Chapter 11: Three Strikes and You Are Out

Gu Yu was drenched from head to toe, rainwater streaming down his hair, looking utterly wretched.

Then, an umbrella covered his head, filling him with overwhelming relief. He turned to see Tang Xi and wanted to embrace her, but the thought of his soaked clothes made him forcefully hold back.

"Wife." Gu Yu’s face was slick with rain, his smile as innocent as a child’s. "I was wrong, wife."

Tang Xi simply looked at him in silence. A mere "I was wrong" was not what she wanted. If he only acknowledged his mistake without addressing the underlying issue, they would inevitably repeat the same cycle.

"I shouldn't have doubted you, and I certainly shouldn't have made you so angry that you ran out," Gu Yu looked at her pitifully. "Come home with me, won't you?"

In their three years of marriage, Tang Xi had never been this angry, nor had she ever left him alone. When he returned home and couldn't find her, he had truly panicked.

"I only want to ask you how you intend to resolve the issue with Gu Wennuan. If you can give me a satisfactory answer, I will go back with you."

They had dated for two years and been married for three. Before the arrival of Song Wennuan and her son, she and Gu Yu had never even had a heated argument. Gu Yu had always been unwilling to say a harsh word to her or let her suffer the slightest grievance. Tang Xi felt stifled, angry, and hurt, but she did not want to pass judgment on their relationship so hastily. Their love was not a lie.

Gu Yu took the umbrella from her hand and held it over her, even as he let himself get drenched. "You don't like the rain. Shall we go to the car to talk?"

Tang Xi did not move.

Gu Yu sighed softly. "I’ve already thought it through. Next month is Father’s birthday, and I will send Nuannuan and Xiaofeng back to the family estate." The family estate had always been Gu Wennuan’s home, and it was the best solution for now. He had a premonition that if he continued to keep Gu Wennuan at home, the conflict between him and Tang Xi would become irreconcilable.

"Wife, please don't be angry anymore, okay? This is all my fault. Why don't you beat me?" He took her hand and pulled it toward his own face.

Naturally, Tang Xi could not bring herself to hit him. Seeing her attitude soften, Gu Yu smiled happily and simply leaned his face into her hand. "Wife, let’s go home, shall we?"

"Gu Yu, do you remember what you said about 'three strikes and you're out'?"

He rarely made her angry. On the few occasions they had minor frictions, he would immediately admit his mistake, regardless of whether it was his fault, and swear, "Wife, three strikes and you're out; there won't be a next time." And he always kept his word.

Gu Yu smiled and said, "Wife, three strikes and you're out. There won't be a next time. Shall we go home?"

The rain began to taper off. Facing his fervent and persistent gaze, Tang Xi nodded.

After that day, Gu Wennuan must have been warned by Gu Yu, as no further issues arose. Tang Xi enjoyed a few days of peace, and after finishing her volunteer work, she went to visit Song Xining.

"Are you trying to fatten me up like a pig?" Song Xining asked, leaning on her crutches and looking helplessly at Tang Xi as she stuffed the refrigerator.

"It takes a hundred days for bones and tendons to heal. After a hundred days, you can come out of your cage."

Song Xining rolled her eyes hard.

The phone on the table rang. Tang Xi thought it was Gu Yu, but when she picked it up, she saw it was a friend request. She was surprised for a long moment when she saw the name of the sender.

"What's wrong? Is your Gu Yu showing off his affection again?" Song Xining pouted.

Tang Xi shook her head and turned the screen toward her. "It’s Zhou Jingchuan."

"The one from Hong Kong?" Song Xining was a flight attendant who had flown the Beijing-Hong Kong route, so she naturally knew of this tycoon. "How could you possibly know Zhou Jingchuan?"

"He attended the auction I went to in Hong Kong last time. Later, I received an invitation to his private banquet and caught a glimpse of him from a distance."

"Incredible. I can't believe Mr. Zhou would send you an invitation."

Tang Xi also found it strange. She had no connection to this man from Hong Kong, and even Gu Yu’s company had no business ties there. Aside from the possibility that he had sent it to the wrong person, she couldn't think of any other reason.

"What does Mr. Zhou look like? Does he have a beer belly?" In Song Xining’s mind, this Mr. Zhou was incredibly mysterious; there wasn't even a single photo of him on the internet. Meeting him in person was as difficult as reaching the heavens.

Tang Xi thought carefully and shook her head. "I was quite far away, so I only saw his silhouette. He looked a bit like... A-Ning, do you remember Zhou Jing?"