Chapter 8 Apartment

  She reached the door, opened the password lock inside the room, and pushed the door open. Meng Zhenyan looked around, the room was tidy and clean, with a black coat hanging on the wall, the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the most prosperous area of A City, the high bridge rising up, light-colored curtains beside it, outside the balcony, several shirts were hung outside, Gu Mo Xun walked over to pour her a glass of water, she didn't drink it, put it on the table, sat quietly, not speaking.

  "This is a check for one million dollars, you can take it directly to the bank to cash it." Gu Mo Xi sat across from her, sitting up straight with an air of elegance and a hint of overbearing presence, placing the check on the table and pushing it over.

  Meng Zhan looked at him and said directly: "I only want 100,000, I don't need more." After finishing speaking, he returned the check.

  He saw that her eyes were clear and not a hint of greed, then his gaze fell on her injured left arm, his gaze was dim, unable to discern emotions, furrowed his brow and suddenly asked: "How did you get hurt?"

  He was taken aback for a moment, and followed his line of sight to his left arm, only then did he react to what he was being asked. His eyebrows were slightly raised, but his eyelids didn't even lift as he replied lightly: "To save someone."

  Gu Mo Xi refilled a check for 100,000 yuan and handed it over: "This is 100,000."

  Meng Zhen nodded slightly and picked up the check, then stood up and was about to leave.

  "Wait." A large hand suddenly grasped her right hand, the tense face relaxed, Gu Mo saw her lightly raise her eyes to look at him, the deep pupils darkened, the palm of the hand holding her wrist tightened, and for a moment he forgot what he wanted to say, his heart felt like it had been electrocuted, a numb and tingling sensation ran down his spine, his hand tightened, forgetting to let go.

  "Brother, brother... I'm here." Gu Ershao kicked the door open with one foot. He had just woken up to receive a phone call that his brother and someone were intimately entering the apartment together, and he rushed over in a hurry. Could it be true last time? But which woman was so lucky. He must take a look.

  Gu Mo Xi saw Gu Mo Cheng enter, his face somewhat displeased, he let go of his hand, a hint of danger flashing in the depths of his eyes as he shot him a warning glance.

  He rushed in the door, his eyes fixed on her, sizing her up nonstop, muttering to himself: "Not bad, not bad." His mom had already given him an ultimatum - as long as his older brother's other half was a woman, it would be fine. He took a closer look and thought that if she didn't have that scar, she must be a real beauty. How could her injury be so severe? And this person was actually wearing his brother's suit! His brother had some cleanliness habits and never allowed others to touch his things, not even clothes. But the more he looked, the more puzzled he became - was she male or female?! It couldn't be that his brother liked men, could it?! Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel anxious - if his brother really liked men, his mom would have a hard time accepting it! He turned his head and happened to see his brother's gaze fixed intently on her. Meng Cheng's heart skipped a beat - could it be that his brother had really taken a liking to this person?! Never mind whether she was male or female, as long as his brother liked her, that was all that mattered. Now he had to make nice with her - maybe she would become his sister-in-law in the future! His lips curled up into a warm smile: "Sister-in-law."

  Gu Mo's face turned dark, Meng Zhen glanced at him with a flicker of his eyes, then looked away and said: "I'm leaving."

  "Don't go! I haven't had dinner yet? Let's eat together! We're all family, we'll gather together sooner or later." Gu Ershao walked over to pull her back, but Gu Mo's eyes darkened as he grabbed his collar and threw him aside.

  "Brother!"

  "I'll send you."

  Meng Zhan looked at him for a moment, then said coldly, "No need." After that, she walked out the door and left. Gu Mo Zei waited until her figure disappeared before withdrawing his gaze, which had been fixed on Meng Cheng.

  "Brother, why don't you even ask your sister-in-law to stay for a meal? If you keep this temperament, your sister-in-law might think you're too boring and won't want you." Gu Ershao sat on the sofa, picked up an orange from the coffee table, and started peeling it.

  "Shouldn't we split the bill?" A low, husky voice spoke up, carrying a unique military intimidation that made Gu Ershao's hair stand on end. He turned his eyes, put the orange back in its original place, stood up unconsciously and took a few steps back, patted his phone in his pocket, and hastily said: "Brother, you eat by yourself! I...I seem to have something else to do, so I won't...eat here." He turned around and was about to leave.

  Gu Mo saw that he was in a hurry to escape, and with one kick on his buttocks, he kicked him straight to the ground: "Bro...bro...I won't dare again..." Gu Er Shao wanted to get up, but was met with a narrowed gaze, scaring him into silence, swallowing hard. This wasn't seeking trouble for himself, if only he had known earlier, he wouldn't have done it even if you paid him to.

  "Come back home tomorrow and report, if I don't see you in person, you know the consequences yourself." After finishing speaking, he turned around and went to the bathroom.

  "Brother." Mo Cheng shouted, just about to say he wasn't going, a sharp knife flashed before his eyes. He swallowed the words "I'm not going". He really didn't want to go back, once he went back, his mom would nag again.

  Meng Zhan went to the bank to exchange some money, then bought a new shirt and changed into it. He booked an afternoon flight at 3 pm and also bought a mobile phone. After thinking for a while, he still called Li Hu. Since she had received the money, she didn't want to participate in the royal night hand-picking selection anymore. However, since she had signed the contract, she didn't plan to go back on her promise.

  "Is that you?" Li Hu answered the phone and saw that the other party had been silent for a long time, suddenly opening his mouth, he instinctively told him that it was her on the other end.

  "It's me." Sitting in the airport hall, she occasionally looked up at the flight information displayed on the screen and said: "I want to take a few days off, as for that game, can it be rescheduled to next Wednesday?"

  "Are you at the airport now?" Li Hu suddenly asked, occasionally hearing the female voice from the other side announcing the flight.

  "Uh-huh."

  "Are you sure you want to participate? I'm not joking, if you don't want to participate, I won't force you." This was the second time he asked, and he still had some doubts about the young man in his twenties. Was it because of being scared from the last fight? But thinking back to her sudden bravery in saving Mayor Han, he decided to give her another chance.

  "Okay, I'll call you when I arrive next Wednesday."

  "Okay, we'll wait for your call."

  "Alright." Hung up the phone and started boarding the plane.

  Waiting for her to get off the plane, the sky was dark and it was already past 7 o'clock. She picked up her phone and dialed Han Xin's number.

  "Hello, may I ask who you are?"

  "It's me." After a while, Zhan Yan finally spoke up.

  "Zhan Yan?" She heard the other's disbelieving tone, his voice excited and unsteady "Is it really Zhan Yan?"

  "Where is my mom? I'm going there now."

  "Zhan Yan, your mom... Your mom is at F District International Hospital. Where are you? I'll go pick you up now."

  "No need. I'll be right there." She hung up the phone, hailed a taxi, and went straight to the hospital entrance. Han Xin saw her from afar, his face flushed with excitement, disbelieving. As she approached, he noticed the scar on her forehead that extended to the corner of her eye, and his heart skipped a beat - if it had slid just a little further, those eyes would have been ruined. Who was it? Who dared to hurt her?

  "Han Xin, how's my mom?"

  "Zhan Yan, what exactly happened to you? Who dared to hurt you?" Han Xin's gaze was scorching hot as he stared at her without blinking, his hand trembling as he tried to touch the scar on her eye corner. Zhan Yan turned her head, letting him grasp at air, and said calmly: "It's nothing, just a minor injury. What happened to my mom? Tell me directly, I can take it."

  "Your mom was forcibly sent to the F District Mental Hospital by your dad five years ago. In that place, even a normal person would become abnormal. Your mom stayed there for five years and was completely driven mad by that place. Later, a few days ago, one of your dad's women outside saw your mom, and your mom jumped off the building that night to commit suicide. Unexpectedly, she didn't die, but now she's become a vegetable in the hospital." Han Xin said with red eyes, he couldn't understand why everything was fine five years ago, but now it had all changed so much.

  Although she had mentally prepared herself, upon hearing all of this, her heart still couldn't help but ache. She thought she wouldn't feel pain anymore, her heart was as cold as ice, it was unthinkable. Her fingernails dug into her flesh, and she didn't even feel the pain. Everything was because of her. Why did she have to go to China? Why did she have to like that man? If only... if only she hadn't liked him, maybe now her mother would still be alive and happy? Her body trembled violently, even her fingertips ached terribly. Everything was her fault. If only she were a son, how great that would be! If only she had obediently been the son, how great that would be! But time wouldn't turn back, there's no medicine for regret.