Only in Chapter 10 will he become completely devoted to him.
Suddenly, the tightly closed door was kicked open from the outside with a loud bang, as if struck by a heavy object. A strong gust of air, carrying the light from outside, rushed into the room, and with a dull thud, a tall figure walked in with a gloomy expression.
The candlelight flickered even more violently due to the sudden gust of wind. Ruan Xingzhu's heart tightened at this unexpected turn of events. When she finally saw his face, a look of surprise and relief at surviving the ordeal flashed in her eyes.
The loud noise forced You Yemeng, who was about to commit an indecent act against Ruan Xingzhu, to turn around and look.
However, before he could even see who it was, he felt a powerful force strike him, as if he had been grabbed by an invisible giant hand and forcibly pulled off the bed. Then, with a muffled thud, his body slammed heavily against the wall.
This sudden turn of events left You Yemeng dizzy, and a metallic taste surged into his heart. Before he could recover from the intense pain, Sheng Que grabbed him and roughly dragged him away.
Sheng Que had been waiting outside for a long time, and now, following Gu Yun'an's instructions, he went all out.
The oppressive feeling in the room, as if it were a desperate situation, vanished instantly. Ruan Xingzhu's body seemed to be frozen in place, unable to move.
Her helpless, lifeless eyes stared straight at Gu Yun'an, who was reaching out his hand to her.
Just like back then, Gu Yun'an reached out his hand and led her out of her misery.
Still shaken and reeling from the terror, she was momentarily dazed. After a couple of seconds of this, Ruan Xingzhu, as if finding a refuge, suddenly threw herself into Gu Yun'an's arms.
She clung tightly to Gu Yun'an's waist, as if letting go would cause this hard-won sense of security to vanish. Then, she burst into sobs, her cries filled with endless grievances and lingering fear.
Because she was burying her face in his chest, Ruan Xingzhu's voice was muffled through his clothes, as if she had suffered a great injustice. Her cries were like sharp little knives, tearing at Gu Yun'an's heart again and again.
Soon, tears soaked through the fabric covering Gu Yun'an's chest. Feeling the dampness on his chest, a dark light appeared in Gu Yun'an's eyes.
It seems the little girl was quite frightened this time.
He had actually followed her into the house when You Yemeng dragged her in, but he didn't want her to learn her lesson or experience the helplessness she felt back then. How could she possibly fall into his arms and be devoted to him?
As she sobbed, Ruan Xingzhu's body trembled. The familiar scent filled her nostrils, easing her fear slightly. She couldn't help but murmur that comforting name: "Fourth Brother..."
Her call was like a heavy hammer blow, causing Gu Yun'an's heart to clench sharply. He truly wanted to teach her a lesson, but his heartache was also genuine. After all, the person he had raised had been wronged, and he felt more pain than anyone else.
Gu Yun'an slowly stretched out his broad arms and gently wrapped them around her slender figure, as if he were protecting an incomparably precious treasure.
His hand gently stroked her shoulder and back, his movements soft and soothing, and his voice warm and comforting: "Alright, Fourth Brother is here."
Hearing Gu Yun'an's comforting words, Ruan Xingzhu felt her tense nerves gradually relax.
She shifted slightly, slowly raised her head, and stared intently at Gu Yun'an with her wet eyes, filled with dependence and trust.
She said softly, "Fourth brother, I just thought I..."
At this moment, she looked exceptionally endearing. Her collar was slightly open, revealing her slender collarbone, which appeared even more pitiful in the dim candlelight. A few tears still clung to her misty eyes, stirring a surge of emotion in Gu Yun'an, making him want to lean down and gently kiss away her tears.
But not wanting to frighten her, he slowly extended his warm fingers and gently pressed them against her opening and closing lips. Gu Yun'an's voice was like a reassuring pill.
"With me here, Xingzhu will never get into trouble."
The voice was like a promise, like a solid bulwark, which completely put Ruan Xingzhu's anxious heart at ease.
She leaned back against Yun'an's strong chest, feeling the powerful beating within it, as if it were the most reassuring rhythm in the world, capable of dispelling all fear.
After staying in Gu Yun'an's arms for a while, Ruan Xingzhu suddenly seemed to remember something, slowly left his embrace, and then spoke with some lingering fear.
"So, how does Fourth Brother plan to punish...that person?"
She couldn't bring herself to say You Yemeng's name. Because of what had just happened, she felt a strong aversion to the name. The thought of him brought back the fear she had felt earlier.
When the name You Yemeng was mentioned, Gu Yun'an's gentle face suddenly turned somewhat gloomy. Although he had let Ruan Xingzhu behave for a while, it did not mean that he could easily let You Yemeng off the hook.
In his mind, anyone who coveted Ruan Xingzhu, harbored ill intentions towards Ruan Xingzhu, or attempted to touch Ruan Xingzhu should pay a heavy price.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and gave a soothing smile. He reached out and smoothed her messy hair with gentle, indulgent movements.
"How does Xingzhu want to be punished?" he asked her in a low voice.
Ruan Xingzhu was exhausted from crying, her eyelids were dry, and she quickly lowered her eyelids again, her voice muffled: "I will listen to Fourth Brother."
A cryptic look flashed in Gu Yun'an's eyes. If she really listened to him, why would she have suffered this shock?
However, the young girl didn't have any ruthless methods and couldn't bring herself to do it. Since she had already asked, he would help her out.
Gu Yun'an gently straightened Ruan Xingzhu's clothes, his movements careful, and then slowly stood up.
In the instant he turned around, the gentleness in his eyes vanished, and his gaze gradually turned sharp, like a drawn blade that sent chills down one's spine.
Ruan Xingzhu watched as Sheng Que brought in the You Yemeng, whom he had suppressed. The once arrogant and domineering You Yemeng was now unrecognizable, almost unrecognizable from his former self.
His face was bruised and swollen, covered in bruises and bloodstains, and his lips were also swollen. If it weren't for the purple robe he was wearing, Ruan Xingzhu would hardly have recognized him as You Yemeng.
She glanced at Gu Yun'an subconsciously, thinking this was his punishment for You Yemeng, but Gu Yun'an said nothing and slowly walked towards You Yemeng.
You Yemeng sensed a dangerous aura. He struggled to open his swollen eyes and, upon seeing Gu Yun'an's appearance, his heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran from his feet to his head.
He was wondering who dared to be so bold as to beat him up like this, but when he saw it was Gu Yun'an, he immediately felt that the beating he had just received was nothing.
He knew Gu Yun'an all too well; as the leader of the Censorate, his methods of torturing people were countless. He just never imagined that a mere orphan girl who had been taken in would warrant such a massive uproar from Gu Yun'an.
Seeing that things were not going well, he quickly begged for mercy, his voice trembling with tears: "Lord Gu, Lord Gu, I was wrong. You've already hit me, please forgive me."
Gu Yun'an seemed not to hear him, his face expressionless, like a cold iceberg. He simply took the knife Sheng Que handed him. The knife gleamed coldly under the light, and the flash of the blade instantly caught You Yemeng's eye. You Yemeng panicked, his heart filled with fear, not knowing what Gu Yun'an was going to do.
The knife in Gu Yun'an's hand swayed slightly, and its cold light seemed to linger in You Yemeng's heart, making him tremble with fear.
Gu Yun'an's voice was terrifyingly gloomy as he said, enunciating each word clearly: "I'll spare you."
He paused for a moment, then slowly said, "It's not that easy."
You Yemeng now understood the helplessness and despair that Ruan Xingzhu had felt earlier. Fear overwhelmed him like a tidal wave, and tears welled up uncontrollably. He hurriedly begged for mercy and cried out.
"I really know I was wrong, I know I was wrong!"
The shrill cries reminded Ruan Xingzhu of the violence he had just inflicted on her, and she instinctively shrank back.
The sound of him kowtowing and begging for mercy echoed from the floor, rising and falling, which made Gu Yun'an increasingly displeased.
He frowned, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes, and said coldly, "Either you break your head, or you break the floor."
He spoke casually, as if discussing what to have for dinner, but the icy look in his eyes sent chills down one's spine.
He gave You Yemeng a cold look and said with some disdain, "What kind of pretense is this?"
You Yemeng paused for a moment, seemingly giving him two options, but in reality, he had no choice at all.
However, his pause seemed to displease Gu Yun'an, who looked down with eyes as sharp as an eagle's. But before he could continue to beg for mercy, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
With a blank expression, Gu Yun'an plunged the knife into You Yemeng's chest, the movement clean and swift, without the slightest hesitation.
You Yemeng's pupils widened in shock and disbelief, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat, never to be uttered.
Gu Yun'an revealed a wicked smile, and pulled the knife out again. In an instant, blood gushed from You Yemeng's chest, some of it splattering onto Gu Yun'an's plain white robe.
You Yemeng coughed up a steady stream of blood, his wide eyes fixed on Gu Yun'an. He never expected Gu Yun'an to kill him. His body slowly collapsed.
The person fell at his feet, and Gu Yun'an kicked him away in disgust, then threw down the bloodstained dagger.
Only then did he slowly turn around to look at Ruan Xingzhu, his eyes seemingly carrying a hint of smugness. Blood stained the hem of his clothes, like a solitary spider lily blooming in hell, standing out starkly in the dim light.
Ruan Xingzhu was so shocked by what she saw that she couldn't speak. Her eyes widened in horror and disbelief.
She hadn't expected Gu Yun'an's punishment to be killing You Yemeng. She swallowed unconsciously, her gaze drawn to the bright red on his robe; the glaring red seemed to overlap with the image of red in her mind.
Actually, this wasn't the first time she had witnessed Gu Yun'an kill someone; this was the second time, including this one.
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