Chapter 89: The Storm Is Coming

“Mr. Gu, what do you think of this apartment?” Zhuang Nian asked, standing in the living room and looking at Gu Jin Yi, who was constantly appraising the place.

This apartment was registered under Rong Xiu’s name, located on the 32nd floor in the city center. With no obstructions on all sides, it offered a panoramic view overlooking the entire city center. As for the interior furnishings, they were exquisite. Even the casually placed lounge chairs on the terrace were from a certain luxury brand… ones that Rong Xiu had used before.

Zhuang Nian silently swallowed.

Letting Little Four use the furniture he had used, sleep on the mattress he had slept on, live in a house under his name – Rong Xiu was truly killing with kindness.

“I think it’s quite nice. Let’s go with this one,” Gu Jin Yi said, overlooking the traffic flowing below. Not far away was the famous Shanhai Group headquarters building, just a street away from this apartment. It would be convenient for Fan jiejie to visit him in the future.

Zhuang Nian nodded unsurprisingly, “Alright.”

“When will the landlord come to sign the contract?” Gu Jin Yi turned and asked.

Zhuang Nian forced a smile, “Soon.”

He had just sent a message to Rong Xiu, who had probably already set out. At this moment, he might already be on his way, wielding a large knife.

If Gu Jin Yi knew that this apartment he liked was actually Rong Xiu’s private property, would he be too ashamed to show his face?

Zhuang Nian began to look forward to this good show.

“By the way, this apartment isn’t too expensive, is it? If it’s too costly, please talk to Fan jiejie about switching to another apartment. I don’t want her to spend too much,” Gu Jin Yi suddenly said.

Zhuang Nian was slightly stunned, almost laughing out loud.

You’re already being kept by Fan Xia, why are you still putting on this frugal and simple little white flower act? And asking him, the secretary, to tell Fan Xia, to make her feel even more sorry for this poor, weak little thing?

Zhuang Nian’s mouth twitched, just about to speak.

The apartment door was suddenly pushed open, and Rong Xiu walked in aggressively, his demeanor arrogant: “It’s not considered expensive. Jin Yi, you can live in this house as long as you want, I don’t mind.”

“Brother-in-law Rong?” Gu Jin Yi’s eyes widened, looking at Zhuang Nian in disbelief, then turned back to Rong Xiu. He quickly understood what was happening and asked, “This house?”

“This house is mine.” Rong Xiu sat comfortably on the soft sofa, his proud chin slightly raised, directing Zhuang Nian to pour tea, fully displaying his air of mastery.

Gu Jin Yi’s face turned pale in an instant. He stood dumbfounded, watching Rong Xiu sit leisurely and languidly on the sofa, as if he had become a lowly servant that could be ordered around at will.

“So that’s how it is. Secretary Zhuang didn’t tell me this was brother-in-law’s apartment when he brought me here. Since that’s the case, I won’t disturb brother-in-law then.” Gu Jin Yi clenched his fists, preparing to leave.

“Stop right there!” Rong Xiu glared at him coldly. The next second, a thin, cold smile spread across his lips as he unhurriedly walked to Gu Jin Yi’s side. “I’ve heard about your recent troubles, and I know you came to seek help from your Fan jiejie. Fan Xia is my wife-master, and you are her good little brother, so naturally, I consider you a brother too. You should stay here. This apartment is empty anyway, and you living here can help me keep an eye on the place.”

Gu Jin Yi bit his lip hard. What did Rong Xiu take him for? A watchdog?

His whole body trembled with anger as he gritted his teeth and asked, “Does Fan jiejie know about this?”

Rong Xiu smiled, “Of course she does. I’ve already told her on my way here. Fan Xia always agrees with what I say, you know.”

As he spoke, Zhuang Nian had already come out with the tea.

Rong Xiu’s properties were scattered all over the country. Although he didn’t live in many of them, everything was fully furnished, and regularly cleaned, just in case Rong Xiu suddenly felt like staying for a night.

He first served the tea to Rong Xiu, then placed the remaining cup on the tea table, saying to Gu Jin Yi, “Mr. Gu, please come and have some tea.”

Both were being served tea, but the treatment was worlds apart. No matter how unwilling Gu Jin Yi was, he had no choice. Who made him currently lack proper status? If only he were Fan jiejie’s rightful husband, how could he be humiliated like this? Even a man who had climbed up by being a mistress could ride roughshod over him.

After seeing Gu Jin Yi off, Fan Xia opened her phone and checked the recent hot searches about him.

The incident first broke out a week ago, triggered by a picture.

In the picture, Gu Jin Yi and the coach were standing in a corner. Gu Jin Yi had his back against the wall facing the coach, while the coach’s face was almost buried in his neck.

Although this photo looked extremely intimate, if one carefully discerned, it wasn’t hard to see that it was a photo taken from a deceptive angle. But the people online seemed to have lost their minds, attacking Gu Jin Yi without even considering whether the photo was misleading or not.

After a week of fermentation, the incident fully exploded, becoming increasingly intense. Although the protagonists of the incident were Gu Jin Yi and the coach, the coach barely featured in it, almost like a prop. After understanding the cause and effect, Fan Xia felt something was amiss, as if someone had planned it, deliberately targeting Gu Jin Yi.

Could it be as he said, that someone in the basketball team was jealous of Gu Jin Yi’s excellent performance and wanted to tarnish his reputation to take his place?

Fan Xia summoned people from the PR department, asking them to handle this matter. She was familiar with the PR department’s methods. A while ago, when Rong Xiu was caught in a mistress scandal, it was thanks to this PR department that it was quickly quelled. Therefore, Fan Xia felt at ease leaving this matter to them.

But after a week, there was no improvement in the situation. Gu Jin Yi even received a ‘vacation notice’. Anyone with eyes could see that once this vacation was taken, he would never be able to return to the team.

Gu Jin Yi sobbed on the phone: “Fan jiejie, thank you for being willing to help me, but I know everything is irreparable now. I’ve been smeared, I’ll be dirty for life. I can never play basketball again, I can never give my dad a good life again. Fan jiejie, thank you for being willing to take care of me all these years…”

The sound of strong wind came through the phone to Fan Xia’s ears, making her suddenly tense.

“Jin Yi, where are you now? Don’t do anything stupid! There’s still hope for the situation, don’t do anything foolish! Where are you now? I’ll come find you right away!” Fan Xia heard the suicidal intent in Gu Jin Yi’s words and rushed towards the apartment, abandoning her work.

The apartment door wasn’t closed, and the violent wind and snow gusted in. Gu Jin Yi, wearing thin clothes and barefoot, stood in front of the terrace, tear-stained, his feet reddened by the wind and snow.

“Jin Yi!” Fan Xia ran forward and pulled him back. “Are you crazy? If you die, how will your father live?”

“But I really can’t go on living. Now everyone is cursing me, everyone says I’m not clean, everyone thinks I’m dirty. How am I supposed to live from now on!” Gu Jin Yi’s thin, cold body curled up in Fan Xia’s arms as he wept uncontrollably.

“It’s okay, Jin Yi.” Fan Xia held Gu Jin Yi tightly. She could understand his current feeling of despair. She gently wiped away his tears. “If you just die like this, do you know how sad your father would be? And how happy the people who framed you would be? Are you willing to accept that?”

Gu Jin Yi sobbed, “But now I’ve been arranged to take a vacation by the basketball team. I don’t have any connections. I don’t know what to do.”

“I’ll help you, don’t worry.” Fan Xia took off her coat and wrapped it around his thin body, her tone firm. “You just stay here without worry for this period. I’ll definitely help you find out who’s behind this.”

“Thank you, Fan jiejie.” Gu Jin Yi’s body trembled, his hands, almost stiff from the cold, silently embraced her waist. So warm. Gu Jin Yi’s whole body uncontrollably curled up in Fan Xia’s arms, absorbing her warmth, feeling the taste of being loved, silently shedding tears. Why could someone like Rong Xiu marry Fan jiejie and enjoy a happy life, while he could only hide in this small apartment, only able to see her when he threatened suicide?

If only Fan jiejie were his, how wonderful that would be. Gu Jin Yi’s arms held tighter, like a person clutching a treasure, unwilling to let go no matter what.

“It’s cold outside, quickly go back to bed and lie down. Don’t catch a cold.” Fan Xia noticed their current intimate posture and pulled him up without further ado.

She closed the window that was continuously letting in cold wind, tucked Gu Jin Yi into bed, and poured him a cup of hot water to warm his hands.

Even so, Gu Jin Yi still developed a high fever. He took a lot of medicine and didn’t settle down until late into the night.

“Fan jiejie, don’t go, please?” Gu Jin Yi, feverish and confused, still held onto Fan Xia, unwilling to let go, his hoarse voice constantly pleading.

Fan Xia had originally intended to leave, but she looked at the investigation report sent to her phone, and finally withdrew her steps. She thoughtfully tucked in Gu Jin Yi’s blanket and said, “Alright, I won’t go. I’ll stay and keep you company.”

Gu Jin Yi’s pale, dry lips smiled weakly, his lips barely moving, his voice almost inaudible.

“Jin Yi, what did you say?” Fan Xia leaned down, putting her ear close to his mouth, hearing his weak, powerless voice: “I like you so much, Fan jiejie.”

Rong Xiu sat in the cold living room waiting all night, but didn’t see Fan Xia’s figure.

She didn’t answer when he called, nor did she reply to his messages.

She must have been held up by that little slut Gu Jin Yi, Rong Xiu thought hatefully.

Just as he was about to get up and go to the Guanhai apartment to find Fan Xia, she finally sent him a delayed message: ‘Wait for me at home.’

These four words made Rong Xiu, with his big belly, wait for a whole night, watching the dark sky lighten to a strip of white, and finally become bright. The servants urged him to go back to his room and rest, but Rong Xiu shook his head. Since Fan Xia told him to wait for her, he would definitely wait until she came.

Rong Xiu was almost obsessive about anything involving Fan Xia.

This wait continued until noon.

The servants finally couldn’t bear to watch anymore. How could a seven-month pregnant man not sleep or eat for over ten hours, waiting bitterly in the living room? Even if the adult could endure it, the child in the belly couldn’t.

He made fish soup, intending to let Rong Xiu eat a little, but Rong Xiu was stubbornly terrifying, preferring to torture himself rather than drink a drop of water.

The servant was extremely anxious and secretly sent a message to Fan Xia: “Madam, please come back quickly. The young master has been waiting for you in the living room since last night, not eating or drinking. A pregnant man’s body is already weak, if it harms the child, what will we do?”

Fan Xia, who received the message, stood on the beach of Yunshui Bay, listening to the sound of the surging waves, her mood very complicated. Actually, she had already returned, but didn’t want to go back so quickly.

But the servant’s words eventually moved her to compassion.