CHAPTER 113: CHAPTER 113: THANK YOU FOR LOVING ME

Two men went up and clamped Gong Xiaoyu’s mouth tightly, dragging her forcefully into the alley.

Gong Xiaoyu struggled desperately, but it was useless. Passersby turned a deaf ear to her plight, and her heart gradually sank into despair.

Just as she was about to be dragged into the alley, the screeching of brakes was heard from a car stopping by the roadside, and a man’s figure emerged from the vehicle.

Holding onto her last shred of hope, Gong Xiaoyu looked over, her eyes finally lighting up.

Yu Zheng quickly approached and put his hand on one of the thugs’ shoulders. The two thugs turned around: "Don’t get in our way..."

Without a word, Yu Zheng swung his fist, hitting one of the men on the head. The man screamed in pain. Before the other thug could react, Yu Zheng’s elbow had already struck him in the chest, and with a swift shoulder throw, he had the man on the ground.

The two thugs cried out in pain in succession. Gong Xiaoyu collapsed to the ground, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

The two thugs, almost bleeding from their noses and buzzing in their heads, realized that this man had some martial arts skills. Not daring to tangle any further, they decided to flee.

Yu Zheng didn’t let them off so easily. Though he appeared refined, he fought violently, effortlessly lifting one of the men and throwing punches, leaving them half-dead.

"Get lost!"

The two thugs scurried away, stumbling over each other.

Yu Zheng walked over to check on Gong Xiaoyu, his eyes full of concern: "Miss Gong, are you okay?"

Gong Xiaoyu clutched his arm, her hands trembling, and said, "Yu Zheng, thank goodness you were here... Wuwu..."

Gong Xiaoyu’s tears made Yu Zheng panic. Just a moment ago, he was a fierce and violent man, but now he was at a loss for what to do.

He clumsily comforted her: "Don’t cry, it’s over now. I’ll take you home." Luckily, he had passed by and seen what was happening. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Thinking about this made him a bit fearful. He hesitated, then gently patted her back and comforted her: "It’s alright now."

Gong Xiaoyu leaned on his shoulder and cried her heart out. At her most perilous moment, Yue Xiaoyang was with another woman. Why did she still think of that man? Gong Xiaoyu, you’re such a failure!

Yu Zheng only assumed that Gong Xiaoyu was frightened. Seeing her feet covered in scrapes, he said, "I’ll take you to the hospital to bandage your wounds."

Gong Xiaoyu grabbed his tie to wipe her tears, "My family would be worried if they saw me like this. Yu Zheng, can you take me in for a night?"

"...Alright, okay."

An Junxi remained silent in the car, lacking the energy to speak even when Gu Yikun tried to talk to her. Gu Yikun glanced at her several times before pulling down the car’s visor and hugging her, asking: "Are you unhappy?"

An Junxi shook her head. She couldn’t tell Gu Yikun about Yue Xiaoyang and the senior sister; she had promised her.

Seeing her senior sister so heartbroken made her really sad.

She hugged Gu Yikun’s waist tightly, making an excuse: "Yikun, I haven’t eaten yet, I’m hungry." She hadn’t eaten dinner; after work, she had directly gone to the furniture store with her senior sister.

Gu Yikun glanced at the time, then patted her bottom, "It’s so late and you still haven’t eaten. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?"

An Junxi felt wronged: "You hit me; I won’t talk to you anymore!"

She actually turned around, wanting to distance herself from him.

Gu Yikun helplessly pulled her back, "I was worried about you, silly girl."

An Junxi wrinkled her nose and snorted.

Gu Yikun said, "We’ll be home soon. Have a small meal when we get home."

"Will you eat with me?" It was already supper time. She remembered that he didn’t eat supper.

"When my dear wife gives the order, how dare I not comply?"

An Junxi’s mood lightened a bit, and she rewarded him with a kiss, "Thank you, darling."

Gu Yikun’s hands began to wander, but An Junxi didn’t let him succeed, "Dear, I’m really tired today."

Understanding her well, Gu Yikun said, "Alright, you have the night off."

When the two returned home, the house was unusually quiet. It was just after ten, but everyone seemed to have gone to sleep.

Nanny He was waiting at the door, looking nervous. "Master and Madam had a fight, and even Seventh Uncle couldn’t mediate. Now Master is sleeping in the study."

The big house was filled with tension; everyone was on edge, worried that a mistake might provoke the master, leading to dire consequences.

Gu Yikun was also surprised. His parents always kept their family matters private, never showing negative emotions in front of the servants. It was astonishing to see them arguing so openly.

He knew his parents’ relationship had never been good, but this level of conflict was a first.

An Junxi asked, "Do you know why they argued?"

Nanny He replied, "Miss Zhang Miaoyan moved out. Master said Madam couldn’t even tolerate a little girl, and Madam didn’t budge an inch. That’s how the argument started."

Reflecting on it was worrisome. Ever since Madam married into the Gu Family, she’d cared for and served her. Madam had never bowed her head to anyone, not even her husband. Handling today’s situation... might be very difficult.

An Junxi understood. So it was because of Zhang Miaoyan.

After hastily eating something with Gu Yikun, they went upstairs. Once the door was closed, she asked, "I heard Zhang Miaoyan is an orphan. Father has always supported her studies, and it was natural for her to join the Gu Family business after her studies. Is she the daughter of Father’s old friend?"

Gu Yikun said, "I’ve checked into it. Zhang Miaoyan’s mother used to be a servant for my grandmother. But she left the Gu Family before my parents got married. As for the exact reason... it’s been too long to confirm."

"Nanny He should know, right? Why not ask her?" Nanny He had been with the Gu Family for many years and should know a lot.

Gu Yikun said, "It concerns the elders’ privacy. I don’t want to dig up past events. What’s done is done."

An Junxi felt very curious and had already made up a dramatic story in her mind. She finally said, "Aren’t you worried? What if Zhang Miaoyan is actually your half-sister?"

Gu Yikun laughed and ruffled her hair, "What are you thinking? Father might have had feelings for a servant, but Zhang Miaoyan can’t be his illegitimate child. I’ve calculated the timelines, and they don’t match. That woman left the Gu Family several years before Zhang Miaoyan was born, and by then, Father was already studying in the United States."

Understanding now, An Junxi said, "Father must have really liked Zhang Miaoyan’s mother, which is why he took special care of Zhang Miaoyan." He and Mother had a political marriage; it’s inevitable that a couple respectful yet distant for so many years would end up arguing.

An Junxi couldn’t help but hold Gu Yikun tighter, saying, "Husband, being able to marry someone you love is truly a blessing."

Gu Yikun held her back, understanding the weight of her words.

If Yin Yue hadn’t died in childbirth, he and she would have ended up like his parents, living without genuine communication but unable to part. What’s the point of spending a lifetime like that?

Gu Yikun said, "I know how painful my parents’ marriage is. I once thought that Yin Yue and I would spend our lives that way, but many marriages are out of one’s control. Xi Xi, meeting you was the best thing heaven arranged for me."

He would cherish this woman for the rest of his life.

As for Yin Yue, she had left abruptly, just a small part of his life, and when he thought of her occasionally, he felt no particular emotion.

No matter how much she loved him, he couldn’t reciprocate. That’s what people call fate without destiny.

An Junxi was moved, "Yikun, thank you for loving me."