AD Chapter 12
Gu Lingfeng had finally started staying away from home again.
After a few days of tense, exhausting work, Su Ning was finally able to relax. But just as he was about to enjoy some rare personal time, the man strode in, bringing with him a chill in the air.
Su Ning looked at Gu Lingfeng walking in—an unexpected sight—and was briefly at a loss for words. He opened his mouth and asked stiffly, “President Gu, have you had dinner?”
Gu Lingfeng glanced at him coldly without replying, but Su Ning understood—that meant no.
He turned and went to the kitchen, sighing inwardly. He didn’t know what Chu Zichen had done to make Gu Lingfeng so angry that he left without even eating.
Su Ning prepared a few dishes according to Gu Lingfeng’s taste. Fortunately, the housekeeper replenished the fridge daily, so there was never a shortage of ingredients.
Once the food was ready, he placed it in front of Gu Lingfeng and sat across the table from him. He’d already had dinner, so he was only keeping the man company—so he wouldn’t look so alone.
During the meal, Gu Lingfeng’s phone on the table rang once, but he didn’t even glance at it and calmly continued eating. Su Ning discreetly observed his expression. By now, it was hard to read. The cold aura from when he first came home had faded, and he’d returned to his usual composed, reserved self.
Naturally, Gu Lingfeng wouldn’t tell Su Ning what had happened, and Su Ning, knowing his place, didn’t ask. When Gu Lingfeng went to shower after eating, Su Ning cleaned up the kitchen. That’s when his own phone rang.
It was an unknown number, but for some reason, Su Ning had a strong feeling it was Chu Zichen.
Sure enough, when he answered, Chu Zichen’s voice came through the receiver.
“Is Gu Lingfeng at your place?”
The way he asked sounded like he was catching a cheater in the act.
Su Ning gave a wry smile. This was Gu Lingfeng’s home—wasn’t it perfectly normal for him to be here?
He listened to the angry interrogation from the other end, but as if he hadn’t heard it, he replied politely, “Hello, Mr. Chu. President Gu is currently in the shower. May I ask if you have—”
The breathing on the other end paused for a moment, then the fury surged back, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“Are you showing off?! Do you think just because Gu Lingfeng slept with you once, he’s yours now?! Let me tell you, you’re just a lowly assistant—crawl into your employer’s bed and you think you can become some kind of phoenix?!”
Chu Zichen’s angry tirade continued on the line, and Su Ning’s once-polite smile slowly faded into an expressionless mask. He held the phone a little farther from his ear—far enough to hear that there was still sound coming through, but too faint to make out clearly.
He stayed like that until Gu Lingfeng came out of the shower and saw Su Ning on the phone. The man raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Su Ning called out, “President Gu,” then said respectfully into the phone, “Mr. Chu, President Gu is out now. Would you like to speak with him?”
There was sudden silence on the other end. After a pause, Chu Zichen’s gritted voice came through: “Su Ning, just you wait!”
Then came the beep of a disconnected call.
Su Ning looked innocent.
He was merely doing his job as an assistant, acting as a cold, emotionless mouthpiece. He had no intention of provoking anyone—but clearly, Chu Zichen didn’t see it that way.
“President Gu, Mr. Chu just called,” Su Ning reported dutifully, omitting everything Chu Zichen had screamed at him.
Gu Lingfeng gave him a calm glance but said nothing.
That night, Gu Lingfeng slept soundly, as if neither his earlier visit to Chu Zichen nor the phone call had affected him in the slightest—no ripples, no disturbance.
Recalling the panic in Chu Zichen’s voice despite the harsh words, Su Ning couldn’t help but feel a little sympathetic.
Lying on his side in bed, he gazed at the man sleeping beside him, sighing quietly in his heart.
Having stayed by this man’s side for over four years, no one knew better than Su Ning how cold and heartless he was.
No matter how outstanding someone was—beautiful, handsome, fresh and alluring, talented—they were all just fleeting visitors in Gu Lingfeng’s life.
Gu Lingfeng’s list of lovers included glamorous film stars, graceful and gifted screenwriters, women hailed as queens of the corporate world, even well-born and capable noble sons. All of them willingly became his lovers. Some of them thought they were special, that they could end Gu Lingfeng’s playboy ways—but not a single one succeeded. None could stop his wandering footsteps.
Su Ning’s fingers twitched slightly, as if he wanted to touch the man’s sleeping face. But in the end, he restrained himself, curling his hand into a tight fist.
This man had no heart. To try and win it was futile from the start.
The only difference was whether one could leave with dignity—or be reduced to a hysterical mess, stripped of pride.
Su Ning had seen too many people weeping bitterly at the end, throwing away their self-respect, groveling in the dirt. But Gu Lingfeng, with a heart as hard as iron, was never moved.
A trace of self-mockery and pity stirred in Su Ning’s chest.
But he wasn’t sure whether that pity was for Gu Lingfeng’s lovers—or for himself.
After that day, Gu Lingfeng didn’t visit Chu Zichen for several days, giving him the cold shoulder.
Eventually, Su Ning heard from others what had happened that night. Apparently, when Gu Lingfeng went to see Chu Zichen, the latter had thrown a tantrum—upset that Gu Lingfeng had gone on a business trip and then visited Su Ning first upon returning, rather than him.
At first, Gu Lingfeng took it as a bit of playful teasing and tried to coax him. But Chu Zichen, having bottled up his feelings for days, broke down after being gently placated—his staged outburst turned into genuine grievance. He cried and fussed, demanding that Gu Lingfeng apologize.
The moment Su Ning heard that, he knew Chu Zichen was doomed—he’d crossed Gu Lingfeng’s bottom line.
It was probably Gu Lingfeng’s prior pampering that had given Chu Zichen the illusion that he had the upper hand—that he could make demands, forgetting his place and overstepping the line.
But anyone who knew Gu Lingfeng would know—he would never bow his head. No matter how much he doted on a lover, it was always conditional on that lover’s obedience and ability to please him.
After so many years by Gu Lingfeng’s side, Su Ning might not dare say he saw through the man—but he understood him well enough.
—What he gives, you may take. What he doesn’t, you have no right to ask for.
Even if it’s just a single word.
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