Chapter 88: You Can Hug in the Car

Chapter 88: You Can Hug Me When Riding in the Car

Both helmets rested on the seat, the visors reflecting their silhouettes in the sunset.

Zhao Yu instinctively wanted to push him away, but as soon as he raised his hand, he remembered the injury on the man's back, his hand hovering in midair, stuck between pushing and pulling back.

Gu Hansheng's hoarse voice sounded by his ear, shaky and trembling: "Don't marry him, okay?"

That's when it hit him—Gu Hansheng still didn't know the truth.

"Dr. Zhuang's got everything going for him. Why shouldn't I marry him?" Zhao Yu countered.

"I'll be better than him. I swear." Gu Hansheng wanted to hold him tighter, afraid he would leave but also afraid of hurting him, so even a simple hug felt like a lose-lose situation.

Zhao Yu was taken aback. He'd never heard this man sound so humble before. Like he really couldn't live without him.

But could a man whose arrogance was carved into his bones really change? Could he truly give him the respect and understanding he wanted?

"Thank you for helping me so much, but..."

Zhao Yu paused—a thank you, a but, and the rest was obvious. Before he could finish, he felt something cold and wet drip onto the back of his shoulder, sending a chill through the sea breeze.

"Please."

The man's voice trembled, tears soaking into his clothes one by one, catching Zhao Yu off guard.

During those days he was locked up, Gu Hansheng had flipped through every book on the shelf. Words and punctuation swam through his head, but not a single one could settle him.

Every time he closed his eyes, Zhao Yu's smile and tears blurred together in his mind. Gu Hansheng craved his warmth, his voice, his kiss, his heart burning like it was on fire, replaying every memory until he felt like he'd burn to ash from the inside out.

He was at the end of his rope. No matter what he did, he couldn't win him back. All he could do was make a pathetic promise and beg for another chance.

"Gu Hansheng, do you actually love me?" Zhao Yu couldn't help but ask.

"I love you." His voice was thick with tears, and like he was afraid he hadn't made himself clear enough, he said again: "I love you. I'll prove it to you... please don't leave..."

The man really did seem to be changing for him. The feelings Zhao Yu had buried because he was too scared to give his heart again now pressed against his chest with a dull ache.

Taking that step again felt like carrying a thousand-pound weight. Even without Gu Hansheng, he'd be just fine. Why should he feel sorry for the guy and put himself at risk?

What if this guy went back to his old ways? What would he do then?

Zhao Yu's heart was tugged by logic, but Gu Hansheng's tears slowly dragged it toward another impulse.

He wouldn't even admit it to himself—even after being hurt, he still couldn't forget how it felt when he loved Gu Hansheng the most.

Not loving someone is harder than loving them.

"I can't trust you," Zhao Yu said.

Gu Hansheng hung his head like a prisoner on death row. No matter how much it hurt, it seemed like letting go was the only option.

But he wasn't ready to end this hug—not yet. Just one more minute, one more second, to keep Zhao Yu in his arms.

Zhao Yu paused, then said: "But you can prove it to me."

After a few seconds of silence, Gu Hansheng slowly looked up at him, dazed: "What?"

Seeing Gu Hansheng's red, swollen eyes, Zhao Yu was shocked the guy could cry like that. He cleared his throat and said: "The news was fake. I'm not engaged to Dr. Zhuang."

The sea breeze whipped Gu Hansheng's hair all over the place. Like he couldn't believe it, he asked carefully: "Not engaged?"

"No."

Like a drowning man gasping for air, color slowly came back to Gu Hansheng's face. His eyes stung from the wind. Suddenly he turned away, covering his face, his back and shoulders shaking slightly.

The wind lifted his shirt, showing faint bruises on his back. The moment he took that baton hit for Zhao Yu, he'd already cracked open a door in Zhao Yu's heart.

The luckiest part—by the time he came to his senses and fought to win him back, Zhao Yu hadn't fallen for anyone else yet. So the misplaced feelings had a chance to get back on track.

Zhao Yu turned to grab his helmet, but his wrist was suddenly grabbed. Gu Hansheng hugged him from behind again, saying urgently: "Don't leave."

Zhao Yu held up the helmet: "If I don't go, how are we getting to the hospital? Coming with me, or taking a cab yourself?"

Gu Hansheng answered without hesitation: "I'm coming with you."

Zhao Yu handed him the helmet and added: "I haven't accepted you yet. Don't hug me at every turn."

Gu Hansheng slowly released his hold, murmuring: "Mm."

Zhao Yu put on his helmet and got on the bike. When Gu Hansheng grabbed his clothes from behind, he turned back and said: "You can hug me when riding in the car."

The man who received permission immediately wrapped his arms around his waist, as if afraid he'd change his mind a second later.

This time, Zhao Yu kept the speed slower, driving along the coastline toward the bustling city. The sun gradually sank, dyeing the sea a warm orange. The sunset shifted from amber to pink, and the sky, as thin clouds dispersed, grew clearer.

The evening weather was beautiful. The oncoming wind ruffled Zhao Yu's clothes, blowing away the summer heat and bringing a hint of autumn's coolness.

Gu Hansheng had a cracked bone in his back. The doctor said it would heal on its own, gave some instructions, and prescribed medication before sending him off.

Zhao Yu drove him back to his residence. As he left, he saw Gu Hansheng still standing at the door in the rearview mirror.

Even if he'd invited Zhao Yu to stay the night, it would surely have been refused. He went inside and looked in the mirror, touching the stubble on his chin, realizing how disheveled he looked.

Even so, his mood felt like the sky clearing after rain.

Only when the pain in his back flared up violently again did he dare believe what had happened today. The person he had lost had stopped for him once more.

He smiled, and his back throbbed with pain. Only after the ache subsided did everything feel real.

Now, he had every reason to clear away the obstacles blocking his path to love. It wasn't that he couldn't handle the old man—he just didn't want to drag Zhao Yu into it. With his composure restored, he stripped off his wrinkled shirt and tossed it into the trash, shaved clean, and prepared to do what needed to be done—paving the road he intended to walk.

...

A couple of days later, Song Wenhao showed up at Jinyan again. Strolling in boldly, he said to Pang Ze: "Hey, I'm here to support your Chef Zhao's business. Where is he?"

Pang Ze said: "Chef Zhao is busy in the kitchen. I'll have someone ask him. Please follow me to the second floor."

Before long, Zhao Yu pushed open the private room door and set a bowl of cold appetizers in front of Song Wenhao, smiling without warmth: "I didn't blacklist you, and you're already getting cocky? Eat up."

Song Wenhao stared at the bowl of century egg salad, unimpressed: "That's it?"

"Chef's special. Don't be ungrateful." Zhao Yu glanced at his bruised chin: "Did those bodyguards hit you that day?"

"Bullshit!" Song Wenhao picked up a piece of century egg and shoved it into his mouth, thinking to himself—those bodyguards wouldn't dare touch me. This was from my old man when I got home. He added: "Since you've got a little conscience, I'll call a truce with you."

"Who's calling a truce with you? Finish eating and get out."

"Hey! What's wrong with you..."

Song Wenhao started to get up, but Zhao Yu pushed him back down with the tray in his hand.

"Stop making a fuss, or I'll really block you."

"Tsk." Song Wenhao reluctantly ate another piece of preserved egg, grumbling quietly, "How can Old Gu like someone like this? Not a hint of gentleness..."

As Zhao Yu turned to leave, he just happened to catch that. He handed the tray to a waiter, straightened his clothes, and headed back to the kitchen.

A few days passed, and even Song Wenhao had shown up, but Gu Hansheng hadn't so much as shown his face.

Back when he kept getting rejected, Gu Hansheng had been so persistent, but now he wasn't coming around. Zhao Yu slammed the garlic down with a "bang!" sending garlic bits flying near Cao Xu's wok.

"What'd the garlic ever do to you?" Cao Xu asked.

"Nothing." Zhao Yu gave an awkward smile. "This garlic's just kinda hard."

During their afternoon break, someone came to apply for a job. Pang Ze had just led the person in when the fat man came up all smiles and said, "Chef Cao, Chef Zhao, long time no see."

Cao Xu asked, "Why is it you?"

Zhao Yu said, "Master, don't bother with him. He's definitely a spy sent by Che Shijie."

"I'm innocent! I'm not a spy!" The fat man rubbed his hands together nervously and said, "It's just that Yatai's getting to be a tough place to stay..."

"How so? Weren't you Che Shijie's lapdog?"

"I used to run errands for Chef Che... but once Chef Cao left, Chef Che suddenly changed his tune. He wanted to kick me to the curb after I did all his dirty work, like none of it was his idea. He cooked up some excuse to fire me. And he runs the kitchen like a tyrant, making everyone kiss up to him or he'd cut their pay. Several people have been driven away by him."

"So what?" Zhao Yu crossed his arms. "Now you remember how good my master was?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I didn't know any better before." The fat man smiled ingratiatingly. "I know I messed up. Chef Cao, give me a chance. I promise I'll work hard."

Cao Xu pondered for a moment and said, "If you're truly at the end of your rope, I can set you up somewhere. With your skills, that place should be a decent fit."

"Really?! Thank you, Chef Cao! You're like a second father to me!" The fat man was so grateful he looked ready to cry, eagerly stepping up to shake Cao Xu's hand, but Zhao Yu blocked him.

"Alright, quit being someone else's tool."

"Yes, yes, of course!" The fat man said, "Oh, by the way, I also brought you some news. Did you have any problems with your ingredients when you opened?"

Zhao Yu frowned. "How do you know?"

"I knew it! Che Shijie has been acting sneaky. I overheard him on the phone talking about tampering with the water tanks, and then he said something..."

"Green crabs?"

"Exactly! Swap in fresh water, and the green crabs won't survive two hours!"

Zhao Yu nearly cursed out loud, mentally cursing Che Shijie's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Cao Xu was also furious and swore, "That bastard! If I hadn't given up my position for him, who the hell would Che Shijie be?! I'm going to have it out with him!"

"Master! Calm down!" Zhao Yu grabbed him, his eyes darting around before settling on the fat man. "How long have you been with Che Shijie?"

The fat man said, "Almost two years now."

"Good. Don't leave just yet. I have something to discuss with you."