Deadly Trap.

Chapter 79. A Little Effort
After spending nearly an hour and a half in the large bathtub, Su Li completely relaxed and took a bath. She watched the entire episode of the TV series, and sharply commented that the male lead wasn't even half as handsome as her Mu Fei. Only then was she satisfied and able to sort out her chaotic thoughts.

The entire penthouse was quiet and deserted.

After dawdling for a while, Su Li, rubbing her wet hair and wearing only a half-night robe, lazily walked downstairs.

She was almost speechless:
Flames danced in the hanging marble fireplace, and the long dining table, usually empty, was set with two dishes and a soup, steam still rising and dispersing, looking simple yet abundant.

Su Li blinked.

From the moment they met, she and Gu Mufeng were like migratory birds that regularly migrated to different places; they had never eaten a single meal in this apartment.

To be honest, Su Li had always thought this large black walnut dining table was smooth and beautiful, with the warm light from the overhead lamps scattering across it like fragments. But it was practically just for decoration.

Moreover, Su Li hesitated: "Didn't Yixin Group invite you tonight?"

Gu Mufeng rarely had any free time during dinner time. He was either invited away by this department or be lured away by that corporation. Just now, they had a passionate farewell kiss in front of the lobby; clearly, she had already seen him off with great reluctance.

As he was carefully lowering the shirt cuffs, Gu Mufeng casually remarked, "It's been turned down."

"But what can we do?" Su Li hesitated.

Her gaze fell back onto the table: she could cook herself, so she could tell at a glance that these were definitely not takeout, as they were all steaming hot from being cooked by hand.

Surely not? Her eyes turned back.

Stunned, Su Li stared wide-eyed at Gu Mufeng's aloof face, his features clear and distinct, seemingly untouched by worldly concerns.

"Is today a special day?" she asked tentatively.

No, please sit down.

Gu Mufeng held two beautiful crystal goblets between his fingers: clearly, they had never been used. He set them down one after the other, his left hand firmly gripping a bottle of aged Burgundy Pinot Noir that had already been opened.

As the ruby-red liquid gradually thickened and slid smoothly into the glass, Su Li was almost speechless and could only silently obey and sit down.

"Cheers."

The crystals clinked gently in their hands, producing a crisp, resonant sound.

"I haven't been in the kitchen for so long, I've forgotten a lot. The oxtail stew will take another two hours, you can have it as a late-night snack. As for dinner, I hope it will be alright."

Setting down his wine glass, Gu Mufeng spoke as if everything was normal:
“Indeed, only after using the kitchen,” he smiled gently. The smile was unusually complex. “Only then does a place feel like home.”

Home...?

Su Li remained silent.

His two home-style dishes were truly excellent; he not only chose ingredients she usually liked but also balanced them with his strict requirements for controlling oil and sugar intake. Presumably, while she was soaking in the bath for more than an hour, he had Quenxus buy and replenish everything on the spot.

The dishes couldn't be simpler: steamed mandarin fish and bok choy with oyster sauce, plus a bowl of yam and mutton soup, perfect for warming the stomach in winter.

She took a warm sip of the soup and felt a strange sense of wonder. It was such a simple, delicious flavor, but when he made it, she realized she could truly taste the flavor of home.

Startled, Su Li realized that she had done something incredibly foolish.

Since Gu Mufeng personally raised his younger sister, did she just magically appear out of thin air to eat three meals a day? How could she mistakenly believe that he was a celibate?
As for herself... Su Li hated the kitchen the most. When her mother was alive, she was always critical of her cooking. From the size of the chopped vegetables to the amount of salt, her mother was never satisfied.

The worst part is that even after she's been subjected to relentless ridicule and sarcasm, her mother is blind, and she still has to swallow her anger and continue cooking for the next meal.

However, judging from what Gu Mufeng said, the large professional kitchen and dining room have probably been empty ever since he moved into the apartment.

That was seven or eight years?
"Seven years." Gu Mufeng spoke casually, "But I've been cooking for eleven years now."

Eleven years, Su Li thought, indeed, that was after Gu Mufeng lost his sister and his "home".

Meanwhile, outside the curtain wall, snowflakes were falling heavily, while inside the living room, the fireplace glowed warmly and flickered, and the two chatted and laughed, keeping each other company as they enjoyed a home-cooked dinner.

Su Li picked up her wine glass.

Under the fragmented light, the Pinot Noir glowed with a rosy hue on her fingertips. This was precisely the wine she secretly favored.

She hadn't been with Gu Mufeng for very long, but somehow he seemed to have memorized all her daily preferences, from the Alhambra Palace to stewed oxtail and Pinot Noir.

As Su Li savored the wine, she felt a warm warmth in her heart, a warmth she longed for in the ordinary. Yet, within that warmth, a bitter sense of disillusionment, like shattered glass, slowly welled up within her, a feeling she couldn't ignore.

After a long pause, Su Li finally spoke slowly: "Mu Fei."

"Hmm?" "I understand your feelings. But I've thought about it for a long time. This afternoon," Su Li lowered her eyes, "I know that if it weren't for you, Sheng Chunqiu wouldn't have let me off so easily."

"The way he looked at me disgusted me. What four major financial groups? They're nothing but old capitalist thugs, bullying others with their power."

“Afterwards, you apologize to me. But naturally, you can't let Sheng Chunqiu find out about the affair; that would only make things worse.”

"It's clearly me who put you in this awkward situation. It's me who's too weak."

Su Li had never shed a tear in front of others. But now, she couldn't help but mock herself: why was it that only when she was with Gu Mufeng did her tears, accumulated over the past twenty-four years, flow like a dam breaking.

"The so-called 'standing shoulder to shoulder' is, in the end," Su Li's long hair fell down, obscuring her face, "nothing but empty words..."

Don't be foolish.

Gu Mufeng lifted her soft, damp hair and gently tucked it behind her ear: "No one can be perfect."

"But--"

How could Gu Mufeng not understand Su Li's thoughts?
“Listen, Su Li. I won’t allow you to be threatened in any way because of me.” He gripped Su Li’s hand firmly, which was hanging over her wine glass: “As long as you’re by my side.”

"Then," Su Li blurted out without thinking, amidst her bitter regret, "if I really want you... to pay a price of one hundred million?"

“I can give you everything,” he replied firmly, “but, Su Li, I will not pay.”

With unwavering resolve, Gu Mufeng stood up. He knelt down, looking intently into Su Li's somber eyes.

At this moment, her eyelashes trembled slightly, tears welled up quietly, and her eyes were slightly red. For him, she was truly "like a pear blossom in spring rain."

How could he not be deeply heartbroken?

“I know, Su Li, you won’t make me pay that 100 million.” He reached out and gently wiped away her tears with his fingertips. “You won’t let me fall into that situation.”

Su Li was in extreme pain.

"I just," she choked, tears still streaming down her face. Gu Mufeng wiped them away, and they flowed more and more, like beads falling from a broken string into the plate in front of him. "Mufeng, I don't want to, I don't want to be Lulu."

Lulu?

Gu Mufeng was momentarily puzzled. Why would Lulu...?
He furrowed his brow, deep in thought, a deep frown appearing between his brows.

Could it be that, in his severe injuries and near death, in a state of delirium, he instructed Lulu to make sure his will was delivered? But what did Lulu do with his will afterward?

Gu Mufeng's voice turned icy cold in an instant: "What did Lulu say to you?"

"Sister Lulu, she just..." Her gaze darted away, Su Li carefully considered whether to betray Lulu, and stammered softly:

"We chatted casually, and the conversation drifted to the past. She mentioned that she had been the wife of the former Chief of Staff of the Fri-Night Army. She also talked about what happened to her husband later..."

Unconsciously, Su Li clenched her robe tightly into a ball. The words "victim" seemed to automatically evoke a certain image in her mind, and biting her lip, she was too afraid to utter them.

"Later, Lulu told me how difficult it was for her; she said that she was grateful for your sincere care over the years."

"No wonder."

Releasing Su Li's hand, Gu Mufeng let out a cold snort. He gave a resolute, bitter smile:
"Unfortunately, Lulu's situation is far from that."

>>>>>
Next chapter: Selfish motives
[Author's Note | Chapter 79]

Who would have thought that Gu Mufeng, who seems completely untouched by the world, could actually cook?
Moreover, while Su Li was taking a shower, he silently cooked her a home-cooked meal.

The two of them finally found a home—a home they shared.

But amidst the sweetness, Su Li's inner turmoil deepened...

Do you think Su Li's worries are unnecessary?

What truth will Gu Mufeng reveal in the next chapter?

Tell me your thoughts on the young couple's relationship in the comments section!
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(End of this chapter)