Deadly Trap.

Chapter 40. Happy New Year
The night was thick, its dimness and ambiguity concealing everything.

Like a ghost in the night, the matte midnight blue Panamera Turbo S sedan silently glided out of the dark underground parking lot of the concert hall and headed towards the brightly lit Ishido Island in the middle of the dark river.

Welsh has already arranged for Yi Heng's remains to be sent to Li Enzuo.

The streetlights trailed behind them, flashing briefly, and the interior of the car flickered with light.

Although it was already past midnight, the Parrot River was bustling with activity: noisy crowds were still celebrating the New Year, and fireworks flashed across the shimmering river surface.

Tonight, Gu Mufeng acted out of character: as if he were afraid he wouldn't have enough time, he drove his car incredibly fast. The entire car sped along the deserted Binjiang Expressway, hugging the ground.

Using the paddle shifter in his hand, he calmly pulled a small bottle of cognac that Welsh had brought from the glass. Holding it steady with one hand, he forcefully popped off the cork and took a few big gulps himself.

His face was pale.

Immediately afterwards, he brought the glass bottle to Su Li's slightly parted lips in the passenger seat. With a flick of his wrist, the bottle tilted gently upwards.
"Cough, cough!" Su Li coughed violently. The sudden influx of strong liquor into her throat stung her, bringing tears to her eyes.

She felt as if she had just woken up from a dream.

However, it was a real nightmare from which one could not even wake up.

As death revealed its presence, a dizzying terror settled in Su Li's mind; her already nauseous stomach churned even more violently. Suddenly, she lost control, clutching her chest and retching intensely.

"Have some more."

Before her, Gu Mufeng gently shook the bottle of cognac. The honey-colored Pan's poison flowed in his pale hand, looking exceptionally tempting.

Instinctively, Su Li hesitated whether she should take the bottle. Having truly witnessed Gu Mufeng's world, she now felt it necessary to be highly suspicious of everything he offered her.

"Don't be silly." Gu Mufeng chuckled, as if he could see through her thoughts.

hateful.

As if in a fit of pique, Su Li snatched the bottle from his hand and drank it down without hesitation.

Fortunately, he didn't give her much left.

After gulping down half a bottle of cognac, Su Li felt inexplicably better, both in her stomach and in her mind, but her head seemed even more dizzy.

Sure enough, the strong liquor brought color back to her frightened cheeks, but she felt her face burning hot.

No, she had a fever all over her body.

“I remember…” Su Li frowned.

Perhaps ravaged by alcohol, Su Li stared at the blurry scenery rushing past the window, her memories also becoming hazy and incoherent.

"Don't think about it. It's not a memory worth remembering. It's better to forget it." Gu Mufeng replied calmly in response to her voice. His voice was calm, and at this moment it sounded indifferent and cold.

Su Li turned her head: His expression was still very bad.

With a casual gesture, Gu Mufei rolled down the car window. In the crisp winter night, the riverside breeze blew in his face, scattering his golden hair and the thin beads of sweat on his forehead.

"but--"

"Su Li, stop thinking about it." Without room for argument, Gu Mufeng's voice was cold and firm, cutting her off decisively. "You won't like it. Forget about it. As if tonight doesn't exist. Tomorrow—"

"I won't like it? Mu Fei."

Seeing how effortlessly he handled the situation, Su Li gritted her teeth and said, "I hate being treated like an idiot even more!"

Finally, in the passenger seat, unable to bear it any longer, Su Li roared in fury:

"Do you think you can control everything, Gu Mufeng? Just like you control this car, control your organization; use money to control my life and dictate my will."

"But, it's completely different inside and out!"
"I have my own thoughts and feelings; I don't need you to tell me what I should remember and what I shouldn't. I don't need you to tell me how to face each and every one of them—"

Startled, Su Li choked abruptly. But then she exclaimed, "How should I think if I don't need you to dictate it to me!" Gasping for breath, she clenched her fists, her body tense and trembling.

"Gu Mufeng, listen carefully: I don't need you to correct my memories or manipulate my emotions. I'm making my conditions. You're not allowed to interfere with my choices!"

"Good or bad, whether I agreed to be your mistress or I willingly defiled myself, Gu Mufeng! I made my own choice! If you're so capable, make me lose my memory!"

Gu Mufeng's fingers suddenly gripped the steering wheel tightly. The ruby ​​ring left a deep white mark.

Make her lose her memory?

Deep down, her chest heaving, Su Li let out a long, pent-up breath:
"At least, ah, it's a truly wonderful New Year's Eve! I was originally, still, towards you—"

Suddenly, without any emotional shift, her voice stopped abruptly. The alcohol she had just drunk seemed to instantly transform into scalding tears. They involuntarily welled up in her eyes, swirling back and forth. She swallowed back the last few words.

Unable to speak.

Her fear was deeply real, her dread unmistakable; now, it was no longer just fear of that head, or of death itself.

Although her body was slightly feverish from the alcohol, it couldn't give her the courage she truly needed. Without a sound, she curled up in the heated seat.

Slowly, Gu Mufei pulled the car onto the emergency lane and brought it to a stop.

In the endless silence, he gazed unilaterally at Su Li beside him.

Su Li, tears welling in her eyes, clenched her fists, trembling with fear; but she refused to let a single tear fall from her raised cheeks.

After a long while, Gu Mufeng slowly leaned closer. His slightly cool palms enveloped her stiff, thin shoulders. He embraced her.

"I'm sorry. My world is a mess." His voice was hoarse.

Su Li listened to him talk, but she didn't want to look at him at all.

"My life has only taught me one way of living: to solve problems. Otherwise, wait to be solved."

Why could his tone still be so cold? It was as if he was merely calmly relaying someone else's feelings:

"Please don't leave me because of this, okay?"

In the complete darkness that enveloped them, the joy of celebrating the New Year was perhaps already destined to be something they could never experience. Su Li silently looked out the window: the dark river murmured not far away. She sat motionless.

If her outburst just now was simply attributed to anger, then in reality, she was even angrier at herself: angry at her own uselessness, angry at her own weakness. Angry at herself… How unreliable is humanity's so-called attempt to control emotions with reason, the presumptuous belief that it can detach itself from the situation!

In that instant, Gu Mufeng's sudden and complete opening of his heart to her, and his embrace that held her burning body temperature, tormented her both inside and out.

Now, everything is in complete chaos. She has to act immediately, before they both get too deeply involved.

"Gu Mufeng".

Silently, Gu Mufeng's arms tightened around her. Turning her head, Su Li quietly wiped away all her tears.

In the darkness, which they gradually adjusted to and settled into, they met eyes just as they had when they first met:
"I think there's something I need to tell you."

>>>>>
Next chapter: Confession
[Author's Note | Chapter 40]

Happy New Year!

At the start of the new year, everything seemed to be something to look forward to. However, on New Year's Eve, Gu Mufeng and Su Li faced their most perilous crisis yet.

Gu Mufeng was used to being in control. He could control money and power, and manipulate the will of others, but he had no say in Su Li…

Perhaps he longs for a little bit of reality.

What do you think Su Li will confess to Gu Mufeng?

Come and guess! Tell me in the comments!
Please add this to your favorites, follow along, and vote so the author can continue writing sweet and exciting romances between two strong characters!
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(End of this chapter)