Volume One, Chapter 16: Gu Hanxiao—Twenty-Seven Years Old, Walking the Edge of "Crime"
Beneath the white tank top, his muscles twisted and powerful, like a soaring eagle spreading its wings, exuding a magnificent and vigorous beauty of strength.
Su Nuan felt her face flush under the overwhelming surge of masculine energy, too embarrassed even to ask Gu Hanxiao why he suddenly took off his shirt, or why he used his jacket to cover his pants.
“You go in first.”
“Ah? Oh, okay.”
Su Nuan guessed that since most of the passersby were young couples, Gu Hanxiao might have thought it inappropriate for them to enter the cinema together. Thoughtful as ever, he handed her the extra movie ticket.
“Captain Gu, see you after the show.”
“Mm.”
Su Nuan waved goodbye, her slender figure swaying in a form-fitting dress as she placed her hands on her hips. Gu Hanxiao watched, throat bobbing, his knuckled fingers gripping his jacket tightly.
...
Su Nuan delightedly watched the new "Great Wall" film, immersing herself for an hour and a half in the leading actor’s performance and handsome features, only leaving after the credits rolled.
Following the crowd, she headed toward where Gu Hanxiao had parked but found no sign of him. With only bulky old phones and pagers at their disposal, she couldn’t reach him and was left waiting by the bicycle.
Under the tree across the street, a few rough-looking young men noticed her alone and swaggered over, cigarette dangling from their lips.
“Hey, pretty lady, all alone watching the movie?”
Used to being harassed in the town, Su Nuan calmly lied, “My fiancé went to the restroom. He’s in the navy. If you don’t want trouble, you’d better leave.”
The young men sized her up from head to toe.
“Ha! Which navy man would want a loose girl like you? Bet your man’s some pervert, haha.”
“Brother, I got something good to show you, guaranteed you’ll like it~”
Though Su Nuan barely understood their crude words, she knew their intentions were sinister. Clutching her handbag, she swung it forward, “You filthy scoundrels, get lost! If you don’t leave, I’ll call the Red Armbands and have you all arrested!”
Instead of deterring them, her words only fueled their excitement.
“Oh, I’m so scared~ I need to hug this pretty lady’s big chest to calm down~”
The ringleader licked his lips and lunged toward Su Nuan.
Seeing this, she tried to run, but the others cornered her against the wall.
“Hiss, look at that delicate face, like soft tofu. It must feel so smooth to touch...”
One even began unbuckling his belt right in front of her.
“Get lost!!”
Disgusted, Su Nuan closed her eyes, ready to scream, when suddenly she heard the thuds of painful groans from the thugs. She snapped her eyes open and was startled to find Gu Hanxiao standing right before her.
---
The man’s fist, as large as a bowl, pounded viciously on the ruffians, leaving them howling in pain.
“Ah! I-I won’t dare again, please spare me!”
Nearby, the Red Armbands heard the commotion and came running with batons in hand.
Gu Hanxiao was navy; Su Nuan worried an incident like this might get him into trouble, so she gripped his arm, shaking her head, “Captain Gu, don’t hit them anymore. It’s not worth getting them arrested!”
Gu Hanxiao grunted and kicked their backsides, “Scram!”
The thugs tumbled several times and landed right at the Red Armbands’ feet.
Seeing them walk into a trap, Su Nuan called out, “Comrades, these guys were harassing me!”
“Bullying a woman in broad daylight, you’ve got some nerve!”
Watching the Red Armbands take the troublemakers away, Su Nuan clapped happily, then waved to Gu Hanxiao, “Captain Gu, please wait for me a couple of minutes!”
He assumed she was going to the restroom but was surprised when she ran off to a grocery store to buy him peanut soda.
Before leaving town, Gu Hanxiao had seen Li Man hand Su Nuan the last three yuan she had. Most of that money went toward buying gifts for his family and covering their food and drink along the way. Knowing Su Nuan’s financial straits made Gu Hanxiao respect her even more for her genuine gratitude.
“Captain Gu, I’m great at shelling peanuts! Let me help you~”
With plenty of worldly experience, Gu Hanxiao could tell whether Su Nuan’s flattery was sincere or feigned.
“Done! Hehe, pretty good, huh?”
“...”
Looking at Su Nuan’s youthful and radiant face, Gu Hanxiao began to reflect deeply.
Their time together had made it clear: Su Nuan’s nature wasn’t bad. She had simply been shaped by the twisted and oppressive environment of the Su family, which warped her values and made her seek shortcuts through powerful connections.
Besides, she was only eighteen, the age when mistakes were bound to happen. Was it fair to judge such a young girl through an adult’s lens? And as her de facto guardian, did he have the responsibility to correct her vanity and materialism?
“Oh, by the way, Captain Gu, I don’t think I saw you at the cinema at all.”
Su Nuan’s voice broke his thoughts. Seeing her alluring, bright face close up, Gu Hanxiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.
“Hmm?” She awaited his response.
“...”
Turning his gaze away, Gu Hanxiao remained silent, though his heart was anything but calm.
Unbeknownst to Su Nuan, while she watched the movie, someone had stumbled into the inn’s bathhouse and stayed nearly two hours before emerging.
“...”
Gu Hanxiao had committed a grave taboo by acting this way toward a girl nine years his junior. Speechless, he dared not meet Su Nuan’s youthful, enchanting gaze.
---
“...?”
Unable to read Gu Hanxiao’s thoughts and noticing his unusually red ears, Su Nuan immediately understood.
He must have had an upset stomach earlier since matters like that were too embarrassing to mention openly. To ease her benefactor’s awkwardness, she cheerfully shared amusing stories from town.
“When I was eight, I once blew up a cesspit!”
“...”
When Su Nuan was still a child, he was already seventeen.
“At twelve, I was kidnapped by traffickers, but they let me go because I ate too much.”
At twelve, Su Nuan endured hardships; at twenty-one, he scolded a comrade for the disgusting habit of masturbation.
“Once on a train, a supposed talent scout told me I was pretty and wanted to take me to the Greater Bay Area to become a star.”
At eighteen, Su Nuan dreamed of fame; at twenty-seven, he skirted the edge of crime.
“...”
Now, Gu Hanxiao truly understood the meaning of “the past is unbearable to recall.”
Fortunately, they had arrived at the Gu family gate. Just as they stepped inside, they spotted Gu Jinghuai sitting on the steps, pouting.
“Little Sister Su Nuan!”
His eyes lit up at the sight of her, but upon noticing Gu Hanxiao trailing behind, he burst into loud cries.
“Aaaahhhh—”
“...?”
Su Nuan winced at the piercing noise and asked, “Second Brother Gu, what’s wrong with you?”
“Ignore him.”
Gu Jinghuai had a habit of throwing tantrums when upset since childhood. Gu Hanxiao was used to it. He placed the snacks he bought for Su Nuan into her arms and told her to rest first.
Not wanting to seem opportunistic by paying too much attention to Gu Jinghuai, Su Nuan obediently left.
“Hey, Little Sister Su Nuan, don’t go! I still have things to say—”
Gu Jinghuai’s voice was cut off by Gu Hanxiao’s icy glare. Feeling wronged and frustrated, he sulked.
“Brother, you’re lying. You’re such a big liar! Didn’t you say you didn’t like Little Sister Su Nuan...?”