Chapter 11: Nightmares Loom Like Shadows (Please Keep Reading)

Gu Luosheng followed Mrs. Wang into the living room. Apart from Gu Yunqi, the rest of the Gu family were already seated.

Gu Yunzhou glanced at Gu Luosheng, his face full of impatience. “What a grand entrance—everyone’s waiting for you alone.”

Ren Fang smiled and beckoned to Gu Luosheng. “Come, Luosheng, join us for dinner.”

Luosheng answered softly and sat down in the last vacant seat.

Dinner began. The family exchanged desultory bits of conversation, while Gu Luosheng ate silently, her head lowered.

At last, Gu Yanfeng seemed to notice her presence. For once, he spoke up. “Luosheng! Where have you been these past five years? Qingwan has mentioned you often!”

“You sisters should catch up properly.”

Luosheng’s face, already pale, grew even paler, as if a heavy stone pressed against her chest at his words. So, Gu Yanfeng and Ren Fang had no idea she’d been imprisoned by Gu Yunzhou in that distant village all these years... Had they never asked Yunzhou about her, or wanted to see her?

Before Luosheng could answer, Gu Qingwan quickly changed the subject. “Dad, Sister Luosheng was in the countryside. There was a temple there—she was praying for my well-being.”

Gu Yunzhou nervously glanced at Luosheng from the corner of his eye, terrified she’d reveal the truth to Yanfeng and Ren Fang, and equally afraid of being reprimanded by them.

But Luosheng said nothing. She continued to eat quietly, her bowl filled with nothing but plain rice, not a single dish in sight.

“Praying is good. Thankfully, nothing happened to Qingwan that time,” Yanfeng said, readily believing Qingwan’s story. He didn’t ask Luosheng for any details about her supposed prayers at the temple.

Luosheng’s heart was drowned in disappointment. Even if she told the truth now, who would believe her, let alone speak for her?

“Here, Luosheng, you’ve gotten so thin. Eat more!” Ren Fang put a piece of spare rib and some taro into Luosheng’s bowl.

It seemed that, aside from Qingwan, no one remembered her allergy to taro.

“Thank you.” Luosheng forced herself to eat every last bit of the rib and taro, suppressing her discomfort.

A strange look flickered in Qingwan’s eyes. Wasn’t Luosheng allergic to taro? Why was she eating it?

Gu Yunzhou cast her a glance, sensing something was amiss. He vaguely recalled that Luosheng was allergic to taro—so why was she eating it? Maybe he remembered wrong...

“I’m full. Please, enjoy the rest of your meal.” Luosheng set down her chopsticks and returned to her room.

She could hold back no longer. Rushing into the bathroom, she knelt before the toilet and vomited violently.

Already feverish, she now felt even weaker.

In the pitch-black room, Luosheng lay on the bed, listening to the merry sounds drifting in from the living room. She stared at the ceiling, dappled by the streetlight outside, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

Who could she confide her sorrow and grievances to?

At an unremarkable crossroads, Shen Mo sat in his car, peering anxiously through the window to catch a glimpse of a certain figure.

But after searching for a long while, he couldn’t find the person he was hoping to see among the street vendors.

Zhou Qiang approached the car with a few others. “President Shen, Miss Gu hasn’t shown up today. We checked all the nearby intersections but couldn’t find her.”

“After returning to the Gu house this afternoon, she hasn’t left again.”

“President Shen, it’s nearly ten o’clock. Why don’t you go home and rest? You’ve got an early meeting tomorrow...”

Shen Mo glanced at his watch, then leaned back in his seat, his long fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. “We’ll wait another hour.”

Zhou Qiang hesitated but said nothing; Shen Mo’s decisions were never up for debate. He’d learned not to argue—otherwise, he’d only get scolded.

…

Luosheng had a long dream. In it, she was carefree, beloved by her parents and accompanied by her brother, living like a little princess.

But suddenly, a woman appeared before her. Her family stood behind this woman, who gazed at her coldly. “Gu Luosheng, you stole eighteen years from my family. Now you’ll pay the price!”

“Ah...” Luosheng woke with a start, gasping for breath, her hair clinging to her forehead, damp with sweat.

“What are you screaming for? Mom and Dad are trying to sleep—can’t you be quiet?” Gu Yunzhou’s voice sounded nearby. He’d been making a call in the living room when he heard Luosheng’s cry from her room.

Her door was unlocked, and, driven by curiosity, he’d come straight in.

Luosheng was still disoriented, clutching the blanket around herself, trembling uncontrollably.

Gu Yunzhou frowned, sensing something was wrong. Luosheng’s face was flushed, and a rash seemed to be spreading along her neck.

“Hey, are you alright?” For reasons he didn’t understand, Yunzhou couldn’t shake his unease.

She’d had nightmares—like so many she’d suffered through in those five years. In them, she could never recall her true identity, and always woke to the sound of Qingwan’s bitter accusation.

“I’m fine...” Luosheng burrowed deeper into the covers, unwilling to give Yunzhou any chance to reproach her.

“Whatever.”

Yunzhou couldn’t be bothered to deal with her anymore. As he left, he ran into Mrs. Wang at the door.

She was carrying a cup, the smell of medicine wafting toward him.

“Mrs. Wang, what are you doing?” Yunzhou asked.

She explained, “Second Young Master, Miss Gu had a fever when she came home this afternoon. I only just finished my chores and prepared some medicine for her.”

“She has a fever?” For a moment, Yunzhou’s heart skipped—but then he regained his composure. “Luosheng must be faking it, just trying to get Mom and Dad’s attention because they’re home.”

“Second Young Master, real or not, being sick is never a good thing...” Mrs. Wang entered and gently called, “Miss Gu, I brought you some medicine. Drink it before you go back to sleep.”

Half-awake, Luosheng emerged from the covers, and Mrs. Wang helped her drink the medicine. Perhaps the fever was too much—by the next morning, Luosheng had no memory of it at all.

“Thank you, Mrs. Wang...” Mrs. Wang tucked her in and made sure she was comfortable.

A complex look flickered in Yunzhou’s eyes. When Luosheng had awoken from her nightmare, her confusion hadn’t seemed feigned. If she’d truly wanted to win their parents’ attention, she could have explained her five-year absence at dinner.

But she’d said nothing.

“Second Young Master, let’s step outside,” Mrs. Wang urged, seeing Yunzhou still lingering at Luosheng’s door.

“Mm.”

As he left, Yunzhou couldn’t help but ask, “Mrs. Wang, has Luosheng ever told you anything?”