"Zichen" Gu Zichen heard someone call out his name and immediately turned his head towards the direction of the sound.
He saw a beautiful young woman dressed in a sleeveless purple evening dress, her every movement displaying utmost elegance. He didn't expect to see her there but considering her position in the entertainment industry and her family's wealth and background, he guessed her presence was not really a surprise.
He would have ignored her if it was just herself but unfortunately Li Xiaoyi was still as smart as he remembered. She brought along a few elderly men along with her who had close connections with both Gu family and Li family.
In this way, Gu Zichen was forced to have a chat with those elders and also stay around Li Xiaoyi. He was really not in a mood but eventually he compromised. However, within two minutes he started to get impatient and restless all thanks to the woman by his side staring at him like he would escape from her if she dared to blink her eyes.
He was about to excuse himself from the group of old men when Li Xiaoyi moved closer to him suddenly and held his elbow quite intimately. He tried to retract his hand but her grip on him tightened even before he could retrieve his hand.
Watching her behaviour, Gu Zichen understood Li Xiaoyi had something up her sleeves but didn't know what she was planning in that big head of hers.
He smiled at the old men before him and lowered his head towards her head and whispered "Li Xiaoyi, What are you doing?" He was unaware how intimate their position looked in others' eyes, anyone would doubt if they were a couple. The elders before him also had the same thought.
"What am I doing? Holding my boyfriend's hands" Li Xiaoyi mumbled back blinking her eyes with an innocent expression before smiling sweetly. Her delicate moves were so smooth and natural, they could make any man's heart to flutter in excitement but Gu Zichen felt creepy chills running down his spine.
His heart twitched in the next second when he sensed her little hands advancing sensually down his elbow. Li Xiaoyi intertwined her fingers with his and smiled brightly as if announcing the world that this man belongs only to her. "I have something important to talk to you" Li Xiaoyi mumbled.
Gu Zichen was enraged to peaks and opened his mouth to speak when he sensed something flash in his direction. He remembered how reporters lurk around such places to grab any newsworthy piece of information. He simply used his free hand to release himself from Li Xiaoyi's grab.
Not many people know his face in this place except for a few of his business partners and clients who were invited to the gala. In contrast, Li Xiaoyi was a public figure, top celebrity and also the young miss of the great Li family that owns a large electronics company. Anyone would recognise her with a single glance and he didn't want to make a scene there when his Wu Jinyan was also there. He didn't want Wu Jinyan to misunderstand him.
His relationship with her was already bad and he didn't want to make it worse by causing her to misunderstand him on seeing him with another woman.
Gu Zichen bade goodbye to the elders, searched around to see if Wu Jinyan was anywhere near him. After he made sure she was not in his vicinity, he held Li Xiaoyi's wrist and pulled her away from the main hall to the corridor that leads to the backside garden.
"Zichen, you are hurting me" Li Xiaoyi cried as she felt extreme pain when he grabbed her wrist. Her cries didn't make him to loosen his grip and only caused him to tighten it further. He held her hand with such strength, he could actually break her bones if he intended to.
In a minute, they reached the end of the corridor and Gu Zichen finally released her with a forceful swing, she almost fell down.
Li Xiaoyi balanced herself and rubbed the reddened part on her wrist with wetness slowly pooling at the bottom of her eyes. She lifted her teary eyes only to meet his icy cold eyes staring back at her like she was some disgusting, creepy creature that appeared before him and ruined his pleasant mood.
Gu Zichen didn't care about her pained expression but spoke in a cold and firm voice that could be heard only by her "Stop living in dreams and see the reality, Li Xiaoyi. I'm a married man now. You better stay away from me"
His words were like sharp arrows aimed at her weak heart and hurt her more than anything she experienced in her whole life. She knew he was just lying about being married only to make her regret her decision of leaving him two years ago. Despite knowing his intentions clearly, she couldn't help but break down. The tears at the bottom of her eyes finally made their way down her face, messing up her makeup.
"Stop crying. You crying now won't change the truth"
His frighteningly low and chilly voice scared her and more tears slipped down from her eyes like a broken dam.
As the image of him standing next to a woman that's not her popped up in her head, her heart was twisted with heartache. It felt as though millions of needles were prickling her heart.
She was afraid to lose him. She was afraid he wouldn't give her a second chance. She was afraid he would abandon her.
In a moment of desperation, she hugged him tightly with her hands wrapped around his waist and her head buried in his chest. Her actions caught him off guard and he froze like a statue.
"Stop lying. I know you're not married. You are just lying to hurt me" Her voice was slightly muffled but was clear enough for Gu Zichen to understand her words. He was instantly snapped back to his senses and tried to push her away from him.
As if she knew his upcoming actions, Li Xiaoyi hugged him with much more strength and refused to let him go.
Hoping she would let him go in a few minutes, Gu Zichen released her shoulders and raked his hand through his hair. He took a deep breath to control his emotions from flaring up when he heard her mutter "Zichen, I know that you still love me but stubborn to admit it. I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. Back then, I didn't listen to you and left you. Just look at me...I'm back now. I finally came back to you. We can be together. Just promise me you'll be with me and never say that you got married to someone that's not me. Tell me that the woman I saw last time was not your wife"
As she said the words she raised her head , to look at his face. Gu Zichen looked down at the woman before him.
Li Xiaoyi was crying for him. She was begging him to not abandon her and to stay with him. She was begging him, throwing away her self respect and self esteem. This was what he ever wanted to hear from her. This was what he dreamed to see. Her cries should sound like soothing music, relaxing his heart and mind. He should feel extremely happy now that his wish came true.
But hearing her pleas, he didn't feel any joy or excitement instead fear started to spread across his heart. He knew Li Xiaoyi's a devil in sheep clothing and would go to any extents to get what she wanted.
He took a step back to create enough space between them. He stared at her with his apathetic eyes as a cold smile appeared on his thin lips.
"I'm sorry to pop your bubble but she's indeed my better half" Gu Zichen said in a calm and peaceful voice but in a fraction of second, the smile on his face faded as he continued "And listen carefully...If I find you harming her, get prepared to disappear from this world"
Saying his words with a menacing gaze, he walked away thinking he never met her in this place. Watching Gu Zichen walk away, Li Xiaoyi froze but soon she laughed wickedly.