Becoming the Caged Canary of a Forced Love - Chapter 38

Pei Jichuan seemed somewhat impatient; only a few days after the New Year ended, he had the butler pack their luggage. Because he had to arrange work for the post-holiday resumption, their stay in Country F wouldn’t be very long.

The wings of the private jet sliced through the vast sky as they embarked on their journey. Upon their departure, Butler Zhao stood at the entrance, tearfully giving last-minute instructions to the driver and bodyguards; he had to remain behind to maintain the manor’s affairs and couldn’t go with them.

Because the internal politics of Country F were currently unstable, they brought many bodyguards on this trip, and a team of staff tasked with preparing the residence had arrived a day in advance. As the heir to a top-tier, incredibly wealthy conglomerate, Pei Jichuan naturally owned property in various countries.

Country F and Country Z were in different geographical locations; even in winter, the flower fields of Country F bloomed brilliantly. Lin Nuo had once mentioned this to Pei Jichuan in passing, and Pei Jichuan had taken it to heart, leading to this very trip.

Although he had grown up in Country F, Gu Nian’s daily life had been a cycle of bloodshed, violence, and power struggles; he had never once stopped to appreciate the natural scenery.

Once the plane landed, the reception staff were already waiting at the airport. After picking them up, they headed straight for Pei Jichuan’s residence. Similar to his architectural preference in City A, Pei Jichuan chose to settle in the suburbs, far from the city’s hustle and bustle. With murmuring streams and swaying flower shadows, it was indeed a perfect spot for a vacation.

The flight had lasted over ten hours, leaving them both exhausted. There were no plans or activities scheduled for the first day; they needed to adjust to the time difference first. Upon arriving at the house, Gu Nian threw himself onto the large bed, burying himself in the mattress like a corpse.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of regret. Why did I agree to come to Country F?

The streets the motorcade had just passed were all too familiar to him. In fact, they were currently less than 50 kilometers away from Black Crow’s headquarters!

It would be fine if he really had a different face, but the crux of the matter was that he looked exactly as he did before! Although most of his records had been destroyed over the past two years, plenty of people in Black Crow still recognized him. Pei Jichuan’s status was so prominent that he wasn’t exactly traveling incognito—his face was far too famous.

If someone were to intentionally investigate… the boss of Black Crow getting involved with the CEO of a rival company? What kind of mess would that be!

I have to keep a low profile. I must wear a mask whenever I go out. Gu Nian was already wondering if he could just stay shut inside for a few days until they returned to Country Z.

Pei Jichuan “dug” Gu Nian out from the bed. Gu Nian’s face was flushed, seemingly stifled by the bedding. Pei Jichuan gave a light chuckle. “Let’s eat first, then you can rest.”

At the mention of food, Gu Nian obediently crawled up and followed Pei Jichuan to the dining room. The food here tasted exactly like it did back at the manor, which left Gu Nian confused. He took a few more bites—yes, it was definitely that taste. He glanced toward the kitchen and, sure enough, spotted the plump chef hiding behind the cabinetry.

Gu Nian turned away, speechless. So the chef was part of the luggage too.

However… Gu Nian took another spoonful of soup and tasted it. Can we please drag this chef out and shoot him for his refusal to use salt?! He thought he’d finally get a change of pace with the food, but it was still him!

Gu Nian’s expression soured. Pei Jichuan studied him for a moment; the other’s face had suddenly turned quite unsightly. Pei Jichuan was utterly baffled, unable to fathom where this bad mood had come from. He hesitated before finally asking, “What’s wrong? You don’t seem very happy.” His voice trailed upward slightly, winding around Gu Nian.

Gu Nian’s anger instantly dissipated by half. “It’s nothing,” he muttered, taking another sip of the bland soup. He felt his tongue couldn’t appreciate the “fresh sweetness” of high-end cuisine; only heavy salt and spice made him happy.

“Not to your taste?” Pei Jichuan seemed to see right through him.

Gu Nian was eating very slowly, tasting a single spoonful of soup repeatedly, but not out of enjoyment. Pei Jichuan wiped his mouth and gestured for the butler, who immediately came forward.

“Find a chef with a heavier hand for seasoning to work alongside Chef Hao for the next few days.”

The butler took the order and went to make arrangements.

“Are you feeling a bit better now?” Pei Jichuan leaned over and asked.

The corners of Gu Nian’s mouth turned up slightly as he gave a soft “Hmph,” not bothering to answer. But Pei Jichuan clearly understood; he picked up his chopsticks and began feeding Gu Nian.

“You’ll have to make do for this meal. Tell me if there’s anything else you don’t like.”

Gu Nian leaned lazily against the back of his chair, doing nothing but opening his mouth to receive the food. Whatever dish he glanced at would immediately find its way into his mouth. He was completely shameless in his use of Pei Jichuan.

Chef Hao, who had followed them from Country Z, was weeping silently in the kitchen. Having heard President Pei’s orders, he couldn’t help but think: Am I about to lose my job? An employer like President Pei, who paid so much for so little trouble, was impossible to find! Chef Hao reflected on his skills; clearly, they had grown tired of his cooking. He decided he had to go for further training once they returned to Country Z.

By the time they finished eating and settled in, it was already nine o’clock. They washed up and lay in bed. Pei Jichuan was on his laptop preparing the post-holiday resumption plan, while Gu Nian snuggled beside him playing a small mobile game.

He truly had no talent for games, but he was very rich. He had never had much of a concept of money. After several “top-ups” of 648 yuan, Gu Nian looked at the glittering golden character on his screen with a satisfied smile.

The golden light on the screen caught Pei Jichuan’s eye. He turned to see Gu Nian obsessively topping up his account for the game character. Without a word, Pei Jichuan took his own phone and transferred a sum with six zeros to Gu Nian’s account.

When the notification sound for the deposit rang, Gu Nian’s interest was instantly piqued. He bought several more 648-yuan packs until the character on the screen couldn’t possibly wear any more items, only then closing the game in satisfaction.

“Sleep early. We’re going to the cathedral tomorrow.”

Gu Nian’s smile froze instantly. He regretted everything even more now.

Forgive him he had never been married and didn’t know that weddings could be held in a cathedral. To get married in a cathedral meant there would definitely be a priest presiding. And the most famous cathedral in this region was none other than the Seronial Cathedral, the largest in Country F.

That cathedral had once been under the secret control of a high-ranking official who had had some “unpleasantness” with Black Crow. Gu Nian still remembered the look on the priest’s face—as if he were about to faint from terror when Gu Nian tossed that official’s head in front of him and pointed a gun at his temple.

Is the priest really not going to throw me out tomorrow?

Pei Jichuan had already tucked Gu Nian in. He turned off the lights and pulled him into his arms to sleep. Gu Nian’s mind was a mess. For the first time in his life, he seemingly found religion, praying fervently: Please, let us not go to Seronial tomorrow!