Chapter 56: Feeling Wronged

Upon the arrival of Gu Hansheng, the sky had already darkened.

The open-air parking lot was filled with vehicles, among which Ji Chen slowly maneuvered, eventually guided to park beside another luxurious car.

As the valet opened the car door, Gu Hansheng emerged, only to be unexpectedly greeted by a Bentley Continental within his line of sight, perfectly aligned next to the Phantom.

He darkened his gaze, taking strides towards the main entrance.

By now, the Taijing Villa was already aglow with its lights, and the several collaborating partners had long shifted from the golf course to the villa's finest open-air terrace, where one could oversee a vast portion of Yucheng.

Individuals of various backgrounds had already restored their attire to the sophistication of suits and polished shoes.

Having suffered a bit of a setback earlier in the afternoon, experiencing the awkwardness of being left out, there was no inclination whatsoever to mingle with the flattery and sycophancy of that crowd.

Observing from afar, Lu Jinsheng was engaged in lively conversation with several company executives, hinting subtly at the prospect of abandoning Zhen Group in favor of Yu Xin Group.

Gradually feeling restless, she descended to the ground floor.

While still on the escalator, she received a call from Ji Chen.

Making her way briskly towards the entrance, she noticed Gu Hansheng and Ji Chen approaching from afar, with the man standing atop the metaphorical pyramid exuding an air of charisma that drew the attention of many.

The man clad in a black shirt possessed a formidable aura, his facial contours chiseled and cold, exuding a demeanor even more aloof than that of Lu Jinsheng.

As she took two steps forward to receive Gu Hansheng's suit jacket and coat from Ji Chen, she heard Ji Chen's subdued voice: "The gentleman is not in a good mood, speak less, do more."

"What's the matter?"

"What did I just say?"

Speak less, do more.

Gu Hansheng's appearance caused quite a stir.

Some individuals' allegiances shifted as swiftly as the weather in Yucheng, as a man holding a glass of wine made a beeline towards him.

"It's truly a delight to see Mr. Gu tonight."

Accepting the glass from him without taking a sip, Gu Hansheng's lips curled into a cold smile. "I hope for only delight, not surprises."

The man felt awkward, shifting the conversation. "I heard you had to deal with some important private matters this afternoon?"

"Yes, there was a bit of commotion, unavoidable."

This statement lacked a clear subject, leaving its implications ambiguous, yet it easily prompted the listener to infer.

Seemingly caught off guard by Gu Hansheng's straightforwardness, the man smiled awkwardly, coincidentally catching the gaze of Lu Jinsheng's group, and continued, "I heard that this afternoon, Mr. Lu showcased remarkable skills at golf. It's a pity you weren't there; otherwise, you could have competed with him."

Gu Hansheng narrowed his eyes, locking gazes with Lu Jinsheng from a distance.

Two equally outstanding individuals, their only intersection being a brief two-second exchange of glances, yet amidst their composed demeanor, Shiqing sensed a hint of underlying tension.

Lu Jinsheng smiled apologetically at the surrounding people, then walked towards Gu Hansheng.

Handing the glass to Shiqing, Gu Hansheng controlled his emotions well, extending his hand to shake the one offered by Lu Jinsheng.

A brief handshake, yet laden with hidden meanings.

"Mr. Gu, I've heard that Zhen Group's Zichen Real Estate project has reached its mid-to-late stages. In half a year at most, Yucheng's premier commercial residential center may undergo a name change..." Lu Jinsheng took two glasses of champagne from a waiter's tray, handed one to Gu Hansheng, raised his glass in a seemingly indifferent tone, "Congratulations."

Interestingly, neither of them drank the wine.

Gu Hansheng revealed his first smile of the evening, but his tone was half a degree colder than Lu Jinsheng's, "Mr. Lu, it's premature to congratulate me. Only if nothing unexpected happens tonight would be deemed lucky for me."

The 'unexpected' naturally referred to Lu Jinsheng.

"Mr. Gu, I heard that Zhen Group's Zichen Real Estate project has progressed into its later stages. In at most half a year, Yucheng's most prestigious commercial residential center may have to change its name..." Lu Jinsheng took two glasses of champagne from a waiter's tray and handed one to Gu Hansheng, raising his glass to him with a calm tone, "Congratulations."

Interestingly, neither of them drank the wine.

Gu Hansheng revealed the first smile of the evening, yet his tone was colder than Lu Jinsheng's, "Mr. Lu, your compliments are appreciated. However, if nothing unexpected happens tonight, that would be the true luck for me."

This unexpected event naturally referred to Lu Jinsheng.

"Mr. Gu, you're overthinking it. The Lu family never engages in any real estate projects; this is already a public secret."

With that, Lu Jinsheng smiled, "Please, Mr. Gu, make yourself at home."

In their first encounter, Lu Jinsheng had a slight advantage.

Though imperceptible to outsiders, Gu Hansheng's reaction seemed petty.

Shiqing, noticing this, quickly stepped forward, taking the initiative to apologize, "Mr. Gu, it was my negligence. It is said that one of the Lu family rules prohibits the Lu Group and any of its descendants from involving themselves in any real estate projects..."

"I'm sorry..."

Shiqing had acted impulsively. She had never dealt with Yu Xin Group before, and when it came to Lu Jinsheng, she had only paid attention to his tabloid news without delving deeper into the matter.

Who would have thought that she would meet Lu Jinsheng here today, and because of her negligence, her boss would lose face.

Gu Hansheng remained composed, but the atmosphere around him had changed.

He still wore a smile on his face, but Shiqing found it unsettling.

Especially when he downed the glass of champagne Lu Jinsheng had just handed him. As the liquid slid down his throat, it seemed like resentment was spreading everywhere.

She reached out to take the glass, but it was already tossed into a nearby potted plant, as if venting frustration.

In the latter part of the evening, Gu Hansheng personally took charge of entertaining guests.

Ji Chen came out for some fresh air from the dinner, only to find Shiqing leaning lifelessly against the railing, devoid of her usual vigor.

"Shiqing?"

Shiqing turned around, motioning towards inside with her lips, "What's going on in there? Why did you come out?"

"I usually restrain myself, but tonight, one drink after another, I've had quite a few," Ji Chen stated lightly.

"My professional career won't end like this..." Shiqing made a gesture of rubbing her neck.

Ji Chen pondered for a moment, looking at Shiqing very seriously, "He's angry, and you have a part to play, but I think the real hero is someone else."

"Oh?"

Shiqing probably guessed who it was.

Later, Ji Chen mentioned that Mr. Gu had originally planned to have dinner at the Gu family's old mansion with Liang Shu, but halfway through, the car changed direction. He didn't attend to his mother or his wife. How could he not be angry?

...

Close to eleven o'clock in the evening, Gu Hansheng left Taijing Villa without staying the night.

The weather in Yucheng changed quickly. It was sunny in the afternoon, but in the evening, it turned into a torrential rainstorm.

Ji Chen had instructed the driver to prepare stomach medicine and water in the car in advance. As soon as Gu Hansheng got in, Shiqing handed him a hot towel. He took it and began to leisurely wipe his hands, with a faint furrow between his brows.

The patter of rain was blocked out by the windows.

Gu Hansheng took the medicine and closed his eyes to rest, placing his hand on his abdomen.

After a while, he spoke, "Clear my schedule for tomorrow. I'll go back to the old mansion to have dinner with my grandmother. Don't tell anyone about what happened tonight."

Shiqing knew he was referring to the stomach issue caused by excessive drinking.

She rearranged his schedule for the next day, then hesitated and turned from the passenger seat, "You have an important video conference tomorrow morning. After the meeting, you could still make it back to the old mansion to have lunch with your grandmother."

"Cancel it," came the indifferent and decisive reply.

"Yes."

In the afternoon, Wen Mingting had called Gu Hansheng to invite him for dinner, knowing his leniency towards his grandmother.

However, with the unexpected encounter with Lu Jinsheng, they turned back to Taijing Villa midway.

In doing so, Gu Hansheng missed the appointment, and he intended to spend the entire day tomorrow compensating Wen Mingting, fulfilling his filial duties as a son.

And now, with the added relationship with Liang Shu.

Taijing Villa was situated atop a mountain, quite distant from the city center.

Even though the roads were mostly clear at this hour, it still took nearly forty minutes to return to Zero Mansion.

It was almost midnight.

Liang Shu had cooked two dishes with the chef in the evening, but when dinner time arrived and Gu Hansheng hadn't returned, she called him, but he didn't pick up.

It was very late when Shiqing finally replied to her call, explaining that Mr. Gu was still engaged in business.

She had appeared calm at the time, but upon reflection, she felt a bit aggrieved. Although their marriage was far from perfect, a simple phone call to let her know would have sufficed. Then she wouldn't have had to bother cooking dinner to please him, especially since she accidentally cut her own hand while cooking.

When Shiqing called her, it was nine o'clock.

Liang Shu had eaten quite salty and heavy food in the evening, so she woke up thirsty before midnight and had to come downstairs to find water. It was only then that she realized Gu Hansheng hadn't come back at all.

As she descended the stairs, she noticed that there were many voices in the living room, and the lights were on.

Qu An was surprised, "Oh, how did Mr. Gu end up like this? His stomach has always been delicate, and he usually knows how to control himself. Why today..."

Shiqing apologized in advance, "Business wasn't going smoothly tonight, and Mr. Gu might be upset. We didn't watch him closely, so he probably had a few extra drinks." She promptly supported Gu Hansheng, "He took stomach medicine in the car on the way back, so I think it should be fine."

"It's late, and it's also hard on both of you to bring Mr. Gu back."

Shiqing quickly waved her hand, "Not at all."

Liang Shu was still standing unnoticed. She watched the man, supported by Ji Chen, his brow furrowed tightly, fingers lightly pressing his abdomen, clearly in a state of extreme discomfort.

At this moment, Qu An walked out with a hot towel and happened to notice Liang Shu standing there.

She froze, "Madam, what are you doing here?"

Upon hearing this, the two people standing in the sofa area also turned their attention towards Liang Shu's attire. Shiqing smiled apologetically and nodded, "Madam, did we wake you up?"

The villa had good sound insulation, and with the distance between upstairs and downstairs, Liang Shu naturally wouldn't have been disturbed.

Shaking her head, Liang Shu approached, "No, I ate something salty for dinner and felt thirsty, so I came down to get some water."

Qu An hurriedly handed the hot towel to Liang Shu, "Since Madam is here, why don't you wipe Mr. Gu's face? I'll go pour you some warm water."

"Thank you, Qu An." Liang Shu took the hot towel, and Ji Chen had already placed Gu Hansheng on the sofa. He was still wearing his suit jacket, with the top two buttons of his shirt undone, faintly revealing his collarbone.

Liang Shu carefully wiped his face with the hot towel, observing his trembling eyelashes and furrowed brow. She couldn't help but sigh, "He's truly drunk beyond recognition."

In the next moment, Liang Shu, wearing a silk pajama underneath a knee-length cardigan, suddenly collapsed onto the man's lap, her wrist initially grabbed by Gu Hansheng, but in an instant, he pulled her into his arms.

"Ah—"

Liang Shu's balance was off, not expecting this move from a clearly intoxicated man. She was afraid of putting her weight on him, so she hurriedly exclaimed, "Gu Hansheng, what are you doing in the middle of the night?"

The key was that everyone was watching.

But Gu Hansheng acted as if no one was there, holding her tightly in his arms. The more she struggled, the tighter his embrace became.

"Could you let me go first? Your face is covered in sweat, and you must be in a lot of pain. Let me wipe it for you."

Upon hearing this, Gu Hansheng pinched her waist, avoiding the area where she was injured, then unabashedly sealed Liang Shu's lips with his own.

Liang Shu's eyes widened. Although she had resisted Gu Hansheng's kisses before, it was always when there was no one else around.

But now...

She only felt the overwhelming smell of alcohol, but no amount of it could compare to the discomfort of having several people watching them like this.

Her slender fingers slipped into his open suit jacket and tightly gripped his shirt. "Gu... Hansheng, they're all watching... us..."

In fact, the two people around them had long turned their heads away when Gu Hansheng kissed Liang Shu. As for Qu An, who had come out of the kitchen again, she froze at the embarrassing scene, her smile stiffening. She quickly turned her head and hurried back into the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Gu Hansheng had had enough. His teeth moved to Liang Shu's neck, and from the depths of his throat came a low, husky voice, "So fragrant."

Shiqing, "..."

Ji Chen, "..."

Shiqing didn't even turn her head, maintaining her posture. "Madam, please watch over Mr. Gu. Ji Assistant and I will leave first."

With that, she grabbed Ji Chen and left.

Meanwhile, Liang Shu, entangled, couldn't even find the time to deal with anything else.

Gu Hansheng's antics at her neck were more playful than forceful, tickling her all over like a gentle caress, leaving her feeling tingly all over.

The living room returned to silence.

Liang Shu got up from him, but just as she stood up, she was pulled back down onto the sofa by him this time.

This time, she wasn't caught off guard, so she didn't panic like the first time. However, her head spun for a few seconds.

"Gu..."

As soon as she opened her mouth, she met the man's dark, deep eyes, clear as if soaked in water, reflecting her frightened face in the pupils.

Liang Shu was still pinned down by him. She suddenly remembered that she had foolishly cooked earlier in the evening and now felt it wasn't worth it. She frowned, "You think I have no money or power, and that I forced you to marry me with tricks, so you deliberately toy with me."

The man's breath, filled with the smell of tobacco and alcohol, sprayed onto Liang Shu's face. Liang Shu could barely move her body except her head. She turned her face away but couldn't avoid it, so she said, "Could Mr. Gu please get up? You're just bothering yourself, why bother others?"

Her clearly defined chin was caught by him. The man bit her lip directly. "You are Mrs. Gu. If I don't bother you, who else would I bother?"

Liang Shu pushed his chest with her hand, "Then could you please get up first? I'm very thirsty. Qu An has gone to get me some water. Let me have a sip first."

But Gu Hansheng stared at her lips, "I'm not thirsty. You're the one who's thirsty."

Liang Shu retorted, "Gu Hansheng, didn't you say your stomach was uncomfortable? Do you have energy now? Were you pretending earlier?"

Although he had woken up to tease her, his furrowed brow remained unfurled, just like before.

The man casually pinched her waist, then slowly sat up, but most of his body weight still leaned on her. Liang Shu almost couldn't hold him and heard his commanding voice, "Mrs. Gu, help me to the bedroom."

"Can you walk on your own?"

Liang Shu called Qu An over, and Qu An hurriedly came out of the kitchen.

Without looking back, she trembled and helped Gu Hansheng to the stairs. "Could you please make a sobering soup for me?"

"Sure thing."

Seeing her, a slender woman, trembling as she helped Gu Hansheng up the stairs as if she was about to collapse at any moment, Qu An hurriedly approached, "Madam, do you need any help?"

Liang Shu shook her head, struggling to support Gu Hansheng up the stairs. "No, thank you."

A few minutes later.

At the bedroom door, Liang Shu's forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat. She reached out to open the door, but her fingers were unexpectedly grabbed by a warm palm. Liang Shu turned her head, only to unexpectedly meet the man's deep eyes.

His sharp eyebrows and eyes appeared in front of Liang Shu. She blinked and opened her mouth, "Were you pretending to be drunk?"

Soon, the door was opened by him.

Liang Shu was dragged into the room by him, and she stayed in his arms for two seconds. Then came the sound of the door being slammed shut, and she found herself pressed against the thick, cold door panel.

The room was pitch black, and in the silence, Liang Shu could hear the man's steady heartbeat clearly.

Beneath her feet was a soft carpet, and Liang Shu sniffed the strong smell of smoke emanating from the man's body. She wrinkled her nose and said, "Mr. Gu, not only are you addicted to smoking, but you also drink without reservation."

Gu Hansheng's palm was pinching the woman's slender waist. In the darkness, his expression couldn't be seen clearly, and only his slightly intoxicated voice could be heard, "What dishes did you make tonight?"

She bit her lip, "Since you didn't have the chance to taste them, there's no need to say."

"Ah—", there was a hand playing tricks on her waist, and Liang Shu couldn't bear it. She dodged to the side, "Stop it, I surrender."

"Ha," Gu Hansheng lowered his head, and Liang Shu once again tasted the strong alcohol from his mouth, which was very strong. He said, "Surrendering won't help."

This time, Liang Shu felt weak in the knees, and it was Gu Hansheng who carried her to the bed.

The lighting in the room was still suitable for such activities.

Liang Shu shrank into the blanket and watched the man standing by the window like a beast. She blinked, "It's late, Mr. Gu. You should wash up and go to bed early."

"Okay." He turned against the light, starting to button up his shirt. Liang Shu peeked through the gap in the blanket with half-closed eyes to see his face. She only heard him say, "You should sleep first."

With a loud thud, Liang Shu pulled up the blanket and closed her eyes tightly, her long eyelashes trembling gently. "Liang Shu is already asleep."

In the silent air, there was the low laughter of a man.

After waiting for a while without any sound outside, Liang Shu slowly pulled back the blanket. Gu Hansheng was no longer there, and the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

At this moment, Qu An knocked on the bedroom door.

Liang Shu went to open the door and took the sobering tea she brought. "It's so late, thank you, Qu An. Go and rest."

The housekeeper smiled and glanced into the bedroom before saying, "Mr. Gu's stomach isn't feeling well, and he drank alcohol tonight. It must be uncomfortable for him. Madam, please take care of Mr. Gu."

Liang Shu nodded, "Okay."

She had just placed the sobering tea on the small table when Gu Hansheng's phone rang.

Liang Shu rushed to the sofa and took out his phone from his coat pocket. However, the call was automatically disconnected before she could answer it.

After two minutes, the caller persistently called again. Liang Shu glanced at the closed bathroom door, then lowered her head and accidentally slid the answer button open with her thumb.

She held the phone to her ear:

"Is this Gu Hansheng?"

A gentle female voice.

Liang Shu was stunned for a moment, glanced at the bathroom door, then lowered her head. The voice repeated on the other end, and Liang Shu smirked slowly, "Sorry, you dialed the wrong number."

With that, she hung up the phone.

Gu Hansheng's phone interface was incredibly simple.

There was no password set, not even a fingerprint lock, just the simplest and most primitive lock screen.

Liang Shu easily slid open the phone and found the recent call from overseas. After checking it, she placed the phone back where it was. The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped.

Gu Hansheng finished washing up and came out.

Liang Shu was sitting on the sofa, looking at her phone. When she saw him coming out, she handed him the cup of tea, "This is sobering tea  Qu An brought. Have some, or your head will hurt tomorrow morning."

He was only wearing a towel around his waist, barely covering his proud male symbol. Liang Shu watched as water droplets fell from his damp hair and slid down his well-defined chest, disappearing beneath the white towel.

This sight...

Liang Shu turned her face away indifferently, but Gu Hansheng found her reaction somewhat amusing. He approached her and said, "Haven't seen it before?"

The oppressive atmosphere enveloped Liang Shu, with the sofa behind her, leaving her with nowhere to retreat.

Then, a pair of fair and slightly cold fingers suddenly rested on the man's chest.

In fact, Liang Shu had felt his chest more than once in bed, but the feeling at this moment was quite different.

What was the texture?

The first impression was like... stone.

The well-defined muscles were very strong, and when she tentatively pinched them, she found she couldn't move them.

When Liang Shu tried to withdraw her hand, Gu Hansheng suddenly grabbed it and looked down at her, "Don't feel like sleeping tonight?"

The woman obediently shook her head, then looked at him, " Qu An has been considering my health these days, so I've been eating light food. I finally persuaded the chef to make something flavorful tonight, but I woke up thirsty in the middle of the night, so I just came downstairs to get some water, who knew..."

Gu Hansheng stared at the faint marks on her neck that were barely visible and drank the cup of sobering tea, "It's late, let's go to bed."

"Okay."

Close to one o'clock in the morning, Liang Shu lay in bed and suddenly lost her sleepiness.

Behind her, Gu Hansheng hugged her, his breathing gradually deepening.

...

The next day was the weekend.

Liang Shu hadn't slept much all night and woke up late the next day.

After getting up and tidying up, she went downstairs.  Qu An and a group of maids were bringing flowers into the house.

Bouquets of fresh flowers were blooming brightly.

Liang Shu raised her eyebrows and watched them busy at work. She asked Qu An, "What are you doing?"

Qu An smiled, "Madam, today is Thanksgiving, so we're arranging some flowers to create an atmosphere."

It was already November 28th.

She was about to help, but Qu An stopped her, "Madam, you're delicate. Most of these flowers have thorns. Don't worry, we'll take care of it."

Since that was the case, she wouldn't be of much help here. "Where's the master?"

"He's in the flower room."

Liang Shu wrapped her shawl tightly around her and headed towards the flower room.

It was quite a coincidence that today was Thanksgiving, and the servants of Zero Mansion had brought many fresh rose bouquets. On her way to the flower room, Liang Shu happened to step on several thorns.

Sharp and slender thorns pierced through the soles of her shoes and into her flesh.

At that moment, the pain furrowed Liang Shu's brows tightly.

She endured the pain, took her foot out of the shoe, leaned against the wall, and looked down at her foot. Fortunately, the cushioning of the shoe sole prevented serious injury to the bottom of her foot, but it was still very painful.

A very small wound, and even the thorn was removed, leaving no trace.