The Protagonist 'Gong' Became my Wife - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Risking Your Life

Ding! Today’s plot mission is complete!

Ho—st—, it looks like Li Chuan has noticed you after all.

77 sat perched on top of Gu Zhuo’s head. It had tucked its little wings away and transformed them into two tiny hands, gripping two strands of Gu Zhuo’s hair. Its voice resonated in Gu Zhuo’s mind, sounding slightly distorted against the whistling wind.

Let him. His bodyguards are like they’re made of paper anyway; I could flatten one with a single punch,Gu Zhuo replied nonchalantly.

He used his mental power to adhere to the two wheels. The frame of the vehicle even hovered slightly off the ground, its speed breaking past the inherent limitations of a small electric scooter. The trees along the road blurred into retreating afterimages.

His heart raced uncontrollably from the extreme speed, blood surging through his limbs and delivering signals of excitement. He thought with a hint of regret: Why can’t it be faster? Fast enough that I lose control, and then…

His extreme thoughts were interrupted as Gu Zhuo was distracted by a sharp pain in his abdomen. The speed of the scooter finally slowed down.

From behind him came Jiang Yanning’s furious, unbearable scolding: “Are you trying to kill us?! Drag racing just because there are no traffic police here? Don’t you see how dangerous that was!”

During that burst of lethal speed, Jiang Yanning’s face had turned white with terror. Various horrific images of their deaths flashed through his mind; he had even imagined who would come to collect his corpse. If he hadn’t decisively pinched Gu Zhuo’s waist, the scooter probably would have disintegrated halfway through the trip.

Gu Zhuo obediently slowed down, grumbling internally: This is nothing. I’ve traversed black holes in deep space.

Jiang Yanning, however, no longer trusted him with the “vehicle.” After forcing him to stop, Jiang Yanning took off the only helmet and placed it on Gu Zhuo’s head. With a long stride, he sat in the driver’s seat. Seeing Gu Zhuo motionless, he urged him on.

“Get on, hurry up. I’m not leaving my life in your hands.”

Gu Zhuo touched the helmet and slowly sat on the back seat. “You should wear this; I’ll be fine.”

Jiang Yanning placed his hands on the handlebars and started the scooter, his tone brooking no refusal. “Just wear it. You can hold onto my waist.” Then he added a quiet curse: “Young people always love a thrill. In the old days, I would have pinned you to the ground and given you a beating to make you remember this lesson.”

Jiang Yanning drove much more steadily at a moderate pace that actually made Gu Zhuo feel a bit drowsy.

Gu Zhuo recalled the intense hatred he had glimpsed on Li Chuan’s face when they escaped the banquet. He couldn’t help but feel curious. How did Jiang Yanning provoke Li Chuan? The original plot didn’t detail it, at least not in the main text.

Since he thought of it, he asked. Jiang Yanning moved his lips, suddenly feeling a desire to confide.

“Actually, back when I was in school, Li Chuan, Li Mengze, Ji Zenan, and Wen Xiyu were all my ‘underlings’.”

Perhaps because the night breeze was so comfortable, Jiang Yanning discussed his former self for the first time since “that incident.” That high-spirited, unruly self.

During the years before the Jiang family fell and before his father revealed his true face, Jiang Yanning had a very happy childhood. He had a gentle mother, a doting father, friends to play with, and an older sister who made him sweet cookies. In that environment, Jiang Yanning was perhaps spoiled a bit too much.

After getting into high school, he became obsessed with being a “boss.” He thought the scene of having everyone answer his call was very cool. His friends didn’t quite understand, but they respected it. They were tricked into joining his “squad.”

Once or twice a week, they would be late or leave early, or he would rally half the boys during PE class to go to an internet cafe. If he saw thugs bullying someone on the street, Jiang Yanning’s soul of justice would burn, and he’d rush forward to subdue them. He often ended up covered in bruises, secretly crying while going to the neighbor’s sister to get patched up. In front of outsiders, however, he didn’t like being called a hero; he insisted he was the “School Bully.”

Those chuunibyou days were so long ago that Jiang Yanning wanted to laugh just talking about them. In the back seat, Gu Zhuo imagined the scene and suddenly wanted to see that version of Jiang Yanning.

But Jiang Yanning’s mood suddenly dropped.

“That sister who was so, so good to me… was Li Chuan’s biological sister, Li Tong.”

Li Tong was a gentle person who was kind to everyone. Back then, Li Chuan often bragged about having a good sister. Of course, he’d also get jealous because Li Tong was sometimes nicer to Jiang Yanning than to him. Such a good person, yet in the year Jiang Yanning turned twenty, she went abroad alone and died there.

The person who helped her escape was Jiang Yanning.

When news of her death arrived, Li Chuan went insane on the spot. He grabbed a kitchen knife and tried to rush out the door; fortunately, his parents stopped him, and he wasn’t allowed out until his emotions stabilized. As for Jiang Yanning, he felt incomparable remorse. If he hadn’t helped her, would everything be different?

Later, the police investigation concluded that Li Tong’s death was purely an accident and Jiang Yanning was not involved. But Li Chuan couldn’t move past it. Over the next eight years, his hatred accumulated bit by bit into what it was today.

“Even though I didn’t kill her, Sister Li Tong went abroad with my help. So, I’ve never proactively provoked Li Chuan. But today, he was truly a bit too much.”

His waist was suddenly hugged tightly. Jiang Yanning broke out of his remorseful mood and heard Gu Zhuo say solemnly: “Does he often treat you like this? Like today? I can go kill him for you.”

The silent kind of kill.

Jiang Yanning slapped the back of his hand. “I’m telling you this so you understand, not so you pity me. Just listen; nothing else is your business.”

Gu Zhuo didn’t reply. Jiang Yanning twisted the throttle, preparing to accelerate through an intersection. Just as he started, a white-gloved hand pressed down on the front of the scooter.

The traffic policeman, with a grim face, pointed at the top of Jiang Yanning’s head.

“Not wearing a helmet. Fifty yuan fine!”

The twenty-eight-year-old CEO received the first traffic ticket of his life. He had to stand there with a stiff face and be lectured by the policeman for half an hour. Along with that, he posted the most humiliating social media update of his life. Beside him, Gu Zhuo looked at the sky and the ground, pretending he saw nothing.

Jiang Yanning, in a fit of pique, snatched the ticket and stormed off dozens of meters.

…

It wasn’t early anymore. Between riding the scooter home alone or hitching a ride in the car Jiang Yanning had called, Gu Zhuo chose the latter without hesitation.

Sitting in the spacious back seat, Jiang Yanning found a comfortable position and leaned back. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his neck and hissed.

Gu Zhuo turned to ask, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Yanning’s voice was muffled. “Not sure. Maybe I accidentally got swiped by a baton during the scuffle and hit my neck. I’m only feeling the pain now. Help me take a look.”

The two of them had just experienced a life-or-death situation together, so Jiang Yanning trusted Gu Zhuo a bit more. The light was dim, so Jiang Yanning turned on the small reading light in the back seat, leaned over, and offered his neck to Gu Zhuo.

Pulling aside the collar, that patch of delicate skin was slightly flushed. It looked like a piece of soft cake, tempting Gu Zhuo to take a bite. Jiang Yanning had no idea how provocative this gesture appeared to an Alpha.

Gu Zhuo licked his itching canine teeth, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he slowly reached out his hand. The moment his burning fingers made contact, Jiang Yanning shuddered uncontrollably.

After a moment, Gu Zhuo withdrew his fingers, his voice normal. “It’s not swollen. It shouldn’t be a big deal; it’ll probably be fine tomorrow.”

However, as his gaze swept over the faint flame-shaped mark on the back of the neck, he took advantage of the fact that no one could detect it and wantonly released pheromones representing courtship. He wrapped Jiang Yanning tightly within them.

The scent of bitter coffee seeped from the clothes into every inch of skin, driving out all other scents, showing its possessiveness with bared fangs and claws.

Jiang Yanning adjusted his collar and suddenly sniffed. He thought of a question he had wanted to ask for a long time but hadn’t found the chance. “What brand is your perfume? It’s very unique.”

Gu Zhuo’s pupils contracted; he almost crushed the phone in his hand.

How can he smell my pheromones?

No.

He’s complimenting the way my pheromones smell!

How… How could Jiang Yanning be so brazen! This was in a car; it was so inappropriate…

The partition in the car had long been raised. Under the dim light, Gu Zhuo’s face turned bright red, like a bubbling teakettle steaming from the inside out. Jiang Yanning was startled and leaned in slightly closer.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Gu Zhuo didn’t answer. Jiang Yanning assumed he had guessed correctly. “Where are you hurt? Do you want to go to the hospital?”

Gu Zhuo, who had just had 77 injected him with a dose of inhibitor, relaxed his body. “No, no need. This perfume is out of print; you can’t buy it.”

Jiang Yanning felt a bit regretful. Thinking he might not smell it again, he inexplicably took a few deep breaths. Gu Zhuo, with his acute hearing, noticed this movement and nearly felt his blood boil again. An eighteen-year-old “innocent” college student is, after all, easily excited.

After the journey, the car finally stopped at Gu Zhuo’s doorstep. Before getting out, Jiang Yanning sent a message and instructed Gu Zhuo without looking up.

“I’ve already had someone go pick up your scooter. It will be at your door by tomorrow morning. Send me your detailed address so it doesn’t interfere with your school.”

“Um, okay. Goodbye, President Jiang.” Gu Zhuo waved awkwardly. This was the parting etiquette of this world.

Jiang Yanning happened to look up, his cold expression softening slightly as he also waved. “Thanks for today. I’ll buy you dinner some other day.”

The taillights disappeared around the corner in an instant. Gu Zhuo realized that Jiang Yanning was thanking him for the help at the banquet.

Some other day. Would that be tomorrow?

…

After washing up, Jiang Yanning lay in bed, but his neck still felt strange—it itched even when touched. He found a large medical bandage to cover it, which made it feel better. Smelling the exceptionally long-lasting scent of bitter coffee on his skin, he fell into a dream.

History repeated itself. This time, he landed in a pitch-black room. No, it wasn’t entirely black. Near the ceiling was a small window surrounded by iron bars, only large enough for an adult male’s head to fit through. The only light was the glow penetrating from there.

The child on the bed seemed terrified of this light, huddling in a dark corner, tiny hands clutching the quilt to cover his head, body shivering under the sheets.

After an unknown amount of time, the door was suddenly opened. A bag of liquid was tossed in from outside. Hearing the noise, the child scrambled to the door, peering through the crack with eyes soaked in tears. Long eyelashes trembled as tears overflowed.

A tender child’s voice carried a sob. “Mama, don’t go! I won’t go outside anymore, Mama! Please come in and stay with me, okay?”

The woman outside was silent for a moment, let out a soft sigh, and compromised: “It’s good that you know you were wrong. Mama won’t go in; I’ll stay here and watch you finish the nutrient solution. No more crying, do you understand?”

The child sniffed and nodded vigorously. “Mm! No crying! Mama doesn’t like it!”

The woman seemed amused. She opened the nutrient solution and handed it to the child’s lips. “You’re the goodest boy. Drink it up.”

The child lowered his head slightly, holding the bag with both hands, drinking in small sips.

Slower. A little slower. Then Mama can stay with me for the ‘meal’ a bit longer.