Volume One, Chapter 12: The Dispute

The line on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds before Tan Yin's slightly surprised voice came through: "A villa? He... he didn’t do anything to you, did he?"

“No,” Si Tang replied calmly, though involuntarily, the image of Gu Yubai carrying her out of the bar appeared in her mind—the crisp aura surrounding him, his taut jawline—all stirring an inexplicable unease within her.

“That’s good, that’s good,” Tan Yin seemed to exhale in relief. “Do you want me to come pick you up?”

“No need. I’ll go straight to the company later,” Si Tang said.

After hanging up, she rubbed her temples, feeling a slight headache, trying to clear her mind.

She threw back the covers and got out of bed, walking to the floor-to-ceiling window. Staring at the familiar scenery outside, a bitter feeling welled up in her heart.

Five years had passed. Everything here was just as it had been before, as if she had never left. Yet, nothing could ever return to the way it was, could it?

A wave of dizziness swept over her, and she steadied herself against the windowsill.

Just then, the door was pushed open. Gu Yubai’s tall, slender figure appeared in the doorway, morning light tracing a golden outline around him, making him seem almost unreal.

“Awake? Come downstairs for breakfast,” his voice was as cold as ever, as though last night’s turmoil had been nothing but a dream.

A surge of inexplicable irritation rose in Si Tang’s chest. She turned her head away. “I’ll be leaving soon.”

Gu Yubai’s brow twitched slightly. “Going or not, it doesn’t affect breakfast.”

His expression remained unreadable as he glanced her over from head to toe. “What? Need me to carry you down?”

Si Tang shot him a sharp glare and rolled her eyes. “Gu Yubai, I can walk myself.”

He smirked slightly. “Then come down.”

In the dining room.

Gu Zhouzhou sat obediently at the table, sipping his milk in small sips. Gu Yubai descended the stairs, his gaze landing on the child. He ruffled his hair gently.

His expression was still stern, but his tone softened somewhat. “Your mother slept here last night.”

Gu Zhouzhou looked up suspiciously, then sat straighter, before lowering his head and quietly uttering, “Oh.”

Mother?

Isn’t that the wicked woman Aunt Su said abandoned him?

He had already forgotten the time four years ago when he pointed at Si Tang and called her an ugly monster.

Gu Yubai watched his reaction closely. “You… don’t want to see your mother?”

Gu Zhouzhou lowered his head, silent.

He didn’t want to see her at all! She wasn’t his mother! She had abandoned him! She was no longer his mother!

When Si Tang came downstairs, the first thing she saw was Gu Zhouzhou.

Gu Zhouzhou glanced at her upon hearing her voice but immediately looked away again.

Seeing this once son of hers, an ache settled in Si Tang’s heart.

The flesh that had come from her now seemed like a stranger…

No, perhaps even less than a stranger.

Gu Yubai broke the awkward silence in the dining room. “Si Tang, have some breakfast.”

He then turned to Gu Zhouzhou, his gaze strict. “Zhouzhou, call your mother!”

Gu Zhouzhou pressed his lips tightly, unwilling to speak.

Gu Yubai’s frustration grew; just as he was about to scold, Si Tang forced herself to remain calm and said, “If he doesn’t want to, don’t force him.”

She paused, then added lightly, “Even before we divorced, he refused to call me ‘mom’ and started calling me an ugly monster instead. You didn’t correct him then, so why force the child now?”

Gu Yubai suddenly choked on the words, his whole being momentarily dazed.

He seemed to remember that incident, but at the time, Si Tang had been unreasonable, and he hadn’t had the chance to discipline the child properly. Later, however, he had been strict with Gu Zhouzhou.

Gu Zhouzhou quickly glanced at Si Tang again and then lowered his head.

Just as Aunt Su had said, this woman was full of lies; he had never called her an ugly monster!

A servant brought breakfast, Si Tang’s favorite dishes from before. She gave a faint thanks and ate quickly.

Gu Zhouzhou remained silent throughout until he finished and was driven to school by the chauffeur.

Once he left, only Gu Yubai and Si Tang remained in the dining room.

“You…” Gu Yubai spoke first, “Why did you go to the bar last night?”

Si Tang didn’t want to waste words on him. “What’s it to you?”

Her words filled the room with tension, as if a single spark could ignite an explosion.

As expected, Gu Yubai exploded: “Do you know what would have happened if I hadn’t been there last night?”

“So? I said, what does it have to do with you?!” Si Tang’s gaze grew cold. “Gu Yubai, we’re divorced—an ugly divorce at that. Even if I were to drown myself in revelry, hire prostitutes, or find escorts, is that any of your business?”

She had just stood up when Gu Yubai grabbed her wrist.

“Si Tang!” His voice carried a warning, his grip tightening.

She jerked her hand free, eyes sharp. “Don’t touch me!”

Taking a deep breath to suppress the turmoil inside, she suddenly recalled that at the bar last night, Shen Ming’an had called her “sister-in-law,” hadn’t he?

Now sober, it felt strange—Si Tang and Gu Yubai were divorced, so why would Shen Ming’an still call her sister-in-law?

Could it be...

At that thought, Si Tang’s brow furrowed slightly. “Gu Yubai, Shen Ming’an doesn’t know about our divorce?”

Gu Yubai’s brows knitted tightly, his thin lips pressing into a straight line. His Adam’s apple bobbed as if he wanted to say something but swallowed the words.

His silence confirmed Si Tang’s suspicion, and she spoke again: “If this causes unnecessary misunderstandings, it won’t be good for either of us.”

Gu Yubai stared intently at Si Tang, complex emotions swirling in his eyes.

He didn’t want to get entangled in this topic with her. After a moment, he spoke stiffly, “Places like that—don’t you think it’s dangerous for a woman to drink alone?”

“What’s wrong with places like that?” Si Tang’s voice carried a hint of impatience.

Gu Yubai’s expression darkened further, as if a massive stone pressed on his chest, making breathing difficult. His tone was low, tinged with accusation: “Who did you go with?”

“Not important,” Si Tang replied with a touch of mockery. “Gu Yubai, this is the last time I’ll tolerate your endless boundary-crossing! Let go!”

Gu Yubai didn’t release her; instead, he tightened his grip as if to crush her wrist.

He took a deep breath, anger restrained in his voice. “Si Tang, can you please speak properly?!”

The pain from his grip made Si Tang jerk her hand free forcefully, rubbing her wrist. Her eyes were icy. “What is there left to say between us? Speak properly to you? Who was it that refused to speak properly to me from the start?”

The atmosphere in the dining room was taut as a drawn bowstring, the air heavy and suffocating. Every word from Si Tang was like a dagger piercing Gu Yubai’s heart.

He took a deep breath, trying to quell the fury within, softening his tone somewhat. “Si Tang, last night…”

“Last night?” Si Tang cut him off, her gaze sharp as she stared at him. “Do you think just because you brought me back to the villa last night, I owe you anything?”

Gu Yubai was silenced by her words, his face paling and flushing in turn.

Watching Si Tang’s resolute back, a bitter, indescribable pain swelled in his chest. He parted his lips to explain but found no words.

Si Tang paused at the door, then without looking back, said coldly, “Thank you for last night, but I owe you absolutely nothing.”

Her tone was decisive as she left the dining room without hesitation, leaving Gu Yubai standing alone, his face dark and eyes conflicted.

The dining room was silent except for the ticking of the clock on the wall, mocking the man’s helplessness.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, Si Tang’s gaze flashing in his mind, stabbing at his heart.