Gu Huaizhi's breathing grew heavier, his voice hoarse as he said, "Can you stop moving?"
"I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to..." Shen Mianyin's voice cracked with a sob, her words coming out in broken gasps. "I... I didn’t want this, I’m sorry."
"Gu Huaizhi, can you... stay with me for a while? Just for a little bit, until the power comes back on, then it’ll be fine."
"I’ve been left alone before, in the dark, all by myself. I... I didn’t want to embarrass myself like this, but..."
It wasn’t just that time in the escape room, but again and again, being abandoned by Gu Luo’an, being left in the darkness by everyone.
When she had the car accident, the darkness she fell into after her death—those were all moments of abandonment.
Gu Huaizhi turned his head toward the direction of the banquet hall. Amid the noise, he could hear the hotel manager apologizing and trying to reassure the guests.
He let out a heavy breath, feeling the wetness of her tears soaking into his neck.
"Then don’t stay here."
Shen Mianyin was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding what Gu Huaizhi meant.
The next second, she was lifted off the ground in a bridal carry by Gu Huaizhi.
Her startled gasp was muffled by her sobs, and in her panic, she instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, hastily asking, "Where are you taking me?"
"The hotel’s just having a power outage, not anywhere else." Gu Huaizhi lowered his head slightly, catching sight of her face tilted upward in surprise, her eyes locked on his.
Although she had cried, her face remained clean and unmarred, showing no trace of being messy.
Only her eyes were slightly reddened, still glistening with tears.
Her lips, for some reason, seemed to have swollen slightly, taking on a fuller, more flushed appearance.
Gu Huaizhi suddenly realized—hadn’t she been rubbing her face against him?
Rubbing against him...
Gu Huaizhi felt an increasing restlessness building inside him, harder to suppress with each passing second.
Had she really rubbed her lips so much against him that they became swollen?
Her lipstick had worn off, revealing her natural lip color, soft and delicate, like a peach blossom gently swaying in the wind.
Gu Huaizhi quickly averted his gaze, no longer looking at her.
This girl... She really knew how to tempt someone.
Did she really like him this much?
Just as Gu Huaizhi carried Shen Mianyin a few steps past the banquet hall, the lights in the hotel suddenly came back on.
After becoming accustomed to the darkness, the sudden brightness made Shen Mianyin instinctively close her eyes.
She felt Gu Huaizhi stop, unsure if he was considering putting her down.
Shen Mianyin tightened her grip around his neck, burying her face deeper into his chest. She curled herself up as much as possible, trying to shield herself entirely with his body.
Gu Huaizhi: "…"
"Mr. Gu probably wouldn’t want people to see us like this and misunderstand, right?" Shen Mianyin whispered.
Gu Huaizhi: "…"
Just moments ago, Gu Huaizhi had indeed considered putting Shen Mianyin down, but now, he changed his mind. Holding her, he quickened his pace, heading toward the exit of the hotel.
"Eh? Is that Mr. Gu?" A guest noticed and exclaimed in surprise.
Although the lights had come back on, it was clear the guests had lost interest in continuing the event, and many had begun to leave. Some people at the door saw them.
As soon as the comment was made, several people turned their attention toward them.
"The silhouette looks like Mr. Gu, but who is the person in his arms?"
Shen Mianyin tried to shrink further into Gu Huaizhi’s embrace, only her shoe tips barely visible.
Su Yiqing furrowed her brows as she noticed the swaying shoe tips in Gu Huaizhi’s arms. For some reason, it reminded her of something she had overheard earlier in the hallway when Shen Mianyin had spoken to Gu Luo’an.
Shen Mianyin likes Gu Huaizhi.
The person in Gu Huaizhi's arms couldn’t possibly be Shen Mianyin, right?
Su Yiqing hadn’t even paid attention to what shoes Shen Mianyin was wearing today.
She quickly shook her head. No, it couldn’t be. How could Gu Huaizhi possibly be interested in Shen Mianyin?
But for some reason, Su Yiqing couldn’t help but ask Gu Luo'an, "Luo'an, have you noticed what shoes Sister Mianyin is wearing today?"
"I don’t see why I should care about that," Gu Luoan said, then suddenly paused as he glanced at Gu Huaizhi’s retreating figure. "You don’t seriously think my uncle is holding Shen Mianyin, do you?"
"Though it seems impossible, Sister Mianyin really isn’t here," Su Yiqing murmured quietly.
"That woman is the best at pretending and deliberately misleading others to create misunderstandings," Su Mother said with a face full of disdain. "She must have hidden herself on purpose to make people think something is going on."
"Of course, it’s not her," Gu Luoan said confidently. "My uncle doesn’t like that type of woman, especially not Shen Mianyin."
Gu Huaizhi walked out of the hotel, carrying a woman who wasn't even his preferred type.
The driver, Chang He'an, was startled when he saw Gu Huaizhi holding a woman, quickly rushing over to greet him. "Mr. Gu."
"Is this young lady injured?" Chang He'an asked in surprise, reaching out to take Shen Mianyin from Gu Huaizhi, offering to lighten the load. "Mr. Gu, should I carry her instead?"
Without thinking, Gu Huaizhi instinctively pulled both his hands and Shen Mianyin closer, as if to protect her from being handed off.
Chang He'an: "???"
"Is this... your girlfriend?" Chang He'an asked in surprise, unable to hide his astonishment. Why else would Mr. Gu hold her so tightly?
Shen Mianyin looked up in shock. Had she imagined it, or had Gu Huaizhi really pulled her closer just now?
What did that mean? Was he reluctant to let her go?
Gu Huaizhi: "..."
No, what was he pulling her back for!?
Gu Huaizhi immediately set Shen Mianyin down. "She’s not injured, she can walk on her own."
Chang He'an scratched his head and laughed, thinking that Mr. Gu didn’t actually deny that this young lady was his girlfriend.
Because of that, Chang He'an made a point of looking at Shen Mianyin carefully, in case they crossed paths again and he didn’t recognize her, losing his manners.
As Gu Huaizhi was about to get into the car, Shen Mianyin quickly caught up, taking a few quick steps. "Mr. Gu!"
Was he really planning on just leaving her behind?
What a cold-hearted person!
Gu Huaizhi turned around, raising an eyebrow.
What was she trying to do now?
"Mr. Gu, would you mind giving me a ride?" Shen Mianyin explained, "The guests should be coming out soon, and it’ll get crowded."
"Yes, I mind," Gu Huaizhi threw out two words, then got into the car.
Shen Mianyin: "!!!"
Fearing other guests would emerge, Shen Mianyin quickly started to jog away.
However, the heels of her shoes were too high and too thin. In her haste, she lost her balance and twisted her ankle.
"Damn it!" Shen Mianyin grumbled, stopping in her tracks. "When it rains, it pours. Even drinking water gets stuck in my teeth!"
She glanced back, noticing people starting to emerge from the hotel.
With no choice, she limped forward, trying to continue on her way.
Chang He'an slowly drove the car over and asked Gu Huaizhi, "Mr. Gu, it seems like that young lady twisted her ankle."
Gu Huaizhi glanced at him.
Chang He'an understood then. Gu Huaizhi really was cold-hearted!
Chang He'an drove past Shen Mianyin without stopping, the car gliding smoothly by her.
Gu Huaizhi: "..."
"Stop the car," he said helplessly.
Seeing Shen Mianyin limping toward them, Gu Huaizhi lowered the window and said, "Get in the car."