Guan Zijue nodded and said, âOkay. Be careful on the way back.â
Guan Mingchang and Xia Xinsheng left before Gu Yiâan returned with their glasses of water.
âWhere did they go?â
âThey already left. They were just checking up on my injury.â
Gu Yiâan decided to tease him and said, âTheyâve timed their visit very well.â
Guan Zijue raised his brows.
Youâre the one who seduced me in the first place. But I really didnât expect for my parents to come knocking on the door.
A shocking piece of news appeared in the newspaper the very next day.
Someone who was suspected to be a military officer was alleged to be having a sordid affair with an unknown male lover of his.
Though the photo that accompanied the report was not a high quality one, it was clear that the person in the image was Guan Zijue.
Gu Yiâan never expected things to take such a turn.
Deciding to hide the report from Guan Zijue, Gu Yiâan stuffed the newspaper under his pillow.
When Guan Zijue asked him for the newspaper, Gu Yiâan said, âIt wasnât delivered today somehow. How about you read a book instead!â
Guan Zijue simply nodded at this, not suspecting anything.
Gu Yiâan heaved an inward sigh of relief. But itâs impossible to hide this forever. What do I do when he finds out?
At this moment, Guan Zijueâs mobile phone started ringing.
Gu Yiâanâs heart almost leapt out of his chest. Whoâs calling at this hour?
He failed to stop Guan Zijue from answering the call.
Almost immediately after picking up the phone, Guan Zijue looked up at Gu Yiâan with wide eyes that were filled with dismay.
Gu Yiâan did not know what to say to him.
Though Guan Zijue looked calm on the outside, Gu Yiâan could feel the undercurrent of roiling emotions in him.
Placing the phone aside, Guan Zijue asked, âWhereâs the newspaper?â
Gu Yiâan went to his room to get the newspaper right away.
âGive it to me!â
âI think itâs best if you donât read it!â
âI said, give it to me!â
Gu Yiâan then passed the newspaper to him unwillingly.
He regretted everything that happened after seeing the report.
I was too careless. How could I have let this happen?
He wanted to destroy whoever it was who wrote that report.
Things might get sticky if they were aware of Gu Yiâanâs identity.
Though the photo quality was bad, anyone familiar with Guan Zijue would be able to tell it was him at a glance. There was no way he could get out of this, and the promotion he was promised would probably be taken away now.
It was Guan Zixuan who called earlier. From the photo, he could tell it was Guan Zijue and Gu Yiâan since he was very familiar with the both of them. He called to ask how Guan Zijue was planning to settle this.
Though being gay was acceptable in modern society, it was different in Guan Zijueâs case since this would affect his career prospects in the military to a large extent.
Guan Zixuan was also worried about their father finding out.
As expected, Guan Mingchang called right after Guan Zijue finished reading the damning report.
He sounded calm over the phone as he asked, âZijue, can you give me an explanation?â
He refused to believe that it was his son!
âDad, thereâs nothing I have to say about it!â Guan Zijue answered after a while.
Guan Mingchang was instantly enraged. âGuan Zijue, what do you mean? Is this all you have to say?â
Guan Zijue decided to remain silent. He knew that whatever he said at this point would only serve to make his father angrier and that it was best to let Guan Mingchang vent his anger first.
This wouldnât have happened if I didnât agree on letting Gu Yiâan take care of Zijue!, thought Guan Mingchang.
âGuan Zijue, pack your things and return to camp immediately if you want my forgiveness. Iâll take care of whatever happens next. I donât even know if I can protect you this time. Youâd better reflect on your actions!â
âI understand, Father. Iâll go back to camp right away!â
After a short pause, Guan Zijue said, âDad, I hope you wonât take it out on Gu Yiâan. This has nothing to do with him!â
Though he knew saying this would make Guan Mingchang livid, he hoped that his father would spare Gu Yiâan and not make things too difficult for him.
âIdiot!â
âIs he that important to you? Is he so important that you choose to go against me for him? Nothing to do with him? Why did he appear on the papers then? Are you still not satisfied after embarrassing me like that? Iâm already trying my best to help you out here, and I really donât know what will happen next. You actually have the gall to talk to me like that?â
âDad, it has nothing to do with him!â
âTrying to drive me mad, are you? Go back to camp now!â
Guan Mingchang hung up immediately after.
Guan Zijue looked back at Gu Yiâan and said, âYiâan, Iâd like to have some time alone.â
âOkay. Iâll be in my room. I wonât disturb you!â
Guan Zijue shook his head. âYiâan, donât you understand? Someone must be behind this. Thereâs no way they would let us go that easily. Iâm returning to camp now. Please listen to me and go back to England for now, okay?â
Gu Yiâan refused.
âNo! I know this affects you a lot, but I wonât leave until I know that youâll be fine!â
âYou!â Guan Zijue desperately wanted Gu Yiâan to return to England because he knew that Sin Eliminators was based there. If his father tried anything, Gu Yiâan would be protected well if he was there.
However, he did not expect Gu Yiâan to be this stubborn.
âAre you going to insist on staying here?â
Gu Yiâan nodded.
âFine. You can stay, but not in my apartment. Iâm returning to camp now!â
Gu Yiâan stared at him, not moving an inch.
âI wonât allow you to do that! Youâd be placed under investigation if you go back now. Youâd be in a much more precarious situation if someone reveals my identity!â
Guan Zijue stood up.
âYiâan, Iâm in the military. Iâm not scared of being put under investigation. What Iâm afraid of is that they no longer trust me. I like you, but Iâd never betray my team. Iâm not going to act like a coward. Also, my father has his ways. Yiâan, Iâd suggest for you to leave as soon as possible!â
The fact that they were unable to be together openly only made Gu Yiâan feel worse.
Right, heâs in the military and Iâm a fugitive. But why doesnât he understand?
I know he wants to protect me, but Iâm not a woman. I don't need to be protected like this!