35: There is no him in my life, but he is everywhere

Gu Xiaoxiao heard the noise outside the door, and her delicate brows furrowed.

"Mu Beixuan, hurry up and leave, or I'll call the police."

Mu Beixuan sighed deeply, his voice low as he said, "Xiaoxiao, in your eyes, am I truly that worthless?"

"Mu Beixuan, I'll say it again, I don't like you. Please leave." Gu Xiaoxiao's voice remained as cold as frost.

Hearing Gu Xiaoxiao's cold and indifferent voice, Mu Beixuan's heart twisted in pain, and his eyes immediately reddened.

He clutched his chest, closed his eyes in agony, and gritted his teeth, "Xiaoxiao, don't worry. After some time, I will surely let you see a brand new me. You will definitely fall in love with me then!"

"Mu Beixuan, if you have nothing else, please leave. We really need to rest." Gu Xiaoxiao's tone was already very impatient.

"Xiaoxiao..."

"If you don't leave now, I'm really going to call the police."

Mu Beixuan heard this, and stood stiffly at the door for a long time. When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with determination.

"Xiaoxiao, I will not give up on you. I am no longer the person I used to be. I will make you understand that I, Mu Beixuan, am the man most suitable for you!"

After saying this, he turned around resolutely, leaving behind only a tall and upright figure.

He thought, if Gu Xiaoxiao were looking at him at this moment, she would surely be moved by his words and his retreating figure, right?

Mu Beixuan walked down the stairs step by step, growing more confident with each step.

He believed that one day, Gu Xiaoxiao would fall in love with him.

After all, he was Celestial Venerable Beixuan!

When he returned again, he would let her see what a dazzling and brilliant existence the person she once disdained would become!

"Xiaoxiao, wait for me!"

Mu Beixuan silently called out in his heart, then quickened his pace.

However, before he had walked a few steps,

He suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps coming up the stairs.

Mu Beixuan realized something, and his pupils suddenly constricted.

He hurriedly turned around in a panic, not even caring about the grand image he had just built, and rushed towards the other stairwell in a hurry.

Just then, Zhao Jiaqi opened the door a tiny crack.

So she and Gu Xiaoxiao saw such a scene.

A disheveled man rushed out of the stairwell, fleeing in a panic while looking back, his face full of terror and fear.

Behind him was a group of armed men carrying rifles.

They chased after him, shouting, "Stop, you stop right there!"

Mu Beixuan didn't look back, scrambling and crawling into the stairwell on the other side.

And those who were chasing him also rushed after him.

"Bang, bang!"

After two loud bangs, screams came from the stairwell.

Zhao Jiaqi and Gu Xiaoxiao were stunned for a moment.

They looked at each other, and both saw the astonishment in the other's eyes.

Zhao Jiaqi closed the door.

"Xiaoxiao, what's going on?"

Zhao Jiaqi asked blankly, clearly not yet recovered from the shock.

"I don't know..."

Gu Xiaoxiao also shook her head in confusion.

"Did Mu Beixuan do something illegal?" Zhao Jiaqi guessed.

Gu Xiaoxiao frowned, "It doesn't seem like it..."

If Mu Beixuan had done something illegal, then the people chasing him should be from the police department, but those people's attire didn't look like police.

Zhao Jiaqi pondered for a moment, then suddenly slapped her thigh, realizing with a start:

"I understand! Mu Beixuan just said he would become a brand new self. I bet he's gotten into gambling and wants to turn his life around with it. Those people just now must have been debt collectors!"

Gu Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement, "That possibility cannot be ruled out."

Zhao Jiaqi slapped her forehead, "Damn it, this Mu Beixuan actually got addicted to gambling. Xiaoxiao, you must stay away from him in the future. Gamblers have no bottom line!"

Gu Xiaoxiao nodded slightly, "Don't worry, I never intended to pay him any mind."

"That was too scary. Those people were all carrying weapons..." Zhao Jiaqi patted her chest in lingering fear, cold sweat beading on her forehead, "If we had been accidentally injured, that would have been big trouble..."

"In situations like this, don't open the door easily in the future," Gu Xiaoxiao cautioned.

Zhao Jiaqi nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, Xiaoxiao, I've noted it down."

Then, she said with a sigh, "If only Lu Chen were still here, he would definitely send bodyguards to protect you."

Gu Xiaoxiao paused slightly.

Zhao Jiaqi's words stirred her memories.

Lu Chen had protected her, and not just once.

She remembered one time when Lu Chen had a meeting and didn't take her home after work.

She took a taxi home alone, but after getting out, she encountered a few drunk men who wanted to harass her. Fortunately, Lu Chen arrived in time, saving her like a Heavenly God descending.

Later, she heard that those men were all sentenced to death.

Recalling that encounter, Gu Xiaoxiao's heart suddenly tightened, and Lu Chen's gentle and handsome face appeared in her mind.

It was from that time on that even if Lu Chen had very important things to be busy with, he would send someone to take her home, never letting her be alone.

There was another time when she was on holiday and went back to her hometown.

The rain was heavy that day. She took a bus from the county town back to her village in the countryside, a long journey.

By the time she got off the bus, the sky was already completely dark, and she was dragging her suitcase alone, walking through the storm.

The country roads were already difficult to walk on, especially in the rain, making it even harder to move.

At that time, she was truly helpless.

But just then, a car stopped in front of her.

"Get in." The car window rolled down, revealing a clear and refined face.

It was Lu Chen.

She was stunned at the time.

Why was Lu Chen here?

"Why are you still standing there foolishly?" Lu Chen urged.

He looked at her, his dark and deep Phoenix eyes seemingly holding some kind of magic that drew her attention.

"Hurry up and get in," he repeated.

She finally came back to her senses, hesitated for a moment, then pulled open the back door and got in.

Lu Chen always appeared before her like a hero when she needed help the most.

Unfortunately,

At that time, she didn't appreciate it at all, even suspecting Lu Chen of stalking her, and ignored him the entire way, not speaking to him.

Even after Lu Chen drove her home, she didn't invite him in to sit for a while, nor did she even thank him.

Instead, worried that her family and villagers would overthink things, she even scolded Lu Chen, telling him not to get out of the car.

"We're not close!"

After throwing out this sentence, she pushed open the car door and jumped out without a second thought.

She originally thought Lu Chen would be angry, but she didn't expect that not only was he not angry, he even smiled and said, "It's okay, we'll get to know each other later."

"..." At that time, she inexplicably felt her ears getting a little hot, but she still stubbornly said, "I told you, we're not close! We'll never be close!"

Lu Chen still smiled faintly, "I know."

She gritted her teeth, glaring at Lu Chen indignantly, "Since you know, then you are not allowed to appear in front of my family again."

He nodded, "Mm, I understand."

His tone was light and breezy, as if it were just the most ordinary thing.

But for some reason, her heart trembled.

After Lu Chen drove away, she couldn't help but turn her head, watching the taillights gradually disappear into the rainy night.

His car didn't drive particularly steadily, yet it gave people a false sense of security and stability.

As if as long as he was there, the world would become peaceful and harmonious, and all hardships and difficulties would vanish.

But now,

He was no longer by her side.

All the hardships and difficulties now needed to be faced by her alone.

No one would ever again descend from the sky when she was in danger.

No one would ever again appear in time when she needed help.

No one would ever again shield her from the wind and rain... Thinking of this, Gu Xiaoxiao's own heartbeat suddenly became irregular, her heart seemed to be stirred by a strange force, and her whole mind was in a mess.

Gu Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered a sentence she had once read, which was so apt for her current situation—

He is no longer in her life, yet he is everywhere.

"Xiaoxiao? Xiaoxiao? What's wrong with you?"

Zhao Jiaqi waved her hand in front of her twice before Gu Xiaoxiao suddenly snapped back to reality.

Zhao Jiaqi frowned, her face full of concern, "What's wrong, you're so distracted."

"Nothing..." Gu Xiaoxiao lowered her gaze, saying softly.

"Did I say something wrong..." Zhao Jiaqi suddenly realized something, regretting it immensely, "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have brought up Lu Chen!"

"Don't overthink it, it has nothing to do with you. I'm just a little hungry and thinking about what to eat later."

Gu Xiaoxiao looked out the window, telling a lie.

But how could she deceive her good sister with whom she spent day and night?

Zhao Jiaqi looked at Gu Xiaoxiao's reddened eyes, a dull ache in her heart, and put her arm around her.

"It's okay," Zhao Jiaqi comforted softly, "Everything will be alright."

Gu Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes, hiding the glistening tears, and a bitter smile played on her lips as she nodded gently, "Mm."

"Come on, let's go out for a big meal, my treat today!"

Zhao Jiaqi said grandly.

Gu Xiaoxiao's red lips curved slightly, revealing a faint smile, "Okay."

...