The lanky figure fell to the concrete ground with a thud, his body convulsing like a torn burlap sack for a few moments before his feet kicked out and his eyes closed, dark red blood slowly pooling beneath his head. The dogs in the yard barked incessantly. Baldy took advantage of the chaos to flee, but the police pounced on him, pinned him to the ground, snatched the painting, and cuffed his hands. Su Huan's hands were still clinging to the window frame, staring blankly at Gu Beixian, who had fired the gun. Having been married to him for three years, she didn't know he could shoot, let alone so accurately. At that critical moment, a split second faster or slower, a tad off target or skewed, would have been fatal to her. Gu Beixian dropped the gun, strode over with his long legs, and lifted her down from the windowsill. He carefully tended to the wound on her neck. He forcefully pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, his cool fingertips gently rubbing her pale, frightened face, and asked softly, 'Scared, weren't you?'

Su Huan murmured a confused 'yes'. Just now, she thought she was definitely dead, but unexpectedly, she managed to escape death. Her heart was pounding wildly, her ears were buzzing, and even the gun with a silencer was still very loud. The whole process was like a movie, thrilling and breathtaking. She broke out in a cold sweat from fear. The ancient painting was carefully collected by the police, placed in a protective bag, and then put into a safe. Su Huan mechanically cooperated with the police to finish the record and got into Gu Beixian's car. Even now, her legs were still weak, and her head was in a daze. The night was pitch-black, and the rural road was narrow. The driver started the car and headed towards the city. Su Huan was held in Gu Beixian's arms. He stroked her thin back over and over again, comforting her: 'It's alright, it's alright, don't be afraid.' His embrace was warm, and Su Huan instinctively snuggled into his arms, feeling a mix of sourness, bitterness, and a hint of sweetness in her heart. He still had feelings of a spouse for her. Feeling her response, Gu Beixian held her even tighter, his gentle voice falling by her ear, with a hint of reproach: 'Why didn't you call me when something happened? My mother is careless and only noticed something was wrong yesterday, and then she called me.' His throat was hoarse, his chin buried in her hair, his hand clutching her clothes, he whispered: 'What would I do if something happened to you?'

Su Huan was slightly taken aback. At this moment, she felt that he cared about her, more than she had imagined. She raised her arm and slowly hugged his waist, burying her face in the crook of his neck. His body emitted a reassuring fragrance, which calmed her heart. A warm current surged within her, and her eyes gradually reddened. Midway, Gu Beixian's phone rang. He glanced down, then hung up. Su Huan intuitively thought it was Chu Suosuo calling. Before long, the assistant sitting in the passenger seat also had his phone ring. After answering, he spoke a few words, then handed the phone over, saying, 'President Gu, it's Miss Chu on the phone.' Gu Beixian took the phone and asked, 'What's the matter?' Chu Suosuo's coquettish voice carried anxiety: 'Beixian brother, have you found Sister Su Huan?' 'Yes.' 'She must be scared to death, right? Take good care of her, and don't come to the hospital to accompany me these days.' Gu Beixian responded with a faint 'Hmm.' Being close by, Su Huan heard it clearly, and her warm heart cooled down. They were not divorced, so he was still her husband. Yet, having her husband accompany her seemed like a charity from a third party. What kind of humiliation was that? She gently pushed away Gu Beixian's arm and moved to sit in the seat. Turning her head to look out the window, she smiled at her own reflection in the glass, her smile and lips both cold. The beauty just now was all an illusion. Yes, it was all her illusion. The car entered the city center. Su Huan said to Gu Beixian, 'Take me to my mother's house, and help me find an excuse for my grandmother.' Gu Beixian was silent for a moment, then said, 'Okay.'

"Back home. As soon as she entered the door, Su Peilan hugged Su Huan tightly and asked with tears streaming down, 'Daughter, are you alright?' 'I'm fine.' 'Good to hear you're fine, good to hear you're fine, you scared me to death. It's all my fault for being too careless, I just didn't catch your hint to take my diabetes medication, and it took me a day to realize it. Thanks to Bei Xian for sending people to look for you, if it weren't for him, who knows what would have happened to you? You're my only child, if something happened to you, how could I go on?' The usually vigorous woman was now crying uncontrollably. Su Huan raised her hand to wipe her tears and gently coaxed, 'Don't cry, Mom, I'm back safe and sound, aren't I?' A week later, at night. Gu Bei Xian had too much to drink at a business entertainment. The driver helped him back home and settled him on the sofa. As he got up to get a towel, he heard Gu Bei Xian, with his eyes closed, calling out indistinctly, 'Su Huan, Su Huan, pour me a glass of water.' The driver hesitated for two seconds, then took out his phone to call Su Huan, saying, 'Madam, Mr. Gu has had too much to drink, he keeps calling your name.' Su Huan pursed her lips and remained silent. Su Peilan, who was nearby, heard this and said, 'Go take care of him, you're still husband and wife since you haven't gone through the divorce procedures, don't be too stiff.' Su Huan 'hmm'ed and said to the driver, 'I'll be right there.' 'Thank you, Madam."

The driver hung up the phone. He poured a glass of water and fed it to Gu Beixian. Just as he had drunk half of it, the doorbell suddenly rang. The driver placed the glass on the coffee table and got up to open the door. Seeing Chu Suosuo standing outside in a white dress, holding a fruit basket in her hand. The driver said apologetically, "Miss Chu, President Gu has had too much to drink, I'm afraid he can't entertain you." Chu Suosuo smiled sweetly, "That's perfect, I'll take care of him." She slipped inside, put the fruit basket on the shoe cabinet, and said to the driver, "You can go back, I'll take care of Brother Beixian." The driver looked troubled, "I just called the young madam, she will be here soon." Chu Suosuo smiled slightly, "It's okay, I know Sister Su Huan, she has a good temper, she won't mind." The driver hesitated for a moment, "Well then." He took the car keys and left. Walking past the entrance, Chu Suosuo sat down on the sofa, picked up the teacup, and fed Gu Beixian water. Smelling a familiar scent of perfume, Gu Beixian slowly opened his eyes. Seeing it was Chu Suosuo, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, he propped himself up against the sofa and asked, "Why are you here?" Chu Suosuo fluttered her eyelashes, smiling charmingly, "I missed you too much, I couldn't help but come, you won't blame me, will you, Brother Beixian?" Gu Beixian's brow furrowed slightly, "I've had too much to drink, I can't entertain you, go back." Chu Suosuo was stunned, her eyes reddened, and she said plaintively, "Brother Beixian, you still haven't truly forgiven me. I've said it, that breakup message three years ago, it was my mom who sent it from my phone. She sent me abroad, had people watch me 24 hours a day, not letting me contact you."

Do you know how painful these past three years have been for me? I've been going crazy missing you every day, yet unable to see you, tortured into severe depression..." She covered her face and burst into tears. "I've already forgiven you, truly," Gu Beixian said with a hint of restlessness in his eyes, but his voice was gentle: "Don't cry." Chu Suosuo looked at him with tearful eyes, pitiful and lovely, seemingly resentful yet affectionate, "Then why do you still send me away?" "I'm not divorced yet, and it's late at night. It's not appropriate for you to be here," he said, clenching his leg hard with his hand, trying to use the pain to bring back his senses. Chu Suosuo noticed this detail and slowly leaned towards him, her soft arms climbing up his shoulder like vines, gazing at him with cheeks flushed with spring, her voice very soft: "I don't mind." Gu Beixian turned aside to avoid her, "I mind." A flash of disappointment crossed Chu Suosuo's eyes, and her outstretched hand stiffened in mid-air before she finally withdrew it after a while. Suddenly, the two of them had nothing more to say. The oppressive silence filled the entire room. Unable to bear the silence, Chu Suosuo looked up and surveyed the room, finally settling her gaze on the painting on the wall, making small talk, "Is this ink bamboo painting an authentic work by Zheng Banqiao?" "No, it's a copy by Su Huan." "Really? It's painted very well; I thought it was an original," Chu Suosuo said wistfully, "I didn't expect Sister Su Huan to be so outstanding." Gu Beixian's dark eyes softened, "Indeed, she is outstanding." "Brother Beixian is even more outstanding. In my eyes, you will always be the most outstanding man."

Chu Suosuo's eyes shone as she stared at him, her admiration barely contained within. Gu Beixian's thick eyelashes drooped slightly, a layer of frost tinting the depths of his eyes. In Su Huan's heart, the most outstanding man was undoubtedly her brother A Yao. Suddenly, Chu Suosuo heard the extremely light sound of footsteps outside the door, remembering what the driver had told her, that Su Huan would be arriving soon. Her eyes shifted, and an idea struck her. She stood up and went to hook her arm around Gu Beixian's, her voice coquettish and provocative: 'Beixian bro, let me help you take a shower, and after you fall asleep, I'll leave.' 'No need,' Gu Beixian raised his hand to push her away. 'It's okay, I'm not an outsider.' 'Really, there's no need, just go away!' His tone began to show irritation. Hearing the sound of the door unlocking, Chu Suosuo steeled her heart and let out an 'ouch,' pretending to fall and land on him, her arms snaking around his waist, her lips moving towards his. Gu Beixian gripped her neck, trying to move her head away. However, Chu Suosuo clung to him tightly like a snake, and he had drunk too much, his muscles weak, unable to push her away for the moment. As soon as Su Huan entered the room, she saw Chu Suosuo and Gu Beixian locked in a passionate embrace, kissing! Those hands that had once gently caressed her waist were now intimately holding Chu Suosuo's neck! Su Huan felt as if she had been struck by lightning, half of her body going cold!