Chapter 37: Lost Soul

The room was filled with the scent of alcohol. Jiang Suizhou’s gaze was fixed on Guan Xi, making him look almost gloomy. Guan Xi felt inexplicably uneasy under his intense gaze, even a bit flustered. But upon careful consideration, she wondered why she was flustered. They weren’t married, breaking up didn’t require the same formalities as a divorce.

Guan Xi: “Why is it always about Xie Yan? I’ve told you, it’s just a work-related matter… What does it have to do with him?”

Jiang Suizhou: “You even want to remove him, afraid I’ll cause trouble for you?”

Guan Xi: “Jiang Suizhou, it’s not about Xie Yan! It’s because I want to break up, solely my decision.”

Jiang Suizhou stared at her. “Okay, then give me a reason I can accept.”

Guan Xi had already consumed a lot of alcohol, and now, with Jiang Suizhou’s probing, a throbbing sensation in her temples accompanied waves of dizziness.

She forced herself, grabbing his sleeve, saying, “I told you, we got together initially because our families arranged it. Now I’ve left home, and I’m not going back! Recently, I’ve been overwhelmed with the company’s affairs, and I don’t want to continue… Jiang Suizhou, I’m not the Guan Xi you want, you can’t gain anything from me… Look, since we no longer have those benefits you desired, there’s no need for us to continue.”

Jiang Suizhou held onto her hand for a moment. “You left home? Why?”

“Because I’m unhappy staying there,” Guan Xi found a gap and finally stood up.

She didn’t know where she got the strength, pulling him towards the front door. “Anyway, that’s how it is. I’m sure you won’t want an fiancée with nothing… hic… Well, I don’t need you either… Let’s part ways amicably.”

Just like any time in the past when Guan Xi got upset, regardless of consequences, willful and capricious. However, unlike before, back then, she could be appeased. At this moment, Jiang Suizhou could clearly sense a kind of internal rejection from Guan Xi, an eagerness to push him away.

Guan Xi opened the door with a pull, staggered a bit, almost falling. She could only tightly hold onto the doorknob, pointing outside before she herself collapsed, “Hurry, you can leave now.”

Jiang Suizhou: “How do you know I don’t want you.”

“…What?”

Jiang Suizhou stood by the door and almost blurted out, “Even if you have nothing, I won’t break up with you.”

“…………”

Perhaps the words came out too quickly, too smoothly, and not quite like Jiang Suizhou. Both of them were momentarily stunned. They stared at each other, and for a moment, it seemed like the air had slowed down. Guan Xi squinted her eyes, alcohol numbing her, making her doubt if she had hallucinated.

What did he just say… something about having nothing, yet he wouldn’t break up with her? Is this something Jiang Suizhou would say? Guan Xi pressed her temples, unable to endure it any longer. She slid down the door, following its surface.

“Guan Xi!”

Guan Xi was completely bewildered; with the alcohol kicking in, her thoughts and senses were drifting away. She felt someone holding her elbow… then suddenly, she felt herself being lifted. It was Jiang Suizhou. She remembered the scent on him, a slight fragrance, detectable only when her nose was close.

But was she hallucinating? Jiang Suizhou was so resolute and earnest, expressing that he wouldn’t leave her even if she had nothing. She opened her mouth to ask something, but she was dizzy and her eyelids suddenly felt heavy. In a hazy state, as she drifted into sleep, all that remained in her mind was the sincerity in Jiang Suizhou’s words just now…

Jiang Suizhou didn’t know where Guan Xi usually slept, so he carried her to a room with the door open and placed her on the bed. Guan Xi was already drifting into a deep sleep. Jiang Suizhou slowly stood up, watching the person on the bed, breathing heavily.

The room was still dark, with only the light from the living room seeping in. Jiang Suizhou stood in the semi-darkness, replaying the words he had just said. He hadn’t expected Guan Xi to say she was leaving the Guan family, nor had he expected his subconscious reaction to be like this.

It was sudden, but he hadn’t hesitated for a moment. In that instant, he thought that if she insisted on leaving the Guan family, he could still take care of her.

“Since we no longer have those benefits you desired, there’s no need for us to continue.”

No need to continue when there are no benefits … It was a common sentiment.

But at some point, he found that he was unwilling to end it. Even if Guan Xi was no longer the elevated Guan Xi. Jiang Suizhou frowned, bent down, and covered her with the blanket.

At that moment, his phone rang—

He glanced at the screen and walked out of the room to answer the call. “What’s the matter?”

Zhou Hao’s voice sounded somewhat heavy. “Mr. Jiang, just received some information about Miss Guan.”

Jiang Suizhou furrowed his brow. “What is it?”

Zhou Hao continued, “Someone just informed me about Miss Guan’s background. Despite being adopted by Mr. Guan Xinghao, Miss Guan is actually his biological daughter.”

Jiang Suizhou was stunned. “Why didn’t we find out before?”

Zhou Hao explained, “The records from that welfare institution were likely tampered with. When we initially investigated, the information about Miss Guan was exceptionally clean and concise.”

“Where did this information come from?”

“Just an hour ago, it seems Mr. Guan Xinghao himself let the news out. I just inquired with the employees in the Guan family and investigated a bit. It turns out that Miss Guan has been resigning from her jobs at the company previously. The exact reasons are not entirely clear, but some say there was a fierce argument between Mr. Guan Xinghao and Wei Shaomin a while ago, possibly about their two daughters. Miss Guan might be leaving because of this… But unexpectedly, Miss Guan’s move exposed Mr. Guan Xinghao’s hidden secret about his ‘biological daughter.’ Now a small number of people know about it, and it won’t be long before it spreads. Um, do you want me to tell you the details?”

Suddenly realizing that Jiang Suizhou was with Miss Guan at the moment, Zhou Hao quickly added, “I almost forgot that you are currently with Miss Guan. Otherwise, you can directly ask her for the specifics?”

Guan Xi might not be able to speak now, and without Guan Xi’s permission, Lang Ningyi probably wouldn’t say much.

Jiang Suizhou tightened his grip on the phone. “I’m going downstairs now. Bring the car over.”

“Ah… Okay.”

**

Guan Xinghao and Wei Shaomin were still arguing over Guan Xi and Guan Ying. Jiang Suizhou had anticipated this kind of situation, as it was common for conflicts to arise over the interests of their biological daughters.

However, he underestimated the extent of Guan Xi’s emotional attachment to Wei Shaomin. She had decided not to work at the Guan family company anymore due to this. She had a breakdown, but she hadn’t informed him.

After getting into the car, Jiang Suizhou learned all the details about Guan Xi and the behind-the-scenes situations from Zhou Hao. Now, he completely understood why Guan Xi had left home. If it was only about Wei Shaomin, she wouldn’t have refused to go back so vehemently. However, this matter involved Guan Xinghao as well. Considering Guan Xi’s personality, she wouldn’t easily accept being deceived for such a long time.

Jiang Suizhou sat in the back seat, silently looking out the window. He didn’t speak, and Zhou Hao didn’t start the car immediately. He could sense that Jiang Suizhou’s meeting with Guan Xi didn’t go well.

“Mr. Jiang, should I take you back first? Your leg shouldn’t be moving around too much outside.”

Without a response from Jiang Suizhou, Zhou Hao didn’t start the car directly. He could tell that Jiang Suizhou’s visit to Guan Xi today was not smooth.

“Mr. Jiang, let me take you back first. It’s not good for your leg to move around outside.”

Still without a word, Zhou Hao could see that Jiang Suizhou’s meeting with Guan Xi had not gone smoothly today.

“Mr. Jiang, I’ll take you back first. Your leg shouldn’t be moving around too much outside.”

Jiang Suizhou remained silent. The matters related to Guan Xi’s family and her words about breaking up were entangled in his mind like a ball of yarn. Jiang Suizhou, who had always been rational, could calmly analyze and evaluate the situation when he initially found out about Guan Xi’s adoption. However, now that her background had taken a positive turn, he found himself in a state of confusion.

His phone vibrated again, another call from home.

Answering the call, he heard his mother, Li Yuanying, ask, “Sui Zhou, did you already know about Guan Xi’s situation?”

Jiang Suizhou’s tone was extremely calm, “Just found out.”

“Come home for a visit.”

…

Jiang Suizhou hung up the phone.

Zhou Hao, watching through the rearview mirror, waited for Jiang Suizhou’s instructions. After sitting for a while, Jiang Suizhou took out his phone again and made another call. While receiving Jiang Suizhou’s call, Lang Ningyi was sitting nervously in her room, scrolling through her phone and wondering how the conversation between the two outside had gone.

“Hello?”

Jiang Suizhou said, “Could you please check on Guan Xi? She’s already asleep in her room.”

Lang Ningyi stood up abruptly, “Ah? Have you finished talking? Have you left?”

Jiang Suizhou trusted the soundproofing of the house: “Yes, she drank too much, and her mood is not good. I’ll come over again tomorrow. Please take care of her for the night.”

“Okay, I will.”

After instructing Lang Ningyi, Jiang Suizhou said, “Let’s go.”

Zhou Hao responded, “Sure.”

Guan Xi didn’t sleep peacefully that night; she had many dreams.

In some dreams, she returned to her childhood, with Guan Xinghao sitting across from her, playing with Barbie dolls in the toy room. In a flash, she was an adult, and Guan Xinghao prepared many gifts for her adulthood. He was extremely attentive and careful, afraid of dropping her, holding her as if she might melt in his hands.

In some dreams, she saw a stranger whose face she couldn’t see, but she could feel her holding her hand. She asked if she was doing well… very vague, but in the dream, she knew this person was her mother, and her name was Shen Yu Shan.

She even dreamt about Jiang Suizhou, dreaming that he said they should break up because his family didn’t allow them to be together, as she wanted to leave home… The dream about Jiang Suizhou was the most recent before waking up. When she woke up from the dream, her forehead and back were covered in cold sweat.

Guan Xi sat up from the bed, looking at the blanket. Her mind was filled with the scenes of Jiang Suizhou saying coldly in the dream, “We’re not suitable,” and “Let’s break up.”

We’re not suitable? We’re breaking up? Wait a minute. Aren’t these her lines? Why did he run into her dream and change everything? Guan Xi wiped away the sweat. Yes, he changed it; reality was not like this. Frowning, she recalled last night. Did Jiang Suizhou come over? What did he say to her?

Guan Xi paused for a moment — did he say, “Even if you have nothing, I won’t break up with you”?

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