don’t you want to be with her?" He knew full well that as long as their love was genuine, such an offer would be hard to resist.

"And what about you?" Gu Qixiao didn’t believe there would be free handouts in this world without ulterior motives.

"I need a generous reward from you." Speaking of this, his eyes carried a trace of greed.

"Is that all? I don’t believe you’d make such a choice just for a reward." Gu Qixiao’s icy gaze at him clearly conveyed his distrust.

"My intent is clear—it’s just that you haven’t figured it out yet. Think about it properly when you go back; maybe you’ll understand my meaning then."

From the beginning, his desires had been very clear.

He envied their love but understood that sometimes love couldn’t be equated with survival. What he needed more was a substantial reward.

"President Gu, you can go back and think it over. Such opportunities aren’t easy to come by."

While leaving, Gu Qixiao pondered over this matter. Truthfully, he was still very tempted in his heart.

Yet he couldn’t convince himself to make this choice.

He didn’t want their feelings to be built upon a foundation of deceit.

"President Gu, why bother saying all this? Asking yourself what’s truly in your heart is more important than anything." Lin Zhao was indeed adept at psychological manipulation; his words carried significant implications.

Gu Qixiao didn’t agree immediately but couldn’t stop thinking back to it once he got home.

If it meant being able to see Ji Yu every day, paying some price seemed reasonable.

"I’ll do it." It didn’t even take him a night to answer.

Lin Zhao wasn’t surprised by the result, just a little taken aback by the speed.

"President Gu, could it be you didn’t rest at all last night because of this?"

"This matter has nothing to do with you, so stay out of it." Gu Qixiao now only wanted to see the one he longed for, knowing Ji Yu wasn’t indifferent to him—she merely wanted to protect him.

"President Gu, have you finalized the reward?" Lin Zhao cared most about this aspect.

"That’s not something that concerns you anymore." Gu Qixiao spoke with a cold smile, clearly having already made his preparations.

As Lin Zhao’s questioning gaze lingered, he suddenly felt everything go black and fainted.

He hadn’t expected this outcome even in his last moments before losing consciousness.

Gu Qixiao had known from the beginning he harbored bad intentions. Thus, he never intended to give him any reward.

By now, Ji Yu had also woken up, merely believing the events of the previous night to be a dream. She paid it no mind.

"Why are you standing there all dazed?"