Night Fire Lingering

Chapter 264 Zhizhi, I've never been a good person, I'm sorry.

The air seemed to freeze, making it feel incredibly suffocating.

“Baby, I’m sorry, I…” Gu Yanci tried to explain, but every word he said was difficult.

Wen Yan looked at him quietly, her patience running out: "I don't want to hear an apology. I just want to know, three years ago, was it you who told others about us sleeping together, and was it you who told your bodyguard to let us through? Was that right or wrong?"

"Zhizhi..."

"Yes or no?"

Wen Yan felt so angry that her head was spinning, but she tried her best to remain calm.

"..." Gu Yanci said with difficulty, "Yes."

Wen Yan wasn't shocked by the answer and closed her eyes tightly.

“Zhizhi, I never intended to hurt you.” Gu Yanci immediately explained, “That night was a great opportunity. If I hadn’t made a scene, I wouldn’t have had the chance to marry you—because I knew you didn’t want to marry me.”

Gu Yanci simply released the news. He wanted everyone to know that he and Wen Yan had a relationship. Wealthy families care about their reputation. Since Grandma Gu liked Wen Yan, the subsequent marriage would proceed smoothly.

He didn't expect Wen Yan to bear the infamy. That night was at most a one-night stand, but later, it was deliberately spread that Wen Yan forced her way into power.

"Really?" Wen Yan found every word she heard absurd and ridiculous. "How do you know I don't want to marry you?"

A few seconds of silence followed. A look of surprise flashed across the man's eyes, then a complex mix of emotions: pleasure, relief, regret, guilt…

"I don't want to marry you, so you resort to this method?" Wen Yan spoke again.

Gu Yanci frankly admitted: "Zhizhi, you know I've never been a good person."

He will do everything he can to get what he wants.

Moreover, this desire for love is directed at Wen Yan.

Getting Wen Yan was the most extreme thing you've ever done in the past twenty-odd years of your life.

Wen Yan took a deep breath, enduring the soreness in her eyes, grabbed her bag, and walked out.

"Where are we going?" Gu Yanci asked anxiously, grabbing Wen Yan's arm. "To Luo Beiqing's place?"

Knowing how much she valued Luo Beiqing, he deliberately said, "Zhizhi, Luo Beiqing is in her late pregnancy and shouldn't be worrying about things."

So, don't go, just stay home, okay?

"Gu Yanci, I want to be alone." Wen Yan lowered her eyes, her throat dry. "If I stay here any longer, I will... I'll want to ask you for a divorce."

Gu Yanci was so frightened that he suddenly let go of her hand.

-

"Mommy, did you see Yan? Is she happy because you came back?" Nan Zhi saw Nan Yun return and ran over from afar, affectionately taking her hand.

As Nan Zhiyi was speaking, she suddenly noticed that Nan Zhiyi was looking at her with a probing gaze, which made Nan Zhiyi very uneasy: "Mommy... why are you looking at me like that?"

"Zhiyi, you said before that you had someone you liked." Nan Yun forced a smile. "Do you still like them now?"

Nan Zhiyi nodded honestly. Growing up in the West, she was very straightforward about her feelings: "I like you!"

"Who is it?" Nan Yun asked.

Nan Zhiyi subconsciously avoided the topic, and said in a coquettish tone, "Mommy, he and I haven't started yet, you don't need to know now."

Nan Yun asked directly, "Is it Gu Yanci?"

Nan Zhiyi's expression changed drastically.

After all, she was the daughter he had watched grow up, and Nan Zhiyi's subconscious reaction had already revealed the real answer.

"Nan Zhiyi!" Nan Yun's face turned completely cold, as if she didn't recognize this daughter. "Gu Yanci is Zhizhi's husband! He's your brother-in-law! How could you?!"

The stark contrast between her mother's strong opposition and her previous unconditional support caused Nan Zhiyi's long-hidden insecurity to suddenly turn into rebellion.

"But they're not together because of love! Married couples can get divorced, aren't there many examples like that? Mommy, didn't you like Wen Yan's daddy first, and then fall in love with my daddy? Aren't you the same way—ah!"

"Snapped!"

Along with Nan Zhiyi's scream, a slap rang out.

Nan Zhiyi looked at Nan Yun in disbelief: "Mommy, you...you hit me for her?"

Nan Yun's right hand trembled uncontrollably: "I'm sorry, Zhiyi, Mommy didn't mean it, but you shouldn't think like that, you—"

"You still favor her!" Nan Zhiyi shouted, completely ignoring what Nan Yun was trying to say. "All these years, no matter what I do, no matter how well I do, you still favor her!"

Nan Yun was initially feeling guilty for impulsively slapping Nan Zhiyi, but after hearing Nan Zhiyi's words, countless images flashed through her mind.

—Nan Zhiyi is suspected of plagiarizing Wen Yan's research results, and she believes Nan Zhiyi without hesitation.

—On her birthday, she spent it with Nan Zhiyi, but neglected Wen Yan.

—She resorted to underhanded tactics to ensure Nan Zhiyi's victory in the competition.

And all of this is hurting Wen Yan!

Nan Yun suddenly woke up as if struck by lightning, feeling a chill run through her body, which terrified her.

No wonder... no wonder Zhizhi didn't want to acknowledge her. What did she do?

"Mommy..." Nan Zhiyi was crying sadly when she suddenly noticed that Nan Yun's tears were flowing down her face like a broken dam, and her eyes were filled with sadness and disappointment.

"I was indeed biased." Nan Yun shook her head. "Zhiyi, from beginning to end, my bias has always been towards you!"

Nan Zhiyi's fingers, hanging at her sides, curled up slightly involuntarily.

The fear in Nan Zhiyi's eyes was gradually replaced by gloom.

-

Nan Yun was shocked when she received Gu Yanci's call.

Upon arriving at the agreed-upon teahouse, Nan Yun asked directly, "How did you know my contact information?"

She made no attempt to hide her dislike for her son-in-law, Gu Yanci.

Gu Yanci didn't care at all, and showed no respect to Nan Yun as one would show to one's mother-in-law. He was expressionless and looked extremely unwell.

“You couldn’t hide it from the moment that jade necklace appeared at the charity auction.”

"What do you mean?" Nan Yun asked, puzzled.

Gu Yanci was not surprised by Nan Yun's stupidity and showed her the video of the auction that day.

Upon hearing "Miss Nan's mother," Nan Yun's expression changed drastically: "I... I wanted to donate in Zhizhi's name, why... it's... it's Zhiyi!"

She was fooled and even taken advantage of by Nan Zhiyi!

Nan Yun was filled with unbearable regret, her heart aching for having let Wen Yan down.

"Does it hurt?" Gu Yanci was very satisfied with her reaction.

"Why are you telling me all this? Are you trying to sow discord between me and my daughter?"

Nan Yun grew increasingly disliked Gu Yanci, especially since he had also won Nan Zhiyi's favor!

Gu Yanci scoffed mockingly: "You're not worthy."

"you!"

His face immediately turned cold, and he threatened slowly, "I'm warning you, if you try to sow discord between me and Wen Yan again, I'll make you suffer terribly."