Campus Ace Girl

Gu Anxi said as she walked in.

The things in her hand had already been put away.

Chu Yan looked at Gu Anxi and smiled slightly, "Anxi."

Gu Anxi went over, talked with her for quite a while, then glanced at Bai Xun.

After a moment she suddenly said, "You look quite familiar to me."

Bai Xun was startled, inwardly thinking this was not good.

He recognized Gu Anxi immediately; he had seen her at the racetrack back then.

Once he recognized Gu Anxi, Gu Anxi also recognized him and chuckled softly—

Who would’ve thought, someone so wild before now pretends to be a little white rabbit, quite adept at winning people over.

Chu Yan did not know, she only whispered, "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing, just that your Bai Xun looks a lot like someone I know," Gu Anxi said with a smile.

Chu Yan glanced at Bai Xun and said nothing.

Bai Xun knew that Gu Anxi had recognized him, and suddenly felt timid, becoming more accommodating and understanding. Gu Anxi found it amusing, but when she looked at Chu Ci, her smile faded.

She always thought that one day Chu Ci could wait for Chu Yan’s return, and they could be together again, but she was wrong. It turned out that time really could change everything.

The deep feelings between Chu Yan and Chu Ci had indeed... vanished. She sighed a little.

But Gu Anxi couldn’t intervene, mainly because back then, Madam Chu was indeed hurt... because of Chu Ci’s biological mother.

She looked at Chu Ci, who gave a bitter smile, "Let’s go for a drink later."

Gu Anxi really wanted to refuse; she had two kids at home, and Uncle Bo had just returned from a business trip waiting for her to come back. But seeing Chu Ci like this, she couldn’t ignore him, so she agreed in the end...

Chu Ci wasn’t feeling well, and he drank himself into a stupor at the bar. Fortunately, it was on Gu Changqing’s turf, so Gu Anxi directly asked two strong men to help get Chu Ci into the car, and she personally took him home.

Once Chu Ci was seated, she turned and asked, "Back to the old residence?"

Chu Ci tilted his head back and smiled, "Go back for what, to see my mom take her medicine?"

Gu Anxi understood his inner turmoil and lightly said, "These years, you didn’t go looking for Yan Yan, don’t blame her, she didn’t have it any easier than you, and she’s much younger than you are."

Chu Ci seemed to sober up a bit from his drunkenness, fumbled a crumpled cigarette from his pocket, leaned against the seat and lit it, and after taking a drag, said softly, "I know you drank with me today just to prevent me from blaming Yan Yan, or seeking revenge on her or Bai Xun, right?"

He laughed self-deprecatingly: "What’s her fault? None of it... all of it’s my fault, I didn’t protect her well."

She was so young back then, he still remembered telling her to pack up, and the tears in her eyes when they were parting ways. He was someone she had depended on for more than ten years, and he just told her to go, and she went, someone who couldn’t even fly alone, ended up going to England by herself, and stayed for four or five years.

Chu Ci smiled even more faintly: "What right do I have to blame her? I don’t, all I can do is wish her well."

Gu Anxi turned her head to look at him and softly said, "What about you?"

"Me?" Chu Ci replied quite calmly: "What can I do?"

Gu Anxi cruelly said, "Don’t forget, as long as you don’t get married, you’re still connected to Yan Yan."

This was Madam Chu’s way of thinking. Had she not thought this way, she wouldn’t have made things difficult for Chu Yan today.

Chu Ci fell silent, for a long time, and then softly said, "I understand what you mean."

Gu Anxi started the car: "Either do whatever it takes to win her back, or completely let her go."

Chu Ci understood what she meant.

The car arrived at the Chu Family’s old residence, Gu Anxi did not get out, instead, she directly asked someone to help Chu Ci back inside.

Chu Changhe came over personally, especially apologetically to Gu Anxi, his words hinted at the family misfortune.

Gu Anxi softly said, "Even if Yan Yan grew up in an orphanage, with her intelligence, she might not have suffered this much. The wounds she and Chu Ci endured were enough to repay the Chu Family’s kindness; if you still feel guilty towards her, then keep your wife from entangling with Chu Yan anymore, she’s no longer part of your family."

Chu Changhe repeatedly agreed.

Gu Anxi did not say much more, only spoke suddenly as she was leaving: "Let Chu Ci become the Family Head, I have no interest in the Chu Family."

Truthfully, she didn’t want to see Chu Changhe’s wife, and it was quite troublesome, she couldn’t beat her, couldn’t scold her.

Chu Changhe was startled but then became gratefully appreciative. After all, he valued the position of Family Head highly.

Gu Anxi didn’t care much, tossing the position to him: "The only condition is that Chu Yan has nothing to do with your family anymore, otherwise..."

She chuckled twice, "You know what I can do."

Chu Changhe was both happy and a bit regretful at heart.

That child, in the end, was not part of the Chu Family anymore.

When he went back inside, he found his wife downstairs taking care of Chu Ci, who was drunk, leaning against the sofa with his eyes closed.

Chu Changhe sat down next to him and said with a slightly heavy tone, "You shouldn’t have lost your composure in front of Anxi."

"Lost my composure?" Chu Ci laughed, still with his eyes closed, he said, "What composure do I even have left?"

Madam Chu frowned, feeling very uncomfortable.

At this moment, Chu Ci opened his eyes and said softly, "My face and self-esteem have long been trampled to nothing."

"I can only hurt the person I like to protect the family’s wholeness, even if it means she has to be executed again when she comes back. What kind of man am I?" Chu Ci turned to look at his mother, "Mom, tell me, what kind of man am I?"

Mrs. Chu’s eyes were filled with tears, and she shook her head, "Mom is doing it all for your own good."

"For me?" Chu Ci laughed, "For my own good... Don’t you know how much I like her? Don’t you know I’ve been waiting all these years, waiting for you to come to your senses, to see things clearly, thinking that over time you’d remember her goodness, recall how she calls you ’mom’, realizing you didn’t actually hate her. But I didn’t wait for that. Instead, Yan Yan sees it even less clearly than me."

Chu Ci finished in one breath, "Maybe she’s more sensitive to your attitude towards her."

Mrs. Chu shook her head, "Chu Ci, you think too poorly of mom."

"No, it’s my own incompetence," Chu Ci quietly looked at her, as though completely sobered up from any intoxication: "From today on, I plan to be the good son you want, live the life you desire, that way you’ll definitely be satisfied."

As he spoke, he started to laugh, a laugh filled with desolation.

But Mrs. Chu suddenly screamed, "Chu Ci, are you trying to retaliate against me? Retaliate against me for breaking you up, for not letting you and Chu Yan be together, but have you thought about it, mom just feels uneasy seeing her."

"You can choose not to see her; I can have her stay elsewhere or even abroad, as long as you let us be together, Yan Yan is willing too," Chu Ci said softly, "Did you ever give me a chance to live, did you ever give her a chance to live?"

Mrs. Chu was at a loss for words, "She is doing well now, and Bai Xun’s family likes her very much."

"But I am not well," Chu Ci smiled lightly, "I am not well at all."

After speaking, he said no more, and slowly went upstairs by himself.

Mrs. Chu was stunned and in a daze.

Chu Changhe called his son, "Chu Ci!"

His voice was anxious, "You can’t treat your mom like this."

"I won’t do anything to her, on the contrary, I’ll be twice as filial," Chu Ci paused for a moment, then spoke very softly, "Don’t worry, I’ll find a good woman to marry, and then have a child."

He then looked at Mrs. Chu and said softly, "But I will never be happy in my life. Mom, are you happy?"

In the dead of night, Mrs. Chu cried out in a piercing shriek, "Chu Ci, you want to drive mom insane."

"I’ve already gone insane long ago," Chu Ci closed his eyes slightly, "Do you understand that feeling? Whether you’re willing to let go or not, you have to; keeping her by your side might be more painful."

After saying this, he quickly left.

Mrs. Chu collapsed onto the sofa, unable to regain her composure for quite some time.

Chu Changhe remained silent for a long time.

Only then did Mrs. Chu speak, "Changhe, was I wrong?"

She clutched her husband’s sleeve anxiously and said, "Is there something psychologically wrong with Chu Ci? Changhe, tell me. Is he sick?"

Chu Changhe couldn’t bring himself to say it, in fact, there was indeed something wrong with Chu Ci’s mental state, always suppressing and controlling it, but when Yan Yan came back and was with someone else, Chu Ci fell apart.

Chu Changhe suddenly understood why Gu Anxi let Chu Ci take over as Family Head, it was to keep him busy with responsibilities, otherwise Chu Ci...

However, could these things really hold Chu Ci back?

Everything changed, and Bai Xun shattered everyone’s expectations.

Mrs. Chu held her husband’s hand, crying bitterly, "Changhe, I didn’t mean to, I don’t want Chu Ci to suffer, I don’t want my son to take revenge on me."

She became a bit more lucid and remembered that over these years, her relationship with her son had become terribly strained. He usually avoided talking to her, especially bringing up Yan Yan.

Yan Yan... Yan Yan could save him.

Mrs. Chu hurriedly said, "Should I go beg Yan Yan, beg her to be with Chu Ci, as long as Chu Ci is happy, I don’t care about anything else. Didn’t Chu Ci say Yan Yan is willing to stay outside or abroad? Then let them live outside."

Chu Changhe remained silent, only smiling wryly after she finished speaking, "Yan Yan has someone now."

Perhaps previously it was still possible, now living together indicates there is no chance for her and Chu Ci to reconcile, even if Chu Ci doesn’t mind, maybe Yan Yan herself does.

Mrs. Chu stared blankly at her husband, mumbling, "But wasn’t she the one who liked Chu Ci the most? I don’t believe she wouldn’t agree even if I consented."

Chu Changhe closed his eyes slightly, speaking with an edge of helplessness, "Yan Yan isn’t a pet that comes when you call; she’s a person. She has found a good place to belong; why would she want to get involved with our family again?"

Though he said this, Mrs. Chu refused to listen or believe it. She held onto the belief that as long as she spoke to Chu Yan and humbled herself, Yan Yan would definitely agree.

She couldn’t lose her son, she couldn’t, absolutely couldn’t, if anything happened to Chu Ci, she would never forgive Chu Yan.

Mrs. Chu went upstairs, knocked on her son’s bedroom door; there was no one inside. She thought for a moment and went to Chu Yan’s place instead.

The door was ajar; she pushed it open and went in.

Chu Ci was there packing things, collecting all of Chu Yan’s belongings piece by piece into a box, packing them up.

Mrs. Chu said softly, "What are you doing? Are you giving up on your sister?"

"She’s not my sister!" Chu Ci said impassively, "She’s the woman I once loved."

He sealed the box, finally placing it inside the cloakroom and locking the door.

Mrs. Chu watched him with open eyes, deeply afraid, she feared something might happen to Chu Ci.

Having done everything, Chu Ci looked at his mother and said in a very faint voice, "I won’t do anything foolish, just living by your expectations, that should make you happy."