Chapter 100

Chapter 100: There Was Still Hope for Him Gu Zechuan extended his hand toward Jiang Yuzhou. "Let me see it." Jiang Yuzhou handed the phone over. Gu Zechuan held the phone and watched the birthday video over and over again, tears streaming down his face without stopping. Gu Minghua's face turned ashen. "Just looking at your pathetic state makes me furious!" Meng Yaqin tugged at him. "Your son is already like this and you still want to pour oil on the fire? What do you mean by pathetic? Didn't our son secure the company's investment? What nonsense are you spouting now! If it weren't for Zechuan, our family's company would have gone bankrupt long ago!" Gu Minghua pursed his lips and said nothing more. He only cast a deep look at Gu Zechuan before turning and walking away. Chen Wan watched Gu Zechuan clutching the phone like a man possessed, replaying Ruan Chutang's video again and again. She could no longer bear to stay and turned to leave as well. "Son, forget that woman. I'll introduce you to someone better." Meng Yaqin wiped away her tears and said with a choked voice. Lin Chenan let out a sigh. "Zechuan, as the saying goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Why hang yourself on one tree? Whatever kind of woman you like, I can find her for you." Gu Zechuan stared at the video in a daze, saying nothing. Jiang Yuzhou shook his head helplessly. "Forget it. Let's give him some time alone." "That won't do!" Meng Yaqin said. "I don't dare let him stay by himself again. What if he tries to kill himself again..." ... Liu Yue's bone marrow transplant surgery was very successful, with no signs of rejection. Her life had been saved, and Chutang could finally rest easy and focus on other things. These past few days, she had been busy every day preparing case materials and attending court hearings. Chutang knew that Gu Zechuan had been deranged enough to attempt suicide, so she didn't dare continue living in the apartment at Mingjiayuan. Jiang Shixu had purchased a new villa for her, about six or seven kilometers from the law firm—not too far, and convenient for driving to work. On Saturday, Chutang hired a housekeeper to pack up her belongings and called a moving company. As the last suitcase was being carried out, Gu Zechuan happened to step out of the elevator. The man's face was pale, his eye sockets deeply sunken, with faint dark circles under his eyes. He looked utterly haggard and had visibly lost weight. Gu Zechuan saw the moving company workers carrying luggage out and stopped in his tracks, his melancholic gaze fixed on Chutang. "You're moving?" Chutang only nodded without saying anything. She stepped toward the elevator, and as she brushed past Gu Zechuan, her wrist was suddenly seized by the man's hand. "Chutang, don't go." Gu Zechuan's tone carried a plea, his eyes filled with fragmented emotion. "I won't bother you anymore. Please don't move away, okay? I just want to stay close to you, quietly by your side." Chutang's gaze dropped to Gu Zechuan's hand, her voice icy. "Let go!" Gu Zechuan held on tightly. Chutang struggled to break free. Gu Zechuan tightened his grip. "Gu Zechuan, you're hurting me!" Chutang frowned and cried out. Gu Zechuan released her immediately, as if struck by an electric shock. Guilt flashed in Gu Zechuan's eyes. "I'm sorry, Chutang. I didn't mean to. I just... I just don't want you to leave." Chutang rubbed her wrist, which had turned red from his grip, and said in a flat tone, "I've already made myself very clear. You and I can never go back to the past, and we can never start over. There's no need for you to do these things to move yourself." Chutang took two steps forward, then suddenly seemed to remember something. She turned around, looked Gu Zechuan in the eyes, and said seriously, "I heard you tried to kill yourself a couple of days ago. Gu Zechuan, if you're that kind of extreme person, I would only be glad I left you, not think that you love me so much you can't live without me." Chutang said slowly, "In the future, don't do things like attempting suicide. I don't want to come out of a relationship carrying a life on my conscience." With that, Chutang followed the moving company workers into the elevator. Gu Zechuan stood in place, savoring the words Chutang had said before she left. She said, in the future, don't do things like attempting suicide. Didn't that mean she still cared about him? She cared whether he lived or died. She didn't want him to treat his own life so lightly. At that thought, Gu Zechuan's eyes reddened. He knew it. Chutang couldn't be that heartless. There was still hope for him. ... The villa Jiang Shixu bought for Chutang was a seaside villa, covering over six hundred square meters, with a large swimming pool and a back garden. Sitting on the swing in the garden, one could see the vast, azure sea. The villa was fully furnished with all appliances and decorated in a style she liked—it was clear Jiang Shixu had put thought into it. Chutang directed the moving company workers to place the transported luggage in the right spots. She had left all the furniture and appliances at the apartment behind, bringing only her personal belongings. After everything was tidied up, Chutang took a shower and slept soundly on the soft, comfortable bed. ... Jiang Yuzhou felt that Gu Zechuan's mental state had developed problems. He always deceived himself into believing that Chutang still loved him. When Jiang Yuzhou came to visit Gu Zechuan, he always heard Gu Zechuan talking to himself. Listening closely, he realized Gu Zechuan was actually communicating with Ruan Chutang. The key point was that this "Ruan Chutang" was a figment of Gu Zechuan's imagination. Jiang Yuzhou patted Gu Zechuan on the shoulder. "Brother, don't scare me." But Gu Zechuan turned a deaf ear and continued chatting with "Ruan Chutang" as if he were quite happy. Even at mealtimes, he was muttering to himself, insisting on setting out an extra pair of chopsticks, saying Chutang wanted to eat. Jiang Yuzhou strongly urged Gu Zechuan to see a psychiatrist. Gu Zechuan adamantly refused, not believing there was anything wrong with his mind. In the end, Jiang Yuzhou and Lin Chenan tied Gu Zechuan up and dragged him to the hospital. The psychiatrist was a woman in her thirties named He Anyu. She wore her hair in a neat short cut and looked intellectual and elegant. On a weekday afternoon, after her lunch break, He Anyu arrived at the hospital on time for work. She had barely sat down in her office when Gu Zechuan was brought in bound. As a senior psychiatrist in Jiangcheng, He Anyu had encountered all kinds of patients over the years. To be honest, patients like Gu Zechuan were extremely rare in her experience. This Mr. Gu was young, handsome, and wealthy. By general social standards, the richer a person was, the less likely they were to be troubled by love, because the more money one had, the easier it was to obtain love. To put it in a joking meme phrase: "Young and successful, driving a Bentley, love is like playing a game." For someone of Gu Zechuan's class, love often seemed trivial, because they generally cared more about fame, status, power, and wealth. As for receiving treatment, this Mr. Gu displayed extremely strong resistance. "What are you doing? I'm not sick! Let me go, I want to go back!" Gu Zechuan shouted. He Anyu felt a headache coming on. She realized the severity of the problem. This Mr. Gu was not only sick—he was seriously ill. He Anyu quickly got into professional mode and communicated with Gu Zechuan in a professional manner. The agitated Gu Zechuan gradually calmed down and began to follow the psychiatrist's line of thinking. He Anyu told Gu Zechuan that his current mental state was very dangerous. In his present condition, he was highly likely to engage in extreme behavior. Gu Zechuan gave a bitter smile. "To be honest with you, I already have." He Anyu frowned. Gu Zechuan murmured, "A few days ago, I attempted suicide, but unfortunately I didn't succeed." As he spoke, Gu Zechuan rolled up his sleeve and showed the psychiatrist the hideous scar on his left wrist. "This scar is proof of my love for her."