Chapter 33: Tie? Or Collar?

It was a bit embarrassing to admit.

She was someone who had already written an outline, so detailed that every chapter had its own plan. And yet now, even while looking at that outline, her mind was completely blank.

“Yeah… if I can’t find a way to fix this, I won’t be able to update today.”

As she said this, Mu Yi’s eyebrows drooped slightly. She stared at the empty document on the screen and muttered, sounding both helpless and a little wronged, “But it’s not like I want this…”

“If I could write, I would hurry and finish it. Then you could leave, and we could both go to sleep properly.”

Hearing this, Gu Zhiren quietly looked at her for a moment. Then he lowered his eyes slightly, his fingers still crossed as they slowly rested on his legs. His mood seemed a bit complicated.

After thinking seriously for a short while, he stood up and walked to Mu Yi’s side, deliberately slowing his steps.

Giving her time to deal with the chat window.

“Something one person can’t do, two people might be able to do together. And maybe you can’t do it just because you haven’t found the right method yet.”

Hearing that, Mu Yi puffed her cheeks, feeling like she had nothing to say in response.

I understand the logic.

But why does it sound so annoying when it comes from you?

“Oh? So you’re very capable then. Why don’t you do it?”

After saying this, Mu Yi turned her head to look at Gu Zhiren, who was standing straight beside her.

For some reason, the man who had seemed cold and annoying before now looked… strangely gentle and even a bit cute. His eyes didn’t feel as sharp as before.

It was like a big cat that had put away its claws and fangs.

Just as her expression started to look a bit strange, Gu Zhiren glanced at her.

Mu Yi immediately pressed her lips together and hid her expression.

Looking at her, a trace of something unusual appeared in Gu Zhiren’s eyes, but it quickly turned into confidence. A faint smile appeared on his handsome face.

“What part of the story are you trying to write here?”

Following his gaze, Mu Yi looked at the document, pouted slightly, and couldn’t help but sneak a glance at his expression before looking back at the screen with a bit of dissatisfaction.

“Let me ask first, have you ever written light novels before?”

She opened the document with her detailed outline and asked unwillingly.

“No. I haven’t written light novels.”

Gu Zhiren answered simply.

“……”

Mu Yi rolled her eyes. Wait, does that mean he has written published books before?

Damn… did he just show off a bit?

“Hmph~ Then your advice might not even be useful. Different fields are like separated by a big mountain.”

She wanted to say that out loud, but only dared to think it.

There was no need to create trouble for herself. She didn’t want to suffer more for no reason, she definitely didn’t want to go through something like that night again… or something even worse.

“Just take a look yourself.”

Gu Zhiren calmly crossed his arms and followed the movement of the blinking cursor, reading the few lines in the document. Soon, he understood the progress of the story.

At this point, the male lead, Huo Qiu, had already kidnapped the female lead, Bai Qiu, and brought her home. He had even used medicine to make her unconscious.

He had just taken out a collar from the drawer.

And the story stopped right there.

The next part of the plot could be summed up in one sentence:

Bai Qiu would be forced to wear the collar. Huo Qiu planned to humiliate her, but instead, she would tease him until he felt embarrassed and flustered, completely playing him around.

“So? Do you have any ideas now?”

After Mu Yi asked this, Gu Zhiren turned his head slightly to look at her. Without any hesitation, a faint smile appeared on his lips as he went straight to the point.

“Your novels have always been very clean and mild. That’s why when you try to write this kind of slightly suggestive scene, you feel uncomfortable.”

As he said this, he made a gesture for Mu Yi to stand up. But after she frowned in confusion and left her seat, he still didn’t sit down.

“You shouldn’t have written this part from the start. But since you already began it, you should finish it well.”

“Mm.”

Knowing he was right, Mu Yi pouted a little.

It was mainly because she had gotten used to writing this kind of scene before. She thought that if she adjusted her thinking, she could still write the same plot in a lighter, cleaner way.

Who knew it would turn out like this when she actually tried to write it?

If she had written it a few days earlier, maybe she could have done it. Now she could only rely on old drafts.

“If you still want to write this part, let’s do it quickly. From now on, we’ll act out this scene. You pretend to be Bai Qiu.”

After saying that, Gu Zhiren lowered his head slightly and quickly took off his tie.

“Huh?”

Mu Yi’s eyes widened in alert.

“Why are you taking off your tie? I’m warning you, I’m a tough guy! I won’t just let myself be taken advantage of!”

She looked very cautious, pulling her white coat tighter. All her attention was on what he was doing, not listening to a single word he said.

“……”

Gu Zhiren didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He glared at her, swallowed his words, and said helplessly, “What are you thinking?” Then, with a mix of annoyance and disbelief, he held up the tie and waved it in front of her.

“I’m using this instead of a collar. What, do you want me to go out and buy a real collar for you right now?”

Huh?

Mu Yi froze for a moment, then quickly shook her head.

She showed an awkward but polite smile.

“Then let’s hurry.”

Gu Zhiren didn’t want to comment further. He walked around the chair. Seeing Mu Yi stiffly turn around, he couldn’t help but frown slightly.

A strange mix of helplessness and frustration rose in his heart, but he suppressed it.

Holding the tie with both hands, he raised it up. Just as he was about to put it around the girl’s slender, fair neck, she suddenly moved to the side and tripped over the chair.

“Ah.”

This time, Gu Zhiren reacted quickly and caught her. Her small head immediately leaned into the crook of his left arm, while her body dropped back onto the chair.

In his surprise, he accidentally met her eyes, clear and pure like still water.

They looked at each other for a moment. Her long lashes trembled slightly, while he didn’t dare move at all.

It was as if a gentle wind had suddenly blown across the surface of his calm heart, creating soft ripples.

His heartbeat was affected. Instinctively, Gu Zhiren resisted this strange and unfamiliar feeling. No matter what, he didn’t like being influenced by others.

He lowered his gaze and quickly looked away.

“Why are you always so careless…”

He was about to lecture her, but suddenly Mu Yi’s expression changed. She shrank her shoulders and frowned.

“Ah… it hurts.”

Hearing this, Gu Zhiren’s lips moved slightly. He quickly understood and glanced downward.

“Does it still hurt a lot? I guess I used too much force that day.”

“I was the one who got hit, of course you didn’t feel anything. How about I hit you back?”

“…I’m sorry. But the main problem was still you.”

After saying this, Gu Zhiren tightened his grip slightly, then stood up straight again. He glanced at the tie in his hand.

“Just sit like that. Let’s continue. We don’t have much time.”

…………………………

A moment later, the door of the Gu family home opened. Gu Zhiren walked to the dining table and sat down with his family.