After Redeeming the Paranoid Villain [Transmigration] - Chapter 25

Su Yu’s voice felt dry. The moment he saw the familiar face of the person approaching, it felt as though all his words were stuck in his throat. After a long struggle, he finally managed to utter a name. “Gu Yian.”

Gu Yian sat down in a chair without waiting for an invitation. He offered a cold grunt of acknowledgment, his distant eyes betraying none of his thoughts. “Why did you suddenly ask to meet me? Do you not know how many eyes are watching us right now?”

Su Yu remained silent. At that moment, he finally realized who the mysterious person was. It was no wonder he could never guess the identity; he had never once considered Gu Yian as a possibility.

Su Yu’s direct gaze seemed to make Gu Yian uncomfortable. Frowning, he spoke sharply. “Speak plainly. I have many things to do.” He glanced at their surroundings and the floor-to-ceiling window beside them, then let out a soft, mocking chuckle. “So, this was your plan all along.”

Su Yu was confused.

“Do you like me that much? You specifically brought me to a place without private booths and chose a seat right by the window,” Gu Yian said as he stirred his coffee with an ill-intentioned smile. “What are you thinking, Su Yu? Or rather, what are you trying to prove?”

As he spoke, Gu Yian reached out and lifted Su Yu’s chin. “I did not expect you to be clever for once. What is it? Do you want Gu Chen’s informants to see our relationship? Or do you want to go public and claim a formal status?”

Su Yu, who had actually known nothing and was now blindsided by this massive revelation, thought to himself, “Good heavens. What on earth did the original owner of this body do?”

Seeing the shock on Su Yu’s face, Gu Yian assumed he had guessed correctly. A sarcastic smile hung on his lips. He believed Su Yu had always been brainless and wore his thoughts plainly on his face. However, Su Yu’s only redeeming quality was his unwavering loyalty, which made a fool like him the perfect tool to be used.

Su Yu tremulously analyzed the situation and realized that the original Su Yu had been in love with Gu Yian. This realization caused his composure to crumble. The novel he had read clearly stated that Su Yu was merely a minor character who did not even know Gu Yian. In the book, Su Yu was supposed to spend all his time pestering Gu Chen. Why was the plot so different from what he knew?

Other people who transmigrated into books received superpowers, spoilers, or became the main villain. He was not only a lowly side character, but even the plot he relied on was a mess.

“Why are you still silent? Did I hit the mark?” Gu Yian asked with a wicked smile.

Before he knew the truth of their relationship, Su Yu simply thought Gu Yian was narcissistic. Now that he knew, every look Gu Yian gave him felt repulsive and arrogant, as if the man truly believed he was second only to God.

Su Yu wondered how such an idiot could ever defeat Gu Chen. While it was true that Gu Chen ended up in prison because of Gu Yian’s framing in the original story, Su Yu wanted to scream at the heavens. How could this fool be the protagonist? If he possessed the protagonist’s halo and defeated Gu Chen, he must have saved the universe in a past life.

As he stared at the moronic smile on the face that so closely resembled Gu Chen’s, Su Yu’s sanity finally snapped. He shouted in frustration, “Stop smiling like that, damn it!”

The wicked smile froze on Gu Yian’s face, causing his features to twist into a distorted expression. Su Yu had always considered himself a fan of Gu Chen’s looks, but he realized now that the same face did not evoke the same feelings. Gu Yian only inspired intense disgust.

He could not fathom how the original owner had fallen for this man. The more he looked at Gu Yian, the more uncomfortable he felt. Finally, unable to bear it, Su Yu turned to leave. He cursed under his breath, thinking about how unfortunate it was that a good person like Gu Chen shared a face with this idiot.

If he were in Gu Chen’s position, he would have attacked Gu Yian long ago. The fact that Gu Chen had restrained himself for so many years spoke volumes about his upbringing and immense self-control.

Downstairs from the cafe, a pair of eyes watched the two figures by the window. A camera shutter clicked, and the person looking at the photo smiled. “It seems I have accidentally discovered a secret.”

By the time Su Yu returned home, it was midnight. The living room was pitch black as the staff had already gone home to rest. Having only had coffee to maintain his cool earlier, Su Yu rubbed his hungry stomach and headed for the refrigerator. He was startled by a silhouette sitting on the sofa.

When he looked closer, the moonlight revealed the man’s face. Because he had seen that face so many times that day, Su Yu nearly blurted out the name Gu Yian. Fortunately, he caught himself at the last second. “Gu Chen, why are you sitting here?”

Gu Chen looked at him. He felt a sudden sense of distance. He suspected the name Su Yu had almost called out was not his own.

In the shadows, Gu Chen’s eyes held a trace of vulnerability. He was naturally perceptive, especially after receiving the photos from Qi Bai. He began to overthink. Although he did not know the details, Su Yu had met Gu Yian behind his back. Had Su Yu finally realized that siding with him was useless and decided to switch to Gu Yian? Or did Su Yu feel that since the two looked the same, he would rather choose the one who could stand up and protect him?

Gu Chen’s nails dug into his palms until they left red marks, yet he did not notice the pain. The thought of Su Yu leaving him felt like falling into an icy abyss. He had never felt so cold. He stared at Su Yu, his mind consumed by the single thought that Su Yu was going to leave.

Gu Chen did not understand why his emotions were so intense. He had initially viewed Su Yu as a mere diversion in his dull life. But as he watched him and stayed by him, his feelings had crossed a line without his realization. He began to crave more.

His lips twisted into a cold arc, and his eyes, usually devoid of warmth, now flashed with a hint of madness. If Su Yu were going to leave him, then why should he hold back? He could lock him away in this house so that Su Yu could only ever look at him.

As for Gu Yian, the brother who shared his face, perhaps he should scar that face or simply hand it over to Su Yu since he liked it so much.

The growing madness in Gu Chen’s gaze made Su Yu uneasy, causing him to instinctively take a few steps back. Despite the darkness, Gu Chen saw the movement.

“He is afraid of me again,” Gu Chen thought. His eyes narrowed as his hand moved toward a mechanism on his wheelchair. If pressed, it would release a sedative spray, a self-defense tool he had installed after his accident. The right side held a dagger and the left held the spray. He never expected he would one day consider using it on Su Yu.

Just as Gu Chen was about to act, Su Yu stopped retreating. He stepped forward and knelt in front of Gu Chen. To Gu Chen’s shock, Su Yu leaned in and hugged him. Su Yu’s warmth seeped through his clothes, and Gu Chen’s frozen heart began to thaw. His hand moved away from the mechanism, and he reached out to return the embrace.

“Why are you hugging me?” Gu Chen asked, his voice tinged with a dangerous tone.

Su Yu buried his face in Gu Chen’s chest and remained silent. He could not say it was because he was upset after seeing Gu Yian’s true nature. Why should a good man like Gu Chen be destroyed by Gu Yian? Was it simply because Gu Yian was the protagonist?

Su Yu felt a pang of sadness. In his mind, someone as proud as Gu Chen deserved to stand on a pedestal, surrounded by flowers and admired by all. The angrier he became on Gu Chen’s behalf, the tighter he held him.

Gu Chen sensed something was wrong. He stroked Su Yu’s hair and asked, “What is the matter? Did someone bully you?”

“No,” Su Yu replied, his voice muffled.

“Are you in a bad mood?” Gu Chen’s voice softened.

“No, I just missed you,” Su Yu said, still hiding his face.

Gu Chen’s hand paused for a moment before his lips curved into a small smile. After a long silence in the quiet living room, Su Yu’s stomach growled loudly. Su Yu looked up, his ears turning red. “Gu Chen, I am hungry. Is there anything to eat?”

Gu Chen subtly touched Su Yu’s reddened ear and pulled his hand back before Su Yu could notice. “There is food on the dining table. Go and heat it up yourself.”

Su Yu turned on the lights. On the table were several home-cooked dishes, all of which were his favorites. He felt his eyes grow moist. Gu Chen was always like this; he never said what he had done, but his care and tenderness were evident once discovered.

Gu Chen wheeled himself to the kitchen door to watch Su Yu. The inner turmoil caused by the photograph was replaced by a sense of domestic peace. He tapped his finger against the armrest of the wheelchair. He decided to wait. As long as Su Yu did not leave him, he would never hurt him.

“Gu Chen,” Su Yu called out from the kitchen.

“Yes?”

“I do not think this food is good enough.” Su Yu kept his back turned so Gu Chen could not see his expression.

“Do you no longer like it?” Gu Chen asked.

“It is not that. I just want to taste something you cooked yourself,” Su Yu said, his ears turning bright red as he lowered his head.

Gu Chen knew how to cook, but in his current condition, he could not stand at a stove like a healthy person. He did not respond.

“Gu Chen, what if I come home late again and the staff are not here? What will I do if I am hungry?” Su Yu asked.

“But,” Gu Chen began, instinctively touching his legs which still had no sensation. Before he could finish, Su Yu turned around. Seeing Su Yu’s tearful eyes, Gu Chen felt a sharp pang in his heart. He let out a long sigh, as if he had made a significant decision.

“Su Yu, I will cook for you from now on, alright?”

Su Yu’s pupils contracted. He understood the weight of that promise. They gazed at each other, and a single tear rolled down Su Yu’s cheek. Realizing this, Su Yu quickly looked away. “The smoke in this kitchen is too irritating. You need to replace this range hood,” he said with a trembling voice.

If Su Yu had looked down, he would have seen that the icy gaze Gu Chen had carried for years had vanished, replaced entirely by tenderness.

“I understand. I will have it replaced for you tomorrow,” Gu Chen replied, his voice softer than ever before.