Chapter 910

Pei Chuan got out of the car in a panic, desperately wanting to call Gu Yun back, but Linda had already deleted the call history, leaving him with no way to find the number. He tried dialing Gu Yun’s old number, but it was no longer in service. With no other options, Pei Chuan could only call Tang Jinzhou. At first, Tang Jinzhou didn’t answer. Pei Chuan kept calling, over and over. A sense of unease crept over him—he didn’t know why, but he felt an inexplicable fear. "You’d better drop dead somewhere far away," Tang Jinzhou finally answered, his voice low and seething with anger. "Where’s Gu Yun? Is he with you? I need to talk to him," Pei Chuan blurted out urgently. "Gu Yun’s in trouble," Tang Jinzhou said, his tone hushed but tense. Pei Chuan’s body went rigid. "Where is he—" "Hong Kong City Hospital. But he probably doesn’t want to see you." Tang Jinzhou was struggling to contain his fury, yet he couldn’t bring himself to withhold the truth from Pei Chuan. Maybe Gu Yun didn’t want to face him, but perhaps Pei Chuan was the only one who could calm him down now… "Pei Chuan, I’m warning you—if you don’t love him, if he disgusts you, then don’t come. But if you’re ready to take responsibility for him for the rest of your life, to cut ties with your fiancée for good, then come." Tang Jinzhou made his stance crystal clear. If Pei Chuan still wanted to get married while stringing Gu Yun along, then he should never seek him out again. Tang Jinzhou would make sure Gu Yun stayed hidden from him forever. "What… happened to him?" Pei Chuan’s fingers went numb. "He jumped." Tang Jinzhou practically spat out the words through gritted teeth: "Jumped off a building." Those two words hit Pei Chuan like a hammer to the chest. "He... killed himself?" Pei Chuan's voice was hoarse, thick with panic. "He went drinking at a gay bar. Some bastards spiked his drink..." Tang Jinzhou couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. He was seething, his fists clenched with murderous rage. Pei Chuan stood frozen, his mind blank, the pounding of his own heartbeat deafening in his ears. After a long silence, his voice dropped low. "I'm calling off the engagement. I'm going to find him." The moment Tang Jinzhou mentioned Gu Yun's suicide attempt, Pei Chuan had already lost his composure. The thought of something happening to Gu Yun terrified him. That was why he had been so desperate to keep him close—because he was afraid, afraid Gu Yun would get hurt, afraid he wouldn't be safe. He should have realized his feelings for Gu Yun back when he was in that car accident. But of course, it took until now for the truth to sink in. ...... Hong Kong. Gu Yun had jumped. The hotel staff had called the police. Luckily, the bastards had taken him to a guesthouse—only three stories high. And beneath the third floor was a rain awning. Gu Yun had survived with a fractured right leg, broken arms, and no life-threatening injuries—for now. "They've caught those three men..." Tang Jinzhou stood by the hospital bed, ruffling Gu Yun's hair gently. Gu Yun's gaze was hollow as he stared blankly out the window. "Even if the Hong Kong police let those bastards off, I'll make sure they pay for what they did," Tang Jinzhou said, trying to offer some comfort. Gu Yun remained silent, his expression disturbingly vacant. Tang Jinzhou had arranged for a therapist, but Gu Yun resisted fiercely... "Gu Yun... all three of them were tested. They're clean," Tang Jinzhou added, rubbing his temples wearily. At least they didn’t have any diseases—that was the only silver lining. Gu Yun’s face was covered in bruises—some from the beating, others from the fall. What happened that night was something he couldn’t bear to relive. But some things, no matter how hard you try to forget, cling to you like shadows. "You should go home..." Gu Yun finally spoke after a long silence. "I'm fine. I didn’t know the police called you." That night, he had thought death might be a release. "You really expect me to leave you like this?" Tang Jinzhou frowned. "I’m okay... I’m a grown man. Things like this... I won’t dwell on it. As long as they’re clean, that’s all that matters," Gu Yun murmured. But was he really unaffected? How could I not care? "Besides, I went to that gay bar that night specifically for that reason. It's just that they drugged me, and my head wasn't clear." Gu Yun forced a bitter smile, pretending he was truly fine. Tang Jinzhou's expression darkened, but he held back his anger—now wasn't the time to lash out. "You..." Tang Jinzhou sighed. "Just focus on recovering. Don't think about anything else for now." Gu Yun said nothing. After a long silence, his voice cracked slightly. "You should go..." He didn’t want anyone to see him like this. He just needed to be alone. Tang Jinzhou ignored him. He couldn’t leave—not now. At least, not before Pei Chuan arrived. Something was definitely off about Gu Yun’s state. ... Meanwhile, in Pinebrook, at Beckett’s residence. Madeleine had just returned from work, but Beckett wasn’t home yet. Normally by this time, he would have already handed off his tasks to Pei Chuan and come back early to take care of the kids. Why wasn’t he back yet? "Beckett, are you working late today?" Madeleine called him. "Pei Chuan had some urgent business in Hong Kong, so I'm covering his shift," Beckett said with a hint of resentment. "Hong Kong? Did something happen?" Pei Chuan was known as the company's workaholic—nothing short of a major issue would make him abandon his responsibilities. "Not sure, but it sounded serious." Beckett was also curious. Was Pei Chuan really in some kind of trouble? "Isn't he supposed to be getting engaged?" Madeleine couldn't resist the gossip. "I saw Pei Chuan's girlfriend, Linda, at Pearl Restaurant today with her family. Pei Chuan wasn’t there, and Linda was crying. I didn’t dare ask what was wrong." Beckett paused for a long moment before responding. "You’re saying Linda was crying this afternoon, and Pei Chuan wasn’t with her?" Just yesterday, Pei Chuan had mentioned discussing engagement and wedding plans with Linda’s parents. "Yeah, he definitely wasn’t there." Madeleine had a feeling something major must have held Pei Chuan back—otherwise, he wouldn’t have left his fiancée and future in-laws to rush off to Hong Kong. "I’ll check in with him later." Beckett was just as intrigued. "By the way, Tang Jinzhou has been getting awfully close to Shen Rou lately. Qin Yi’s seen them together multiple times—they seem pretty cozy." Madeleine nudged Beckett, hinting that maybe they should keep an eye on the situation. If Tang Jinzhou and Shen Rou formed an alliance, it wouldn’t bode well for Zhongcheng or the Li family. "Tang Jinzhou won’t turn against us. I trust him." Beckett’s voice was firm. "Alright then." Madeleine decided to take his word for it, though she still had her doubts. If Beckett was so confident in Tang Jinzhou, she’d trust his judgment. "Get some rest at home. I’ll make dinner when I get back," Beckett said affectionately. Madeleine hummed in response and stretched out on the sofa. After marriage, she felt truly spoiled and utterly dependent by Beckett's pampering. ... Hong Kong City, Hospital Ward. No sooner had Tang Jinzhou left than Pei Chuan burst into the room. Gu Yun was taken aback at the sight of him, then lowered his gaze, his eyes hollow. Now, it was as if... all the fluttering emotions had suddenly vanished. Pei Chuan would never love him, and he... no longer loved Pei Chuan either. Falling for a straight man—what a pitiful thing. "How are you? Does it hurt badly..." Pei Chuan stood anxiously by the bedside, his eyes fixed on Gu Yun's hands. For a moment, he too felt the urge to kill. "What brings you here, Mr. Pei?" Gu Yun asked distantly, his tone detached. Shouldn't he be at home, happily engaged? "Gu Yun... can we talk? Please?" Pei Chuan's voice trembled slightly with nervousness, his fear palpable. "I'm calling off the engagement... and the wedding. I..." He hesitated, painfully aware of how feeble his words sounded after all the hurt he had inflicted. "Gu Yun, let's give it a try," Pei Chuan murmured, barely above a whisper. Gu Yun's fingers twitched slightly, but he didn't raise his head to meet Pei Chuan's gaze. "What exactly are you suggesting we try?" Gu Yun asked with a bitter amusement in his voice. Was Pei Chuan proposing they give a relationship a shot, only to later recoil in silent disgust and crush his heart underfoot? "Let's... be together," Pei Chuan said, his eyes fixed on Gu Yun. "Do you pity me? Or do you think no one else would want me?" Gu Yun finally looked up, meeting Pei Chuan's stare. Between them—this lifetime—it could never happen.