Don't Get Married, Okay?

Yu Yaochen was so shocked that his voice trembled at the end. "Yuechen, do you know what you're saying?"

"I do." Gu Yuechen held him even tighter, afraid Yu Yaochen would take Pei Huanyi away right now. "I like you, Chenchen."

He imagined the person in his arms was Pei Huanyi and poured out all the love he had buried in his heart, unable to speak of it before.

"I really like you. I was afraid you'd hate me, so I never dared say it. Don't get married, okay? Don't go abroad with him, okay?"

Gu Yuechen's words exploded beside Yu Yaochen's ears like a thunderclap. His mind went blank, and he could barely process what Gu Yuechen had said.

What he had thought was unrequited love had suddenly turned out to be reciprocated.

Gu Yuechen's sudden confession threw Yu Yaochen's heart into complete turmoil.

He had locked himself away in a little cabin by the sea for over a week. He had finally made up his mind to forget Gu Yuechen, but these words had undone all his efforts.

Yu Yaochen held Gu Yuechen's arms, yet could not bear to push him away.

He sighed and said with difficulty, "Yuechen, this isn't right."

Yu Yaochen's voice pulled Gu Yuechen back to reality. He bit his lip hard and asked unwillingly, "Why isn't it right? Don't you like me?"

"I..." Yu Yaochen could not lie to Gu Yuechen. He gave in and answered, "I do."

"Then call off the engagement, okay?" Gu Yuechen could no longer care whether the timing was right. He said urgently, "Don't get married, okay?"

"Yuechen." Pain flashed through Yu Yaochen's eyes. "Do you know what the consequences of doing this would be? Have you thought about what you might go through?"

Of course Gu Yuechen knew the consequences.

If Pei Huanyi ever found out that Yu Yaochen had cheated on him with Gu Yuechen, he might hate him to death.

But being hated was better than never seeing him again.

He would kneel before Pei Huanyi and beg for forgiveness. If that still was not enough to vent his anger, Pei Huanyi could even break his legs.

"I know. I can take it." Gu Yuechen said, "Call off the engagement."

Yu Yaochen fell silent. After a moment, he hardened his heart and pulled Gu Yuechen away.

Even if he could bear the massive losses caused by calling off the engagement, if the Pei Household learned of Gu Yuechen's existence, they would never let him go.

Even a dying camel was bigger than a horse. No matter how badly the Pei Household had declined, they still had the power to destroy someone with no background at all.

And then there was his mother. How was she supposed to accept the mistake he had made?

The doctor had said that emotional fluctuations could affect a patient's condition.

"Yuechen, I'll take you home."

Gu Yuechen understood his decision. A flash of gloom passed through his eyes.

"You don't want to?"

Yu Yaochen's eyes were filled with struggle, and he did not want to answer that question.

"Yuechen, it's late. Don't you have work tomorrow?"

Gu Yuechen gazed silently at Yu Yaochen. After dropping a quiet "I understand," he turned around, hailed a taxi, and got in.

Yu Yaochen wanted to drive after him, but he did not know what reason he could possibly give for chasing him.

He stared in the direction the taxi had gone until it disappeared from sight before he finally moved.

He got into his own car, fled back to the studio, and shut himself away once more.

After an unknown number of days, Gu Yuechen called him.

Yu Yaochen stared at the caller ID on the screen, hesitated for a while, then pressed the answer button.

He looked at the ashtray on the coffee table, filled with cigarette butts, and asked in a hoarse, low voice, "What is it?"

There was no response from the other end of the line. Unease rose in Yu Yaochen, and he immediately got up from the sofa.

"Yuechen, did something happen?"

"No."

Yu Yaochen frowned. He noticed something wrong with Gu Yuechen's voice.

"Have you been drinking?" Yu Yaochen asked.

Gu Yuechen gave a soft hum. "Not much. Just a few cans of beer."

"With friends?"

"No, by myself."

"Where are you?" Yu Yaochen grabbed his car keys and headed out. "I'll come pick you up and take you home."

Midnight was only minutes away. He truly could not rest easy knowing Gu Yuechen was outside drinking alone.

"You don't want me, do you?" Gu Yuechen choked out. "Why do you care what happens to me?"

Yu Yaochen stopped in his tracks. His handsome face was somewhat pale, and bitterness kept rising in his heart.

"Yuechen, don't be like this."

"This is the last time I'll call you. You... don't need to worry about me anymore."

"Yuechen!"

Hearing the beeping from the other end of the line, panic filled Yu Yaochen's eyes. He rushed out of the small villa in disarray and got into his car.

Outside the convenience store beside the upscale apartment complex, Gu Yuechen sat on a bench, staring at his phone's dark screen with a cold smile.

Then he took another bottle of beer from the plastic bag, popped the tab, tipped back his head, and drained it in one go.

Less than an hour later, a familiar car stopped in front of Gu Yuechen.

Yu Yaochen got out of the driver's seat, still wearing house slippers. It was clear how hurriedly he had left.

He strode toward Gu Yuechen and pulled him into his arms, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"You... scared... me... to death..."

Gu Yuechen leaned against his chest for a moment, then forcefully shoved him away and stared at him expressionlessly.

"Didn't I tell you not to worry about me?"