"Gu Junhe, I want a divorce," Zou Yaru, covering her bruised face, glared at Gu Junhe and yelled at him.
As the couple seemed set to start fighting again, Ji Shuyuan had no choice but to intervene; he couldn’t just stand there and watch them come to blows. He could only pull Gu Junhe outside.
Gu Junhe didn’t want to leave, but Ji Shuyuan forcefully dragged him away; otherwise, if the couple really got into trouble, he didn’t know what to do.
After leaving the Gu Family’s place, Ji Shuyuan thought it over and decided to take Gu Junhe to a nearby hotel to sleep it off, while he himself returned to his rented apartment.
Hearing some noise, Ji Xinghua knew Ji Shuyuan had come back and specifically asked why Shi Shuyuan had returned so late.
"Grandpa, it’s nothing. I just ran into a classmate and we chatted for a while longer than expected. Sorry for worrying you," Ji Shuyuan replied, not mentioning anything about Gu Junhe.
"It’s all right, get some sleep," said Ji Xinghua, now reassured that his grandson was safe, and went to bed himself.
Lying in bed, Ji Shuyuan still thought about how Gu Junhe had hit Zou Yaru earlier; it didn’t look at all like the way one would treat one’s own wife.
He wasn’t particularly close to Gu Junhe, only because one time Gu Junhe was about to be beaten up, and Ji Shuyuan had just happened to come across the scene and saved him. Gu Junhe had always treated him as his lifesaver and they had shared a meal once.
Last year, when Grandpa fell ill, Ji Shuyuan had borrowed one hundred yuan from him.
This favor Ji Shuyuan still remembered.
The very next morning, before going to school, Ji Shuyuan purposely bought a light, century egg and lean pork congee. Considering that Gu Junhe had drunk too much the day before, he definitely would be suffering from a headache today; a light meal was most appropriate.
When Ji Shuyuan arrived, Gu Junhe had just woken up. Seeing Ji Shuyuan, memories of the previous day rushed back.
He had argued with Zou Yaru, even slapped her, and all of it had been witnessed by Ji Shuyuan.
Gu Junhe’s face immediately darkened.
"I just happened to come across you yesterday. Oh, and here’s some congee. It’s light; you should have some," Ji Shuyuan offered the congee, not dwelling on the events of the previous day, as the two of them weren’t particularly close.
Later, when Gu Junhe didn’t ask for the hundred yuan back, Ji Shuyuan still repaid him. If he hadn’t seen him drunk, perhaps their paths might never have crossed again.
Gu Junhe glanced at the congee with indifference. He just felt a headache and a hit to his pride as he said, "Ji Shuyuan, I drank too much yesterday. I can’t remember very clearly what happened."
The implication in Gu Junhe’s words was quite evident.
Ji Shuyuan paused for a moment then replied, "I don’t remember either. I just took you to the hotel here. I don’t know where your house is."
"I have to get to class, so I’m heading out," Ji Shuyuan said and then took his leave.
Gu Junhe looked at the congee, anger flaring, and flung it away.
The sound of the congee spilling wasn’t missed by Ji Shuyuan, who hadn’t gone far. Something in him tightened; he thought, no wonder he felt uncomfortable and uneasy the previous times he met Gu Junhe.
"Those not in the same path do not plan together," thought Ji Shuyuan, the image of Gu Junhe hitting someone yesterday and his actions today both feeling alien and unacceptable to him.
After leaving the hotel, Gu Junhe headed straight for the Gu Family’s house; he wanted to settle the score with Zou Yaru. Thinking about divorce? Not on his watch, not even a window was left open for that idea.