MCFEM C44

Chapter 44 – He and Gu Yang Were Not Just a Regular Tutoring Arrangement…

When he heard those words, Song Yinxing’s eyes widened slightly, his expression tinged with astonishment.

After tossing out that bargaining chip, Gu Qingxu said nothing more. Talking too much would only cheapen him. He simply looked at the other with a half-smile.

He had investigated Song Yinxing’s background: a household in shambles, with a gambling-addicted father, bottomless like a pit.

That was easy enough to handle—money could settle it.

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to say,” Song Yinxing replied coldly. “If you have nothing else to say, I’m leaving.”

“When you came to our house the other day, did you see that ragdoll cat?”

Seeing him turn to go, Gu Qingxu spoke casually: “Back then, Gu Yang wanted to keep it, so we hired a nanny specifically for the cat, at a salary of eight thousand a month.”

Song Yinxing fell silent. Mention of the cat brought back the memory of that day.

But he had no particular feelings about it. He didn’t crave control over other people’s money.

Gu Qingxu hadn’t brought it up to boast. He didn’t actually care about hiring a nanny for a cat. If Gu Yang wanted one, so be it—it was nothing.

His face still wore a polite smile, but inside he recalled the way his father spoke to people, imitating that cadence, wanting to crush the restless heart of the person before him.

“As long as Gu Yang is happy, raising that cat until it dies of old age is nothing. Hardly costs anything.”

“But for you, that would be quite the expense, wouldn’t it? After all, your family doesn’t even have a breadwinner, no stable income at all.”

His tone slowed, and on that final line, he finally stripped away all pretense.

“After Gu Yang graduates high school, we’ll probably send him abroad to study art. He’s interested in jewelry, which happens to be one of the fields our group is in. If he wants, he can work as an art director in the company, or I could fund him to open his own studio.”

Yes, all of that was fine.

He didn’t mind keeping Gu Yang—so long as he stayed in his place as a decorative vase.

In the future.

Song Yinxing suddenly froze.

He thought back to his previous life.

There had been a long stretch of time when Nie Ying hadn’t troubled him.

That hadn’t relaxed him; it only tightened him further, fearing some greater scheme awaited.

Until one day, he saw a news push.

The president of Filiz Jewelry had died in a car accident.

Filiz Jewelry—founded during the Republican era, a brand of deep heritage, weathering storms without falling. Initially focused on jade, it had gradually expanded into all jewelry as times and needs changed.

And Filiz was only the surface arm of the Gu Group. With deeper digging, one would see countless product lines rooted in other industries.

So beneath that news, discussions flourished, centered on the untimely death of the Gu heir and the Gu family behind it.

Gu Qingxu was dead.

It took Song Yinxing several seconds to absorb it. This was not just some name in a news report—this was someone he had gone to the same middle school with, someone he occasionally saw because of Nie Ying.

Unlike Nie Ying’s mercurial cruelty, Gu Qingxu seemed much more polished in manner. Whenever they met, he would greet him with a smile, never once speaking a humiliating word.

But Song Yinxing knew.

That was only because he found him beneath notice, not worth wasting words on.

He scrolled through the posts.

Some speculated it wasn’t an accident but murder—in other words, the stench of a family power struggle.

Not an impossible guess.

For a family of the Gu’s level, it was impossible to keep everything from the public eye.

Besides the current heir, the Gu family also had an elder son.

That son had never appeared in public. Information online about him was scant: he had attended a prestigious domestic high school, then studied abroad, returning without any role in the company.

Speculation centered on his murky origins. Scandal and gossip were what the public loved most.

Some even guessed that he would be the next to rise, the only one left of the main branch.

But events went in an unexpected direction.

Before long, after sweeping changes in shares, Filiz Jewelry was acquired by the Nie Group.

Selling off a brand that accounted for over thirty percent of revenue, with international influence, baffled many. Nie’s sudden intervention stirred further suspicion.

But by then, the Gu family lacked anyone to steady the ship. The collateral branches were all scheming for their own slice.

Nie Ying once more had time for him—and that was not good news. But at the time, Song Yinxing had no room to care about Gu family matters; survival consumed him.

He’d never had any fondness for Gu Qingxu, so curiosity never drove him to risk himself further.

Then, a little over a week later, Nie Ying brought him another piece of news.

Gu Yang was dead.

Afraid he might not remember, Nie Ying kindly explained—it was that young man from the club, the one who’d talked about the SM club, when they’d first crossed paths again.

“You can’t have forgotten him, right? He even helped you out, or you’d have been licking the floor clean.” Nie Ying joked.

Almost a year had passed since then, filled with endless events.

Somewhere along the way, Nie Ying’s attitude toward him shifted. His temper, honed in business, dulled his verbal cruelty, and at times he treated him like an old friend.

But Song Yinxing only looked coldly at Nie Ying’s utter lack of remorse.

He had no Stockholm Syndrome, no servile gratitude for crumbs of kindness.

He remembered every scar inflicted on him.

And for that very reason, any light in the darkness, he wanted desperately to cling to.

He asked how that person had died.

“Suicide. Cut his wrists in his bathtub. By the time they found him, his body was already cold.”

Why had Gu Yang killed himself?

Because of Gu Qingxu’s death? Or because of the Gu family’s decline?

But somehow, Song Yinxing felt it wasn’t that simple.

He thought back to Gu Yang’s words that day in the room.

“So you see? Just because you went to the same school doesn’t mean you have the right to stand beside him. You were never of the same world.” Gu Qingxu’s cruel conclusion echoed.

Song Yinxing’s head was lowered, his long bangs hiding his expression.

Gu Qingxu smiled, satisfied with the submissiveness he saw.

He was about to say more when the sharp sound of approaching leather shoes reached them.

Turning, Gu Qingxu saw the new arrival.

Ying Jiayi.

“Well, if it isn’t Gu Qingxu. What are you doing in the senior classrooms?”

The girl with long black hair asked flatly. Compared to the shallow heiress she had once been, her air now was far more grounded.

Gu Qingxu only smiled.

Why shouldn’t he be here?

Ying Jiayi’s defense of Song Yinxing was clear. She and Gu Yang were classmates; her motive was obvious.

“Isn’t this Senior Ying Jiayi? Long time no see.” After weighing things, he chose to show her face. Smiling, he said, “Seems your family matters are mostly resolved. Congratulations.”

In recent days, he had followed the Ying family’s troubles: Liu Chaoyin ousted and facing legal charges, the Ying Group back under the grandfather’s management.

Most likely, Ying Jiayi would be the first of their generation to inherit a family business.

“I was just talking with Senior Song. We’re about done, so I’ll take my leave.”

He had said enough anyway. Smoothly, he withdrew, leaving only, “What I said always stands. Once you’ve thought it through, come find me.”

Song Yinxing lifted his gaze, thoughtful eyes following Gu Qingxu’s departing figure.

“What did that Gu say to you?” Ying Jiayi asked beside him.

“Nothing,” Song Yinxing shook his head, unwilling to elaborate. “Thanks for stepping in.”

He knew of her. In his past life, they’d had no contact in school, but later he’d heard in Nie Ying’s circles: Ying Jiayi’s marriage had been a disaster.

Arranged by her father, to Yu Zhou—someone he knew from middle school. A man with no background, suddenly in a key role at Ying Group.

Her first child a girl, and while still recovering, her mother-in-law, obsessed with male heirs, demanded another pregnancy. That one story revealed enough.

Everyone wondered: how could a mere son-in-law and a mother-in-law with no background dare treat the Ying heiress so?

He’d even heard whispers that Ying family was now pursuing divorce, to kick the son-in-law out.

But things were different now.

Since regaining his memories, many events had changed: Shen Mingjun and Ding Ziyu expelled, Nie Ying exposed as the maid’s son, the Lu twins’ truth revealed.

Who was altering everything?

…Gu Yang?

If so, could he change his own fate too?

Ying Jiayi studied his silence, wondering if Gu Qingxu’s words had shaken him.

To be honest, after her own father’s scandal, she treated every ambitious poor boy as a red flag.

Not prejudice—just hard truth.

Her mother, after discovering her illness and betrayal, had told her, clutching her daughter’s hand, to marry within their circle next time.

But Jiayi saw it more simply: marriage wasn’t mandatory anyway.

Still, she had little hope for Song Yinxing and Gu Yang.

She had stepped in only after overhearing Gu Qingxu’s harsh words, fearing worse.

Who knew Gu Qingxu would involve himself? Like an overbearing in-law already.

But she had also heard from Xiao Bai—Gu Yang had already met Song Yinxing’s parents.

How had things moved so quickly?

Resigned, she told him seriously, “You see, being together will only bring you more resistance.”

As Gu Yang’s kin, Gu Qingxu would always be around.

“I don’t really understand what you’re saying,” Song Yinxing frowned again, but his tone softened for his defender. “Did you all misunderstand? Gu Yang and I aren’t…”

“I hate men without responsibility,” Ying Jiayi cut in sharply, then caught herself, coughing to soften her voice. “Don’t let his indifferent air fool you. That’s just how he is.”

Didn’t she know Gu Yang’s temperament? Those who could stay by him were never ordinary.

First He Ming’an—who always gave her a saintly vibe.

Now Song Yinxing—on a new path. Not easy at all.

For Gu Yang’s sake, she added, “But he’s different with you. Honestly, I haven’t seen him smile that happily in a long time.”

Song Yinxing froze.

He recalled the times Gu Yang had laughed so freely with him.

So that wasn’t normal for him?

Enough said. More would seem forced. Jiayi waved, heading upstairs, leaving him to his thoughts.

When he came to, she was gone.

He opened his mouth, but it was too late to ask.

He had wanted to.

He and Gu Yang—weren’t they just tutor and student?

What were they all talking about?

Back in Class Eleven, Jiayi felt almost disoriented.

Her return drew greetings from many.

“Jiayi, you’re finally back.” Yu Bai’s eyes lit up. They’d stayed in touch, but seeing her in person made him happy.

She sat, receiving chats and greetings. Though she’d been away, she’d kept up with all the drama remotely.

She gave Lu Ji a friendly smile.

Lu Ji froze, unaccustomed to kindness, stiff in response.

Whether or not the true Lu heir was kind, his story was certainly bitter.

And finally, he wasn’t stuck sitting next to Shen Mingjun. A relief.

Her tolerance for would-be sons-in-law was thin.

Having taken long leave, she owed a written report. She asked He Ming’an along, in case someone needed to speak.

Before leaving, she stopped at the back, poking Gu Yang awake with a smile. “I’m finally back. Did you miss me, Gu Yang?”

Still slouched on his desk, his chin propped on his arm, he lifted gray eyes to her.

Her face carried a true smile. Though life’s storms had tempered her, she still brimmed with youthful vitality. At eighteen, she couldn’t be dimmed.

A favored daughter of heaven—no chains could bind her. She would no longer wither in shadows, but live toward the sun.

She had endured her trial.

For the first time, Gu Yang felt it sharply—the gray world brightened, a small piece of the puzzle lit by her smile.

Like dead wood meeting spring.

His lips curved upward unconsciously. Sunlight poured in, softening his gray eyes.

“Mm, welcome back.”

Jiayi was stunned. Frozen. With all eyes on her, the class noticed too. Xie Wu looked horrified, even nudging Xu Qingfeng to see.

Several seconds passed before Jiayi snapped out of it, voice unsteady: “I’ll hand in my report first. We’ll talk later.”

He Ming’an watched Gu Yang quietly, but didn’t linger. He followed Jiayi.

When it was all finished, Jiayi emerged. “Finally done. Guanli is easygoing, except when it comes to long absences.”

He Ming’an laughed. “Back when the rule didn’t exist, students often took weeks off to travel abroad. This is better.”

“They just worry you’ll vanish too long, and something might happen.”

“Understandable.” Jiayi smiled. “Thanks for coming with me. I’ll treat you all later—bring Gu Yang.”

Then she remembered earlier. “Oh right, when I came up, I saw Gu Qingxu here, talking to Song Yinxing. Sounded like he told him to stay away from Gu Yang.”

“Is that so?” He Ming’an’s expression turned thoughtful, before he smiled at her. “I’ll keep an eye on it.”

Jiayi trusted him completely. Closer to Gu Yang, he would notice if anything went wrong.

Relieved, she let the matter drop.