Chapter 9: Enemies On a Narrow Path

Gu Tingjue had never expected to have such bad luck upon coming out; he immediately encountered such an incident.

His face turned black as the bottom of a pot in an instant, his gaze icy cold as if it could freeze someone to death.

This woman... she really was detestable!

Gu Tingjue was a man with a strong sense of cleanliness, and seeing his clothing covered in vomit, his eyebrows knitted together tightly.

Jian Ran sobered up instantly, and she hurriedly apologized, "I'm... I'm so sorry, it wasn't intentional."

Why did her voice sound so familiar?

Gu Tingjue looked over, huh! It was that same woman again! He had just encountered her at the airport two days ago. Truly, adversaries were bound to meet on a narrow road—every encounter with this woman spelled trouble.

Did he desecrate her family's ancestral tomb in his past life? Why did every encounter with her go awry?

The vomit clinging to his clothes was truly disgusting!

Jian Ran bowed her head and kept apologizing incessantly, "I'm sorry!"

"Is an apology useful?" Stupid woman!

Gu Tingjue felt like he was going to explode with anger.

"How about this—you take off your coat, and I'll help you clean it, or should I compensate you for a new one?" Jian Ran suggested carefully.

"Miss, what do you think?" Gu Tingjue's voice was dark and frightening, making one feel scared.

Jian Ran suddenly looked up. The man's face was sharply contoured with a cold and indifferent expression. His thin lips, slightly parted from anger, made her tremble with fear.

It was him!?

Jian Ran inwardly groaned. The world was really small, wasn't it? How could they have such a fateful encounter?!

But given the current situation, this was surely a doomed fate!

She wanted to cry but had no tears!

"Stay away from me in the future!" Gu Tingjue warned through gritted teeth.

After that, he turned around and went back into the VIP room. The urgent matter at hand was to change out of his soiled clothes and have someone bring him a fresh set.

Jian Ran was stunned for a moment, then made a face.

Hmph!

As if she liked running into him! She didn't want this either, okay?

Since she was the one at fault, she felt extremely guilty and finally decided to compensate him with money!

Being a designer herself, she could tell from the fabric and cut that his outfit was very expensive!

As she pondered, her gaze drifted towards the VIP room as well.

Several people were inside the room, both men and women; the men appeared somewhat dissolute, while the women flamboyantly displayed themselves.

The man with a tall and straight figure had his back to her as he was unbuttoning his shirt.

Ah! Look away from impropriety!

Just as Jian Ran was about to avert her eyes, suddenly, the image of a soaring eagle tattoo appeared in her line of sight...

That tattoo...

Was it him!?

Jian Ran was shocked, her mind went blank, her heartbeat accelerated as if her soul was about to leave her body.

That night, the man's back had the exact same tattoo!

Being so close, she could see it clearly.

Right, he resembled An'an and Pingping, could it really be him?

Was it a coincidence? Or was it truly him?

Jian Ran was in turmoil, standing there motionless like a petrified chicken, her expression complex.

It was this man who had turned her life upside down; over the years, she occasionally wondered what the man from that night looked like?

But now the prime culprit was inside, and she...

Jian Ran's hands clenched into fists, wishing she could "swoosh" in and give him a beating.

Seeing her looking somewhat fierce, the black-clad man at the door sternly reprimanded, "Miss, please leave!"

Jian Ran paused, what exactly was the man's identity?

Was this black-clad person a bodyguard?

She felt somewhat puzzled, then started walking towards her own private room.

At that moment, a waitress passed by, and Jian Ran stopped her, then casually asked, "Who's in that VIP room?"

The waitress said mysteriously, "Him? He's the dream lover of us women; he's one of ours too!"

He's their boss; that was correct, wasn't it!

Because President Gu preferred a low profile and didn't want to be disturbed, everyone knew about Haoting Group, but few people knew he was the major shareholder of the Crystal Palace Club, usually managed by President Mo.

One of theirs here?

He didn't look like a server, dressed all proper as he was.

And definitely not the boss, who wouldn't need to greet guests.

That left one last possibility—he was a gigolo here, what people call a "duck"?

She had just heard Lan Lan joking about whether they should get a couple of "ducks" to liven up the mood.

Jian Ran was struck as if by a bolt from the blue. Could it be that she had slept with a gigolo all those years ago?

Oh my God!

That was truly unacceptable!

It also made sense; why else would he drive luxury cars, frequent high-end clubs? Just by pleasing wealthy women, he could have a good life!

Jian Ran involuntarily stepped back a few steps, unable to accept that her precious babies' father could be such a person.

She had fantasized about the man's identity, but this was one identity she had never considered.

Jian Ran stepped back a few steps, looking deeply shaken.

No, she couldn't let him know about the existence of the babies. Having such a father wouldn't be good for the children, would it?

Jian Ran took a deep breath and then went back to her private room.

"Ranran, are you okay? Why were you gone for so long? I was about to come looking for you," Lan Lan said with a sigh of relief upon seeing her.

"No... nothing. I was just outside getting some air. I drank too much and feel a bit dizzy, I think I'll go home first. You all have a good time," replied Jian Ran, who was no longer in the mood for fun and wanted to leave the place of trouble as soon as possible, fearing that the man might come looking for her.

Seeing her like this, Lan Lan then said, "Okay then, I'll have someone send you home."

"No need, I'm sober now, I can go home by myself," Jian Ran said with a smile, then left.

Lan Lan watched her hurried departure with some confusion.

...

Gu Tingjue had already changed into a clean set of clothes, but he still felt a bit stiff all over, uncomfortable in every way.

"Brother Tingjue, who on earth had the nerve to puke all over you?" Mo Qi said with a teasing smirk in his eyes.

"Are you asking to be scolded?" Fu Zixuan glanced at Mo Qi and shook his head helplessly. He really was bold, daring to nitpick the lion!

But he also admired that short-sighted person who dared to vomit all over him—such courage was commendable!

Gu Tingjue's dark pupils were cool as the night; he gave them a glance filled with a warning.

Then he stood up and said coldly, "I'm leaving!"

He left under the astonished gaze of the two men.

Gu Tingjue felt inexplicably bothered. From the moment he was puked on until now, his mind kept returning to that woman, and he somehow felt a sense of familiarity with her!

Has he gone mad?