Cracks in trust
Chu Xiu's phone call was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples in Yu Jinli's heart that lingered for a long time.
His last comment about Gu Yanzhi, in particular, was like a thorn that couldn't be pulled out, deeply embedded in her mind.
The righteousness is so strong it's almost fake.
A person who has been eating coarse food for years suddenly puts on a top-of-the-line Armani suit.
This metaphor is both harsh and incredibly apt.
The metaphysics tutoring class continued as usual for the next few days.
On the surface, Yu Jinli is still the same good student who listens attentively in class (occasionally dozing off), but her mentality has undergone a subtle change.
She began to subconsciously observe Gu Yanzhi with a more critical and scrutinizing eye.
She was fine until she started observing, and then she realized that what Chu Xiu said... seemed to make some sense.
Gu Yanzhi is simply too perfect.
He was always gentle and refined, and always incredibly patient. No matter how tricky Feng Jinxuan's questions were, he could handle them with ease, always wearing that warm, gentle smile.
He was extremely knowledgeable, with expertise in astronomy, geography, quantum mechanics, and the I Ching.
He has impeccable taste; there is not a single flaw in his clothing, demeanor, or speech.
He's even a great cook. After the last tutoring session, he saw Yu Jinli complaining of being hungry, so he personally cooked a dinner that rivaled a Michelin three-star meal, using the top-quality ingredients from Feng Jinxuan's refrigerator.
Does such a perfect man, who is almost without any flaws, really exist?
Yu Jinli began to have doubts.
He was like a perfectly programmed AI boyfriend, flawless, but because of that, he seemed somewhat...unreal.
instead……
Yu Jinli's gaze secretly drifted to the other side, to the man who was frowning and trying to deconstruct a "peach blossom charm" using a function formula.
He has a sharp tongue, a bad temper, an awkward personality, and is as childish as a primary school student.
But when he's angry, he'll sullen; when he's happy, he can't help but smile; when he's teasing someone, a sly glint will flash in his eyes; and when he cares about someone, he'll be clumsy and at a loss for words.
He is a flesh-and-blood human being, with strengths and countless weaknesses.
He is very genuine.
As soon as the thought popped into her head, Yu Jinli quickly shook her head and banished it from her mind.
Wake up! Yu Jinli!
One is an idol who saves you from dire straits, and the other is an evil capitalist who exploits your labor!
Can't you be a little more firm in your stance?
That day, the three were discussing their next course of action.
The focus of the discussion was how to investigate the "Ghost Hand" elder behind Feng Jinhong and the entire Shadow Devouring Sect's secrets without alerting him.
"...The Shadow Devouring Sect acts in secrecy and never shows its true face," Gu Yanzhi analyzed. "It's difficult to find a breakthrough from the outside. The only way is to start with Feng Jinhong."
He looked at Feng Jinxuan and suggested, "President Feng, you are connected to him by blood and your fortunes are intertwined. If I'm not mistaken, he must possess some kind of magical artifact that can temporarily shield you from the backlash of your fortunes. If we can find this artifact, we might be able to follow the clues and find that 'ghost hand'."
"You mean, we should break into his house again?" Yu Jinli felt that this plan was too risky.
“No.” Gu Yanzhi shook his head. “We can only do this once. We need an opportunity… to make him willingly bring out that magical artifact.”
Feng Jinxuan pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Next month is Grandpa's 80th birthday. All members of the Feng family must attend."
"A birthday banquet?" Gu Yanzhi's eyes lit up. "This is indeed a good opportunity."
Birthday banquets are crowded and chaotic, making them the perfect time to make a move.
As Yu Jinli listened to the two discussing their plan back and forth, the thorn of "doubt" in her heart began to ache again.
Looking at the gentle and shrewd Gu Yanzhi before her, she asked a question as if possessed.
“Um…Master,” she said, casually fiddling with her fingers, feigning curiosity, “I’ve always been curious, someone as important as you, who is usually so busy, why…why did you notice that little post I made on the forum? And why did you reply so quickly?”
For a moment, the air in the living room seemed to freeze.
Gu Yanzhi's smile remained gentle and flawless.
“I’ve said it before, your lucky charm is one in a million.” He said with a smile. “Those of us in this line of work are naturally more sensitive to these special fluctuations in luck. That day, I just happened to be online, sensed a very interesting aura, and clicked in on it casually.”
He paused, then added, half-jokingly.
"Perhaps this is fate between us."
This explanation is reasonable and flawless.
But Yu Jinli's heart sank.
Because she remembered Chu Xiu's analogy.
It's too perfect, as perfect as a pre-prepared standard answer.
She didn't say anything more, just said "Oh" and lowered her head.
She didn't see that in the instant she lowered her head, a sharp glint flashed in Feng Jinxuan's deep black eyes, who was sitting opposite her.
He appeared to be looking at the documents in his hand, but in reality, he was observing her the entire time.
He noticed the fleeting, undisguised doubt and disappointment in her eyes.
That night, Yu Jinli suffered from insomnia, which was unusual for her.
She lay in bed, tossing and turning, her mind a jumbled mess.
Chu Xiu's warning, Gu Yanzhi's perfect answer, and Feng Jinxuan's meaningful gaze...
She felt like she was increasingly unable to understand the two men beside her.
Just as she was tossing and turning, there was a gentle knock on the bedroom door.
Thinking it was a maid, she got up and opened the door, only to find Feng Jinxuan dressed in a black silk bathrobe.
The man stood quietly at the door, holding a cup of warm milk, watching her.
Moonlight streamed in through the corridor window behind him, casting a long shadow of him.
"Can't sleep?" he asked, his voice sounding particularly low in the quiet night.
"...A little." Yu Jinli felt a bit awkward. "Boss, is there something you need?"
"It's alright." He handed her the milk. "Drink it, it'll calm you down."
After saying that, he seemed about to turn and leave.
Yu Jinli looked at him and, as if possessed, called out to him.
"Sealing the Mysterious."
The man paused, turning to look at her.
"You..." She hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "What kind of person do you think Mr. Gu is?"
Feng Jinxuan looked at her, his dark eyes deep, like the sea at night.
He did not answer her question directly.
He remained silent for a moment, then, in an extremely calm yet penetratingly powerful tone, slowly said:
"Yu Jinli, I don't know what kind of person he is."
"All I know is that I have many enemies and few friends."
"But at least..."
He paused, his gaze fixed intently on her.
"I never pretend."
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