Chapter 423: I’m Going to Have a Stepfather

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“He has nothing to envy.” Gu Ci remembered Lu Zhiyuan, feeling somewhat sad.

The person he loved in his heart was like a knife, his death sentence!

“Because he has you. It’s been five years since you broke up, and you’re still holding on. 1 envy that,” Zhou Li said. “He and you have known each other since childhood, and you’ve never missed a moment of your life. This kind of young and deep friendship is really beautiful.”

“Zhou Li, you will meet your Gu Ci.”

Zhou Li wondered if he would have the fortune to meet his Gu Ci in this lifetime.

Online discussions were in full swing, all guessing who the girl playing the violin was. Some guessed it was Gu Ci and even posted a photo of Gu Ci at a medical conference.

Zhou Li’s fans’ reactions were quite interesting.

“We approve of this relationship!”

“It’s been five years, and it’s still Gu Ci. Did my son’s sincerity finally win her over, and she agreed to be his girlfriend?”

“Station Sister has the inside scoop, and Brother has been pursuing Gu Ci all along.”

“Five years to complete the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral courses at A University. Medical students are really envious. 1 just started my freshman year and already want to change majors.”

“She’s excelling in cardiothoracic surgery and neurology, winning numerous research awards. Let’s see where her papers are published. She’s definitely a genius girl.”

“Zhou Li might not be up to the task!”

“Hualan Bank’s little princess, a genius girl, fair-skinned and beautiful, with a cool and noble temperament. 1 wonder which window God closed for her.”

Gu Ci had been very low-key in recent years, rarely active on social media. She occasionally kept up with current events to stay informed but hardly followed entertainment news. When Zhou Li released an album, she would write songs for him. Due to her status, Zhou Li didn’t push Gu Ci to collaborate more, fearing that people would accuse him of riding on Hualan Bank’s popularity or cause trouble for Gu Ci. A few years ago, she had a brief fling with Gu Chuyun, but the hype had long since faded, and her daily life could only be found in Zhou Jinjin’s updates.

The online buzz had no impact on her, and Zhou Li saw no need to clarify anything. In a few days, the excitement would die down. After dinner, although he was disappointed not to have escaped singledom, Zhou Li’s mood wasn’t greatly affected.

He had a hunch that Gu Ci wouldn’t accept him, but after five years, he wanted to give it a try. If it worked out, he would have struck gold. If not, Gu Ci wouldn’t reject him from a thousand miles away and would still consider him a friend. There was nothing to lose.

Gu Ci told Zhou Li that for his own good, they should maintain some distance to let him move on. It was a natural course of action because she was genuinely busy, working tirelessly day in and day out, with very little personal time.

When Zhou Li drove Gu Ci back to the Blue Fields Villa, he handed her the bouquet of roses. Gu Ci didn’t refuse; since he had already bought them, it would be a shame to waste them. So, Gu Ci held a bunch of fiery red roses and came face to face with Lu Zhiyuan.

Lu Zhiyuan happened to run into Gu Ziyu naturally when he came to pick her up. There was no special arrangement of timing.

There was one year when he hadn’t seen Gu Ci in person, relying solely on the videos and photos Gu Ziyu sent him.

Five years hadn’t left too many traces on her. With her hair in a bun, compared to when she was eighteen, her facial features were even more exquisite and radiant. Her beauty was like that of a woman from an ancient painting, every stroke outlining her unparalleled charm.

She was more beautiful than the flowers!

Gu Ci hadn’t expected to meet Lu Zhiyuan suddenly, and it was quite surprising. Zhou Li nodded at Lu Zhiyuan, “I’ll go now.”

“Alright, be careful on the way!” Gu Ci advised as she saw Zhou Li off.

Both of them stood at the doorstep without saying a word. Lu Zhiyuan’s appearance and demeanor were exactly as she remembered from her memories. No matter how many years had passed, those memories remained vivid and profound in her heart. Seeing him still made her heart race and brought sadness. Even though she had accepted the breakup, her feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were all connected to him.

Gu Ci had often wondered how things would have been if Lu Zhiyuan hadn’t passed away suddenly, and their child had been born safely. Would she and Lu Zhiyuan be together? But as soon as she thought of Lu Zhiyuan approaching her, the pain in her heart became unbearable, and Gu Ci couldn’t help but take a few steps back.

The last time they had met was at a project meeting involving Black Hawk and the Yakuza.

She had sat as far away from him as possible.

“Ziyu went to have dinner with me, and I just brought him back.” Lu Zhiyuan said softly, his breathing slightly irregular.

Li Jiang could have taken Ziyu home, so there was no need for Lu Zhiyuan to personally come. Gu Ci didn’t mention it, and their relationship had remained distant and indifferent since their breakup. Neither of them dared to step into the minefield.

“Okay,” Gu Ci nodded, indicating that she understood, but her gaze avoided Lu Zhiyuan’s eyes.

Lu Zhiyuan looked at the glaring bouquet of roses in her arms, his gaze dimming. He wanted to ask Gu Ci if she had accepted Zhou Li’s pursuit, but he knew he had no right to inquire.

“Well, I’ll be going then.”

“Alright.”

Lu Zhiyuan got into his car, and Gu Ci finally looked up at him. She gazed at his face through the windshield, looking at him openly. Gu Ci couldn’t help but wonder sadly, would he feel pain from this distance? Knowing what would happen when he met her here, why did he come? Was he enduring the pain with a calm expression? Five years had passed, would this kind of pain decrease or intensify? As long as she still loved him, would Lu Zhiyuan never be free from the pain?

After Lu Zhiyuan started the car, he continued to look at Gu Ci. When Gu Ci noticed his gaze, she casually averted her eyes. Gu Ci turned to the side and stood by the roadside. The two of them appeared as the most familiar strangers, yet their hearts were still entangled, and every exchanged glance carried a sense of ambiguity and pain.

As he drove away, Gu Ci unabashedly watched the car’s taillights. Through the rearview mirror, Lu Zhiyuan also saw Gu Ci standing by the roadside. Gradually, as he moved farther away, her figure became indistinct.

Cici, do you like Zhou Li? Did you agree?

Lu Zhiyuan felt waves of tearing pain in his heart. It had nothing to do with curses; just the thought alone was unbearable for him.

The trending topic had been trending all night, and it was known throughout the internet.

When Gu Ci returned home holding the roses, Gu Ziyu was leaning on the railing. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Mom, are you in a relationship?”

He had purposely entered the house first, leaving Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan some private time. However, to his disappointment, his dad left after just a few words, and his mom didn’t stop him either. Gu Ziyu watched their interaction from upstairs, wishing he could pursue Gu Ci on behalf of Lu Zhiyuan.

“No!” Gu Ci replied.

Gu Ziyu let out a sigh of relief and ran downstairs. “The trending topic is all about you and Brother Zhou Li. You came back with a bouquet of flowers, so I thought you were going to announce that you’re in a relationship. I’d have a stepdad.”

Gu Ci put down the roses, and Gu Ziyu fetched a vase to arrange them. “I bought the flowers, and they’ll still last for a few days even if we keep them at home. It would be a waste to throw them away.”

In fact, there was no shortage of flowers in their home. Gu Ci had hired a florist, and their garden was always filled with a variety of flowers. Roses, hydrangeas, and gardenias blossomed beautifully year-round..