A Fatal Attraction from Lawyer A - Chapter 73

That sharp, severe reprimand echoed throughout the entire floor, ringing in Gu Yuxi’s ears and striking hard against his heart.

Gu Yuxi’s eyes flickered. He stared at Luo Panzhi’s icy face in a daze; the last time the man had shouted at him like that was when he had told him to “get out,” an incident that had left Gu Yuxi hurting for a long time. This time was different; he knew exactly why Luo Panzhi was shouting. Amidst the distress, he felt a wave of guilt. He reached out to take Luo Panzhi’s hand, hoping to soothe his anger.

His hand met empty air as Luo Panzhi pulled away. Gu Yuxi froze.

“Gu Yuxi.”

Hearing his name, Gu Yuxi retracted his rejected hand and gave a soft, quiet response. “Mm.”

“Why did you lie to me? Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you take it upon yourself to come to the Institute? Did you even think about me?” Luo Panzhi stared at him. Seeing the man’s pale face, his heart felt twisted; no one could truly understand his fear.

Perhaps even Gu Yuxi didn’t understand why he was so terrified. Even Luo Panzhi felt he might be overreacting, but he simply could not control it.

Gu Yuxi tried once more to take Luo Panzhi’s hand, but was dodged again. He stared for a few seconds, a deep sadness welling up inside as he realized he had vastly underestimated the depth of Luo Panzhi’s fury. He lowered his gaze.

“I did think about it.”

Luo Panzhi remained expressionless. “What did you think about? How to trick me?”

“I knew you would be angry, but I still wanted to do it because I thought… I thought I could coax you out of it.” Gu Yuxi felt a pang of self-reproach. “I overestimated myself and underestimated you.”

Luo Panzhi: “…” He was still angry—how could this man just start acting spoiled like this? It was a low blow.

Seeing Luo Panzhi’s cold, stern gaze, Gu Yuxi knew he wouldn’t be allowed to hold his hand. He tried to gently brush his knuckles against the man’s skin, but still received no response.

For a moment, he felt utterly dejected.

But in the next second, his wrist was seized in a powerful, bone-deep grip.

Luo Panzhi held Gu Yuxi’s hand and turned to face his father, Chu Yiqiao. He took a deep breath, fighting to suppress his emotions. “Dad,” he said, his voice grave, “never again. I’m taking him home.”

Chu Yiqiao was surprised that his son would actually direct his anger toward him. “Youpan, I can personally guarantee that this check poses no risk to Yuxi.”

“IS THAT THE ISSUE I CARE ABOUT?!”

The sudden roar caused the air in the corridor outside the lab to turn heavy and suffocating.

Luo Panzhi’s eyes were turning red, the bloodshot veins reflecting his sheer fury. His chest heaved as if a tightly wound string had finally snapped. The restraint he had painstakingly maintained shattered in an instant. His grip on Gu Yuxi’s hand tightened further.

“I told you clearly that I could solve this! Why did you have to involve Gu Yuxi? The lab is already conducting research; they’ve already identified it as a chromosomal issue. New drugs are being developed, and there are even volunteers! Did it have to be him? Is it his fault he’s the world’s first case of re-differentiation? He’s pregnant! Can the Institute truly guarantee there won’t be a single complication?!”

“Luo Panzhi, do you know who you’re talking to?”

A stern, critical voice rang out behind them.

Luo Qingye had arrived at the end of the corridor. With a dark expression, he walked up to his son, his brow furrowed. “Are you even conscious of what you’re doing? Who do you think you’re venting your temper on?”

Luo Panzhi met his father’s gaze with eyes like fire. “I am conscious. I am perfectly conscious. You were both wrong in this. You knew that if you asked, Yuxi would agree. He would do it because the Galaxy Group has been kind to him and because he loves me. Even if the check were dangerous, he would agree. That is exactly why I said not to tell him! Why? Because I cannot endure even the slightest ‘what if’ when it comes to him!”

“Perhaps this report is vital to the country or even the world. Perhaps it could push the research forward by leaps and bounds. But I’m really not that noble. Dad, Big Dad—he’s pregnant. He’s an Alpha; it’s so, so difficult for him. Do you even know that? If anything went wrong with this check…”

His voice, originally arrogant and chilling, broke with a sob. It went from heavy to trembling, and though he tried to hide it, Gu Yuxi, standing behind him, could hear it clearly. He stared at Luo Panzhi’s back, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

This man was crying.

“I don’t need Gu Yuxi to mean anything to the world. I only want him to be okay—safe, healthy, and unharmed. That is my greatest priority.” Luo Panzhi looked at Luo Qingye, his tone absolute. “Call me selfish, call me impulsive. If you think I lack the ‘big picture’ and am unfit to be the President of Galaxy Group, I will gladly give the position to someone more selfless. I’m not that noble. No one is allowed to touch Gu Yuxi.”

With that, he pulled Gu Yuxi along and turned to leave.

Chu Yiqiao watched his son’s retreating back. “Youpan has never spoken to me like that. This is the first time I’ve seen him this angry. Did we do the wrong thing?”

“We didn’t do the wrong thing,” Luo Qingye replied, putting an arm around Chu Yiqiao’s shoulder. “We simply chose the Galaxy Group, and Youpan chose Yuxi.” He observed his husband’s expression. “You aren’t angry, are you?”

Chu Yiqiao smiled. “Why would I be angry? I’m just surprised the brat could be so fierce. Go follow them and check on Yuxi. I’m worried; he just had blood drawn and hasn’t had breakfast. He might feel unwell.”

“Mm.”

The atmosphere inside the black Maybach was stifling. Luo Panzhi drove away from the Institute in total, heavy silence.

Gu Yuxi sat in the passenger seat, also silent. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak, but he had surpassed the point of hunger; his head felt dizzy and heavy. He leaned his head against the seat and closed his eyes.

Luo Panzhi’s words echoed in his mind, shaking him to his core. He had underestimated how much Luo Panzhi cared, underestimated his temper, and most of all, underestimated how much the man loved him. This man was entirely devoted to him; he had chosen family over career without a moment’s hesitation.

Most people would try to have both, prioritizing work while managing the home. But Luo Panzhi’s words meant something else. While it might seem rash for an adult to choose “love” over “bread,” Luo Panzhi was different—he already had the means to ensure they had plenty of bread, but love was his only “one.”

This Alpha was loving him with a heart full of absolute sincerity and tenderness.

Gu Yuxi realized he was wrong. He shouldn’t have thought he was solving a problem for Luo Panzhi; instead, he had only heightened the man’s fear.

—I really would go crazy. —I don’t need Gu Yuxi to mean anything to the world… him being unharmed is my greatest meaning.

Gu Yuxi no longer thought he could simply “coax” his way out of this. What should he do? This was far more difficult to analyze than any criminal case.

The car rolled slowly into the underground garage. Luo Panzhi backed into the parking space with a blank expression. After stopping, he didn’t unbuckle his seatbelt; he just looked at Gu Yuxi, who hadn’t said a word the entire trip. Due to the dim lighting, he couldn’t see how pale Gu Yuxi’s face had become.

“We’re home,” Gu Yuxi said, forcing himself to break the silence.

Luo Panzhi stared at him, his eyes reddening again. After a moment, he replied, “Gu Yuxi, you still remember we have a home? Do you have any idea how heartbroken I am?”

“I’m sorry.” Hearing the catch in Luo Panzhi’s voice, Gu Yuxi felt a pang of pain. He reached out, wanting to hug him.

He saw Luo Panzhi lean in and thought for a moment the man was softening. But all he heard was the click of the seatbelt being released. Luo Panzhi had only leaned in to unbuckle him, not to hold him. The light in Gu Yuxi’s eyes dimmed.

Luo Panzhi got out and opened the passenger door. “Let’s go.”

Even though the man hadn’t missed a single detail in caring for him, his tone was lukewarm. Gu Yuxi knew that when Luo Panzhi was still scolding him, there was room for negotiation. But this silence meant he was truly, deeply angry.

Gu Yuxi leaned on the door as he climbed out, his body swaying for a fraction of a second. He followed Luo Panzhi toward the elevator, feeling a bit dazed from the hunger. The check-up itself hadn’t been painful; the hunger was what was getting to him.

Luo Panzhi walked ahead, sensing the man behind him was moving like a tortoise. He frowned and instinctively slowed his pace, but he didn’t look back until he reached the elevator and held the door open.

In the bright light of the elevator, he saw it clearly: Gu Yuxi was even paler than before.

“Do you feel unwell anywhere?” Luo Panzhi couldn’t help but ask.

“Hmm?” Gu Yuxi blinked, coming back to his senses. He turned to Luo Panzhi and smiled. “No. You’re finally willing to talk to me.”

Despite his paleness, he still looked healthy from the recent weeks of being well-fed. When he smiled, his voice was soft and his features relaxed into a beautiful, gentle expression. Since getting pregnant, Gu Yuxi had developed a way of making people’s hearts melt with ease.

Luo Panzhi looked up and took a breath, trying to adjust his emotions. Don’t get angry again. Speak nicely. Educate him properly. He’s pregnant; I can’t yell like I did earlier.

He spent the elevator ride mentally preparing how to have a calm talk.

Gu Yuxi’s vision darkened for a moment, and he instinctively leaned against the elevator wall for support.

Ding. The doors opened. Luo Panzhi glanced at him and, seeing him follow, stepped out first.

Standing at the front door, Luo Panzhi entered the code. Just as he was about to press his thumb to the scanner, he felt a head rest against his shoulder. His hand paused.

Gu Yuxi felt extremely lightheaded. He leaned against Luo Panzhi, knowing the man wouldn’t let him fall.

“…Baby, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

Luo Panzhi heard the faint apology. His heart softened—as it always did. He let out a tiny sigh, scanned his thumb, and pushed the door open.

“Come inside and then we’ll—”

Before he could finish, Gu Yuxi’s eyes closed, and his pale form collapsed toward him. Luo Panzhi’s pupils shrunk in terror.