The two seemed to be in a standoff. In the next moment, as if sensing something, Gu Jingxu suddenly raised his eyes and looked towards the entrance of the hotel.

His gaze pierced through the crowd of people holding wine glasses and exchanging pleasantries, instantly locking onto a certain spot.

But that place was empty.

After looking for two seconds, the unsettling feeling in his heart returned.

Gu Jingxu furrowed his brow, his body turning slightly as he coldly said, “Excuse me.”

Assistant Wang looked at his boss in confusion as he suddenly walked away. Quickly catching up, he saw Gu Jingxu standing in front of the hotel, gazing blankly at the pouring rain outside.

The rain was heavy, and under the sweeping wind, even standing quite inside, they could feel raindrops on their faces.

Gu Jingxu’s fingers curled slightly, and he uttered in a hoarse voice, “Let’s go.”

Assistant Wang hesitated, “But…”

Gu Jingxu turned his head already, saying, “Give me the phone.”

Assistant Wang didn’t understand what was happening, but he took out Gu Jingxu’s phone from his pocket and handed it over.

Despite the heavy rain, Gu Jingxu remained still. He unlocked his phone and saw that the message he had sent to Chi You earlier still had no reply.

He typed a few more words.

[Youyou, are you still busy?]

No one responded.

Gu Jingxu suppressed the inexplicable feeling in his heart, raising his head again to look into the curtain of rain, his gaze deepening.

…

Yang Qirou had just arrived home when she received a call from her boss.

She was a bit puzzled, “Mr. Gu?”

Gu Jingxu’s voice was low, “Has Youyou finished work today?”

“It’s done. She went home long ago. What’s wrong?”

Gu Jingxu was taken aback, “She’s not at home.”

Yang Qirou also froze, “Didn’t she go back? Mr. Gu, wait a moment. Let me ask!”

“Okay.”

He didn’t hang up the phone, and Yang Qirou certainly didn’t dare to either.

She sent a WeChat message to Chi You.

[Youyou, where are you? Didn’t you go home? Mr. Gu called me.]

As soon as Yang Qirou’s message was sent, she immediately received a reply.

[Youyou: I’m outside.]

[Youyou: By the way, Sister, please clear your schedule for a month after the New Year. Thank you.]

Yang Qirou: “Huh?”

Gu Jingxu: “What’s wrong?”

“Youyou says she’s outside and mentions clearing her schedule for a month after the New Year.”

Gu Jingxu paused, returned to his chat with Chi You, scrolled through his messages several times, but received no response.

“Okay, got it.”

Ending the call, Gu Jingxu dialed Chi You’s number again.

On the other side, Chi You was sitting on the sofa after drying her hair in the hotel. 

He Hangren, having finished booking the flight tickets, looked up, noticing her slightly pale complexion, remarked, “Even at this age, you can still get caught in the rain.”

Chi You’s mouth twitched, “Are you done?”

She placed her phone down, and immediately, Gu Jingxu’s name lit up on the screen.

She stared at the screen for a moment.

How much she wanted to answer the call.

She longed to hear Gu Jingxu’s voice.

Unable to resist, Chi You sniffled.

The rain that day was too chilly, indeed; she shouldn’t have gone out in this weather. Now, she felt a bit unwell.

Her slightly moist eyes focused on the phone screen. Seeing her gaze, He Chenran couldn’t help but comment, “Why don’t you answer? He must be getting anxious.”

Chi You, with an indifferent look, glanced at him, reached out to silence the phone, and then curled up on the sofa, squinting slightly.

She really felt uncomfortable.

In fact, there had been signs a few days before, but she had attributed it to the weather. After all, at the end of the year, she was more prone to illness in the cold. So, she didn’t suspect that the original plot was causing trouble.

She only began to realize something was wrong because of that day’s weather.

The heavy rain mentioned many times in the original plot; it wasn’t until that moment that she remembered. During this period, she had been living too comfortably, and she had completely forgotten about this event.

When she saw that scene at the banquet, and tears uncontrollably streamed down her face, Chi You truly considered leaving everything behind.

However, at the moment she left the hotel, when her entire body gradually belonged to her, she belatedly realized that she had completely integrated into this world.

After completely breaking free from the sense of confinement, fatigue suddenly struck.

After taking a hot bath and drinking a sip of the porridge He Chenran bought, life seemed wonderful again.

However, it was not yet time to answer Gu Jingxu’s call.

She wasn’t sure exactly when it would be the right time.

A sense of unease lingered in a certain part of her chest, as if telling her that now was not the time for her to act recklessly.

Chi You reflected once again on her love-struck brain, wrapped herself in a blanket, and buried her face in her arms.

“Be quieter when you go out.” 

The girl spoke softly, seemingly on the verge of falling asleep.

He Chenran helplessly cleaned up the porridge Chi You had finished, then took the garbage and left Chi You’s room with light steps.

The door lock clicked softly, and the girl curled up on the sofa slowly opened her eyes.

Chi You stared expressionlessly at a corner of the curtain for a long time before closing her eyes again.