After Redeeming the Paranoid Villain [Transmigration] - Chapter 8

Gu Chen also wanted to know exactly what Su Yu was planning. His fingers tapped lightly on the desk as he replied to Su Yu’s text message: “Come upstairs. I will give you the card and tell you the password.”

After sending the reply, Gu Chen leaned back in his chair. His mind constantly replayed Su Yu’s behavior over the past few days. During this time, Su Yu had given him an impression of being far too pure, so much so that he had almost forgotten Su Yu’s previous calculating nature. This text message, however, undoubtedly pulled him out of the gentle web Su Yu had woven.

Gu Chen knew he should wake up, but he hesitated.

A sigh echoed through the room. Sometimes, being drunk on an illusion felt quite nice.

The ringtone of his phone interrupted his thoughts. He picked it up but instinctively hesitated to look at the message, fearing it would confirm his suspicions. He worried that even though Su Yu knew he was at his wit’s end, Su Yu still intended to take every last asset regardless of the cost.

Even if he did not want to face reality, Gu Chen had to. Yet, at this moment, he felt a sudden urge to retreat.

The screen lit up, and Su Yu’s message appeared: “Why should I come up? Just give me your account number.”

Gu Chen stared intently at the message, trying to guess Su Yu’s goal.

Why did he not want the password? If he wanted to know the extent of Gu Chen’s family fortune, would he not need the password to see the balance? Or was this a new tactic of Su Yu’s?

Despite his suspicions, Gu Chen felt as though he were placing a bet. He spent a moment gritting his teeth before sending the account number as Su Yu had requested.

The moment the message was sent, Gu Chen leaned back, looking exhausted, as if he were waiting for a death sentence.

About five minutes passed before Gu Chen’s phone chimed. He picked it up, but this time it was not a text from Su Yu. It was a transfer notification from the bank.

Gu Chen slid his phone open. The notification clearly stated: “On November 2, Su Yu deposited 1,000,000 RMB into your savings card ending in 8888 via electronic transfer. Current balance…”

Gu Chen’s usually cold and calm eyes flickered. It was as if a fallen leaf had suddenly broken the surface of a still lake, sending ripples across the water.

Meanwhile, Su Yu was still composing a text when Gu Chen’s call came through.

“What is the meaning of transferring money to me?”

Gu Chen’s voice on the other end was flat, so flat that Su Yu could not help but complain inwardly.

This was living expenses he had sent Gu Chen after much internal struggle. For such a large sum of money, this man did not even offer a word of thanks. Instead, he opened with such cold and heartless words.

Then again, given Gu Chen’s icy personality, Su Yu could not imagine him ever looking moved or grateful.

“That is for your, uh,” Su Yu paused, struggling to find words that would not hurt Gu Chen’s pride. Calling it living expenses sounded like he was keeping Gu Chen as a sugar baby, and allowance was even worse, as that was something elders gave to children. He did not dare take advantage of Gu Chen like that.

“Just consider it my lodging fee,” Su Yu finally found a suitable term.

“Lodging fee?” Gu Chen’s voice echoed. Even through the phone, Su Yu could feel the deep, slightly raspy undertone of Gu Chen’s voice brushing against his ear, making his ears turn red.

He had to admit, Gu Chen was a truly charismatic man. It was no wonder the original Su Yu had pursued him so madly.

“Yes, a lodging fee. I have to pay for my food and stay, right?” Su Yu explained quickly, fearing Gu Chen would see through the lie.

Gu Chen remained silent on the other end. Thinking the man was still hesitating, Su Yu added hurriedly, “It is fine, just take it. Let me know if it is ever not enough.”

Su Yu felt he had hidden his tracks well, but he did not know that on the other side, Gu Chen was gripping his phone so hard his knuckles were white, as if he were suppressing a surging emotion.

“Su Yu,” Gu Chen’s voice was low and hoarse.

The sound sent a shiver down Su Yu’s spine. To hide his embarrassment and prevent Gu Chen from discovering his lie, Su Yu quickly made an excuse and hung up. He collapsed onto the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Gu Chen was far too clever. Su Yu did not have those kinds of complicated thoughts, so he always acted cautiously around the man, terrified that Gu Chen would realize he was not the original Su Yu.

The call had ended, but Gu Chen remained in the same position, as if he were frozen to the spot.

The tone of concealment in Su Yu’s voice had been far too obvious. Gu Chen had guessed Su Yu’s intent from the very first sentence.

Su Yu wanted to give him money but could not find a good excuse, so he had clumsily settled on a lodging fee.

Gu Chen set his phone down. His expression was calm as usual, but a closer look revealed his fingertips were trembling. Since childhood, he had always been the one standing in front of everyone. When his mother was being tormented, he stood in front of her, ending up covered in injuries while she remained unharmed.

As he grew up, he learned to resist and fight for what he wanted. But after he obtained the power that everyone in the Gu family coveted, he realized that even at the top, he was still the one shielding others from the wind and rain. He simply would no longer suffer visible injuries.

He would never be hurt again, yet the wounds felt deeper than those from his childhood.

Then came the car accident. He felt tired. After years of hard work, he had essentially paved the way for others, and everything had come to nothing. Sometimes he felt his obsession was too deep and it was time to let go, but every time he tried, the scene of his mother’s death would flash before his eyes.

His mother had gripped his hand tightly, her eyes bloodshot, screaming at him like a madwoman.

His mother had taught him to hate everyone in the world.

He was long used to being at the front to bear everything. Even now, injured and framed, he instinctively protected his belongings under his wing, including Su Yu, who had been forced into an engagement without his knowledge. He protected him instinctively, even though his own wings were already tattered and broken.

Gu Chen was used to this pattern, but he never expected that, in the end, he would be the one being protected.

He toyed with the pen in his hand, his gaze lowering. His thick eyelashes hid all the thoughts in his eyes.

At this moment, the only thing repeating in his mind was Su Yu’s name, as if the name itself could easily soothe the pain in his heart.

Gu Chen gave a bitter laugh. If even this was part of Su Yu’s plan, he had to admit the plan was incredibly sophisticated, and he was indeed becoming addicted to it.

Gu Chen covered his eyes, hiding the fleeting vulnerability. When he opened them again, he had returned to his usual cold self.

A cold smirk played on his lips as if the previous weakness were just an illusion. His fingertips tapped the desk. Even if it were a scheme, he wanted to see exactly what Su Yu’s plan was. He did not mind playing this game with Su Yu, as long as he did not sink too deep and get hurt.

Su Yu knew nothing of the complicated thoughts swirling in Gu Chen’s mind after the transfer, nor did he know that Gu Chen was already planning his next move to deal with him. Being naturally lighthearted, Su Yu fell asleep shortly after sending the money and slept soundly until dawn.

In the morning, Su Yu was woken by the sound of a text message. Groggy, he picked up his phone. The message was from an unknown number and contained only one sentence: “How is the task coming along?”

Su Yu squinted at the nonsensical message, unable to guess who sent it. Looking at the number without a contact name, he assumed someone had sent it to the wrong person.

Just as he was about to set the phone down, the number sent another message: “You have done very well. You completed it beyond my expectations. Everything you want will be given to you once the matter is finished.”

Su Yu could not figure out the sender’s identity, so he tentatively replied with a question mark.

The reply came back quickly: “Rest assured, I will not break my word. I always do as I say. As long as you get what I want, everything will be easy to negotiate.”

Su Yu looked at the screen in total confusion. He had sent the question mark hoping the person would state their requirements, not play riddles with him!

Finally, after receiving no clear answer, Su Yu decided the person on the other end was simply an idiot.

After passionately insulting the sender’s family in his head, Su Yu suddenly realized that he was not the real Su Yu. This number might have been messaging the original one. When he transmigrated, the original Su Yu must have been involved in some kind of deal with this person, and he simply had no idea.

At the thought of this possibility, a cold sweat broke out over Su Yu.

He could not believe that whatever this person wanted from him was something simple.

The person said he was doing very well, but Su Yu had not done much lately. Why would they think he was doing well? What had he done to earn such praise?

Su Yu sat in his chair and thought for a long time. Since arriving here, his life had revolved almost entirely around Gu Chen.

Could that person be referring to Gu Chen?

Su Yu instinctively bit his hand. He did not have a mind for complex schemes. The only person he was connected to that he could think of was Gu Chen.

Could the “doing well” refer to the things he had done to Gu Chen?

The realization struck Su Yu. He jerked his head up, frozen in his chair.

Only now did he realize that the original Su Yu marrying Gu Chen was not as simple as he thought. The engagement had a purpose, and Su Yu did not seem to like Gu Chen as much as the book suggested.

When Su Yu realized this, he felt a wave of panic followed by a sharp pang of pain in his heart.