After Escaping Chapter 13

XII. River Colors

Gu Yu felt that Pei Shuyun was simply his destined calamity.

His temper was already poor, and over the years, he had restrained himself considerably to stabilize the old subordinates Father had left behind. But ever since he encountered Pei Shuyun again, he was always easily provoked into a rage by Pei Shuyun’s indifferent attitude.

He felt that Pei Shuyun was like a tiny spark falling onto a long-sealed powder keg, always effortlessly igniting him and shattering his emotions.

After that day, Gu Yu did not return home for several days straight.

Without Gu Yu’s disturbance, Pei Shuyun spent his days reading, occasionally painting two pictures when inspiration struck. Aside from the ubiquitous cameras and monitors that annoyed him, he was quite leisurely and comfortable alone in the villa.

Gu Yu, however, was not having such a comfortable time.

First, he was sulking with Pei Shuyun and refused to go home. Yet, the surveillance showed that Pei Shuyun was living a much more pleasant life than he was. Gu Yu was furious, and just as he was preparing to return home, a flood of issues seemed to conspire against him, surging toward him overwhelmingly.

A few subordinates left behind by Master Wen in the West District were restless. Although they couldn’t cause major chaos, minor skirmishes never ceased, and they even hijacked shipping to attempt illegal transactions.

Then, the company data ran into problems, requiring massive amounts of verification work. The company building was lit up brightly for several nights.

For some unknown reason, Assistant Ke had a huge falling out with Young Master Wen and simply took a leave of absence.

With these multiple issues pressing down, Gu Yu suddenly became much busier.

When he finally found some free time, before Gu Yu could drive home to spend time with his beloved, another dinner invitation was thrown his way.

Tan Bin was an old associate who had followed his father for many years and held a significant position in the East District. Gu Yu could not afford to offend him and had to temporarily abandon his plan to go home.

The top floor of the Starlight Hotel was not open to the public; it only hosted expensive banquets for the upper echelon.

The cars spiraled up the building along a glass ramp. The bright lights on the city’s skyscrapers flickered, illuminating a new round of night scenery. The reflected light entered the glass, capturing all the scattered, dazzling brilliance, making the view magnificent.

The car stopped in the top-floor parking lot. When Gu Yu entered the main hall, he squinted, momentarily blinded by the glaring interior lights.

The decadence and debauchery of high society were unrestrainedly released within this magnificent hotel, shielded by the night. Tan Bin was already half-drunk, hugging a slender, seductive girl and groping her inappropriately.

Several other company elders were seated at the table. Ostensibly his subordinates, due to their relationship with his father before his death, they were figures he could not easily offend.

After a few glasses of cold wine, Gu Yu’s stomach churned. Tan Bin then had a waiter refill Gu Yu’s glass and began probing him about the management rights to the company’s finances.

The bright lights clearly revealed the middle-aged man’s greed and ill intentions. Gu Yu dealt with him impatiently. The heat in the room mixed with the chill of the cold wine in his stomach, causing the veins on his forehead to twitch uncontrollably. His old migraine problem began to flare up again.

Seeing that he couldn’t extract any information from Gu Yu, Tan Bin beckoned to a few handsome young men nearby.

The boys eagerly approached, their heavy perfume sickening Gu Yu, who subtly turned his body away.

Seeing that Master Tan had started flirting with the person next to him again, the others at the table stopped restraining themselves, embracing the boys and girls beside them and indulging in pleasure without reservation.

He had attended countless such dinners, and they always made him equally irritable.

Even though he was in a high position, he couldn’t escape being enveloped by this foul atmosphere for the sake of the so-called network of connections.

The hypocritical banquet finally concluded. After eating and drinking their fill, several pot-bellied middle-aged men staggered into the hotel suites, embracing the young men and women beside them.

Gu Yu stood alone by the window, letting the cold wind alleviate the bloating in his body. His cold gaze scared away the young boys who tried to approach him again. Gu Yu pulled out his phone and made a call.

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered. Silence reigned on both sides.

“Shuyun, are you asleep?” Gu Yu spoke first.

After a moment of quiet, a clear, cold voice came through, carrying the nasal tone of someone just waking up.

“The password lock for the door is in the hidden compartment. The numbers are 890231. Drive to the Starlight Hotel to pick me up. I’ll wait for you at the entrance.”

Pei Shuyun didn’t answer his question and hung up the phone.

Not long after, a slender figure appeared at the hotel entrance.

Gu Yu didn’t get in the car, only telling Pei Shuyun to park it to the side.

“I smell too much of alcohol. Walk with me to sober up.”

With that, Gu Yu walked straight toward the riverbank.

Pei Shuyun hesitated briefly, then followed him.

The riverbank was bustling at this hour. The dock was crowded with tourists preparing for boat tours, heading toward the brightly lit vessels moored along the shore. Street vendors pushed carts, emitting the fragrant steam of hot food from their grills, tempting pedestrians to crowd and form long lines.

The gentle river breeze brushed against Gu Yu’s face, dissipating much of his intoxication.

“You told me the password. Aren’t you afraid I’ll run away?”

In the noisy environment, Pei Shuyun’s voice was not very clear.

“But you didn’t leave, did you?”

Gu Yu chuckled dismissively.

“For someone as powerful and influential as you, no matter how far I ran, it wouldn’t be as effective as a single command from you.”

“Power? That truly is an enticing word.”

Gu Yu didn’t reply, standing on the bank and gazing at the river surface.

The scattered lights from the vendors on both banks met the shimmering water, supporting the fishing lights on the river, a truly intoxicating sight.

“Many years ago, I started attending these dinners and banquets repeatedly.”

Gu Yu spoke slowly, as if narrating a perfectly ordinary story.

“Naturally, there was no avoiding toasts at the dinner table. I didn’t like it; I found the taste bitter. But Father wouldn’t allow me to refuse, always forcing me to drink. He said that someone who didn’t even dare to drink wine wouldn’t have the ability to inherit his position later.”

“Once, I drank too much cold wine, and my stomach hurt. I vomited blood at the dinner table. I thought Father would at least show some concern, but he didn’t even spare me a glance. He still ordered his subordinates to pour that glass of wine down my throat.”

“Since then, I developed a stomach illness that tormented me for years. But in Father’s eyes, such a minor ailment was merely the price of training me. Over time, I came to believe that too.”

Power was enticing, and Gu Yu certainly craved it. Therefore, he never blamed anyone. It was only now, as the cool river wind brushed past his sleeves, that he realized that even with money and power, he seemed unable to learn how to love someone.

“I once thought that by taking Father’s position and gaining power, I could get everything I wanted. Now I realize I might have been terribly wrong.”

“Yunyun, will we have another chance?”

The light shone on Pei Shuyun’s profile, highlighting his beautiful features. His eyes were clear, as if always holding a pool of fresh water, occupying Gu Yu’s entire vision, unable to look away.

Pei Shuyun remained silent. Regardless of the external noise, both men were quiet.

A cruise ship started moving in the distance, its whistle sounding across the river accompanied by music.

Gu Yu lowered his head, ignoring the bustling crowd around them, and pressed his lips against the pair he had missed for so long.

As the lights of thousands of homes shone brightly and the river wind gently blew, they shared a long kiss filled with the night.