Chapter 60 This Ends Here

"You might as well tell me, where has everything that originally belonged to Yunzhou in this room gone? Did you throw it all away?!"

Although Qiao Yanxin's words sounded like a question, she had already ascertained the facts and had no need for Gu Tingchu to offer any explanation.

I stood to the side, watching Gu Tingchu in front of me with a rather gloating amusement.

Previously, the one standing here, helplessly stumbling over explanations, was me. But now, the roles had reversed, and it was Gu Tingchu's turn.

I wanted to see what kind of words he could conjure up now that he was standing in my shoes.

Gu Tingchu's eyes welled up with tears as he said with fragile vulnerability, "Yanxin, it was because I accidentally broke the photo of the two of us, but that spot was left empty. I just wondered if I should put up a photo of the two of us instead. Didn't you say that photo looked very nice back then? I thought if I put it up, you would be happy too? I am truly sorry. I didn't consider Brother Yunzhou's feelings, but I really didn't mean to. I thought seeing that picture would make you very happy..."

"That photo was taken when we traveled abroad together. You were clearly very happy then, weren't you? And you even bought me a lot of souvenirs abroad back then. I've kept all those things safely stored away. Have you forgotten all of this?"

Gu Tingchu's voice grew softer and softer, carrying a trace of shattered grievance.

Hearing this, Qiao Yanxin froze, momentarily at a loss for words.

After a brief moment, she let out a heavy sigh.

Perhaps it was only now that she felt a sense of regret—regret for having been far too indulgent with Gu Tingchu in the past.

Yet from their conversation, a sudden realization struck me.

Back then, Qiao Yanxin and I had originally planned to take a proper vacation and unwind at an island resort once the major project at hand was finished.

To fully enjoy this getaway, I had meticulously done a vast amount of research, planning out every single detail of what we would eat, drink, and do. I even applied for time off in advance, all just to share this wonderful holiday with her.

Yet on the very day before our scheduled departure, Qiao Yanxin suddenly claimed she had an urgent matter to attend to and had to go on a business trip out of town.

Though deeply disappointed at the time—especially since I had poured so much effort into the travel plans—I never expected Qiao Yanxin to let me down at the crucial moment.

Still, I hadn't thought much of it then; after all, the company always had matters requiring attention from time to time, and as the CEO, Qiao Yanxin was bound to be much busier than I was.

Besides, I had comforted myself by thinking that if we couldn't take this trip, there would always be next time. Life was still long ahead—surely we would have another chance to travel together?

How could I have known that my life would turn out to be so terribly short?

Only now did I learn the truth of the matter: Qiao Yanxin had never gone on any so-called business trip out of town at all. Instead, she had taken all the itineraries I meticulously crafted and gone off to play with Gu Tingchu.

The mere thought that the two of them had used my travel plans, stayed at the hotels I booked, and gazed at the scenery I had longed to see made my stomach churn with wave after wave of nausea.

Even though I had nothing in my stomach to vomit, I still felt a violent churning in my guts.

Why could Qiao Yanxin still put on that deeply affectionate facade after doing such things? Didn't she feel any disgust toward herself?

Over all these years, in places I knew nothing about, just how many things like this had they done?

No wonder Gu Tingchu insisted on placing that photograph on the most prominent spot of the bedside table. It was taken when he and Qiao Yanxin traveled alone, and it was a deliberate provocation aimed at me.

Of course he had to display it in the most conspicuous place, just to mock me.

"Let's drop this matter. Don't ever do it again. I only treat you as my younger brother; I have no other intentions. If your belongings ever appear in our room again, Yunzhou will surely be displeased."

Hearing such sanctimonious words, I could only find it laughable.

To think that Qiao Yanxin even cared about my feelings—how rare!

Look at that. Clearly, she understood the concept of boundaries, yet in the past, she would still perform those intimate gestures with Gu Tingchu right before my eyes. No matter how much I protested, she never reined it in, choosing instead to accuse me of making a fuss over nothing.

Yet she herself knew perfectly well that what she was doing was inappropriate, didn't she?

Only now did I clearly realize that Qiao Yanxin was fundamentally a selfish and self-centered person.

From beginning to end, she didn't truly love anyone; the only person she loved was herself.

She refused to choose between Gu Tingchu and me; she wanted both.

It was only because I was now dead and had been absent for so long that she suddenly felt I had regained some importance in her heart.

Tears now completely covered Gu Tingchu's face. "Yanxin, do you hate me? Please don't hate me, okay? It's fine if you hate me too; I won't pester you anymore, I don't want anything else. I only ask to stay by your side—as long as I can stay by your side and accompany you silently, that's enough. Can't you even grant me this request?"

Hearing this, I could only laugh bitterly.

Given that Qiao Yanxin was already a married woman, what on earth was he acting like now?

A homewrecking third wheel?

The two of them were unrelated by blood yet constantly clung to each other—wasn't that rather inappropriate?

Who knew how many people on the outside assumed that Gu Tingchu was actually Qiao Yanxin's husband.

In my view, that was precisely what Gu Tingchu had wanted all along!

Hearing this, Qiao Yanxin merely let out a deep sigh.

"Tingchu, how old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"You know you're twenty-four, no longer a child. I'm older than you, and both of us have reached the age to settle down and establish our careers. If you tag along behind me every day like this, what will outsiders say when they see us? After all, we aren't related by blood. If you start a relationship in the future, what will your girlfriend say when she finds out? Besides, Yunzhou already minds our relationship, so we'd better reduce our contact from now on."

Gu Tingchu seemed unable to believe his own ears. "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to draw a clear line between us?"

"Tingchu, the reason I haven't come looking for you during this time is because I've been pondering a problem. Our inappropriate relationship is what caused cracks to form between Yunzhou and me. But I don't want things to end up this way. Yunzhou hasn't come back yet, but once he returns, I want to live a proper life with him. Can you understand what I'm saying? Gu Tingchu, let's end things between us here."