After Time Traveling, I was Forced to Marry a Wealthy Family

Mu Ci looked at Gu Huai’s changing face inexplicably and called him, “Gu Huai.”

Gu Huai suddenly came back to his senses from the revelation of blood relations and looked at him earnestly. “What?”

Mu Ci coughed lightly, “That jade pendant was originally mine, but it fell into Ji Yunshu’s hands by accident. If it is really passed down, you have to give it back to me. I want to use it to go back.”

Gu Huai’s heart suddenly sank, “Are you determined to leave?”

“Yes,” Mu Ci replied calmly but resolutely, “As long as I live one day, I will not stay here. Here, you can kill me as much as you want; I’m not afraid of death.”

“I… How can I bear it? What you said is so cruel.” Gu Huai smiled bitterly. He fell into silence for a long time, leaving Mu Ci uncertain about his thoughts.

Just when Mu Ci thought Gu Huai might get angry again, Gu Huai raised his eyes and said in a low, hoarse voice, “Okay, I’ll give it back to you.”

Mu Ci was surprised to hear the sincerity in Gu Huai’s voice, “I can return the jade pendant to you, or I can let you go back, but…”

Before Mu Ci could feel too elated, his heart rose to his throat again.

Gu Huai’s eyes were filled with endless nostalgia and sadness, sinking into them. When he looked at Mu Ci, it was a mere glance, as if he feared his gaze might be too harsh and scare him.

“Stay with me for three months, just three months, and then I’ll let you go,” Gu Huai said softly. “Give me some memories, Mu Ci. Don’t be so cruel.” His voice, devoid of the usual authority of a family head, carried a hint of pleading. Gu Huai realized in that moment that his half-life of recklessness and quick settlements had caught up with him. This time, he was truly entangled with Mu Ci, unable to get out.

Mu Ci became a challenge for him, designed specifically to change him.

“In the three months…” Gu Huai paused and continued softly, “Firstly, I want you to recover from your injuries, and secondly… can you leave me with some good memories? I don’t want to only think about you in the future with forced and painful thoughts.”

“I…” Mu Ci looked at him hesitantly. There was something in Gu Huai’s eyes that softened his heart. He might be full of weaknesses, but he also possessed fragile emotions. Despite claiming to hate people for a lifetime, he found it difficult not to be kind with other people.

“You won’t lie to me again, right?” Mu Ci, looking at Gu Huai, seemed like a person who was drunk and taken to bed by him for the first time. “If you lie to me again this time, then I will never believe you again.”

The words landed heavily on Gu Huai’s heart. He grabbed Mu Ci’s hand, trying to suppress the ecstasy in his heart. “So, you agree? Don’t worry! I will never lie to you again!”

Mu Ci closed his eyes and exhaled softly, “Take me to see the jade pendant first.”

.

The Gu family had a semi-open private museum in the city center, dedicated to the storage and exhibition of jade pendants passed down from ancient times to the present, along with antiquities acquired at auctions.

The museum was open only on Mondays and Wednesdays. Mu Ci insisted on visiting on a Wednesday when the museum was crowded with tourists. Gu Huai hesitated, reluctant to expose Mu Ci to others, but sensing Mu Ci’s impatience, he coaxed him and asked the curator to close the museum at noon, dismissing the tourists. In the cooler afternoon, he then took Mu Ci out to the museum.

Mu Ci’s legs were getting better, but walking on his own was still a challenge. Refusing to use a wheelchair, he took the crutches offered by a bodyguard and tentatively walked down when they got out of the car.

Gu Huai watched Mu Ci’s slow and difficult movements, feeling a stabbing pain in his heart. He reached out to hold him, but Mu Ci dodged away, whispering, “I can do it myself.” Mu Ci was stubborn in this regard.

Gu Huai could only indulge him. He extended his hands to protect Mu Ci, closely following him and fearing he might fall.

The museum curator, seemingly eager to showcase his rich cultural heritage, sported a large fluffy beard and wore a small vest suit on a hot day. Unfortunately, the slim cut did little to hide his beer belly. He approached with a smile, “Mr. Gu said he was coming today. I was shocked and quickly packed up… Ah, who is this?”

Gu Huai stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Mu Ci, “I’m here to find a jade pendant. You’ve been here for a few years, so you should know where it is, right?”

The curator smiled, extending his hand, “Look at what you said. If I don’t know the collection in the museum, do you plan to fire me? Come with me, it’s right there.”

Turning around, Gu Huai quietly asked Mu Ci, “Can you manage? Do you want me to help you?”

Mu Ci pushed him away as if annoyed and followed the curator with his crutches.

Gu Huai smiled bitterly and trailed along.