Deadly Trap.

Chapter 75. The Legacy
"What's wrong?" Unable to contain his concern, Gu Mufeng took a few steps closer.

"Mu Fei, look."

Still completely incredulous and bewildered, Su Li shoved the document into Gu Mufeng's hands as if it were burning hot.

"No matter how I calculate it, it doesn't match up. Could there be a mistake somewhere?"

Gu Mufeng looked down and saw that it was a legally binding estate execution document issued by a law firm: a thick stack of documents, the first two-thirds of which were mostly technical terms, and it wasn't until this page that a list was given out the approximate total estate.

This is all the legacy that Su Yan left to her daughter after her death.

“This amount,” Gu Mufeng stated objectively after carefully reviewing the details in his hand, “is enough to make you completely financially independent. Now, you can resign immediately if you like.”

It seems that what he holds in his hands now is Su Yan's entire life after thirty years of relentless climbing.

Looking at the details of her income, Su Yan spent very little, carefully saving almost all of it. This included the money Su Li earned from years of part-time work under moral pressure, hush money from Tang Quan, stable trusts, and a small amount of government bonds. The overall amount was quite considerable.

Gu Mufeng couldn't help but sigh inwardly: In the end, a person's life is condensed into a few thin sheets of paper.

Compared to Su Yan's negligible amount, his signed and notarized will still lay peacefully in the safe. He was filled with immense gratitude; Gu Mufeng knew that if he weren't there, Su Li would be heartbroken.

Standing there for a long while, Su Li was stunned and didn't know what to think.

From childhood to adulthood, her mother despised her in every way, complaining that she was wasting the family fortune and sending her to earn money. She always thought that there should only be two or three zeros behind her mother.

But when she saw the total amount on the document, she was completely stunned: Su Li never expected it to be so much!

Since high school, she had been struggling to make ends meet by working part-time jobs, earning the meager funds she could through various means and by having to be mindful of others' attitudes. And she had always wanted to break free from her mother and go far away.

What are they?
"Mu Fei, I..." Outside the window, the wind and rain were bitter. Su Li clutched her heart, her voice trembling, barely able to speak:

"Am I a terrible daughter? She was murdered by Tang Quan's men, and I..." Tears welled up in her eyes, "...clinging to my own happiness here?"

"No."

With unwavering resolve, and tears streaming down Su Li's face, Gu Mufeng quickly gave a firm answer, but did not immediately approach her.

Su Yan single-handedly destroyed the happiness of others. She deserved to die, without a doubt.

When Tang Quan arranged for Butcher to silence Su Yan, and Gu Mufeng planned to use someone else to do the killing but was unable to save the situation in time, he knew he could not escape responsibility.

But he has no regrets.

Now, he watched helplessly as Su Li ultimately blamed herself for her mother's death. Her tears, hot and scalding, streamed down her face, searing into his heart. He felt as if his heart was being torn apart.

If blaming everything on him and making Su Li hate him would help her happiness, then he would immediately ask her to hate him.

Despite this, once the words were out of his mouth, Gu Mufeng remained composed, making no trace of his emotions:
"She wasn't a good mother, was she? You did everything you could for her. And she, as a mother, didn't do that for you."

Gu Mufeng recalled Su Yan's harshness and contempt towards his daughter, and his heart felt as if it had been squeezed tightly. He would not let Su Li, his sunflower, suffer for this again.

"But!" Su Li was still in tears.

"What you endured from her."

The bruises on Su Li's arms and chest from her mother's scratches had once enraged him; and there were also the numerous knife scars on her wrists. In that instant, Su Li's firm words to him, "To end it all," struck him to the core.

He took a determined step toward her:
“Those things, no amount of money can make up for. Money is just money. Su Li, whether or not you have this bequest, you are an independent individual, and you will be just as happy now.”

Then, gently, he reached out his hands, letting Su Li slowly nestle into his arms. Gu Mufeng then held her tightly in his embrace.

"This is the most important thing, Su Li."

Silently sobbing, Su Li leaned on his shoulder. Separated only by a thin shirt, Gu Mufeng's embrace was warm and cozy, his breath mingling with hers.

His heart pounded firmly in his chest. His chest rose and fell steadily. This was more effective than any amount of comforting words.

Gu Mufeng never tried to make her laugh intentionally. His words were always simple and unadorned, yet they always inexplicably made her feel at ease.

Thinking of this, Su Li couldn't help but laugh through her tears.

She laughed at herself: when she learned of her mother's death, she only felt relieved; but when faced with this unexpected inheritance, she was caught off guard and burst into tears.

She really is a "money-loving woman".

"Then, what am I supposed to do with all this money?" Seriously, Su Li had absolutely no experience with money. She quietly raised her head, carefully examining Gu Mufeng.

This person seems so cold on the surface.

In his eyes, there always seemed to be a deep, worldly-wise indifference and coldness; yet his embrace was firm and warm. Like two dark, deep pools, how could one not want to explore those eyes and stir up ripples within them?
"Since you're so good with money," Su Li said softly, almost coquettishly, "why don't you, expert, give me some financial advice?"

Her voice trailed off, like fingers tracing a path down his meticulously shaved jawline, cool at the tips, sliding along his Adam's apple. Calmly, she caressed his collarbone, which he only dared to glimpse.

Above his collar, Gu Mufeng remained expressionless, his cold eyes narrowing slightly with remarkable restraint.

Despite Su Li's careful concealment, beneath her black velvet choker, he still went straight for the mark, his thumb gently tracing the deep hickeys left by last night's outburst. Beneath his fingertips, he felt her warm pulse, lively and playful like a little rabbit.

"It seems," those cold eyes said calmly, "that you didn't have enough fun last night?"

Su Li leaned close and said, "That depends on whether Mr. Gu, a very busy man, is willing to make some time...?" She uttered the word "time" softly and for a long time. The lingering warmth spread, and her red lips naturally curled up and closed, as if asking for a kiss, meeting Gu Mufeng's gaze.

He swallowed softly. Their breaths mingled and flowed together, full of moisture.

This siren.

"Stop fooling around." A sly smile played on his lips, but Gu Mufeng quickly released his grip on her hand and walked to the side.

It wasn't that he didn't want to put his words into action and immediately pin Su Li down on that curtain wall overlooking Mingang and ravage her. After all, it wasn't the first time.

But during the day, everything was uncertain. He needed to stay alert at all times; he couldn't indulge in debauchery during the day. No matter how restless Su Li was, how deliberately she teased and tempted him, he could wait. Until nightfall—

As if nothing had happened, his tongue secretly licked the tips of his teeth.

"First of all, I am very touched that you trust me and ask for my opinion on your own property."

In front of the marble bar in the kitchen, almost avoiding the main topic, Gu Mufeng picked up an empty glass and poured himself a glass of ice water. Su Li lazily followed him to the dining chair, her gaze soft as she quietly admired the subtle movements of his arms and Adam's apple as he tried to calm himself down.

"However, I only do financial investments as a side job."

smoothly?

Su Li raised her eyebrows: Gu Mufeng really knows how to be humble. Since high school, he has worked two jobs every day to support his family, starting from scratch by listening to information in nightclubs, investing, raising funds and investing again, building up his current gray empire where he spends money like water.

Is this what you call "easy"?
Su Li was speechless.

Perhaps Gu Mufeng didn't want to admit it; but clearly, he inherited the Gu family's ability to dominate the business world.

At the same time, Gu Mufeng also saw through Su Li's thoughts. He probably wouldn't be able to shake this annoying habit of appearing and disappearing in other people's minds in his lifetime.

“I have no intention of being modest,” he replied frankly.

"Finance is not as simple as money making money. On the contrary, it is a social system. I am merely in control of intelligence, and when necessary, I fabricate 'intelligence' to seize opportunities in the game."

"But as you can see, I take risks against the wind; daily operations also take up a lot of energy and time. If you really want to invest, I recommend that you keep your mother's trust and government bonds, which will be more than enough."

"You already have enough savings, and in the future, you'll have a career you truly love. Isn't that already great? Why don't you..."

With a bright smile, Gu Mufeng looked at her and gently swirled the ice water in his glass: "Try it, you can spend a little first. How about it?"

"Spend a little?"

Stunned, Su Li's peach blossom eyes widened. Her mind was solely focused on how to make money generate more money. She hadn't even begun to consider spending it.

“Now,” she blinked, “will we spend it?”

"Money is only money when it's spent. Otherwise, it's just a number. A hundred million, billions, tens of billions, it makes no difference, and there will be no new experience."

Having said this so casually, Gu Mufeng put down the crystal glass and surprisingly smiled easily:
Why do you think high-end pricing is so expensive?

"Besides, since you like money so much, why are you unwilling to spend your own hard-earned cash?"

"That……"

In her mind, almost instantly, Su Li quickly laid out a plan: naturally, there were many goals waiting for her to achieve in the future. But now, she clearly had plenty of time and energy.

Before earning money, she had never spent money as she pleased. Thinking of this, Su Li was actually eager to try it out and full of enthusiasm.

She jumped up: "Then, shall we go shopping after lunch? Now I can buy you something. After all, I missed your birthday back then."

"However, won't you be in danger appearing in public? Tang Quan, he—"

Nervously, Su Li's eyes still couldn't bear to look at his left rib: the stitches from the knife wound there hadn't healed yet.

"will not."

Having reached the entrance to the cloakroom, Gu Mufeng casually grabbed their coats, a sly smile on his face: "Don't worry. The situation is different now."

After saying that, he reached out and gently brushed away the strands of hair that had slipped past Su Li's ear, and with a half-smile, he embraced her, her voice filled with unspoken worry.

>>>>>
Next chapter: Pleasing
[Author's Note | Chapter 75]

The unexpected inheritance from her mother plunged Su Li into self-blame; but Gu Mufeng offered her the comfort she craved most with the simplest words and a warm embrace…

How would you rate Gu Mufeng as a boyfriend, given his different personalities in and out of bed? (out of 10)

Prize quiz:

1. How much is Su Yan's estate in savings?

2. Just how much personal wealth does Mr. Gu actually have?

Come interact with me in the comments section!

Collecting, following, and voting will inspire young writers to write with even more enthusiasm!

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(End of this chapter)