Volume 1, Chapter 41: Does it hurt? Zhou Jinghuai, do you feel pain too?

Leaning against the wall, Ye Wu smiled through her tears.

She would not forgive him. Why should she ever forgive? When she was drowning in despair, Zhou Jinghuai was busy accompanying Bai Qianqian. Did he ever consider her anxiety? Did he ever think of the agonizing pain she felt upon losing her family?

Lowering her gaze, Ye Wu stared at Zhou Jinghuai’s face.

Extending slender, pale fingers, she touched the man's features as though caressing her beloved. Her voice was tender and affectionate as she whispered, "Does it hurt? Zhou Jinghuai, can you feel pain too?"

Without waiting for his reply, Ye Wu threw back her head and laughed, the sound vibrant and stirring, causing her chest to heave. Zhou Jinghuai pressed closely against her, feeling as though he could hear the sound of a heart shattering.

Deep into the night, a sorrowful song of love seemed to echo.

***

Zhou Jinghuai had met with a cold reception.

Yet he still went to the hospital, keeping vigil by the old lady’s side, begging for Ye Wu’s forgiveness.

On the eve of New Year’s Day, he traveled to Yuncheng on business, returning precisely on the first of January.

At dusk, wisps of smoke curled up from kitchen chimneys as a gleaming black Lincoln glided into the courtyard of the Di Jing Yuan villa, coming to a halt with a soft crunch.

The chauffeur stepped out and retrieved a suitcase from the trunk.

As Zhou Jinghuai got out of the car, the driver softly asked, "Shall I take your luggage upstairs, sir?"

With a calm shake of his head, Zhou Jinghuai replied that it wouldn't be necessary, then took the suitcase himself and walked toward the grand foyer.

Upon entering, a domestic worker came over to greet him. "Welcome back, sir."

Unbuttoning his overcoat, Zhou Jinghuai asked casually, "Where is Xiaobai?"

Usually, whenever he returned, Xiaobai would come running with its tail wagging. Over time, Zhou Jinghuai had grown accustomed to it.

The worker hesitated for a moment before answering, "The madam came back the day before yesterday and took the dog away, along with a few changes of clothes. Oh, by the way, the elderly madam has already been discharged from the hospital."

Discharged?

Zhou Jinghuai frowned; Ye Wu hadn't informed him.

***

After a brief change of clothes, Zhou Jinghuai headed to the old lady’s residence.

It was a detached Western-style house with a courtyard of two hundred square meters—ideal for an elderly person's retirement. With the old lady falling ill, Ye Wu had hired two additional nursing aides. The original housekeeper was quite pleased, believing that Madam Ye was a fair and reasonable employer.

As Zhou Jinghuai’s car pulled into the courtyard and came to a stop, a familiar vehicle caught his eye.

A black Ghost.

It was Gu Jiucheng’s car.

After staring at it for a few seconds, Zhou Jinghuai turned to the newly hired aide and asked, "Is Lawyer Gu here? How long has he been visiting?"

Knowing he was the master of the house, the aide smiled and replied, "Lawyer Gu and Miss Gu have been here for about an hour. Since the old lady was discharged, they came by to liven things up a bit. Hurry on inside, sir, the dumplings will be ready to boil soon."

Zhou Jinghuai was displeased, though the aide failed to notice.

Moments later, he stepped into the foyer.

Placing down the health supplements he had brought, he unbuttoned his overcoat and cast a glance around the room. Gu Jiucheng and his sister were wrapping dumplings with the aide, but Ye Wu was nowhere to be seen.

A cold sneer tugged at the corner of Zhou Jinghuai’s mouth. When had Gu Jiucheng ever made dumplings? Rushing over to curry favor in his wife's home—his intentions were utterly malicious.

Gu Jiucheng spotted him as well.

Instantly, the atmosphere grew delicate and strained.

Zhou Jinghuai and Gu Jiucheng had once been close business partners, but they had broken off completely because of Ye Wu. Meeting now, the two men didn't even bother to exchange a greeting. Zhou Jinghuai let out a faint scoff before pushing open the sliding door to the kitchen.

Ye Wu was inside, cutting fruit.

The sudden evening visit from the Gu siblings had caught her off guard. Unwilling to rebuff their kind intentions, she had invited them to stay for a meal of dumplings.

She simply hadn't expected Zhou Jinghuai to return from his trip early.

Leaning against the sliding door, Zhou Jinghuai lowered his voice and demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"

Setting down the piece of fruit in her hand, Ye Wu countered, "What do you mean by 'what is the meaning of this'?"

Stepping toward her, Zhou Jinghuai leaned against the dark quartz countertop, his sharp, handsome brows lowered as he stared down at her intently. "I'm talking about Gu Jiucheng! Ye Wu, are you keeping your options open while looking for a better branch to perch on?"

Lowering her head to continue arranging the fruit, Ye Wu asked, "Are you a donkey?"

That pushed Zhou Jinghuai past his breaking point.

He reached out to pinch her chin, intending to kiss her hard, but Ye Wu bit down fiercely on the corner of his lip. Amid their struggle, the stainless steel kitchen utensils clattered loudly against one another.

A moment later, Ye Wu broke away and fled the kitchen. "Zhou Jinghuai, I am not as foul and sordid as you!"

Zhou Jinghuai followed closely behind.

The Gu siblings had already left, leaving the living room completely empty.

Ye Wu stared into the empty space for a long moment, a melancholic expression shadowing her features. This sight displeased Zhou Jinghuai all over again. "Reluctant to see him go? When did your relationship become so intimate?"

Aunt Wu had long since lost patience with him.

As she carried a tray of wrapped dumplings to the stove, she muttered under her breath while working, "Lawyer Gu is truly a fine man—steady, reliable, and devoted. Whoever marries him is bound to be blessed. If you ask me, Lawyer Gu certainly wouldn't abandon his elderly mother-in-law to run after some trash on the street."

Zhou Jinghuai felt the subtle barb, but as a scion of high society, he could hardly trade insults with a domestic worker.

He turned his gaze toward Ye Wu instead.

With a cold, indifferent expression, Ye Wu turned and walked back to her bedroom.

She was still shutting him out.

Xiaobai came trotting over, the small, snow-white creature wagging its tail and circling playfully around Zhou Jinghuai’s long legs. Bending down, Zhou Jinghuai scooped the puppy up and stroked its little head.

This scene happened to be caught by Aunt Wu, who clicked her tongue and sighed, "Even dogs know loyalty."

Her words stung so sharply that Zhou Jinghuai lost his appetite for dumplings; besides, knowing they had been wrapped by Gu Jiucheng made them even harder to swallow.

After eating only a few, he went to keep watch over the sleeping old lady.

Aunt Wu whispered quietly to Ye Wu, "Still feeling hard done by? Serves him right!"

With a cool expression, Ye Wu thought about how she ought to call Gu Jiucheng later to apologize—Zhou Jinghuai’s behavior had been utterly discourteous.

Inside the bedroom, the old lady was sleeping deeply to regain her strength. After entering, Zhou Jinghuai sat down in the single-armchair beside the bed, pulling out his phone to handle some brief official correspondence.

Yet his mind was restless, and after a moment, he set the phone aside.

Under the dim, warm glow of the lamp, the old lady’s silver hair looked like fine silk, her sleeping face serene and kind.

In truth, Zhou Jinghuai had never felt much emotional attachment to the old lady. A man so consumed by power and status had no room to cherish even his own flesh and blood, let alone the relatives of his wife.

Yet at this moment, he felt a twinge of guilt toward her.

With deep, heavy brows, Zhou Jinghuai murmured softly, "Thank goodness! I must thank the old lady for continuing to hold on."

A hand gently closed over his.

"Jinghuai."

Thinking the old lady hadn't truly woken and was merely sleep-talking in a dream, Zhou Jinghuai quickly leaned in closer and spoke in a gentle, soothing tone, "I'm right here, Grandmother."

Seeming to still be trapped in a dream, the old lady murmured, "Jinghuai, if you truly do not like A-Wu, then let her go! She is still young; it is not too late for her to start over. The child has suffered too much, and I cannot bear to see her left with no one to rely on."

"The Zhou family is wealthy and powerful, but aside from the old master, who treated her kindly, not a single person can be depended upon."

"My A-Wu has no one to lean on..."

Zhou Jinghuai felt as though something had blocked his throat entirely.