Chapter 312: Escaped

“Of course it counts. I promised Auntie Kong I would take good care of you, and I will definitely do so!”

Gu Yang had never intended to deny that.

Kong Nian, however, was not satisfied with such an answer at all. She raised her voice, “That engagement belongs to me!”

A shadow flickered across Gu Yang's face; he had completely failed to expect her to be this stubborn.

“Miss Kong, please calm down. In truth, there are no romantic feelings between us whatsoever. If we hadn't happened to run into each other this time, perhaps we would never have met again.”

Originally, he didn't want to say these things. She clearly remembered everything, yet she had never once appeared during the past decade or so—that alone was enough to explain her choice.

For a moment, Kong Nian was left speechless.

Gu Yang let out a heavy breath. “You have your own mission and responsibilities. Wouldn't it be better to just treat all of this as if it never happened?”

Kong Nian was completely enveloped in a wave of fury, the veins on her arms faintly bulging.

“Brother Gu Yang, are you blaming me for not looking for you in the past?”

“I am not blaming you. It's just that since we both have our own paths now, we should continue to stick to them.”

Gu Yang felt he had expressed himself clearly enough, and that she should understand.

After staring at him blankly for a few seconds, Kong Nian suddenly let out a disdainful laugh, which eventually escalated into actual laughter.

Gu Yang watched her calmly, making no unnecessary reaction.

Once Kong Nian had laughed her fill, she looked at Gu Yang again as if she had become a different person.

Cold and heartless.

“I see. In the end, it's just that you've changed your heart. It turns out those promises from our youth are so worthless. But do you really understand that Su Yan? You claim to love her, but what about her?”

Gu Yang's expression darkened; in the end, it had come down to Su Yan.

“That is our business.”

He directly drew a line between Kong Nian and himself and Su Yan.

For the first time, Kong Nian experienced what jealousy felt like, and she found it utterly ridiculous.

“You really are heartless toward me. Is this how you 'take care' of me?”

Gu Yang felt a heavy sense of oppression. If there was anyone in this world he least wanted to hurt, it was her.

“Kong Xiaoming, why must it come to this?”

Even without love, they could still be family.

“Fine! I won't mention the past ever again.” Kong Nian's cold words were even chillier than a piercing winter wind.

Gu Yang felt helpless; the remaining matters could only be left to time. Sooner or later, she would realize that there were no such feelings between them, and that everything happening now was merely an obsession born from a sudden encounter.

“However...” A shadow loomed in the depths of Kong Nian's eyes, “sooner or later, I will take back everything that belongs to me!”

Gu Yang's brow furrowed tightly as an ominous premonition rose in his heart.

“What do you intend to do?”

Kong Nian gave a cold snort. “Then I shall simply wish you true success here!”

Every word she spoke was forced out of her throat, syllable by syllable, filled with hatred.

Gu Yang felt almost suffocated. He knew Kong Nian's capabilities; if she truly decided to do something to them, it would likely be a massive trouble for him and Su Yan.

“Miss Kong...”

Kong Nian gave him no chance to continue speaking and strode away.

Gu Yang stood where he was, his uneasy gaze following Kong Nian's receding figure. Things seemed to be developing in the direction he most hoped they wouldn't.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

“Su Yan, are you in your room? Something happened!”

The Ma siblings, Chu Long and Chu Lan, were knocking urgently on Su Yan's door.

*Click.*

The door opened, and Su Yan walked out.

“What happened?”

Ma Chu Long immediately said, “Liu Yiyi has escaped.”

Su Yan's gaze paused, her expression turning sharp.

“How could such a thing happen?”

That was the territory of the Special Operations Team; how could someone actually escape?!

The expressions of Ma Chu Long and Ma Chu Lan were also very grim.

Though it was hard to believe, it was indeed true.

“Captain Du just contacted me. He's worried that after Liu Yiyi escapes, she might come looking for trouble for you and Gu Yang.”

A shadow crossed Su Yan's eyes. How did Liu Yiyi dare to come looking for her? But as for Gu Yang...

“I'll call Brother Gu first to tell him the news, then we'll head over.”

She made a decisive move and immediately returned to her room.

***

Night fell.

Gu Yang was still busy. By the time he finished processing all the documents on his desk and looked up, the sky outside had turned completely dark.

Stretching his somewhat numb arms, he realized there were still some calls to make, so he planned to take a short break before continuing.

Suddenly, a figure passed by the window.

At this hour, all the employees of the publishing house should have already finished work. He immediately stood up and walked toward the door.

Because the other party had made no sound, he instinctively became somewhat defensive.

The door opened quickly, and a face suddenly appeared before him.

“Editor-in-Chief Gu...”

Gu Yang's breath hitched. He was never a cowardly man, but he was still startled by the visitor.

Auntie Wang, standing outside the door, was holding a dim kerosene lamp. Under the light, her entire face looked sallow and yellowish.

It took Gu Yang a full two seconds to react before he found himself caught between laughter and tears.

“Auntie Wang, why haven't you left work yet?”

Auntie Wang said with a smile, “I was about to leave, but then I saw the light still on in your room. Is Editor-in-Chief Gu working overtime again?”

Gu Yang nodded. “Yes, there's still some work left.”

“Young people certainly have drive. I saw the light in your room wasn't very bright, so I lit an extra kerosene lamp to bring to you.” As Auntie Wang spoke, she handed over the lamp.

Gu Yang glanced at the lit 25-watt lightbulb; it was definitely much brighter than a kerosene lamp.

“Auntie Wang, I have electric lights in my office. Using this would be a waste.”

“It's not a waste. Editor-in-Chief Gu, you don't know, but for some reason lately, there have been frequent power outages. Keep this as a backup so you don't run into trouble in the dark.”

Unable to refuse such kindness, Gu Yang had no choice but to accept it.

Auntie Wang smiled exceptionally happily. “Editor-in-Chief Gu, work hard! I'm heading home now.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow, Auntie Wang.”

“See you tomorrow.”

After seeing Auntie Wang off, Gu Yang turned back to his office carrying the kerosene lamp.

Since the electric light was on, he simply extinguished the kerosene lamp and set it aside.

He checked the time: 7:34 PM.

Picking up the receiver, he dialed the number of the person he needed to contact.

***

At the hotel.

*Beep... beep... beep...*

Listening to the continuous busy signal coming through the receiver, Su Yan's expression was so dark it could have dripped water.

She was calling the landline in Gu Yang's office, but it wouldn't connect.

“Still nothing?”

Ma Chu Long and Ma Chu Lan were sweating from anxiety beside her. Normally it wouldn't matter, but at such a critical moment, they both had a bad premonition.

Su Yan decisively hung up the phone. “Let's go. To the publishing house.”

(End of Chapter)