She moved very cautiously, cleverly concealing her small actions with the soft and dim ambient lighting in the private room, so that even Xiao Chun, who was sitting next to her, did not notice anything unusual.
"It's rare that we can get together for a meal today, Qingyan. Auntie would like to toast you. Thank you for taking care of me and your Uncle Xiao all this time." Bai Xin suddenly placed her glass next to Gu Qingyan, picked up her own glass, and said with some emotion, her tone full of sincerity and gratitude, making it impossible for anyone to refuse her toast.
"Auntie, you're too kind." Gu Qingyan, completely unaware of the danger, withdrew her gaze from Xiao Wanrou and naturally picked up her wine glass with her right hand. "It's all what I should do. I promised Wanqing that I would take good care of you."
As he spoke, Gu Qingyan became somewhat moved, and the corners of his eyes unconsciously reddened. He gently swirled the wine glass in his hand, then drank it all in one gulp. The icy liquid slid down his throat, bringing a spicy and bitter taste.
In that instant, Gu Qingyan's mind was filled with that gentle and beautiful face once again. Those bright eyes, that slightly upturned corner of her mouth, and that unique tenderness were all deeply etched in his heart. He could almost smell her fragrance, feel her warmth, and hear her voice.
He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
More than a year has passed, and he still can't forget that crying face. Whenever he's alone, that face always appears in his mind, and he can't shake it off.
He would always see Xiao Wanqing covered in wounds in his dreams, her back to him, hiding in a corner and sobbing softly. Every tear was like a needle falling on his heart, causing him unbearable pain.
Gu Qingyan rushed to her side, wanting to comfort her. His fingers even touched her shoulder, but every time he reached out to hug her, the dream would shatter suddenly, turning into countless fragments that dissipated into the air. He woke up with a start, finding his pillow soaked with sweat, and was filled with regret.
He knew she was wronged. She had trusted him so much, relied on him so much, and treated him as her whole world. Yet, he had caused her so much pain and hurt, leaving her to bear all the suffering alone. Whenever he thought of this, his heart ached as if it were being cut by a knife, bleeding profusely.
He hated himself for not doing everything in his power to protect her, for not noticing her danger in time, and for letting her face those terrible things alone. His heart was filled with self-blame and regret, as if a heavy mountain was pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.
He was filled with remorse; he had let her down. He had promised to protect her, to give her happiness and peace. Yet, he had failed to do so. He had disappointed her, caused her pain. If he could do it all over again, he would do better, he would cherish her and protect her for the rest of his life.
If he had known how much she was suffering, he would never have let her torment herself.
But in this world, there's no going back. Time can't be turned back, and things can't be undone. He could only silently endure the torment and pain in his heart, unable to find relief.
He couldn't sleep at night, unable to forgive himself. He felt like a sinner because he hadn't even protected the person he loved most.
Seeing that Gu Qingyan was starting to become somewhat dazed, Bai Xin quickly gave Xiao Wanrou a wink.
Xiao Wanrou understood Bai Xin's meaning, but having never done such a thing before, she somewhat flusteredly raised her wine glass and handed the already full glass to Gu Qingyan. Her eyes revealed worry and unease. "Brother Qingyan, are you alright? I'd like to toast you too, to commemorate our first meeting. Is that alright?"
Gu Qingyan took the glass and downed it in one gulp. The fiery sensation from the alcohol felt like a fiery dragon winding its way down to his stomach. His face began to flush, and his eyes became unfocused.
His head began to feel a little dizzy, but he felt it was good. He wanted to forget all his troubles and pain, and just wanted to immerse himself in the numbness of alcohol to temporarily escape this cruel reality.
Watching Gu Qingyan fall into her trap step by step, Bai Xin smiled with satisfaction, feeling extremely smug.
Xiao Wanrou noticed that something was wrong with Gu Qingyan, but she didn't stop him. Seeing him deliberately trying to drown his sorrows in alcohol, she took it easy and poured him glass after glass of wine, which Gu Qingyan readily accepted, downing each glass in one gulp. His movements became increasingly clumsy, and his eyes grew more and more glazed.
However, Xiao Chun, sitting opposite him, gradually noticed something was amiss. Gu Qingyan wasn't a heavy drinker and rarely drank. But now, Gu Qingyan seemed like a different person, constantly chugging alcohol. A strange feeling rose in Xiao Chun's heart.
He turned to look at Bai Xin, and immediately understood when he saw the expression on her face. A smug smile played on Bai Xin's lips, her eyes revealing a cunning and calculating glint. Xiao Chun instantly understood Bai Xin's intention; she had deliberately gotten Gu Qingyan drunk. Looking at Xiao Wanrou opposite him, a surge of anger welled up within him, but he didn't let it out.
"What did you do?" Xiao Chun leaned closer and asked in a low voice. Bai Xin felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't expected Xiao Chun to discover her intentions so quickly, and for a moment she was at a loss for words.
Bai Xin hesitated for a moment, then said calmly, "I didn't do anything. I just saw that Qingyan was too sad and wanted him to have some wine to cheer him up."
"To relieve boredom? Do you think alcohol can solve all problems?" Xiao Chun said coldly. "You'd better tell me the truth. I agree with your idea of introducing Wanrou to Qingyan, but you can't have any ulterior motives."
Bai Xin was intimidated by Xiao Chun's imposing manner, and she knew she could no longer hide the truth. So, she had no choice but to confess her crime: "Alright, I confess. I drugged Gu Qingyan's drink."
"You..." Xiao Chun was speechless with anger at Bai Xin's words. He never expected Bai Xin to do such a thing. He turned to look at Gu Qingyan and found that he was already drunk and unconscious.
"Don't worry about it!" Bai Xin said in a voice only the two of them could hear. "This is something I planned a long time ago, and Rou Rou is willing too. Anyway, Qing Yan is already divorced now. If we don't hurry, this good thing will fall into someone else's hands."
Rou Rou is like our daughter. Qing Yan has such deep feelings for Wan Qing, he'll naturally treat Rou Rou well too, so don't worry about it!
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