Rebirth! The Assassin's Revenge-Chapter 266: Love Unattainable

When Gu Ningyue arrived at No. 23 Xinsheng Street, she found Ma Qiang’s home with little effort.

Looking at the dilapidated shack which could collapse at any moment, and the elderly man sitting in front sorting empty bottles from a sack, Gu Ningyue frowned deeply.

Ma Qiang took three million, and yet he still lets his mother live like this? Is this what makes a person?

Walking softly forward, Gu Ningyue tried to soften her tone as she looked at the old man and said, "Hello, is this Ma Qiang’s home?"

The old man stood up slowly, and the moment he turned around, Gu Ningyue noticed that he suffered from severe cataracts, appearing particularly frightening even under the glaring sun.

"Who are you?"

Perhaps because Gu Ningyue’s voice sounded harmless, or maybe because the old man believed there was nothing valuable in this house, he showed no hostility toward Gu Ningyue’s arrival.

Gu Ningyue casually made up a reason to ask about Ma Qiang’s whereabouts, and the old man sighed, "I don’t know, maybe dead!"

Gu Ningyue scrutinized the old man’s features, "Madam, how old are you this year?"

The old man replied, "Fifty-nine, almost sixty!"

Gu Ningyue was secretly surprised; at only fifty-nine, Ma Qiang’s mother looked as if she were over eighty.

Years of illness and hunger had reduced the elderly to such a state, evoking compassion in her. She reached into her wallet, took out ten hundred-yuan bills, and placed them in the old man’s hand, "Madam, take this money to buy what you need! And it’s better to dress that wound on your hand."

Surviving by collecting bottles and trash, the old man’s hands were covered in wounds, and in the current hot weather, infection was likely.

The old man’s fingers grazed the stack of bills, quickly returning the money to Gu Ningyue’s hand, "No, girl, I can’t take this money. It’s too much!"

She collecting trash for a month wouldn’t earn even as much as Gu Ningyue had given her.

Gu Ningyue paused for a moment, looking at the old man, "Madam, actually this money is from Ma Qiang for you. He said he was too ashamed to see you, so... please accept this money!"

Gu Ningyue’s words stunned the old man, making her forget to withdraw her hand, "Is this money from Little Qiang? Where is he? Where is he now? Girl, tell me."

Gu Ningyue thought if she knew where Ma Qiang was, why would she spend time and money being here?

But seeing the old man’s excitement, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

"I don’t know either, he disappeared after giving me this money, and I also have things to ask him." Gu Ningyue cautiously said to the old man, "Madam, if he returns, could you let me know?"

As she spoke, Gu Ningyue smoothly stuffed the money back into the old man’s hand.

The old man held the money, tears streaming down her face, "Alright, alright, I’ll tell you when he comes back."

Relieved at heart, Gu Ningyue left the old man’s phone number and then departed.

Ten minutes after she left, a thin figure emerged from the rundown shack, "Mom, your acting keeps getting better!"

"That girl really has money." The previously agitated old man now wore a different expression, no longer showing any sorrow, "But this money is only enough for us to buy goods twice, we still need to figure something out!"

Ma Qiang looked at the cash in the old man’s hand and smiled, "We should seize every moment to enjoy life now, let’s worry about the rest later."

With that, he pulled all the money from the old man’s hand and walked off into the distance.

In the following days, Gu Ningyue came by the shack almost daily, staying for a while.

Sometimes she watched quietly, other times she chatted with the old man and gave her some money.

On Friday, Gu Wanwan’s wedding day, Gu Ningyue didn’t come.

She changed her dressing at home and spent a long time choosing from her wardrobe before finally settling on an outfit that, though elegant, wasn’t form-fitting.

Yet it seemed far less stunning than the previous outfits.

It was impossible to outshine others at Gu Wanwan’s wedding.

Thankfully, her face was good enough; even with light makeup, she looked quite captivating.

"I’m outside already, how much longer?"

While applying lipstick, Gu Ningyue replied on her phone, "Soon, just changing my shoes and I’m coming out."

Five minutes later, Gu Ningyue sat in Ling Tianyou’s passenger seat.

Ling Tianyou was slightly surprised by Gu Ningyue’s attire today, "I rarely see you wearing this kind of dress."

Gu Ningyue responded, "Hmm, I’ve never worn it before, thought I’d try. Doesn’t it look good?"

Ling Tianyou started the car, slightly smiling, "You look good in anything you wear."

However, for this occasion, Gu Ningyue’s outfit seemed a bit plain.

But that’s alright, since the stars today are Gu Wanwan and Ye Mingchen, not Gu Ningyue and him.

If Gu Ningyue had dressed up deliberately, perhaps he wouldn’t have been happy.

Driving to the wedding venue, many guests were already seated.

As Ling Tianyou held Gu Ningyue’s hand upon sitting, they attracted several stares.

Gu Ningyue whispered to Ling Tianyou, "Why are so many people looking at me?"

Ling Tianyou surveyed the surroundings, and those gazes almost immediately withdrew, not daring to look at their spot anymore.

Gu Ningyue deeply appreciated the perks of having Ling Tianyou around, enjoying the fresh cream and strawberry cake on the table, "Try this, it’s good, I’ll ask where they order from later, someday in the future..."

Before she finished, Ling Tianyou interrupted her, "No need to ask, when we get married, the wedding will definitely have the best of everything."

Gu Ningyue said nothing, taking another bite of the fresh cream and strawberry cake, a blush spreading on her face.

Get married, huh? Would the person she married in the end really be Ling Tianyou?

If it’s Ling Tianyou, no doubt, the wedding would have the best of everything.

But, what if the bride isn’t her?

At this thought, Gu Ningyue’s mind inadvertently conjured the image of Ling Tianyou and Chen Rui in formal attire walking down the red carpet to music.

A sudden pain hit her heart, like a thorn driving in, even more painful than witnessing Ye Mingchen and Gu Wanwan kiss in front of her.

When she first became Gu Ningyue, she didn’t understand why someone would grieve over a person who didn’t love them.

But now, she seemed to understand the former Gu Ningyue.

What could be more painful than unrequited love in this world?

If there is something, it would be attending this person’s wedding to someone else.

Thinking this, an even sharper pain pierced Gu Ningyue’s heart.