You Owe Me, My Love novel Chapter 329

Chapter 329 Is She Bai Rong

Wu Nian met Gu Mingchen’s puzzled gaze.

His eyes widened in shock when he saw Liu Yan next to her. A frown creased his handsome features.

Feeling guilty, Wu Nian evaded his stare and looked at her friend instead, who was chuckling away.

“What a coincidence. This is what we call destiny,” Liu Yan lowered her voice and teased. “I have to say I’m not surprised we ran into him here during the weekend. A lot of rich people have been flocking here after it got famous last year.”

Liu Yan maintained a polite smile on her face as she spoke. “Anyway, should we go over and say hi? His friends are there though, so things might get a little awkward. Let’s just grab some food and sit further away.” Liu Yan tugged Wu Nian by her arm as they headed toward the left-most corner.

A playful smile broke out on Liu Yan’s face as she recalled Gu Mingcheng’s face. “He looked so confused back there. He must be wondering how we know each other and why we’re here together.”

Wu Nian nodded in agreement as her eyes darted around. “Just act normal and do as we planned earlier,” she said, getting up to get some steak.

While she was waiting for the steak she ordered, Wu Nian sensed an intense presence approaching from behind. She knew who it was even without looking.

She straightened her back in alarm. Calm down, Bai Rong. Don’t turn around.

Liu Yan is your only friend and you hang out with her a lot. It’s just a matter of time before he finds out about it. Calm down!

Wu Nian sucked in a breath of cold air as she tried to calm her nerves.

“Hi. I can’t believe we met here,” Gu Mingchen’s voice came from behind her.

Wu Nian turned around slowly and feigned surprise. “Hi, Mr. Gu. What a coincidence.”

“The woman who came with you is your friend?”

“Yeah. Come to think of it, I’m so glad I met her. She’s been looking out for me ever since I came to A City.”

“But she didn’t help you get a job?” Gu Mingchen’s question was sharp and to the point.

“Oh, she asked me to work as a housemaid at her place, but I don’t feel comfortable working for a friend so I turned her down,” Wu Nian answered calmly. She took a quick look at the chef and changed the topic abruptly. “Medium well and not too much pepper. Thanks!”

“About yesterday… I must have drunk a lot… I hope you’re not bothered by what I said,” Gu Mingchen said carefully.

Wu Nian waved her hand lightly and smiled. “It’s okay, I understand. I knew you had too much booze when you mistook me for someone named Bai Rong yesterday. Speaking of, you should really cut down on your alcohol. Too much is not good for you.”

“I’ll try,” Gu Mingchen replied with a nod as he handed his plate to the chef. “A filet mignon, please.”

Silence fell between the two after that.

Wu Nian looked around restlessly as they stood there quietly. Gu Mingchen’s breathing was beating on her neck and it was making her disconcerted.

The silence dragged on painfully. Wu Nian tousled her hair and let out a brief sigh.

“How’s your back?” Gu Mingchen broke the silence.

Wu Nian shot him a quick look. “Well, I rubbed a hard-boiled egg over it yesterday. It’s much better now. Thanks for asking.”

“Your pepper steak, miss,” the chef called out.

“Thanks.” Wu Nian took the plate from his hands as she mentally sighed in relief. Turning to Gu Mingchen, she stated, “I’ll take a seat first. I didn’t have breakfast in the morning, so I’m a little hungry. Enjoy your meal, Mr. Gu.”

With that, Wu Nian turned and left without waiting for a reply.

Back at the table, Liu Yan had already filled the table with all the dishes she wanted to try.

“Finally! Let’s dig in! It’s been such a long time since I gave myself a treat,” Liu Yan exclaimed as she rubbed her hands in excitement.

Wu Nian shook her head at her friend behaving like a glutton. “Eat all you want today. I didn’t get a piece of steak for you ’cause Gu Mingchen was there. I’ll get one for you later. What would you like to have?”

“I’ll go get one myself. I bet he’s gonna go over the moment he sees you. What did he ask you?” Liu Yan inquired anxiously.

“I replied to him according to what we agreed on before, so don’t worry. I don’t want to talk about him anymore. It’s our day today. If we see him at the fishing site, we’ll go horse-riding. If he’s horse-riding, then we’ll either go fishing or singing. We’ll try to avoid them as much as we can,” Wu Nian concluded.

“That’s my girl. It seems like I did the right thing protecting you, even at the expense of my own body,” Liu Yan said casually, reaching for a glass of red wine.

“Are you sure you want to drink? You’re driving,” Wu Nian reminded her.

“We’re not leaving right away, so it’s fine. Alcohol only stays in the system for four hours. Come, let’s do a toast,” Liu Yan replied, clicking her glass against Wu Nian’s before Wu Nian could even stop her. She gulped the entire glass of wine in one shot and let out a satisfied sigh.

“Yan, are you okay?” Wu Nian realized something was wrong with her friend.

Liu Yan smacked her lips and smiled widely. “I’m more than okay; I’m over the moon! Shen Yiyan is going abroad today. He’s such a control freak and he doesn’t let me drink. It’s as if I’m his pet. Even pets get to decide who they want to be friends with, and they’re even allowed to sulk when they’re angry.”

Wu Nian knew Liu Yan was unhappy with her life. She squeezed her friend’s hands and looked her in the eyes. “I’m sorry for dragging you down with me,” Wu Nian said with a hint of guilt in her voice.

“Cut it out. I never once thought it was your fault. Shen Yiyan has been planning a trap for me as early as five years ago. You’re my only comfort now. At least I feel like I still have something to live for. Let’s drink till we drop today. I want to enjoy my freedom to its fullest!” Liu Yan filled her glass to the brim and took another shot.

Sitting opposite her, Wu Nian left her glass untouched.

She still had to take care of Liu Yan if she got drunk.

“Yan, do you still remember the time we went camping together? Back then, Ma Rong and Wu Dahai were dating, and they were acting all lovey-dovey in front of everyone,” Wu Nian recalled.

“Of course! How can I forget the two lovebirds? I still get goosebumps thinking about how cringey they were,” Liu Yan replied instantly. “I heard that after Wu Dahai quit being a doctor and went into business, he started having an affair with a woman in her forties. Ma Rong went berserk when she found out about it. She had a miscarriage and she couldn’t get pregnant anymore after that. What’s worse is that the woman conceived and gave birth to a son, so Wu Dahai moved out to live with her. Even so, Ma Rong refuses to divorce him till today.”

Liu Yan heaved a resigned sigh and took another drink.

Wu Nian nodded lightly in agreement. “Come to think of it, it’s time she let go. She needs to get over her anger so she can think reasonably and stop being so stubborn. Yes, she was hurt, and that’s why she’s refusing to let Wu Dahai go. She probably doesn’t want to give in to the other woman who ruined her family, and she wants the two to hide in shame forever. But she’s actually getting revenge at the expense of her youth, her life, and her own happiness. She’s so entrenched in her hatred and bitterness; I doubt she’ll ever be happy again.”

Liu Yan patted Wu Nian on the back of her hand and leaned closer. “Hey, you used to be a psychologist. Why do I feel like you’re hinting at me?”

“You were a psychologist?” A masculine voice sounded in surprise before the two women could continue their conversation.