However, Gu Yuncheng was cold toward her and had rejected her confession. Lu Lili’s three years of pursuit not only yielded no results, but the day she went to the military base to find him, she heard the devastating news.
Gu Yuncheng had been killed in action.
He lost his precious life in a border conflict, his time on earth forever frozen at twenty-eight.
It was like a bolt from the blue!
Lu Lili nearly collapsed; she felt dizzy, and the world went black before her eyes.
He was dead!
Did this mean she would never see him again? Was heaven jealous of him? How could such an extraordinary man simply vanish?
Oh, God!
Lu Lili cried all the way back to her school that day, her soul seemingly scattered, leaving only a hollow shell. Passersby cast strange looks her way. From then on, she stopped brushing her hair or washing her face, living like a walking corpse.
When she graduated from university and returned home, her mother, Xiao Guilan, was horrified to see Lu Lili—haggard, disheveled, deathly pale, cheeks sunken, and utterly broken. She burst into tears.
"Lili, are you possessed? How did you end up like this? Don’t be afraid, just let me touch your hair, let me touch your ears..."
...
Time is a balm that heals wounds, wearing away the recklessness of youth, distilling the lessons of cold and warmth, and tempering the taste of life's joys and sorrows.
Three years later, Lu Lili finally emerged from the shadows of her grief. Her eyes regained their spark, and her complexion flushed with life once more. But the lingering effect of her failed gamble at love was a heart turned to ash. Lu Lili had no desire to marry or seek a partner; she preferred to remain alone rather than settle for less. Because Gu Yuncheng had set the bar so high, no one else could measure up. No matter what her mother, Xiao Guilan, said, she couldn’t be swayed.
At thirty, Lu Lili publicly declared herself a celibate, an advocate of singlehood. This intense, hidden love—not even known to her mother—remained buried deep within her, Gu Yuncheng becoming the eternal scar on her heart.
...
After her rebirth, she made a firm decision: she would never repeat her past life. It was too painful, too lonely.
...
Therefore, when a new choice appeared before her, Lu Lili resolutely decided to marry Xu Yueshan. She would not go to university in the Capital; she would not take that train and meet Gu Yuncheng, the man who had caused her a lifetime of misery.
Seeing Gu Yuncheng suddenly standing at her doorstep moments ago had given her a massive shock. She could never have imagined meeting him at home. In her previous life, they had met for the first time on a train.
And there was another shocking revelation: Gu Yuncheng was a relative of Xu Yueshan? In her past life, she had chased Gu Yuncheng for three years, yet she knew zero about him? She hadn't even been aware of such a simple fact?
Consequently, Lu Lili felt even more regret for the mindless, desperate love she had pursued in her past life. It was a ridiculous, pathetic joke! A mocking, bitter smile curled the corners of her lips.
Lu Lili had been eavesdropping from inside the room and had noticed that Lu Jinse’s attitude toward Gu Yuncheng was extremely warm. Just moments ago, she had even sent Xu Yueshan away for his sake. Gu Yuncheng also seemed to care deeply for Lu Jinse; not only had he bought her so many treats, but he had even promised to come visit her again.
As she thought of this, a malicious idea suddenly took root in her mind.
If Lu Jinse were to break up with Xu Yueshan and end up with Gu Yuncheng, wouldn't she eventually become a grieving, miserable widow, washing her face with tears every day after Gu Yuncheng’s death in three years?
Ha! A widow!
With such a cursed reputation, no man would ever dare approach Lu Jinse! She would be doomed to grow old alone. Meanwhile, she, Lu Lili, would be married to Xu Yueshan. Their lives would undergo a 360-degree reversal! This was a prospect she would love to see.
So, Lu Jinse thought she could flaunt her pretty face, be picky, and act superior? Acting like a spoiled princess, a white swan in the eyes of men?
Hmph!
Just wait until you fall into hell!
A flash of evil, cold light flickered in Lu Lili’s eyes!
...
After bidding farewell to Lu Jinse at the entrance of Xingfuli Hutong, Gu Yuncheng departed. He walked a short distance and looked back to see Lu Jinse chatting with an elderly woman sunning herself by the alley entrance. The white high-collared knit sweater set off her exquisite, jade-like face, and her tall, slender figure stood graceful and poised.
The bright, cheerful sunlight bathed her in a halo, and a faint breeze stirred her flowing long hair. Her temperament was quiet and ethereal, like a snow lotus blooming on a high mountain.
A trace of warmth quietly welled up in Gu Yuncheng’s usually cold eyes. This girl had not changed at all; she was exactly as she had been when they first met three years ago.
...
Gu Yuncheng felt a hint of regret. The timing of his visit today had been poor; someone had been eavesdropping, and he hadn't achieved his purpose. He walked toward his Jeep parked on the roadside, only to discover that Xu Yueshan, who had supposedly left, was leaning idly against the vehicle, smoking a cigarette.
The warmth beneath Gu Yuncheng’s handsome, arched brows faded, his phoenix eyes returning to their usual dark, somber state.
*Click.*
He pulled out the key and unlocked the car. The sound alerted Xu Yueshan, who stopped smoking.
Gu Yuncheng asked, "Why haven't you left yet?"
Xu Yueshan straightened up. "Second Brother, why did you take so long? I’ve been waiting here for twenty minutes."
Gu Yuncheng raised an eyebrow. "You were waiting for me? Is there something you need?"
Xu Yueshan glanced at the stares coming from passing pedestrians. "Second Brother, can we talk inside the car?"
"Fine."
Gu Yuncheng yanked the door open and sat in the driver's seat. The car was positioned directly facing the alley. At a glance, he saw that Lu Jinse had already returned home; she was gone.
He felt a surge of irritation. Seeing the half-finished cigarette in Xu Yueshan’s hand, he rolled down the window.
"Yueshan, can you not smoke in the car? Go outside, finish it, then get back in."
"Sure, I'll put it out." Xu Yueshan stubbed out the cigarette and tossed it out the window.
Gu Yuncheng leaned back against the seat. "What is it? Speak. I don’t have much time."
"Second Brother, I had no other reason for waiting; I just wanted to chat. When did you return to Rongcheng?"
His question seemed casual, but in reality, it was anything but.
Gu Yuncheng’s thin lips parted. "Three days ago."
Xu Yueshan asked again, "Second Brother, what did you come back to Rongcheng for?"
"And why is that?" Gu Yuncheng turned slightly, his dark eyes brimming with displeasure. "Do I need to report my movements to you? Are you my superior officer now?"
Xu Yueshan smiled, trying to explain. "Second Brother, that’s not what I meant. I’m just concerned about you, aren't I?"
Gu Yuncheng turned his head away. "You don't need to concern yourself with me. You’d better worry about yourself instead."
Xu Yueshan’s heart sank. "Second Brother, what do you know?"
He suspected that Lu Jinse had told Gu Yuncheng about their breakup. Was she in such a hurry to distance herself from him?
"Yueshan, why was that girl hanging all over you earlier?"
Gu Yuncheng answered the question with another.
Xu Yueshan didn’t realize the question was an answer; he only wanted to know what Lu Jinse had said to Gu Yuncheng.
"Second Brother, answer my question first. Do you know something?" he pressed.
Gu Yuncheng’s brow furrowed slightly. "Yueshan, is there something you're afraid of me finding out? Have you done something shameful?"
"Second Brother, it's not that I'm afraid of you knowing." Xu Yueshan’s peach-blossom eyes were filled with agitation. "What did you mean when you told me to worry about myself?"