Coming to Myself

The surroundings were extremely quiet, so silent that You Mingxu could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

After a moment of stillness, he directly released his hands, letting the unconscious Song Lan fall to the ground. Then he smiled again—a foolish, pure expression—and charged toward her!

You Mingxu turned and ran, hearing his heavy breathing closing in. She thought bitterly: In his eyes, am I the better prey? Is that why he abandoned Song Lan and came for me?

"Don't run!" the man's voice called out, unexpectedly pleasant and melodious, though now it only made You Mingxu think he was both stupid and wicked.

She completely ignored him, sprinting at full speed while quickly scanning her surroundings for an opportunity to escape or even counterattack.

He was chasing closely, impossible to shake off. Running this fast, his breathing remained even and powerful, not the least bit rushed. Had he often run before?

"Sis... pretty sis... come with me, I'll carry you..."

You Mingxu felt her hair stand on end. Sis your ass! He clearly looked a few years older than her! Furious, she yelled, "In your dreams!" Turning her head, she saw his somewhat hurt expression—eyes wide, lips lightly bitten. You Mingxu cursed inwardly, and then saw him suddenly sneak a smile. Her heart sank, and she silently cursed her luck. Sure enough, her foot stepped into a small pit in the ground.

She lost her balance and was about to fall. A strong hand reached from behind, wrapping around her waist and catching her. She fell into that broad, warm, yet somewhat smelly and blood-scented embrace. You Mingxu was going insane, lifting her leg to kick backward. But her body was off-balance, and though he was foolish, his physical reflexes were quick—he dodged, then whispered brokenly in her ear again, "Sis... not obedient... hitting me... need a spanking..."

With that, his long arm flipped over, and he sat down right there, holding her and pressing her face-down across his thigh. You Mingxu had never suffered such humiliation before. Letting out a sharp cry, she raised her elbow and struck toward his chest. This time, he took the hit squarely, grunting in pain, and then, as if in a fit of pique, his large hand came down hard, landing heavily on You Mingxu's buttocks.

"Still... fierce?" he asked hoarsely.

You Mingxu forced herself to calm down, took several deep breaths, and softened her tone: "Not fierce anymore. Let me go."

But he thought for a moment and said, "No. Sis hit me, that bad person hit me too. Sis isn't obedient. Tie her up, then she'll be obedient."

Upon hearing this, You Mingxu twisted outward, her movements undeniably agile. But he seemed to have anticipated it, grabbing her and somehow producing a zip tie. He seized her hands and bound them. With her hands tied behind her back, You Mingxu was stunned. He was extremely skilled at this—lifting her ankles and clasping them together. She struggled several times but couldn't break free, and he tied another tie around her ankles.

Only when he touched her ankles did he pause, because a woman's ankles were slender and pale, without a single hair, unlike his.

"Sis smells so nice..." He lowered his head. "I want to be nice too... I... I'm too smelly now!"

His eyes were wide and watery, looking as though he might burst into tears at any moment!

You Mingxu suddenly found herself at a loss for words.After being tied up, he seemed satisfied, allowing her to sit up in a disheveled state while her hands and feet remained immobilized. Propping his chin with one hand, he gazed at her, his eyes filled with laughter.

You Mingxu glanced behind him, steadied her emotions, and said, "Alright, now your sister can't hit you. Are you relieved?"

He nodded vigorously.

You Mingxu then asked, "Who are you? Why are you here?" This was the question she most wanted answered.

Yet the question made the man freeze. His full, red lips parted slightly, his eyes momentarily blank. He murmured slowly, "Who am I... why am I here..." After a few seconds, he looked up at her: "I want to know too."

You Mingxu shot him a sharp glance before asking another question: "Where is the other sister?"

His lips immediately pouted, and he bit his lower lip, answering methodically: "The third sister is in the woods. I like her the least. The sister from earlier, I dislike second." He glanced quickly at You Mingxu and whispered, "You, I dislike third."

You Mingxu: "Oh? Third dislike means you like me the most. Tell your sister, did you hurt them?"

He nodded, then shook his head, saying, "They... they woke up and said I hit them, but I... I don’t remember hitting..." His expression grew confused and anxious, his dark eyelashes trembling. You Mingxu kept her peripheral vision fixed on the shadow slowly approaching behind him while staring at his face. Finally, he began to cry again.

You Mingxu paused briefly and said, "There’s a tissue in my pocket. Come get it and wipe your tears."

He mumbled softly, timidly looking up at her, his gaze tinged with dependence and hope. You Mingxu pretended not to notice, turning slightly to angle her pants pocket toward him. He reached out and slowly felt his way over. They were close enough for You Mingxu to see the utter clarity in his eyes—devoid of anything.

She froze for a moment.

Just then.

Gu Tiancheng, who had been lying in wait, lunged forward, wrapping his elbow around the man’s neck from behind. You Mingxu could clearly see the fool’s face instantly turn pale and rigid as he choked out a few words: "Sister... run!"

You Mingxu only watched them, seemingly oblivious.

Gu Tiancheng had endured for so long behind the man, aiming for a single decisive strike. Fortunately, You Mingxu’s cleverness had lulled the man into lowering his guard, providing the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack. As the man struggled for breath, Gu Tiancheng drew a dagger and plunged it into his body.

You Mingxu’s eyes widened in shock. Seeing him pull out the bloodied blade to stab the man a second time, she cried out, "Stop! Gu Tiancheng, don’t commit a crime!"

Gu Tiancheng paused, glancing back at her. His usually restrained eyes now burned with a fierce intensity.

In the end, he didn’t continue. Gritting his teeth, he shoved the man to the ground and said, "Look what he did to you!"

You Mingxu shouted, "He hasn’t hurt me! That’s enough, Gu Tiancheng! Calm down!"Gu Tiancheng glanced at her, tossed the dagger aside, looked up at the sky, took a few deep breaths, and then crouched down. The man, stabbed once, now lay curled on the ground in pain, offering no resistance and emitting low groans. Gu Tiancheng snorted coldly, pulled two more zip ties from the man's pocket, and, following the same method, bound his hands and feet.

Then Gu Tiancheng turned around, his expression already calm. The deep night stretched behind him, forming an equally silent and boundless backdrop. You Mingxu suddenly realized one thing: he had become the only free, unbound person left in this night.

She watched him without speaking.

Gu Tiancheng walked over, crouched in front of her, and pulled her into his embrace. You Mingxu felt a pang of discomfort and self-mockery, remaining motionless, only aware of the stiffness in the back of her neck. She breathed in his scent—the bloodstains identical to the fool's, along with faint traces of cologne and sweat. And he, too, seemed to sag with weariness at that moment, gently stroking her hair as he asked, "Are you scared?"

You Mingxu said, "No. Didn't you promise to take me to a safe place?"

He paused before replying, "Yes, I remember." Slowly, he released her and stood up.

You Mingxu lifted her head gradually, her gaze fixed intently on his face. It was a very, very subtle feeling—merely the simple act of rising, brushing off his hands, and sitting on a broken log lying nearby—yet you sensed something had changed about him. His demeanor had shifted, or perhaps his expression.

Gu Tiancheng sat down, resting his arms on his thighs, fingers interlaced as he watched her. His gaze was hazy, as if veiled by a layer of mist, no longer as clear and direct as before. Then he smiled slowly and said, "Mingxu, look, it's finally quiet. We can talk properly now."

In You Mingxu's mind, it felt as though a white fog was slowly spreading, submerging her thoughts and nearly swelling into her eyes. Steadying herself, she maintained a calm and unchanged tone, as if noticing nothing, and asked, "Gu Tiancheng, why don't you untie me? Free my hands and feet first."

Gu Tiancheng remained seated, casually pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting another. In the haze and faint red glow, he narrowed his eyes slightly, watching her. In that single moment, he had become like another person—disdainful, malicious, and condescending.

"No need," he said. "I like you like this. You're not a very obedient woman, but I like that. You're the best gain of this journey, a gift from heaven. I won't let you go until I die."