Chapter 512: Chapter 512: Arch-Rivals Immediately Tear Into Each Other
Li Xiulan looked at Second Brother Gu’s simple, honest smile, a stark contrast to the fierce warrior who had just been beating people up.
Her heart beat even faster. She blushed, shook her head, and said softly, "I’m not afraid of you when you’re fierce. They deserved it."
Hearing this, Second Brother Gu’s smile grew even wider, more brilliant than the sun. "That’s great! You’re really not afraid of me when I’m like that."
He had completely forgotten his fiancée was there while he was hitting them. Only when he stopped did he remember, worrying that his brutal display might have scared her.
But when she said she wasn’t afraid, Second Brother Gu excitedly swept Li Xiulan into his arms, spinning her around on the spot and letting out a booming laugh.
His actions silenced the groaning thugs on the ground. Some of the younger ones looked on with envy, while others were jealous that he had won the beautiful woman.
The gang leaders, in particular, grew to hate Second Brother Gu. That beauty should have been theirs.
Li Xiulan was held tightly and lifted high by Second Brother Gu. It was a novel feeling she had never experienced before.
Initially, she had been drawn to his simple, honest nature, and she thought their life together would be, at most, a quiet and stable one.
Who knew he was so passionate deep down? ’This... does this mean he really likes me, too?’
Her parents had always treated each other with polite respect. They never argued, but she never saw much sweetness between them either; their relationship was as placid as still water.
Growing up, she’d always had enough to eat and warm clothes to wear. Although they didn’t have meat every day, she could always eat her fill of rice and never truly suffered.
Li Xiulan had never felt there was anything wrong with her life. Then again, she had never felt particularly happy, either.
But now, being with Second Brother Gu, she was incredibly happy—so happy she wanted to scream.
Before, just seeing his handsome yet somewhat simple face every day made her feel incredibly at ease.
Now, however, she was relishing this happy time with him. She knew she had made the right choice.
She knew the neighbors didn’t approve of her marrying Second Brother Gu. It was always the same old story: she was a college student, and he was uneducated.
In reality, he just didn’t have a degree; it wasn’t that he was uncultured. ’Unfortunately, the neighbors don’t know that!’
In short, very few people genuinely wished them well. Most were just waiting for the drama to unfold.
Thinking of this, Li Xiulan felt a surge of indignation on Second Brother Gu’s behalf and proactively tightened her arms around his neck.
Suddenly, she saw the street loiterers on the ground, all staring at them with bulging, fish-like eyes.
WHOOSH. Li Xiulan’s face turned as red as a cooked shrimp. She whispered shyly, "Gu, put me down. They’re all staring!"
"What are you looking at? All of you, get the hell out of my sight!" Second Brother Gu roared angrily.
He actually listened and put Li Xiulan down, wrapping one arm around her while shaking his other fist at the crowd on the ground, motioning for them to leave.
The thugs’ faces were bruised and their noses swollen, but none of them had serious injuries to their arms or legs.
This was because Second Brother Gu had only aimed for their faces, deliberately avoiding their limbs, which could easily be broken.
A few had gotten scrapes when they fell, so their movements were clumsy. The thugs struggled to their feet, helped each other up, and scurried away in disgrace.
Seeing their pathetic retreat, Second Brother Gu burst into an uninhibited laugh and, in his excitement, planted a loud SMOOCH on Li Xiulan’s cheek.
Having never been so close to a boy before, Li Xiulan’s mind went completely blank.
She felt as if she were floating, her heart filled with a rush of happiness and sweetness.
’Could this be love?’
Li Xiulan thought to herself: ’When Second Brother Gu was fighting, he forgot I was there.’
’But once he came to his senses, his first thought was to comfort me after the scare and ease my nerves.’
’This must be a man who truly loves me. No matter how he acts toward others, with me, he’s as gentle as an affectionate lion.’
’He can’t bear to be harsh with me and doesn’t want me to suffer any harm—not even from himself. His drive to protect me is the greatest sign of his love.’
Li Xiulan truly never expected that she, too, would have a love story of her own. ’How lucky I am.’
They had been cornered by the loiterers in a dark corner of the street. It was getting late, and she glanced around, seeing no one.
Perhaps it was the scorching heat from where Second Brother Gu’s arm was wrapped around her waist, or perhaps it was the lingering warmth where he had kissed her cheek.
On some strange impulse, she leaned in and pecked him on the lips. Second Brother Gu froze, a violent shudder running through him.
Up close, he saw that her eyes were misty and moist, her face was flushed, and tiny beads of sweat had formed on the tip of her nose.
Her lips were slightly parted, and her pitiably lovely appearance made him unable to resist. He lowered his head, capturing her lips with his own and then gently tracing their shape.
Men are said to be self-taught in these matters. Second Brother Gu’s kiss deepened, growing more forceful, as if he wanted to devour her whole.
After a long time, Second Brother Gu stopped and walked Li Xiulan back to the entrance of the Li family home.
He said reluctantly, "Xiulan... you should go home. Our engagement party is tomorrow."
"Thank you for walking me home, Second Brother. I’ll go in now." After speaking, Li Xiulan quickly went inside.
Second Brother Gu stood outside and heard her mother’s voice asking about her. He touched his lips, a silly grin on his face, then hopped on his bicycle and left.
「The next day」
The engagement ceremony for Mu Ziquan and Xiao Jiyan, as well as for Second Brother Gu and Li Xiulan, was held simultaneously at Yuetai Restaurant.
Thanks to Gu Jiaojiao, the guest lists for the four families celebrating the joyous occasion were largely the same.
Not only was the venue packed with guests, but onlookers also swarmed the place, crowding the area downstairs from the restaurant until it was impassable. The scene was incredibly lively.
The engagement ceremony was exceptionally lively, especially since Mu Ziquan was actually able to stand on stage to receive everyone’s blessings.
There was constant screaming from the crowd. The banquet was lavish, and the Mu, Xiao, and Li families all had bodyguards present.
With the bodyguards maintaining order, there were no disturbances, and the engagement party concluded perfectly.
The Gu and Li families lived on the same street, so the trip home was convenient. Su Shuochi and his good friend Geng Haoyi made several trips back and forth by car to take guests from both families home.
This kind of treatment gave Mr. and Mrs. Li a great deal of face in front of their relatives. They were grinning from ear to ear.
No one knew how much they showed off to their relatives when they got home.
However, the other engaged bride, Xiao Jiyan, became famous for a different reason: she got into a fight with several other girls on her way home.
The Mu and Xiao families both lived in the same large residential compound. Since both families had many cars, they took care of their own guests.
Xiao Jiyan was riding in a car with Mu Ziquan. To take care of her beloved Ziquan, she got out at a fork in the road to walk back to the Xiao family home herself.
Mu Ziquan felt the compound was very safe, and besides, he was exhausted from the day’s events, so he agreed to let her walk back on her own.
Xiao Jiyan usually walked from her house to the Mu family’s home to see him, so Mu Ziquan wasn’t worried.
This time, however, she had barely taken a few steps before her arch-nemesis, Bao Tingting, and Bao’s cousin, Lin Sisi, blocked her path.
The two of them had grown up together in the compound. Because they were both outstanding and equally cute as children, they became bitter rivals.
Bao Tingting’s grandmother had forcibly kept her at home today, preventing her from attending Mu Ziquan’s engagement party.
When they were little, the two girls often clashed head-on. They fought frequently, ready to tear into each other at the slightest disagreement.
