Beg Him

The lighting in the private room was dim and suggestive, and the mingled scent of cigars and red wine hung in the air.

Several pairs of eyes landed on me at once, sizing me up with undisguised mockery.

My steps faltered for an instant.

I heard someone sneer under their breath, "Isn't this the eldest Miss Yu?"

I dug my fingers tightly into my hands, forcing myself forward one step at a time.

Gu Hansheng reclined on a leather sofa, his long legs casually crossed, an unlit cigar between his fingers.

The dim light outlined his stern features. His face was quiet and restrained, betraying neither pleasure nor anger. Only the imposing air in his eyes and brows, too formidable to look straight at, made my heart clench hard.

In four years, I had never seen him like this.

The Gu Hansheng of the past had always kept his eyes lowered, meek and obedient.

Now, just sitting there casually, he seemed impossibly far above my reach.

Men really did know how to put on an act.

My throat tightened. The words were on my lips, but I couldn't get them out.

At last, he raised his eyes and gave me an indifferent glance.

His gaze was icy, sending my heart plunging to rock bottom.

"President Gu, there's something I need to talk to you about..."

The moment I spoke, laughter rang through the room.

Several scions of powerful families, regulars at elite venues, brazenly looked me over, their eyes full of naked ridicule.

Among them were men who had once fawned over me and even pursued me, yet now they were all too eager to trample me to curry favor with Gu Hansheng.

"Well, well, Miss Yu. Didn't you once say President Gu wasn't worthy of sharing the same space as you? Why have you come looking for him yourself now?"

"Miss Yu must be here to spend money! Surely she hasn't come especially to pick up President Gu's tab tonight?"

"She probably can't afford a single bottle here anymore. Look at what she's wearing-even her gown is from several years ago. Tsk, tsk. A phoenix stripped of its feathers is worse off than a chicken!"

Listening to their unbridled mockery, I clenched my teeth, my fingernails almost digging into my palms.

But when I looked at Gu Hansheng again, he showed no reaction whatsoever.

In the past, never mind someone humiliating me like this-if they so much as made me frown, he would have rushed forward.

Now, he simply let them trample me.

"President Gu..."

I drew a deep breath and forced the words out. "My dad's in the hospital. He needs money for treatment. Could you... help me?"

The room went quiet for a moment, then erupted into even louder laughter.

"Hahaha! Did I hear that right? Miss Yu actually knows how to beg?"

Someone deliberately pushed a wineglass in front of me, smiling meaningfully. "If you're begging for help, you need to act like it. How about getting on your knees and offering us a toast first, Miss Yu? If we put in a word for you, President Gu might just agree."

My breath caught, as though something had lodged in my chest.

My knees began to weaken.

In my mind, I saw my father's deathly pale face outside the hospital's emergency room, and my mother clutching my sleeve as she cried.

If getting on my knees could save my father's life... it would be worth it.

I clenched my teeth, my fingertips trembling, and slowly bent my knees.

Just then, a cool voice cut through all the clamor.

"Yu Han."

Gu Hansheng's voice was low, carrying an irresistible weight.

I froze and looked up.

His large hand clamped around my wrist and pulled me up.

He was hardly gentle. I stumbled, nearly falling into his arms.

The air instantly froze.

Everyone exchanged glances, their laughter choking in their throats.

My heart shuddered hard, bitterness and humiliation welling up together.

Was he... protecting me?

"All of you, leave."

Gu Hansheng's voice was deep, making the air feel tight with pressure.

The room instantly fell silent, everyone's expression stiffening. No one dared utter a word of protest, and they all hurried out.

Soon, only he and I remained in the spacious room.

My heart pounded, and I instinctively wanted to retreat, to put some distance between us.

But before I could take a step back, Gu Hansheng reached out and yanked me straight into his arms.

Caught off guard, I slammed hard into his solid chest. His scent, both familiar and unfamiliar, instantly enveloped me, oppressive enough to leave me breathless.

"Gu Hansheng, what are you doing?" I struggled frantically.

He was immensely strong, able to restrain my every movement with one hand. He raised the other and gripped my chin, forcing me to look up into his dark eyes.

He gave a low chuckle, his smile cold yet wickedly alluring. "I should be asking you that. Yu Han, what exactly do you want, coming here to find me dressed like this?"

I bit my lip, my chest rising and falling unevenly. "I already told you. I came to borrow money from you!"

Gu Hansheng narrowed his eyes and released me. He leisurely lit the cigar in his hand, smoke curling around his lips and lending him an added air of indifference.

"What makes you think I have any reason to help you?"

My heart suddenly tightened.

He looked at me, his gaze chilling. "Have you forgotten how your family treated me? Your father had me shut outside in the snow all night. Your mother forced me to kneel and scrub the floor. And you? You humiliated me in front of everyone, again and again, calling me the Yu family's dog..."

Every word struck my heart like a heavy hammer.

Yes. If I were in his place, I would never offer a helping hand either.

I took a deep breath and struggled to force a smile. "You have every right to hold a grudge. I won't bother you, then."

I turned to leave.

But before I reached the door, his voice slowly sounded behind me again.

"I can help you if that's what you want." There was a trace of amusement in his voice, yet it was cold enough to send chills through me. "Spend a night with me."

I whipped around and stared at him in disbelief.

He was leaning back on the sofa, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "Four years of marriage, and apart from that one drunken night, we never did anything. I do... miss it a little."

I struggled to stay composed. "Gu Hansheng, are you trying to humiliate me?"

He stared at me. "What else? Yu Han, besides your body, what bargaining chips do you think you have left?"

Bone-deep humiliation surged through my chest. Unable to hold back any longer, I rushed over, raised my hand, and slapped him hard across the face.

"Gu Hansheng, you bastard!"

His head turned slightly, but he hadn't tried to dodge. The red mark on his cheek was painfully conspicuous.

He wasn't angry. Instead, the corners of his lips lifted in a wickedly alluring smile.

I didn't dare look at him again and fled the room in disarray.

I arrived at the hospital in a daze.

From a distance, I saw my mother standing outside the ward, wringing her hands tightly as she paced back and forth. At the sound of footsteps, she jerked her head up, her eyes fixed on me.

The next second, she practically lunged at me, seizing my hand as though clutching her last lifeline, her voice trembling with urgency.

"Well? Did you get the money?"