Chapter 12: The Invitation

Gu Sheng felt her heart skip a beat. She knew all too well the implications when a man invited her out late at night.

Her expression grew complicated as she looked at He Wenzhou, swallowing hard before speaking with a hint of hesitation, “Gu Lu, can’t we just not…”

Instinctively, Gu Sheng wanted to refuse. Even though she secretly craved the warmth inside the room, her upbringing and traditional values forbade her from spending the night with a man she barely knew.

If it were otherwise, Zhao Qinglang wouldn’t have been so desperately frustrated, complaining that even though they were engaged, she still wouldn’t sleep with him.

Moreover, the man inviting her now was none other than the infamous He Wenzhou.

Her creditor.

If things spiraled out of control, what would she become? A mere commodity in a financial transaction?

Yet, as they stood in this stalemate—

“Sorry, you two, it’s almost four o’clock. I’m about to get off work,” a female clerk approached, her eyes briefly lighting up at the sight of He Wenzhou. She quickly suppressed her emotions, offering an apologetic smile to Gu Sheng, whose eyes were swollen from crying. “My colleague resigned, and there’s no one to take over the shift. The store is all on me now, and I really can’t stay up any longer. You see…”

Her words were mainly directed at Gu Sheng, who had been crying here half the night, likely after an argument with a handsome man.

Otherwise, why else would a man be wandering in his pajamas in the middle of the night?

Surely, it was the antics of a quarrelsome couple.

Gu Sheng paused, realizing that He Wenzhou’s earlier words weren’t entirely untrue, and reluctantly nodded in agreement.

But where to go next became a problem.

The dimly lit room and the clerk’s urging made He Wenzhou visibly impatient. With his hands in his pockets, he raised his brows and shot a piercing glare at the hesitating woman before him. Taller by a head, his downward gaze was overwhelmingly imposing.

After a long pause,

“Forget it,” He Wenzhou said, his deep pupils revealing an unmistakable disdain. “Do as you please.”

With that, he scoffed coldly and turned away with decisive steps.

Gu Sheng watched his retreating figure, her eyes sweeping over his pocket before frowning deeply.

Suddenly, she understood that the rules governing the world were not immutable. Even if a convenience store claimed to be open day and night, the absence of a single person could disrupt the established order without hesitation.

Even a lifelong engagement didn’t guarantee a lifetime together.

So, alone and with no way out, why should she abide by unwritten rules?

Zhao Qinglang’s promises were worthless!

Whoever believed them was a fool!

If she could, she would slap Cheng Yan once, Zhao Qinglang twice, and unleash the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms on all those who had betrayed her!

Frowning sharply, Gu Sheng gazed out through the glass window, searching the night for a figure almost swallowed by darkness.

She thought, Zhao Qinglang could cheat, Cheng Yan could stab a friend in the back, everyone could betray her for their own gain.

Why couldn’t she do the same?

Besides, this man was He Wenzhou!

Her heart pounded wildly as a bold, reckless idea took root. The impulse inside her clamored for her to break through the night, to intercept the man extending an olive branch.

Even if it meant plunging into an abyss, she was willing!

To shatter taboos and seize a fleeting moment of pleasure.

“He Wenzhou!”

Soon, her urgent, resolute voice echoed in the empty night—

“He Wenzhou!”

At the sound, He Wenzhou halted. That hoarse, unpleasant voice, almost like a ghost’s wail, made him frown as he glanced back.

In his sight was a figure stumbling toward him—a clumsy penguin swaying in the wind.

The sight was both comical and pitiable.

He knew Gu Sheng’s legs were weak. Seeing her change her mind, he stood with his hands behind his back, as if anticipating this destined encounter. His gaze toward her remained calm and indifferent.

But when Gu Sheng’s foot slipped, he suddenly reached out his hand.

She gripped it tightly, holding on as if clutching a drifting leaf, her fingers wrapping around his wrist.

The moment their skin touched, a tender plea rose between them.

“He Wenzhou.” Summoning her courage, Gu Sheng grasped his warm palm, lowering her voice to a humble murmur rather than addressing him formally as Gu Lu. “I was wrong. Please, wait for me, okay?”

After a pause, she added, “Take me home.”

She struggled painfully to say this before lifting her eyes to meet He Wenzhou’s. The cold wind tousled her messy short hair, framing her pale, innocent face etched with unmistakable helplessness and fracture.

He Wenzhou’s eyes darkened. Then, a faint, amused smile curved his lips as he teased, “I’ve already given you a chance. Why do you think I would wait for you?”

The next moment, amidst the wind, he clearly heard her voice:

“Because I am pure…”

At that instant, the deep blackness of He Wenzhou’s eyes seemed to stir with an overwhelming, fiery tempest.