77: Last attempt

It was past seven in the evening when Chen Li finally left Meng Yu's place.

Standing by the roadside, as the evening breeze blew, he suddenly felt a strong desire to see Gu Qingcheng.

Although she had been sensible enough not to disturb him with messages today, he knew she definitely needed company right now.

Thinking that Gu Qingcheng might be waiting for him at home alone, he couldn't sit still for another moment.

She had just become a woman, and for Gu Qingcheng, Chen Li couldn't be as heartless as he was with Song Lingyun and the others once he was finished with them.

Knowing she might be waiting at home alone yet not daring to ask him to come over made his heart soften completely.

Chen Li's feelings for Meng Yu and Gu Qingcheng were actually quite different.

For Meng Yu, it was more of gratitude—remembering how she was the only one who cared for him and stood up for him when he was in such a pathetic state before.

At the same time, she was the first woman he had started out with, so this relationship was always mixed with an indescribable sense of gratitude.

But it was different with Gu Qingcheng; that was pure affection.

Perhaps he did indeed prefer beautiful women, but he never denied that fact.

He was just an ordinary person; beauty would always be replaced by even greater beauty.

Since he already possessed power enough to look down upon all living beings, what would be the point of that power if he still couldn't follow his heart and had to act with hesitation and compromise?

If being powerful became another form of restraint instead, Chen Li would rather personally destroy the System.

It was already past eight when he took a taxi to Autumn Water Cloud Pavilion.

He entered the house with practiced ease, and in the living room, Gu Qingcheng and Mother Gu turned their heads at the same time.

"Chen Li, you're back?"

Gu Qingcheng's eyes lit up, and she immediately stood up to greet him, taking his hand with a face full of smiles as if afraid he might turn around and leave.

Once he had changed into slippers, she led him to the sofa to sit down.

"Auntie, are you feeling any better?" Chen Li asked Mother Gu with concern.

"Much better," Mother Gu smiled gently. "Have you had dinner yet? You've been busy until so late."

"Not yet."

Only then did Chen Li realize he had forgotten to eat dinner. After traveling between several places today, he had indeed been quite busy. "Qingcheng, is there any food left at home?"

"Yes, I'll go heat it up right now. Just wait a moment," Gu Qingcheng said as she prepared to go to the kitchen.

"I'll help you." Chen Li also stood up.

In the kitchen, Gu Qingcheng was putting the dishes into the microwave and taking out bowls and chopsticks to rinse.

Chen Li gently hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Did you miss me?"

Gu Qingcheng's body stiffened slightly. She instinctively glanced toward the living room, and seeing that her mother wasn't looking, she relaxed and said softly:

"I did. I've been thinking about you ever since you left."

"Does it... still hurt there?" Chen Li asked in a low voice.

"It doesn't hurt much anymore." Gu Qingcheng's cheeks flushed, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"Ding—" The microwave's beep sounded at just the right time, and the two finally separated.

Chen Li sat at the dining table, watching Gu Qingcheng busily bring the heated dishes to the table one by one.

Under the warm light, her busy figure was exceptionally moving.

At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—maybe he should just settle down here.

Such a warm family atmosphere, a life without financial worries, and a beautiful, gentle wife—wasn't this the life he had once yearned for most?

Everything he had now had already far exceeded his initial imagination.

However, that thought only flashed by for a moment.

He quickly snapped back to reality—with his current physique, if he lived here every day, Gu Qingcheng definitely wouldn't be able to handle it.

Late at night, Chen Li held Gu Qingcheng in his arms, gently stroking her long hair.

"Qingcheng,"

He spoke in a low voice, breaking the silence of the bedroom. "The car I bought for you is temporarily parked elsewhere. I'll bring it over once you get your driver's license."

Gu Qingcheng shook her head gently in his arms. "Actually, I don't really need a car. Buying such an expensive one is too wasteful."

Her tone carried a hint of complaint, but it sounded more like a wife naturally acting spoiled toward her husband.

Chen Li smiled and stroked her cheek. "You might not need it now, but you will eventually. Go get your license first."

After all, she would have to work eventually, and Mother Gu needed regular check-ups at the Hospital. Having a car would make things much more convenient.

He couldn't always be available to rush over and act as a driver.

Gu Qingcheng nodded obediently. "Mm... I'll get my license as soon as possible."

Under the orange glow of the bedside lamp, Chen Li looked down at the person in his arms and asked with a mischievous grin, "Shall we rest? Are you ready?"

Gu Qingcheng had already been stirred into a daze by his restless hands, her cheeks flushed with a deep red.

She looked up into his smiling eyes and softly replied, "Mm..."

That soft response was like the most moving permission. Chen Li leaned down to kiss her lips and turned off the bedside lamp.

Moonlight spilled through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft silver glow over the bedroom.

In this quiet night, two hearts clung closely to each other.

Occasional chirps of insects came from outside, but they didn't disturb the suppressed gasps filling the room at all.

The night deepened, and two hours later, silence finally returned to the bedroom.

Chen Li looked at the sleeping Gu Qingcheng in his arms, tucked her in, and planted a light kiss on her forehead... Monday morning, a new week began.

The just-ended weekend left many students wanting more, and a lazy atmosphere permeated the Classroom.

Chen Li looked at Zhang Yixi, who was slumped on his desk with a look of utter despair, and couldn't help but tease:

"Yixi, what's wrong with you? Did Wenqian dump you over the weekend?"

"Are you kidding?" Zhang Yixi immediately straightened his back. "My Wenqian loves me more than anything."

His face was full of pride, but then he lowered his voice and leaned in mysteriously, "Guess what I saw yesterday?"

Seeing him like this, Chen Li and the others, who knew his personality well, knew there must be some explosive news.

"Stop keeping us in suspense! Stop talking in riddles and just say it!" Guo Zihong urged impatiently.

Zhang Yixi looked around to make sure no one was nearby before whispering, "Yesterday, near the Faculty Dormitory,

I saw Teacher Shen Qing being pestered by a man wearing glasses. Although I couldn't hear what they were saying,

that guy looked smug when he left, and Teacher Shen... she actually ended up standing there and crying in the end..."

No sooner had he spoken than—speak of the devil—a familiar figure appeared at the Classroom door. Shen Qing walked in holding her textbooks.

Today, she wore a silk short-sleeved dress. The pineapple collar design accentuated her dignified aura as a teacher, while the bow at her waist outlined her slender waistline.

However, in sharp contrast to her proper attire was the dull, lifeless look in her eyes, as if all hope had vanished from them.

Just yesterday, the ex-boyfriend who had dragged her into the abyss suddenly contacted her.

He proposed a condition that made her both furious and ashamed to speak of—as long as she was willing to accompany his client for a month, he would help her pay off that one million debt.

This request chilled her to the bone.

She never imagined that this person she had once loved wholeheartedly would not only cheat her out of everything but now also want to squeeze out the last bit of her dignity.

She had given him sincere feelings, only to be treated like something less than human in return.

Yes, she had been foolish in love before, but that didn't mean she was a puppet to be manipulated.

Even if she cast aside her dignity and agreed to this shameless demand, who could guarantee the other party would keep their word?

If any indecent videos were filmed, her life would truly be ruined forever.

Based on her knowledge of that man, he was definitely capable of doing such a thing.

Rather than that, she would rather lose her job over this one million and lose face in front of her family than sell her soul.

Besides, she hadn't reached a dead end yet—if Chen Li was willing to help her, there would still be a chance for a turnaround.

Her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Chen Li, who was laughing and talking with his classmates... Shen Qing secretly gripped her textbooks. Today, she decided to set aside all her reserve and worries to make one last attempt.