Encouraged by her words, a sliver of confidence finally emerged in Quan Jin’s heart. Just as he was about to step forward, Gu Yuan eyed him: "Stay there."

He immediately stood still, not daring to move.

"Never mind, I’ll ask and you answer." After stammering for a while without saying a complete sentence, Gu Yuan thought, she had to get up early and work hard tomorrow, needing to get to bed soon.

He obediently nodded: "You ask." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Not only was his tone obedient, his demeanor was unbearably so too.

In just a few days of not seeing each other, his changes were as dramatic as ever.

In order to save time, Gu Yuan asked directly: "Did you follow me the night I left Yanjing?"

He obediently nodded: "Yes."

"Where have you been staying lately?"

"The same place as before."

"Did you eat before you came tonight?"

"... Yes."

"Tell the truth." Gu Yuan’s voice carried a hint of coldness.

Having just lied, and fearing angering Gu Yuan, he answered truthfully: "No, I haven’t."

As his words fell, an icy chill crept over Gu Yuan’s face.

Self-torment to repay debts?

She didn’t bring up his visits from the previous nights, thinking if he knew she was aware he had come and didn’t come out to see him, he would surely think she hated him.

And yet, this person was indulging in self-torture.

She turned to leave.

Seeing her walk away, Quan Jin panicked, quickly stepping forward to grasp her wrist. Gu Yuan looked down at her hand and then at him, he immediately let go wisely.

However, fearing she would walk away, he gathered the courage to lightly grasp her... sleeve... just a little.

He really only held on a little, afraid that holding on more would make him disliked.

Gu Yuan saw him pinching the sleeve of her short-sleeve shirt with an expression of disbelief.

"Is there something else?" The coldness in her eyes and brow had not yet subsided.

Quan Jin had yet to realize why Gu Yuan was angry; at this moment he thought Gu Yuan harbored deep resentment toward him, leaving him with so much to say but not knowing where to start, hence his earlier stammering foolishness.

He wanted to say ’I have a lot to tell you, could you give me some time’, but what came out was the impatient sentence: "Would you give me another chance?"

Gu Yuan raised her brow seemingly puzzled: "Give you another chance? Another chance to hurt me?"

"No, that’s not what I meant..."

"Quan Jin, go home and rest. If you keep waiting outside, all I can do is call the police."

He persisted: "You can call me Chi Yu like just now."

Gu Yuan flicked his hand away: "You’re not Chi Yu."

He said: "I am."

"You’re not." Gu Yuan looked at him.

Her gaze even colder than before.

He really wasn’t Chi Yu.

Seeing Gu Yuan about to go inside, Quan Jin shouted:

"Gu Yuan!"

There was a faint noise behind her, amplified many times over in the stillness of the night. Gu Yuan turned to see a scene she hadn’t expected.

Quan Jin had knelt down to her!

He was on both knees, not just one knee.

If a young man kneels on one knee before a young woman, it’s usually a proposal.

But on both knees, it’s usually asking for forgiveness.

Quan Jin was the latter.

He was the man seeking forgiveness.

His jawline was tightly set, his back no longer straight, but slightly hunched, hands hanging at his sides, his gaze intensely fixed on Gu Yuan who stood several meters away.

Seeing this, Gu Yuan could no longer maintain the calm she had moments ago.

She didn’t expect Quan Jin to go this far, actually kneeling down.

In that instant, a storm of emotions churned within her, slowly settling down again.

Her feet inched in his direction, each step steady and deliberate. But after just two steps, the phone in her pocket vibrated.

She stopped and took out her phone; it was her mom calling from the residence’s landline.

She answered, hearing Suisui’s cries and her mom’s voice on the other end: "Hello? Miss Gu! The little princess woke up crying, looking for you, and nothing can calm her down."

Gu Yuan pressed her lips together before saying: "Okay, I’ll be back soon."

Her mom’s voice was slightly urgent.

Suisui’s cries were unrelenting, sobbing for her mom, and Gu Yuan’s heart nearly broke.

Since returning from Yanjing, Suisui’s nighttime sleep had been troubled, whereas she used to sleep soundly through the night, she now sometimes woke crying for her mom. This trip to Yanjing seemed to have cast a shadow, being the first time she left Suisui in a place unfamiliar to her.

Hanging up the phone, Gu Yuan glanced at Quan Jin, who was still kneeling.

She said: "Suisui’s crying for me."

She only mentioned Suisui crying for her, without telling him to go home first.