Chapter 64: Give it a Try
In the wee hours a few days ago...
With a gentle touch, Liang Shu lightly tapped the trunk, retrieving the ring she wore around her neck. The silver band gleamed dimly in the dark night.
It was the day he took her to buy the ring.
That deep night, she woke from a nightmare. The other side of the vast bed was icy cold, indicating his departure long ago, and he had yet to return by the latter part of the night.
Most likely, it was Su Yan from the Yu Mountain Villa who detained his footsteps.
Liang Shu was aware of Su Yan's return to Yu Mountain Villa from the hospital.
Although the hospital had relatively complete medical equipment, there were still numerous pathogens. Gu Hansheng was not short of money; he could purchase the most advanced medical equipment and hire the best doctors. As long as he wished, Su Yan would not encounter any problems.
Otherwise, how could he, who had one foot in the grave, be repeatedly saved by Gu Hansheng?
Gu Hansheng probably truly loved Su Yan, Liang Shu thought to herself.
He loved her enough to willingly succumb to the threats of mundane people like her, relinquishing his position as Mrs. Gu.
Liang Shu looked down at her shoes and suddenly chuckled silently. Thankfully, thankfully.
Thankfully, neither she nor Gu Hansheng loved each other.
Liang Shu returned to the living room. Qu An busily handed her the phone, "Madam, Mr. just called for you. You didn't have your phone with you."
She took it and dialed back Gu Hansheng's number.
"Qu An just said you were looking for me. Is there something you need?"
The man's voice was half gentle, half hoarse, "What are you doing?"
Liang Shu looked at the dark night outside and felt calm inside. "I just took a walk in the yard."
"Hmm, did you see the news online?"
"I did," Liang Shu quickly added, "You didn't need to call specifically for that. I'm not that concerned."
After speaking, there was suddenly silence on the other end of the phone, only the sound of the wind whistling through the phone. Liang Shu probably realized his current state and said, "The weather forecast says it's going to snow soon. Close the car windows to avoid the draft."
Gu Hansheng chuckled, "As Mrs. Gu, Mr. Gu is involved in a scandal outside, yet you remain remarkably composed."
Liang Shu breathed a sigh of relief, her fingers by her side slowly clenched into a fist, her fingernails barely touching her palm. "Must being Mrs. Gu also entail being jealous?"
Just now, Qi Zhen's words echoed in her mind from time to time, though not particularly hurtful, they still made her uncomfortable.
She said, "Gu Hansheng, don't you like a well-behaved and sensible Mrs. Gu? Whether you're involved in a scandal with a big star or flirting with someone else, no one will bother you. Isn't that great?"
Finally, Liang Shu paused for a long time, listening to the wind on the other end. She smiled wryly, "Mr. Gu, if you don't love me, you can't expect me to adhere to the conventions of love."
Of course, Liang Shu wouldn't demand that from him.
Gu Hansheng was angry.
Liang Shu could sense it.
However, his tone was nonchalant, "Given some time, if Su Yan were critically ill, would you be willing to donate blood to her?"
Though Gu Hansheng couldn't see, Liang Shu displayed a broad smile. "Certainly."
...
Gu Hansheng hung up the phone, tossing it to the other side of the seat, an evident display of out of sight, out of mind.
The window on his side was lowered, allowing the chilling wind to rush into the car, tearing through like a wild beast.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Ji Chen glanced back at the man's chilly expression, somewhat understanding the recent phone call. Considering Gu Hansheng hadn't made any decisions regarding the scandal just now, Ji Chen inquired, "Sir, about the scandal?"
The man half-closed his eyes, legs crossed, fingers of his left hand caressing the ring on his middle finger, speaking calmly, "Let it develop as it may, promote the new products of the Gu Group. If the fire isn't enough, add more fuel to it."
...
At the halfway point, unexpectedly, he met the ink-like eyes in the rearview mirror, causing his heart to skip a beat, quickly returning the window to its original state.
Royal Palace Club.
Ye Lan had been waiting in the private room for quite some time.
Seeing Gu Hansheng arrive, she stood up, only sitting down after Gu Hansheng had taken his seat.
This man's mood was extremely sour today, and Ye Lan noticed.
His attire today remained highly business-like, black suit trousers, his facial contours rigid, exuding a strong sense of aloofness.
Ye Lan spoke first, "Mr. Gu, I've been waiting for you for quite a while."
Gu Hansheng skipped the pleasantries entirely, elegantly crossing his legs, raising his gaze to Ye Lan, a frostiness lingering in his brows and eyes. "Has Madam Su made up her mind?"
Ye Lan smiled, "Not yet."
Gu Hansheng's expression remained unchanged, but his tone shifted, "Then let her decide first. Whether she's just a lowly mistress or not, Madam Su must have her ways to know."
Unfortunately, Ye Lan really had no way.
She didn't dare to use her connections blatantly in such matters, and Su Qiping was astute enough; she couldn't let him catch wind of it.
Over the past two weeks, she had asked many people to investigate, but to no avail.
Fearful of Gu Hansheng leaving, Ye Lan stopped him, "What exactly do you want to do to Su Qiping?"
Gu Hansheng glanced down at the fingers resting on his arm, lightly brushing them away, looking down at Ye Lan from a superior position, "Why, even at this juncture, do you still harbor sympathy, Madam Su?"
At this juncture...
With a strong hand like Gu Hansheng's, Ye Lan had received blunt photos sent from his side these days, all depicting Su Qiping and that woman.
An eye for an eye, nothing more.
One could only wonder, could a woman endure seeing her husband cavorting with another woman in bed every day?
Certainly not women like Ye Lan.
Ye Lan said, "It's true that Su Qiping gave the green light to that project. He doesn't want money or assets, but why is he so determined to ensure the success of that company's bid? You probably know as well, that company has no connection to him whatsoever."
"You, of course, wouldn't know about his connection..." Gu Hansheng's tone carried a cold sarcasm.
With the Gu Group's project almost certain, a sudden entry from a small company had disrupted their plans, and to make matters worse, the other party was arrogantly confident, failing to realize they were picking a fight with a stone wall.
This was probably due to two reasons.
Firstly, the small company didn't know its place.
Secondly, there was someone behind that company targeting the Gu Group.
Gu Hansheng hadn't found out who that person was, but it piqued his curiosity enough.
Ye Lan divulged everything that needed to be revealed, ruthless in her approach. Some words could directly pin down Su Qiping, she said, "Who is that woman, after all?"
A mysterious smile played at the corner of the man's lips, as he only provided Ye Lan with a time and place.
...
Three days later.
The city of Yucheng welcomed its first snowfall.
The door connecting the bedroom to the balcony wasn't locked last night, and now it was blown open by the wind. Liang Shu, wearing slippers, walked towards the terrace, where everything was already covered in a vast expanse of white.
She squinted, her long lashes trembling.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and Liang Shu turned around to see Gu Hansheng.
Surprised, she asked, "Didn't you go to the company today?"
The man picked her up horizontally, grunting in affirmation, and casually kicked the door closed with his foot, saying, "Behave yourself, don't provoke my anger."
Liang Shu was placed on the sofa by him, sighing silently. She reached out and grabbed his finger, speaking with a tone of compromise, "Mr. Gu, don't be angry. The scandal with the big star has been trending for days. It's sickening to watch. You should just withdraw."
At his words, Gu Hansheng lowered his gaze at her, a hint of cold sarcasm passing through his brows, "I've never seen someone so reluctant to even feel jealous."
Biting her lower lip, Liang Shu let go of his hand, "Madam Su called me yesterday."
The man looked at her, silent.
Liang Shu continued, "She scolded you on the phone, saying she called you but you didn't answer. When you have time, call her back."
Gu Hansheng suddenly squatted down, grabbing her chin, "It's you who married me, not Madam Su. A real Mrs. Gu wouldn't care. Why withdraw? It can still promote the Gu Group."
Hearing this, Liang Shu understood; his anger hadn't dissipated.
She turned her head to look at the heavy snow outside the window. When she turned back, she didn't know where Gu Hansheng found a pair of floor socks and threw them at her, telling her to put them on.
It was around ten in the morning now.
Liang Shu sluggishly pulled on the socks while sitting on the sofa. Gu Hansheng emerged from the cloakroom, holding a tie and walking over to her. He looked down at her hands, which were still busy, "Mrs. Gu, come tie my tie for me."
The woman's hands paused for a moment, ignoring him. After putting on one foot, she continued with the other.
Gu Hansheng looked down and suddenly said, "If you don't tie my tie, have you considered the consequences?"
She paused again, looking at her partially exposed foot, lips pursed. Thirty seconds passed, and she continued calmly with her tasks.
Her slightly curled long hair fell onto her fair foot as she lowered her head, a tantalizing sight.
Finally, she had put on the socks.
But before she could raise her head, she was already lifted up by Gu Hansheng.
In almost an instant, Liang Shu found herself on the bed.
She had barely spent a minute putting on the socks, and they were immediately torn off by the man.
Looking up at her excessively white feet against the dark bedding, Liang Shu angrily questioned Gu Hansheng, "What are you doing?"
The man, half-kneeling on the bed, stared at her coldly, one hand on her waist, the other holding the dark green tie, a malicious gleam in his eyes.
"What do you think I'm doing?"
As he spoke, that hand moved from her waist to the small of her back. She wore a high-quality satin camisole inside, with a long skirt, reaching above her ankles, and then a long navy blue knit cardigan on top.
At this moment, due to the man's action of tossing her onto the mattress, the buttons of the knit sweater burst open, revealing the clothes inside.
As she came into contact with the cold air, her disheveled dark hair spread across her neck, arousing a tumult of emotions.
Liang Shu realized the atmosphere was not favorable at the moment, so she turned to crawl towards the other end, but it was futile; she was quickly pulled back.
Then her coat was no longer there.
At this moment, every inch of Liang Shu's body attracted Gu Hansheng's gaze; the silk skirt swayed, enchanting and captivating, creating another layer of scenery.
The tie in Gu Hansheng's hand was now put to use.
Unlike the last time, where the more Liang Shu struggled, the tighter the knot became, this time it was loose and slack, yet she couldn't break free.
Liang Shu felt hollow inside as she gritted her teeth, "It's still daytime."
Gu Hansheng unbuttoned his black shirt, his long and well-defined fingers leisurely undoing the buttons from top to bottom, his Adam's apple bobbing, his thin lips moving, "So? Shouldn't people still have desires during the day?"
She shook her head, turning to look at him, but was startled by the desire in his eyes. She swallowed a gulp, "Can I just tie your tie properly for you?"
"It's too late."
After Gu Hansheng unbuttoned the last button, he threw the shirt onto the bed in front of Liang Shu. Then, in front of her, he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and drew the curtains. The thick layers of fabric blocked out the light, plunging the room into darkness.
She watched the figure walking towards her, tossing his trousers aside as he walked.
Still irresistibly seductive.
Liang Shu squinted, blinking, "I'm sorry, Mr. Gu, I was wrong."
Gu Hansheng lifted her waist and threw her onto the pillow, emitting a cold sneer from the depths of his throat, "What are you sorry for?"
"It's snowing today, can't we stop? It's still daytime. Later, when Qu An comes to call us, what shall we do..."
"Is this what you should be concerned about?"
"But I don't want to."
The man lowered his head, pinching her chin and pecking her lips, "Madam Gu, this isn't a multiple-choice question."
Liang Shu widened her eyes, looking at the enlarged version of his handsome face in front of her. Before she could react, she heard the sound of fabric tearing in the previously quiet space.
She looked down, unable to resist swearing, "Gu Hansheng, you bastard!"
He chuckled, "There are even bigger bastards out there, want to try?"
Liang Shu shook her head. She didn't want to.
She looked at the clothes with a heartache, "In the eyes of capitalists, money isn't money; it's just a string of numbers. Something worth a few hundred bucks is just gone like that."
But Gu Hansheng was pleased with this.
He liked hearing this sound.
So he said, "You like it, I'll buy you a closet full of them tomorrow, wear them every day."
"..."
Liang Shu couldn't be more aware of Gu Hansheng's intentions. Buying them would make it convenient for him to tear them apart.
When Gu Hansheng wants something, Liang Shu can't escape.
In such matters, Liang Shu is simply a powerless lamb, while Gu Hansheng is the wolf, completely dominating the situation.
So she begged pitifully, "Mr. Gu, can you please be a bit more gentle? Let's not leave any marks on my body this time."
Gu Hansheng sneered, lowering his gaze to her.
Liang Shu's deer-like, moist eyes gazed at him. It was evident to anyone that this was just her intentionally affected posture, but Mr. Gu quite liked it.
She said, "You know I have delicate skin. These marks won't fade for half a day. Since I married you, I hardly have a piece of intact skin left on my body. You have no idea how to cherish someone."
God knows how fervent the fire in Gu Hansheng's eyes was when Liang Shu spoke in that soft tone.
A chill crept into the corners of his eyes. "Isn't it what you brought upon yourself?"
The woman gritted her teeth, her brows furrowed. "Yes, I brought it upon myself. Can't you just show a bit of care for Madam Gu?"
"Oh—"
Only the man's voice sounded gently in her ear, "I can care for you, but you have to bring something to exchange."
In the dim space, the woman's eyes seemed to be filled with countless stars, shining brightly. She blinked at Gu Hansheng. "I'll reward you with a kiss, alright?"
Then, Gu Hansheng watched as this fairy-like woman leaned down and quickly kissed his cheek.
Perhaps that's how the fire ignites.
Outside, the snow fell heavier and heavier, still in broad daylight, covering the ground with a thick layer.
In the days of the first snow in Yucheng, the Gu couple indulged themselves in broad daylight.
Mr. Gu was refreshed and invigorated.
Madam Gu... it's better not to mention.
After Gu Hansheng finished washing and dressing, before leaving, he stood by the bed and looked at Liang Shu. Her face was still flushed, and she turned her body slightly towards him, her hands curled up on the pillow.
But her breathing was somewhat heavy.
The man leaned over and gently brushed aside the stray strands of hair from her face, then tucked the blanket around her before heading downstairs.
Upon seeing Gu Hansheng descend to the living room, Qu An hurried over. She glanced up at the tall, handsome man, and the head housekeeper of the mansion couldn't help but blush.
Around ten thirty.
Qu An had gone upstairs to call Gu Hansheng and Liang Shu for lunch. Later, it was evident from what she heard.
She also encountered a flustered Qi Zhen at the staircase landing.
Then she overheard the conversation between the villa's hosts... This was quite normal. Gu Hansheng was quite self-assured and didn't care about others' opinions. Therefore, it wasn't uncommon for the servants in this mansion to witness their intimacy.
But that was limited to... gestures like kissing.
Qu An unexpectedly stumbled upon deeper revelations this morning, inevitably feeling awkward.
She hadn't expected Liang Shu, who usually seemed calm and composed, to be like this. Her voice was distinct enough; everyone knew what was happening.
That was still acceptable.
Liang Shu's appearance was stunning enough. Such people often unknowingly captivated others, so it was understandable when things got a bit more passionate.
But Qu An hadn't expected even the usually restrained Mr. Gu...
At the same time, she felt relieved. Their relationship had been tense these past few days, but it seemed like there were no more issues now.
Qu An nodded slightly at this moment. "Sir, is it time to prepare lunch now?"
Gu Hansheng glanced at Qu An and walked expressionlessly towards the dining room. "Warm up everything Madam likes to eat and serve it when she wakes up."
"Alright," Qu An replied.
After finishing his lunch, he went to the office.
...
The snow stopped at noon.
Meanwhile, Liang Shu slept until three in the afternoon.
When she woke up, her whole body ached, and the scenes from the morning replayed in her mind. She blushed as she covered herself with the blanket.
This man really...
She hadn't had breakfast, intending to go downstairs for breakfast after putting on her socks. But then... who knew Gu Hansheng would be so playful with her?
But it was alright.
There were no marks on her neck or arms or other visible places.
Liang Shu was quite hungry, so she went downstairs to find something to eat.
Unexpectedly, Qu An seemed to know, as the meal was served shortly after she sat down.
Liang Shu was surprised to see the delicious spread on the table. "I thought I would have to wait a while before eating, but it seems not."
Qu An stood by, smiling warmly. "Sir instructed me before he left for work."
After quickly finishing the apple, she washed her hands and sat down to eat. She had only taken a few bites when she received a call from Qian Hui.
Qian Hui reminded Liang Shu over the phone, "A Shu, can my sister pick you up tonight?"
The coquettish tone... Liang Shu couldn't help but shiver.
Upon hearing that Qian Hui wanted to pick her up, Liang Shu quickly shook her head. "No need, I'll go by myself later."
But Qian Hui insisted, "Oh, A Shu, I know you're naturally beautiful and stunning. In the whole of Yucheng, I haven't seen anyone as beautiful as you. But, Arui, you're usually too casual. For tonight's occasion, you still need to dress up nicely."
"I'll dress up and then come to see you, is that okay?" She picked at her food absentmindedly.
Qian Hui clicked her tongue twice. "It's still better for me to pick you up. Where do you live? Sister will take you for a makeover and help you pick out two nice outfits."
Liang Shu still refused. "No need, don't trouble yourself."
"A Shu, it's not a bother. Besides, we can chat along the way. I'll be happy, and in the future, when I leave Yulou Chun, you won't be able to come and talk to me whenever you want."
In the end, Liang Shu didn't insist, giving her an address and confirming the time.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Liang Shu left by herself.
Qu An's attempt to dissuade her was evident, using the same clichéd phrases, "Madam, it would be better to arrange for the driver. Taking a taxi back and forth is so inconvenient."
Seeing her reluctance, Qu An added, "We have many cars at home. I can have the driver pick a less fancy one to send you. Would that be acceptable?"
Liang Shu lowered her head, glanced at her phone, and then pulled out a car key from her bag, twirling it between her fingertips. She smiled at Qu An and said, "I'll drive myself today, no need for the driver or a taxi. Is that alright?"
"Um..."
The car belonged to Liang Shu herself, completely unrelated to Gu Hansheng.
She had bought a six-year-old basic BMW 3 Series for seventy to eighty thousand yuan from a girl at Yulou Chun. The original price should have been two to three hundred thousand yuan.
The girl needed money at the time, so Liang Shu got a good deal, paying just a few tens of thousands for it.
It had been driven for several years now.
After marrying Gu Hansheng, she moved to Zero Mansion. Gu Hansheng sent a driver to her previous rental place to bring the BMW back.
Qu An stood at the villa's entrance, watching Liang Shu drive out in the dusty, almost dilapidated car, shaking her head in disbelief.
Gu Hansheng wasn't particularly fond of cars, but there were still over a dozen cars of various price ranges parked in the garage—business models, family cars, sports cars, you name it.
For everyday office use or when going to the company, he used the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which cost over twenty million yuan.
If he traveled alone, he usually took the less than ten million yuan black Land Rover.
Some of the other cars hadn't even been driven once, and some were brand new. So Qu An couldn't understand why Liang Shu insisted on driving the almost scrap car.
Before leaving, Liang Shu greeted Qu An with a cheerful and amiable demeanor, saying, "Qu An, I'm just going out to meet a friend today. I'll be back after dinner, very punctual. Please don't report me to Mr. Gu, okay?"
After speaking, she even winked at Qu An.
This woman was irresistible when she acted coquettish.
Qu An was no exception.
Combined with their unspoken understanding in the past whenever Qu An relayed Liang Shu's messages to Gu Hansheng, now that Liang Shu had openly mentioned it, Qu An felt quite embarrassed.
She wanted to say something but hadn't spoken yet when Liang Shu took a couple of steps forward and took Qu An's wrist. "Qu An, you're the best. I'll be back soon, so you won't be in trouble."
Qu An quickly shook her head. "Madam, please don't do this. I won't tell Mr. Gu."
"Okay."