Reluctantly Willing

Liu Cheng finally understood Gu Jun's attitude toward him. Gu Jun already knew about the relationship between their families. This was why he was let go easy. Otherwise, Liu Cheng's arm might be disabled by now.

"Move back for a while and go back after the commotion is over. Stay at home and don't go out unless you have to. I'll have someone watch you."

Liu Cheng was left with no room for objection. He could only nod stiffly.

"Should I still go to the hospital?"

"You're not a doctor anyway, so don't go to the hospital tomorrow. Take a nice break. The hospital will continue running without you."

When An Xiaoyan returned home, he saw Chen Chen again at the entrance.

At the first meeting, An Xiaoyan figured that he was Gu Jun's assistant. Seeing him was like seeing a part of Gu Jun. An Xiaoyan trembled involuntarily.

"Mr. An, I heard that you found a nice job."

An Xiaoyan looked at him guardedly, "What's wrong?"

"I personally would love to congratulate you, but my position doesn't allow it. Mr. Gu would like to invite you to dinner. I hope you will agree."

The man said the invitation was for dinner, but An Xiaoyan knew it wouldn't just be that. He couldn't refuse either. The debt was still weighing down on him.

"Okay. When?"

Chen Chen was surprised that An Xiaoyan agreed so readily. He thought An Xiaoyan would ask more questions or even refuse.

"I will pick you up at night, around six. Mr. An, please wear something decent."

With that, Chen Chen left. An Xiaoyan went home and lay on his bed, wondering why Gu Jun wanted to see him. It was probably to humiliate him again, just like at the supermarket. Thankfully, Ye Qing was such a great girl. Other people would probably think that he was a dirty gangster.

Knowing that there wouldn't be a good outcome actually made him fearless. At most, he would just get f*cked again—he would just get hurt again. Gu Jun was only doing this to take revenge. If An Xiaoyan rebelled by not going, he wouldn't be able to endure the consequences.

Chen Chen kept his word and arrived at An Xiaoyan's home at six o'clock sharp. He knocked on the door. When An Xiaoyan opened the door, he was still wearing regular clothes.

"Mr. An, please get changed."

An Xiaoyan looked at himself and remembered he should change.

"Excuse me, do you know what Mr. Gu wants me for?"

Chen Chen shook his head, "He only told me to pick you up. He didn't tell me the reason. I am only following orders."

An Xiaoyan inwardly felt that Chen Chen was speaking the truth. When they'd met alone in the supermarket, An Xiaoyan had a hunch that he wasn't an evil person.

"Alright. Please come in. I'll go change."

An Xiaoyan told Chen Chen to sit in the living room while he went to the bedroom to change. He didn't have any proper or decent clothes. Flipping through his closet, the piece hanging in the back caught his eyes.

"Ye Qing, thank you."

An Xiaoyan shook the suit lightly. Then he put on the jacket and pants seriously.

He still needed a pair of leather shoes, but unfortunately, he didn't have any.

Chen Chen had never seen An Xiaoyan wear such formal clothes before and his eyes brightened. An Xiaoyan was so thin that he barely managed to not get overwhelmed by the suit. His slender frame, porcelain skin, and black suit formed a mesmerizing image.

"Your shoes."

An Xiaoyan recoiled in embarrassment. "I don't have shoes. These are the best ones."

Chen Chen looked at the worn sneakers and said without thinking, "Let's go buy a pair at the store."

An Xiaoyan thought Chen Chen wanted him to buy a pair himself and quickly waved his hand. "No, no need. This is fine. I've worn this pair for a long time and I'm used to it. I won't be used to a new pair."

Chen Chen didn't expect his casual remark would cause such a big reaction. He probably doesn't want to spend the money.

When Chen Chen had entered the apartment, he'd noticed that there wasn't a single extra piece of furniture. The room was empty and the wall was peeling.

"I doubt Mr. Gu will say the same."

This trick worked. An Xiaoyan hesitated, then he went back to his room and came out again. "I don't have much money. Can I buy a cheaper pair?"

Chen Chen took An Xiaoyan to a mall and went to a shoe store. At the door, he found that An Xiaoyan didn't want to go in.

"My treat. Don't make Mr. Gu wait."

This worked too. An Xiaoyan's expression was hesitant, but he still went in.

"Find him a pair of black leather shoes with simple design."

The employee took out a pair of shiny black shoes. She placed it before An Xiaoyan, gesturing at him to try it on.

An Xiaoyan took off his old sneakers and gingerly stuck his feet into the leather shoes. The coldness made him shudder.

Standing before the mirror, An Xiaoyan suddenly had the fantasy that he was an upper-class white-collar worker, that he was wearing a tailored suit to go to a job he loved.

Reaching out to touch his pale face, he finally came back to his senses. He glanced at Chen Chen in embarrassment.

Chen Chen didn't disturb An Xiaoyan when he'd spaced out. He had been observing An Xiaoyan's expression. That feeling came again.

He knew that An Xiaoyan was thinking about the past. As a bystander, it didn't feel good to see someone who'd had such a bright future fall into this state.

"We'll take this. I'll pay with my card."

The employee already had the machine ready. Smiling, she watched Chen Chen swipe the card and then thanked him.

"Just keep the shoes on."

An Xiaoyan pushed down his urge to ask for his old shoes back. He watched as the employee swept his shoes into the trash can with a broom.

Seeing Mr. Gu's text, Chen Chen's eyes darkened. "Mr. An, you should be prepared," he said to An Xiaoyan in the backseat.

"What's wrong?" An Xiaoyan looked forward, but he couldn't figure out where they were going.

Chen Chen didn't want to tell him the address in the text. He wished someone as innocent and kind as An Xiaoyan could retain his purity for a while longer.

"Nothing. It's just that the place we're going is a bit lavish. Someone like you might not like it, so I thought I'd give you a heads-up."

An Xiaoyan leaned back. Looking at the lines of headlights, his heart felt empty. Gu Jun obviously didn't call him here to eat dinner.

The car went down various roads and finally stopped before a glamorous building.

Chen Chen opened the door for An Xiaoyan. "Mr. An, you can go in. Someone will take you to the place."

An Xiaoyan was flustered by Chen Chen's attitude. Chen Chen was too polite to him. It was more like theatric respect.

"Okay. Thank you for today. When I have money, I'll repay you for the shoes. I don't have the money to do so right now."

With that, An Xiaoyan turned around and started walking. He gradually disappeared in the night.

Looking at the backside, Chen Chen thought, An Xiaoyan, those shoes are my gift to you.