Destined

【Note: Previous chapter has been revised, please reread if needed】

When Liu Yuru saw Gu Langhua enter the doorway, she knew he must have gone into the secret passage.

The other exit of the secret passage was located in another Gu Family property. Wang Shanquan had already sent people to search all Gu Family establishments, and Liu Yuru didn't know whether Wang Shanquan's men would discover that hidden passage, but she couldn't concern herself with that now. She could only watch as Gu Jiusi, completely surrounded, fought his way toward Wang Shanquan through the crowd.

Wang Shanquan recognized Gu Jiusi's strategy of "capture the leader first to capture the followers." Having learned from Wang Rong's earlier misfortune, he didn't dare let his guard down. He withdrew completely from the fight, retreating to a distant carriage where he told his advisor, "Try to capture him alive if possible, but don't force it if it proves too difficult. If this brat survives, I fear everyone in Yangzhou will attempt similar stunts in the future."

The advisor bowed as he saw Wang Shanquan off, while Gu Jiusi continued swinging his sword mechanically amidst the crowd.

Surrounded by numerous opponents alone, his clothes stained with blood, Liu Yuru watched the chaotic fighting around her. The neighbors who had come to watch had all taken cover. Scanning her surroundings, she spotted a grain and oil shop not far away and quickly made her way there amid the confusion.

She forcefully hacked open the shop's window with her sword—the shopkeepers had all fled. Liu Yuru searched for oil jars, carrying them out one basin at a time. Then, crouching low, she hid in an alley and began pouring oil outward from the alleyway.

Gu Jiusi alone was drawing everyone's attention. Her heart raced wildly, terrified that someone might discover her.

Yet everyone was focused on surrounding and attacking Gu Jiusi, with no one paying her any mind.

After finishing pouring oil on the ground, Liu Yuru immediately began carrying oil, flour, clothing—anything flammable—up to the second floor. By this time, Gu Jiusi had already sustained sword wounds. Gasping for breath, he still blocked the entrance to the Gu residence, never allowing anyone to advance even one step forward.

The blade in his hand had become notched from hacking, so he seized another. Behind him stood the main gate of the Gu residence—leaning against it, he held his ground, refusing to yield an inch.

Blood flowed from the wound on his shoulder as he stared at the dense crowd before him. In that moment, he genuinely felt he would likely die here.

Panting, clutching his wound, the surrounding attackers had become fearful of his ferocity, none daring to approach.

Finally, someone shouted from behind: "What are you waiting for?! He's alone, and there are so many of you—are you afraid of him?!"

"One hundred taels for capturing him alive, fifty for his head—advance!"

Hearing this, the soldiers roared and charged forward again.

Gu Jiusi gave a low laugh. Raising his eyes to look ahead, it was at that moment he suddenly saw sporadic flames igniting in one direction.

Then he saw on the second floor not far away—a woman in blue robes swaying in the wind, holding a torch high, hurling it fiercely into the crowd!

Gu Jiusi's eyes widened. In that instant, flames shot skyward as Liu Yuru stood upstairs, madly beginning to pour oil down from above!

Basin after basin she poured downward. People below screamed: "There's an accomplice!"

"An accomplice has come!"

"On the second floor!"

Someone had spotted Liu Yuru. She paid no heed, closing her eyes and using all her strength to throw out the last remaining flour!

She remembered once while cooking, when flour accidentally fell into the fire—just a small amount had exploded violently.She didn't know if it was chance or fate, but this had become the only solution she could think of now. As the flour scattered with the wind, she hastily hid inside the house and crouched down.

The moment the flames engulfed the flour, the fire exploded instantly, shaking the earth and mountains around them, turning everything into a sea of fire.

The surrounding wooden buildings began to burn rapidly, and the house where Liu Yuru was located also crackled as it caught fire.

She hurried downstairs, and as soon as she reached the bottom, she saw soldiers everywhere inside.

Liu Yuru drew her knife, her hands trembling as she looked around in panic: "Don't come any closer..."

But just then, someone kicked the door open, and Gu Jiusi rushed in, wielding his blade with one hand, carving a bloody path through the chaos. He grabbed her hand and urgently said, "Go!"

Amid the chaos around them, many people fled due to the spreading fire, leaving only some of Wang Shanquan's elite soldiers, well-trained and still pursuing them. Liu Yuru covered her mouth and nose, shouting, "There are horses in the alley to the right!"

Gu Jiusi immediately grabbed her and dashed toward the right alley.

"Release arrows!"

Someone shouted from behind, "Shoot to kill, release the arrows!"

As soon as the words were spoken, arrows rained down like a storm. Gu Jiusi raised his hand, using his blade to cut through the incoming arrows, then helped Liu Yuru mount a horse before galloping away.

The city gates were already locked, trapping them inside Yangzhou with no way out.

Gu Jiusi didn't know where Gu Langhua was. As he quickly pondered their next move, he heard Liu Yuru say, "Head to the lake!"

Gu Jiusi turned the horse around and raced toward the lake. The soldiers chased closely behind, and Liu Yuru clung tightly to him, burying her head in his chest, inhaling the scent of blood on him.

"Why did you come?"

Gu Jiusi's tone was somewhat stiff. Liu Yuru held him, and after a long pause, she only whispered softly, "I couldn't stop worrying about you."

"Liu Yuru," Gu Jiusi's voice carried no emotion, "I've realized you're quite an extraordinary woman."

Gu Jiusi was an expert rider, weaving through twists and turns until he left the soldiers behind. When they reached the lake, without a word, he jumped into the water with Liu Yuru.

As soon as they entered the lake, they felt arrows densely piercing the water. Before Liu Yuru could react, Gu Jiusi suddenly embraced her.

The water made everything slow and muffled. Liu Yuru felt Gu Jiusi pulling her as they struggled to swim outward together.

Both held their breath as long as they could, only surfacing briefly when necessary to gasp for air before continuing.

They didn't dare stop, letting the current carry them along. Behind them were the sounds of pursuit, and on the shore, the barking of hounds. Gu Jiusi handed her one end of his belt, wrapping it around her wrist, while he tied the other end around his own. This way, the belt kept them connected, preventing them from being separated in the current.

Liu Yuru didn't dare think about whether she had the strength; she only knew to push forward desperately, following Gu Jiusi's figure.

But Gu Jiusi's movements grew slower and slower. After a while, Liu Yuru saw him stop moving entirely and sink beneath the surface!

Liu Yuru pulled him up with the cloth belt and only then noticed his pale face and the feathered arrow embedded in his back!

Without a second thought, Liu Yuru quickly tied the belt around his waist and began dragging him forward.The river water was icy cold, the current swift and fierce. She struggled forward with all her might, several times feeling her limbs on the verge of giving out. But each time she glanced at the person she was dragging alongside her, she couldn't fathom where her courage came from, summoning renewed strength to press onward.

She felt the current mirrored human fate—everyone struggling desperately within it. When her strength finally drained away, she suddenly wanted to cry, to weep bitterly. Clutching the cold body beside her, she feebly paddled with exhausted arms.

Her teeth chattered uncontrollably as she tumbled through the water, truly devoid of any remaining energy.

"Gu Jiusi..." she murmured, gently pressing her forehead against his, "Live..."

They both had to survive.

Her entire life had been like wild grass, like an insignificant ant—surviving through her own relentless growth and struggle. Always pushing against the world's impositions, now when heaven itself seemed to demand her death, she would fight the current and refuse to die so easily!

Drifting downstream together, she resisted unconsciousness, conserving energy by floating passively with the flow.

Stones and gravel in the water battered her body with cuts, but she endured unknowable hours until dawn finally revealed a distant riverbank.

Liu Yuru drew a deep breath, mustering her reserved strength to pull Gu Jiusi ashore before collapsing onto the bank.

She panted weakly.

"Get up."

She told herself—count to ten, then rise.

She had to bring Gu Jiusi back, whole and unharmed.

Counting down silently, she staggered upright at "one," dragging Gu Jiusi painfully toward cover.

Gu Jiusi stirred groggily, sensing someone pulling him.

"Yu...Ru..." he rasped.

Liu Yuru paused slightly, her voice parched: "Can you stand?"

He turned to look at her. She managed a strained smile: "I have no strength left."

Ordinarily, he couldn't have risen.

With sword wounds and blade injuries, pain and exhaustion converged. But they both knew the Wang family would eventually pursue them. How could he collapse when this woman before him still stood?

Gritting his teeth against the agony, he struggled to his feet.

Supporting each other, they trudged step by step into the dense forest. Liu Yuru's lips were bloodless. Neither dared speak, fearing words would sap their last mobility.

Deep in the woods, they finally discovered a hidden cave. After resting inside, Gu Jiusi covered the entrance with grass and sat beside Liu Yuru. She produced medicinal salve and waterlogged gauze to dress his wounds. They shared soaked flatbread from her pack before finally settling down.

Liu Yuru leaned against Gu Jiusi, gently closing her eyes. He raised his arm to encircle her shoulders.

They exchanged no words.

No "Why did you come?"

No "What of the others?"

They leaned on one another—each the other's sole anchor in this existence.