Chapter 230: Canceling the Engagement

The atmosphere in the room was suffocatingly oppressive.

For a moment, Su Yan actually didn't dare to look Gu Yang directly in the eyes.

However, the words had already been spoken; there was no turning back once the arrow had been shot.

After an unknown amount of time had passed, just as Su Yan was beginning to lose her composure, Gu Yang finally spoke.

"Fine, I understand."

There were no words of regret; his agreement came as a complete surprise to Su Yan.

She froze slightly, not quite understanding his meaning.

Did he agree?

Looking at her current state, Gu Yang gave a helpless smile.

"I won't force you. If you feel that you are a burden, then our marriage will be void. However, the marriage was arranged by our elders, so once Uncle Su wakes up, we can just explain it to the elders of both sides."

Su Yan hadn't expected him to agree so readily, and a strange sensation stirred in her heart.

But she quickly pushed it to the back of her mind, and her entire body relaxed.

"Alright. As long as we are both clear on it, it's fine."

Gu Yang nodded. "Since we aren't in that kind of relationship, can we still be friends?"

This time, Su Yan did not hesitate at all. "Of course."

"That would be good," Gu Yang murmured, a flash of hurt crossing his eyes beneath his lowered lashes.

By the time he raised his eyes again, he had returned to his usual self.

"It's getting late, I should head back. You should get some rest too. This place is very close to the publishing house; while you are in the capital, I will continue to act as your host."

Su Yan felt that this was already the best possible outcome.

After giving a few simple instructions, Gu Yang left with an air of casualness.

Su Yan was left alone in the room. Her mind was incredibly calm as she replayed every word of her conversation with Gu Yang. Did it all seem too easy?

After all, Gu Yang had previously shown great enthusiasm toward her, making her believe for a time that this man actually held some genuine feelings for her. But now, it seemed she had merely been overthinking it.

Gu Yang must have been forced to accept being with her because of that arranged marriage, right?

Perhaps he had been waiting for her to be the one to bring it up.

Thinking of this, her somewhat low mood improved slightly; as for those messy, complicated feelings, they no longer mattered.

It was over.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

The sound of knocking on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Su Yan, it's us."

Ma Chulan's voice drifted in.

Su Yan opened the door, and the siblings walked in.

"Brother Gu has left?" Ma Chulan was somewhat surprised; she hadn't expected Gu Yang to leave so quickly, and she noticed that Su Yan's expression wasn't great. "Your complexion looks a bit poor. Are you alright?"

Su Yan blinked in confusion. "Is it?"

Ma Chulan and Ma Chulong exchanged a glance, then nodded together.

"It really is a bit poor," Ma Chulong added in affirmation.

Su Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. While breaking off the engagement with Gu Yang wasn't exactly a joyous occasion, it shouldn't have made her look that bad, right?

"You're seeing things. While we were at the publishing house just now, did you notice anything?"

She denied it first to end the topic.

Ma Chulong's expression turned serious. "We also thought it was very strange. There was absolutely nothing unusual there. But Ghost Shadow clearly stated that the man following you and the Feng family members met at that location. Even if that man wasn't drawing attention, the Feng family members couldn't possibly be employees of the publishing house."

"Is it possible that one of the Feng family members from before was working at the publishing house under the identity of an ordinary person?" Ma Chulan proposed the possibility.

Ma Chulong immediately denied it. "You forgot, Ghost Shadow said that when the man saw the Feng family member, the person was wearing a mask. Do they work at a publishing house wearing masks?"

Ma Chulan was momentarily speechless; it indeed seemed unlikely.

Su Yan's gaze deepened. "Can we wake Ghost Shadow up now?"

Something must have gone wrong in one of the links.

Ma Chulong looked troubled. "I'm afraid not. Ghost Shadow is at a critical stage of recovery. Waking it prematurely might cause problems."

Su Yan immediately abandoned the idea.

Ma Chulan grew impatient. "Then what do we do next?"

Su Yan said, "The Kong family said they were coming to the capital to attend a Zhou family event. What kind of event do you think it is? Will the Feng family show up as well?"

The eyes of both siblings lit up.

How could they have forgotten such an important matter!

"If it goes according to what the Kong family said, the Feng family will definitely come to join the fun—and it probably won't be just the Feng family," Ma Chulong said with a half-smile. This was indeed a great breakthrough point.

"I'll contact the family right now to see what the situation is."

There was no reason why the Kong family received an invitation while their Ma family did not.

Seeing that he understood her meaning, Su Yan said no more.

"Alright."

In the evening, Gu Yang, who should have returned to his dormitory, sat alone in a corner of a tavern, drinking gloomily.

He needed to adjust his mindset as quickly as possible so that he could handle his future interactions with Su Yan properly.

"Editor Gu, it really is you?"

Liu Yiyi suddenly appeared beside him, looking both surprised and delighted.

Gu Yang lifted his eyelids to glance at her, then continued drinking on his own.

Liu Yiyi sat directly opposite him, her face filled with concern.

"Editor Gu, why are you drinking here all by yourself? Where is your fiancée?"

As she spoke, she began to scan the surroundings.

Gu Yang still ignored her, treating her as if she were nothing more than air.

Seeing no sign of Su Yan, a flirtatious charm surfaced on Liu Yiyi's face.

"Editor Gu, you didn't have a fight with your fiancée, did you?"

Gu Yang naturally did not answer.

"Drinking alone is so boring. How about I accompany Editor Gu for a few drinks?" Liu Yiyi cast aside her usual dignified and restrained demeanor, appearing like a completely different person.

When her fingers touched the wine bottle, Gu Yang finally spoke coldly.

"No need. Don't disturb me."

Liu Yiyi's movements paused, but the smile on her face grew even more brilliant as she unconsciously leaned toward Gu Yang.

"Editor Gu, we are colleagues after all. Can't you be a bit nicer to people? Besides, that fiancée of yours looks like a green apple—what's so good about her?"

As she spoke, she accentuated her proud curves.

Little did she know, her words had touched Gu Yang's bottom line.

"Get lost."

He rarely used profanity unless he couldn't help himself.

A crack appeared in Liu Yiyi's composure, but she refused to believe there was a man she couldn't handle.

"If Editor Gu doesn't like hearing it, then Yiyi won't say any more. But we can at least drink, right?"

Gu Yang looked at the unyielding Liu Yiyi with a deep, inscrutable gaze.

Soon, Liu Yiyi picked up a full glass and, in an attempt to please him, downed it in one bold gulp.

To her surprise, Gu Yang did not force her to leave; under her enthusiastic assault, he actually began to drink with her.

Liu Yiyi laughed triumphantly in her heart. *Men are all the same, no different at all.*

(End of Chapter)