Chapter Thirty-Five: The Shattered Secret

  After parting with Gao Muyang, Gu Zixin took a taxi back to her rental place, wrote some manuscripts, and searched for news online. Looking at the time, it was just over 10 o'clock.

  Look at the phone, quietly guessing whether it has lost its original function.

  Dawdling through washing up, dawdling getting into bed, just about to lie down, the mobile phone suddenly started vibrating. Gu Zhi Xin was startled and picked up the phone from the bed, Yin Shuo's name flashing on the screen.

  Gu Xixin hurriedly picked up the phone, and Yin Shu's voice came from the receiver: "Asleep?"

  "There isn't."

  I am under your building.

  Gu Xixin put on a coat and ran downstairs, while Yin Shu was leaning against the car smoking, his pose of inhaling and exhaling smoke looked a bit lonely and desolate.

  As she approached Yin Shu, Gu Xi felt the coolness emanating from him and couldn't help but furrow her brow: "How long have you been here?"

  Yin Shu smiled warmly: "It's been a while, I originally wanted to take a look downstairs and leave without disturbing you. But I couldn't help it, I miss you, I want to see you."

  "What's wrong with you, why didn't you come up for so long?" Gu Xiang said with a scolding tone, pulling Yin Shu's hand and dragging him inside.

  She had just turned around when Yin Shu pulled her back and held her tightly in his arms, his arm tightening more and more, so tight that Gu Zhi Xin seemed to hear the sound of her own bones cracking.

  Yin Shu's head was buried in Gu Xi Xin's hair, and Gu Xi Xin maintained this posture, not daring to move. After a while, Gu Xi Xin vaguely felt a coolness on her neck, and she suddenly slapped Yin Shu's back: "What's wrong with you?"

  Yin Shu's voice was muffled, "Missing you, Gu Xixin, can't bear to leave me? Never leave me forever."

  Gu Xixin inexplicably felt that Yin Shu's entire being was radiating an inescapable sorrow today, and under the influence of this emotion, Gu Xixin couldn't help but nod her head.

  "Qie Xin, I'm so tired." Yin Shu's voice was laced with exhaustion, but his arms remained tight, as if he wanted to press Gu Qie Xin into his own body.

  Gu Zi Xin didn't say anything and just let him hold her like this.

  A week later.

  Gu Xixin listened to the familiar "The number you dialed is currently unavailable" prompt coming from the phone's receiver, and hung up the call with some annoyance.

  Since that night when Yin Shu suddenly ran to Gu Zhi Xin's home downstairs, for about a week, Gu Zhi Xin had no news of him. His phone was turned off, the company couldn't find him, and the security guard at his rental apartment said he hadn't seen Yin Shu in a long time. Gu Zhi Xin felt somewhat disheartened, as if he had vanished into thin air, completely and utterly disappeared.

  In the first few days, Gu Zixin didn't pay much attention to Yin Shuo's sudden disappearance. During this time, Yin Shuo's company was quite busy and Gu Zixin didn't think much of it, simply assuming that he might have a lot on his plate and couldn't spare the time.

  It wasn't until she had called Yin Shu's phone for three consecutive days and got the prompt "The number you dialed is powered off" that Gu Zhi Xin started to feel a little flustered. It was only then that she realized how little she knew about Yin Shu, not even having the contact information of his best friend.

  Days went by one after another, although Gu Zixin was anxious and irritable, life had to go on, she could only work while inquiring through various channels.

  Just like now, Gu Zixin was clearly annoyed, but she could only muster up the energy to deal with the interviewer who had just arrived.

  Today, Gu Zixin is going to interview a retired cadre who has done some research on poetry. There are quite a few people like this in City A. In their fifties and sixties, they retire from the front lines, originally being elites and leaders in various fields. Suddenly retiring behind the scenes, with a lot of free time, they find something interesting to fill the emptiness and console themselves.

  Such people usually have common characteristics, with an extraordinary passion for the career they once struggled for, and are optimistic, positive, and upward-minded. Most of them are unwilling to be buried and try their best to make use of their remaining heat.

  Just like this person in front of you, talking about his own career, talking about his hobbies and interests, talking about his great wishes, he is eloquent and unstoppable.

  The place where the two met was a coffee shop near the Old Cadre Bureau's Sunset Activity Center. The environment here is suitable for interviews, so I chose this place. It's not far from Yin Shuo's company, and Gu Zixin secretly planned to go to his company after the interview to ask about it.

  After a more than one-hour interview, the interviewed veteran cadre bid farewell to her politely and left first. With a sigh of relief, Gu Zhi Xin relaxed her straightened body that had been sitting upright all along, slowly leaning back against the sofa backrest.

  Gu Xixin looked around the environment, independent card seat, comfortable sofa, semi-high glass screen to block, let people who come here have a sense of security for no reason.

  After saying so much, Gu Zixin felt a bit thirsty. She drank the coffee in front of her in one gulp and asked the waiter to refill it again, also settling the bill with him, preparing to leave after finishing drinking.

  The weather in September is often still sweltering, so Gu Xixin thought she'd take the opportunity to rest well, otherwise the sun would be too poisonous and Gu Xixin was afraid that if she went out, she would melt like chocolate.

  Savoring her coffee slowly and steadily, a familiar voice from another unobtrusive corner of the store made Gu Xiang's heart skip a beat.

  "How many times have I told you? What exactly do you want?" The suddenly raised voice contained a hint of anger, and the people around couldn't help but turn their heads.

  A soft voice rose, with a slight sob, "I love you so much, why don't you want me?" The voice was pitiful and lovely, without seeing her appearance, one could imagine that she must be a beautiful young woman.

  Unfortunately, Gu Xixin didn't have the mood to think about anything else at this time. Her attention was completely drawn to that male voice. From her angle, she couldn't see where the two people were sitting, and naturally, she had no way of judging who they were.

  But even so, Gu Xixin could be certain that the man was definitely the Yin Shu she had been searching for in vain.

  At this thought, Gu Zhi Xin's hands began to gradually turn cold and tremble. She could sense that perhaps she would discover some things that Yin Shu was not willing to tell her.

  Gu Xixin knew that if she were rational, she should turn around and leave at this time, but there was an invisible force drawing her in that direction.