Gu Mo Xi turns to face her, and for a second, they lock eyes. There's something in that look, man. It's like he's sizing her up. And then, without a word, she gets to work. And damn, she's good. At first, we didn't have much hope, but seeing how skilled she is, our hearts start to calm down.

Now, Zhan Yan, he's got his back turned, so he doesn't see Gu Mo Xi shooting this girl a look of mild surprise. Those eyes of his, deep as the ocean, pause for a moment as he watches her work. And when he sees the blood seeping from her left arm, his whole demeanor changes. Suddenly, he's cold as ice, and it sends a chill down your spine.

The clock keeps ticking, from two minutes ten seconds to two minutes, then to one minute thirty seconds. Zhan Yan's eyes are fixed on the clock, his movements fluid and practiced. But as the seconds tick away, his pupils dilate for a moment. And when the clock hits thirty seconds, he suddenly says, "Cut that wire."

With a snap, the blue wire is severed, and the clock goes from ten seconds to nine, then to one. And then, we hear it. "Beep, beep, beep." Zhan Yan knows she's done it. He's pale as a sheet, taking deep breaths. But before he can even collect himself, he notices the girl's arm, now covered in blood.

Gu Mo Xi's face darkens, his military aura kicking in. He's intimidating as hell, and everyone instinctively steps back. And just like that, before we can even ask any questions, he scoops her up and heads out.

We're all left standing there, dumbfounded, as he climbs into his fancy Jeep and drives off into the distance.

Han Jin Yu's gaze follows the disappearing car, his expression inscrutable. And as the others come down from the building, they're swarmed by reporters, bombarding them with questions. But as soon as they hear the bomb's been defused, they all breathe a sigh of relief.

On the sidelines, even Wu Xiong can't help but shout for joy. Who would've thought that kid, who looked barely twenty, had it in her? He's still in disbelief. Gu Mo Xi, who usually keeps his distance from people, actually carried her out himself. It's mind-blowing. He hopes he'll get to see that kid again. It's not often he comes across someone who catches his eye like that.

As soon as they arrive at the hospital, word spreads like wildfire, and the hospital director comes rushing over. The whole place is buzzing with excitement at the sight of the hospital director personally attending to a young man. They immediately whisk her away to a private room, and the efficiency is off the charts. The hospital director personally oversees her examination and confirms that she's been shot in the left arm, but thankfully, it's not too deep.

When Gu Mo Xi hears about her getting shot, he goes dark, his military demeanor kicking in. He's like a coiled spring, ready to snap. But as she's wheeled into the operating room, he stands outside, pulls out a cigarette, and lights it. Smoke curls lazily from between his fingers as he gazes through the window, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. After taking a drag, he stubs out the cigarette with his foot, crushing it into the ground.

Gu Mo Xi stood outside the operating room, his gaze fixed on the bright lights emanating from within, feeling somewhat restless. He never expected to see her again in such a situation. His phone rang, and he answered to hear Mo Cheng's anxious voice on the other end. "Bro, you okay?"

"Yeah!" He glanced once more towards the direction of the operating room, his dark pupils revealing a hint of tension and softness.

"That old man dared to hinder our Gu family like this. He really thinks our family is easy to bully?" Mo Cheng ranted on and on, growing more furious by the second, wishing he could just blast that so-called research institute to bits. Gu Mo Xi listened quietly, occasionally lifting his gaze, until the lights in the operating room finally dimmed. His furrowed brow relaxed, and he abruptly hung up the phone, walking towards the room. The hospital director emerged first, removing his mask and respectfully saying, "Young Master Gu, the young lady inside is fine now. She just needs a few days of rest, and she must keep her arm dry."

The nurse moved her to a VIP room, helped set up the IV drip, and then left. Gu Mo Xi sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her pale face. The whole room felt empty and cold, and he could almost hear his own heartbeat echoing. After a moment, Meng Zhan Yan groggily opened her eyes, meeting his deep gaze. Gu Mo Xi was taken aback for a moment, but neither of them spoke. Meng Zhan Yan was never one for words, and she didn't know what to say. To her, this man was just a stranger from a one-night stand, someone irrelevant to her.

Gu Mo Xi, on the other hand, felt a rare complexity within him. At first, he felt somewhat guilty about her, especially seeing the blood on his pants. She had given him her first time, but then she had the audacity to demand a hundred thousand from him afterward. He couldn't help but feel repulsed and disgusted by her. A lion's mouth, demanding a hundred thousand? Was it going to be a hundred thousand next time? Or a million? Was she going to treat him like an ATM, endlessly pestering him?

Though a hundred thousand wasn't much to him, he wasn't going to let himself be taken advantage of by a woman. Despite her appearance not suggesting she was a prostitute, he couldn't shake off his disdain. Without a second thought, he coldly told her to leave. He expected her to stubbornly stay in the car, but surprisingly, she complied without further ado, obediently getting out of the car. Yet, her eyes held a sense of bewilderment and clarity.

As he drove away, he couldn't help but think about those bewildered, clear eyes. She seemed weak, but she held her head high without bowing down. He felt a mixture of guilt and complexity. Before he could fully process his feelings, he found himself reversing the car back to where he left her. To his surprise, she was already gone. He didn't think much about it in the following days until today, when he saw her again.

"How are you?" Gu Mo Xi stood beside her, sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting shadows on his imposing figure. His face was somewhat shadowed, making it hard to read, but when he spoke, it was clear he was addressing her. She was momentarily surprised before calmly responding, "I'm okay."

Her face remained calm as she lay quietly on the bed. It felt as if they were old friends casually conversing, with neither of them initiating further talk. Gu Mo Xi was slightly surprised by her calm demeanor, but it quickly passed, and he regained his composure. "That's good," he said after a pause, "You'll stay here for a few days until you're better. No arguments."

"I don't need to. I'm fine. I want to leave today." Her tone was firm, and Gu Mo Xi's expression softened slightly, but he remained resolute. "After the drip, I'll take you home. Where do you live?"

"Huh?" She looked at him, momentarily puzzled, before refusing, "No need, you can go. I'll go back by myself later."

Gu Mo Xi didn't respond, turning to leave. Meng Zhan Yan thought he had already left, but after a moment, she realized he had returned with some fruits he had bought from a nearby stall. Since there were no chairs beside the bed, he sat on the edge, his posture straight and elegant, as he peeled a pear with some awkwardness at first, but then his movements became smoother. Surprisingly, the peel remained intact, and he handed it to her.

Taking it, Meng Zhan Yan thanked him softly and took a small bite, and then they fell into silence again.

"Hello, Gu Mo Xi." She reached out, her gaze on him, and didn't immediately withdraw her hand.

"Meng Zhan Yan." She continued to eat the pear, looking outside the window with a forlorn expression. Her eyes, clear and calm, bore the weight of sorrow from her scar, which ran from her forehead to her cheek, adding a touch of desolation to her demeanor.

Gu Mo Xi retracted his hand, looking at her with some surprise. If he wasn't mistaken, he saw a sense of desolation in this seemingly weak woman. Despite her youthful vibrancy, she seemed to possess the wisdom of an old soul, seeing through the world's illusions.

The entire afternoon passed in silence, with the sound of a pin dropping audible in the room. Meng Zhan Yan acknowledged she wasn't naturally sociable, and Gu Mo Xi had the demeanor of an ice block, making conversation with a stranger an impossible feat.

By the time she finished her drip, it was already six in the evening. She watched as he sat motionless on the edge of the bed all afternoon, his expression unchanged, his posture elegant and appealing, even when he didn't move. He remained attractive, drawing her gaze irresistibly.

When the doctor entered the room, he stood up, a rare sight, and as soon as the needle was removed from her hand, he swiftly pulled her into his embrace. Meng Zhan Yan was taken aback, feeling as if this gesture had been rehearsed a thousand times to be executed so smoothly. His broad chest and the masculine scent that enveloped her made her frown slightly, but before she could resist, his magnetic voice sounded, "Don't move." She froze, not daring to move.

As Gu Mo Xi led her out of the hospital, the sky had darkened, and the streetlights illuminated the bustling city. He glanced at the darkening sky, then at the woman in his arms, his stern face betraying a hint of hesitation.

Meng Zhan Yan seemed to sense his hesitation and slightly pulled away, feeling somewhat weak and unable to resist, but her gaze was calm as she glanced at him and said, "You can go. I'll go back by myself." With that, she turned to leave.

Before Gu Mo Xi could register his thoughts, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. Her hand was cold as ice, an oddity in the summer heat. He stared at her frail body, suddenly saying, "Come to my place. I'll write you a check."

She was taken aback, surprised that he was offering her money. There was a hint of mockery in her smile, but she couldn't deny that she was tempted. After all, that hundred thousand was earned with her own body. What was wrong with taking it? "Okay."

"I'll drive. Wait here."

After they got into the car, Gu Mo Xi started the engine and drove onto the highway, finally stopping outside a luxurious apartment in the wealthy area of West Third Ring. After Meng Zhan Yan got out of the car and followed him into the elevator, neither of them spoke. Gu Mo Xi stole glances at her continuously, finding her unlike any other woman he had met. She wore no heavy makeup, her appearance simple and refreshing. Unlike the first time he saw her, she seemed indifferent, her expression unchanged, devoid of warmth, even colder than him.

As they reached the door, I entered the room with the password. Taking a look around, it was tidy and clean. Not a speck of dust. A black coat hung on the wall, and through the floor-to-ceiling window, the bustling streets of downtown A city could be seen. A bridge stretched across, light-colored curtains pulled to the side, and a few shirts were hanging on the balcony. Gu Mo Xi came over to pour me a glass of water, but I didn't drink it. He placed it on the table, and I sat quietly, not saying a word.

"Here's a check for one million. You can cash it directly at the bank," Gu Mo Xi sat opposite me, sitting straight with an air of elegance and authority, placing the check on the table and pushing it towards me.

I glanced at it and said directly, "I only need a hundred thousand. The rest is unnecessary," pushing the check back.

Seeing her clear eyes without a hint of greed, Gu Mo Xi then noticed the injury on her left arm. His gaze became deep, unable to discern his emotions. Furrowing his brows, he suddenly asked, "How did you get injured?"

I was taken aback for a moment, following his gaze to my left arm before realizing what he was asking. With faint eyebrows and eyes that didn't lift, I replied calmly, "Saving someone."

Gu Mo Xi filled out another check for a hundred thousand and handed it over. "Here's a hundred thousand."

I nodded, picked up the check, and got up to leave.

"Wait." His big hand suddenly grasped my right hand. Gu Mo Xi's tense expression softened as he looked at me, his eyes deepening. He held my wrist, feeling a strange sensation, forgetting what he wanted to say for a moment. My heart fluttered as if it had been touched by something, sending shivers down my spine. His grip tightened, forgetting to let go.

"Bro, bro, I'm here." Gu Er Shao kicked the door open, his urgent tone revealing his anxiousness. Ever since he woke up to a call from his brother about someone being intimate with him in the apartment, he rushed over in a panic. Could it be true? How could that woman be so lucky? He had to see for himself.

Seeing Gu Mo Cheng come in, Gu Mo Xi's expression soured slightly. Letting go of my hand, he shot a warning glance at him.

Gu Er Shao rushed in anxiously, his eyes glued to me, constantly assessing. "Not bad, not bad at all." His mother had given him an ultimatum - as long as his brother's partner was female, it was fine. He scrutinized me closely. If it weren't for that scar, she would definitely be a beauty. How did she get such a serious injury? Also, why was this person wearing his brother's suit? His brother was somewhat obsessive about cleanliness, never allowing anyone to touch his things, even his clothes. But the more he looked, the more puzzled he became. Was this person a man or a woman? Could it be that his brother liked men? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but speculate. If his brother really liked men, his mother might not be able to accept it. He happened to see his brother's gaze fixed on her, and Gu Mo Cheng's heart skipped a beat. Could his brother really like this person? Regardless of whether this person was a man or a woman, as long as his brother liked her, that was all that mattered. Now he had to curry favor with him. Perhaps, she would be his sister-in-law in the future. He grinned and said warmly, "Sister-in-law."