A Night At The Hotel

Si Zhenxuan extended his hand to assist Gu Antong in standing, his voice resolute, "No need for further words, we shall move out today."

Gu Antong was pulled away by Si Zhenxuan.

He hurriedly left, clenching his teeth in silence. Anger welled up within her, directed towards Si Zhenxuan.

Before the gathered family members, Wei Yulan had stripped away Si Zhenxuan's facade!

She watched Si Zhenxuan's retreating figure, feeling only heartache deep within.

He'd been without parents since childhood and was adopted by Si Hanxiang and Wei Yulan. In the early days when Si Hanxiang and Wei Yulan had no biological children of their own, Wei Yulan had indeed treated Si Zhenxuan like her own.

But what had changed? Later on, with the arrival of Si Yueyun, the so-called eldest son had become obsolete.

Si Zhenxuan, living on the fringes, had to toil relentlessly to find his own way out. He had propped up half of the Si family's empire, only to be treated this way by Wei Yulan.

Gu Antong suddenly comprehended some of Si Zhenxuan's actions.

He was obsessed with his work, maintained a stoic demeanor in life; his quiet character had evolved because his family regarded him as nothing more than a money-making machine.

As Si Zhenxuan walked out beneath the tree, he suddenly heard Gu Antong's sobs behind him.

He paused, turned around, a hint of frost between his brows.

No one pursued him, but Jiang Nuan, leaning against the tall gate of the estate, was brimming with satisfaction in her eyes.

For Jiang Nuan, today was an exceptional day. What could be more gratifying than expelling a woman she loathed from the household?

Si Zhenxuan fixed his gaze on Gu Antong, then after a moment, he inquired in a deep voice, "Do you regret marrying me?"

Gu Antong hesitated for a moment, then shook her head almost immediately, offering a resolute response, "No, I don't regret it."

"Why?" Si Zhenxuan inquired.

Why? Because I love you.

Gu Antong blushed but refrained from saying it. Instead, she took Si Zhenxuan's hand and spoke slowly, word by word, "I married you, and I don't regret it. If you want to know why, I can't explain it."

"I understand," Si Zhenxuan suddenly plucked a leaf from her hair, his brow furrowed. "I investigated your background before your marriage to Yue Yun. In reality, your family situation wasn't as favorable as you believed, so you sought advancement by marrying into the Si family."

Gu Antong stared at Si Zhenxuan in shock, tears glistening in her eyes.

She opened her mouth, but her throat constricted, and she stammered, "You... You knew all along. Then why did you agree to marry me..."

No wonder he hadn't promised her a year ago. No wonder he'd been distant all along. He knew everything.

Si Zhenxuan frowned, "If you want to know why, I can't explain it."

"..."

How cunning! Gu Antong lowered her head. She initially married him for her family's sake, which was true at the start. But why did he marry her? She didn't understand the reason, but what she did know was that it wasn't because he was fond of her.

What about now? Was he even slightly attracted to her?

She gazed up at him with anxiety. "Where are we going to stay tonight?"

At this point, she was more concerned with the prospect of whether Si Zhenxuan had any feelings for her. She had resolved to lead a better life in the future, and whether or not she would confess her love for Si Zhenxuan remained uncertain.

"Don't worry, I'll figure something out," he reassured her, gently holding her hand. His hand was slightly cool, yet it provided her with an unexplained sense of comfort.

"Alright," she nodded, smiling at Gu Antong. She returned the gentle squeeze of his hand, and the warmth exchanged between them filled her with uncontainable tenderness and happiness.

"Come, let's get in the car," Si Zhenxuan's voice was notably lighter, perhaps influenced by the soft ambiance in the air or by Gu Antong's determined demeanor.

Gu Antong couldn't help but crack a slight smile. She realized there was little she could do now. But at least, he held her hand, and together they slowly faded from the view of Jiang Nuan and the others.

"I truly love you," Wei Yulan said as she watched the two of them depart, hand in hand.

Si Yueyun hesitated and asked, "Mom, is this okay? What will Dad say when he returns?"

Wei Yulan gave Si Yueyun a stern look, her face reflecting her annoyance. It seemed like Si Yueyun's words had struck a nerve. Wei Yulan reached out to grasp his ear and exclaimed, "You ungrateful child! It's all for you! Our family's support made him who he is today. Without us, he wouldn't have achieved this much. What's happened? Even Si Shi now serves him loyally!"

Jiang Nuan returned to the sofa and said, "You're right. Si Shi was originally yours, but now everyone thinks he's your older brother's. To change that, we need to start now."

Step by step, they intended to reclaim what rightfully belonged to Si Yueyun.

Wei Yulan sneered, "With Gu Antong on his side, we can gradually force Si Zhenxuan to relinquish his hold on certain matters. And then..." A cold smile played on her lips, as if mocking the situation.

In this world, they all understood the game that was afoot.

Once in the car, Si Zhenxuan promptly took out his phone to make a call.

"It's me. Reserve a room for us at the hotel..."

Gu Antong was listening, and a smile played on her lips that she couldn't hide.

Even she couldn't believe it. Just a moment ago, she had been furious because of Jiang Nuan and Wei Yulan's words and heartbroken for Si Zhenxuan. Now, all it took was his comfort – a gentle gaze, the touch of his skin – to make her feel immensely happy.

Si Zhenxuan ended the call and turned to Gu Antong with a much softer expression. "I asked Shu Xun to book a room at the hotel. We'll stay there tonight. I'll handle the housing situation as soon as possible. Don't worry about it."

Gu Antong furrowed her brow, recalling his words from before. She hesitated a bit before asking, "Are you really not planning to return to your family's home?"

She knew that he still held deep gratitude for his family's kindness, apart from any other consideration. With his sharp mind, how could he not see through Wei Yulan and Si Yueyun's intentions? Perhaps even Si Hanxiang was part of it.

Si Zhenxuan didn't respond to this question, just as he hadn't when Wei Yulan had asked him to leave his home. His expression remained unchanged. It was as if he hadn't heard the question at all, but Gu Antong had sensed something in his grip, a slight pressure. He still cared. All she could do was make him happy when she was by his side.

"Where is the hotel?" she asked.

"Good," Si Zhenxuan nodded, a warmth spreading across his face. It seemed like he was quite content with Gu Antong's decision to let it go.

The car set off for Shu Xun's hotel. Throughout the journey, Gu Antong and Si Zhenxuan didn't exchange words. She knew that what Si Zhenxuan needed at that moment was her presence, not advice or conversation. He wasn't a stubborn man, but he had strong convictions. If he said he had a solution, her role was not to inquire further.

Upon reaching the hotel, a valet quickly approached to take the car key from Si Zhenxuan. Gu Antong and Si Zhenxuan entered the hotel together.

The hotel had a modern and trendy decor. Shu Xun had reserved a room for them on the eighth floor. They took the elevator to the eighth floor. As the door opened, Gu Antong found herself momentarily dumbfounded, but Si Zhenxuan remained unfazed.

She finally comprehended why Shu Xun had that sly grin when they left earlier. No wonder he had remarked, "Boss, consider it your honeymoon." The room's arrangement left her feeling rather embarrassed.

In the room, there was a large circular bed, draped in luxurious brocade. The fabric cascaded to the floor and spilled onto the carpet.

Above the bed, the light from the stars and moon painted a serene blue glow, creating a romantic and beautiful atmosphere.

The bathroom adjacent to the bed was entirely transparent – you could see in from the outside, and out from the inside.

Gu An Tong blushed and felt her heart race, which made her more excited than the Chengdu hotel they had just visited.

As the waiter brought the suitcase into the room, he turned to her and said, "I hope you and Miss have a truly memorable evening."

The words from the waiter felt strangely significant to Gu An Tong.

Calmly, she walked into the room, noticing Gu An Tong standing awkwardly outside the door. She couldn't help but playfully tease, "What's the matter? Don't you like this place?"

Gu An Tong snapped back to reality. Her face turned bright red, and she hurriedly stepped into the room, her head downcast. It appeared that the room had been arranged with a touch of romance that made her a bit uncomfortable.

"I... I didn't..." Gu An Tong's voice was barely audible, even to herself.

Zhen Xuan Yang, observing the room's arrangement, was certain that Shu's hand was at work here, intentionally creating this atmosphere.

Gu An Tong leaned her luggage against the wall and took a deep breath. It had been an exhausting day. She hadn't even had a chance to step into her own home before being rushed out.

Suddenly, she felt someone approaching from behind.

Si Zhen Xuan came up to Gu An Tong, closed the door, and stood just behind her, asking, "Would you like to take a bath first?"

Though he maintained a distance, his mere presence sent shivers down Gu An Tong's spine, and her face turned crimson, almost as if it would start dripping blood.

She recalled the warmth and tingling sensation when he gently nibbled her earlobe. She remembered the heat and sensation of his breath brushing against her neck.

"I... I'm okay. You can go ahead and bathe."

"Very well." Si Zhen Xuan didn't say anything further. He went to the side, picked up a bathrobe provided by the hotel, and headed toward the bathroom. However, he paused in front of the bathroom door.

The sofa was positioned in a way that it faced the bathroom. As Si Zhen Xuan emerged from the bathroom in his bathrobe, Gu An Tong didn't notice him until she was enveloped in a familiar yet intense atmosphere. She suddenly raised her head.

Si Zhen Xuan's bathrobe barely reached his knees, with just a waistband holding it in place. Most of his chest was exposed, and his well-defined abdominal muscles were visible. His slender legs were fully on display, and even his thighs were clearly visible.