Chapter 110: An Outrageous Relationship

Upon returning to Yecheng District, Gu Zhiheng seemed to be in low spirits. After a simple meal, he took everyone to a bar called "North, South, East, West" to drink.

He had learned too much lately, and his mind was in absolute turmoil. Whether it was his own affairs, the matters regarding Gu Mojiang, or other complications, everything left him feeling overwhelmed. Yet, he could not show it; he kept all these burdens locked deep inside, leaving him feeling utterly exhausted in body and spirit.

"Let’s go. The tasks ahead are complex enough as it is, so we might as well take this chance to properly unwind," Chu Xingran said. Knowing him well, she understood his state of mind and felt a deep ache for him.

She was right, and the rest of the group agreed, so they set off for the bar. Gu Zhiheng remained silent throughout the journey. The others knew better than to disturb him; they were terrified that if he grew too frustrated, he would have Qingxiu torment them again.

Inside the bar, at the innermost booth, the group sat together, drinking and chatting.

"I’m just so tired. Tell me, I am who I am—why must I pay the price for someone else’s mistakes?" After a few drinks, Gu Zhiheng’s words began to slur with intoxication. His ramblings were incoherent, but the group understood exactly what he meant.

Chu Xingran kept him company, and before long, both were quite drunk. Whenever Chu Xingran drank too much, she tended to let slip secrets that should have remained buried, and this time was no exception.

"A... A-Heng, do you know? You aren't just Gu Zhiheng. You are Ye Zheng. You and he were always the same person." She gazed at him with deep affection, seeing not just Gu Zhiheng, but Ye Zheng. Though she was drunk, her words were entirely true. "I... I knew from the very beginning, which is why I’ve been waiting for your reincarnation."

"Heaven had pity on me; I waited five hundred years, and finally, I found you. I followed you even before you were born, and I raised you with all my heart." She continued, "I know you may never accept me as anything more than a sister, but I can accept all of that. I only wish to stay by your side. No matter the nature of our relationship, I just want to be with you." As her voice trailed off, her head lolled, and she collapsed into Mo Han’s arms.

Mo Han’s expression remained unchanged as he caught her; he had known all of this from the start.

"So, you’re saying I’m not just myself, but this 'great figure' Ye Zheng you all keep talking about?" Gu Zhiheng felt his head spinning. What kind of mess was this? He was Gu Zhiheng, heir to the Gu family, a descendant. And yet he was also Ye Zheng, the mentor of the Gu family’s ancestor, and a victim in the family’s long-standing tragedy. It was absurd and ridiculous.

It all made sense now—the things he thought were dreams were memories. That man who looked exactly like him in his mind really was him. He had once thought he was sleep-deprived, then thought he was suffering from a split personality, only to realize now that it was all real.

"Well... this is just too insane. I can't wrap my head around it." He downed his glass, needing a moment to find some clarity. The others remained calm, as they had already pieced together most of the truth long ago. Seeing Gu Zhiheng’s comical expression—a mix of laughter and tears—they couldn't help but feel a flicker of amusement.

"Hey, will he be alright?" It wasn't a good sign. He was drinking as if it were tap water, and his behavior frightened the others.

"Life is short, isn't it? Why must there be so many damn problems? Why does everything have to be so difficult?" He sighed, let out a hiccup, and slumped over, dead to the world.

"Alright, both siblings have things weighing on their hearts, and now they’ve both knocked themselves out," Liu E said, shaking his head. He stood up to haul Gu Zhiheng away; it was time to get them home for some rest. Mo Han followed, carrying Chu Xingran. He felt a surge of joy that she had finally spoken her heart, yet he was terrified that once Gu Zhiheng sobered up, he might change his mind.

As the four left, the others remained at the bar. "Life is just absurd, isn't it? Come on, let's drink!" Chu Zhaoting, ever the blunt one, didn't understand the complexities of romance, but he knew how to move on.

"You really don't care about your sister at all, do you? You’re an incompetent brother," Chen Yuan remarked with disdain, ignoring him to continue drinking with Qingxiu.

"Women are just trouble. We men are better off free and easy," Chu Zhaoting muttered, deciding it was best to leave them be.

Back at the residence, Liu E tossed Gu Zhiheng onto the bed and sat on the sofa. "You idiot, why do you have to torture yourself? What is there that can't be solved?"

"You don't know anything," Gu Zhiheng muttered, rubbing his temples. "From the time I was a child, all I ever heard was that I had to change the fate of the Gu family." He wasn't unable to accept the truth; his heart was simply too chaotic. To be told that his sister—the one who raised him—was actually his lover was far too much to process at once. To be told he was the very person he felt he had no connection to was a shock that left him reeling.

It wasn't that he couldn't accept it; it was that anyone in his position would find the weight of it unbearable.