Chapter 20: Shyness

After a full day of flying, I had no energy left to accompany her to dinner. I subtly withdrew my arm and waved her off.

“I’m getting old; I need to rest.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Luo Mingzhu hurried to stop me.

“Wait a moment, Chen-ge.”

“Where are you going? Don’t tell me you’re going home?”

“Really going back… to wait for her?”

She seemed worried about me returning, but I didn’t think much of it.

“Impossible.”

Even without mentioning my decision to divorce, I wouldn’t turn back. Judging by Liu Zhuyin’s attitude when she left, there’s no way I’d wait for her! If I could endure before, it was because I hoped she’d fall in love with me. Now that I know it’s impossible, why would I chase after her? That would be humiliating!

She looked relieved but excited.

“That’s good.”

“But don’t you have nowhere to stay?”

“Having to leave empty-handed and give all the money away.”

“As your good friend and future partner, I must help you find a place to stay!”

She grabbed me and hailed a taxi.

I truly had nowhere else to go, but living with her? I didn’t want that!

Sensing my thoughts, she quickly explained.

“Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to live with me. I have plenty of apartments.”

“I’ll just give you one to stay in.”

Only then did I nod. Men and women shouldn’t live together intimately; living with a young girl like her would ruin her reputation.

“Although living with you and being taken care of would be comfortable, you’d definitely find me annoying, so I won’t be a bother.”

“Anyway, I won’t let my good big brother end up homeless.”

She chuckled, showing some self-awareness.

She took me to one of the city’s top luxury apartments, pulled me inside, gave a brief introduction, then left.

The apartment was very nice, and I accepted without hesitation.

After a quick look around, I prepared to wash up and sleep.

But then I received a message from Liu Zhuyin.

“Wait for me a little longer, I’m coming back soon.”

I smiled lightly and tossed the phone aside.

She was sincere, but unfortunately...

She had disappointed me too many times.

I had long ceased to hope.

Inside the hospital.

The phone screen reflected Liu Zhuyin’s worried, delicate face. Seeing that I hadn’t replied for a long time, she sighed helplessly.

“Sigh… she promised to come back but broke her word again.”

“He must be angry.”

She felt drained and guilty toward me.

Just then, Ning Yuanzhou returned from his rounds, wearing an equally apologetic expression.

“A-yin, I’m really sorry, I… I’ve caused you trouble again.”

Ning Yuanzhou looked pale and haggard, speaking weakly, which made Liu Zhuyin’s heart ache.

“I was only gone two days, how did you end up like this?”

She put down her phone, full of concern.

“I don’t know, I just can’t eat.”

Ning Yuanzhou was doing this on purpose; otherwise, how else could he get Liu Zhuyin close to him?

“By the way, has Mr. Gu returned?”

He tentatively asked; Liu Zhuyin nodded.

“Yeah, he’s back.”

He grew more nervous but still pretended to be happy for her.

“That’s good; Mr. Gu is a good man.”

“If it were someone else, they’d probably be jealous seeing how you take care of me.”

“Maybe even lose their temper with you.”

Liu Zhuyin forced a bitter smile, not wanting to worry Ning Yuanzhou, and lied.

“He didn’t say anything.”

“Well, it’s getting late, I…”

Liu Zhuyin thought of leaving but was interrupted before she could finish.

“A-yin, I’m a bit hungry.”

Ning Yuanzhou held his stomach, looking at her pitifully.

Liu Zhuyin sighed in her heart; her thought of leaving immediately vanished.

“All right, wait a moment.”

She ordered food, and Ning Yuanzhou pulled her to eat together.

Still, her mind couldn’t help but think of me.

She had promised to come back and cook for me but was now with Ning Yuanzhou.

Looking back, she didn’t know how many times this had happened.

Before, she hadn’t cared; now that she did, the guilt was even heavier.

By the time she left, it was nearly midnight.

She took out her phone and saw I hadn’t replied, growing even more anxious.

Back at the villa, she hesitated to enter.

After a long moment of indecision, she didn’t know what to do.

So she called Mrs. Liu, explained the day’s events, and asked for advice.

Mrs. Liu was furious.

“Are you crazy? Can Ning Yuanzhou just die?”

“I think he’s doing it on purpose!”

“And you, you never keep your promises to Xiao Chen, you don’t have a bit of sense!”

“Still, you say you consider Gu Yichen your husband!”

“I think you’ve married that worthless Ning Yuanzhou! You go to him! Spare Xiao Chen and stop torturing yourself!”

Liu Zhuyin was scolded mercilessly.

“Mom, why do you say that? I’ve always considered Gu Yichen my husband. What does that have to do with Azhou…”

“I know I’ve wronged him, I know I’m at fault.”

“Scolding me won’t help now, just tell me how to make it up.”

“I don’t know how to apologize.”

Mrs. Liu snorted but still gave her a suggestion.

Liu Zhuyin’s face turned bright red.

“Mom, what are you saying? How can you make your daughter do something like that!”

Mrs. Liu scolded again.

“What do you mean ‘something like that’?”

“That’s your husband! Isn’t normal marital intimacy natural?”

“How come when he married you, took care of you, pampered you, indulged you…”

“You can’t even handle this one thing?”

“Why would he still treat you like a treasure?”

“Are you covered in gold? Or are you the Jade Emperor’s daughter?”

“Ask every woman in the world, how many are as useless as you!”

“You brat, I’m telling you, you deserve a good beating… I…”

Mrs. Liu kept ranting into the phone, and Liu Zhuyin didn’t dare to speak, only listening.

“All right, all right… I… I’ll try.”

“Try? You have to do it! When you make a mistake, you have to show you’re sorry, got it?”

“I’m telling you, Xiao Chen came back with such difficulty; if you still drive him away, I won’t forgive you!”

Mrs. Liu hung up, stifling a laugh, and Liu Zhuyin had no choice but to muster courage and enter.

Seeing the room engulfed in darkness, she guessed I was asleep and dared not make a sound.

Following Mrs. Liu’s advice, she quietly took a shower and changed into clean, seductive lingerie.

Looking at her flawless reflection in the mirror, her cheeks flushed.

She wasn’t opposed to intimacy; it wasn’t the first time.

But every time, it had been me who took the initiative.

Thinking that today she had to take the lead, she felt uneasy.

“Hoo…”

She encouraged herself and slowly slipped into the bedroom.

But when she slid under the covers, it was cold and empty.

She didn’t feel my presence.

Her brow furrowed.

“Could he be angry and sleeping in the guest room?”

She hurried out of bed and searched every guest room.

In the end, she still couldn’t find me.

The shy embarrassment vanished, replaced by anger.

She went downstairs and switched on the lights.

Seeing no sign of me anywhere, her face darkened.

“Bastard!”

“He actually didn’t come back!”