I Ran Away with the Scumbag's White Moonlight Chapter 68

Cha Nan finally realized what was happening. He hurriedly turned back to look at Gu Yemei, who indeed was frowning and flexing his wrist. Cha Nan clenched his fists, his face full of regret. He still didn't want to give up, but then he heard Chu Wanhong beside him say, "I think now might not be the best time for a chat. Both of you need to calm down a bit."

Gu Yemei didn't say anything, but Cha Nan was moved by these words and started to seriously consider them. Yemei was angry, and bringing this late-night snack was indeed inappropriate. Plus, he had just managed to protect Yiren, who had been pestering Yemei a few days ago...

Cha Nan thought it might be better to deal with Yiren first and then come back to Yemei, giving him a new impression of his efforts to make amends. As he was busy regretting and repenting, he remembered the incident of Yiren harassing Gu Yemei. Thinking of this, Cha Nan could only withdraw his hands. He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Yemei, you focus on your work. I'll come find you after I'm done."

Cha Nan's words were firm. He wasn't going to give up. After making this declaration, Cha Nan was kindly escorted out of the office by Chu Wanhong, who was trying to mediate rationally. The door closed. Cha Nan looked longingly at the person inside through the closed door, then gave Chu Wanhong a bitter smile.

"Thank you," he said, reaching out to take a business card from his chest. "This is my business card. You can come to me anytime if you need anything." The business card wasn't flashy, but the words "Director of Cha Group" at the top carried significant weight. However, these words didn't catch Chu Wanhong's attention. He took the card and put it away casually.

Cha Nan hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself. Finally, he asked Chu Wanhong, "Little student, do you know Yemei?" Chu Wanhong nodded. He replied lightly, "We've known each other for over ten years."

Cha Nan didn't suspect anything and was overjoyed to hear this. "Are you Yemei's friend?" But after eagerly asking, Cha Nan came to his senses and forced a smile. "Sorry, I must have made a fool of myself just now..." He rubbed his forehead, looking helpless. The person in front of him was at most a teenager, still a child. Yemei probably only saw him as a younger brother. How could he hope that this person could help persuade Yemei?

Moreover, he had a very secret thought that he hadn't voiced. At first sight of this boy, who was so beautiful he didn't seem real, Cha Nan almost...

Although Cha Nan didn't finish his sentence, Chu Wanhong seemed to see through his thoughts. "Mr. Cha, I don't know much about your situation, but as you said, you've been together for thirteen years." Cha Nan came back to his senses and smiled bitterly, "Yes, I pursued him for seven years and confirmed our relationship for six."

Looking back now, he wasn't even as determined as when he was pursuing him. Chu Wanhong nodded, "So no matter how you think about it, Dr. Gu surely wouldn't be willing to not give you a chance." This sentence was like a lifeline for the drowning Cha Nan. He eagerly asked, "Really, you think he'll give me a chance, right? I knew it..."

But as he spoke, Cha Nan noticed something off in Chu Wanhong's expression. He realized it himself. Cha Nan's voice gradually lowered, and his face turned anxious. Chu Wanhong spoke, confirming his ominous guess. "It's not that he won't give you a chance, Mr. Cha. It's that the chance has already been given."

After sending off, or more accurately, driving away Cha Nan, Chu Wanhong quietly returned to the private office. There was still only one person inside. Because he had been busy with surgeries and meetings all day, the office had been empty during the day, and the air conditioning had just been turned on, making the room quite chilly.

The handsome young man with gold-rimmed glasses sat silently at the desk, his long fingers turning white from the cold. Chu Wanhong walked over and quietly adjusted the temperature. But before the air conditioning could take effect, an invisible warmth had already surrounded the person by the desk. It was as if he was suddenly wrapped in a soft, furry blanket, and even his hands gradually regained their color.

This warmth also brought back his attention. Shi Jingxian asked, "Did he leave?" Chu Wanhong replied, "Yes. I helped him press the floor for the underground parking lot." Sending someone off to the west. Shi Jingxian glanced at his watch; it was getting late. He got up and took the scarf from the coat rack. "Let's go."

Gu Yemei usually didn't drive to work, but to take Chu Wanhong home, Shi Jingxian had specially driven over today. Perhaps seeing that he was in a bad mood, even though he didn't say where they were going, Chu Wanhong obediently followed. The two sat side by side in the front seat of a BMW 7, with Shi Jingxian driving. The hospital entrance was always congested, but fortunately, it wasn't too bad today, though he drove somewhat absentmindedly.

Chu Wanhong reminded him twice to keep up with the traffic, and finally, the helplessness was almost written in his green eyes. Just as he was considering whether to let the car drive itself while Shi Jingxian was distracted, Shi Jingxian finally spoke. But it wasn't about Cha Nan.

"Are you modeling for Cha's company?" "Hmm?" Chu Wanhong snapped back, "No." Shi Jingxian tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Then how did Cha Nan recognize you as a model?" Chu Wanhong recalled Cha Nan's words, "He probably judged based on my demeanor or something? I see Mr. Cha works at an agency, so it's normal for him to notice these things."

"I'm not signed with anyone right now, just on a contract basis. Once the shoot is done, it's a clean transaction." This was much more convenient than he had imagined, Shi Jingxian thought. He had originally thought he would have to deal with Chu Wanhong's contract issues. But then again, with a mother who had been in business for years, it was normal for Chu Wanhong to be more savvy than the average kid.

The two chatted briefly, and just as Shi Jingxian was considering how to bring up the topic of staying over, he heard Chu Wanhong ask, "Does what Dr. Gu said before about hiring me to cook still stand?" Shi Jingxian glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "It stands," he replied. "Do you want to come?"

Chu Wanhong nodded earnestly, "Yes!" Shi Jingxian: "..." He was silent for a moment, suddenly realizing that his previously well-thought-out plan seemed completely unnecessary. Shi Jingxian had originally devised a more intricate and cautious plan, even considering having Zhou Shan help out by giving the other party some benefits in the modeling career.

To preserve Cha Nan's dignity, Gu Yemei had often sent benefits to Cha Nan in various ways. This kind of subtle help was something Gu Yemei was quite adept at. However, Chu Wanhong was evidently much easier to talk to than Shi Jingxian had anticipated. He was even eagerly planning his work schedule after starting the job.

"What kind of Western cuisine does Dr. Gu like? I lived in France for a while, so I'm more familiar with French dishes. German or Italian too..." Shi Jingxian: "Anything is fine, I'm not picky." "Dr. Gu doesn't like greasy food, right? How's your stomach, do you mind cold food? How about this, I'll go back and write down the dishes I'm good at, and then make a weekly menu based on Dr. Gu's preferences."

Shi Jingxian: "That's fine, but it's okay if you don't. As long as there's food, it's good." By now, he finally dispelled his doubts about Chu Wanhong and the aten identity. This little friend seemed more interested in being a chef than in debuting. The night was late, and it was best to discuss anything tomorrow. Shi Jingxian only finalized a contract with Chu Wanhong for room and board, and he also ordered a new computer for Chu Wanhong to receive at home the next day.

Back home, after briefly introducing the villa where he had already spent a night and arranging for him to stay in the same guest room as last time, Shi Jingxian went to take a shower. By the time he was done, it was already past eleven. The guest room lights were off, and it seemed like Chu Wanhong had gone to sleep.

The night was deep, but Shi Jingxian didn't go upstairs. He neither returned to his bedroom nor went to the training room. Instead, he sat down in the living room. The living room lights were off, with only a softly glowing night mode wall lamp providing light. The surroundings were silent, and Shi Jingxian leaned back in a single-seater sofa, holding a cup of honey water.

Tonight's conversation with Cha Nan replayed in his mind repeatedly, but what concerned him the most was the always silent prompt system. A semi-transparent light screen floated in the air, with the text on it unchanged. [Task Repair Progress: 23%] Shi Jingxian sipped the warm honey water. Tonight's task progress hadn't budged an inch.

Having learned from the misunderstanding with Bai Qinglian in the Ω2 task, Shi Jingxian had carefully reviewed the original task storyline for Ω3 while looking at the plot supplement pack. Upon review, he indeed made new discoveries. Although there wasn't a shocking misunderstanding like Bai Qinglian taking the blame, Shi Jingxian had a different perspective on Gu Yemei's state.

He had always thought Yemei was the most decisive and resolute in matters of the heart among the Ω series tasks, but after re-watching the storyline, he realized the truth might not be so simple. Gu Yemei was indeed the coldest task protagonist in the series, but at the same time, he was also the one most deeply hurt by love. Coupled with Lu Lan's depression, Shi Jingxian couldn't help but form a hypothesis.

Although Gu Yemei could firmly sever his relationship with Cha Nan, it seemed he was left with severe psychological trauma. He might never be able to accept anyone again. The initial evidence for this hypothesis lay in the source of the first 23% of the progress bar. Although the revenge plan against Cha Nan hadn't fully unfolded, Shi Jingxian had already thrown their wedding rings back at Cha Nan and proposed a real breakup.

No matter how you look at it, this should count as part of the revenge, and it should have earned some progress. Recalling the previous two tasks, when Ji Xuanran and Yuan Xiao divorced, and Ling Yao announced to Xuanyuan Nan that he had a new pursuit, both had seen an increase in repair progress. But Gu Yemei hadn't moved an inch.

Shi Jingxian noticed this, which is why he used Cha Nan as an experiment tonight. This kind of emotional card wasn't Shi Jingxian's forte, and the evening's conversation had already pushed his limits. Although the conversation did have an effect—Gu Yemei's recollections were heart-wrenching, and Cha Nan's regret was genuine—even so, the task progress remained firmly at 23%.

Shi Jingxian frowned. Emotional reconciliation seemed to have no effect on Gu Yemei, which seemed to confirm his hypothesis. —Gu Yemei's emotional trauma had left a shadow. After all, this was an S-level task, and the experience points represented the corresponding difficulty. If Gu Yemei only had regrets in his career, even if he didn't go to the lengths Shi Jingxian did to model and help him practice, another restorer could spend some points to have the system take over, solving a few world-renowned medical challenges, and still reach the pinnacle in neurosurgery.

In fact, it would be best if Gu Yemei handled it himself. But the tasks of the Life Repair System are challenges the protagonist cannot solve on their own, let alone an S-level task. So Shi Jingxian wondered if he also needed to help Gu Yemei heal his emotional wounds. Certainly, many people don't need emotional fulfillment; money and power are enough to fill their desires. But that's because they voluntarily gave up on emotions. Gu Yemei is different; his emotions were destroyed.

No matter how brilliant other areas are, he will still have untouchable scars. Although Gu Yemei is emotionally reserved and introverted, this kind of trauma isn't hard to understand. After all, he's a living, breathing person. Even if it's just a vase, placed in the same spot on the table for thirteen years, it should leave sun marks and indelible traces. Let alone having someone in your heart for thirteen years.

The average lifespan on this task planet is 70 years, with peak indicators lasting only about ten years. Youth is fleeting, and Cha Nan took away the best thirteen years of Gu Yemei's life. Shi Jingxian couldn't help but sigh. His hypothesis seemed to be mostly confirmed. After sorting through these chaotic thoughts, Shi Jingxian still felt stifled. He didn't understand matters of the heart well, and this S-level task seemed particularly challenging.

Affected by Gu Yemei's pain, he vaguely recalled something. Was he avoiding emotions by focusing solely on his career line? Like Gu Yemei, was there an area marked with a yellow caution line, glaringly warning that approaching would cause harm? The lingering pain leaves an indelible impression. Even if memories are clear, the instinctive reaction remains— That kind of fear that tears at the heart and pierces the bones when approached.

Shi Jingxian's test results, which always showed zero emotional fluctuations, were not much different from Gu Yemei's coldness. Feeling restless, he tossed aside the cup and turned to climb the stairs. The villa had three floors, and above the third floor was a balcony enclosed in transparent glass. Shi Jingxian ascended the steps and found a lounge chair on the balcony to sit in.

Despite the winter chill, the sky was clear, with stars dotting the black night, emitting a serene and vast light. The balcony was made of transparent material on all sides, with poor insulation. Shi Jingxian took a breath of the cool air and gazed at the starry sky. Soon, there was a slight rustling sound at the balcony door. Shi Jingxian didn't turn around, but a voice came from the door, as if announcing its identity.

"Dr. Gu?" "Why isn't Little Chu asleep yet?" "I napped during the day, so I'm not very sleepy." Chu Wanhong walked over. There was a set of tables and chairs on the balcony, and he casually took one, sitting next to Shi Jingxian's lounge chair. Looking at Shi Jingxian's profile, Chu Wanhong softly asked, "Dr. Gu, are you in a bad mood?" "Because of Mr. Cha from earlier?"

Shi Jingxian didn't speak, only silently gazing at the starry sky above. Chu Wanhong didn't press further, quietly accompanying him. After a long time, a soft voice finally spoke. "He pursued me for seven years." The night was as cool as water, and the cold air gradually settled. "I wasn't the only one he pursued, but he was the only one who persisted for seven years."

Shi Jingxian couldn't talk about his own matters, but Gu Yemei's experiences were enough to chill the heart. "For many people, seven years of persistence is hard to imagine." "There's a term called the seven-year itch." "It was useless." His voice gradually lowered. "In the end, it still ended in a dismal conclusion."

The low words scattered in the slightly cold air. After a moment of silence, a young, low magnetic voice sounded. "Is seven years long?" Chu Wanhong said softly, "If it were me, whether it's seven years, seventeen years, or seventy years, no matter how far the road, I would definitely catch up to the person I like."

Shi Jingxian was slightly stunned by the casual certainty in his tone. Then, he smiled. "You're too young. It's indeed the age to say such things... You're only nineteen." Chu Wanhong didn't speak. Sensing the silent protest, Shi Jingxian couldn't help but chuckle. When the laughter subsided, he sighed softly.

"Moreover, the process of catching up and standing shoulder to shoulder seems difficult, but the hardest part... is the wear and tear after standing side by side." "For one person, climbing a mountain is harder than dealing with daily life. But for two people, it's the opposite." Shi Jingxian's voice was calm, carrying a kind of serene coolness.

But Chu Wanhong insisted on disagreeing. "No, I'm different." Shi Jingxian assumed he was just being special, a child's temperament. Until he heard the next words. "My passion originates from him." "The person I like." Chu Wanhong's voice was low, without any boastful bravado or declarations of determination. He simply spoke in a very ordinary tone.

Describing a fact that was enough to convince people. "He taught me what emotions are." "Every moment together is accumulation, not consumption."