Chapter 23: How Can You Be So Cheap?
The afternoon work proceeded normally.
After taking medicine and taking a nap at noon, Wen Yan’s discomfort diminished a lot.
After coordinating work in the afternoon, colleagues slowly accepted Wen Yan. He was good-looking, and his personality wasn’t as cold as he appeared. He worked actively and seriously, and there was nothing to dislike about him.
Near the end of the shift, Wen Yan prepared to treat the team members to a gathering, considering it a celebration for his official entry into the “Morning Star” project.
Opening his phone, he discovered a message from Gu Yulan, saying he was coming to pick Wen Yan up from work.
Wen Yan patiently told Gu Yulan about today’s events.
[Wen Yan: So I really want to have a meal with everyone. Let’s forget about today.]
[Gu Yulan: Then I’ll join you guys. I’ll treat. My car is already near your company.]
[Wen Yan: Can we really not do it another day?]
The other side didn’t reply for a long time.
Long enough that Wen Yan deleted the dinner invitation he was preparing to send in the group chat and changed it to: [I’ll treat everyone to dinner another day].
Inviting people near the end of the shift might disrupt their plans.
The other five people in the group replied one after another.
Gu Yulan finally replied too, sending a pitiful kitten emoji.
At dinner, Wen Yan couldn’t work up any enthusiasm.
Gu Yulan chattered endlessly about Pei Zhouye from across the table.
“Yan-yan, don’t change your opinion of him just because of a trivial matter today. You still have to stay far away from him in the future, understand?”
“He came back from abroad; you should know how wild things get out there. With Lin Seran by his side, isn’t he still fickle? Look at how much money and resources he threw at Lin Seran. It’s just because he has money and power; those things mean nothing to him. People like him just like to be condescending and give charity, wanting others to be grateful. They won’t truly respect anyone.”
“Yan-yan, people in our circle don’t dare get too close to him. Pei Zhouye has mental issues. He stabbed someone with a knife when he was twelve.” Gu Yulan got tired of talking and paused. “If the Pei family hadn’t suppressed it, he would have been locked up long ago. He really has mental illness; his mother has mental illness…”
“Enough!”
Wen Yan interrupted impatiently. Gu Yulan looked at him in disbelief.
Wen Yan saw his look, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. “Stop talking about him. He isn’t as bad as you say.”
Just that life-saving grace alone was enough for him to be grateful to Pei Zhouye for a lifetime. Without Pei Zhouye, he would have died in the summer vacation long ago. If he had been in a car accident then, he dared not think if his parents, already under great mental pressure, would have completely collapsed because of it.
Furthermore, during this internship, Pei Zhouye forced him to stay on the same floor, but apart from taking him to the Fourth Hospital to see Ms. Yu after work yesterday, he hadn’t done anything out of line. Not to mention, he had agreed to go yesterday.
“Have you fallen for him?” Gu Yulan’s face was gloomy as he questioned.
Wen Yan was stunned for a moment, feeling Gu Yulan was being unreasonable. “I haven’t. I’m with you, how could I fall for someone else? How could you think of me like that!”
Gu Yulan’s expression remained terrible, looking at Wen Yan with anger. “Just because he moved your workstation, you speak up for him? Do you care about him that much? Wen Yan! How can you be so cheap?”
This sudden raised voice attracted a lot of attention.
Wen Yan’s eyes widened, instantly turning red, his stomach cramping to the point of nausea. Gu Yulan also went silent, realizing he had said something he shouldn’t have.
This was the first time someone had called him “cheap,” and this person was his first boyfriend.
Wen Yan frowned, wanting to make a sound several times, but nothing came out.
When he finally spoke, his voice was trembling. “The day I almost had a car accident, someone was drunk driving. It was Pei Zhouye who cut that car off.” He supported himself on the table, rubbing his temple tiredly. “Do you know how close that car was to me? It stopped right in front of my eyes.”
The violent expression opposite him converged, replaced by that panicked look again.
Wen Yan’s voice was very soft in the end. “Gu Yulan, he saved my life.”
Right on the day he forced him to go to his welcome banquet.
Wen Yan hadn’t wanted to tell Gu Yulan about this. He was afraid Gu Yulan would feel guilty, and he didn’t want the friendship between the two to be affected by his matter.
Now it seemed he had overthought it.
“Sorry.” Gu Yulan apologized in a low voice.
Wen Yan didn’t want to respond.
Gu Yulan repeated, “Sorry.”
“Senior, you shouldn’t have become like this.” Wen Yan’s voice was low. “If you became like this because of me, I should be the one apologizing to you.”
Gu Yulan’s appearance just now really seemed to turn into the green-faced, fanged monster from last night’s dream.
Gu Yulan was gentle, kind, responsible, and didn’t slander others.
Thinking of the reckless words Gu Yulan had just spoken, Wen Yan felt a twisting pain in his heart.
“Gu Yulan, let’s break up.”
Gu Yulan instantly panicked, hurriedly grabbing Wen Yan’s hand tightly, his voice urgent. “No, we can’t break up. Wen Yan, you have to give me a chance. I really didn’t mean it. I’m regretting it too. Wen Yan, I know I was wrong.”
His voice carried a sob. “Wen Yan, you promised to give me a chance. I won’t be like this anymore. I won’t say such things anymore.”
That gentle, handsome face became so nervous, frowning, flusteredly grabbing his hand. As Wen Yan looked at his face, tears began to fall from Gu Yulan’s eyes.
Gu Yulan gripped his hand tightly, refusing to let go.
Wen Yan felt very tired. His head hurt, his stomach hurt, and his heart hurt too.
This face seemed exceptionally strange; he felt like he was knowing Gu Yulan for the first time. He really had thought that falling in love with Gu Yulan was just a matter of time.
Wen Yan repeated, “Gu Yulan, we break up.”
“No breakup! I said no breakup!” Gu Yulan’s voice was violent. “Wen Yan, you can’t treat me like this!”
Wen Yan was the last person who should treat him like this. Just because of a Pei Zhouye, the Wen Yan who used to be obedient and tolerant towards him was treating him like this.
Thinking of something, Gu Yulan spoke hurriedly, “Yan-yan, give me another period of time. Let’s stay together until the end of the year! If you still don’t like me then, I’ll agree to break up, okay?”
Wen Yan remained silent.
Gu Yulan’s tears fell faster. “Yan-yan, you know, it’s my first time in love too. I make mistakes too. I’ve liked you since high school until now, had a crush on you for so long. I was really so happy when I knew you came to A University. I just like you too much; I can’t accept losing you. If you break up with me, I’ll die.”
“Don’t say such things.” Wen Yan turned his head away, looking to the side.
He didn’t like such aggressive words.
He and Gu Yulan were each other’s first love. They had no experience in loving someone, so making mistakes was possible.
The phone on the table rang.
Recommended Reads
