Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Shi Wan gripped Chu Kuo’s hand and led him away from the venue.
People were chasing after them from behind.
She floored the accelerator, speeding all the way.
The interior of the car was silent. Chu Kuo didn’t say a word, but the smile on his face never faded.
Shi Wan didn’t know where she was going. Her mind was a tangled mess that she couldn’t unravel or cut through.
It was only when she parked the car that she realized she had brought Chu Kuo back to her home.
Chu Kuo opened that locked room. When he came out after changing his clothes, he saw her sitting on the sofa, smoking.
Shi Wan had quit smoking a long time ago.
She hadn’t touched a cigarette since the day he left.
Wisps of white smoke blurred half of her profile. Chu Kuo was choked by the smoke, and a sense of unease rose in his heart.
He walked over to hug Shi Wan, wanting to kiss her.
But she pulled away.
His lips barely brushed against her cheek.
Chu Kuo froze. She said nothing, picking up her phone to make a call.
Chu Kuo’s eyes were sharp; he caught a glimpse of the contact name: Ah Yu.
Without a second thought, he grabbed her hand, preventing her from dialing.
“What are you doing, Ah Kuo?”
Shi Wan frowned, her face clouded with an irritation he had never seen before.
“Calling my boyfriend.”
Chu Kuo went numb, his previous joy vanishing instantly.
“Shi Wan.”
“He looks like me.”
She lifted her gaze to meet Chu Kuo’s eyes, offering no denial.
“Didn’t you get with him because he looks like me?”
“You took me away with you just now.”
“He’s just a substitute!”
“I’m back now.”
“I’ll stay by your side from now on.”
“Shi Wan.”
“I forgive you.”
“Let’s go back to how we were, okay?”
Shi Wan looked at him, her face expressionless, the white smoke blurring her silhouette.
Yet Chu Kuo could still clearly see the coldness on the other half of her face.
She said, “No.”
“Chu Kuo.”
“I owe you.”
“You didn’t want to get married, so I stayed with you.”
“But you shouldn’t have made a scene in front of everyone, making it impossible for your family, your fiancé… and my boyfriend to save face.”
“Because I owe you, I chose to prioritize your feelings first.”
“But Chu Kuo.”
Her eyes were clear and sharp.
“I don’t love you anymore.”
Chu Kuo’s composure collapsed instantly, like sand scattered by the wind.
“But you owe me!”
“Shi Wan!”
“You owe me, and you’ll never be able to pay me back in this lifetime!!”
Shi Wan didn’t respond, continuing to try the phone call.
But the only thing on the other end was a mechanical female voice repeating: “Sorry, the number you have dialed…”
She grew anxious. In the gap after hanging up, she tried to send Shen Yu a voice call on WeChat.
However, there was an unread message.
It was sent by Shen Yu ten minutes ago:
-Let’s break up.
Her emotions pushed past their limit. Shi Wan stood up and headed for the door, wanting to go back to the venue to find Shen Yu.
Chu Kuo suddenly laughed.
“Do you really think he likes you, Shi Wan?”
“He doesn’t love you at all.”
“How could someone who truly loves you be so generous that when an ex-boyfriend shows up, he’s still willing to let the two of you stay in the same room?”
Shi Wan didn’t look back, continuing toward the door.
Chu Kuo laughed behind her, but as he laughed, he began to cry.
“You’re using him as a substitute.”
“But how do you know-”
“That you aren’t someone else’s substitute too?”
Shi Wan spun around abruptly, striding over to grab Chu Kuo by the shoulders. “What do you know?”
Chu Kuo looked at her, tears streaming down his face even as he laughed.
“I’m not telling you.”
“Shi Wan.”
“I want you to suffer.”