Chapter 27#

Chapter 27 Shi Shan

…How much must this hurt.

Sun Peiming looked at the table and Gu Chenzhou’s hand, and this thought couldn’t help but pop up in his mind.

Gu Chenzhou, on the other hand, quickly restrained his emotions after a moment of rage, leaned back on the sofa and said to Sun Peiming: “These photos were given to Young Master Sun by that person?”

Sun Peiming nodded slightly: “Without a little bait, why would the Sun family bite the hook? These things were originally intended to be placed in Young Master Wei’s car. Young Master Gu arrived just in time.”

“I know about this matter,” In just a few sentences, Gu Chenzhou’s demeanor and tone were impeccable, “Does Young Master Sun have anything else to tell me?”

“No more.” The most critical matter had been said, Sun Peiming answered simply.

Gu Chenzhou nodded and stood up: “I’ll remember it.”

Waiting for this sentence. Sun Peiming smiled with satisfaction. He was originally dissatisfied that He Hailou left with Gu Chenzhou without saying a word this time, and wanted to provoke the relationship between Gu Chenzhou and He Hailou again, but felt that this was both boring and useless—this kind of political blow, frankly speaking, really had nothing to do with them, the third generation. It was their dating objects and attitudes that were very relevant to political dealings—this thought turned around and was thrown away. He stood up to send Gu Chenzhou out: “I just told Young Master Gu a little bit of what I know. I said it, and Young Master Gu listened. What’s there to remember or not. Take care, Young Master Gu.”

Speaking of this, he still couldn’t help but bury a nail for He Hailou in front of Gu Chenzhou:

“Young Master He received Young Master Gu’s invitation this time, and didn’t even bring his favorite companion. He packed up and left with Young Master Gu without saying a word. It can be seen that the invitation is not the key, the person invited is the key.”

This was saying that He Hailou and Gu Chenzhou had a close relationship—but what relationship did the two have? It secretly pointed out that He Hailou left with Gu Chenzhou so simply, either because the family had instructions long ago, or because he had bad intentions.

Gu Chenzhou smiled faintly. As long as he returned to the capital, he heard this level of verbal attack every day until his ears grew calluses. When he was a teenager, it went in one ear and out the other. Anyway, just like what Sun Peiming said just now, he said it, and he listened.

Besides, there was a tacit understanding about this matter long ago. If the Gu, Wei, and He families hadn’t agreed first, why would he invite He Hailou? Could it be that his eyes were really bad and he mistook He Hailou for Wei Xiangjin?

…But He Hailou. Gu Chenzhou thought.

He had to go to the hospital to see the other party tomorrow morning. In case something really happened, it would be just like in the dream, and he wouldn’t be able to explain clearly even with a hundred mouths.

There was nothing special next. Gu Chenzhou was too lazy to run again, returned to the small yard at the foot of Tianxiang Mountain, made himself something to eat casually, and lay back on the bed to sleep soundly for an afternoon. At 5:30 in the evening, he went home first to greet Gu Xinjun, and then arrived at Wei Xiangjin’s house, which was only separated from his house by a driveway, on time.

Turning past the garden path, Gu Chenzhou came face to face with a big wolfdog tied at the door, staring at him vigilantly with pricked ears.

“Woof!” The earthy yellow big wolfdog barked majestically at him first, then whined at him twice with a muffled voice.

Gu Chenzhou smiled, squatted in front of the other party and scratched the fluffy hair on the wolfdog’s neck intimately: “Haven’t seen you for a few days, did you miss me? Treat you to big bones tonight!” These bones were of course from Yu Yayu’s dining table. Because he liked to drink bone soup, after Yu Yayu found out, she would boil a thick pot every time he came, letting him drink his fill. The leftovers that couldn’t be eaten were all borrowed by him and Wei Xiangjin to offer to Buddha.

The big yellow dog didn’t know if it understood or not, lowered its head and chased Gu Chenzhou’s hand to lick it.

Gu Chenzhou laughed and played with the big yellow dog for a while, until Yu Yayu, who was cooking in the kitchen, poked her head out of the window and scolded lovingly before he walked into the small building.

“Auntie, what delicious food are you cooking today?” Walking into the small building, Wei Chengbo hadn’t come back yet, seemingly having something to do temporarily. He went directly into the kitchen to help Yu Yayu.

Yu Yayu was nearly fifty this year. She was the vice principal of the university and a Chinese professor. She did Chinese research at work, and made some delicious food and raised flowers after work. She had a refined temperament and rarely lost her temper, looking as beautiful as someone in her early forties.

“Of course it’s what you like to eat.” Yu Yayu said with a smile, obviously very happy that Gu Chenzhou could come over for dinner. At this time, the sound of a car came from outside. The kitchen window was in the same direction as the front door. Yu Yayu looked up and said to Gu Chenzhou, “Your uncle is back. Go out and talk to him, and let him drink some tea by the way. It’s time to eat.”

Gu Chenzhou responded. Not long after walking out of the kitchen, he heard Yu Yayu’s call “Time to eat”.

A dinner was not particularly sumptuous, but very much to Gu Chenzhou’s appetite. After the meal, Gu Chenzhou sat with Wei Chengbo for a while. Before Yu Yayu cleared the table, he took the remaining bones and walked outside, standing aside watching the big yellow dog crunching on the bones, while taking out his mobile phone and dialing Wei Xiangjin’s number.

The phone rang a few times, and the other end picked up: “Chenzhou?”

“Busy?” Gu Chenzhou asked.

“Just finished eating and resting, what’s up?” Wei Xiangjin answered. The other end of the phone was also quiet, with no talking or noise.

“I got a piece of news today.” Gu Chenzhou said.

“What news made you call me specially to tell me?” Wei Xiangjin wondered and joked, “It’s not that you fell for some woman and plan to chase her to be your girlfriend, right?”

Gu Chenzhou didn’t smile. He said lightly: “I heard news about Shi Shan again.”

The other end of the phone went silent.

“You left early that day because Shi Shan called?” Gu Chenzhou asked.

“…Sigh,” Wei Xiangjin smiled bitterly, “It was her.”

Gu Chenzhou didn’t speak, and neither did Wei Xiangjin.

The sound of the news flowed out along the open window like light. The big yellow dog was still gnawing on the bone tirelessly, making a tooth-aching friction sound. But whether it was the sound of life, nature, or machinery, it gradually faded away. The world seemed to fall silent at this moment.

“Xiao Zhou, listen to me…” Wei Xiangjin hesitated, “She, I just—”

“Xiangjin.” Gu Chenzhou interrupted the other party’s somewhat urgent words.

The person on the other end of the phone seemed to have his tongue cut off and suddenly quieted down.

“I’m sorry.” Gu Chenzhou took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. In the twenty-three years from birth to growing up, he rarely apologized. The occasional few times didn’t seem like repentance, but temporary trade-offs and compromises. He never truly reflected on himself, never realized that even to his best brother, he was so arrogant and presumptuous.

“Xiangjin, about Shi Shan, I’m very sorry. I did wrong back then.” He said to Wei Xiangjin sincerely, expressing apology and guilt for his past actions.

“…Are you sick today?” After a long time, Wei Xiangjin said to Gu Chenzhou.

Gu Chenzhou laughed: “Get lost. Since childhood, when you don’t know how to answer, you only have this sentence! Isn’t your vocabulary too poor?”

The atmosphere between the two relaxed instantly. Wei Xiangjin laughed on the phone: “In my dad’s words: What use is that rubbish?” He paused, “By the way, what happened exactly? Why did you suddenly get news about her… Who told you?”

Gu Chenzhou didn’t talk nonsense anymore, and briefly recounted the conversation between Sun Peiming and him.

The other end of the phone fell silent again. After a long time, Wei Xiangjin said: “Fuck! Bitch!”

Recalling this matter, Gu Chenzhou laughed at himself: “I have the same IQ as a bitch.” Back then, Shi Shan was dating Wei Xiangjin. He didn’t like the other party’s style and told Wei Xiangjin several times. Wei Xiangjin always agreed on the surface, but was coaxed back by the other party a few days later. He simply set up a trap, and in less than a month, he let Wei Xiangjin watch Shi Shan undress for him in the room…

What was I doing at that time?

What kind of thing is this?

Gu Chenzhou recalled himself five years ago. Without closing his eyes, he outlined a cold and arrogant face.

Wei Xiangjin really had a good temper and treated him like a younger brother since childhood. If it were him, he would have beaten that person to death at that time… No matter how insignificant this woman was, she was the woman Wei Xiangjin liked at that time. He had many gentler ways, but chose the most intense and ugly one.

—Did he really keep Wei Xiangjin in his heart at that time?

“Come on,” Wei Xiangjin said, “Brothers for so many years talking about this. You let me watch back then, there was no need to take photos, and I couldn’t possibly get these. Those photos—”

“Of course Shi Shan took them.” Gu Chenzhou said lightly, “Attract your favor, and then do something to annoy me. I thought the other party was a fool, but it turned out the other party was playing me like a monkey.”

Wei Xiangjin laughed in anger: “What a big game of chess! Have you told Uncle Gu and my dad?”

“Not yet.” The big yellow dog had finished gnawing the bone and circled around Gu Chenzhou wanting to go for the next walk. Gu Chenzhou squatted down and patted the other party’s head to comfort him, “I just finished eating at your house and called you first.”

“I’ll tell my dad about this.” Wei Xiangjin said decisively, “Uncle Gu’s side is left to you. Let them check Shi Shan’s background.”

“Probably won’t find much.” Gu Chenzhou analyzed, “Since it’s laid out, it must have been wiped clean… Thinking about it now, I probably really arrived early that time, otherwise the drivers of both cars would probably have died on the spot.”

Wei Xiangjin didn’t speak. If it weren’t for Shi Shan’s matter, he wouldn’t have thought of this; but if the other party started five years ago—what is cleaner than a dead person?

“Let’s leave it at that for now.” Gu Chenzhou stopped the conversation, “We’ve been talking for so long, Big Yellow is about to explode. I’ll take it for a run.”

“That dog will go crazy.” Wei Xiangjin said, “By the way, I heard He Hailou entered the military hospital?”

“Your news is quite well-informed,” Gu Chenzhou briefly described the wilderness trip of the two, “I have to go to the military hospital to see him tomorrow.”

“Why did you travel with him?” Wei Xiangjin was stunned.

“A bit interested in him. Just happened to have a chance to get in touch—He Hailou likes outdoor activities very much. In the first year he came here, if someone invited him for a wilderness trip, he would definitely go, and never bring those people.” Gu Chenzhou explained.

“You mean He Hailou has special feelings for the wild?” Wei Xiangjin said intermittently, and asked again, “When are you going tomorrow?”

“Nine o’clock, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just asking.” Wei Xiangjin said a few more words and hung up the phone.

Gu Chenzhou put away the phone, untied the iron chain tying the big yellow dog, and shook it gently: “Go!”

The big yellow dog barked and spread its four legs, pulling Gu Chenzhou to trot all the way forward.