Chapter 410: Huo Sicheng, You Never Loved Me, Did You?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Gu Qingcheng was left speechless by Lu Chi’s question.
Her gaze remained fixed on Lu Chi’s right hand as it extended toward her, her heart awash with complex emotions.
After a moment, she softly asked, “I want to ask you, did you…
“To you, what?”
Gu Qingcheng bit her lip. “Well… that…”
“What about that?” Lu Chi’s brow furrowed in confusion at Gu Qingcheng’s hesitant expression. “Just say what you want to say. It’s unlike you to stutter.” With a complicated look, Gu Qingcheng took a deep breath. “Why are you reaching out to me?” she inquired.
“For my phone. Give me the phone you used to call me.” Lu Chi glanced first at his hand, then at Gu Qingcheng. “Why else do you think I would reach out to you?”
Gu Qingcheng, taken aback, sighed in relief. “I thought you had another reason. Why did you take my phone? It’s clearly the shop owner’s number. Why not just check it instead of asking me for it?”
“I’ll delete our call records,” Lu Chi said, heading toward the small shop. “Don’t just sit there. Come on.”
Standing, Gu Qingcheng followed Lu Chi with a rattan chair in tow. “Why delete them?”
“To avoid being blamed.”
“Why would you be blamed?” she pressed.
“You contacted me but not Huo Sicheng…” Lu Chi hinted at something. “Huo Sicheng would surely look for you after your disappearance from Jiang City. It’d be problematic if he found our call records.”
Gu Qingcheng’s expression hardened. “He won’t come looking for me,” she stated quietly.
“Nothing is certain.” Lu Chi nonchalantly added, “Men can jump to conclusions, especially with you vanishing. I don’t want Huo Sicheng to misunderstand.”
“Humph.” Gu Qingcheng realized Lu Chi’s intentions, reminding him, “You’re already seen as Huo Sicheng’s rival at the Gu residence.”
“Huo Sicheng is no fool. He knows that rivalry is a facade.” Lu Chi reached the shop. “Being a scapegoat isn’t ideal. I believe you understand.”
Stopping in her tracks, Gu Qingcheng watched Lu Chi’s retreating figure with mixed feelings.
“Do you know about Ruth?” she asked him, implying whether he was aware of her past ordeal.
“I know nothing,” Lu Chi responded calmly, then shifted the topic. “How long do you think you can avoid Huo Sicheng without him noticing?”
Gu Qingcheng regarded Lu Chi, doubting Ruth had divulged her past as a scapegoat, hence her overthinking.
Hearing Lu Chi speculate on her ability to avoid Huo Sicheng, her expression turned cold, yet her heart ached.
“I’m not hiding from Huo Sicheng. Besides, he’s not in Jiang City. I have no need to hide,” she said, biting her lip.
“He’s abroad?” Lu Chi inquired casually. “No wonder you didn’t call him but reached out to me instead. Even if you did, he couldn’t return promptly.” Gu Qingcheng was stunned. Lu Chi’s words felt like a knife to her heart.
Yes, contacting Huo Sicheng would be futile, as he couldn’t return in time, especially while overseas with Miss Li, who was pregnant with his child. Disturbing his peace with Miss Li was the last thing she wanted, not wanting to interfere in their relationship, given his indifference towards her.
Sensing Gu Qingcheng’s distress, Lu Chi turned to her.
At a glance, he saw her despondent state.
With a sigh, he requested the shopkeeper for the phone, erased their records, and faced Gu Qingcheng.
“Stay at my safe house for now. Huo Sicheng won’t find you there,” he advised. “When you’re ready, you should have a serious talk with Huo Sicheng.” Gu Qingcheng nodded at Lu Chi.
As Lu Chi drove, he glanced at Gu Qingcheng, who stared blankly out the window. “I hope Huo Sicheng doesn’t search for you too long.”
“Huo Sicheng won’t look for me,” Gu Qingcheng replied coldly, her gaze fixed on the night outside.
Lu Chi’s lips twitched, wanting to speak but ultimately choosing silence as he drove on.
Jiang City’s neon lights sparkled under the night sky, casting a surreal glow.
In contrast, the tranquil Wanmei Villa stood under a beautifully serene night sky.
Within the villa, Huo Xuan held an unopened gift from his mother, his expression sullen.
“Did my parents leave in a hurry?” he asked the butler.
“Yes, Young Master,” the butler responded cautiously.
As Huo Xuan was about to speak, he noticed a tall figure in a wheelchair entering the living room.
“Daddy…” Surprised, he put down the gift and ran over joyfully. “Daddy, you’re back.”
Huo Sicheng, with his short black hair and piercing phoenix eyes, sat in his wheelchair with an emperor-like aura, yet his demeanor softened as Huo Xuan hugged him.
“I’m back,” he said softly.
Huo Xuan looked around. “Where’s Mom? Why isn’t she back? The butler mentioned you both left together.”
Huo Sicheng’s expression stiffened at the mention of Gu Qingcheng.
“Mommy didn’t return?”
Where could Gu Qingcheng have gone? Despite ensuring Gu Tianhao was still hospitalized and nothing amiss had occurred, her absence puzzled him.
Could she have visited Qi Shaoze again? The thought pained him deeply.
“She didn’t come back,” Huo Xuan confirmed, noticing her father’s discomfort.
“Did you fight with Mom again?”
Huo Sicheng’s heart ached as he admitted, “Yes, we fought. It’s my fault this time.”
Huo Xuan, familiar with such scenarios, looked disapprovingly at his father..
“What did you do this time to upset Mommy?”