CHAPTER 585: CHAPTER 585: SALTY CAKE

Gu Jin hesitated for a long moment before nodding. "Yes... It looks very unique. I’m sure it tastes delicious."

For the first time that evening, Gu Jichun’s cheeks turned red. She scratched her head and muttered, "Well... actually... You can’t eat it."

The room went quiet again.

"...Why?" Gu Jin asked, clearly curious.

Gu Jichun bit her lip. "Because... instead of sugar, I accidentally used salt."

There was another pause before loud laughter broke out in the room.

The loudest were Gu Jihu and Gu Jishi, who were laughing so hard they leaned against each other for support.

Gu Jichun’s face turned bright red. "Stop laughing at me!" she yelled, running over to smack them both on the arm.

"You two are worse than anyone I know! Laughing at your sister in front of everyone!"

Gu Jihu grinned and shrugged. "It’s not our fault you cooked a salt cake."

Gu Jishi smirked. "Honestly, you have no reputation to protect in the first place."

"Excuse me?" Gu Jichun’s eyes went wide.

Mr. Gu stepped in, frowning at Gu Jishi. "Even if you’re a general now, don’t think I won’t scold you. You pretend to be so serious in public, but now I see your true face."

Gu Jishi only rolled his eyes.

He knew his parents had turned biased now. Ever since they realized how much wrong they had done to Gu Jin and Gu Jichun, they’ve been soft on them.

He turned to Gu Jihu. "See? We have no place in this family anymore."

Gu Jihu nodded in mock sadness, then looked at Gu Jin. "If you want, when we leave later, you can come with us. You’re the most sensible one here."

Gu Jichun immediately stepped forward. "No way! If Gu Jin leaves with anyone, it’s going to be me."

Mrs. Gu and Mr. Gu both nodded in agreement. "Yes, she should be with her sister," Mrs. Gu said.

Long Yifan, who had been quietly standing to the side, suddenly spoke up. "After thirty years, she will be leaving with me, of course."

The room fell silent.

Everyone turned to glare at him.

Long Yifan realized his mistake immediately. He forced a small laugh and looked down. "Ah... I mean... let’s eat the cake."

Bai Yu leaned toward Lin Yue and whispered, "I think he just signed his own death sentence."

Lin Yue giggled quietly. "He’s brave, I’ll give him that."

Meng Hao crossed his arms. "Or foolish."

Gu Jin stared at everyone with a slight smile and the celebration went on. The warm laughter, the chatter, and the soft glow of the lights made the evening feel perfect.

After the celebration, Gu Jin, the Gu family, and Long Yifan all boarded an airplane. The flight was calm, and before long, they landed back in Fujifilm, the capital.

Once they reached the city, everyone went straight to the Gu mansion. The large house stood proud, its gates opening to welcome the family home.

The moment they entered, the members of the Gu family noticed Long Yifan walking in right behind them. Several pairs of eyes immediately turned sharp and dark.

"Why are you following us?" Gu Jishi asked coldly. "You should leave now."

Long Yifan stood still, not looking embarrassed at all. He simply replied, "I happen to be Gu Jin’s fiancé, so I have every right to be here."

Everyone rolled their eyes.

Gu Jichun crossed her arms. "You were not invited," she said bluntly. "So you can leave."

Long Yifan’s lips curled slightly as he said, "I cannot leave, not when my baby would be here all alone."

The whole Gu family froze for a moment before glaring at him at the same time. The furious stares could have burned a hole right through him, but Long Yifan only shrugged like it was nothing.

That night, when everyone was asleep, the mansion was quiet except for the faint ticking of the hall clock.

Jasmine felt thirsty. She got out of bed and walked softly down the stairs toward the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water.

She was here for a reason. She had helped her brother move into the Gu family’s care and even made sure they had their own place. The Gu family had recently gained a large amount of funds, which made their influence and reputation grow. This new strength helped protect them and others.

But there was trouble in the shadows. Jasmine and Long Yifan had heard the first signs of movement from Gu Aihan. They knew they had to make sure the Gu family, and especially Gu Jin, did not fall into danger.

That was why they had shamelessly decided to stay at the Gu mansion for now.

As Jasmine drank her water, she suddenly heard movement behind her. Her body tensed.

She set her glass down and turned toward the kitchen entrance, her stance defensive. Her eyes scanned the dark hallway.

Had the enemy finally decided to make a move?

Before she could think further, a calm voice spoke from the doorway. "You are very alert."

The voice was familiar yet distant.

She turned and saw Gu Jihu standing there. He had a gentle smile, but something about him gave off a "gentle scum" vibe.

His golden-rimmed glasses reflected the kitchen light. In a plain white t-shirt and black sweatpants, he looked like a perfect Prince Charming.

If it were before, Jasmine might have called him exactly that. But things were different now.

She knew from her friend’s words that she had once chased him like a fool, enduring bullying during her university years because of it.

Now that she had lost her memory, she kept her distance from him.

She did not want to face an embarrassing scene. What if he mocked her?

But the mockery she expected never came.

Instead, Gu Jihu stepped into the kitchen. "Do you want to eat something? I can make it for you," he asked politely.

Jasmine frowned. "No need." She took her glass of water, drank it calmly, and placed it into the dishwasher. Without another glance at him, she walked out.

To her, it was as if he were just air.

Gu Jihu quietly watched her walk toward the stairs. Then he followed.

Jasmine noticed but said nothing. This was his house. He could walk wherever he wanted. As long as he did not enter her room, she would not care. Confronting him now would be foolish.

When she reached her door, she stepped inside. She was about to close it when his hand suddenly pressed against the wood, pushing it open.

She frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I want to talk to you," Gu Jihu said with a soft chuckle.

"I am not interested in talking. It is already late. What kind of talk could we even have?" she replied flatly.

Ignoring her, Gu Jihu stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

She raised an eyebrow. Even though he was handsome, talented, and owned many properties, to her, he was still the man who had caused her so much pain in the past.

"You should leave now," she said. "If you don’t, I will shout for my brother, and you will regret it."

Gu Jihu laughed lightly. "Before you chased me..."

She cut him off sharply. "Are you feeling regretful? Do you want me to chase you again? Because if that is what you are hoping for, I have to disappoint you. I do not like you anymore."

The room went quiet for a moment.

Then Gu Jihu’s low chuckle broke the silence. "I never planned to have you chase me again. But hearing you say that... I cannot help but find it amusing."

Jasmine’s frown deepened. "Then what are you doing here?"

"I was wondering," he said, "if you have any plan to give me some form of compensation."

She blinked in disbelief. "What kind of compensation should I give to someone who rejected me and allowed others to mock me?"

Gu Jihu’s expression changed slightly. "I never mocked you. I was indifferent, yes, but I never mocked you."

Jasmine paused. Thinking back to the rumors she had heard after regaining some memories, she remembered that it was never Gu Jihu himself who bullied her.

It had been the people around him, especially girls who liked him. They were the ones who made her life hard.

She took a deep breath. "Even so, I do not plan on giving you any kind of compensation."

His lips curved. "If you will not give me compensation, then I will give you some instead."

Her irritation spiked. "And what exactly do you want to give me?"

He stepped closer, his gaze steady. Gently, he took her hand.

She stayed still, waiting for him to say something ridiculous.

Then he said it. "We should date."

Jasmine stared at Gu Jihu like he had just told her the moon was made of cheese.

"Are you crazy?" she asked, her voice sharp.

Gu Jihu didn’t look bothered at all. In fact, he smiled a little, like her reaction was exactly what he expected.

"No, I’m not crazy," he said. "I’m serious. We should date."