After Redeeming the Paranoid Villain [Transmigration] - Chapter 22

Su Yu could guess the reason for Gu Chen’s loss of composure. It was almost certainly linked to the phone call from the manager. Su Yu gently placed his hand on Gu Chen’s face and spoke softly. “Gu Chen, I have never thought of it that way.”

Gu Chen had clearly not yet emerged from his nightmare. He looked at Su Yu with lingering confusion and remained silent. Despite his silence, Su Yu could guess what was on his mind. Gu Chen was waiting for an answer.

Su Yu sighed. He turned to pour a glass of warm water and handed it to Gu Chen. Without hesitation, Gu Chen took the glass. After taking a sip, he held it tightly in his hands and sat blankly on the bed, watching Su Yu bandage his wound.

“Gu Chen, Li Wen did not actually tell you the second half of what I said,” Su Yu said suddenly, his head still lowered as he worked on the bandage.

Su Yu had originally intended to keep that matter from Gu Chen, but seeing Gu Chen’s unstable state, he felt he could no longer hide it, regardless of his own embarrassment.

“I gave him a reason when I rejected him, but I suspect he did not pass it on to you,” Su Yu continued.

Gu Chen looked up from his cup, his eyes reflecting a hint of caution and a fragile vulnerability that was difficult to detect.

“I told him that you are the person I love,” Su Yu said, sitting down beside him.

Gu Chen’s grip on the glass tightened. His thin lips remained pressed together, and he did not say a word. From this reaction, Su Yu could tell that Gu Chen did not believe him. He could not blame Gu Chen; after everything the man had endured, it was difficult to trust anyone.

Su Yu sighed and took the glass from Gu Chen’s hands. The sudden loss of warmth startled Gu Chen, but it was immediately replaced by a warmer presence as Su Yu took his hand. Su Yu looked at their joined hands, slowly shifting his grip until their fingers were interlaced. The warmth radiating from Su Yu’s palm caught Gu Chen’s attention.

“Gu Chen, shall we call Li Wen again?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Su Yu felt the man beside him tense up. Gu Chen’s voice sounded dry and raspy. “There is no need.”

He did not want to endure that torment again.

“Gu Chen, please listen to what he has to say. I know you do not believe me, but will you listen to the words of a bystander?”

Gu Chen looked down and remained silent for a long time. Just as Su Yu thought he would refuse, Gu Chen spoke softly. “Call him.”

He felt as if he were allowing himself to face the truth and sink back into the mire. When the call connected, Li Wen’s voice came through. “Su Yu, have you changed your mind about signing the contract?”

Su Yu cleared his throat awkwardly. “I would like you to tell the person in my home the reason why I refused to sign. He is right here next to me on speakerphone. Please just say it.”

Su Yu’s face had been flushed red since he spoke, and he did not dare to look at Gu Chen. He had originally wanted to say husband, but he was too embarrassed to utter the word and settled for “the person in my home” instead.

Li Wen was clearly confused by the request, but he complied. “Listen, brother. When Su Yu rejected the offer, he told me that he loves you very much. The reason he refused to sign is that he did not want you to get hurt.”

Gu Chen’s pupils trembled slightly as he turned to look at Su Yu. After thanking Li Wen and ending the call, Su Yu met Gu Chen’s gaze. He grew inexplicably nervous and began to tug at the corner of his shirt.

“Gu Chen, when Li Wen asked me to change my status to single, I was unwilling. My marriage to you is honest and open, and I do not wish to hide anything.”

Su Yu glanced at Gu Chen’s legs and decided to reveal everything. “However, if I listed myself as married, you would be exposed to the public just as Li Wen described. There would be cameras following you everywhere. You act as though you are indifferent to the changes in your life, but I can feel that you care. You have not yet moved past it. You are a proud man. How could I let others see you like this? I do not want you to be harmed, not even in the slightest.”

Gu Chen seemed to snap awake. As he looked at Su Yu, his expression gradually returned to normal. He asked in a deep voice, “Do you know what you are saying?”

“I know,” Su Yu replied. Seeing Gu Chen return to his usual self, the weight on Su Yu’s heart lifted. He smiled and said, “I said I want to protect you.”

Those simple words felt incredibly heavy to Gu Chen, bringing a sour and tingling sensation to his heart. He could not control his body, and before he realized it, he had pulled Su Yu into an embrace. “Su Yu, remember what you said today.”

It sounded like a threat, but it was more of a plea. It was the sound of a desperate man suddenly grabbing a lifeline and vowing never to let go. Su Yu hugged him back, his eyes filled with heartache. Before entering the world of the book, Gu Chen was just a character in a story, but now he was a living person. How could Su Yu ever let go?

“Gu Chen, I will always stay with you,” Su Yu whispered, his voice full of a tenderness he had not yet recognized.

Worried that Gu Chen might attempt self-harm again, Su Yu asked to stay the night. Gu Chen glanced at him and did not object. Su Yu settled into the room, but since he had not yet bathed, he prepared to return to his own room. As he headed for the door, Gu Chen spoke from the bed. “Where are you going?”

“I want to go to my room to shower,” Su Yu replied.

“You can shower here,” Gu Chen said nonchalantly.

“But my clothes are in my room,” Su Yu hesitated. “I should go back.”

“You can use my clothes. They are in the wardrobe. Choose whatever you like,” Gu Chen replied. He suddenly realized his intentions might be too obvious, as even the usually dull Su Yu looked suspicious. He quickly added, “Our rooms are far apart. It is a hassle to go back and forth.”

Upon hearing this, Su Yu’s suspicions vanished. He thought Gu Chen was being very kind, though the idea of wearing someone else’s clothes still made him uneasy. Just as he was about to insist on leaving, Gu Chen sensed his hesitation.

“It is midnight. Things tend to come out at this hour,” Gu Chen remarked casually. He saw Su Yu shiver and a trace of a successful smile touched his lips. “The staff are all asleep. Even though the stairs have sound-activated lights, who can guarantee the lights are turning on because of your voice?”

Su Yu froze. He looked at the serious expression on Gu Chen’s face and felt certain the man was doing this on purpose. However, he had no evidence.

“It is quite dark outside,” Su Yu whispered, swallowing nervously as he stepped back into the room.

“The bathroom is right there. Please help yourself,” Gu Chen said steadily. “Pick whatever you like from the wardrobe.”

He sounded perfectly composed, as if he were a saint. Yet, his hand holding his book was trembling slightly. He felt an excitement he did not fully understand.

Su Yu opened the wardrobe. It was filled with Gu Chen’s formal suits. From the organized layout, Su Yu guessed that Gu Chen had a slight case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. On the other side were shirts, and in a small corner were his pajamas. Su Yu felt it was inappropriate to wear someone else’s pajamas, so he took a fresh shirt and headed into the bathroom.

The bathroom was luxurious, and the bathtub was the height of extravagance. Su Yu enjoyed the comfort so much that he fell asleep in the tub. He was awakened by Gu Chen knocking on the door. Startled, Su Yu hurried to stand up, but he slipped and fell back into the tub with a loud splash.

The knocking stopped, followed by the sound of the doorknob turning. Su Yu tried to stop him, but the door opened. Gu Chen sat in his wheelchair and looked at the scene in silence. “I am sorry. I thought something had happened,” he said calmly.

He closed the door before Su Yu could react. Su Yu was consumed by embarrassment, but if he had been paying attention, he would have noticed the uncharacteristic rasp in Gu Chen’s voice. It was the sound of a man suppressing intense emotions.

Gu Chen leaned back in his wheelchair to steady his breathing, but the image of Su Yu in the bathtub remained burned into his mind. The bathroom had been filled with steam, and Su Yu’s pale skin had been flushed pink. Through the mist, Su Yu had looked up at him with eyes that were red at the corners and filled with vulnerability. It made Gu Chen want to leave a different kind of mark on him.

Gu Chen snapped his eyes open as he realized the direction of his thoughts. He fled from the bathroom like a soldier in retreat, breathing heavily in his wheelchair. He wanted to avoid Su Yu, but he knew he was already trapped with no way out.