CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 136: WHERE IS THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE?

December is almost here.

The weather is gradually getting colder. The study has the air conditioning on, and it’s a bit warm with just one layer of clothing.

A very comfortable warmth.

But after Qiao Yuxian finished speaking, she suddenly felt a chill in the air.

It felt like the surroundings had suddenly frozen, and not just regular ice—thick layers of old ice that could freeze your fingers on contact.

A cold that seeped from the heart through the bones.

Qiao Yuxian blinked and slowly turned to look at the man beside her.

Gu Yanjing was looking at her, his expression heavy, with ice in his eyes.

It wasn’t the kind of cold-heartedness directed at others.

This harshness, this coldness seemed directed solely at her.

Qiao Yuxian stared into his eyes for a while, feeling danger approaching bit by bit.

Her first thought was to run.

The thought formed in her mind, and her body acted immediately.

She quickly stood up and dashed towards the door with lightning speed, but... her leg made it out, and her hand was caught by Gu Yanjing.

She was pulled back into her seat in one motion.

"Oh no!" Qiao Yuxian suddenly plopped back down in her chair, couldn’t hold her phone properly, and it dropped—first bumping on the chair, then crashing to the ground.

Liu Zhou, listening from the other side, heard the thump, bang, clatter—

Qiao Yuxian was unwilling to give up and wanted to run, but with her hand held by Gu Yanjing, running was impossible. In the end, she shouted towards her phone: "Liu Zhou, hang up the call!"

She managed to preserve her dignity as the leader.

"Let me go, I’m tired, I’m going to sleep." Qiao Yuxian used her other hand to pry his fingers.

Gu Yanjing did not let go, looking at her seriously.

After a while, he turned the chair around, placed his hands on the armrests, and trapped her in the chair while looking at her.

Qiao Yuxian put her feet on the ground, pushing to slide the chair back.

But... it didn’t move an inch.

Seeing that she couldn’t escape, Qiao Yuxian’s expression immediately changed. She pouted and fidgeted with her fingers, lowering her head in admission of her fault.

Seeing her lowered head, Gu Yanjing’s icy gaze gradually softened, but his voice remained cold as December’s flying snow: "Where is the marriage certificate?"

Qiao Yuxian lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers.

Where is the marriage certificate?

That’s indeed a good question; she hadn’t seen it for months.

"Um... it’s put away."

"Where is it put?" Gu Yanjing asked.

"It’s... " Qiao Yuxian’s mind went blank.

When they left the Civil Affairs Bureau, she put the certificate in her bag.

Then... where’s the bag?

Which bag was she carrying that day? Where did that bag go? She hadn’t seen it since.

Not just the marriage certificate, but also her household registration book.

Gu Yanjing waited for her to speak.

Qiao Yuxian couldn’t say anything, so she retorted, "I gave it to you but you didn’t want it, and now you want to know where it is? Dream on!"

"Qiao Yuxian."

Qiao Yuxian raised her hands to cover her ears, refusing to listen to his intimidating voice.

Gu Yanjing saw that she wasn’t listening and wouldn’t even look at him. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

Qiao Yuxian pouted, looking at him pitifully and meekly.

Seeing her little pitiful expression, Gu Yanjing couldn’t bring himself to be harsh with her, and his voice softened a bit: "It’s okay if the marriage certificate can’t be found, but some things shouldn’t be said again."

"Like what?" Qiao Yuxian asked, still covering her ears.

Gu Yanjing was reluctant to scold her but found her behavior both cheeky and irritating.

Even though her expression was pitiful, her words were pointed.

Gu Yanjing frowned, his expression turning stern.

She immediately grabbed his hand, pulled it down from her chin, and held it with both hands, trying to appease him: "I didn’t mean it seriously, I was just going along with Liu Zhou. I didn’t say I wanted a divorce, it was just a comment. I meant waiting for a divorce, not actually going to..."

Seeing Gu Yanjing’s face darken, her voice gradually softened: "I was wrong. I won’t say it again."

Gu Yanjing remained silent.

Qiao Yuxian glanced at him, shaking his hand: "I really won’t say it again."

Gu Yanjing used his other hand to stroke the top of her head.

Qiao Yuxian smiled and said, "I just said it casually, why so anxious? It’s like I’m the one being forced into marriage."

Gu Yanjing: "......"

Qiao Yuxian chuckled again: "Let’s visit Aunt together, then find some time to go back to Gu Mansion to see Grandpa."

"Okay."

"I’m going to report you." Qiao Yuxian raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms. "Report you for being mean to me. I’ll tell Aunt first, and after that, I’ll tell Grandpa."

Gu Yanjing looked at her determined expression aimed at getting him scolded, lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger, and pinched her cheek.

He could only do this; besides that, he had no other way to handle her.

...

The second semester of senior year is about to begin, the semester is coming to an end, and it coincides with the final exams, the busiest time.

Qiao Yuxian wasn’t planning to take the postgraduate entrance exam, which made her slightly more relaxed compared to her three roommates.

But this bit of relaxation was consumed by the need to simulate teaching lessons for her major courses.

They had to simulate primary, middle, and high school classes.

Create courseware, give lectures, round after round, and even help classmates play the role of students.

Qiao Yuxian thought being a teacher was really hard work.

Moreover, they were just remaining in the teaching phase, teaching students who already knew the material, not yet involving moral education.

As a result, for three consecutive weeks, Qiao Yuxian would go back every day and tell Gu Yanjing, "Teachers are really great, really tough."

By late December, the weather was increasingly colder.

Qiao Yuxian was returning to the dormitory more and more frequently.

Except for evenings at Fenglin Villa, she spent nearly all her time in the dormitory.

Her roommates were also in the dormitory, because they couldn’t secure spots in the library, and it was too early and too cold to get up, so they turned the dorm into a study-friendly environment.

After another class, Qiao Yuxian returned to the dorm alone.

Upon entering the dormitory, she said, "The wind outside is almost blowing me away."

Zhou Yunbing looked at her and said, "I don’t know if you’ve been blown away, but your hair certainly is."

Her hair had become static, and when she took off her coat, her hair frizzed up.

Qiao Yuxian hung up her coat, smoothing her hair, and said, "If it were night and you turned off the lights, it would sparkle. How come there’s only the two of you? Where’s Zhao Meng?"

"At the hospital," Han Yangliu said.

Qiao Yuxian hesitated with her hand on the restroom door, looking towards them, "What happened? Wasn’t she fine when I left yesterday, even arranged to play a game?"

"Yes, indeed." Han Yangliu was working on a beaded string and explained, "She was on her period, wore just a layer to play sports outside, engaged in intense exercise, and caught a chill. Her stomach hurt last night, so she ended up in the hospital."

"Is it serious?" Qiao Yuxian asked.

"Not very serious, but she needs an IV. Her parents were concerned, so they had her admitted," Zhou Yunbing said.

"I kept telling her to take better care of herself recently," Han Yangliu said mysteriously. "She didn’t listen. See..."

Qiao Yuxian chuckled and said, "Progressing well. So what do you think I’ll do next?"

"I guess you’re going to the hospital to see Zhao Meng," Zhou Yunbing said.

Han Yangliu added, "At Chengjian Hospital."

"Wrong," Qiao Yuxian replied, "I’m going to the restroom."

Zhou Yunbing: "......"

Han Yangliu: "......"