Transmigrated as the Villain’s Cannon Fodder Ex-Husband - Chapter 2

The hall fell into a profound silence.

Gu Jia brushed away the remaining black ash from his fingertips and rose from his seat. His gaze chillingly cold yet intensely calm fell directly upon the figure on the stage.

Yi Sen. His lover and husband from his past life, but also his cold-blooded betrayer and executioner. He was the nightmare Gu Jia would never forget. The image of Yi Sen smiling with blood at the corner of his mouth as he committed suicide before Gu Jia’s eyes on the day of the group’s bankruptcy felt as fresh as yesterday.

Gu Jia clenched his fists and stepped forward. Stopping before Zhao Yisen, he raised his wine glass, his dark gold eyes hiding a terrifying hint of “pity.”

Seeing the approach, Wang Baobao immediately handed a glass to Zhao Yisen. This was the first ritual of the engagement party: the ceremonial exchange of champagne.

Noticing his young master was still frozen in place, sweat broke out on Wang Baobao’s forehead like a dam bursting. “Young… Young Master…”

Zhao Yisen finally snapped back to his senses as if waking from a dream, reaching out to take the flute from the butler’s hand.

As Wang Baobao retreated with the tray, he kept stealing glances at the two men in the center of the hall. An ominous premonition began to bloom in his heart: President Gu is so strange today. Meeting the Young Master, he’s neither smiling nor speaking.

Yi Sen had always hated tedious ceremonies. Therefore, today’s engagement party featured no parents from either side and no sentimental master of ceremonies giving long-winded speeches.

Zhao Yisen watched blankly as the tall, handsome man turned to stand beside him, facing the guests below the stage. Enveloped by the scent of the man’s cologne, Zhao Yisen swallowed hard and stole a peek at Gu Jia.

The man’s face was cold and detached. He looked to be only in his twenties, yet his aura was like something forged through years of trial like a Mauser pistol made of fine steel. One look was enough to make one’s skin crawl.

So handsome… is this the world of “2D” characters?

Having accepted the reality of his transmigration, Zhao Yisen fully leaned into his nature as a “visual-oriented” person. The man’s looks and physique hit every one of his aesthetic preferences. According to the butler’s reaction, this man was indeed his fiancé.

There’s actually such a good deal in life?!

However, before Zhao Yisen could formulate a specific thought, the man’s hand expertly climbed up his back. Through the thin white shirt, he squeezed Zhao Yisen’s waist and pulled him closer to his side.

These movements were intimate yet domineering. Zhao Yisen a veteran reader of “steamy” web novels felt his body jolt once more. Could it be… that this is actually an “adult” CEO novel?!

Zhao was young and couldn’t hide his emotions. His face turned red to the tips of his ears, and almost reflexively, he looked up at Gu Jia with a smile that was part shy and part pleading for mercy.

Seeing this, the shrewd socialites below turned away, stealing meaningful glances at President Gu.

Gu Jia, who hadn’t intended any of that: “…”

He looked down, his expressionless face meeting Zhao Yisen’s upturned little face. In his previous life, his dead ex-husband was like a beautiful and dangerous Black Mamba; a single provocative glance was enough to make a man bankrupt his family just to win the beauty’s smile.

But now, Zhao Yisen’s light purple eyes were as clear as a fawn’s. His cheeks were flushed, and his gaze was like shimmering water this arrogant, noble Young Master of the Yi family was actually acting like a defenseless novice in love, like a pink rosebud waiting to be plucked.

Gu Jia’s expression shifted like a color palette before he let out a cold sneer.

What kind of seductive trick is this now?

Zhao Yisen slowly withdrew his gaze like a little white rabbit when he felt the warmth at his waist vanish. He didn’t notice the malice hidden in Gu Jia’s smile at all.

He tentatively raised his glass. “Do we clink glasses now?”

Gu Jia’s expression flickered for a moment before he arched an eyebrow. “Fine.”

Under the witness of the elite crowd, the two posed for the ceremonial toast. The man in the black suit kept his eyelashes half-lowered. The pale gold champagne in his hand bubbled softly, but upon closer inspection, the bottom of the flute was coated with a fine white powder that hadn’t yet dissolved.

If the “original” Yi Sen were here, he would surely recognize it as an expensive chronic poison. Three hours after ingestion, the victim would die without a single traceable mark.

Gu Jia took a step forward, his face a mask of indifference.

Everything from the past ends here.

The crystal chandeliers overhead refracted into a myriad of colorful spots of light. The glasses clinked with a crisp sound. He coldly lifted his hand, bringing the flute to Zhao Yisen’s lips. Zhao tilted his head back, and the pale gold champagne flowed rapidly toward his mouth.

Seeing the ceremony proceeding smoothly, Wang Baobao who was watching from below suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold as his eyes met Gu Jia’s. His heart skipped a beat.

Must be an illusion, right?

The butler pulled a stack of white handkerchiefs from his pocket, intending to wipe the sweat from his brow, when a sudden, loud BANG echoed from the entrance of the hall.

“Let go of me!”

The next moment, a handsome young man broke free from the bodyguards and rushed in, kneeling pathetically on the floor.

“Yi Sen!”

The man’s voice trembled, and his eyes were bloodshot. “You, how can you get engaged to someone else… didn’t you say you’d be with me forever? Was everything before just a lie?”

The ceremonial toast was abruptly interrupted by a classic “devoted male supporting character” trope. Zhao Yisen’s shoulders shook as he began to cough violently, and the champagne at his lips was never swallowed.

Gu Jia: “…”

The hall instantly erupted into an uproar. “Isn’t that the second son of the Zhao family?” “He and Master Yi… how?”

With only half a glass of champagne left, Gu Jia narrowed his eyes. He withdrew his hand as if nothing had happened, his features adopting a look of “shaken surprise” just like the rest of the crowd.

In reality, Gu Jia’s surprise was extremely limited. In his previous life’s engagement party, the exact same drama had occurred before the toast. However, the Gu Jia of that year had loved Yi Sen so much that he had the intruders dragged away and everything settled before Yi Sen even had to speak.

Though his plan had been disrupted, Gu Jia wasn’t angry. He took a step back with his champagne, half his face hidden in the shadows, watching the scene at the door like a spectator. The two bodyguards who chased the man in were Gu Jia’s confidants; they understood the silent cue and bowed while closing the hall doors.

In the chaos, Zhao Jiahao stood up with red eyes.

Zhao Jiahao was the second son of the Zhao merchant family. He had been a playboy since childhood, and his scandalous deeds were well known. While studying in the UK, he met Yi Sen. He didn’t originally like men, but over time, he truly lost his heart to him.

Unfortunately, Yi Sen only saw him as a plaything and dumped him the moment he found a new favorite. After the breakup, Zhao Jiahao cried every day, eventually dropping out of school to follow Yi Sen back home, only to be placed under house arrest by his elder brother. It was only because a servant slipped up that he learned of today’s engagement and rushed here like a man possessed.

A heartbroken Zhao Jiahao clenched his fists and pointed at Gu Jia on the stage, shrieking, “I don’t believe it! That man must be forcing you!”

“Master… Master Zhao, you can’t say such things!” Wang Baobao’s frame shook as he stepped between the three, trying to control the situation. He looked Zhao Jiahao up and down and felt a wave of misery. This Master Zhao looked like a “pretty boy” type definitely not his master’s type. Clearly, this was just another romantic debt his master had incurred.

Strangely, President Gu’s face on stage was as cold as ice, yet he made no move to intervene. A helpless Wang Baobao could only put on a “bitter melon” face and wink frantically at the bodyguards: What are you standing there for? Hurry up and drag him away!!!

The bodyguards at the door acted as if they didn’t see him at all. To drive the point home to Wang Baobao, they even pulled sunglasses from their suit pockets and put them on coolly.

Wang Baobao: “…”

Just as “Bitter Melon” Wang Baobao fell into despair, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see his young master walking gracefully down the stage, stopping in front of Zhao Jiahao.

“Don’t get so agitated.”

Zhao Yisen’s voice was clear and pleasant, filled with a calm composure that seemed to possess a magical, soothing power.

Seeing his master take the initiative to clean up his own mess for the first time, Wang Baobao was shocked!!!

Before Zhao Yisen, Zhao Jiahao’s breath hitched. Seeing the face, he thought of day and night, the fire in the Zhao family’s second son turned into a flowing stream. His nose prickled with sorrow as he thought of the endless nights he spent tossing and turning in longing. He had so much to say, yet he didn’t know where to start.

“Yi Sen…”

After a few sobs, he awkwardly looked away and wiped his face with his sleeve. The eyes of the socialites below moved like they were watching a ping-pong match now this way, now that way. President Gu remained on stage, watching the show.

“…”

Facing the pitiful noble before him, Zhao Yisen hesitated. However, in Zhao Jiahao’s perspective, his former lover now looked at him with eyes full of hidden affection and a slight frown, as if he had a secret hardship. The expression wasn’t a forced charm, but something natural that sparked infinite tenderness in his heart.

Before Zhao Yisen could say another word, Zhao Jiahao had already invented ten thousand “unavoidable” reasons why Yi Sen had broken up with him.

“Yi Sen…”

He recklessly grabbed Zhao Yisen’s hand, his fingertips brushing against Zhao’s knuckles as if reliving their happy past. He seemed to gain infinite strength from this brief contact and glared at Gu Jia like a newborn calf that didn’t fear the tiger.

Gu Jia met his gaze coldly. The socialites below felt their hearts tighten and avoided the eye contact. Zhao Jiahao was just a pampered playboy; under Gu Jia’s abyssal gaze, he quickly lost heart.

Perhaps knowing he couldn’t compete with Gu Jia, Zhao Jiahao grew desperate, and words came out without a filter. “Yi Sen, come with me! Let’s leave this place together…”

The second Master Zhao’s words grew increasingly scandalous. Wang Baobao felt a chill down his spine; seeing that President Gu’s gaze was about to pierce through him, he moved to separate the two.

But just as he took a step, he saw his master offer a friendly smile a smile so sincere that one had to stop and listen. Even Wang Baobao paused.

Zhao Yisen: “Um, do we know each other?”

“…”

A deathly silence permeated the air. Zhao Jiahao froze as if he had been shot. Finally, it was Gu Jia’s laughter that broke the deadlock.

He stared at the bubbling champagne in his hand before suddenly slamming the flute onto the floor.

Caught in the middle, Wang Baobao shook like a sieve.

As the glass shattered with a sharp crack, Zhao Jiahao erupted in a frenzy. He reached out to grab Zhao Yisen’s throat, but the two bodyguards immediately rushed over and pinned him. The second son’s arms were twisted into a “Chinese knot.” He began to spew profanities first in Chinese, then, perhaps feeling it wasn’t enough, he switched to a mix of English and French curses from his time abroad.

Gu Jia glanced at him indifferently. The bodyguards understood, tore a piece of cloth from Zhao Jiahao’s shirt, stuffed it in his mouth, and dragged him away.

Zhao Yisen had no idea that a simple question could cause such a storm. Having never experienced such a shock, he took a few steps back, bumping straight into Gu Jia as he walked down the stage.

Gu Jia looked at him and offered a polite, yet strangely eerie smile.

The Aftermath

The engagement party was cut short by the “accident.” The guests remained tight-lipped about the details, and the journalists left in disappointment. Soon after, Gu Jia released a statement claiming he would pick another auspicious day to make up for the incident.

In the villa’s basement, where many fine vintages were stored, Gu Jia stood before a massive, dust-covered wine rack. His well-defined fingers toyed with an empty champagne flute. His assistant stood silently behind him.

There was no light in the basement. He lightly tapped the side of the glass with a fingertip, his voice carrying a trace of chill. “None of them are talking outside, are they?”

The assistant lowered his head and adjusted his glasses. “Rest assured, President Gu. Everything has been settled.”

Gu Jia didn’t stop tapping. The sound echoed in the empty basement, sounding somewhat uncanny. The assistant added hastily: “Master Zhao was given a ‘family punishment’ after being sent home. I heard his skin was torn open from the beating; he’s been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.”

After a long pause, Gu Jia finally uttered a soft “Mhm.”

The assistant bowed, trying to read the CEO’s mind. He spoke hesitantly: “There is one more thing…”

“Master Yi’s butler also took people to the hospital.”

The tapping stopped instantly. Gu Jia turned, his eyes staring straight at the assistant’s nose, signaling him to continue.

The assistant spoke cautiously: “I heard that before the party; Master Yi choked on his wine and suffered a lack of oxygen to the brain. His memory and cognition are now scrambled.”

“And even his personality, is completely different from before.”