Yin Feng had been hiding in the bushes when he saw You Mingxu suddenly charge into the house with her gun drawn. His entire body tensed up, but he kept his composure, watching the situation inside intently from the doorway.
Then he saw Chen Zhaoci being subdued effortlessly. You Mingxu’s expression was icy as she glanced out the window before starting to beat him.
For some reason, whenever You Mingxu acted so fiercely, Yin Feng didn’t feel fear. Instead, an indescribable ache filled his heart, along with an even stronger fondness.
He crouched in the bushes, silently watching.
When he saw You Mingxu shove Chen Zhaoci, signaling for him to go outside and surrender, Yin Feng’s heart eased slightly. As soon as she escorted the man out, he would stand up to assist.
Night deepened, shrouding the entire mountain in darkness. A cold wind whispered, rustling the grass and trees.
It was at this moment.
A sudden, inexplicable, and utterly overwhelming sensation struck him. Yin Feng felt as if the entire world had violently shuddered, then began spinning relentlessly. Something in his mind was collapsing, breaking through—so fast it was painful. He couldn’t withstand it, collapsing weakly to the ground, his head throbbing unbearably.
This feeling had occurred once before a few days ago, when he and You Mingxu were at a hotpot restaurant and he suddenly suffered a headache and fainted. But this time, it was more intense, more vivid.
No.
He heard a voice inside him say: No.
But the torrent of sensations, the pain, the dizziness—they paid him no heed. He was in such agony he nearly groaned aloud, barely managing to cover his mouth to avoid making a sound and ruining You Mingxu’s operation. Lying on the ground, tears welling in his eyes, he lifted his blurry gaze and saw a heart-stopping scene.
He saw Gu Tiancheng, his expression still demonically cold and composed. He was holding a gun, aiming it at You Mingxu, who lay on the ground. Behind her, Chen Zhaoci held a knife.
Don’t faint.
He bit his lip until it bled.
Don’t faint now.
His A Xu was still contending with the most vicious criminals. He was her man; he had to protect her. Tears in his eyes, he stumbled to his feet.
But a vast, silent wave of sorrow and unease washed over him. Vaguely, he sensed that something was about to happen to him. Whether it was falling back into the abyss or finally opening a long-sealed window, he didn’t know.
But he no longer wanted to go anywhere. The fame and fortune of the past, the thirty years of experience and schemes—he wanted none of it.
He was already with her!
All he wanted now was to be You Yingjun, to accompany her through the springs, summers, autumns, and winters.
The throbbing pain intensified, and the world before his eyes swayed violently.
“A Xu…” he heard his own choked voice, “A Xu…”
——
“Throw the gun away,” Gu Tiancheng said. “Throw it far.”
You Mingxu’s mind raced, but she said, “No.”
Gu Tiancheng smiled faintly. “Mingxu, you know I don’t have much time left. Guess whether I love you more or hate you more right now—whether I’m willing to kill you. I’ll count: 5, 4, 3…” His finger slowly tightened on the trigger.
Gritting her teeth, You Mingxu threw the pistol away.
“How did you escape from the river?” You Mingxu asked. “Who helped you?”
He said, “Good girl, don’t waste time. There will be a chance to tell you in the future. Now, I’m taking him with me. Come on, go outside and clear the way for us.”You Mingxu slowly rose to her feet, giving a light laugh as she asked, "Since when did you start looking for company?"
Chen Zhaoci watched her warily, backing out of the room first.
Gu Tiancheng kept his gun steadily trained on her, giving her a push in the back as he said, "People like us, you look down on us, but we still have to find our own way to survive."
His words were ambiguous, and You Mingxu suppressed her doubts, slowly stepping outside. At a glance, she noticed that Yin Feng's hiding spot was now empty. The grass was dark and deep, making it impossible to see whether he had retrieved the handgun.
Gu Tiancheng shot a meaningful glance, and Chen Zhaoci dove into the grass, frantically searching for the gun.
"You can't escape," You Mingxu said. "This mountain is surrounded by police, layer upon layer. Surrender now. Resisting will only make your fate worse."
No sooner had she spoken than she felt Gu Tiancheng's large hand pat her cheek from behind. "Still trying to fool me?" he said. "You know perfectly well that I'd rather die out here than fall into the hands of a cop like you again."
You Mingxu gritted her teeth.
But Gu Tiancheng also knew time was running out. Once the police tightened their encirclement, there would be no escape. "Kneel," he ordered.
You Mingxu remained motionless.
From behind, Gu Tiancheng watched her stubborn, graceful figure. Even dressed in the plainest, most unfeminine clothes, without a trace of makeup, she could still easily stir the desire and hatred in his heart. He let the muzzle of his gun trail slowly downward—from her tantalizing head, past her full chest, to her slender waist that seemed no wider than a handful, and down her long legs, finally coming to rest at her knees.
"Darling," he said, "I could never bring myself to kill you. Never."
You Mingxu tensed her entire body, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
At the critical moment, just as Gu Tiancheng's finger began to squeeze the trigger, the cold barrel of another gun pressed heavily against the back of his head. His eyes widened abruptly, and You Mingxu seized the split second between life and death, rolling away with lightning speed. In the grass, Chen Zhaoci straightened up in alarm.
Enraged, Gu Tiancheng raised his gun, only to hear a panting voice behind him say, "Drop your weapon! Gu Tiancheng, move an inch... and I'll kill you!"
That somewhat familiar voice was truly ironic. Gu Tiancheng slowly lowered his gun and said, "Fool, still protecting her, are you? Heh... Good, very good."
"Shut up!" Yin Feng roared, tightening his grip on the gun, using every ounce of strength to keep it from slipping. His mouth was already filled with the taste of blood. At that moment, the throbbing pain in his head gradually faded, replaced instead by an increasingly hazy consciousness. It was as if what lay before him was not the mountain forest but a vast ocean, and he was floating in it, about to sink.
Faintly, he saw You Mingxu rise from the ground and subdue Chen Zhaoci. The gleaming flash of a dagger seemed to already be in her hand. Yin Feng smiled dazedly, thinking: Excellent. At least he hadn't failed her at the brink of life and death, hadn't abandoned her.
You Mingxu was unaware of Yin Feng's strange condition. His sudden appearance had completely turned the tables. Chen Zhaoci was no longer a threat, already under her control. Her dagger was pressed firmly against his throat; there was no way he could break free. And surprisingly, Gu Tiancheng was also subdued by Yin Feng. It had to be said that Yin Feng's timing and the angle of his ambush had been perfect. With an expert like Gu Tiancheng, the slightest misstep would have alerted him, ruining everything. But Yin Feng had pulled it off.She glanced quickly at Yin Feng. He stood in the shadow of the tree, a pair of reddened eyes fixed on Gu Tiancheng. He even gave a foolish grin.
You Mingxu looked at Gu Tiancheng. "The second time."
A faint anger clouded Gu Tiancheng's face—this woman always knew how to strike at his heart. For the second time, he had fallen into her and that little fool's hands. He thought to himself that he should have ignored their concerns and the vague thoughts in his heart, and killed her earlier. Whenever he encountered her, his heart would always stir. Once stirred, he could no longer be ruthless enough.
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