Chapter 25

The afternoon after he deleted Su Wang, the other party began sending greetings through friend request messages.

[Why did you delete me?]

[You really are inexplicable.]

[Hey, are you sick?]

[I'll give you a chance to turn over a new leaf.]

Throughout the meal, Su Yu's notification sound never stopped, chiming five or six times in a row. But out of politeness, he had not picked up his phone to reply. He even reached for the volume button and turned the sound down to the minimum. The younger aunt sitting across from him smiled. "You can use your phone. No need to be so restrained."

Hearing that, Su Yu was just about to pick up his phone when Gu Lin, seated beside him, glanced at him. So he silently put the phone back down.

The younger aunt could not help teasing him. "You haven't learned a single thing about the Yun family's fine tradition of doting on their spouses. You keep controlling him at every turn and don't know how to be considerate."

Gu Lin did not seem bothered by her teasing and calmly explained, "I merely looked at him. He misunderstood it himself."

That was true. He had merely glanced at Su Yu; it was simply his body reacting on instinct.

Because of the special nature of her work, the younger aunt rarely had free time. The younger uncle was busy with work too, and Yun Shang attended school in the city. It happened to be a holiday, and he had nowhere to go. On top of that, he only communicated with Su Yu, so she had specifically invited Su Yu and Gu Lin to dinner, intending to have Yun Shang stay at Gu Lin's home for a few days.

Even before he married Su Yu, the younger aunt had often sent Yun Shang to stay with him. But he and Yun Shang had never really interacted, because Yun Shang simply did not speak.

In truth, it did not matter where Yun Shang stayed or whom he stayed with. He was immersed in his own world, and the people outside could not affect him in the slightest.

Gu Lin understood that a large part of the reason the younger aunt wanted Yun Shang to stay at his home this time was because of Su Yu.

The younger aunt shook her head. "He's afraid of you."

"Is he?"

Whenever people saw the two of them together, they assumed Gu Lin was the dominant one, while Su Yu was obedient and well-behaved before him, not daring to defy him.

"Anyone with eyes can tell." She knew Gu Lin and Su Yu had married because their pheromones were highly compatible, and she knew it had been arranged by his grandfather. But Su Yu seemed like a decent person with no ill intentions, so she felt that since the two could get along, they should try their best to do so. At the very least, Gu Lin should not take his dissatisfaction with his grandfather's arrangement out on Su Yu.

She believed Gu Lin was a sensible person; he was simply too aloof at times.

Only Gu Lin knew that everything they saw was an illusion. The real Su Yu feared no one. He even gave off the impression of someone who loved making trouble. It was as though he could not be bothered to listen to anyone, completely at odds with his quiet appearance.

"Since you're married, get along properly for now. You can talk about the future later."

Gu Lin responded with a faint "Mm."

Su Yu, sitting to the side, did not actually care about Gu Lin's attitude toward him at all. They had signed a divorce agreement anyway, and sooner or later, he would move back into his apartment.

Thinking of the apartment made Su Yu's heart ache.

He paid such expensive rent every month, yet he had barely stayed there for a few days. What a loss.

So when was Gu Lin going to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau with him, get the divorce certificate, and set him free?

Su Yu gloomily thought about it as he ate.

The younger aunt smiled kindly and said softly, "Xiao Hui, eat more. You look far too thin."

Su Yu nodded. He thought the younger aunt was very gentle.

Gu Lin: "..."

Those two were both exceptionally good at putting on an act.

After dinner, Su Yu and Gu Lin followed the younger aunt to pick up Yun Shang. There were especially many people outside the high school at dismissal time in the afternoon. When Yun Shang approached from afar, Su Yu nearly failed to recognize him. It was only when the younger aunt pointed him out that he did.

The boy wore a mask and a clean white-and-blue school uniform, with neat, short hair. He looked no different from most other students.

The younger aunt said, "Shang Shang used to study at home. We sent him here so he could interact with other people more."

As Su Yu watched Yun Shang, he listened to the younger aunt continue, "Unfortunately, he isn't very willing to talk. His teacher even said he's always being excluded by his classmates."

Imagining Yun Shang being ostracized, Su Yu felt that he really was different from others. The other students left school in groups of two or three, while he seemed to be the only one alone. Perhaps he had always walked this path alone.

After thinking for a moment, the younger aunt added, almost as though comforting herself, "But since he's always immersed in his own world, he doesn't care about these things."

The conversation ended when Yun Shang drew near. The younger aunt smiled at him and wanted to take his backpack for him, but Yun Shang avoided her and would not let her touch it. He even looked at her warily. Seeing his reaction, the younger aunt hurriedly said, "All right, all right. Mom won't touch your things."

Yun Shang was extremely possessive and disliked others touching his belongings.

"Get in the car, Shang Shang."

Yun Shang glanced at Su Yu, then climbed into the back seat. The younger aunt explained, "The older he gets, the more he seems to dislike us touching his things."

Su Yu thought this kid seemed pretty troublesome.

"Let's get in too."

Su Yu nodded and got into the front passenger seat. Yun Shang and the younger aunt sat together in the back.

Although she knew that, to Yun Shang, it made no difference where he went, the younger aunt still discussed it with him. "Shang Shang, how about spending a few days at your cousin's place during the holiday?"

But Yun Shang did not answer her. Curious, Su Yu turned around to glance at him. Yun Shang was looking down at his phone.

[He's this hard to handle? He even ignores his own mother. Does Auntie think we'll have more to talk about if we play games together?]

[He looks even harder to handle than Gu Lin.]

Only then did Su Yu realize what the younger aunt intended.

Gu Lin, who was driving, cast the Omega a cool glance.

[Fine. When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility upon a man...]

Hearing Su Yu's lofty declaration, Gu Lin had actually thought he intended to win Yun Shang over. Who would have thought that all Su Yu had in mind was gaming? He was even hoping Gu Lin would go away on a business trip.

[Since he likes gaming so much, I'll play games with him for a few days. Then I can openly play games too. It'd be best if Gu Lin went on a business trip these next few days. Then no one will be watching me, and I can do whatever I want.]

[Maybe I can even go back to my apartment and see whether my flowers are still alive. If they are, I'll give them to Lu Heyun to raise.]

[I can also have a meal with Lu Heyun while I'm at it. If Yun Shang is willing, I can bring him along too.]

The more he worked out his plans, the more outrageous they became. He had even forgotten that the prerequisite for those beautiful visions was Gu Lin going on a business trip—and being away for several days at that.

It was as though he could live happily the moment he left Gu Lin.

The Alpha snorted coldly to himself.

He had business trips, but he simply would not go. Watching Su Yu be happy hurt more than losing money, so he chose to lose money.