When Mu Lingxi was a child, she suffered violence from her father.

Her original family was wealthy, but they gave all their resources to her younger brother.

She had enough food and clothing, but every penny of her expenses was strictly calculated. Any excess would result in a cold rebuke or even a beating from her father.

Every time her father swung the belt, she would hear her mother's gentle words of comfort: "Lingxi, Dad loves you. Because he loves you, he hits you. This is what it means when love is deep, the punishment is severe."

She believed it when she was young.

But those lessons of love did not bring warmth, but only deeper hurt again and again.

It wasn't until she grew up that she realized that people in high positions are the best at blurring the lines between pain and love.

They used this to tame her, allowing her to learn obedience through hurt and gratitude through control.

But she was not tamed after all.

When her father wanted to crush her in the mud and use her for profit, she ran away.

She wanted to stand higher than them and live better than them.

She used what they valued most, power and money, to crush the shackles they gave her.

Now, her parents and her younger brother are coming back to ask her for resources.

They are no longer hideous.

Even, I no longer dare to mention the past.

So, when she saw Song Yuxin's bruised face, she knew clearly that it was not love.

It's a shackle.

She was willing to lend a hand to help her break the shackles, which was also a comfort to herself.

So Song Yuxin gripped the knife tightly again.

Her eyes became firm: "I will make my own decision on matters between him and me."

He Xueyi only came back the next day.

He held a bouquet of roses in his arms, with a Saki's head quietly placed among the flowers.

The head had been specially treated and the incision had stopped bleeding.

With a faint smile on his pink lips, he solemnly presented the flowers, his voice gentle and elegant: "Ms. Manager, I brought back the gift you asked for."

Gu Huaiwei glanced at it and said, "There's only one."

"Don't be greedy. They only sent one this time." He Xueyi's golden eyes were filled with a hypocritical smile. "It's so pitiful. Dad went hunting happily after get off work, but ended up becoming the prey. This way, he can't bring back the gifts the children are looking forward to."

The gift the children were looking forward to was Gu Huaiwei.

Gu Huaiwei accepted the bouquet of flowers.

"Thanks."

He Xueyi's voice was soft, like honey soaked in venom: "Then Miss Manager, can you come back with me?"

"I don't want to be separated from my friends for the time being. Can you get us out first?"

To some extent, Paradise was not wrong in choosing the lucky cat for Gu Huaiwei.

Cats are divine creatures.

Born arrogant, cannot be truly tamed.

They will curl up in your arms when they need to, rub against your palm tenderly, and use soft meows to coax your trust, making you mistakenly believe that they have surrendered.

But once it gets what it wants, it will turn around and leave without any reluctance. Even if you call it, it will just move its ears and pretend not to hear.

Cats have no conscience and won't really attach themselves to anyone.

All its choices are only for itself.

He Xueyi was silent.

His slender white fingertips moved, and dark tides surged in his golden pupils. Malice was like a deep-sea whirlpool, slowly rising towards the sea level.

"Isn't it okay? He Xueyi." Gu Huaiwei gently called his name and comforted him, "Come to my house as a guest. You are the first one."

He Xueyi lowered her head, her soft white short hair falling, covering the emotions churning in her eyes and hiding all the dangers under that gentle and harmless mask.

"You don't want to?"

The undercurrent subsided in an instant.

"Since it's the store manager who invited me, I'd be remiss to refuse."

"That's great." Gu Huaiwei clapped her hands happily, "Then take us out of this dense forest first."

He Xueyi raised her head, the smile on her lips deepening: "No."

"Why?"

"There are too many people, Miss Manager." His golden eyes curved slightly, as pure as a saint's. "The monsters living in this dense forest have not been appeased by blood. Do you hear their wailing? Leave your friends here, I will take you away alone."

"Take three." Gu Huaiwei bargained.

He Xueyi smiled: "One."

"Two is fine." Take her and Mu Lingxi out together.

He Xueyi still shook her head: "No, Miss Manager, it can only be you, because this is a privilege I give you, and it cannot be shared with others."

"Forget it, I'll go by myself." Gu Huaiwei shrugged and turned around without any reluctance.

There was no way she would leave Mu Lingxi alone.

The head decorated with a bouquet of roses was thrown aside by her.

He Xueyi looked at her leaving back and said slowly: "I'll wait for you at the exit."

"Yeah." Gu Huaiwei was not going to lie to him.

He Xueyi's golden eyes narrowed slightly, and her smile was gentle, like a hunter patiently waiting for his prey to be caught.

"Don't run, Miss Manager, remember your invitation. I'm looking forward to visiting your home."