Chapter 144
The newly revealed truth dealt a heavy blow to Gu Nan. After sharing his memories with Xie Xubai, he was ashamed to face anyone and retreated into his own mind to isolate himself.
Xie Xubai gave him time to calm down. Seeing that Lü Jiu was still standing there, he smiled and said, "Is it because my father and the others are too serious that you feel a little uncomfortable? Don't worry, my father is going to host a welcome dinner for Boss Luo, and he will probably be leaving soon."
"Xiaobai kept talking about you yesterday. He should be awake by now. Come with me to see him. He'll be so happy to see you."
Lu Jiu pressed one hand against the pocket watch that had almost caused the accident in his pocket, and the other against his rapidly pounding chest. He had been too nervous just now, and now he was not only feeling weak and his legs were trembling, but his stomach was also cramping and his stomach was churning with acid.
Xie Xubai walked past him, placed one hand on his shoulder and patted him reassuringly, and Lü Jiu subconsciously dodged.
Seeing the obvious rejection, Xie Xubai feigned embarrassment, withdrew his hand, and scratched his cheek. A short while later, a small head peeked out from a room in the corridor. Upon seeing Lü Jiu, its eyes lit up, and it excitedly rushed over: "Big brother!"
The child lunged at people with a real leap. Lü Jiu's brow twitched, and he reflexively reached out to catch him, only to be caught in a full embrace.
The dirty little radish head has been transformed into a delicate little doll, with a faint scent of soap. Its tiny body seems so soft that it has no bones, and its smile is clean and bright.
Lu Jiu had originally planned to catch the little devil and then leave him aside, but the child affectionately hooked his neck and rubbed against him, causing him to pause in his actions.
After a moment, he raised his eyebrows, leaned close to the child's ear, and whispered in a voice so low that only the child could hear: "You brat, don't pretend with me, it's creepy."
The child blinked, looking like he didn't understand: "Big brother?"
Lu Jiu wasn't buying it at all.
He still remembered how this little brat managed to get away with it by shedding tears several times yesterday. If it weren't for the fact that after meeting "Gu Nan," the kid went from being silent and tearful to being cheerful and lively in an instant, he would have almost believed that this guy was simple-minded.
Lu Jiu put him down, then suddenly remembered something. His expression darkened for a moment, but when he looked at the child again, it softened considerably. He patted the child's head and said softly, "Never mind, this is fine too." A person with many thoughts will live longer.
Xie Xubai led him into the room, and a short while later, the maid Arong brought in breakfast.
Unsure whether Xie Xubai would join the meal, the steward didn't dare to secretly poison him this time. After Xie Xubai finished the test, to allay Lü Jiu's suspicions, he ate a few bites first.
Seeing this, Lü Jiu also picked up a piece to eat, subtly glancing at Xie Xubai out of the corner of her eye.
When he arrived this morning, he specifically inquired about Gu Nan's character from the surrounding residents and vendors. The head of the Gu family did not marry any concubines, only one legal wife. Apart from the adopted Gu Bai, she had two sons and two daughters. Gu Nan was the youngest, and was pampered since childhood, spoiled by his older brothers and sisters into having a gentle and innocent nature.
Lu Jiu found the young man before him rather strange. His arrogant words when the guests were present, upon closer examination, were all meant to help him out of a predicament. When Lu Jiu, fearing the note would be exposed, rushed back to snatch the pocket watch, it was "Gu Nan" who reacted immediately and stopped him.
Lu Jiu knew that it was impossible for a scion of a wealthy family to be completely without cunning, but all indications suggested that "Gu Nan" possessed more than just a little cunning.
The young man, sitting upright with slightly upturned lips, possessed a gentle and detached demeanor, like an unfathomable mountain range.
"If you keep dawdling, my family's 'Hibiscus Silver Thread Porridge,' which has been carefully simmering for hours, will get cold," the boy suddenly spoke, glancing over with a smile.
Caught red-handed peeking at the other person, Lü Jiu rubbed his nose sheepishly and picked up his bowl to eat earnestly.
Perhaps it was the warm porridge that soothed my stomach, but before I knew it, my stomach didn't feel as uncomfortable as before.
After breakfast, the servants came to tidy up. Xie Xubai asked if the Gu family head and the others had left, and the servants nodded.
Lu Jiu remained vigilant. He went to the window and looked out through the gap in the curtains. Sure enough, he saw a figure crouching at the entrance of the mansion.
Lu Jiu pursed his lips, thinking about how to leave without attracting the man's attention. He also thought that the Gu family steward might have already sent people to guard downstairs, just waiting for him to walk into the trap. His heart sank.
Xie Xubai suddenly asked him, "Actually, there is no such person as your uncle. You came to Haidu alone, right?"
"Young Master Gu is joking. I'm just a child. If I didn't have an adult with me, how could the crew have let me on board?"
"Then your uncle really doesn't care about you at all."
When they met yesterday, Lü Jiu was covered in dirt, looking like a mud ball, no different from a homeless child.
Lu Jiu chuckled, intending to gloss over the matter, but then heard Xie Xubai ask again, "Actually, what I wanted to ask was, would you be willing to stay and keep our Xiaobai company?"
Lu Jiu paused for a moment.
He had just considered shamelessly asking "Gu Nan" to let him stay here for a few more days until the Luofu Temple's forces were less vigilant and he could leave.
Gu Nan's question was like a pillow delivered to someone who was sleepy.
But that strange feeling resurfaced.
Isn't this person being too nice to him?
Lü Jiu soon discovered that his suspicion that Gu Nan harbored "improper thoughts" towards him was not just his imagination.
That thoughtfulness, both overt and covert, is not intense or conspicuous, but it's like a constant breeze. For example, a goodnight wish before bed each night, a cup of warm milk, or a storybook that "happens" to be brought to him when he's bored. And at the dinner table, to prevent him from feeling awkward, helping him pick at his food and reminding him not to be picky.
Such examples are countless.
The Gu family couple noticed this and jokingly remarked that since Lü Jiu came to the Gu family, "Gu Nan" had started to act like a grown-up. It's clear that all these small acts of care were indeed due to him.
However, Lü Jiu's first reaction wasn't gratitude, but wariness. There's no such thing as unconditional kindness, unless the person has ulterior motives. He couldn't see what "Gu Nan" wanted to take from him, and only felt uneasy.
Although life in the Gu family was comfortable and carefree, without having to worry about food or clothing, Lü Jiu never stopped thinking about leaving. He knew he didn't belong here, and he also realized that Luo Fu Tu was turning its sword against the Gu family and would eventually plunge the place into chaos and bloodshed. He was powerless to resist and only wanted to protect himself.
Finally, Lü Jiu got a chance to leave safely.
Xie Xubai wanted to buy him some autumn clothes, but Lü Jiu refused to have a tailor make them for him, citing discomfort. He begged Xie Xubai to take him out for some fresh air.
They rode in a car, leaving the Luofutu group far behind. Upon arriving at the clothing store, Lü Jiu suddenly complained of stomach pain. As Xie Xubai approached with concern, Lü Jiu discreetly slipped a small note filled with warnings into Xie's coat pocket.
Thinking that Gu Nan might be extremely anxious about her disappearance, Lü Jiu clasped her hands together in her heart, sincerely said sorry, and then, without looking back, decisively slipped away while going to the outhouse.
But he hadn't walked two hundred meters when a loud bang suddenly came from behind him.
Lu Jiu turned around in astonishment and saw that an explosion had occurred where the shop was located. The fire was raging, turning half the sky red, and thick black smoke was billowing into the sky. People were fleeing in panic, shouting: "Fire! There are still people in the shop! Help!"
Lu Jiu's mind went blank for a moment, and by the time he realized what had happened, he had already run back.
The charred signboard fell to the ground, and a wave of heat hit us. The air distorted in the high temperature and was filled with a strong smell of diesel fuel—it wasn't an accident; someone had deliberately set it on fire!
Lu Jiu's breathing tightened as he looked around, searching for Xie Xubai's whereabouts.
No, no, nowhere! Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a tall, muscular figure in the crowd, and at that moment, his heart turned to ice.
The patrol team was still on their way, but by the time they arrived, all the shops would have been burned down. Lü Jiu took off his clothes, grabbed a bucket of water from a rescuer without a second thought, splashed water on his clothes, covered himself with it, and rushed into the shop as fast as he could.
The shop was filled with black smoke, and the raging flames burned his skin. He struggled to breathe, and while suppressing a cough, he shouted, "Gu Nan! Gu Nan! Where are you? Answer me!"
Turning around again, I saw something pressing down under the collapsed large clothes rack, which looked like a person.
Lu Jiu's pupils constricted, his lips trembled slightly, and he ran forward quickly, only to hear a crackling sound above him. He instinctively looked up and saw a charred wooden beam snapped in two by flames and crashing down.
At the critical moment, a golden light streaked across the sea of fire, violently throwing the wooden beam aside. Before Lü Jiu could even see what was happening, Xie Xubai covered his eyes, pulled him into his arms, and, through the thick smoke, swiftly led him out of the burning shop.
The rescuers rushed forward instantly: "Young Master Gu!" "Young Master Gu, how are you?" "How did this child get in there? Why didn't anyone stop him!"
Xie Xubai was quite sensitive to evil intentions, and he sensed it when the arsonist set the fire. He made an excuse to send everyone out of the shop, and used his consciousness to find the culprit. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be someone from Luofutu again.
It wasn't the surveillance agent planted by Luofutu at the entrance of the Gu family mansion; it was someone else. Xie Xubai confirmed his identity through his thoughts.
The arson was for two reasons: first, to take advantage of the chaos to kidnap Lü Jiu; and second, because the shop was owned by a powerful family that was on good terms with the Gu family, and if Gu Nan died in this "accident," the two families would definitely break off relations.
No wonder Luo Futu attacked the Gu family so swiftly and decisively, catching them completely off guard. Judging by Luo Futu's speed, he must have been operating in Haidu for at least seven or eight years, his influence extending deep into every corner of the city, allowing him to act so swiftly. It's just that Luo Futu had remained hidden behind the scenes, keeping a low profile, which led the Gu family head to mistakenly believe he was a newcomer.
Xie Xubai sighed softly. Lü Jiu in his arms was trembling. He put all his worries aside and gently patted her back, coaxing her, "It's alright, it's alright, don't be afraid anymore."
Little did he know that Lü Jiu was not merely afraid.
Smoke billowed, voices clamored, the air remained scorching hot, everything was in chaos. Lü Jiu was like a lone boat caught in a whirlpool, helpless, powerless, and terrified.
Yet, amidst this chaos, he sensed a tranquility and instinctively pressed closer, only to discover that what brought him peace was Xie Xubai's heartbeat—steady and strong, meaning that this person was still alive.
Lu Jiu's intuition was always sharp and accurate, and he was certain that "Gu Nan" harbored some kind of purpose towards him. Thanks to the good looks his mother had given him, he had encountered this kind of thing many times before, so he always maintained a distant and evasive attitude in front of "Gu Nan," and when he decided to leave, he could leave gracefully without hesitation.
It wasn't until they thought "Gu Nan" was trapped in the fire, until they spotted something resembling "Gu Nan's" corpse under the collapsed large coat rack.
It felt like a sharp blade was slowly cutting open her throat, making even breathing a burning, throbbing pain. Lu Jiu curled up in Xie Xubai's arms, gripping his collar tightly with both hands, and demanded sharply, each word distinct: "Why are you so good to me?"
"Why did you come to my rescue? Why did you care whether I ate well or slept well? Why did you want to teach me to read and write? Why did you stand up for me when those people looked down on me? Why did you protect my self-esteem and dignity? Why did you shield me? Why did you buy me clothes—"
He was just a wild boy from a poor, remote place. His father didn't care for him, his mother died early, and he was sold to the Luofu Temple at the age of eight, his life worth less than grass. All he knew was to protect his head when he was being beaten, to obey the customers' wishes, and to stay calm when he saw blood and dead people in order to survive.
He has lived to this day all alone, relying on himself for everything. All he has left are dirty clothes and a hundred copper coins in his bundle. He has never seen the world and has never experienced the meticulous care that "Gu Nan" provides.
It's unstoppable.
Even knowing that "Gu Nan" had ulterior motives, he couldn't resist.
It's like giving someone who's about to die of thirst a cup of poison, or someone who's about to freeze to death a red-hot iron. He has immense willpower to resist drinking or touching it.
Lu Jiu was so angry that her eyes turned red, and she glared at the hateful bastard in front of her with hatred.
Those repeated "whys" were all curses directed at Xie Xubai for provoking him. Was he just bored, or simply trying to satisfy his own pity?
Does this pampered young master, raised in luxury, truly understand the profound impact his unintentional acts of charity will have on those who have nothing?
Xie Xubai and Lü Jiu exchanged resentful glances, paused for a moment, and then said apologetically, "I'm sorry, it's my fault."
Since we're just watching the show, we should maintain Gu Nan's persona and observe everything Lü Jiu goes through.
It wouldn't have led to such a series of butterfly effects, almost changing the course of events.
Seeing that Xie Xubai was truly regretting his kindness to her, Lü Jiu instantly gritted her teeth, tears welling in her eyes, and became even angrier.
That son of a bitch, he shouldn't have come back to save this idiot! He should leave now!
Xie Xubai sighed: "But I can't help it."
I can't bear to part with it.
Although the scene was fake, the people were real. Lü Xiangcai's soul remained in Lü Jiu's body, silently experiencing the joys and sorrows of that year.
Since he knows that his friend will feel pain and suffering, and will relive the past pain, how can he just stand by and watch?
To be fair, thankfully there's Gu Nan who's "reborn," and as long as he experiences the same events, he can regain his memories.
If all else fails, he could learn from the man with the gold-rimmed glasses how to open the Mirror of Time and Space, so he could see what happened back then.
all in all.
Xie Xubai patted Lü Jiu on the back: "I won't suddenly abandon you, don't worry. Stay here and be my brother. No matter if you are ruthless, treacherous, or have done something that has caused you a lot of trouble, you will always be my brother."
He will definitely take full responsibility for the friends and family he considers his closest friends and family.
Lu Jiu froze, his body, which had been straightened, slowly shrank back into Xie Xubai's arms. Those things that had caused him so much anxiety and pain in his heart seemed to have vanished suddenly.
His eyes darted around, his fingers fidgeting with his collar, and after a long pause, he said with difficulty, "I think I just saw the arsonist, he..."
Xie Xubai laughed and said, "Don't worry, that person has already been caught by the patrol team."
But those are people from Luofu Temple. Lü Jiu hesitated, unable to be honest, and felt extremely gloomy.
He strongly suspected that it was because Xie Xubai had been too close to him that he had been implicated and suffered this sudden misfortune. Thinking this, the urge to run away resurfaced and grew even stronger.
"I suddenly remembered something." Xie Xubai held Lü Jiu in his arms and weighed her in his arms for a few moments. "Seeing how agile you are, how about you join the army when you grow up and work under my uncle?"
In Gu Nan's few memories, Lü Jiu later joined the army, but it wasn't Gu Nan who recommended him; it was Gu's family head's arrangement to train a loyal and reliable bodyguard for his youngest son.
As a bodyguard, his rank couldn't be too high, lest he become too powerful and difficult to control. Therefore, after Lü Jiu was promoted to captain, the Gu family head summoned him back to stay by Gu Nan's side and protect him.
By then, Gu Nan had come of age and began to try to take over some of the family business.
Unable to defy his father's decision, he couldn't help but feel guilty towards Lü Jiu, who was forced to give up her future. To make amends, Gu Nan took Lü Jiu everywhere, doing accounting and inspecting goods, never avoiding her. Later, whenever he had the chance, he took Lü Jiu to banquets, introduced her to the circles of prominent families, and paved the way for her success.
Looking at the entire Gu family, let alone adopted sons from outside the family, even among the direct descendants, there are very few people like Lü Jiu who can freely interfere in the family business and be entrusted with important responsibilities.
As a result, a traitor later emerged from the Gu family, their cash flow was maliciously shorted, and their original orders and goods were stolen by their rivals. Everyone pointed the finger of suspicion at Lü Jiu.
No one expected that this would be the beginning of the Gu family's destruction and death.
Just as Lü Jiu in real history never imagined, Luofutu's people had already infiltrated Haidu.
Just two months after Lü Jiu asked the Gu family to take him in, because he was not very literate and his handwriting was crooked and messy, even worse than a dog's crawl, he was assigned to attend a public school.
Lu Jiu never attended primary school and missed a lot of lessons, so the teacher kept him after school to catch up.
After finishing his homework, it was getting late, so the teacher kindly offered to take him home. However, before they even reached the corner of the street, someone covered his mouth with a cloth sprayed with sleeping pills, and he was immediately drugged and passed out.
Less than a month later, Lü Jiu saw Luofutu again. Several of his men forced him to drink water until he vomited. They kept doing this until he vomited again, and then they forced him to drink water again. This happened countless times until he vomited everything in his stomach except for some bloody acidic water. He coughed so hard that he felt dizzy and faint.
Luo Futu sat leisurely in his chair, twirling walnuts in his hands, and hooked Lü Jiu's chin with his toes, asking him what was written on the note from back then.
Lu Jiu gritted her teeth, her face pale, and remained silent. Luo Futu, impatient with her, kicked her to the ground, grabbed her by the hair, and lifted her up, mockingly saying, "Little Jiu'er, you're really tough now. You don't actually think the Gu family can protect you, do you?"
"You're so smart, didn't you ever wonder why the young master of the Gu family, who has absolutely no connection to the slums, happened to be passing by that street when you were seriously injured, and happened to see you and save your life in time?"
Lu Jiu understood the deeper meaning in his words, and was shocked. She turned her head and stared at him in disbelief.
Luo Futu smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly, a chilling glint in them: "You guessed right, including your admission to that school, it was all my arrangement."
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