Deadly Trap.

Chapter 88. Making a Wish
Extremely cautious, Su Li approached the bedroom door.

Could it be that Tang Quan ambushed them while Gu Mufei was away?
Her heart was pounding nervously; but Su Li pressed herself against the door, trying to calm herself and listen carefully.

Finally, the downstairs door lock clicked smoothly, and the familiar sound of leather shoes echoed on the terrazzo floor of the living room.

Mu Fei. It must be Mu Fei.

Su Li grabbed her bathrobe and rushed out of the bedroom in a few steps, having long forgotten about how she had stubbornly refused to wait for him.

But the living room was dark. The dim light from the foyer shone obliquely, casting only two long and blurry shadows at the bottom of the narrow and steep staircase.

Su Li stood frozen on the stairs. The terrazzo was cold beneath her bare feet, and the warmth in her soles gradually numbed.

What if... what if she misheard—

Watching quietly in the darkness, Su Li's wrists trembled uncontrollably, but she still gripped the hilt of the Tang sword tightly, imitating Gu Mufei's posture, and leaned against the armrest.

The knife is so heavy.

Then she heard a familiar voice: "Welsh, thank you for your hard work. See you tomorrow."

She tossed the Tang sword directly into her palm, and it landed on the ground with a clang; then, Su Li stretched out her hands and fluttered down the stairs like a butterfly.

The moonlight was dim in the living room. As soon as he entered, perhaps afraid of disturbing others, or perhaps simply too tired, Gu Mufeng didn't bother to turn on the light. Leaning against the wall, his posture remained upright, only his bow tie was slightly loose, and even one of his cufflinks was undone, revealing the clearly defined contours of his wrist.

He was embraced tightly by Su Li.

Gu Mufei was taken aback at first. Then, he slumped softly into Su Li's arms, which were tightly embracing him.

Su Li greedily inhaled his scent, but was only choked by the smell of smoke and the pungent aroma of liquor, causing her to cough slightly.

But he has always been strict with himself and never indulged in alcohol.

Jiao Jin's hair was fluffy and soft, and Gu Mufei brushed against her ear.

"You're back." Su Li murmured as she hugged him tightly in her arms.

"Yes. Su Li, I'm back." His voice was exhausted, muffled, and soft.

With great difficulty, Su Li supported Gu Mufei's weight, carrying him halfway up the stairs. He was tall and slender, but Su Li was surprised to find him surprisingly heavy; if she were to rely entirely on him, she would not be able to move an inch.

His steps were less steady than usual, but Gu Mufeng's mind seemed as clear and astonishing as ever:

"For a single proposal, those old bureaucrats in the city are making things difficult for me in every way tonight; they might really be trying to get me drunk."

He was actually laughing.

“Dai Ze. He usually handles all the municipal social engagements, he works so hard. Su Li, am I... too strict?”

"My head hurts so much."

"Now, let me sleep for a little while. Tomorrow morning at 6:30..."

With a combination of support and assistance, Su Li finally let out a long breath and helped Gu Mufeng sit down on the edge of their bed.

Whether it was the alcohol or the headache, he was as obedient as a child, unusually silent and docile, letting her do as she pleased.

Su Li removed Gu Mufeng's layers of evening gowns. The early morning darkness cast shadows in the bedroom. Quietly following her, he watched Su Li's every move. However, his eyes were exceptionally weary.

Suddenly, Su Li realized that Gu Mufeng wasn't actually that young anymore. Before she came into his life, he had braved wind, frost, rain, and snow alone; it was probably common for him to be alone after social engagements.

Now, she's by his side, but who knows how long?
Year after year...

Button by button, Su Li unbuttoned his close-fitting black shirt.

Behind him, the night was deep, with light and shadow intertwining. Beneath his shirt, his daily training and combat were tireless; his chest and six-pack abs were smoothly defined, and his muscular biceps and V-line were softly wrapped in his fair skin, exuding tension.

However, the knife wound between his ribs had only recently healed. The newly formed scar was a long line that sloped dangerously from the bottom of his left ribs below his heart, only emerging on the side of his ribs, rising and falling slightly with his breath.

For a moment, Su Li was stunned and lost in thought. Her hand, which was about to take off his shirt, hesitated unconsciously.

Suddenly, Gu Mufei grabbed her dangling hand and pulled her into his arms. Using the leverage, he held her tightly. He slid off the smooth silk bed and knelt on one knee. He buried his head deeply in her heart.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Panicked and at a loss, Su Li could only anxiously massage his frizzy golden hair. She truly had very little experience caring for someone who was drunk.
"Lie down. I didn't expect you to be so drunk. I'll make some hangover soup right now. I'll learn how to make it online—"

"Su Li." His voice was muffled and indistinct as he nestled in her arms, "Tell me, what should I do if I want you to stay with me forever?"

His voice was low and hoarse but clear, not like someone who was drunk, but rather a rare sign of a slight unease in his heart.

"Mu Fei, I'm here."

Why all of a sudden?

Gu Mufei didn't say anything more.

After a long silence, still nestled deep in her embrace, he suddenly raised his right hand.

On his calloused fingertips, platinum branches and black enamel leaves cluster around a pigeon-blood ruby: round like a red bean, and as sincere as a heart's blood. In the dim light, it seems to hold a deep affection that has been accumulating for many years and refuses to dissipate.

His mother's belongings.

Will you marry me?

Looking up, Gu Mufei stared intently at her. His eyes held a galaxy of stars, yet he could only utter two simple words.

Her heart pounded. Su Li was stunned.

Her chest tightened, a bittersweet feeling swirling in her heart, and for a moment she couldn't tell whether it was longing or bewilderment.

Gu Mufeng smiled, his eyes gentle, not at all confused; given his responsible nature, he would never joke about something so important. And indeed, right before his eyes, he solemnly knelt on one knee.

She reached out; her fingertips were icy cold. Su Li gently stroked his slightly feverish forehead: "You're drunk. Get some sleep, we'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Ah."

Without a word, he gently released her and stood up, causing Gu Mufeng to lean back onto their bed. He silently put the ring back on.

In no time, he simply took off his clothes and threw them on the floor. Obediently, he crawled into the bed where Su Li's warmth still lingered.

>>>>>
As expected, Gu Mufeng didn't mention the proposal from that night again in the following days. Because of her parents' divorce, Su Li had long since become indifferent to marriage. Fate comes and goes like water, and she didn't care much about it. Besides, life went on as usual; she knew best how much love Gu Mufeng truly had for her.

But with the year-end approaching, everything, big or small, had to be put on hold, and even someone as efficient as Gu Mufeng was stretched thin. Su Li had just reached the office door when she saw papers fluttering in the air.

He just threw a thick stack of documents right in the face of the tax team leader:
"You think you can get it wrong by counting on your fingers? How about I send you back to kindergarten to relearn addition and subtraction?"

What a temper! Gu Mufeng, who never showed his emotions, was truly wronged by his eloquent tongue, which was full of ridicule and sarcasm.

Rou Ran bent down, and Su Li helped pick up the tax forms scattered all over the floor. Beside them, the tax team leader didn't dare to lift his head, trembling like a leaf.

"Redo it."

With his hands slamming on the table and his lips barely moving, Gu Mufeng raised a threatening brow and leaned forward. The oppressive atmosphere was chilling to the bone: "However long you sit, I'll wait."

Who would dare to make Gu Mufei wait any longer if they had ten more fat guts?
But at least there's still a chance.

As if granted a pardon, the tax team leader hurriedly took the paper from Su Li's hand and hastily mouthed half a "thank you." Before Su Li could even read it clearly, the tax team had already fled the office at breakneck speed.

"Mu Fei".

"I hold a rally at eight o'clock, and it will last at most three minutes."

With a flick of his wrist, the blue astrolabe of his watch flashed beneath the cuff of his black shirt.

Gu Mufeng quickly stepped forward from behind the table, gently wrapping his arm around Su Li's waist, his voice soft and soothing: "What's wrong?"

"My part-time design firm has a press conference tomorrow morning." Su Li cut to the chase: "The main speaker has fallen ill. They've assigned me to fill in. But I need to go to the school to pick up samples. As for going to the reception with you later, I'm afraid—"

Su Li spoke quickly. Before she could finish, Welsh gently knocked on the door behind her: "Boss."

"Speak!" For once, Gu Mufeng was extremely irritated.

Su Li thought to herself, "It must have been so hard for him."

She had only just received the assignment. Five minutes ago, she was sitting at the Cloud Bar chatting casually with Lulu. She had only intended to come in and inform Gu Mufeng, but now it seemed she was just adding to the chaos.

Should she leave first?
He held her tightly around the waist, his hands firm and unwavering, showing no intention of letting go.

"Boss, Gu Jia is asking you, is it Chinese New Year?"

"I will consider."

"Yes. Lilith from the foreign aid team reports, Minzhou Bank..."

"Can't her husband even take care of himself?"

"Yes. Municipal and Public Security Bureau—"

Impatient, Gu Mufeng's eyes flashed like a swift whip. Welsh stopped abruptly.

"We'll talk about it later. Has Dai Ze arrived? Tell him to come see me now."

"Yes, Boss." With that, Welsh closed the door and left.

"Mufei, I'll be going now." Su Li looked up and lightly pecked Gu Mufei's lips. But he seemed preoccupied, and the kiss was met with indifference.

Su Li walked to the door, but Gu Mufei called her back.

"Here you go." He tossed it aside casually.

With a graceful arc, Su Li steadily reached out and caught it; her fingers spread out, and in her palm was his Panamera car key.

"It's snowing, drive there. Be quick and come back."

"Mmm." Su Li answered softly as she put the keys into her handbag. Behind her, she waved lazily, "Well then, Mr. Gu, see you later."

"see you later."

The door was tightly shut. A moment of silence fell over the office. Gu Mufei slowly paced across the carpet to the window, leaning against the desk. He gazed silently out the window, overlooking the city of Minzhou: countless lights twinkling in the deep blue night, pure white snow falling gently.

In a state of semi-drunkenness, fueled by the alcohol, he hastily revealed his deepest, most hidden fears.

For countless nights, that recurring nightmare, the dark green corridor intertwined with the sea of ​​fire, remained unchanged. He never hesitated, always going against the current to pursue it.

But in an instant, he felt... Su Li had disappeared.

He awoke with a start. In a panic, he reached out to feel around, trying to confirm and confirm that she was still there. He hugged her tightly, using her real body heat to calm his heartache. But she slept soundly, and only a faint murmur of "Mumu" could be heard.

He proposed to her. This promise was just empty words.

Su Li doesn't want to be like Lulu, letting others and fate dictate her life; but she will never be Lulu. She and he are the same kind of person: not passive, not stagnant, not waiting. She will no longer need anyone's approval.

Life is short, so do what you want to do.

"Mu Fei? Welsh said you wanted to see me?"

Hastily, Dai pushed open the door: Gu Mufeng had been unusually attentive lately, scrutinizing every detail. This already struck Dai as odd.

"What's the matter that's so urgent?" He stopped after a few steps.

"Dai Ze." As night fell, Gu Mufeng turned around and smiled. "I'm stepping down. This gray world is all yours, how about it?"

>>>>>
Next chapter: Flowers and Fire

[Author's Note | Chapter 88]

Wine doesn't intoxicate, people intoxicate themselves. Almost impulsively, Gu Mufeng proposed to Su Li using his mother's heirloom. His impulsiveness didn't mean he wasn't serious.

In reality, he was too serious, so serious that he didn't have the courage to say it when he was sober; it was more like... a wish.

However, just like wishes often don't come true, Su Li didn't agree.

Mr. Gu, who was upset about his failed marriage proposal, unusually took his anger out on his subordinates. But where will their love go from here?

Is he serious about leaving the gray world?
Why do readers think Su Li rejected Gu Mufeng's marriage proposal?

Tell me what you think in the comments!

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(End of this chapter)