Chapter 347 — The Collapse of an Image

Gu Mengyao knew perfectly well what An Jianwen wanted to know, but she could not be bothered to answer that sort of question.

An Jianwen, however, plainly had no shred of self-awareness; since Wei Zhao had not replied, he simply pressed on: "Yaoyao, you two don't sleep together at night?"

Gu Mengyao frowned, but Shen Yushu beat her to it: "I sleep with Sister Yaoyao!"

Hearing Shen Yushu's words, An Jianwen nearly dissolved into tears of gratitude. He wanted to say: a good soul, truly a good soul! Xiaoshu, I've known you for years, and at last you've said something that soothes Brother Jianwen's heart! You're a lifesaver, you really are!

An Jianwen was well aware that asking this and that was rather unseemly, but he had to know exactly what the relationship between Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao was. It bore on his grand design for love, and he could not afford to be vague about it.

"Heh heh, so then Mr. Lin isn't your boyfriend?" From Gu Mengyao's attitude toward Wei Zhao, An Jianwen had caught a hint or two; he felt Wei Zhao did not really seem like Gu Mengyao's boyfriend.

Gu Mengyao frowned: "Brother Jianwen, just what is it you want to know?"

Gu Mengyao was tired of him too — on and on and on, was it not all to pin down her relationship with Wei Zhao? Fine, then she would tell him, and let him finish and be on his way: "Didn't Xiaoshu explain it clearly enough to you last time?"

The more Gu Mengyao said it that way, the more muddled An Jianwen became. Just where had this Wei Zhao cropped up from? Was this fellow Gu Mengyao's boyfriend or not? To be honest, An Jianwen did not quite trust Shen Yushu's words, for that little devil could lie without batting an eye, and last time's talk of "bodyguard and shield" — a phrase like that alone could be read a dozen ways.

Last time at the amusement park restaurant, An Jianwen had had no chance to think it over; but after he went home and carefully recalled Gu Mengyao's and Wei Zhao's movements and looks that day, they truly did not resemble a couple.

So then, did Shen Yushu mean that Wei Zhao was merely Gu Mengyao's bodyguard? Or a shield brought in to drive off her suitors?

Once home, the more An Jianwen thought about it, the likelier it seemed, and that was exactly why he had come to pay a visit — to wring a little information out of Gu Pengzhan by the bye. But Gu Pengzhan was not in, so he had no choice but to work on the parties concerned.

"Heh heh, I was only asking idly, no other meaning — just helping you keep watch!" An Jianwen said with a smile. "You're my little sister; if you've found yourself a boyfriend, of course your big brother has to take a look!"

"Oh... then look, if you must." Gu Mengyao was thoroughly annoyed. An Jianwen had never been so tiresome before — how was it that since coming back from abroad he had grown so impatient?

Gu Mengyao could feel that An Jianwen had once set his heart on her, but he had never been as eager as this.

Of course, Gu Mengyao was misjudging An Jianwen. The reason for his haste was that he had seen a rival appear! Before this, there had been no suitor of Gu Mengyao's he could count as a rival, so An Jianwen had not been in the least bit anxious; he had felt that Gu Mengyao would be his sooner or later, and sooner or later made no difference.

But now things were different. Wei Zhao's appearance had thrown An Jianwen's plans into complete disarray, and he had no choice but to hurry. As things stood, Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao probably had not grown all that close yet; if he did not hurry now, would that not amount to giving up voluntarily?

"Heh heh, good. In that case, tomorrow evening I'll invite Mr. Wei Zhao out to dinner — partly to thank him for saving my life, and partly to keep watch for you!" An Jianwen said. "Yaoyao, how about it? Give your man the night off?"

"If he wants to go, let him. What's it to me?" Gu Mengyao said indifferently.

"All right then, I'll go tell him!" Hearing Gu Mengyao's words, An Jianwen felt all the more reassured. Such indifference toward Wei Zhao meant their relationship surely was not as good as he had imagined.

With that, An Jianwen rose and walked to Wei Zhao's room, and knocked. Wei Zhao opened the door, saw it was An Jianwen, and asked: "Is there something you want?"

"Heh heh, it's like this — are you free tomorrow evening? My treat, I'd like to take you to dinner and express my gratitude." An Jianwen smiled and clapped Wei Zhao on the shoulder with the easy familiarity of an old friend. "How about it, Mr. Lin? Do me the honor?"

"You're treating me to dinner?" Wei Zhao looked at An Jianwen the way one looks at a fool. "More money than you know what to do with? Not going!"

Wei Zhao's words left An Jianwen instantly awkward: "Mr. Lin, Yaoyao has already agreed. Are you saying that because you're afraid she wouldn't want you to?"

Though he said this aloud, inwardly An Jianwen was somewhat scornful. What are you putting on airs for? Who do you think you are? Competing with me for Gu Mengyao — if I don't show you what I'm made of, you country bumpkin will never learn your place in the world!

"Oh? The young lady agreed?" Wei Zhao was startled, and looked toward Gu Mengyao, only to see her nod at him. There was nothing for it; he said: "All right then, tomorrow it is. Where are we eating?"

In truth, Gu Mengyao did not especially want Wei Zhao to go to dinner with An Jianwen; whether the two of them ate together was nothing to her. The crux of the matter was that An Jianwen wearied her to death, pestering her with questions right before her eyes. Better that he go ask Wei Zhao tomorrow and make himself scarce as soon as possible — she still wanted to rest!

"Six tomorrow evening. I'll be waiting here on the dot, and we can settle on the place tomorrow!" An Jianwen was all the more puzzled. This Wei Zhao did not look like a man who took orders from anyone — so why, the moment Gu Mengyao said he should go, had he agreed without a moment's thought? Could this fellow really be nothing but a bodyguard, and not Gu Mengyao's boyfriend?

Thinking it over, An Jianwen decided it was quite possible. That little devil Shen Yushu's words were not to be trusted, and Wei Zhao might well have nothing at all to do with Gu Mengyao!

"Oh, all right." Wei Zhao nodded. Since this fellow wanted to treat, then let him; tomorrow he would eat him into poverty. "What say I bring a brother along?"

"Sure, no problem!" An Jianwen nodded and agreed readily.

Having gotten Wei Zhao's answer, An Jianwen was satisfied and made ready to take his leave. Out of courtesy, Gu Mengyao had to see him to the door; only after he had gone did she shake her head and let out a breath of relief.

"You're telling me to have dinner with him tomorrow?" Wei Zhao asked. He found Gu Mengyao a little odd.

"I only wanted you to say yes so he'd hurry up and go home. I want to sleep, and he's still here — does it never occur to him that he's making a nuisance of himself?" Gu Mengyao's opinion of An Jianwen was worsening by the day; the image of the boy next door from years past had come crashing down in ruins.

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