84: The arrow shot that day has now turned into a boomerang that hits right between the eyebrows!

"Hello, are we close?"

Upon hearing Lu Chen's emotionless and utterly cold words, Gu Xiaoxiao froze instantly, as if struck by a bolt from the blue.

Her eyes widened, filled with disbelief, as if time itself had stopped at that moment.

Only her own heartbeat thundered in her ears like thunder; besides that, she heard nothing else.

Already soaked and bone-chillingly cold, the icy despair in her heart now far surpassed the physical cold, plunging her into an ice cellar.

She looked up at Lu Chen's thin lips, her own lips trembling slightly, as if even now she couldn't believe those words had come from him.

In her eyes, despair surged like a tide, like a night sky stripped of its stars, leaving only endless darkness and emptiness.

Her hands hung limply at her sides, fingers slightly curled, as if wanting to grasp something but powerless to do so.

Her already pale cheeks were now utterly devoid of color, and a few damp strands of hair clung to her forehead and cheeks, making her appear even more pitiful and disheveled.

These words were only 7 characters long, but each word was like ten thousand sharp swords, cruelly severing her heart, her Soul, and even her flesh.

Her lips trembled slightly, wanting to argue, but she found her throat choked by something, only able to squeeze out a few broken syllables: "You… I…"

At this moment, Gu Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered that she had also once said the words "We are not close" to Lu Chen.

At that time, she had spoken with great confidence, without considering Lu Chen's feelings, and her heart had been full of annoyance.

But now, with the same words coming from Lu Chen's mouth, she truly understood what it meant to be heartbroken.

Then,

Lu Chen mercilessly flicked his sleeve, shaking off Gu Xiaoxiao's hand. He frowned as he looked at her, his tone still emotionless, utterly indifferent, and even carrying a hint of impatience:

"Men and women should not touch each other. Please don't be so touchy-feely, okay?"

Gu Xiaoxiao's delicate body trembled again.

She stared blankly at the hand Lu Chen had pushed away, then looked up at him, as if trying to find a trace of past warmth on that familiar yet strange face, but all that met her eyes was coldness and indifference.

The pain in her heart surged and enveloped her like a tide.

Because she had also once said these words to Lu Chen.

That was in Lu Chen's private elevator.

Indeed, Lu Chen's private elevator was only open to her at that time.

Other employees could only use the public elevators, but she never had to; she could use Lu Chen's exclusive elevator.

The elevator doors slowly opened, and she, carrying a tall stack of documents, hurried in.

The documents almost blocked most of her vision, allowing her to see only a small area at her feet.

She was wearing exquisite high heels that day, their heels clicking crisply against the floor.

Just then, Lu Chen returned to the company, and the moment he stepped into the elevator, his unique scent wafted over her.

Gu Xiaoxiao's heart tightened suddenly, and the documents in her arms swayed slightly. She tried to compose herself, but her eyes never dared to meet Lu Chen's.

Just as the elevator was about to reach her floor, an accident happened.

The moment she stepped out of the elevator, her right foot accidentally twisted. Her body instantly lost balance and tilted forward, and the documents scattered like snowflakes across the floor.

Her eyes widened in terror, her mind blank, convinced she would fall badly.

However, at this critical moment, Lu Chen took a quick step forward and his strong arm encircled her waist.

At that moment, her cheek almost touched Lu Chen's chest, and she could clearly feel his strong heartbeat; that heartbeat was like the only tranquilizer in this chaotic world.

His gaze held a hint of concern, and he asked softly, "Are you alright?"

But at that time, due to excessive nervousness and shyness, a blush spread across her face, and her heart was also filled with annoyance at such close contact.

So, after breaking free from Lu Chen's embrace, she angrily said, "Men and women should not touch each other, please don't be so touchy-feely, CEO Lu!"

Then she left without looking back, leaving Lu Chen alone in the elevator... Memories played out like a movie in her mind, one by one, emerging like imprints on her Soul.

It turned out that some memories could not be diluted by time; they only deepened.

Now, the same words coming from Lu Chen's mouth felt like ten thousand arrows piercing her heart.

Gu Xiaoxiao's eyes gradually became hazy, as if she had fallen into a deep dream, or was entangled in a nightmare.

Her brow furrowed slightly, and fine beads of sweat seeped from her forehead, mixing with the river water on her hair. Her body also swayed involuntarily, as if she was unable to stand steady, buffeted by the waves of memory.

Gu Xiaoxiao stared blankly at the hand Lu Chen had pushed away, as if all vitality had left her.

And the decisiveness and indifference in Lu Chen's eyes were like sharp blades, cutting her heart into pieces. Pain and despair, like a surging tide, completely engulfed her, leaving her in the cold river wind, unable to find a glimmer of salvation.

At this moment, Gao Xuewei also noticed that something was amiss. She moved gracefully, hurrying over.

Her brow was slightly furrowed, forming a faint line, and a hint of doubt and concern flickered in her bright and deep eyes.

She first looked at Gu Xiaoxiao, who was in a daze as if her Soul had been extracted. Gu Xiaoxiao's eyes were vacant, staring ahead, her body trembling slightly, her hair clinging messily to her cheeks, the entire person like a statue from which the Soul had been drawn.

Then, Gao Xuewei turned her gaze to the indifferent Lu Chen. Lu Chen's stern face was unruffled, his eyes distant, as if everything before him had nothing to do with him.

Gao Xuewei seemed to understand something in her heart. She parted her lips slightly and let out a soft sigh, the breath briefly condensing in the air.

Although there was a hint of reluctance in her heart, she still walked to Gu Xiaoxiao's side, extended her hand, and gently placed it on Gu Xiaoxiao's arm, comforting her softly,

"It's too cold here. I'll take you to get a bath and change your clothes too. You can leave once the boat docks later."

Gu Xiaoxiao turned her head mechanically, her movements slow and stiff, like rusted machinery.

She stared blankly at the concern on Gao Xuewei's face, that gentle expression like a faint glimmer of light in the darkness.

Gao Xuewei's eyes were full of pity, and a faint, warm smile played on her lips.

The tears in Gu Xiaoxiao's eyes could no longer be held back and instantly burst forth, streaming down her cheeks like broken pearls.

Crystal tears hung on her long, curled eyelashes, trembling slightly, like a butterfly's wings covered in dew in the morning.

Tears slid down her pale cheeks, dripping onto her wet clothes, and soon it was impossible to distinguish between river water and tears.

She pressed her lips together tightly, trying to stop herself from crying. Her delicate pink lips were bitten white by her teeth, but the tears still flowed uncontrollably.

Gao Xuewei sighed inwardly. She raised her arm slightly and gently patted the other's shoulder and back, her movements soft and rhythmic, as if comforting an injured small animal.

She said softly, "There, there, it's alright now, don't be afraid."

She didn't know what kind of story existed between this girl and Lu Chen, so she naturally didn't know how to comfort her, only able to offer some solace through this gentle manner.