Chapter 367 Moving to a New Home

Ruan Wenjing slowly raised her head, her eyes red and swollen, deliberately avoiding his gaze.

"I... went back. From now on..." He choked up and couldn't continue.

What future is there?

A bitter taste spread from her feet to her whole body, making it difficult for her to even breathe.

Gu Yan squeezed out a "hmm" from his throat and released his arms.

Ruan Wenjing pushed open the car door, and a blast of cold air rushed in.

She didn't turn around and walked quickly towards the brightly lit villa area.

Ruan Wenjing practically fled into her home, the light from the entryway lamp stinging her red and swollen eyes.

Before she could even change her shoes, she heard her mother's concerned voice from the living room: "My dear daughter, you're back?"

She looked up and saw that her mother was still wearing a wool shawl and had obviously been sitting on the sofa waiting for her.

Ruan's mother walked quickly to the entrance and took her hand: "I've made some soup, you must drink a bowl later."

Her gaze fell upon her daughter's swollen eyes and the lingering tear stains on her face, and her expression changed. "Why are you crying like this? Who bullied you? Tell your mother, and I'll make your father get revenge for you!"

It would have been better if her mother hadn't asked. But the question instantly shattered Ruan Wenjing's suppressed grievances and heartache, and tears streamed down her face.

"Who's bullying me?! It's clearly you and Dad who's bullying me! You're forcing me to marry that Chen Zhiming! I don't want to marry him! I only want to marry Gu Yan!"

Seeing her daughter crying so heartbreakingly, Ruan's mother felt a pang of pain in her own heart. She clutched her chest and earnestly advised, "Silly girl, I'm doing this all for your own good! Gu Yan is quite good, a promising young man, but he's still an outsider. Even if his family has connections, how can he compare to us, who have known the Chen family for decades?"

"How can you say I don't know him well? We've been together for years, don't you know how good he's been to me?" Ruan Wenjing cried out, her emotions running high.

Ruan's mother hugged her daughter tightly and patted her back.

"My dear girl, men are a completely different thing before and after marriage! He's good to you now, but who knows what he'll be like in the future? But Zhiming is different; we've been friends for generations. How could he dare to treat you badly after we're married?"

"You always say the same thing!"

Ruan Wenjing lifted her head from her mother's arms, looking at her with despair, "Why are you all so sure that Gu Yan will treat me badly after marriage? Do you think Chen Zhiming will definitely treat me well after marriage? You just want to control me and don't want me to be happy!"

"How...how could you say that to Mom!"

"Everything your mother does is for your own good... How could she not want you to be happy..."

Ruan's mother was hurt by her daughter's words. She clutched her chest, her breathing became rapid, and her face turned even paler.

Seeing her mother like this, Ruan Wenjing swallowed all her rebuttals and accusations. Her mother had only been discharged from the hospital two days ago, and the doctor had repeatedly told her to rest and not to be stimulated.

She dared not struggle any longer, nor dared to say anything that would upset her mother. She could only let her mother hold her tightly, feeling the slight trembling from her mother's frail body.

The mother and daughter embraced each other in the entryway, tears streaming down their faces.

This magnificent villa, like an exquisite cage, trapped her and also suffocated her love.

Ruan Wenjing gently rubbed the ring on her ring finger with the pad of her thumb... Gu Yan...

At this moment, in the car outside the villa area, Gu Yan remained seated, motionless for a long time.

Only when the moon was high in the sky did he mechanically take out his cigarette case and matches.

It took several attempts to finally strike a match and barely light the cigarette in my mouth.

He took a deep breath, the pungent smoke filling his lungs, but he felt no comfort, only a deeper emptiness.

He didn't start the car until the cigarette between his fingers burned out and burned his fingers, and slowly drove back to the apartment building where he and Ruan Wenjing had lived together.

Standing at the door, Gu Yan stared at the familiar door, but for a long time he couldn't take out his key.

Just as he was in a daze, the door clicked open from the inside.

Chen Jun, sporting a head full of messy hair, poked his head out with a grin: "Boss, you're back? It's already midnight! Do you know how worried I was about you!"

Gu Yan smirked, "Well, I really have to thank you for your concern."

Chen Jun didn't care about his perfunctory attitude at all. He eagerly handed over the slippers and reported in a flurry, "Boss, I went shopping with Xiaoyun today. With the money you gave me, I bought a pair of Patek Philippe watch straps, and Xiaoyun was really something else, she bought a Chanel No. 5 perfume. Thank you so much for your generosity, boss!"

Gu Yan changed into slippers and walked into the house. His gaze swept across the living room, and his tone was calm: "You really are being rude to me."

Chen Jun followed behind him, speaking with self-righteousness: "Who doesn't know my boss is generous! I'm just too shy, otherwise I would definitely have bought two more pairs!"

The living room was piled high with gift boxes and packaging bags of all sizes, leaving almost no room to step.

Gu Yan gave a faint "hmm," his mood not particularly high.

Chen Jun noticed his low spirits and stopped his banter, saying, "Boss, I didn't see you when I got back. I figured you'd be back late, so I specially ordered wonton noodles and congee from Jianji for a late-night snack. I'll heat them up for you now."

After hearing what he said, Gu Yancai felt his stomach was empty. Remembering that he hadn't eaten a single grain of rice that night, he nodded.

Chen Jun quickly heated up the late-night snack and brought it to the table.

Gu Yan ate a few bites and said, "In the meantime, go and take a look at the villas on Ersha Island and in the new city. Let me know if you find one you like, and I'll move."

Chen Jun didn't ask any more questions, only saying, "Okay, boss! I've found it, I'll take you to see it."

"Yes, thank you for your hard work. It's getting late, you should head home now."

Chen Jun chuckled, "Then I'll be going now."

Gu Yan didn't say anything more, leaning back in his chair. He couldn't stay in this house, which was filled with shared memories, for even a day longer.

Chen Jun was extremely efficient. Within a few days, he had shortlisted several villas and took Gu Yan to see them in person.

Without much hesitation, Gu Yan quickly decided on a three-story building with a wide view and modern design.

The procedures were completed quickly. After the transfer of ownership, Chen Jun contacted a moving company to move Gu Yan's clothes, books, and some important items from her old residence. As for the furniture and small items filled with shared memories, Gu Yan didn't take any of them and left them all at the old residence.

The new villa was very spacious, so Chen Jun took Gu Yan's card and led a group of people on a big shopping spree, buying everything from sofas and carpets in the living room to bedding in the bedroom and various utensils in the kitchen.

He went to great lengths to fill that huge walk-in closet, hanging it full of new season suits, coats, and shirts, even matching ties and cufflinks neatly.

Looking at the newly renovated walk-in closet, Chen Jun grinned at Gu Yan: "Boss, take a look! So many beautiful clothes! With my boss's figure and temperament, wearing these new clothes, every girl in Huacheng will be smitten with you!"

He guessed that his boss must have suffered a major setback in love and was trying to dispel the lingering gloom emanating from his boss by making jokes.

Gu Yan glanced at him. "You're such a chatterbox. The New Year is almost here. Keep a close eye on those projects the company is working on lately, and make sure there are no mistakes."

"Okay, boss!"