Chapter 17: The Taste

First, a man’s voice: “Gu Lingyi! Is that you?”

Gu Lingyi: “What’s gotten into you?”

“What were you doing just now?”

“Yueyue’s clothes mysteriously tore and she had to go upstairs, and coincidentally, the second floor caught fire when you weren’t there! How could that be such a perfect coincidence?”

“Do you dare say this has nothing to do with you?”

“Normally, small scuffles might be excusable, but you actually tried to endanger Yueyue’s life!”

The video abruptly cut off there.

The man’s confident tone was taken by netizens as stating an undeniable fact.

His last sentence gave the online crowd even more to criticize.

“Small scuffles? Does that mean Gu Lingyi often picks on Yueyue?”

“Amazing! I have to say, amazing! She actually dared to set a fire! Doesn’t she care about hurting someone?”

“Upstairs, only someone with a conscience would worry about hurting others. Do you think Gu Lingyi has one?”

“Damn! Is my little Yuebao okay?”

“Gu Lingyi, why don’t you just die! Scoundrel, scoundrel, scoundrel!”

“The fire looks serious. Gu Lingyi deliberately set a fire to damage others’ property. She should be locked up.”

“...”

What made things worse was that Gu Lingyi’s address was uncovered. The apartment complex downstairs was already swarmed by fans of Gu Yanyue and paparazzi, all desperate for exclusive news.

Even her agency had people staking out the place.

If Fu Linyuan hadn’t gotten the news first, Gu Lingyi would have been overwhelmed by the barrage of cameras by now.

Her phone kept ringing, but Gu Lingyi thought it best to hang up and simply reply with three words: I’m fine.

She moved to a single sofa to the side and called Tang Shu back.

The answer came quickly, anxious: “Yi Yi, are you okay? Where are you now?”

As soon as Gu Lingyi’s phone was charged, she messaged Ruonan to tell the driver not to come to the studio to pick her up.

She’d forgotten to mention that to Tang Shu.

“I’m fine.” Gu Lingyi sank lazily into the sofa. “I’m at my fiancé’s…”

She glanced around carefully choosing her words, “…residence.”

No sooner had she said that than she met Fu Linyuan’s intense gaze and raised a brow in mild confusion.

Had she said anything wrong?

Before she could figure it out, a sudden shout came from the other end of the call: “Fiancé!”

Gu Lingyi: “Ah... yes.”

“Where did you get a fiancé from?” Tang Shu knew her personal life inside out and had never heard about any fiancé.

Gu Lingyi replied nonchalantly, “Just met him today.”

Tang Shu: “...”

After a moment of stunned silence, she ground her teeth: “At a time like this and you’re joking!”

“What’s really going on with the fire online? Does it have anything to do with you?”

She paused to add, “And! Where exactly are you now?”

Gu Lingyi blinked. How could Tang Shu not believe her when she was telling the truth?

“The fire isn’t like what people online are saying.” She casually fiddled with the hem of her shirt, even teasing, “Netizens are all self-appointed judges…”

“Gu Lingyi! Be serious!” Tang Shu was frantic on the other end, her heart aching hearing Gu Lingyi so carefree. “Come stay at my place first! Wait a few days for the heat to die down, then find somewhere else. You can’t stay where you are now!”

For a celebrity, having your address leaked online was a risk beyond measure.

Before Gu Lingyi could answer, Tang Shu added, “Send me your address and I’ll come pick you up.”

There was a moment of silence between them, then a calm, magnetic male voice broke through: “01.”

Not only Tang Shu was stunned, but Gu Lingyi was also momentarily frozen.

It was the way he said it—just like teammates calling out code names in an apocalypse.

Tang Shu came back to herself, stammering: “I-I wasn’t—th-that… is that your fiancé?”

Gu Lingyi’s heart skipped: “Yes, he is.”

“You…” Tang Shu was at a loss for words, finally forcing out, “Be safe!”

“Don’t worry!” Gu Lingyi promised confidently. “I’m fine here.”

Tang Shu: “Th-then that’s good… Let’s leave it at that for now! We’ll talk on WeChat after the company issues a public statement.”

“Okay.”

After hanging up, Gu Lingyi changed seats and sat next to Fu Linyuan, leisurely locking eyes with him: “What did you just call me?”

Up close, the scent clinging to her was intoxicating. She used his shower gel, carrying his scent—a rose wrapped in thorns, dangerously alluring.

When Fu Linyuan remained silent, Gu Lingyi scooted closer, “Fu Linyuan!”

“Hmm?” Fu Linyuan calmly turned to meet her gaze, his dark eyes soft as water. “What is it?”

His nose filled with her scent, so fragrant…

Gu Lingyi repeated the question once more, and this time Fu Linyuan responded, placing a finger against her cheek as he chuckled softly from his throat, “Was that wrong? Do you want me to call you ‘wife’ right now?”

Unsurprisingly, Gu Lingyi immediately took a step back, curling her lips, “Forget I asked!”

Later, Lu Qian brought over daily necessities and a change of clothes.

Gu Lingyi changed into a white T-shirt and shorts, pulled a black mask from her bag, slipped on slippers, and prepared to go out.

“Where are you going?” Fu Linyuan, dressed in casual home clothes, lacked the sharpness of his usual suit and tie.

He had deliberately cut off the call earlier to prevent her from leaving with her manager—once he had her there, there was no way he’d let her go easily.

Gu Lingyi pointed at herself and then at her Melody slippers, emphasizing her words: “To buy clothes. How many days can I wear this outfit?”

She had no intention of keeping the ladylike clothes that belonged to her former self’s household. She wasn’t going back anyway, and depending on Lu Qian’s straight-man aesthetic was worse than buying for herself.

Fu Linyuan: “...” He had worried unnecessarily.

Gu Lingyi knew how to take care of herself. Given the best conditions, everything else was just for show. No one ever forced her to endure hardship.

Fu Linyuan let out a barely perceptible chuckle, “I’ll go with you.”

“Hm?”

Gu Lingyi narrowed her eyes, a sly smile playing on her lips: “You carry the stuff!”

“Deal.” Fu Linyuan nodded, then added casually, “I’ll pay.”

“Since you insist…” Gu Lingyi shrugged, as if he had gotten the better deal, “I suppose I have to reluctantly agree…”

The hotel was located in the Y&One shopping district, with a direct connecting bridge to the mall.

They didn’t even need to leave the building to enter the shopping center.

At Gu Lingyi’s strong insistence, Fu Linyuan also wore a black mask.

Dressed all in black, his custom shirt and trousers emphasized broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Standing over 1.9 meters, he was a magnet for attention wherever he went.

Gu Lingyi, wearing a newly bought baseball cap, glanced yet again at the streak of white in Fu Linyuan’s hair.

“What are you looking at?” Fu Linyuan had one hand in his pocket and casually pulled down the brim of her cap. “Look where you’re going.”

Gu Lingyi ignored him, lifting the brim with a serious expression: “Is that white hair dyed or natural?”

Though bold, she was genuinely curious.

“Natural.” Fu Linyuan answered calmly, unoffended.

He reached out to gently grasp the back of her neck, straightening her head, “Good girl, watch where you’re going.”