"He's long been dead; a dead man can't hurt anyone. Someone else smashed Chu Suosuo's fingers, but as to who that person is and why they sought revenge on her, I truly have no idea." Su Hua's voice was very calm, yet slowly a layer of tears gathered on her lower eyelashes.

Gu Beixian looked down at the grave.

It was an ordinary grave that couldn't be more ordinary.

It looked old, with a bunch of wilted wildflowers placed in front and burnt paper ash on the ground.

The grave was so simple, just a mound of yellow earth without even a tombstone.

It was impossible to tell who it was for.

Gu Beixian faintly curved his lips. He had asked her before who Ah-Yao was, but she had avoided answering.

After pulling up an image of Ah-Yao's back from the surveillance footage, she randomly picked a small grave to fob him off.

She didn't know that the first time she called out "Brother Ah-Yao" in her dreams, he had sent people to this small village to secretly investigate Ah-Yao.

All ninety-eight households in the village, regardless of gender or age, unanimously claimed there was no one named Ah-Yao in the village.

So, it was impossible for Ah-Yao to be buried in this grave.

She was always sincere and earnest, but now, to protect her Brother Ah-Yao, she lied.

Gu Beixian felt very uncomfortable, a surge of anger rising within him.

He was about to expose her lie when he saw her eyes, unknowingly veiled with tears, staring at the grave with a sorrowful expression.

The wild wind blew by, and her slender frame seemed on the verge of collapse, stirring pity in him.

His protective instincts were instantly triggered.

His anger softened, and he reached out to pull her into his embrace, saying softly, "Alright, I won't pursue it any further, stop crying."

Su Hua's face pressed against his collar, tears silently streaming down.

Soon, a small patch there was soaked, her slender shoulders trembling slightly.

Gu Beixian stroked her thin back, his tone chiding yet indulgent, "Next time you go out, tell me in advance, got it?"

Su Hua didn't respond.

Suddenly, a "gurgle gurgle" sound emerged, particularly clear in the silent wilderness.

Gu Beixian smiled lightly, only now feeling hungry.

Su Hua was slow to react.

She wiped her eyes and stepped out of his embrace, looking up at him, "Is your stomach growling? Are you hungry?"

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"Yeah, I haven't eaten since noon yesterday, how could I not be hungry?" His tone carried a hint of grievance.

"Why didn't you eat?"

"You disappeared, and I was too busy leading the search for you to even think about eating."

Su Hua felt a touch of sadness.

He made it too easy for her to get the wrong impression, to think that he really cared about her.

But the last time she thought this way, he had used Chu Suosuo's name to propose a breakup to her.

"Let's go back for a meal, Sister Liu should have the food ready. After eating, you should go back," Su Hua said softly.

Gu Beixian paused slightly, then hummed in agreement.

The two walked side by side toward the village.

Back at home.

Shen Huai was setting up a table in the courtyard, while Sister Liu carried bowls out from the kitchen.

Seeing Shen Huai, Gu Beixian reached out to hold Su Hua's hand.

Su Hua tried to pull away, but couldn't.

Shen Huai's gaze fell on their clasped hands, his eyes darkening slightly.

Sister Liu, a bit scared upon seeing Gu Beixian, said, "Mr. Gu, my phone was dead yesterday, I didn't receive your call."

Gu Beixian didn't mind, saying, "It's fine, let's eat."

They all took their seats.

Gu Beixian picked up an egg and started peeling it, then placed it in front of Su Hua, "Eat."

Su Hua passed it back to him, "You're hungry, you eat first."

Shen Huai said with a light smile, "You cousins sure have a good relationship."

Gu Beixian's gaze turned cold, his tone very light, "I am her..."

"Cousin, he's my distant cousin," Su Hua interrupted Gu Beixian, saying with a pout, "I'm his poor relative from the countryside, I worked as a maid in his house for three years, taking care of his daily needs."

Shen Huai expressed regret, "You have such good skills, yet you worked as a maid, what a waste."

Su Hua glanced at Gu Beixian with a meaningful look, "It's okay, his family pays well."

No sooner had she finished speaking.

She felt a hand suddenly land on her thigh.

Then, under the table, that hand pinched her leg, tickling her and feeling a bit naughty.

Naughty enough to make her heart race.

Su Hua's ears turned red, and she glanced sideways at Gu Beixian, signaling him to remove his hand.

But his expression remained serious as he slowly sipped his porridge with a spoon, looking very refined.

There was no hint of his mischievous actions beneath the table.

Su Hua grabbed the restless hand, trying to move it away from her leg, but couldn't. Instead, he clasped her hand.

He held her hand, fingers interlocked.

And with his thumb, he gently rubbed the palm of her hand.

Rubbing until her palm was sweaty.

With one hand injured and the other held by Gu Beixian, Su Hua couldn't eat.

She just sat there, motionless.

Gu Beixian turned to look at her, his eyes smiling, and deliberately asked, "Hua Hua, why aren't you eating?"

People usually called her Su Hua, but now he deliberately called her "Hua Hua."

Su Hua glared at him in feigned annoyance.

Gu Beixian laughed, "Not eating, are you waiting for your cousin to feed you?"

He scooped up a spoonful of porridge with his own spoon, tested the temperature with his mouth, and brought it to Su Hua's lips, "Open up, let your cousin feed you."

His voice was a mix of flirtation and teasing, mostly playful.

Su Hua's face flushed instantly.

She pursed her lips tightly, refusing to open them.

Gu Beixian's smile deepened, "Not satisfied with being fed with a spoon? Would you prefer your cousin to feed you mouth-to-mouth?"

Su Hua hadn't expected him to escalate things.

She rolled her eyes at him with a bit of disgust, "You've used that spoon, get me a new one, please."

Gu Beixian took advantage of her open mouth to shove the spoon inside, "We used to share a spoon all the time, and you never minded. Now that there's someone else here, you mind? That's not a good habit."

Su Hua was force-fed a spoonful of porridge, glaring at Gu Beixian as she chewed with gritted teeth.

Shen Huai shrugged helplessly, "Su Hua, your cousin really dotes on you."

Gu Beixian pinched Su Hua's hand under the table, smiling, "Of course, a cousin is there to be cherished."

Sister Liu's face was almost buried in her porridge bowl.

She thought: Rich people sure know how to play, pretending to be cousins for a thrill when they're clearly husband and wife.

Finally, the meal was over.

Sister Liu stood up to clear the dishes.

Su Hua said to Gu Beixian with polite detachment, "You're busy with work, you should head back after eating."

Gu Beixian looked at her tenderly, "Come back with me. It's desolate here, nothing's convenient. Your cousin misses you terribly when he doesn't see you for a day."

Su Hua's ears tingled from his flirtation.

She never expected to shoot herself in the foot.

After a pause.

She looked at her injured left hand and said, "I can't work for three months with this hand, there's nothing for me to do if I go back, I'll just recuperate here."

"That's fine, then your cousin will come find you tonight."

He emphasized the words "tonight" and "find you," as if he had some important business with her at night.

Su Hua quickly said, "No need, it's quite far from the city here, it takes several hours by car, it'll affect your rest."

Gu Beixian lifted his hand to affectionately pinch her nose, "You, why are you getting more stubborn?"

Su Hua turned her head away, warning him in a soft tone, "Please don't touch me like that, okay?"

"I'm your cousin, isn't it normal for cousins to do this?"

He lifted his hand to caress her cheek, his fingertips gently tracing her flushed lips, his smile somewhat dangerous.

That scholarly and abstinent face was now mischievously enticing.

Su Hua had treated him with mutual respect for three years.

He was either depressed and irritable, scholarly and abstinent, or gentle as jade.

Even in bed, he maintained a righteous demeanor.

She had never seen this side of him, a dashing playboy, utterly debonair.

She was so flustered that her face turned red and her heart burned with desire.

She quickly turned away, dodging his touch.

Shen Huai's face had turned quite ugly by now, and he couldn't stay any longer, standing up and leaving.

Su Hua couldn't sit still either, standing up and heading towards the house.

Gu Beixian followed her into the bedroom.

From behind, he wrapped his arms around her, turning her around. One hand moved her injured hand aside, while the other pinched her chin, leaning in to kiss her.