Chapter 84: Stand-In

Gu Han Sheng's anger surged fiercely and swiftly this time.

In memory, Jing Xing had scarcely witnessed him being so severe before.

Even when he had gotten into trouble and been taken to the police station before, Gu Han Sheng had never treated him like this.

At this moment, Gu Han Sheng resembled not a stern elder brother, but an executioner, every word and sentence tormenting Jing Xing, as if in Gu Han Sheng's eyes, the calamity had not yet brewed, yet Jing Xing had already become a murderer.

The leg kicked by him throbbed with unbearable pain, yet Jing Xing gritted his teeth, enduring both the pain and Gu Han Sheng's fury.

In the living room of the old mansion, besides Gu Han Sheng and Jing Xing, there were also Wen Ming Ting with the steward Liang Qing, as well as several scattered servants standing afar.

Jing Xing raised his head stubbornly, looking at Gu Han Sheng, aware of his own wrongdoing, yet his gaze remained defiant. He said, "I never intended to harm her, how could I possibly harm her..."

"Did I allow you to speak?!" The man's indifferent and stern voice interrupted Jing Xing.

Standing with hands behind his back in front of Jing Xing, he looked down at him from a higher position, coldly sneering, "I have said it more than once, you're twenty years old now, not two, nor twelve. When will you mature?"

"Do you feel proud of finding a place to hide from my sight? Do you think you can ascend to the heavens while I turn a blind eye?!"

As Gu Han Sheng spoke, Wen Ming Ting watched him with wide eyes, noticing his tightening fingers behind his back. She was somewhat frightened and stepped forward, "Han Sheng, calm down. A-Xing surely didn't do it on purpose!"

In the past, when the old lady stepped forward, Jing Xing would at least say a few soft words, but today, he knelt straight, lips tightly sealed.

And Gu Han Sheng was also unlike before, not giving face to the old lady.

He sneered coldly again, staring at Jing Xing for a long time before speaking, "Tonight, the Gu mansion cannot accommodate you anymore. Will I send you away or will you leave on your own?"

Liang Qing looked solemn, glancing at Wen Ming Ting.

At such times, their intervention was futile.

Jing Xing glanced upstairs, then suddenly stood up, taking Ah Yun and heading outside.

Ah Yun was Gu Han Sheng's dog. Even if punished, it still leaned towards Gu Han Sheng.

As Jing Xing led it to the door, the dog refused to move further, sitting proudly at the doorstep, ignoring Gu Han Sheng but unwilling to take a step out.

Jing Xing tugged a few times in vain, then dropped the leash, put on the hat from his clothes, and rushed into the snowstorm with his head down.

"Ah Xing..." Wen Ming Ting called from behind.

"Let him go." Behind her, Gu Han Sheng spoke lightly.

Upstairs, Liang Shu rested, unaware of the recent commotion downstairs.

When Gu Han Sheng went upstairs, the man who had just flared up had shifted to another mood.

He knew Liang Shu was still awake.

Gu Han Sheng sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching her for a while before speaking, "This is my fault. I won't let Ah Yun appear in front of you again in the future, alright?"

The woman nestled in the covers, facing the direction of the floor-to-ceiling window, gave no response.

Seeing her like this, Gu Han Sheng wasn't annoyed. He reached into the covers and easily held her hand.

Liang Shu tried to withdraw her fingers in surprise, but she couldn't match the strength of a man. She couldn't pull away.

"If I had known tonight would turn out like this, I wouldn't have brought you to the Gu mansion. Don't be angry with me, hmm?"

Another silence.

The man with gentle features had a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips, masking the calculating thoughts in his ink-black eyes. He squeezed her soft fingers before speaking, "The old lady is downstairs blaming herself right now, afraid our relationship will sour."

Fine, now he's bringing the old lady into this to pressure her.

At this moment, Liang Shu turned over. She looked up at Gu Han Sheng with a cool gaze, lips pale, "Is our relationship any better?"

At his words, the man's thick black brows furrowed imperceptibly.

"The old lady doesn't understand the nature of our marriage. Do you also not understand? It's not me, Liang Shu, being pushy. That's the current state of our relationship."

Whether he intentionally softened his grip or not, there was a sudden pain in his hand, causing Liang Shu to silently furrow her brows.

After a while, Gu Han Sheng said, "Do you think there's anyone in this world who can force me now?"

Liang Shu didn't ponder this question deeply, nor did she grasp the deeper meaning hidden within it.

Taking advantage of the moment, she withdrew her fingers and then raised the covers to cover her entire head, saying, "Who dares to force you?"

The man suddenly chuckled, who dared to force him?

Apart from her, who else could it be?

Gu Han Sheng reached to lift her blanket, his strength making it effortless.

Without giving Liang Shu a chance to react, he leaned forward, his right palm pressing gently on her shoulder as he bowed his head to look silently at the scars on her neck.

Now that they were bandaged by the doctor, nothing much could be seen.

He leaned in closer, his nose almost touching her cheek, and the masculine, woody fragrance gently wafted into her nostrils as he asked, "Does it hurt?"

A simple question about pain unexpectedly brought tears to Liang Shu's eyes.

A transparent tear slipped into her thick black hair as Liang Shu closed her eyes, remaining silent.

Feeling warmth on her lips, he was kissing her.

It was just a brief, passionless kiss, devoid of desire.

He said, "I promise Ah Yun won't appear in front of you again. Do you believe me?"

Liang Shu suddenly opened her eyes and looked at him, "The old lady probably mentioned to me the significance of Ah Yun to you. Because of just one person, you'll let it never see you again. Is it worth it? Are you willing?"

He chuckled, "Just one person?"

Running his big hand gently along Liang Shu's long hair, he lowered his head to kiss her forehead, "Madam Gu, you underestimate your place in my heart."

Liang Shu's fingers tightened quietly as she closed her eyes slowly.

The healing effect of his words was too strong, so much so that Liang Shu now felt a sour, tender pain spreading in her heart.

She clenched her fingers tightly, reminding herself silently that some things were poison, and she couldn't touch them.

In these short twenty-something years, she had walked a path littered with thorns, and along this path, there were no flowers, only scars.

Not only had her journey over the past twenty years been full of scars, but so was her heart.

And to those who had experienced her along this journey, wasn't she also their poison?

She had once sworn that Jiang Pingsheng was the end.

She would never harm anyone else again.

But for those who had left scars on her body and heart, she would not let them go.

Tonight, fearing that Liang Shu would be left with a shadow in her heart, Gu Han Sheng said to her, "Go to the Temple of Cold Mountain and pray for peace for the old lady. As her daughter-in-law, thinking from this perspective, I am very grateful to you."

"You've visited the Gu mansion infrequently. Since our marriage, even your contact with the old lady has been limited. But in this short time we've spent together, noticing what she likes, is truly commendable."

"The old lady believes in Buddhism. I don't, but I often hear her say that in this world, besides seeing beautiful scenery, one must also experience their own tribulations. So, regardless of size, they are all tribulations. If you think like Ah Shu, can you find some peace?"

Can she find peace?

Liang Shu felt she couldn't.

But his tone clearly treated her like a child.

"Why don't others have this tribulation?"

The man pulled her into his arms, his deep voice resonating from above, "Others haven't had the chance yet."

Liang Shu fell silent.

If someone were to ask her at this moment: In the month or so since you married Gu Han Sheng, has he treated you well?

She would definitely answer: Yes.

As a husband, he was impeccable.

He attended to every detail.

They had no prior connection, she climbed to the position of Mrs. Gu through ignoble means, taking away what should have been his moonlight. Why wasn't he angry?

This question, Liang Shu was destined not to understand.

She was grateful to Gu Han Sheng. In the vast city of Yu, there was almost no place for her before, and probably none in the future.

The only thing she could do was to cling tightly to Gu Han Sheng.

...

Tonight, Liang Shu nestled in Gu Han Sheng's arms, thinking of the word "hell."

Traditionally, hell referred to the place where those who committed unforgivable sins on earth went after death.

Hell was filled with lamentations and tortures.

Though the essence of hell had changed, its nature remained the same.

It still tortured people.

Liang Shu wondered, what would her personal hell be like?

On this same night.

It was already half past eleven at night, and Lu Jinsheng had just finished a dinner engagement.

Chen Xian called him, checking the time, "Mr. Lu, you probably need to come to the hospital."

The snow fell heavier as Lu Jinsheng drove towards the hospital. It was bitterly cold, the road slippery, yet he drove with open windows.

The cold wind whistled into the car through the wide-open windows, but Lu Jinsheng seemed unperturbed by the cold.

Meanwhile, what was Cheng Geliang doing?

She sat cross-legged on the bed, holding a small needle in her hand, aiming it at her own throat.

Chen Xian stood at the door, waking up the phone screen to check the time. "Mr. Lu is already on his way."

Cheng Geliang slowly turned her head, hearing Chen Xian's words, yet her mind was filled with the face that had suddenly appeared in the ward earlier today.

When Lu Jinsheng arrived, he brought with him the late-night snow of Yu City.

Hearing the door open, Cheng Geliang's eyes flickered. She didn't even care about her weak body, rushing barefoot off the bed and throwing herself into Lu Jinsheng's embrace.

She discarded the needle she had been pinching between her fingertips and hugged him tightly, pressing her pale cheek against his cold coat.

"Jinsheng, you finally came to see me."

The man was very cold, standing there like that, bowing his head to look at the head buried in his chest.

After a while, he smiled faintly, "Are you hurt? Let me see?"

He walked towards the sofa, with Cheng Geliang following beside him.

He took off his coat and threw it aside before sitting down, and Cheng Geliang sat down next to him.

She exposed her wrist, still wrapped in bandages. "It hurts here."

The wound was tightly bound with white bandages. There was a smile on Lu Jinsheng's lips, but not in his eyes. He took Cheng Geliang's hand, placing his thumb exactly on the position of her wound.

The next moment, he slowly applied pressure at the spot of Cheng Geliang's innocent and pitiful eyes.

Cheng Geliang's already pale face became even paler with pain. She grabbed Lu Jinsheng's clothes tightly with her right hand, unable to hold back calling his name, "Jinsheng, it hurts..."

Slowly, red marks spread in the middle of the white bandages.

Lu Jinsheng released her hand, still smiling, his smile tinged with a sinister air. "Ling Ling, now that you know pain, why didn't you feel it when you cut your wrist?"

She gritted her teeth, a tear suddenly falling from her eye, and then she suddenly threw herself into his arms, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I know I was wrong, I shouldn't have cut my wrist, I know I made you look down on me, but I just love you, is that wrong?"

A tear fell onto Lu Jinsheng's clothes. He reached out, pulled a tissue, and gently wiped away her tears, his movements gentle. He said, "How much do you love me?"

Cheng Geliang choked up, "I don't want to be a star anymore, I just want to be by your side, is that okay?"

"You've always been by my side, haven't you?"

Another hot tear fell onto Lu Jinsheng's finger. He lowered his head to glance at it, his eyes half-closed, loosening the grip on her cheek.

Cheng Geliang suddenly held his hand, "I..."

The words "I want to be your wife" almost slipped out, but Cheng Geliang had learned to be smart now. She didn't dare to gamble.

She said, "I won't say it anymore. If you don't like it, I won't say it again. As long as there's no one else by your side, it's fine, it's fine like this."

Lu Jinsheng remained silent.

He just stared at her face, as he had countless times before.

But this time, Cheng Geliang wasn't like before. She couldn't hold back her tears.

Lu Jinsheng's expression shifted from mild warmth to impatience. He pinched her face again, his voice cold, "No crying allowed!"

But Cheng Geliang couldn't help it.

She struggled to hold back her tears, her lower lip almost bitten through.

Finally, she said, "Jinsheng, please, don't treat me like this."

Though she thought about it, Cheng Geliang absolutely dared not mention the word "marriage" again.

Midway through, Lu Jinsheng went out to take a call, leaving his coat carelessly placed aside. Cheng Geliang sat there, staring at his coat as if in a trance.

She gritted her teeth, telling herself, just one look.

After saying that, she reached out and grabbed Lu Jinsheng's wallet.

Unfortunately, it was very unlucky.

Lu Jinsheng suddenly came back in.

He stood at the doorway, still holding the phone, his expression unchanged, but the curve of his lips grew larger.

The wallet in Cheng Geliang's hand fell to the ground. Her pupils contracted sharply, and she opened her mouth.

The man walked over, picked up the wallet from the ground, and handed it back to Cheng Geliang, his voice gentle, "Looking for something?"

She shook her head and stuffed the wallet back into his coat pocket.

The hospital room fell into a moment of silence.

Cheng Geliang sat on the sofa, watching the man smoking by the window. The window in front of him, half a person tall, was wide open, letting in the heavy snow and cold wind from outside.

In a daze, Cheng Geliang even felt snowflakes landing on her face, cold as ice.

Shivering, she walked over to him, "Jinsheng, I'm too cold, can you close the window?"

Because of this open window, all the warmth seemed to have been sucked out of the room.

Lu Jinsheng took a deep drag of his cigarette. When he turned around, he exhaled all the smoke onto Cheng Geliang's face. Cheng Geliang was choked and couldn't catch her breath, coughing incessantly.

Seeing this, the man put the cigarette back between his lips, then bent down to lift her onto the bed. With his broad back against the wind and snow, he seemed to block out all the cold.

A warmth rose in Cheng Geliang's heart as she sat on the bed and looked up at the man whose face was hard to discern in the darkness.

In the next moment, she heard him say, "Ling Ling, are you very cold?"

Before Cheng Geliang could answer, the voice above continued, "Do you remember the first day you met me? Back then, did you ever say you were cold?"

Three years ago, on that night, Cheng Geliang crouched under the bushes near the parking lot, in weather just like this.

Lu Jinsheng stood towering above her, his posture poised as he crouched down to meet her gaze. He inquired, "Feeling cold?"

At that moment, Cheng Geling hardly sensed the chill anymore. She regarded it as the last gleam of life in a dying ember. She felt neither hunger nor cold, yet her body trembled uncontrollably. Nevertheless, she shook her head and replied, "Not cold."

Subsequently, Lu Jinsheng lifted her into the car.

Little did Cheng Geling know, many years ago, another young girl huddled beneath snow-covered shrubs. Clad in simple, worn garments, she was defenseless against the cold. Yet, despite the freezing weather, she did not even shiver.

Cheng Geling pondered where she had erred once again as she gazed at him. "I also wonder where my past self has gone. It's all because you've been too kind, almost causing me to lose myself."

These words left Lu Jinsheng momentarily bemused. Someone actually praised him?

He casually flicked the cigarette butt into the water glass on her bedside table. "Do you really want to marry me?"

At his words, Cheng Geling's eyes widened, then she nodded.

She pondered, why wouldn't she?

She loved him deeply, and her parents also held Lu Jinsheng in high regard.

If Cheng Geling spoke highly of Lu Jinsheng, just how exceptional was he?

When the elderly couple traveled by train for the first time from the remote town to visit her, it was Lu Jinsheng who arranged for a driver to pick them up from the station.

Although he was busy with work, he rushed over just to have lunch with Cheng Geling and her parents. Though they didn't dine together, he exchanged a few hurried words with the elderly couple, then mentioned that the expenses were on him.

He even went as far as purchasing a large apartment just for her.

Her parents remarked, "You've found a good man, dear. Make sure to cherish him."

The night she proposed to him, she nearly got strangled by him.

Later, as he squatted by the bedside, gazing at her tenderly, Cheng Geling felt revived under his gaze. In his presence, she undressed herself.

He made her feel both alive and dead.

He never touched her, even as she shamefully exposed herself before him.

That was the true reason behind Cheng Geling's wrist-slitting.

Now, he asked her if she truly wanted to marry him.

Cheng Geling's response was affirmative: she did.

She saw Lu Jinsheng smile, a hint of cold determination flickering in his eyes. This time, she heard his words clearly.

He said, "Good girl, I should reward you. You dare to enter the hell I wouldn't."

"You dare to enter the hell I wouldn't."

Cheng Geling didn't understand the meaning behind this sentence; she simply stared blankly at Lu Jinsheng.

Lu Jinsheng lightly patted her cheek. "If there's another time, and your blood runs dry, I won't come to see you again. Remember my words."

...

That night, Liang Shu stayed overnight in Gu Hansheng's bedroom at the Gu family's old mansion, which was now their bridal chamber.

That night, Lu Jinsheng emerged from the hospital entrance with a cigarette between his lips. The wind lifted the corner of his coat as he glanced up at the swirling snowflakes, squinting slightly.

That night, Qu An paced the corridor, holding contraceptive pills she found in Liang Shu's bedside cabinet. She was torn, unsure whether to tell Gu Han about it.

Qu An believed that Gu Hansheng was looking forward to having a child.

Liang Shu's health wasn't great, and Gu Hansheng had reminded her more than once to ensure his wife's diet was balanced. Hence, a glass of warm milk before bed had almost become a habit.

Of course, there was much more to it than that.

Two days ago, when Liang Shu caught a cold, the old lady rushed over specifically to take care of her, bringing medicine to help her recover.

At that time, Qu An greeted Wen Mingting at the door, coincidentally meeting Gu Hansheng as he descended the stairs.

Wen Mingting told Gu Han, "A Shu isn't feeling well. I brewed this medicine for her to take, to nourish her body."

Upon hearing this, the master of Zero House Mansion hurriedly took the packet of medicine from Wen Mingting's hands and earnestly examined it. Wen Mingting asked, "What are you looking at?"

Qu An only remembered the rare gentleness in the man's eyes under the bright light. A smile graced his lips as he said, "A Shu doesn't like bitter things. I'll sort through it and pick out all the bitter herbs, leaving only the sweet ones."

Wen Mingting gave him a glare. "You're such a grown man, yet you're still talking nonsense."

Gu Han smiled and then put his arm around Wen Mingting's shoulder. "Taking care of A Shu's health requires patience. Even with medicinal supplements, it depends on the person."

But Wen Mingting was displeased. "Then when will I get to hold my grandson?"

A warm smile spread across the man's lips. "I'm working on it."

After saying that, Gu Hansheng handed the medicine to Qu An and said, "Qu An, take this and keep it properly. It's best to brew this medicine under the supervision of the old lady."

This playful banter irked Wen Mingting.

When Qu An left, faint murmurs of conversation between Wen Mingting and Gu Hansheng lingered in her ears.

Wen Mingting asked, "Honestly, do you still not want a child?"

Gu Hansheng replied, "How could I not want one? Let's wait a little longer, until A Shu's health improves..."

And now, Qu An found herself in a dilemma upon discovering contraceptive pills in the cabinet on the other side. Should she tell Gu Hansheng about this?

...

The next morning.

Gu Han woke up earlier than Liang Shu. As he descended the stairs, he caught sight of Wen Mingting gesturing with the scarf Liang Shu had given her around her neck. Seeing Gu Han coming down, Wen Mingting quickly said, "I tried calling Ah Xing last night, but he didn't pick up. Can you check where he stayed last night?"

"It's fine, don't worry."

"How can I not worry? You were too harsh with him last night, and Ah Xing didn't mean it."

Gu Han observed the stitches on Wen Mingting's scarf, furrowing his brow slightly. He smiled, "Sometimes, emphasis is necessary to impart a lesson."

"What about A Shu?"

"It's still early, let her sleep a bit more."

Wen Mingting sat down on the sofa. "You haven't arranged the wedding yet, but we need to take the wedding photos first."

Gu Hansheng fiddled with his phone, smiling as he replied, "It's in the plans. Making the wedding gown took some time."

There might not be a wedding ceremony, but the wedding gown was indispensable. This was not only what Wen Mingting wanted but also what Gu Hansheng wanted.

Yesterday night, Liang Shu was bitten by Ah Yun, and the call didn't go through.

This morning, Gu Hansheng dialed the string of numbers that had been imprinted in his mind after just one glance.

Starting from now.

Starting from this phone number.

He would peel away layer by layer from his wife, Liang Shu, to uncover everything hidden beneath.