He froze for a moment.
The woman's palm felt different from any he had touched before—warmer, stronger, not as smooth or delicate, and devoid of fragrance. It carried the scent of earth and leaves.
He took a deeper breath, then rubbed his nose against her palm. So comforting.
You Mingxu’s eyes widened. She jerked her hand back, then swung it forward, slapping him. The others were still far enough away; she knew the limits and wasn’t worried about being overheard. The fool immediately covered his face, pouting exaggeratedly, his brows furrowed tightly. You Mingxu, a person of refined taste, couldn’t bear to see a face even more handsome than Gu Tiancheng’s twisted into such a ridiculous expression. She turned away, ignoring him.
Whether out of professional habit or having been tamed by the slap, as the group gradually approached, the fool remained completely still and silent, just like her.
The scene before them was infuriating.
Gu Tiancheng walked at the front, hands in his pockets, expression indifferent, holding a rope. Tied to the rope behind him, in sequence, were Mingtao, Song Lan, and Zou Furong, their hands bound. Each was spaced about a meter apart. Mingtao’s face was bruised and swollen, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth—clearly, he had been severely beaten. Song Lan and Zou Furong were also covered in wounds, stained with blood, their faces pale and steps unsteady. All three appeared timid and fearful, their eyes filled with terror.
You Mingxu glanced at them twice, then lowered her head. She pointed at the three of them, then at herself. Then she pointed at Gu Tiancheng ahead and at the fool. Though no words were exchanged, her intuition told her he understood. Indeed, he seemed to, as he glanced at Gu Tiancheng with a mix of fear and disgust, struggling internally.
You Mingxu smiled, patted his head, and silently mouthed, “Be good.”
Under her hand, he puffed out his cheeks, rounding his face until his handsome features resembled a ball, and reluctantly nodded.
You Mingxu focused intently, watching them. If Gu Tiancheng discovered them and used the hostages as leverage, she would be at a disadvantage. The opportunity was now—to strike while he was unprepared. She would have the fool restrain Gu Tiancheng, even for just a brief moment, while she rushed out to free the three. Then she could turn her attention to dealing with Gu Tiancheng properly.
The thought stirred another wave of anger within her. At that moment, Gu Tiancheng passed by not far in front of her. Whether burdened by heavy thoughts or deceived by false expectations, he kept his gaze fixed ahead, failing to notice them. His handsome, resolute face now seemed somewhat dazed, though his eyes remained cold and ruthless.
You Mingxu held her breath, her hands gripping the ground, her back foot slightly raised, poised like a beast ready to pounce. The fool, seemingly influenced and subdued by her, crouched clumsily on the ground, his large hands clenched into fists raised beside his cheeks. For some reason, his posture reminded You Mingxu of a chick or a duckling gathering all its strength…
Just then.
Mingtao, walking about a meter behind Gu Tiancheng with his head lowered, suddenly—as if struck by an impulse—turned his head and glanced vaguely toward their hiding place.
Six eyes met. Exposed, without any cover.You Mingxu immediately raised a finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet. Unexpectedly, Mingtao widened his eyes, his gaze flickering, the misty look in them making You Mingxu’s heart jolt in disbelief. Then, as if struck by lightning, Mingtao became agitated and shouted, “They’re over there! In the grass! Grab them too—don’t let them escape!”
Gu Tiancheng halted abruptly and spun around. Through the darkness and foliage, You Mingxu saw his eyes clearly.
He saw hers just as clearly.
You Mingxu gripped the fool’s hand and lunged forward, aiming straight for the rope between Gu Tiancheng and Mingtao, intending to seize the three hostages.
But it was too late.
Gu Tiancheng, who had killed six people across two regions and evaded capture for so long, had decisiveness and reflexes ingrained in his ice-cold blood. Almost the moment she lunged, he swiftly turned, drew a dagger, and pressed it against Mingtao’s neck in the blink of an eye.
You Mingxu’s steps froze mid-air, her chest heaving violently as she stared at him.
The blade in his hand had already left a thin, bleeding cut on Mingtao’s neck, terrifying him so much that his legs went weak. He wanted to kneel but didn’t dare, wanted to dodge but couldn’t. Gu Tiancheng’s hand was steady, but his eyes were fixed on You Mingxu.
For a moment, both fell silent. Then he smiled and said, “Lunge? At the wrong person, weren’t you?” He pointed to his own chest. “Lunge here.”
Mingtao and the other two didn’t dare to breathe. Song Lan watched You Mingxu with worry and a glimmer of hope, while Zou Furong was clearly terrified, staring at the two of them with a mix of fear and suspicion.
But You Mingxu’s expression suddenly shifted, returning to that casual, lazy smile. “What are you talking about? I was afraid Mingtao might harm you—he was making small movements just now.”
Trembling, his eyes still fixed on the dagger, Mingtao cried out, “Y-you’re the one making small movements! What were you doing hiding in the grass?”
You Mingxu shot him a cold glare. Gu Tiancheng said, “Yeah, didn’t we agree you’d wait for me where you were? Why did you come out and hide? What were you planning?” The last sentence carried a gentle, amused tone.
At this, the expressions of Mingtao and the other two shifted. They looked at You Mingxu with disbelief, their faces ashen.
Mingtao stammered, “Y-you… you’re actually in cahoots with him? A male-female thief duo! And with a disorganized, feeble-minded killer in tow. Oh my god…”
“Mingtao,” You Mingxu said without even glancing at him, “some people die because they talk too much.”
Silence fell instantly.
“Didn’t you also promise me to release them and come with me? What are you doing now?” You Mingxu asked.
Gu Tiancheng, with an extremely nonchalant air, shifted the dagger at Mingtao’s neck to a different angle and gave it a light pull, creating another thin bleeding cut. Mingtao began to cry.
“But I can’t help feeling you’re here to arrest me. If I had already released them, wouldn’t you and this fool cop be lying in wait to ambush me?”
You Mingxu glanced back at the fool who had followed her out. His face was full of rage, his eyes filled with hatred, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. Even a blind person could see his overwhelming hostility.
You Mingxu smiled. “What wild ideas are you imagining? I couldn’t just leave him alone out there.”
Gu Tiancheng simply looked at her. After a moment, he lowered his head and chuckled softly, saying, “Mingxu, you really mustn’t lie to me. If you deceive me, use me, or leave me, I’ll be truly heartbroken, very heartbroken.”You Mingxu said, "I won't, truly won't. Perhaps someone has hurt you before, but that person will never be me."
Gu Tiancheng said, "Fine. Have that idiot policeman come over and tie him up too. Then I'll believe you. Otherwise, I'll slit Mingtao's throat right now. You know how much I enjoy doing this, and I'll make it quick and clean. The blood will spray beautifully."
Mingtao: "Quick! Quick! Tie him up now!"
You Mingxu didn't move, but heard the idiot behind her whisper very, very softly: "Sis... I don't want to go..."
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