Free Web NovelChapter 1054: Chapter 30: From Today On, Let Me Be the One to Cherish You
Nie Xiaoxing’s voice abruptly halted there, simply because her lips were forcefully sealed by another pair of equally cold lips.
Nie Xiaoxing widened her eyes in a slight daze, her vision shrouded by layers of misty haze, making the face right in front of her appear blurry and indistinct.
The sudden intrusion of warmth and softness in her mouth startled Nie Xiaoxing completely, her long, butterfly-like eyelashes fluttering chaotically, tears as big as beans rolling down from the corners of her eyes, "...No, don’t do this."
Gu Yan didn’t care, stubbornly holding her face with both hands, deepening the kiss further.
Nie Xiaoxing felt her throat being pressed to the point of pain, leaving her panic-stricken without knowing what to do.
Her thin, slender hands clutched at Gu Yan’s chest, her head continuously retreating.
Gu Yan removed his hands from her face, one hand abruptly tightening around her back, the other pressing on her nape from behind, preventing her from retreating, pouring his passion entirely into her mouth.
Nie Xiaoxing found her consciousness blurred, trapped in his embrace like a rabbit locked in an iron cage, appearing so small and powerless in front of Gu Yan, the relentless hunter, unable to escape.
The kiss lasted for an unknown duration, and when the lips finally, reluctantly parted, both lips appeared scorching hot and slightly swollen.
Although Nie Xiaoxing practiced taekwondo and had significant lung capacity, the kiss left her with a feeling as if she might suffocate and die if she didn’t exert extra effort to breathe.
Gu Yan also breathed heavily, his large hand holding Nie Xiaoxing’s neck, his forehead covered in hot sweat firmly pressed against hers.
His eyes were dark red, deeply and intensely staring into Nie Xiaoxing’s misty, moist eyes, he spoke huskily, "Nie Xiaoxing, I promise you, I will never let you get hurt again in the slightest. From today onwards, let me, Gu Yan, care for you."
Nie Xiaoxing stared at him, filled with doubt and disbelief.
She wasn’t questioning the truth of his words right now, because he seemed so sincere and serious.
Instead, she doubted whether her ears heard correctly.
"What, what did you say?"
Gu Yan lowered his eyes, glanced at her reddened and swollen lips, suddenly pressed down his lips, kissed hers heavily again, and said, "I said, from now on, I’ll be the one to treat you well and protect you."
Nie Xiaoxing’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears, looking into Gu Yan’s eyes still hesitant and disbelieving, she swallowed painfully, "Do you know what you’re saying?"
"I am very clear-minded." Gu Yan stared steadily at Nie Xiaoxing, his voice hoarse.
Nie Xiaoxing took a deep breath, sitting up straight on Gu Yan’s leg, "You, you don’t need to pity me..."
"It’s not pity!" Gu Yan’s hand slid down her back, gripping her waist, his brows furrowed deeply, his tone firm, "It’s sympathy!"
Nie Xiaoxing’s brow furrowed tightly, her face uncertain, looking at Gu Yan like this, suddenly she seemed to lose her ability to speak, unable to utter a word.
Gu Yan pinched her waist, pulling her back into his embrace, his chin resting on her fragile shoulder. Once both calmed down a bit, he asked, "So what happened next? How did you escape?"
Nie Xiaoxing turned her gaze to him, lightly pursed her lips and said, "Yan Shu was cautious and suspicious, moving the experiment site every so often, setting up new ones. I remember being transferred no less than five times during that period."
"Whenever I was clear-headed, I thought about how the transfer was the best chance to escape. Once at a new site, it’s almost impossible to bypass the guards to flee. Every time we moved, Yan Shu never informed us in advance, only notifying his men during the process. It was always rushed."
"I also understood that escaping wouldn’t be easy. So even when I decided to escape, I didn’t act immediately but waited for the right moment."
"During the wait, I cooperated with their experiments and stayed quiet during transfers to make them believe I had accepted the circumstances, hoping they’d lower their guard during the next move."
"I waited two months, and it proved necessary to endure because the escape went smoothly."
Speaking of this, Nie Xiaoxing’s lips curved slightly in a hint of genuine joy for a new life.
Gu Yan kissed her on the ear, "Mm, my Little Xing’er is very smart."
Nie Xiaoxing, "..."
The pale face couldn’t help but flush with a hint of red, trying not to acknowledge the strange feelings growing in her heart, she lightly bit her lip and continued, "Escaping the hellhole, I thought I finally got a rebirth, my worst days were behind me. But once I struggled to return home, the addiction struck."
Nie Xiaoxing’s voice choked, "My parents were terrified when I returned, perhaps scared those people would come for us. Overnight, they took me to the countryside. On the way, in the throes of my addiction, I nearly killed them. I was truly unconscious then, completely mad, with only drugs on my mind, willing to discard humanity for it."
Feeling Nie Xiaoxing tremble in his arms, Gu Yan could do nothing but hold her tighter.
"My parents were helpless and had to tie me up, stuffing clothes in my mouth to stop me from screaming. At our rural relatives’ house, I regained some awareness after suffering for a while. I asked them to tie me up in a room, no matter how much I screamed, shouted, or suffered, they were to ignore me. I wanted... to quit drugs!"
Nie Xiaoxing slightly turned her head, allowing herself a moment of weakness, leaning on Gu Yan’s shoulder, "It was truly agonizing, so painful. Every day felt like thousands of poisonous insects crawling inside me, biting my flesh, drinking my blood. Sometimes I’d hallucinate, feeling like those bugs crawled into my brain, under the skin of my face, occupying my body, thinking I might truly die."
Gu Yan gently inhaled, burying his face deeply into Nie Xiaoxing’s long hair.
"It took me a month to finally quit. Now, having quit, I still believe quitting drugs is the most difficult, torturous thing in the world," Nie Xiaoxing said bitterly.
Gu Yan gently caressed her back, "It’s all in the past."
"Is it really all in the past?"
Nie Xiaoxing’s eyes briefly showed emptiness, "Back when I escaped that hellhole and quit drugs, I naively believed so. But it wasn’t. Until now, Yan Shu’s men have been searching for me."
Gu Yan frowned, slowly lifting his face from her hair, looking at Nie Xiaoxing.
Nie Xiaoxing also lifted her head from Gu Yan’s shoulder, her eyes red and swollen, staring at him, "I already said earlier, anyone who’s seen Yan Shu, except for his confidants, are dying people. I’ve seen him, knowing his ruthless style means he’s determined not to let me live. So all these years, my family has been hiding, constantly moving to avoid the people Yan Shu sent to capture me. You witnessed it yourself; they’re everywhere."
"It’s different now. You are under my protection, Gu Yan, and not just him, Yan Shu, but even King Yanluo, won’t dare touch you under my watch!" Gu Yan said harshly.
Nie Xiaoxing’s eyes achingly widened, "Actually, you’re right."
Gu Yan slightly startled, "What?"
"Our family initially sought out your Gu Family and Aunt Yuan out of desperation, with impure intentions. Honestly, we had nowhere else to turn." Nie Xiaoxing’s eyes welled up with tears again, her throat choking to the point of being unable to speak.
Initially, they found Yuan Xihuo, looking for a night of protection.
At the time, she didn’t hope that Yuan Xihuo would like her or that she would marry Gu Yan.
But indeed, they came with a purpose! This was undeniable.
Gu Yan pressed his lips together, reaching to gently wipe away her tears, softly saying, "No matter what your initial intentions were when coming to our family. Just remember, from now on you can rest assured to live in Z City, steadfastly, without thinking about running again. Leave everything else to me."
Nie Xiaoxing knew, with the connections between Gu Yan, Rong Mochen, and Lei Yicheng, protecting her well was not difficult.
He was now promising her that he would protect her from harm by Yan Shu’s men.
She should feel happy and relieved.
Yet, that feeling was absent.
On the contrary, she felt despicable, sad, truly sad.
Nie Xiaoxing lowered her head slightly, tears falling like raindrops.
Slowly, Nie Xiaoxing reached out and held Gu Yan’s large hand resting on her waist, lifting her tear-filled eyes to look at him, "I shouldn’t selfishly bring trouble to you..."
"Mm, it’s good that you acknowledge you’re bringing me trouble."
Gu Yan didn’t let Nie Xiaoxing continue talking. For some reason, seeing her with such a guilty and sad expression towards him made his heart feel obstructed.
He deliberately smirked, a hint of mischief in his voice, his eyes teasingly looking at her, "So in the future, you better treat Young Master well, not just resort to hitting. Young Master is delicate and might not withstand your Mother King Kong-like punches!"
"..."
