Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Obsessed Recently, Gu Zechuan had been running around tirelessly to secure investments. There was almost no chance that any company in Jiangcheng would invest in the Gu Corporation, so he had to look elsewhere. Most of his time these days was spent in hotels and on airplanes. That day, he had just returned to Jiangcheng from out of town, and Jiang Yuzhou came to pick him up. It was evening, and they were driving to a dinner engagement. While waiting at a red light, Jiang Yuzhou glanced at Gu Zechuan. Gu Zechuan was holding his phone, flipping through old photos of himself with Ruan Chutang one by one. Jiang Yuzhou's lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something but held back. Before he could speak, Gu Zechuan leaned over and showed him the phone, tenderness written all over his face. "Look how happy we were back then." Jiang Yuzhou's expression was complicated. Last time, Gu Zechuan had asked him to buy a ring in France, saying he wanted to use it to win Ruan Chutang back. At the time, Gu Zechuan had said Ruan Chutang was about to get engaged, and Jiang Yuzhou had told him it was immoral to steal someone else's fiancée. Since returning to the country, he hadn't dared to ask Gu Zechuan about Ruan Chutang. After Ruan Chutang left Haicheng last time, he hadn't seen her since, nor did he know who her fiancé was. But spending time with Gu Zechuan recently, he could clearly tell that Gu Zechuan rarely smiled anymore. At gatherings with their circle of friends, Gu Zechuan used to be the one having the most fun. But now, many times he would drink alone in silence, and when drunk, he would call out Ruan Chutang's name in melancholy. At this moment, looking at the old photos of him and Ruan Chutang, Gu Zechuan wore a smile he hadn't shown in a long time, seemingly lost in memories, deceiving himself. Jiang Yuzhou felt that Gu Zechuan had become obsessed. He wanted to ask, "Did you give her that ring?" but he couldn't bring himself to say it. In the end, Jiang Yuzhou just let out a deep sigh. The light turned green. The driver pressed the accelerator, and the car moved forward. Jiang Yuzhou finally couldn't hold back and spoke: "Zechuan, as your brother, I still want to advise you—you two had a good relationship before, but what's missed is missed. She has a fiancé now. Don't do anything immoral." "Immoral?" Gu Zechuan let out a light scoff, his tone reckless. "I've said it before—I don't care about morality. I only care about having her by my side." Jiang Yuzhou frowned and continued to persuade him: "She's about to get married. You can't just—" Gu Zechuan was completely unconcerned. "Zhouzi, there are plenty of married people in our circle who still fool around outside. Isn't it common for couples to each do their own thing?" "..." Jiang Yuzhou was silent for a moment before speaking: "Zechuan, common doesn't mean right." Gu Zechuan's face turned cold, and he didn't respond. Jiang Yuzhou stopped talking as well. It turned out that when a person had no morals, morality couldn't constrain them. He felt that Gu Zechuan was pathetic. He didn't cherish what he had, and only regretted after losing it. The car reached the bustling downtown area. It was rush hour, and the road was clogged with a long line of cars. Gu Zechuan leaned back in his seat, listlessly looking out the window, letting his mind go blank. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure. "Stop the car!" Gu Zechuan called out. Jiang Yuzhou was confused. "What?" Seeing Gu Zechuan staring out the window, Jiang Yuzhou followed his gaze in confusion—and suddenly froze. In that instant, he understood why Gu Zechuan had suddenly asked to stop. On the sidewalk, Ruan Chutang was walking side by side with a man. They were facing in their direction, not too far away, so their faces were clearly visible. The man was handsome, with a noble bearing and impeccably dressed—clearly not an ordinary person. The two were chatting and laughing together, their manner intimate. Gu Zechuan muttered under his breath: "Out of the hospital so soon? Tough luck." Jiang Yuzhou guessed that the man must be Ruan Chutang's fiancé. Gu Zechuan opened the car door and walked toward Ruan Chutang. ... Jiang Shixu had been discharged from the hospital for a week now. During that week, Chutang had supervised him every day, making him eat light, bland meals. At first, it was fine, but eating nothing but plain, watery food for every meal got tiresome. After much coaxing and pleading on his part, Chutang finally agreed today to improve the menu and take him out to eat. The restaurant Chutang took him to was located in the most bustling and lively area of the city center. It was a famous time-honored establishment in Jiangcheng that Jiang Shixu and Chutang had grown up eating at. It was dinner time, and the main hall was completely full, with a long line of people waiting outside for a number. Chutang had made a reservation in advance. She scanned the code at the entrance and was about to follow the server inside when she was suddenly called out to. "Chutang!" Jiang Yuzhou called. Chutang turned around. The first person she saw was Jiang Yuzhou. Then she saw Gu Zechuan standing beside him. Chutang's brows furrowed. Why is he here too? He really was like a lingering ghost that wouldn't go away. Gu Zechuan and Jiang Yuzhou walked up to them. Jiang Yuzhou greeted her: "Long time no see, Chutang. So you're from Jiangcheng? Why didn't you ever mention it before?" A few days ago, Jiang Yuzhou had only heard from Gu Zechuan that Ruan Chutang was from Jiangcheng and about to get engaged—nothing else. He had no idea she was the heiress of the Ruan family, nor that the man beside her was the CEO of the Jiang Group. Chen Wan and Meng Yaqin had been thrown out by the security guards at the Su family's banquet last time after falsely accusing Chu Tang of theft. That kind of humiliation was something they'd rather bury than broadcast, so naturally they never breathed a word about it. That was why no one in their social circle knew about Ruan Chutang's family background yet. Jiang Yuzhou was one of the rare few in Gu Zechuan's circle who had a proper sense of right and wrong and didn't look down on "penniless Ruan Chutang." Sometimes he even helped Chu Tang out. So Chu Tang had always had a decent impression of him, and meeting him now, she was polite and courteous. Chu Tang gave Jiang Yuzhou a slight nod and replied, "Long time no see." "And this is?" Jiang Yuzhou asked, though he already knew the answer. Chu Tang smiled as she introduced him. "This is my fiancé, Jiang Shixu." "Jiang Shixu!" Jiang Yuzhou was stunned speechless, his eyes bulging like brass bells. "You're... you're Jiang Shixu?" He'd never met Jiang Shixu in person, and there were no interviews or reports about him online either. But the name Jiang Shixu thundered in his ears. Almost everyone in their social stratum knew that name. This was Jiangcheng's crown prince, Jiang Shixu! Jiang Shixu's face was cold, his jaw clenched tight, his gaze like a drawn blade fixed murderously on Gu Zechuan, as if he were carving him up piece by piece. "You have business?" Jiang Yuzhou couldn't help but shiver. This Jiang Shixu had an overwhelming presence—truly worthy of the Jiang family's crown prince. That innate aura of authority and dominance from being born at the top was something their bunch of idle rich playboys could never replicate. Jiang Yuzhou scratched his head awkwardly. "Would I have the honor of joining you both for a meal?" Chu Tang had been swamped at noon and hadn't had time to eat—just a single piece of bread. She was starving now, and all she wanted was to get inside and order food as fast as possible. "You can. He can't." Chu Tang pointed at Gu Zechuan. Gu Zechuan's expression turned complicated.