The first song was so familiar. Lingyuan had once invited him to practice it with her.
He remembered the girl with her ponytail, youthful and shy, her hands always trying to hide her nervousness. Her graceful silhouette had been outlined by the dance, and he’d turned away awkwardly, unable to meet her eyes. His heart had pounded, but he said nothing. His silence wounded her, and after that, Lingyuan never took the initiative again.
Lost in thought, he was jolted back to the present by Su Wantang’s sudden pained cry—he’d accidentally stepped on her foot. The rest of the process was hurried and awkward, but with Gu’s father presiding, the wedding was completed.
“May you two always love as you did at first, may you have a hundred years of harmony, and may you be blessed with noble children…”
Lingyuan never appeared again. The wedding ended.
Lingyuan, do you regret it? From now on, we’ll never see each other again.
Lingyuan! Won’t you even show up for a final goodbye?
Fireworks exploded, the crowd cheered, and Su Wantang stood on tiptoe to kiss Gu Yanze in excitement. Even now, the girl who once bravely confessed her love never appeared.
Gu Yanze, feeling a sudden emptiness, pulled Su Wantang close and kissed her again, as if trying to fill the void.
The cheers grew louder, the celebration wilder.
Lingyuan, this time, you’re really gone!
During the toasting, Gu Yanze drank heavily, trying to drown his thoughts. But no matter how much he drank, he kept thinking of Lingyuan at Su Wantang’s wedding.
Even in the bridal chamber, he asked if anyone had seen Lingyuan, but there was no news. Was it really so hard to find her, no matter where she hid?
He was the heir of the Gu family. Was she just playing hard to get, refusing to appear just to torment him?
Lingyuan, how could you bear to leave?
Annoyed, he barely noticed as Su Wantang slipped away to change into her wedding night lingerie. She lay waiting for him, but he stood by the window, lost in thought. She was certain he was thinking of Lingyuan again.
Resentment twisted in her heart—why was he so obsessed with that wretched girl, even on their wedding night?
Suppressing her anger, Su Wantang glided over to Gu Yanze, pressing herself against his back, her hands roaming over his waist and abs, fingers teasing his belt.
Suddenly, Gu Yanze caught her hand, stopping her.
“Don’t. Just stay there.”
Su Wantang froze, her eyes darting to the phone screen—he was still checking the security group chat for updates on Lingyuan’s whereabouts.
So it really was because of that wretched girl.
No matter what she did, Lingyuan always found a way to haunt their lives. She’d thought punishing Lingyuan would make her back off, but why did Gu Yanze still care so much, even on their wedding night?
But no matter what, she was his wife now. Besides, she was the one who had saved Gu Yanze’s life with her own blood.
“Aze, stay with me…” she whispered, her fingers stroking his neck, voice soft and alluring.
Gu Yanze frowned, annoyed that Su Wantang was so forward, but as she pressed closer, something shifted inside him. Suddenly, he felt an irresistible pull toward her, his body responding before his mind could catch up.
He lost control, touching her hungrily, his desire overwhelming.
But in his haze, he called out, “Lingyuan…”
Su Wantang froze, but Gu Yanze, lost in his obsession, didn’t notice. He took her again and again, only stopping at dawn.
When Su Wantang finally drifted into sleep, she was filled with resentment—he had mistaken her for Lingyuan!
Why? Why was she always second to that girl?
Afterward, Gu Yanze stood in the shower, the fog clearing from his mind. He realized that ever since his accident, he’d felt a strange attraction to Su Wantang. Was it because she reminded him of Lingyuan? Or was it something deeper, a craving that had nothing to do with love?
For days, he kept his distance from Su Wantang, using the excuse of protecting the baby, but really, he was afraid of losing control.
He poured all his energy into searching for Lingyuan, offering a huge reward for any clue. He even threatened to have her declared missing and replaced by a baby if she didn’t return.
In reality, he spent his days alone, buying dolls and pretending they were her. Every message, every call, he hoped would be from Lingyuan.
Even his work suffered—he grew thinner and more haggard with each passing day.
“President Gu, please take care of yourself. Miss Lingyuan must be suffering too…”
Chapter 08
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