Chapter 4

Chapter 4: You'll Pay for the Button

Wen Zhizhi had just gotten out of the taxi when she spotted Gu Chen's car.

She recognized it at a glance—it was just too distinctive.

The book had described how other domineering CEOs rotated through a fleet of luxury cars, but Gu Chen alone had driven the same one from age eighteen until the original host's death.

The reason, apparently, had something to do with Gu Chen's first love.

What exactly that connection was… well, that was another story.

The book never elaborated.

Given the awkward relationship between the original host and Gu Chen, she had no intention of paying him any mind, nor was she curious about why he'd be heading out so late.

Was the schedule of a wealthy tycoon really something a lowly wage slave pulling in four thousand five hundred a month should worry about?

Perfect timing, really—with Gu Chen out of the house, she could hurry back, pack her things, and leave Beicheng, this den of trouble, tomorrow.

She'd already made up her mind on the way back.

The best way to avoid her miserable death was to leave the Gu family. Leave Beicheng.

She'd booked a flight back to Huaicheng while still in the taxi.

If there had been any flights or high-speed rail tickets to Huaicheng at this hour, she would've left tonight.

The city runs deep, but wealthy families run deeper. She wanted to go back to the countryside.

The original host's parents ran a pig farm out in the rural area.

She was going home to inherit that pig farm and become a down-to-earth second-generation pig farmer.

She'd booked the earliest flight for tomorrow—today, technically—departing at nine in the morning.

Wen Zhizhi strode toward the entrance, catching sight of Gu Chen's car pulling over to the curb in her peripheral vision.

She was still wondering why Gu Chen was stopping when a petite figure darted out of the passenger seat.

"Sister, you're back!"

The familiar voice brought Wen Zhizhi to a halt.

She turned to see a young girl in pink rabbit pajamas running toward her.

Since transmigrating, Wen Zhizhi had been too busy sorting through the book's plot to scrutinize its characters.

But she recognized Gu Ran instantly.

After all, this was someone who'd lived with the original host for over a decade.

Some memories were carved into the bone.

Wen Zhizhi frowned.

Late at night, the well-behaved Gu Ran wasn't resting at home—she was in Gu Chen's car…

Thinking of Gu Ran's phone call half an hour ago, Wen Zhizhi's heart lurched. These two siblings, up late and driving out—could it have something to do with her?

Had the Gu family found out about her drugging Gu Yan?

But this scene wasn't in the book, and that thought settled her racing heart a little.

Wen Zhizhi arranged her face into an expression of surprise. "Sister? You… you two are… heading out?" She glanced at the man stepping out of the driver's seat.

He wore a stern, handsome face, radiating a coldness that warned strangers to keep their distance.

This was Gu Chen, eldest son of the Gu family, the highest decision-maker in the Gu Group after Mr. Gu himself.

The cold-faced CEO from the book, just as described.

Cold, all right.

Cold face, colder presence.

Gu Ran stopped a meter away, her probing gaze sweeping Wen Zhizhi's face. "A-Yan's phone's been unreachable. I was worried something happened to him, so I was going to the Dihao Club with Big Brother to look for him."

She deliberately emphasized the words "Dihao Club," her eyes fixed tightly on Wen Zhizhi.

Wen Zhizhi's appearance had dispelled most of her doubts, but she still wanted to confirm.

At the mention of "Dihao Club," Wen Zhizhi's heart shot right back up into her throat.

There was no scene in the book where Gu Ran and Gu Chen went to the Dihao Club looking for Gu Yan.

Was this…

Had her presence changed the original plot and started spawning new storylines?

Wen Zhizhi was panicking inside, but nothing showed on her face. She gave a calm "Oh."

Truth was, she still hadn't figured out how to confess tonight's misdeeds.

She definitely had to confess the drugging.

And she had to do it before Gu Yan opened his mouth.

But…

She still hadn't decided how to bring it up…

Gu Ran, unable to read anything from Wen Zhizhi's face, fell silent.

"Oh?"

Just "Oh?"

This calm—she probably hadn't done anything to her little brother…

Gu Ran wanted to ask what Wen Zhizhi had been up to tonight, but worried she might throw another hysterical fit like before. She hesitated.

Unlike Gu Ran's inner conflict, Gu Chen had no such reservations. He'd walked over at some point and fixed Wen Zhizhi with an icy stare. "Where did Miss Wen go tonight?"

Meeting Gu Chen's bottomless gaze, Wen Zhizhi knew confession was unavoidable. She took a deep breath and threw caution to the wind. "The Dihao Club."

Gu Chen hadn't expected her to be so direct.

From what he knew of Wen Zhizhi, even with evidence shoved in her face, she'd deny and argue her way out of it.

Tonight was strange—she'd actually admitted it outright.

Fine. Saved him the breath.

"What a coincidence. A-Yan was at the Dihao Club tonight too. Did Miss Wen see him?" Gu Chen's scrutiny sharpened.

Tonight's Wen Zhizhi didn't seem quite as stupid as before.

He wanted to see what tricks she had left.

Gu Chen's flat tone betrayed nothing. Wen Zhizhi couldn't tell whether he already knew what she'd done tonight.

With the Gu family's resources, tracking her movements would be child's play.

Better to confess before Gu Yan came back and exposed her.

Maybe if they saw she'd corrected her ways, the Gu family would go easy on her.

Wen Zhizhi told the truth. "I saw him."

Gu Ran's heart clenched. "Sister, you really saw A-Yan? You didn't—" She caught herself mid-sentence and quickly changed tack. "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

Wen Zhizhi shook her head. "No. He didn't do anything to me."

Gu Ran was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when Wen Zhizhi added, "I did something to him!"

Gu Ran: "…"

What?

Had she heard that right?

Wen Zhizhi said she did something to Gu Yan?

Good heavens, were those things from her dreams actually real?

Beside her, Gu Chen was also stunned by the confession, though he hid it better than Gu Ran. After a brief pause, he asked evenly, "What did you do to him?"

Wen Zhizhi took a deep breath, steeling herself to confess everything—

The phone in Gu Ran's pocket rang.

Her hard-won courage deflated like a punctured balloon.

Gu Ran snapped back to reality and fished out her phone.

It was Gu Yan—the one who'd been unreachable all this time.

Gu Ran glanced at Wen Zhizhi, then at Gu Chen, and whispered, "Big Brother, it's A-Yan."

Wen Zhizhi's heart clenched.

She cursed Gu Yan silently for his terrible timing.

She'd been ready to confess everything.

Why was this idiot calling now to stir up trouble?

Was he trying to expose her crimes before she could confess?

Not on her watch!

"Are you going to listen to me or not?!" Wen Zhizhi shouted.

The sudden outburst nearly made Gu Ran drop her phone.

Gu Chen's indifferent eyes finally flickered, his sharp gaze cutting toward Wen Zhizhi.

Wen Zhizhi gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, voice got a little loud. How about we first—"

She meant to suggest going inside.

This was hardly the place for a proper conversation.

But before she could finish, Gu Chen cut her off. "Answer the phone. Put it on speaker!" He was speaking to Gu Ran, but his eyes never left Wen Zhizhi.

The moment the big boss spoke, Wen Zhizhi shut her mouth and meekly lit a candle for herself in her heart.

Heaven was out to get her!