Chapter 347 — The Fall of an Image

Gu Mengyao naturally knew what An Liwen was after, but she could not be bothered to answer such a question.

An Liwen, however, plainly had no sense of when to stop. Since Wei Zhao had not replied, he pressed on instead: "Yao Yao, you two don't sleep together at night?"

Gu Mengyao frowned, but Shen Yushu jumped in first: "Sister Yao Yao sleeps with me!"

Hearing this, An Liwen was on the verge of tears of gratitude. He wanted to say, Good soul, truly a good soul! Xiaoshu, I've known you for so many years, and at last you've said something that comforts Brother Jianwen! You are absolutely the best!

An Liwen knew it was somewhat improper to be asking this and that, but he had to find out exactly what the relationship between Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao was. It concerned his grand plan for love, and he could not afford to be vague about it.

"Heh heh, so then, Mr. Lin isn't your boyfriend?" From Gu Mengyao's attitude toward Wei Zhao, An Liwen had picked up a few hints as well. He felt that Wei Zhao did not really seem like Gu Mengyao's boyfriend.

Gu Mengyao frowned. "Brother Jianwen, what exactly do you want to know?"

She was fed up with him too. On and on he went, all just to confirm the relationship between her and Wei Zhao, wasn't it? Fine, then she would tell him, and once he understood he could take himself off: "Didn't Xiaoshu explain it to you clearly enough last time?"

The more Gu Mengyao said it that way, the more muddled An Liwen became. Where on earth had this Wei Zhao come from? Was this fellow Gu Mengyao's boyfriend or not? To be honest, An Liwen did not quite believe what Shen Yushu had said, because that little minx could lie without batting an eye. Last time she had said something about "a guard and a shield" — and that phrase alone could be interpreted any number of ways.

Back at the amusement park restaurant that time, An Liwen had not had the chance to think it over carefully, but after he went home he had mulled over Gu Mengyao's and Wei Zhao's movements and looks, and they really did not resemble a couple.

So then, did Shen Yushu mean that Wei Zhao was purely Gu Mengyao's bodyguard? Or perhaps a shield she had brought in to fend off her suitors?

After going back, the more An Liwen thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and that was why he had wanted to pay a visit, and incidentally pump some information out of Gu Pengzhan. But Gu Pengzhan was not there, so he could only work on the parties involved.

"Heh heh, I'm just asking casually, nothing more meant by it — just helping you keep an eye on things!" An Liwen smiled. "You're my little sister. If you've found a boyfriend, of course your big brother has to take a look for you!"

"Oh... then take a look." Gu Mengyao was thoroughly annoyed. An Liwen had never been this insufferable before, so why was he in such a desperate hurry now that he had come back from abroad?

Gu Mengyao had sensed long ago that An Liwen was interested in her, but he had never been as impatient as he was now.

Of course, Gu Mengyao was misjudging An Liwen. The reason for his impatience was simply that he had seen a rival appear! Before, there had been no suitor around Gu Mengyao who could be counted as competition, so An Liwen had not been anxious at all. He had felt that sooner or later Gu Mengyao would be his, and sooner or later made no difference.

But now things were different. Wei Zhao's appearance had completely upset An Liwen's plans, and he had no choice but to grow anxious. As things stood, Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao probably did not yet have any deep connection. If he did not bestir himself now, wouldn't that be the same as giving up of his own accord?

"Heh heh, good. In that case, tomorrow night I'll invite Mr. Wei Zhao out to dinner — partly to thank him for saving my life, and partly to keep an eye on things for you!" An Liwen said. "Yao Yao, how about it? Shall we give your man the night off?"

"If he wants to go, he can go. What does it have to do with me?" Gu Mengyao said indifferently.

"All right, then I'll go tell him!" Hearing Gu Mengyao's words, An Liwen felt even more reassured. That Gu Mengyao should be so indifferent toward Wei Zhao meant their relationship could not be as good as he had imagined.

With that, An Liwen rose and walked toward Wei Zhao's room. He knocked, and Wei Zhao opened the door. Seeing that it was An Liwen, he asked: "Is there something you want?"

"Heh heh, it's like this. Are you free tomorrow night? I'm hosting — I'd like to take you to dinner, to express my gratitude." An Liwen smiled and patted Wei Zhao on the shoulder with the ease of an old acquaintance. "How about it, Mr. Lin? Do me the honor?"

"You're treating me to dinner?" Wei Zhao looked at An Liwen as though looking at a fool. "Got more money than you know what to do with? Not going!"

An Liwen was instantly a little embarrassed by Wei Zhao's blunt refusal. "Mr. Lin, Yao Yao has already agreed to it. Is that why you're saying this — because you're afraid she wouldn't want you to go?"

Though he said this aloud, inwardly An Liwen felt a touch of contempt. Who do you think you are, putting on such airs? What are you, anyway? Trying to take Gu Mengyao from me — if I don't show you what I'm made of, you country bumpkin will never know how high the heavens are and how thick the earth is!

"Oh? The young lady agreed?" Wei Zhao was taken aback. He looked at Gu Mengyao and saw her nod at him. There was nothing for it. "All right then, tomorrow. Where shall we eat?"

In truth, Gu Mengyao had no real wish to send Wei Zhao off to dine with An Liwen. Whether the two of them ate together or not was no concern of hers. The crux of the matter was that An Liwen had worn her patience threadbare, plying her with question after question right there in front of her. Far better to let him pester Wei Zhao with them tomorrow. The sooner he was gone the better; she still wanted her rest.

"Six o'clock tomorrow evening. I'll be waiting for you here on the dot. We can decide on the venue tomorrow!" An Liwen was all the more puzzled. This Wei Zhao hardly looked like a man who took orders from anyone. So why, at the mere mention that Gu Mengyao had sent him, had he agreed without a moment's thought? Could it really be that the fellow was nothing more than a bodyguard, and not Gu Mengyao's boyfriend at all?

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. That little minx Shen Yushu's words could not be trusted, and it was quite possible that Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao truly had nothing between them!

"Oh, fine." Wei Zhao nodded. Since the man was bent on playing host, then let him. Tomorrow he would eat him out of house and home. "How about I bring a brother along?"

"Sure, no problem!" An Liwen nodded and readily agreed.

Having gotten Wei Zhao's answer, An Liwen was satisfied and prepared to take his leave. Out of courtesy, Gu Mengyao had no choice but to see him to the door. Only after he had gone did she shake her head and breathe a sigh of relief.

"You want me to have dinner with him tomorrow?" Wei Zhao asked. There was something odd about Gu Mengyao, he thought.

"I only wanted you to say yes so he'd hurry up and go home. I want to sleep, and there he was, lingering on and on — does he never stop to think whether he's wearing out his welcome?" Gu Mengyao's impression of An Liwen was growing worse by the minute. The image of the boy next door she had once known had come crashing down.