Chapter 16

Do You Want Coffee?

Gu Wencheng met Meng Nianyao’s gaze, and his heart skipped a beat. He shook his head and said, “No need.”

Meng Nianyao nodded and took a deep breath. She turned around to fetch the povidone and cotton swabs. As she began disinfecting the wound, she tried her best to be careful and control her fear. However, when the blood instantly stained her face crimson and flowed down Gu Wencheng’s calf, she couldn’t control her trembling hand.

Gu Wencheng thought that Meng Nianyao was afraid of causing him pain, so he reassured her, “It’s alright. Just go ahead. I’m not afraid of pain.”

Meng Nianyao’s mind was in turmoil as suppressed memories of blood resurfaced. It was Gu Wencheng’s voice that brought her back to the present. She closed her eyes, pinched her thigh, and determinedly continued the disinfection.

It took nearly half an hour to complete the wound treatment and re-bandaging. Meng Nianyao returned the remaining povidone and cotton swabs to the first aid kit and glanced at the red-stained gauze in the trash can.

“Are you afraid of blood?” Gu Wencheng asked.

Meng Nianyao nodded. Suddenly, Gu Wencheng grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. Meng Nianyao was caught off guard and fell onto Gu Wencheng. However, within three seconds, she pushed him away and hastily left with the first aid kit.

Gu Wencheng watched Meng Nianyao’s hurried departure, and his eyes darkened gradually.

Meng Nianyao returned to the guest room and shut the door behind her. She struggled to suppress her revulsion. She didn’t know how normal couples interacted intimately, but any form of physical contact disgusted her. Every touch reminded her of the past, as if she had touched something sticky and repulsive that couldn’t be washed away or discarded.

The more Meng Nianyao dwelled on it, the more overwhelmed she felt. She covered her mouth and rushed to the bathroom to vomit.

After a sleepless night, Meng Nianyao got out of bed and rubbed her temples. Her head throbbed as if it were about to explode. She heard the sound of the door closing outside her room. She waited for a moment before leaving her room, assuming that Gu Wencheng had left. However, upon entering the living room, she found both Gu Wencheng and Ping Yang there. Gu Wencheng was seated on the sofa in a black suit, and except for the bandaged leg, there was no sign of injury.

Hearing her footsteps, Gu Wencheng glanced at her before returning his attention to the documents.

“Good morning, Lady Boss,” Ping Yang greeted with a polite smile. “Breakfast is served in the dining room.”

Meng Nianyao smiled in return, nodded, and headed to the dining room.

A lavish breakfast awaited her on the dining table, but Meng Nianyao had little appetite. She picked up a kettle and prepared to make a cup of coffee. Her body felt uneasy, her head ached, and her eyes were dry. The fragments of conversation between Gu Wencheng and Ping Yang entered her ears intermittently, exacerbating her headache and dizziness.

“You didn’t gather any evidence?”

“No.”

“What about Director Liu?”

As soon as Director Liu was mentioned, a crash sounded—a cup had fallen to the ground.

Meng Nianyao rushed to pick up the broken glass, apologizing profusely to Gu Wencheng and the others. Ping Yang glanced at Gu Wencheng and hurriedly joined Meng Nianyao in cleaning up.

“It’s alright, I can handle it myself,” Meng Nianyao said, looking at Ping Yang and shaking her head. “You can go attend to your work.” She picked up the last piece of glass and discarded it in the trash can.

Ping Yang understood that there was no room for her assistance. She said, “Then I’ll go and attend to my tasks.”

Meng Nianyao nodded.

After a while, she made the coffee and prepared a cup for herself and two more. She brought them to the living room and placed them on the coffee table. As she got up to leave, she glanced at the documents on the table and commented, “You all seem busy, so I won’t disturb you any longer.” She turned to depart.

“Mrs. Gu,” Gu Wencheng suddenly spoke, “You don’t look well. Did you not sleep well or…”

“I had a restless night,” Meng Nianyao interrupted before he could finish.

“I see,” Gu Wencheng responded with a smile.

Meng Nianyao returned to the living room.

“Boss,” Ping Yang inquired, looking at the closed door, “Would you like me to handle the documents on the table?”

Gu Wencheng tapped his finger on the coffee table and pondered. “What do you think?”

“I understand.”

Gu Wencheng said nothing more. He picked up a pen and signed another document before suddenly declaring, “Book another ticket to South City for Meng Nianyao.”