The Heiress's Game

Pei Yan made several appointments with Gu Yunjin.

The first time was when I called her, but she didn't answer.

The second time was when I sent her a message, and she replied: "I'm busy lately, let's talk later."

The third time, he called Li Chunjing directly. Li Chunjing replied politely but coldly, "Ms. Gu's schedule is very full recently."

It wasn't until his fourth message, when the wording changed from "I want to ask you out for dinner" to "I have something I want to tell you in person, fifteen minutes will be enough," that Gu Yunjin finally replied with a single word: Okay.

The location was chosen by Gu Yunjin—the rubberized walkway by the sea, at 4:30 pm.

It's not a restaurant, not a cafe, not any enclosed space where you have to sit face-to-face and have nowhere to escape.

When Pei Yan arrived, she was already there, standing by the railing by the sea, wearing a light-colored trench coat, the sea breeze blowing her hair back.

She turned around when she heard footsteps, nodded to him, her expression calm, without impatience or overly enthusiastic greeting.

"Miss Gu, thank you for coming." Pei Yan walked to her side, keeping a distance that wasn't too close.

He was wearing a dark blue casual jacket, his hair was shorter than when we last met, and he looked a little thinner than before, but he still seemed quite energetic.

But his current bluish-gray complexion betrayed him—he probably hadn't been sleeping well lately.

"Young Master Pei has invited me so many times, it would be impolite not to come."

Gu Yunjin turned around, leaning against the railing, the sea breeze blowing from behind her. "Speak, what is it?"

Pei Yan remained silent for a while. In the distance, seagulls were calling, their cries sharp and long, sounding particularly desolate against the backdrop of the waves.

"sorry."

Gu Yunjin tilted her head slightly, her brows furrowing slightly; her expression was more one of confusion than anger.

Why are you apologizing?

"It was my fault for not handling the marriage arrangement well," Pei Yan said, looking up at her.

"My own problem—Jin Wei's matter—was not handled well, and it reached your Gu family, influencing your decision. This was my fault."

Gu Yunjin was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

"Are you serious? You think I broke off the engagement because you have another woman on the side?"

Pei Yan's expression gave her the answer—that was indeed what he thought.

"Pei Yan," Gu Yunjin tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear.

"Breaking off the engagement was my own decision. I'm not marrying you because I don't want to, and it has nothing to do with Jin Wei."

Pei Yan looked at her, his lips moved slightly, and then he slowly looked away.

"So there's really no chance for us?" he asked.

"What do you mean by 'opportunity'? Do you mean our remarriage?" Gu Yunjin looked at him, her gaze frank.

"Or do you think I'm a good marriage prospect, and it would be a shame to miss out?"

Pei Yan didn't speak, but his silence itself was the answer.

Gu Yunjin sighed, rested her elbows on the railing, and looked at the sunset over the sea, which was mostly obscured by clouds.

"Pei Yan, do you know what I would do if I were Jin Wei's friend?"

I'll slap you hard across the face.

Pei Yan's shoulders trembled slightly.

"She's been with you for ten years. Not ten days, not ten months, but ten years."

A woman gave you the best ten years of her life.

She had an abortion for you, and drifted like duckweed in this city for ten years for you, yet in the end you didn't even have the courage to stand in front of her.

You're apologizing to me here—what do you have to apologize to me for?

You don't owe me anything; you owe her.

She turned to look at him. "The person you need to apologize to is in Yunzhou."

Pei Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say sorry, but this time Gu Yunjin directly raised her hand to stop him.

"Stop saying sorry. Ninety percent of the 'sorry's' in this world are said to oneself."

Then her gaze went past Pei Yan's shoulder and landed about twenty meters behind him.

She looked surprised.

"Jin Wei is here?"

Pei Yan turned around.

Jin Wei stood under the row of casuarina trees opposite the promenade, wearing a beige cardigan and carrying a small suitcase.

She looked much thinner, with a sharper chin and larger eyes, but her eyes were bloodshot.

She looked over here—at Pei Yan and Gu Yunjin standing side by side—her lips trembled, and tears silently streamed down her cheeks.

A small droplet of water gathered at the tip of her chin, fell onto the handle of her suitcase, and splashed out a small dark watermark.

Pei Yan froze.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, as if he wanted to call her name, but the sound got stuck in his throat, only a hoarse whisper came out.

He took a small step toward her, then stopped, as if nailed to the spot by something.

Jin Wei took a step forward, stepped out from under the shade of the tree, and stood in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The light shone on her face from the side, and she tried to curve the corners of her mouth into what was probably the most dignified smile she could muster.

"Pei Yan," she said.

"Congratulations, Miss Gu is very beautiful, you two are a perfect match."

Pei Yan's face turned pale instantly.

"Jinwei—it's not what you think—"

Gu Yunjin stood two steps away, watching this scene.

The sunset, the tear stains, and the smile in Jinwei's doe-like, wet eyes—a smile that was more painful than crying, a smile she was desperately trying to hold back from breaking down.

She sighed softly to herself—it's such a tragedy to see such a beautiful woman in tears.

Pei Yan turned to look at her, his eyes full of distress signals, like a ship lost in a storm desperately firing signal flares at people on shore.

He took half a step towards her, and uttered those three words again: "I'm sorry—"

"Smack."

A slap landed on his left cheek.

It's Gu Yunjin.

Pei Yan was stunned by the blow, standing there with his face turned to the side, a faint red mark appearing on his left cheek.

"Don't let me continue to look down on you." Gu Yunjin withdrew her hand, took out a wet wipe from her pocket and wiped her fingers, her movements as calm as if she had just swatted a mosquito.

"If you're a man, go over there now and make sure you know exactly what you owe her, word by word."

After she finished speaking, she bent down, picked up her bag which was placed by the railing, and turned to walk towards the parking lot.

As she passed by Jin Wei, she stopped and glanced at her from the side.

Jin Wei was also looking at her. In her red eyes, there was no hostility, no jealousy, only a kind of bewildered helplessness washed away by sadness.

"Miss Gu..."

Gu Yunjin reached out and gently patted her arm, the movement very light, as if comforting an injured little animal.