The Rich Man's Life Begins with a Comeback

Chapter 306 How about a lifetime?

Chapter 306 How about a lifetime? (5k)

As night deepened, the hilltop villa was enveloped in tranquility.

Inside the courtyard, the remaining snow on the gate and walls had not yet melted, and it gleamed coldly bluish-white under the moonlight.

The ginkgo tree's branches are bare, with a few tender green buds quietly emerging.

The villa's floor-to-ceiling windows let in a dim, yellowish light, reflecting Gu Heng and Jiang Ruan at the dining table.

Almost an hour has passed since the two blew out the candles.

Jiang Ruan was a little drunk, and a blush gradually crept onto her originally fair and aloof, stunningly beautiful face.

Because Gu Heng was recovering from his injuries, Jiang Ruan drank most of the red wine in the decanter by herself, while Gu Heng only drank two small glasses.

During the meal, Jiang Ruan did most of the talking, while Gu Heng rarely spoke.

“Gu Heng…”

Why do you seem a bit quiet today?

Jiang Ruan looked at Gu Heng, who was quietly staring at her, and finally realized that something was wrong.

What kind of look was that?
Longing?

Reluctant?

Jiang Ruan noticed the emotions conveyed in Gu Heng's eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

Faced with Jiang Ruan's question, Gu Heng did not answer. Instead, he slowly stood up, took the gift box he had prepared in advance from a short distance away to the restaurant, and gently placed it in front of Jiang Ruan.

"have a look."

"It should have been given to you a long time ago."

Gu Heng stood beside Jiang Ruan and spoke softly to her.

Jiang Ruan's heart skipped a beat when she heard Gu Heng's words.

She took a deep breath, raised her hand to untie the ribbon on the gift box, and then slowly opened the lid.

The first thing that caught her eye at the top of the gift box was a contract.

This contract is the same "labor contract" that Gu Heng signed with her six months ago.

In an instant, all the memories of that night flooded back to me.

"Ruan Ruan, I want to apologize to you for my immaturity back then."

Gu Heng said softly, "Later I realized that some people only appear in your life to accompany you for a short but beautiful time. No matter how much you like someone, don't worry about how long they can stay with you or whether you can be together in the end."

"Because we came into this world, whether it's friends or lovers, they are the best gifts God has given us. Even if one day we lose contact and become strangers, some endings don't need to be said goodbye. It's enough to have had them."

Before she knew it, Jiang Ruan's eyes were filled with tears.

Standing next to Jiang Ruan, Gu Heng, even though he didn't really intend to let Jiang Ruan go tonight and was just playing hard to get, still felt very uncomfortable when he saw Jiang Ruan's tearful appearance. It was as if a huge stone was pressing on his heart.

Months ago, the progress of the "Conquer" challenge had already reached 99%, but the final 1% was still nowhere to be completed.

Gu Heng knew that the last 1% was actually the knot in Jiang Ruan's heart that he had left behind by forcing her to stay that night.

To fill that last 1%, this knot in their hearts must be untied. That's why Gu Heng specially chose today to help Jiang Ruan resolve her inner conflict and to bring about a new breakthrough in their relationship.

"Love that cannot be obtained, pain that cannot be forgotten, letting go that cannot be abandoned, and loss that cannot be reconciled are compulsory courses for everyone. Not every question has an answer, and not everything can go as planned. Give yourself back to yourself, and give others back to others."

"so……"

"From today onwards, you are free."

Gu Heng's voice trembled slightly as he said the last sentence.

Even though he was very confident that he could keep Jiang Ruan there tonight, he was still afraid that he might have gone too far.

Having spent so much time together, Gu Heng knew that his feelings for Jiang Ruan had long since crossed the line from mere liking to love.

In short, he's already become somewhat dependent on Jiang Ruan.

Or rather, he has become accustomed to Jiang Ruan becoming a part of his life.

At this moment, as Gu Heng finished speaking, Jiang Ruan finally couldn't hold back her emotions, and crystal tears suddenly slid down her cheeks.

She gently picked up the "labor contract" that she considered a lifelong disgrace, recalling the "insult" Gu Heng had inflicted on her that night. A mix of emotions swirled in her mind, love and hate crashing against her heart like two waves.

"I promised you that after the six-month period was up."

"You can work for any airline you want, and you'll start in business or first class."

Below the "labor contract" that Jiang Ruan picked up were all employment letters from major domestic airlines: "I have done what I promised you. You can choose any of these airlines, and the benefits are the best."

Jiang Ruan wept silently, while Gu Heng whispered softly.

A somber atmosphere silently spread through the air.

That night it was just the two of them, and tonight it's the same – just the two of them.

Gu Heng personally grilled the steak that night, and he also personally grilled the steak tonight.

On this day that year, everything was so similar.

Gu Heng raised his hand and picked up the airline employment letters.

Beneath those airline employment contracts lay gleaming gold bars.

Looking around, ten gold bars were neatly arranged together.

Some gold bars are face up, with the four large characters "China Gold" printed on them, and the smaller characters below indicating 1000g and Au9999.

Some of the gold bars had the reverse side facing up, with the four large characters "Gu Shi's Autocracy" printed on them.

"I thought of many parting gifts, but after much consideration, this is still the most suitable. Although it looks a bit tacky, it is the most practical."

Gu Heng said softly, "The world is in turmoil right now, and the price of gold will only continue to rise. These ten gold bars are a gift from me to you, to help you start a new life. If you urgently need money, sell one; if you don't, store them in a bank safe deposit box for safekeeping..."

Gu Heng talked on and on like a mother hen.

Until, completely silent.

Inside the restaurant, only Jiang Ruan's barely audible sobs could be heard.

The living room window was open, and the evening breeze, carrying the slight coolness of early spring, gently swept through, along with a touch of dampness and the sweet, earthy scent of thawing soil.

"You can choose to leave tonight."

"You can also choose to leave tomorrow morning."

After a long silence, Gu Heng spoke again.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ruan looked up at Gu Heng, her beautiful eyes reddening. The usually aloof and strong-willed woman seemed unable to stop her tears at this moment.

I'm leaving tonight.

She gazed at Gu Heng for a long time through tear-filled eyes, but never heard him try to stop her. The last glimmer of light in her eyes gradually faded.

"it is good."

"I'll send a car to take you."

Gu Heng responded in a low voice.

Jiang Ruan did not respond. She raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face, stood up from the chair, tore the "labor contract" to shreds in front of Gu Heng, and turned to walk towards the elevator. Her back looked like that of a walking corpse.

Gu Heng watched Jiang Ruan walk into the elevator, and he didn't say a word to stop her until the elevator doors closed.

It's not that we didn't want to keep them, but the time wasn't right.

Gu Heng sat down again, picked up the decanter and poured the last of the red wine into his glass, then sat there silently waiting for Jiang Ruan.

……

Upstairs, the master suite.

After closing the door, Jiang Ruan leaned against it and slowly slid down. Finally, she could no longer suppress her grief and covered her mouth, crying bitterly.

She was finally free, something she had longed for day and night, but when the day actually arrived, she felt no joy at all; instead, she felt a heart-wrenching pain.

The thought that she and Gu Heng would become strangers from now on, that Gu Heng would never be by her side again, and that no one would ever stir her emotions again, gave her a suffocating feeling of heart-wrenching pain.

Jiang Ruan leaned against the bedside, crying for an unknown amount of time.

She only managed to stand up after crying herself to exhaustion.

As she walked into the walk-in closet, she looked at the clothes that took up half of it, and the tears that had almost dried up welled up in her eyes again.

These clothes that originally belonged to her were all stored in the guest suite.

Now, without anyone noticing, they've all moved here.

Jiang Ruan looked at the walk-in closet in front of her. The left side was full of Gu Heng's clothes, and the right side was full of her own clothes. It felt as warm and cozy as home.

Jiang Ruan opened her suitcase and packed her luggage while crying.

Finally, she squatted on the ground, hugged her knees, and burst into tears.

Sometimes, we only realize how precious we were when we lose something.

Back in Zhonghai, Jiang Ruan realized that she seemed to be falling in love with Gu Heng uncontrollably. Later, she gradually accepted the fact that she had completely fallen in love with Gu Heng.

She just never expected that her love for Gu Heng would become so intense so quietly.

Heartbreaking, excruciating pain.

She even started experiencing physical reactions, to the point of feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit.

"Buzz..."

While crying, Jiang Ruan's phone, which was tucked in her pajama pocket, suddenly vibrated.

The first time, she ignored it.

She ignored him the second time as well.

She was completely immersed in sadness and pain.

It wasn't until the phone rang for the third time that she wiped away her tears and took her phone out of her pajama pocket.

When she saw that the caller was Gu Heng, she raised her hand to wipe away her tears again, took a deep breath, and tried to stop herself from sobbing before answering the phone.

She didn't speak first, and Gu Heng on the other end of the phone also remained silent.

silence……

Several dozen seconds later, Gu Heng's slightly hoarse voice finally broke through the silence.

"Jiang Ruan, how about..."

“Let’s sign another contract,” Gu Heng said softly to Jiang Ruan.

"What contract?"

Jiang Ruan tried to suppress her sobs, but the stuffiness in her nose from crying betrayed her emotions.

"It's the same contract you just tore up."

Gu Heng responded softly.

"You still want to keep me as a sugar daddy?"

"Yes."

"Still six months?"

"No, I'd like to change the time."

Gu Heng paused slightly at this point.

"Six months is too short, this time..."

How about a lifetime?

As soon as Gu Heng uttered those last two sentences, Jiang Ruan felt as if she had been frozen in place, experiencing a tingling, electric sensation that shot from her feet to the top of her head.

"Clap!"

The phone slipped from Jiang Ruan's hand and crashed heavily onto the floor.

The next second, she suddenly stood up from the ground.

He rushed out of the master suite and ran straight towards the stairs.

"Ta Tata..."

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed inside the villa.

She returned to the dining room from the master suite in the shortest possible time.

At this moment, Gu Heng was still in the position of making a phone call.

Gu Heng sat at the dining table, having already finished the red wine he had poured into his glass.

They turned their heads and their eyes met.

As soon as Gu Heng stood up, Jiang Ruan rushed into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

At that moment, all her grievances and fears erupted.

"Woooooooo..."

"I thought you really wanted to get rid of me, I thought you really didn't want me anymore..."

"I was so happy you came back to celebrate my birthday today, but then you brought this up with me. Who cares about this lousy job you gave me, who cares about this worthless gold bar you gave me? I don't want anything right now, I just want to be with you..."

"I went upstairs to change my clothes. I was thinking of giving you a surprise tonight, so I touched up my makeup and changed into some really sexy lingerie. But you messed it up, and now my makeup is all ruined from crying. My eyes are probably swollen like crazy..."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier!"

"You're so annoying!"

"You hate it!"

“Hate, hate, hate!”

Jiang Ruan hugged Gu Heng's neck tightly and poured out all her grievances.

How do I know you can't live without me?

Gu Heng gently stroked Jiang Ruan's smooth, black hair and whispered in her ear, "What if you refuse me if I make a sudden suggestion?"

"Then you can continue to forcibly keep me here."

Where did your domineering attitude from last year go?

"Besides, you know perfectly well that I can't refuse, you're doing it on purpose."

Jiang Ruan sobbed as she acted coquettishly towards Gu Heng. This was the first time she, who had always been aloof and strong, had shown such a girlish side in front of Gu Heng.

At this moment, Jiang Ruan was even more like a little girl than Xu Mo, completely losing her usual aloof and cold goddess image.

"That does sound a bit annoying to me."

Gu Heng followed Jiang Ruan's words, speaking in a tone as if coaxing a child.

"It's not that it's a little annoying!"

"It's really annoying!"

"I really hate it!"

"annoying!"

Jiang Ruan held Gu Heng tightly, afraid that if she loosened her grip even slightly, Gu Heng would disappear. The feeling of having lost him and then regaining him made her cherish the person in front of her extremely.

"Then I'll tell you a little secret that no one else knows."

Gu Heng wrapped his arms around Jiang Ruan's slender waist, rested his chin gently on her shoulder, and whispered in her ear, "Please forgive me, okay?"

"What little secret?"

Gu Heng successfully piqued Jiang Ruan's curiosity.

"The little secret is..."

"That night, it was actually my first time too."

Gu Heng spoke softly to Jiang Ruan.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ruan was stunned for a moment. Then, she loosened her arms around Gu Heng's neck slightly and looked at him with her beautiful, tearful eyes.

"Really?"

"You lied to me."

"That night you were like a bull, not at all like it was your first time."

Jiang Ruan looked directly into Gu Heng's eyes, somewhat disbelieving what he was saying.

"That's why I acted like a bull because it was my first time."

"Think about it carefully, weren't all those later tricks something we figured out gradually?"

As Gu Heng spoke, he held up three fingers towards Jiang Ruan: "I swear to you, I really didn't lie to you. That night was truly my first time. If I'm lying, may I be punished severely..."

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Ruan raised her delicate hand and tightly covered Gu Heng's mouth.

"Do not say."

"I believe you, I believe you."

Jiang Ruan gently stroked Gu Heng's face, feeling the shackles buried deep in her heart quietly shatter and fall away.

For most women, the first time is filled with endless fantasies and longings before it happens, and after it happens, it will be something they will never forget.

However, Jiang Ruan's first time happened against her will.

For Jiang Ruan, this has always been a knot in her heart that she can't get over.

But now, when she learned that Gu Heng's first time that night was also his first time, this knot in her heart naturally untied itself.

It was each other's first time. The man she loved most gave her his precious first time. What more could she ask for?
"correct."

"You just said you changed into a really sexy set of lingerie?"

Gu Heng suddenly raised an eyebrow: "Just how sexy is she? I'd like to see."

At the same time, Gu Heng's large hand, which had been resting on Jiang Ruan's waist, began to wander.

"you……"

"Are you physically capable?"

Jiang Ruan blushed slightly, glanced at Gu Heng's injured area, and whispered to Gu Heng.

"The doctor advised against strenuous exercise right now, but..."

At this point, Gu Heng gently blew a breath into Jiang Ruan's ear, his voice carrying a hint of ambiguity: "The doctor didn't say that it's not advisable for others to do strenuous exercise on me~"

Hearing Gu Heng's bluntness, Jiang Ruan's tear-streaked face flushed even more, but despite her shyness, she did not refuse.

Having just experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, coupled with the nearly two months of longing for Gu Heng from his injury to his recovery, Jiang Ruan readily kissed Gu Heng's lips after he expressed his desire.

From gentle to intense, from the dining room to the living room.

Inside the deserted mansion, the two gradually lost sight of the world around them.

“Gu Heng…”

Do you stand by what you just said?

Jiang Ruan gently "sat" on Gu Heng, her pink lips opening and closing silently.

"Which sentence?"

Gu Heng leaned back on the sofa, tilting his head slightly to admire Jiang Ruan's breathtaking beauty.

You said you would support me for the rest of my life.

Jiang Ruan gently bit her lip and cupped Gu Heng's face in her hands.

"This life, the next life, and the life after that..."

Gu Heng tightened his grip on Jiang Ruan's waist, causing her to fall into his arms: "We must be together."

Jiang Ruan's heart melted upon hearing such sweet words.