No one had ever asked about his feelings.
It was as if they had all assumed Gu Yaoyang would gradually lose his bodily functions in his deep coma until he died, or like the matriarch of the Yu family, never wake up again.
Only then would the marriage between Gu Yaoqing and Yu Linwan seem less preposterous.
The fact that he was still alive had, in turn, become a crime.
He had embarrassed the Gu family; he had made them a laughingstock.
He deserved to die.
No one had asked about the damage that fire had inflicted upon him, nor did anyone care how he would be gossiped about after his fiancée married his cousin.
Therefore, the moment his body recovered, he had established his independence from the Gu family.
Although some people in the capital still brought up that incident, and some still considered him a member of the Gu family,
In City Z, and within the entertainment industry, everyone referred to him as "Mr. Gu."
A completely independent "Mr. Gu."
Hearing Gu Yaoyang utter the word "no," Xia Qingtian felt a dull ache in her heart.
In that instant, Xia Qingtian empathized with Gu Yaoyang's past suffering.
After her leg was broken in her previous life, she had waited in her hospital room, yearning for relatives who never came, waiting desperately, hoping for even a single word: "Does it hurt?"
Xia Qingtian knew that feeling all too well.
She reached out and cupped Gu Yaoyang's face, as if asking him, but also as if asking her past self, "Does it hurt?"
Listening to Xia Qingtian's question, Gu Yaoyang suddenly felt his heart, which had been riddled with holes and crudely patched by himself, regain its proper sensation.
He didn't answer Xia Qingtian's question; he just gazed at her quietly. After a long pause, he finally spoke, "If, back then, the first person I saw upon waking up had been you, how wonderful that would have been."
At least, he wouldn't have had to face expectant eyes filled with disappointment, avoidance, and awkwardness after surviving death time and time again.
And no one would have considered his struggle for survival a scandal, eagerly anticipating his demise.
Someone would have genuinely asked him, "Does it hurt?"
"Next time, I promise you, if there's a next time, the first person you see will definitely be me," Xia Qingtian said jokingly. "If you don't believe me, try passing out again."
"I'm suddenly looking forward to it," Gu Yaoyang said with a smile.
"It’s better to have less of this kind of anticipation," Xia Qingtian chuckled, trying to pull her hand away, but Gu Yaoyang held onto her wrist.
Gu Yaoyang pressed Xia Qingtian's palm against his cheek, took a deep breath, and murmured, "I am searching for you across the sea of time."
"Hm?" Xia Qingtian didn't quite grasp Gu Yaoyang's meaning for a moment.
"After all, you're an actress; you should know some famous lines, shouldn't you?" Gu Yaoyang's gaze flickered, and he let out a dry laugh.
"Mmm..." Xia Qingtian blinked her eyes and hesitantly asked, "Then... should I change it?"
"Heh heh." Gu Yaoyang let out a light chuckle.
Just then, a female voice rang out, laced with anger, "What are you two doing!"
Hearing this voice, both Xia Qingtian and Gu Yaoyang's lips twitched.
"Yaoyang, you are representing the Gu family, how can you be acting like this!"
"And you! Xia Qingtian! Don't think having a mine means anything; you should know what kind of person you are!"
"Yu Linwan, you really are incredibly persistent." Xia Qingtian turned to face Yu Linwan and said, "You should know this is the Yue family's place, not the Yu family's, nor the Gu family's. Wandering around like this is extremely impolite."
"What right do you have to say such things? Do you think because Master Yue pities you, you've truly become the little princess of the Yue family?" Yu Linwan tilted her chin upward. "I just heard that Master Yue's favoritism towards you is entirely because your mother died young, and he sympathizes with you!"
"Xia Qingtian, I truly envy you..." Yu Linwan displayed a cruel smile. "I don't have your kind of skill; you've even managed to exploit your mother's death so effectively!"
Upon hearing this, Xia Qingtian directly looped her arm through Gu Yaoyang's and chuckled, "You envy more than just this."
"You!" Yu Linwan was so enraged that her insides felt like they were burning. She fixed her gaze on Gu Yaoyang and said, "Yaoyang! The Gu family will not allow a woman like this to enter the family! You should be aware of that!"
"It's hard to say. After all, you've already entered, haven't you?" Gu Yaoyang looked at Yu Linwan. "I don't think the Gu family has any reason to refuse a more outstanding woman, do they? Cousin-in-law?"
"You!" Yu Linwan was even more incensed, feeling like stomping her feet. Finally, she could only take a deep breath and say, "I know you're just being swayed by her now. I believe the head of the Gu family will make you realize the gap between you and the foolishness of your actions!"
"I don't think he'll have the time to deal with this matter," Gu Yaoyang's gaze deepened.
"What do you mean? What are you going to do?" Yu Linwan sensed something was amiss and immediately pressed for an answer.
"I will return to the Gu family tonight, and you'll know then." Gu Yaoyang turned to Xia Qingtian and said, "As long as I'm here, it's unlikely you'll enjoy any peace."
"See you back in City Z?" Xia Qingtian withdrew her hand from Gu Yaoyang's arm.
"Mapo tofu or spicy numbing crayfish. Choose one," Gu Yaoyang said with a smile.
Hearing this, Xia Qingtian swallowed. "Can't I have both?"
"Greedy..." Gu Yaoyang lightly tapped Xia Qingtian's nose with a smile, then turned to leave. "See you in City Z."
"See you in City Z." Xia Qingtian watched Gu Yaoyang's retreating back, a smile appearing on her face.
"Yaoyang, what exactly do you mean?" Yu Linwan followed Gu Yaoyang, still glaring at Xia Qingtian as she moved away.
"Finally, some peace." Taking a deep breath, Xia Qingtian looked towards the lake again, feeling much more at ease. The dancing light spots on the water looked playful and charming, and the gentle breeze felt incredibly pleasant against her face.
Meanwhile, Gu Yaoyang, having escaped Yu Linwan's clutches, merely bid farewell to Master Yue before getting into a car and leaving the banquet.
He dialed a number, and as the call connected, Gu Yaoyang said, "Did you get anything good?"
"My rival, you're really my soulmate!" Bai Yuqi's voice crackled with excitement on the other end. "It was worth staking out for so long; I really managed to capture some good material, enough to extort a hefty price!"
"Have someone release the photos, include the hashtag #GoldMedalIntern, and post it now," Gu Yaoyang instructed.
"Huh? Not extorting anymore?" Bai Yuqi asked. "I think these photos could fetch millions if sold to the Gu family or Yu Linwan!"
"I'll give you a million dollars to post them," Gu Yaoyang said, his eyes darkening.
"Alright! You're the patron, so whatever you say goes!" Bai Yuqi immediately agreed. "Posting them now!"