After Redeeming the Paranoid Villain [Transmigration] - Chapter 10

“What are you doing here?” Gu Chen asked.

Su Yu looked at Gu Chen, whose murderous intent had suddenly vanished. He licked his lips and replied, “I noticed you had not eaten, so I wanted to bring breakfast up to you.”

“Did I not tell you to get out?” Gu Chen watched Su Yu, who shrank back slightly at his words. A hint of mockery flickered in his eyes. “Su Yu, you are truly bold. Is this the etiquette the Su family taught you?”

Su Yu only heard the reproach in Gu Chen’s voice, so he dared not look up and naturally missed the playfulness in the man’s gaze. Terrified by the cold tone, Su Yu stood frozen, looking down and clutching the hem of his shirt tightly without saying a word.

“Answer me, Su Yu.”

Gu Chen called his name. That deep, icy voice made Su Yu feel as though a blade were being held against his throat, slowly executing him.

“It is just,” Su Yu bit his lip, finally deciding to tell the truth. “I felt that you needed me.”

Gu Chen, sitting on the bed, froze. He stared at Su Yu for a long time without speaking. After Su Yu said those words, a strange silence fell over the large room. The two gazed at each other, but neither spoke.

“You have probably not eaten yet. I will bring the food to you. If you do not eat in the morning, your blood pressure will drop,” Su Yu stammered, finally breaking the silence.

Gu Chen watched in silence as Su Yu brought the breakfast from the door, set up the small bed desk, and placed it in front of him.

“Su Yu, I have nothing left,” Gu Chen said calmly, as if stating a simple, everyday fact.

Su Yu’s movements stopped. He turned to look at Gu Chen. When their eyes met, the clarity in Su Yu’s gaze made Gu Chen’s heart tremble. He slowly placed a hand over his chest. For some reason, ever since Su Yu arrived at his house, his heart would race uncontrollably whenever they spoke. Sometimes, he felt a strange, sour ache, just like he did now.

Previously, his attitude toward Su Yu had been one of disgust, a deep-seated, almost biological loathing. But now, Gu Chen watched Su Yu busying himself. He did not understand how a person could change so drastically in just a few months, but the Su Yu before him felt like a completely different person. The current Su Yu was too clean. He was like the first snowflake of winter, bringing a purity and clarity that did not belong in this world, crashing into Gu Chen’s chaotic, pitch-black abyss.

To someone who had lived in the abyss for a long time, that touch of white was as alluring as a lethal poison. Gu Chen knew that he did not actually hate the light or the color white; he was simply afraid that his own filth would ruin that purity. Thus, he instinctively tried to push this whiteness away.

“So, stop being good to me. It is not worth it, and you will not gain anything from it,” Gu Chen said, opening his heart for the first time.

Su Yu looked at Gu Chen on the bed. His legs were long and well-proportioned. Su Yu could imagine how spirited Gu Chen must have looked when he could stand. Now, those legs lay powerless on the bed, unresponsive to any movement. Su Yu lowered his head. His voice was very soft, but Gu Chen heard him.

“Gu Chen, just consider it my own choice, alright? Let me take care of you. Once you recover, I will leave without you having to say a word. I will not cause you any trouble.”

“Why?” Gu Chen murmured, looking at him.

Su Yu gave a helpless smile. “Just think of me as someone sent by heaven to help you.”

Gu Chen was amused by Su Yu’s words. However, because he had not laughed in a long time, the amusement was only visible in his eyes.

“Pick another excuse. That one does not hold up,” Gu Chen teased, leaning back. “I am an atheist. I have always believed that taking charge of one’s own destiny is better than praying to gods or Buddhas.”

Su Yu sensed the shift in Gu Chen’s mood, which made him a bit bolder. “Then just consider it my own eagerness to take care of you.”

With that, Su Yu laughed. The smile reached his eyes and was so pure that Gu Chen found himself entranced. The morning sunlight spilled into the dim room, chasing away the chill of the night. In that moment, Gu Chen felt a sudden warmth in his long-frozen heart. Gradually, that warmth spread through his entire body. This unfamiliar sensation left him feeling lost.

Gu Chen opened his mouth, but he did not know what to say. He found that his tongue, usually so eloquent at the negotiation table, was now stuck. In the end, he could only offer a dry response: “Alright.”

Su Yu did not mind Gu Chen’s change in emotion. He was simply relieved that Gu Chen had not stayed angry enough to threaten him. He stole a glance at Gu Chen. Given the man’s personality, he likely wanted to eliminate anyone who saw him in such a vulnerable state, so Su Yu felt lucky to be alive. He exhaled quietly, truly feeling the weight of the saying “being with a ruler is like being with a tiger.”

While Su Yu was lost in thought, Gu Chen suddenly called his name. Su Yu immediately looked over, waiting for the instructions. Gu Chen had finished his breakfast and was elegantly wiping his mouth with a napkin. He looked at Su Yu and asked slowly, “Why did you want to marry me?”

Su Yu’s back stiffened instantly, and he felt a wave of numbness wash over him. Before he knew about the original Su Yu’s secret deals, he could have confidently said it was because of love. But now, Su Yu’s hands tightened behind his back. He had never been good at lying. His college classmates used to tease him that whenever he lied, his eyes would scream, “I am lying.” He lowered his gaze to avoid eye contact.

“I just wanted to take care of you,” he answered softly.

Gu Chen’s brows furrowed slightly, clearly dissatisfied with the answer. His cold voice rang out, tinged with a hint of mockery. “Just to take care of me? Then why not just come here? Why go as far as to marry me? Do you not think the sacrifice is too great? And to marry a cripple like me, a useless person who cannot even guarantee your future, are you truly content with that?”

Su Yu opened his mouth but did not know how to respond. A cruel curve formed on Gu Chen’s thin, cold lips. He began to describe his situation with a calm that bordered on self-torture. “To be with a useless man, what are you thinking, Su Yu? You should know that you are now registered in my household ledger. Even if you want to run away in the future, you will not be able to. Is it worth it?”

Su Yu had not spent much time with Gu Chen, but in these few days, he had begun to understand the man’s temperament. Gu Chen appeared powerful, but that strength was merely a facade. He used his sharp thorns to protect the fragile person inside, making himself look invincible. He was actually terrified of being hurt, yet he had been hurt repeatedly. Su Yu also noticed that when Gu Chen was flustered or angry, he would say annoying things. Right now, Gu Chen was reflexively raising his thorns again, attempting to drive Su Yu away with harsh words. Since arriving here, Su Yu often felt an inexplicable heartache. Even though he had never met Gu Chen before, he had felt a sour pang in his heart from the first moment he saw him.

“Gu Chen, I will not run away,” Su Yu said. “Do you remember what I just said? Just think of me as staying by your side to care for you by my own choice. Perhaps,” Su Yu paused, holding back the second half of his sentence.

Perhaps by the time you recover, it will be time for me to leave.

Su Yu knew he did not belong in this world. An accident had brought him here, and every world had its own rules. His presence might disrupt the intended logic of this world, just as he would not allow Gu Chen to die miserably in prison.

Gu Chen looked at Su Yu’s hesitant expression. He raised his eyes, looking as though he wanted to see right through him. “Perhaps what?”

Su Yu hid his emotions and replied with a smile, “Perhaps by then, you will find me annoying and want to kick me out.”

Su Yu had meant it as a joke to lighten the mood, but Gu Chen looked at him and said in a low voice, “I will not.”

Su Yu did not hear him clearly and took a step forward. “What?”

Being surrounded by Su Yu’s scent made Gu Chen feel short of breath. He moved back slightly on the bed and said stiffly, “I said nothing. You heard wrong.”

Su Yu did not argue. He simply said “Oh” and began clearing the dishes. As he reached the door, Gu Chen’s voice came from behind him.

“Su Yu, do not forget what you said today.”

Su Yu turned to look at Gu Chen in the dimness of the room. Gu Chen was leaning against the bed, his light brown eyes fixed intently on him. Suddenly, Su Yu felt like he was being watched by a wild beast, and a chill ran down his spine. Sensing Su Yu’s fear, Gu Chen closed his eyes. When he opened them again, that terrifying gaze was gone, replaced by his usual calm. “I am tired. I am going to rest for a while.”