After being reborn, Bianbian no longer resisted the idea of living with the Gu family as she had in her previous life.
On this very day in her previous life, her aunt and uncle had dragged her to the gates of the Gu residence. She had screamed herself hoarse, clinging desperately to the garden railing and refusing to go inside no matter what they said.
She cried that she was frightened and did not want to stay with a monster. The monster would eat her until not even her bones remained!
Her resistance had left Gu Huaibi’s parents extremely embarrassed and troubled.
Because the girl was so unwilling, they sent Bianbian back to the Zheng family after only a few days.
The tragedy of Bianbian’s life had begun from that moment.
Her aunt had lost the enormous reward offered by the Gu family because of Bianbian’s wilfulness, and her attitude towards the girl changed completely. She dumped all the household chores on Bianbian, frequently beating and scolding her, treating her like a thorn in her side.
Bianbian’s grades grew worse and worse. She failed to enter university and could only leave school to work, experiencing all the bitterness of life and the cruelty of the world.
When she was twenty-three, she encountered the man she had once been willing to die rather than approach.
Gu Huaibi.
That day, a grand auction was being held at the most luxurious private club in Jiangcheng.
Bianbian had been placed inside a square glass display case. A bright spotlight shone down from above, illuminating her pale, delicate skin. She wore a bunny-girl outfit and was displayed for the guests to admire and appraise.
At the time, Bianbian possessed a devastating beauty capable of driving every man in the city mad.
Dressed as a bunny girl, Bianbian hugged her knees and trembled uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face, making her truly resemble a frightened little rabbit.
Her terrified appearance only intensified the men’s frantic desire to possess her, and they began bidding astronomical sums.
Gu Huaibi sat in the final row, dressed in an immaculate suit. He stared at her without expression, turbulent emotions stirring within his pitch-black eyes.
Then he merely lifted a finger.
Countless men in black suits immediately stormed into the auction hall and took control of the scene. The police were called, and everyone involved in the illegal transaction was arrested.
Bianbian looked around in panic, completely at a loss.
Gu Huaibi slowly rose and approached her, looking down at her from above.
Her gaze trembled with fear. She did not dare meet his eyes and could only look as high as his neck.
The collar of his dress shirt enclosed his long, pale neck, giving him a faintly austere and restrained air.
Bianbian timidly withdrew her gaze. She sat amid the fragments of broken glass with her knees clutched to her chest, utterly terrified.
Suddenly, the man removed his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, covering the large expanse of exposed skin.
Although the expensive fabric was somewhat stiff, it still carried the warmth of his body.
Bianbian felt warm.
That was the first time she raised her eyes to look at him—the terrifying “monster” who, according to the rumours, had undergone a genetic mutation.
Yet the “monster” was not ugly in the slightest.
His features were exquisitely perfect. His deep hazel eyes appeared to hold light within them, and his expression was aloof and noble. Every inch of his skin seemed like a miracle created by the gods.
Bianbian was stunned by his beauty.
How could he possibly be a monster?
He was clearly a god.
…
Bianbian thought back countless times to the day she first met Gu Huaibi.
She came to call it the witching hour.
Because later, Gu Huaibi took control of the entire Gu Group. Ruthless and cold-blooded, he secretly poured enormous amounts of the company’s money into deranged genetic-modification research, attempting to overturn the entire human gene pool.
He was sentenced to death.
Now that Bianbian had been reborn, she would no longer distance herself from him out of fear.
If she truly was the “blessed girl” destined to protect his life, then Bianbian hoped she could change his fate and repay the kindness he had once shown her by covering her with his coat.
…
Her first night with the Gu family passed without incident.
There were two bedrooms on the second floor. One belonged to her, while the other belonged to Gu Huaibi.
There was also a servant named Auntie Zhou who took care of their daily needs. However, Auntie Zhou did not live inside the villa. She stayed in a separate building reserved for the servants.
In a sense, only Bianbian and Gu Huaibi lived in the several-hundred-square-metre villa.
This was exactly what the master’s sixteen-character prophecy had deliberately emphasised:
*Childhood sweethearts, together day and night. Never leave nor forsake, and he shall remain safe for life.*
That evening, Bianbian was served an extravagant feast.
The Gu family’s chef was truly exceptional. Even ordinary ingredients such as chicken, duck, fish and pork could be transformed into elaborate dishes in his hands.
Bianbian had never eaten such delicious and refined food before. It tasted even better than the meals served in luxury hotels.
However, she was the only one eating at the enormous table.
The Gu family’s young master never appeared from beginning to end.
Bianbian did not want the food to go to waste, so she ate until her little stomach became round and swollen.
After the meal, she asked Auntie Zhou, “Is Brother Huaibi not at home?”
Auntie Zhou gathered the dishes and replied kindly, “The young master is at home.”
“Eh? Then isn’t he eating?”
“He eats alone in his room.”
“Oh.”
Bianbian nodded.
She simply felt that it was terribly wasteful for one person to eat such a lavish feast alone.
That evening, Bianbian began placing her clothes and belongings inside the wardrobe. However, she discovered that it was already filled with many beautiful dresses, all in her size.
Auntie Zhou explained that Du Wanrou had prepared them for her in advance and that she could wear whichever ones she liked.
Bianbian took out the beautiful dresses and tried them on in front of the mirror, delight shining openly on her face.
She had never seen so many pretty dresses before.
However, after satisfying her curiosity, she still did not take any of them. She did not even remove the tags.
Instead, she carefully folded her own clothes and placed them inside the cabinet.
Her father had told her that being poor did not mean one should lose one’s pride. She could not casually take things that belonged to other people.
Besides, once her father earned money, he would send her beautiful dresses of her own.
Although…
Most of those dresses were usually taken by Zheng Xiangrong, Bianbian was not so destitute that she lacked clothing or food.
After completing her homework, Bianbian lay on the soft bed and stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep.
She was far too curious.
She wanted to know what Gu Huaibi had looked like as a boy to make everyone around him so frightened.
The man she had glimpsed briefly in her previous life had clearly been an elegant and handsome young gentleman.
He had not resembled the hideous and terrifying creature described by the rumours at all. People claimed that his genes had mutated, that an evil spirit possessed him, and that he had even transformed into a beast.
Rumours truly were frightening things.
While Bianbian’s thoughts were drifting, she suddenly heard footsteps outside her room.
The footsteps were heavy.
They definitely did not belong to a servant, because at this hour, the servants should already have returned to their own rooms to rest.
Had Young Master Gu finally come out of his room?
Bianbian sprang out of bed. Standing on tiptoe, she crept quietly towards the door and gently opened it a crack to look outside.
Young Master Gu’s bedroom was directly opposite hers.
Its door stood open, while the footsteps came from downstairs. Soon afterwards, she heard the sound of running water.
The Gu family’s second young master was probably getting himself a drink.
Bianbian decided to wait beside the door.
Once the boy returned, she would finally be able to see what he truly looked like.
A few minutes later, footsteps sounded from the stairwell.
He was coming upstairs!
Bianbian held her breath and stared fixedly at the corner of the staircase.
A violent thunderstorm had begun outside. Lightning flashed and thunder roared. From time to time, brilliant white light illuminated the dark house as brightly as day.
The first thing Bianbian saw was a dark shadow.
The shadow stopped at the corner, as though it knew she was secretly watching and deliberately refused to take another step.
Bianbian’s heart began pounding like a drum.
Gradually, she became frightened.
At the exact moment another flash of lightning illuminated the entire corridor, a monster covered in coarse brown fur suddenly appeared before her.
It had the head of a beast and the body of a human. Its enormous bloody mouth hung open as it lunged towards Bianbian’s door.
Bianbian screamed in terror and collapsed onto the floor, nearly frightened out of her wits.
The monster stood before her and looked down at her from above.
A faint, cold gleam flickered through its dark and unfathomable eyes.
Hearing Bianbian’s scream, Auntie Zhou hurried over and switched on the lights.
“Young Master, don’t frighten Miss Bianbian!”
Gu Huaibi turned and walked back towards his room. He pulled the beast mask from his head and tossed it onto the floor.
The mask rolled twice before stopping beside Bianbian’s feet.
The godlike and extraordinarily handsome boy glanced back at her indifferently, the corner of his eye lifting with a contemptuous smile.
Still shaken, Bianbian clutched her chest and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
He had truly frightened her just now.
She crouched down and examined the hideous beast’s head.
The frightening prop had been made extremely realistically. It looked almost alive.
Even though she knew it was merely an object used to scare people, Bianbian still found it frightening and tossed it farther away.
Fortunately, she had finally seen Young Master Gu’s true appearance.
He was not some terrifying monster with three heads and six arms.
The boy had neat, short hair. His skin was so pale that it appeared almost translucent, while his eyes carried a trace of wild, unruly wickedness.
He was so beautiful.
…
Early the following morning, Bianbian had just finished washing up when she heard several servants talking.
Apparently, her aunt had arrived at the Gu residence at dawn with Zheng Xiangrong. She claimed they had sent the wrong daughter and wanted to exchange the girls.
From the unwilling expressions on her aunt and uncle’s faces the previous day, Bianbian had already guessed that they regretted their decision.
She wandered towards the front garden and hid behind a tree to watch.
Beneath the grape trellis in the flower pavilion, Du Wanrou sat on an ornately carved rosewood chair, dressed in a fitted qipao. She drank her morning tea without expression.
The Gu family’s matriarch no longer appeared as gentle and approachable as she had the day before.
There was now unmistakable arrogance in her expression.
“During our previous discussions, you repeatedly told us that Bianbian was the blessed girl destined for my son. Why are you going back on your word now?”
After touring the princely garden estate the day before, Bianbian’s aunt had been unable to sleep the entire night.
Zheng Xiangrong had also cried bitterly all night, insisting that she and Bianbian exchange places.
Why should that country girl be allowed to enjoy a luxurious life with the Gu family?
She could not accept it!
“It was indeed our mistake. We got the girls mixed up. Bianbian is only a relative who came from the countryside and is temporarily staying with our family. The ‘blessed girl’ the master referred to should naturally be our Xiangrong, whose status is far more distinguished.”
Du Wanrou served as the chairwoman of the Gu Group. She had met countless people and weathered innumerable storms.
Naturally, she understood exactly what the mother and daughter were thinking.
They had clearly been dazzled by the luxury of the princely garden estate the previous day.
She despised them from the bottom of her heart, and her attitude became far more dismissive.
“The term ‘blessed girl’ refers to the person fated to be connected with our Xiaobi. It does not mean that the girl herself must possess a more distinguished identity.”
Bianbian’s aunt hurriedly smiled ingratiatingly.
“Yes, yes, of course. However, Xiangrong has lived in the building directly north of the Gu residence since she was born. If we’re talking about destiny, wouldn’t she share a stronger connection with the second young master?”
Du Wanrou’s long, phoenix-shaped eyes swept indifferently over Zheng Xiangrong.
In terms of appearance, the girl was far inferior to the delicate and fresh-faced Bianbian.
She had high cheekbones and thin lips. There was cunning in her eyes, but it was not the lively cleverness of an intelligent girl.
She appeared more like someone who enjoyed playing petty tricks.
Du Wanrou was reluctant to leave such a girl beside Gu Huaibi.
However, after considering the aunt’s words, she had to admit that there was some reason behind them.
Seeing that Du Wanrou appeared genuinely tempted, Bianbian became anxious and frowned.
It was not that she could not bear to leave the Gu family.
She simply did not want to return to the Zheng family.
The Zheng family treated her harshly. If she went back, she would inevitably repeat the tragedy of her previous life.
At that moment, the sound of soft breathing came from behind her.
Bianbian turned around and saw Gu Huaibi.
Gu Huaibi was only thirteen that year, yet he had already grown into the tall frame of a young man.
At 175 centimetres tall, he towered behind Bianbian, who was barely 150 centimetres. He seemed almost like a mountain beside her.
His brows and eyes were exquisitely defined. Scattered sunlight fell across his face, making his hazel eyes appear exceptionally clear and bright.
His long eyelashes shimmered in the light.
His skin was even paler than Bianbian’s, making his faintly red, thin lips appear all the more distinct.
Beneath the sunlight, his entire body seemed to glow, as though he had been gilded with the radiance of a god.
Bianbian stared at him blankly.
He held the beast mask in one hand and leaned against the locust tree beside her. His long eyes were shadowed beneath sharply defined brows, making his gaze appear exceptionally deep.
He asked casually, “Did I frighten you last night?”
Bianbian hurriedly denied it.
“Of course not.”
It had only been a fake beast mask. How could something like that frighten her so easily?
Gu Huaibi said coldly, “Liar.”
Under the gaze of those beautiful, clear eyes, Bianbian felt her cheeks begin to burn.
She could not say a single word.
Her pale little hands twisted the hem of her clothes. After a long silence, she cautiously asked him, “Gu Huaibi, can I stay?”
Gu Huaibi turned and walked away, his expression indifferent.
“No.”
She hurried after him and explained, “I’ll be very good. I’ll listen to you and won’t make you angry.”
Gu Huaibi glanced sideways at her.
The girl’s skin was clear and pale, like that of a porcelain doll. Her eyes were lowered beneath soft, straight brows, making her appear delicate and gentle.
She did not resemble the sharp and mean-looking girl in the flower pavilion opposite them.
He said indifferently, “No one wants to stay beside a monster.”
“But you’re very handsome. You’re not frightening at all, and you’re definitely not a monster.”
Gu Huaibi’s footsteps paused slightly.
A mocking expression entered his eyes.
The girl appeared completely sincere, without the slightest trace of pretence.
However, if she ever saw the other side of him when he lost control, she probably would no longer want to remain beside him.
That appearance was thousands of times more terrifying than the beast-head prop she had held.
Bianbian stood pitifully on the grass.
Gu Huaibi walked another two steps, but ultimately stopped.
He turned around and placed the beast mask squarely over Bianbian’s head. Then he pushed the “little monster” towards the flower pavilion.
“Scare her away, and you can stay.”
Wearing the monster mask, Bianbian looked pitifully at him and shook her head.
She knew she could not do such a thing.
The Gu family was a household with strict rules. If she behaved rudely in front of the adults, Du Wanrou would certainly become angry.
Gu Huaibi grabbed her by the collar and pulled her closer.
The corner of his eye lifted into a wicked, unruly smile.
“If you want to stay by my side, you have to obey.”
Leave a Reply