This was why the scene just now had unfolded.
In the car, Ye Wan sat on the passenger seat, looking like a lost little waif, completely drenched. She shivered uncontrollably from the cold and fright, tears still streaming down, her nose tip red and her lips trembling.
Gu Yunting called Jin Lan and Jiang Jingxiu, assuring them Ye Wan was fine and with him. Only then did they feel relieved and drive home.
Lowering his phone, Gu Yunting turned to look at Ye Wan, suppressing the anger in his chest. "Where's your phone? Why was it suddenly switched off?"
Ye Wan looked up at him blankly. After a moment, she fumbled out her phone, her voice trembling. "It's broken. It won't turn on."
Gu Yunting...
"Then why did you scream?" If she hadn't suddenly screamed, he wouldn't have thought she was in trouble.
"A... a car was going too fast, and the water splashed onto me," Ye Wan stammered, tears still falling, each one a drop of helplessness and misery.
Seeing her like this, Gu Yunting felt a pang in his heart. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. Ye Wan, too stunned to struggle, simply looked at him, tears falling uncontrollably.
"Shush, it's okay now. Don't be scared," Gu Yunting murmured, hugging her tightly and hesitantly raising a finger to gently wipe her tears.
Ye Wan's mind went blank, a scene from over ten years ago flashing back. She had accidentally broken her mother's perfume bottle and was terrified, knowing her mother would beat her. She had cowered in a corner, cold and hungry, too scared to come out. She stayed there all night, convinced she was going to die. Then, Gu Yunting had come. He had hugged her small, cold body just like this, saying, "Shush, it's okay now. I'm here, you don't need to be afraid of anything!"
The buried memories resurfaced with a vengeance. Ye Wan felt her head explode, and tears poured out even more fiercely. The memories were beautiful, yet for the cruel indifference she had shown him in the following decade, they were the most brutal of existences.
She had been forced to bury these memories deep in the darkest corner of her heart, afraid to touch them for over ten years, because doing so would bring soul-wrenching pain. She thought she had forgotten, but a single sentence from him was enough to make those memories as clear as yesterday...
Seeing her cry harder, Gu Yunting's heart grew agitated. He lowered his head and kissed her cheek, kissing away her tears. His lips then moved uncontrollably to hers, kissing her deeply...
Recalling Jiang Jingxiu's suggestion, Gu Yunting opened a bottle of wine and poured a glass, coaxing her. "You're freezing. Have some wine to warm up."
Ye Wan was indeed extremely cold, her entire body ice-cold. She obediently held the glass with both hands and drank the wine. Afterward, her body did feel warmer. Though the wine was strong, she disliked the feeling of being frozen even more, so she asked for another glass. After finishing it, she was completely drunk. She buried her little face into his chest, rubbing softly. Her small hands clutched his clothes tightly, and she suddenly giggled.
Gu Yunting...
Just two sips of wine, and she was drunk... and quite thoroughly so.
Ye Wan felt lightheaded. The sorrow and fright from earlier had vanished, replaced by overwhelming happiness. She had no memory of how she got back to the room, only that Gu Yunting bathed her, and they spent a long, long time in the bathroom.