Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: No One Chose Him
Chapter 182: No One Chose Him
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
He pulled the blanket over her, as the weather was gradually getting colder. Despite the chill, they hadn’t turned on the air conditioning indoors. The fluctuation between cold and hot was making her even more uncomfortable. In just a few months, it was her second time running a fever.
Gu Ci lay on his shoulder and fell asleep again. When she woke up once more, it was already ten o’clock. Lu Zhiyuan sat on the windowsill, wrapped in a light gray scarf. He stretched out his legs and was engrossed in a book. The sunlight cast upon him, making him incredibly handsome.
“Lu Zhiyuan, when did you arrive?”
Lu Zhiyuan closed the book. Gu Ci had propped herself up; her high fever had subsided. Aside from feeling a bit weak, she was fine. Lu Zhiyuan walked over, looking down at her from a higher vantage point. Maybe due to backlighting, his expression appeared rather gloomy and calm.
Gu Ci’s scalp tingled as she remembered the Third Master’s words. Lu Zhiyuan now possessed the Third Master’s memories. When she embraced and kissed the Third Master, he saw it all clearly.
“Are you hungry?”
Gu Ci wasn’t hungry, but she nodded. Lu Zhiyuan said, “Let’s go out to eat.”
After freshening up and organizing her textbooks for the afternoon classes, she left with Lu Zhiyuan. Before leaving, Lu Zhiyuan specifically glanced at the laboratory downstairs and the adjacent door.
Gu Ci clenched her fists tightly, feeling nervous. She was afraid Lu Zhiyuan might ask if she was planning to keep her confined like a prisoner.
After recovering from last night’s excitement, she realized how unforgivable her actions were. She had actually revealed to Lu Zhiyuan her twisted and mad tendencies in advance.
What if he gets scared?
Fortunately, Lu Zhiyuan didn’t say anything. They left together. Gu Ci had classes in the afternoon. After leaving the villa, they headed toward a street in the university town, right next to University Town Street.
Gu Ci lagged behind Lu Zhiyuan by two steps, behaving like a well-behaved little girl following her older brother. There was no trace of last night’s sickness or dominance. Lu Zhiyuan’s gaze brushed past her.
Incredibly obedient and quiet.
“Do you want to buy a phone?”
Her phone had fallen into the sea along with her, so Gu Ci nodded. Lu Zhiyuan accompanied her to a specialty store and bought a new phone. He also arranged for a new SIM card, and the number remained the same.
Both of them wore masks, but their stunning looks couldn’t be concealed. They attracted attention from passersby.
After setting up the phone, Gu Ci connected to the internet and downloaded essential apps. Lu Zhiyuan took her to a small restaurant to eat. Gu Ci sat there with a very well-behaved posture. Every time Lu Zhiyuan looked at her, she would flash a gentle smile like a little white rabbit, attempting to erase the image from last night.
As he dined, he remained very quiet, without a smile. Gu Ci had a strange feeling. It was as if the one sitting beside her was the Third Master, not Lu Zhiyuan. She was puzzled. Was it really the Third Master?
She didn’t dare to ask but also knew it wasn’t! Yet, there was a hint of the Third Master’s presence.
After the meal, they walked along University Town Street. Gu Ziyu called, “Mom, has your fever gone down?”
“Yes, it has. You can have your meal in the cafeteria. I’ve already eaten.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for you to come home this afternoon.”
“Sounds good!”
Gu Ziyu hung up the phone. Gu Ci looked at Lu Zhiyuan cautiously, her palms sweaty from nervousness. Lu Zhiyuan looked at the nearby bubble tea shop and asked her, “Want some bubble tea?”
Gu Ci nodded, and Lu Zhiyuan bought her a cup of bubble tea, handing it to her. Gu Ci thought about their previous date when they also had bubble tea. She held the cup of bubble tea, following him obediently.
Beneath a ginkgo tree, Lu Zhiyuan stopped.
Gu Ci also halted, looking at him anxiously.
“Gu Ci, look at me,” Lu Zhiyuan asked. “Can you distinguish who stands before you?”
Gu Ci’s heart skipped a beat. This question was like a trap. She nodded, saying, “It’s you!”
“Is that so?” Lu Zhiyuan’s face was expressionless, his gaze cold. “I am the Third Master.”
Gu Ci gazed up at him, the dappled sunlight falling on her face. She shook her head. “You are Lu Zhiyuan.”
“Third Master, also known as Lu Zhiyuan.”
Gu Ci stubbornly said, “You are Lu Zhiyuan!”
Lu Zhiyuan sneered, a mix of mockery and curiosity. “Which version of Lu Zhiyuan?”
Gu Ci couldn’t escape. She had to admit, “The Lu Zhiyuan during the day.”
“How do you distinguish between us?”
Gu Ci felt this topic was dangerous, but she couldn’t evade it. Clutching her book, she nervously explained, “You have a stern expression and an aura that’s different from the Third Master. Even when the Third Master imitates your smile, it lacks your charm.”
Lu Zhiyuan unwrapped his scarf, tilting his head to reveal the bite mark on his neck. He asked Gu Ci, “When you bit me, were you fully aware it was the Third Master?”
Gu Ci looked at the mark she had left and felt a hidden sense of satisfaction.
She had left her mark on Lu Zhiyuan, and her blood was racing with excitement. She wanted to take another bite.
Unconsciously, she licked her lips and nodded.
“You can distinguish between us with just one glance, yet you still delude yourself. We are one person, Gu Ci. If there’s still a trace of a soul within this body, do you love him too?”
The color drained from Gu Ci’s face. This question was eerily similar to what the Third Master had asked. Do you love this body or its owner?
Anxiously, she reached for Lu Zhiyuan’s hand. “Third Brother, listen to me, I… I…”
Gu Ci couldn’t articulate her feelings. Her experiences from her previous life were lodged in her throat, unutterable. Her forehead was drenched with sweat, but Lu Zhiyuan’s face remained profoundly calm. “Speak, I’m listening.”
The last time he found out that she also loved the Third Master, he was furious and gave her the cold shoulder. He wished they could both perish together, but now he had a calm expression on his face, and Gu Ci grew anxious.
“Third Brother, please don’t be like this.” Gu Ci felt wronged and sad. “I will be scared.”
“What are you afraid of?” Lu Zhiyuan sneered. “When you fell into the sea and were about to drown, do you know how terrified I was? Do you know how powerless I felt?”
During this past week, he had seen things from the Third Master’s perspective and learned many things. Gu Ci had indeed not lied to him. Apart from one phone call during the night, she had never appeared before the Third Master.
He was happy, content. Gu Ci hadn’t lied to him.
But the truth was that it was the Third Master who distanced himself from Gu Ci. If he hadn’t avoided her, if he hadn’t disappeared from her sight, her feelings for the Third Master would have been the same as her feelings for him. Lu Zhiyuan believed that Gu Ci loved him.
But Gu Ci also loved the Third Master!
In the Third Master’s arms, Gu Ci had spoken of keeping him locked up. Lu Zhiyuan had heard it all clearly. She was truly consumed by madness, and this intense emotion was something the Third Master had given her.
“He manages the Lu Corporation, the Global Center, and even deals with Black Hawk’s internal affairs with precision. If there’s a time zone difference during a race, he can even substitute for me in racing. If he’s willing, he can accompany you in crying, in laughing, in going on dates, in traveling to the ends of the earth. What should I do then?” As Lu Zhiyuan spoke these words, his heart felt desolate. “Lu Ze wants a son to inherit the family business. He hopes that his son can handle the affairs of the Lu Corporation. In his eyes, I’m a talentless race car driver. Even if I’ve won numerous championships for the country, the Third Master is the son he desires the most and is most proud of. He doesn’t need me, and neither do you. When you were sinking into the sea, you were thinking of the Third Master, not me. He can do everything I can do, so what should I do? Gu Ci, maybe my disappearance is the best choice..”