Chapter 124/125: Severe Psychological Cleanliness; Illness Deep in the Marrow

Translator: 549690339

Gu Qichen’s thoughts drifted back to the proposal. When Shen Manbing leaned in for a kiss, he was momentarily startled. Gently pushing her away, he said, “I’m sorry, Manbing, I’m already married.” The atmosphere, however, was intensely passionate; the celebratory cheers swelled, accompanied by the wedding march played by the banquet hall band. His voice was nearly lost in the cacophony. Countless congratulations followed. The media, seizing on a few out-of-context photos, reported the event arbitrarily. Gu Qichen, not being in the entertainment industry, largely ignored the rumors, especially since Shen Shichuan suppressed most of the news.

Shen Manbing, however, had not clarified the situation. As a superstar, this would undoubtedly damage her reputation—a fact Gu Qichen understood.

His gaze darkening, Gu Qichen said to Shen Shichuan, “You should talk to Manbing. She used to know when to let go. She must have intentionally attracted the Lake Bay media, right? I told her I was married long ago, but she stubbornly orchestrated this proposal, gambling on my reluctance to hurt her. I don’t want to hurt her, but I care even more about not hurting Yangyang.”

—Shen Mansion—

A stunning beauty with waterfall-like hair reclined on the sofa. The crystal lamp cast a faint halo on her beautiful face. Her brows, however, were deeply furrowed. Shen Shichuan placed a recorder before her. Gu Qichen’s voice, clearly audible, repeated: “I don’t want to hurt her, but I care even more about not hurting Yangyang…”

The beauty snatched the recorder, replaying the phrase repeatedly until her grip turned white. Then, she flung it forcefully. The recorder shattered against the liquor cabinet, spider-webbing the glass.

Shen Shichuan leaned against the couch. “If you hadn’t heard it firsthand, you’d probably still cling to hope. Let it go, Xiao Bing. Ah Chen isn’t the same as before. You should let go, too.”

Shen Manbing trembled. “I can’t bear it. From childhood, I’ve been the only woman by his side. Why would he change his heart so easily?”

“Precisely because Ah Chen never had serious romantic feelings for any woman, I believe he’s truly in love with this girl now. You say you dated for many years, yet you never had passionate feelings. Both of you were extremely busy, sometimes not seeing each other for half a year, and you considered that normal. Honestly, even as his brother, I didn’t consider you two a couple. He and I saw you as a sister, caring for and cherishing you out of habit. But that’s not love. It’s different with Xia Yangyang.”

A sharp pain pierced Shen Manbing’s heart. There were things even her brother didn’t know. Publicly, she had been with Gu Qichen for years, but they were never truly together. He was always cold and aloof, uninterested in physical contact, even with her. Even holding hands made him reflexively furrow his brows. They hadn’t kissed in all those years, let alone anything more intimate. She had tried to take the initiative, but he always brushed her off casually. She had always suspected he was a severe neurotic with a cleanliness obsession, a condition beyond repair.