Gu Yifei raised his hand and pried Meng Zihan's fingers apart one by one, then pulled his own arm out.

He took a step back.

This created a clear, insurmountable distance between the two.

He looked down at her, his gaze devoid of the pity he had shown before, replaced only by a strange detachment.

"Xiaohan," he said calmly, "today is a family gathering."

“My uncle’s family just returned from Beijing. It’s inconvenient for you, an outsider, to eat with them.”

The word "outsider" was like a sharp knife, piercing Meng Zihan's chest precisely, relentlessly stabbing at her heart.

Meng Zihan froze on the spot, in so much pain that she forgot to breathe.

wrong!

None of this is right!

Gu Yifei in his previous life was not like this.

He's totally susceptible to her charms!

Whenever she cries and looks at him with tears in her eyes, he becomes helpless and agrees to anything.

How could he possibly reject me so decisively?

How could he say such hurtful things in such a calm tone?

How could he use the word "outsider" to completely sever ties between the two of them?

Meng Zihan's head was buzzing, making it impossible for her to think for a moment.

But she is no longer the fool who only knew how to cry and make a fuss.

The chaos lasted only a moment before Meng Zihan forced herself to calm down.

The astonishment in her eyes faded quickly, as if it had never happened.

Instead, there is a vulnerability that is wounded yet desperately suppressed.

She raised her hand and rubbed her face haphazardly with the back of her hand a couple of times, her movements appearing somewhat flustered, as if she were trying to cover up her lapse in composure.

"I'm sorry, Brother Yifei," she said in a hoarse, trembling voice, "It's my fault. I was too hasty and didn't consider your family's situation."

She lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the calculation in her eyes.

"I just... I just haven't seen you for so long, and I miss you so much, that's why I got confused."

"I...I'll leave now."

She looked as if she had suffered a great injustice, yet she was still desperately thinking of the other person, so sensible that it made one's heart clench.

After speaking, she slowly raised her head, her eyes, wet with tears, staring straight at Gu Yifei.

Her eyes were filled with longing, as well as sadness and confusion after being rejected.

She stared at Gu Yifei for a full two or three seconds, as if trying to etch his image into her heart.

Then, she turned around and ran outside without looking back.

Meng Zihan's last look was like a small hook with barbs, fiercely hooking Gu Yifei's heart.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He instantly forgot about his parents' unpleasant expressions.

Without a second thought, he took off after her and caught up with Meng Zihan in a few steps.

“Xiaohan, wait. Tomorrow,” he said urgently, pulling her along, “wait for me downstairs at my house tomorrow afternoon.”

Meng Zihan nodded and replied in a very soft voice, "Okay."

"Brother Yifei, you should go back now. Don't keep your aunt and uncle waiting. I shouldn't have bothered you."

After saying that, she broke free from Gu Yifei's hand, wiped away her tears, and ran away quickly.

Gu Yifei stared intently as Meng Zihan's petite figure disappeared around the corner of the corridor before turning back to his family.

Gu Yifei's mother's face was extremely pale, her lips pressed into a straight line, but because her elder brother and sister-in-law were still present, she could only suppress her anger.

She forced a smile and tried to smooth things over for her son.

"That's Xiaofei's former classmate. His family has run into some trouble recently, and he probably wants Xiaofei to help him out."

Gu Yuanshan and Huo Yunlan were both seasoned veterans, and they knew perfectly well that things were not so simple.

They exchanged a glance, then nodded, tacitly refraining from calling out the flimsy explanation.

Huo Yunlan gently patted Gu Yifei's mother's stiff arm and said in a gentle voice, "Xiaofei is a handsome and promising young man who is also good at studying. He is a reliable and good young man."

"When classmates encounter difficulties, the first person they think of is him, which shows that he is well-liked and trustworthy among everyone."

She subtly changed the subject, her gaze falling on Gu Yifei, with a hint of elder's advice: "However, Xiaofei, you should consider your own abilities before helping others."

"Don't take on everything yourself. Some things are not as easy as you think."

Gu Yuanshan, standing beside him, nodded in agreement with his wife, saying, "Xiaofei is already a college student. He has his own judgment. He knows what he can help with and what he shouldn't get involved in."

Hearing her sister-in-law and brother-in-law praise their son so respectfully and reasonably, Gu Yifei's mother's tense expression finally relaxed a little.

She forced a smile, sighed, and said, "This child is just too soft-hearted and has an overly strong sense of responsibility."

Factory Director Gu then spoke up: "We'll talk to him about it."

From beginning to end, Gu Yifei remained like a wooden figure, head down, walking silently ahead.

His eyes were fixed on the ground, as if counting the cracks, without uttering a sound.

Back at the Gu family home, the awkward atmosphere lingered, and the mood was quite somber.

After sitting for a while, Gu Jingran broke the silence at the opportune moment.

He smiled and suggested, "It's almost time, why don't we go eat first?"

This suggestion was immediately supported by Gu Yifei's mother.

She quickly said to Gu Yuanshan and his wife, "Brother and sister-in-law, it's rare for you to come back. Why don't you stay at our place tonight?"

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