Chapter 108: The Bracelet Was Meant for Luo Xing

Before that, you even took her to a bar—was that part of your transaction too?” Luo Xing still remembered her first time at a bar, witnessing Gu Shiyan and Su Mo surrounded by admiration as the manager welcomed them.

Gu Shiyan stepped closer, gazing intently at Luo Xing. “So... is it because of her that you…”

Luo Xing knew what he was about to say. She pushed him away. “No.”

“If I truly liked her, I wouldn’t have gathered evidence to send her to the authorities.”

Luo Xing knew Su Mo had been detained, but she hadn’t realized it was Gu Shiyan’s doing.

“You… was it you?” She was momentarily at a loss for words.

Why?

“Because she used the Gu family’s money to harm you, because…” Gu Shiyan took a breath, about to continue.

“Hey, you over there! Get on the bus, quickly!”

In that brief moment, only the five of them remained by the roadside. The team leader was shouting from inside the vehicle.

They hurriedly shouldered their backpacks and ran toward the bus.

Since they were the last to board, their seats were scattered. Luo Xing ended up sitting beside a girl wearing headphones.

She gripped her phone, lost in thought.

The girl beside her tapped her shoulder. “Hey, could you share a link to your jacket?”

Luo Xing glanced down; the afternoon temperature had risen, and she’d unzipped the outer layer—Gu Shiyan’s jacket—revealing her own color-blocked windbreaker underneath.

“Sorry, I don’t have a link.” The windbreaker had been a gift from her brother a year ago, and this was the first time she’d worn it.

Normally, she never got the chance.

The girl clearly adored the jacket, reluctant to let it go. “Did you buy it in a physical store? Could you tell me the brand?”

Luo Xing showed her the label sewn inside.

The girl searched online. “Oh my god, this is a rare limited edition from a luxury collaboration—what a pity.”

Seeing her disappointment, Luo Xing hesitated. “If you don’t mind, I’ll give it to you. Once we’re back downtown and it’s warmer, I’ll take it off for you.”

The girl’s eyes widened in disbelief. Generosity like this was unexpected. “Wait, really? Isn’t that too much? This jacket is limited edition—it’s worth thousands now.”

“I hardly wear it. Just this once, and it’s wasted sitting with me. You really seem to like it.” Luo Xing smiled and pointed to the phone screen, which was displaying music. “And I also love listening to Ryuichi Sakamoto—it’s fate.”

The girl grinned excitedly. “Really? I’ve loved his music since middle school. Back in seventh grade…”

Their conversation blossomed around Sakamoto, lively and animated.

They chatted all the way until it was time to get off the bus.

Luo Xing took off her jacket and handed it to the girl, who hugged it with a blissful expression. “You’re so kind—and so beautiful. When rumors spread that Gu Shiyan was pursuing you, no one believed it, but now I do.”

The smile froze briefly on Luo Xing’s face; she didn’t want to discuss this topic. “No worries. I’ll go ahead—my teammates are waiting for me.”

She hurried over to her group, just in time to see Gu Shiyan climbing into a black Bentley in haste.

Qi Changbai, arm around Xu Yan, remarked, “Barely off the bus and already someone’s here with a luxury car. Life’s turning point really is the amniotic fluid.”

“But did you hear? Someone said his family member is gravely ill.” Xu Yan turned to mention it.

Luo Xing’s mind buzzed. “Seriously ill? His grandfather?”

Grandfather Gu…

Impossible, just a few months ago they’d said his condition had improved greatly.

“Huh? I only heard someone mention ‘Old Gu’ and that he needed to get to the hospital. Is that his grandfather?”

Luo Xing hadn’t expected it to be Grandfather Gu.

“Should you ask your grandmother?” Shen Que knew a bit about the connection between Luo Xing’s grandmother and the Gu family. Seeing her anxious, he comforted her, “Call her first. She probably knows more. Maybe it’s not that serious—it’s only been a few months.”

Luo Xing nodded, dialing her grandmother.

“Wait, what’s going on? What’s the connection between Gu Shiyan’s grandfather and Luo Xing’s grandmother?”

“They know each other.” Luo Xing replied briefly, not elaborating on their relationship.

“The car’s here, shall we get on?”

Shen Que and Xu Yan said their goodbyes to Qi Changbai.

Luo Xing got in first. The call connected. “Grandma, is Grandfather Gu alright? Is it serious?”

“Xingxing, I’m in the capital now…”

Luo Xing fell silent.

Her grandmother had already gone to Beijing. That meant Grandfather Gu…

“Grandma, did you see the bracelet? I rushed home the other day, left it in your room. Actually, it was Grandfather Gu who asked me to give it to you. He was afraid you wouldn’t accept it, so he had me bring it.”

“I saw it, Xingxing. That wasn’t for me—it’s for you.”

Luo Xing was stunned. “For me? Grandfather Gu said it was for you.”

“If he hadn’t said that, you wouldn’t have accepted it.”

Luo Xing mumbled, “Why give it to me…”

“Shiyan arrived, didn’t he?” Grandmother Gu asked.

“He should have. I saw him get in the car.”

“Sigh, Xingxing, don’t overthink it. Birth, aging, illness, and death are part of life. Focus on your project. After finals, aren’t you heading to the U.S. for the competition?”

“Yes.”

The thought made Luo Xing anxious. “And him…”

Grandfather Gu gravely ill, the competition looming.

“Life is unpredictable; everyone walks their own path. The hurdles along the way can only be crossed by oneself. I always say Shiyan’s a rascal, but he’s far more mature than his peers.”

Luo Xing was silent for a while, then spoke with a choked voice. “…I just prayed for my family today. We’ll all be safe, Grandfather Gu is your brother, so he’s my family too. He’ll be alright, he’ll get better.”

Grandmother Gu didn’t want Luo Xing to be upset. Hearing her voice wavering, she quickly changed the subject and hung up after a few brief words.

Beijing, Gu Family Hospital, special ward.

The elderly man in the bed, hair snowy white, lay with eyes closed. The room was crowded.

Gu Taihua’s eldest son, Gu Ming, with his two sons; second son, Gu Xiang, with his wife and their son and daughter; Gu Liang and Su Wan; Gu Yunzhi; Assistant Song; and Gu Taihua’s private lawyer.

The luxurious, spacious ward was filled with more than a dozen people.

All eyes were fixed on the hospital bed.

When Gu Shiyan arrived, Gu Ming and Gu Xiang were discussing matters of the will.

Both tried to probe the private lawyer for information, but he was tight-lipped, revealing little.

“Mr. Gu has left two wills. One will be made public, the other confidential.”

Gu Shiyan moved past everyone to the bedside.

His feelings were complicated. Gu Liang, the youngest son, had stayed beside the old man after his brothers left the family home. Gu Shiyan had grown up by Grandfather Gu’s side.

He’d been strict with him from an early age. At twelve, Gu Shiyan began learning about the company under his grandfather’s guidance. The lock on his room was unlike any other.

Before leaving Grandfather Gu for Beicheng, he had no privacy at all—Grandfather Gu watched him constantly.

He’d been resentful then, which was why he smashed the lock and installed a new one, the code known only to himself.

Later, after moving to Beicheng, he rarely returned—maybe a few times a year. Childhood memories slowly faded, replaced by the bonds of blood.

Gu Shiyan was originally groomed as the heir.

He was the one who broke the lock, betraying Grandfather Gu’s expectations.