"Mr. He." Gu Bingjun laughed, "Truly a remarkable person. My daughter has always admired you. Look at her, she’s too excited to even speak."
Zhixi’s eyelashes trembled lightly as she nodded slightly in his direction. She was very cautious, not daring to step forward because one more step would cross the three-meter boundary, and her identity could no longer be concealed.
Only then did He Jingyao cast his gaze towards her, dark and deep, almost devoid of any emotion.
"Miss Gu," he muttered softly, "Pleasant to meet you."
Zhixi desperately reminded herself to stay calm. It took a long time before she shakily uttered, "Pleasant to meet you."
The man’s brow twitched, as if he had smiled lightly.
"It’s too cold outside, I won’t disturb Duke Gu and Miss Gu further." The man’s lips curled up, "I shall host another day, and I hope you both will grace the occasion."
Gu Bingjun chuckled continuously, "Of course, of course, we will certainly attend."
He Jingyao made a gesture of invitation, and stepped aside with Ning Yichen.
Gu Bingjun then pulled Zhixi, saying, "Let’s go, time to bid farewell to the gentlemen."
Zhixi didn’t dare to speak. She nodded gently towards them and quickly pulled open the car door and dove inside.
The car door shut heavily.
She then realized she was covered in cold sweat; her entire being felt as though it was drained.
The little one beside her stealthily tugged at her, then climbed onto her, curiously looking outside.
Taking advantage of the fact they couldn’t see inside from outside, Zhixi brazenly scrutinized them.
Outside the car, the man still stood there, his tall figure both cold and sharp, yet his gaze was almost tangible, accurately falling upon her.
She quickly turned her gaze away and hugged the little one in her arms tightly.
Soon, the car finally started.
He Jingyao’s figure was finally far behind.
Zhixi’s tears slid down unconsciously; she bit her lip hard, desperately holding back the urge to burst into tears.
A soft little hand wiped away her tears, the little one’s mature-tone broke through, "Mommy, you can’t be so melancholic, Daddy will dislike it."
She burst into laughter, smearing her tears on his soft body, "You saw, didn’t you?"
"Mmm, I saw. He’s so tall..." the little one’s tone was filled with admiration, "and so fierce... If I don’t study well, will he beat me up?"
"I don’t know..." Zhixi was also curious about what kind of father He Jingyao would be. Regardless, he would surely love this child dearly.
"Why didn’t you speak just now?" she pinched the little one’s cheek.
"I was afraid you’d leave me with him," his voice was soft and fluffy, "and, and when I saw him, I was too scared to speak."
Zhixi’s tears welled up again.
"Actually, he isn’t fierce at all, not in the slightest," Zhixi mumbled to herself.
But four years had passed, and it seemed he had locked away the warm and tender aspects of himself.
She dared not think about how he felt when he first heard of her ’death’. Over these four years, how had he been coping? Sometimes she hoped he had moved on from her, yet she also hoped he still held her in his thoughts, faithfully until the end.
Sometimes she couldn’t help despising herself for being so contradictory and selfish.
Originally, her injuries and coma from the explosion were accidental, but after regaining consciousness, due to a twist of fate, she heard her own death announced and never found the courage to return to his side.