Chapter 64
After leaving, Lin Zheng drove off in the complete opposite direction.
It was obvious he’d really gone the wrong way.
And not just a little wrong—he was heading in the total opposite direction.
Yu Huanyuan considered himself terrible with directions, but he never thought Lin Zheng could be worse. Wait a minute, he suddenly thought. Wasn’t Lin Zheng always good with directions?
Noticing the question hanging on Yu Huanyuan’s face, Gu Lin glanced forward. “Don’t get distracted. Focus on driving.”
“Right!” Yu Huanyuan replied instantly.
For some reason, even though he was a second-generation heir with a decent background and respectable work skills—nothing compared to Gu Lin, but not bad—he felt his entire presence was overshadowed the moment Gu Lin spoke. It was like being a tiny raindrop swallowed by a torrential downpour. Yep, he was the raindrop, and Gu Lin was the sky-opening, earth-drenching storm.
It had to be said, Gu Lin’s reputation in the industry was formidable. The Gu family had three sons, but the youngest, Gu Lin, was by far the most famous. His abilities far surpassed those of his two older brothers. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t stayed with the family company. His talent was too prominent; if he had outshone his brothers, it would have invited all sorts of outside speculation. More importantly, if things followed the typical drama-series plot, the Gu family would inevitably start playing out a grand drama of a wealthy family fighting over the inheritance.
Having seen that kind of plot play out way too many times, Yu Huanyuan was suddenly grateful he was an only child.
At that moment, Yu Huanyuan was already imagining the three Gu brothers battling for the family fortune.
The two followed Lin Zheng to another location.
East Road had the liveliest street in the entire district. Its style was a stark contrast to the surrounding cool-toned architecture. The road was bustling with people, and the storefronts were packed with customers. This area had been the old city center, and although the center had gradually shifted with urban development, this place, which had been popular for decades, remained just as crowded.
After parking on the side of the road, Lin Zheng ducked into a flower shop.
This time my good friend can’t possibly be lost, right? Yu Huanyuan thought. But why go to a flower shop before meeting a friend? Don’t tell me he’s visiting someone in the hospital?
Yu Huanyuan craned his neck, both hands gripping the steering wheel as he peered ahead.
Unlike Yu Huanyuan, who was driven by a burning curiosity, Gu Lin appeared much calmer. He maintained the same posture as before, his gaze fixed on the spot where Lin Zheng had disappeared, his expression unreadable.
A few moments later, Lin Zheng emerged, holding a bouquet of white platycodon grandiflorus.
The sun broke through the clouds, spilling light through the gaps. Amidst the lively crowd, the rays descended. The wind brushed against Lin Zheng from the front. He lowered his head, bringing his nose close to the bouquet, and a charming smile bloomed on his face.
The moment Gu Lin saw the bouquet, something else flickered in his eyes.
Balloon flowers.
He had given those to Lin Zheng before.
Yu Huanyuan had seen his fair share of flowers and recognized them instantly. “Balloon flowers? You wouldn’t give those to someone who’s sick. Those are for someone you love.”
After he spoke, he suddenly realized the implication and whipped his head around to look at Gu Lin.
A possibility, one he thought was utterly impossible but seemed entirely plausible given the circumstances, took root in Yu Huanyuan’s mind.
Those flowers were only for someone you love, which meant…
Gu Lin looked back at him. “What?”
Yu Huanyuan flinched. No, no, it’s impossible. Lin Zheng isn’t the type to have his cake and eat it too, especially when the cake in his bowl is a prime cut of meat like Gu Lin.
Shaking off the thought, Yu Huanyuan replied, “Nothing, just thought the flowers were pretty.”
“They are.” Gu Lin’s gaze remained fixed on a spot just ahead of the car.
Yu Huanyuan followed his line of sight, unable to tell if Gu Lin was talking about the flowers or the person holding them.
Lin Zheng left with the bouquet.
When he stopped again, he was parked in front of a hotel. Standing by his car, he took out the little notebook from his pocket. He held the flowers with one arm and the notebook with the other, looking up and then down, as if checking something.
Then, an unconcealable joy spread across his features, and he started walking toward the hotel with the flowers.
However, just as he was about to reach the entrance, a man suddenly walked out from inside, meeting him head-on as if by appointment.
The two of them stood at the entrance and started chatting.
Seeing this, the anxiety that Yu Huanyuan had just suppressed flared up again.
Holy crap, it can’t be what I think it is, can it?
Yu Huanyuan’s nerves kicked in.
Seriously, dude, if you’re going to chat, just chat, but can you not do it right at the entrance? Go inside!
Suddenly, Lin Zheng reached out and handed the flowers to the man in front of him.
Yu Huanyuan: “!!!”
It’s over. It’s exactly what I thought!
No wonder Lin Zheng warned him over and over not to let Gu Lin out of his sight. Turns out he was off to meet his lover!
Damn it!
Lin Zheng, you disappointment!
Yu Huanyuan didn’t even dare to look back at Gu Lin.
He shouldn’t have agreed to come out with Gu Lin. No, he shouldn’t have agreed to help Lin Zheng by looking after Gu Lin in the first place.
If he hadn’t come, Gu Lin wouldn’t have seen this.
He’d heard Gu Lin had a terrible temper.
Yu Huanyuan was already starting to worry for Lin Zheng.
While he was panicking, Lin Zheng, on the other hand, wore a blissful smile.
Yu Huanyuan felt the urge to rush out and punch his friend.
Gu Lin was such a great guy! How could he just leave him for another man?
The man standing opposite Lin Zheng was tall and had a very refined air about him. Though he could only see his profile, it was clear he was handsome—a scholarly, elegant kind of handsome. His clothes were very tasteful, too.
Even if the new guy was decent, the one he already had was still better by every metric.
The rear car door opened from the inside. The sound made Yu Huanyuan’s thoughts screech to a halt, his mind going blank.
He saw Gu Lin get out of the car.
Up until this point, the scene he had imagined was Gu Lin getting out, rushing over to beat up the third party, and then having a huge fight with his cheating lover.
But Gu Lin didn’t act as he had imagined. After getting out, he simply leaned against the car, watching the two of them. He took out his phone and made a call. “Assistant Shen, book two movie tickets for me. Tonight, 8:30.”
Gu Lin seemed calm, but who knew what kind of storm was brewing beneath that placid surface.
Yu Huanyuan thought for a moment, trying to salvage the situation for Lin Zheng. “Actually, balloon flowers aren’t necessarily for a lover. Uh, good friends can give them to each other, right? It shows their strong bond, doesn’t it? They just look like good friends.”
“I know.”
“They’re definitely just good friends, nothing more… Wait? You know?!”
“Of course I know.” Gu Lin looked at Lin Zheng and Wu Yu, then his gaze settled solely on Lin Zheng, his eyes softening.
“Because that’s what he said.”
Yu Huanyuan was stunned.
A short distance away, Wu Yu looked at the flowers in his hands, hesitated for a few seconds, and asked the person across from him, “What are these flowers for?”
A smile spread across Lin Zheng’s face, his bright eyes filled with joy. “I’m planning to confess to the person I love.”
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