7

Following Gu Zhendong’s gaze, a young girl stood beneath the eaves.

The rain had soaked her clothes and hair, leaving her looking utterly drenched and disheveled.

Gu Zhendong narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t quite see what she was holding in her arms, but the way she cradled it—carefully, protectively—was as if she were holding a priceless treasure.

A sharp pain shot through his head. Voice low and firm, Gu Zhendong spoke again, “Go. Now.”

The driver snapped to attention, immediately pushed open the car door, and dashed into the rain with an umbrella.

Meanwhile, Lu Huan had just finished a phone call. The driver on the other end apologized profusely—traffic was at a standstill due to the downpour, and it would take at least another half hour to get to her.

Worried, Lu Huan looked down at the tiny creature in her palm. The little kitten lay weakly against her skin, completely listless.

She had to get it to a vet—fast.

Just then, a man in a suit walked up to her, holding a black umbrella. “Miss, my employer would like to offer you a ride.”

Lu Huan blinked in confusion before her eyes sharpened with caution. “Your employer is…?”

This was still the entrance of Heaven on Earth—God knows what kind of sleazy, old pervert might be lurking nearby.

Lu Huan’s first instinct was disgust. She immediately wanted to walk away.

The man remained polite. “My employer’s surname is Gu,” he said.

Gu?

Just a few minutes ago, she’d asked a man with the same surname for his WeChat.

Could it really be him?

She quickly shook her head. No way. The way he looked at her back then didn’t seem friendly at all.

“Sorry.”

Lu Huan refused to get in the car. The driver returned to report the rejection truthfully to Gu Zhendong.

Through the rain-splattered window, Gu Zhendong glanced at the girl standing under the corridor, his dark eyes unreadable.

The driver was about to say more, but Gu Zhendong suddenly opened the door and stepped out of the car.

Lu Huan had still been staring in the driver’s direction, never expecting that the man himself would actually get out.

He strode over, holding a black umbrella. Rainwater dripped from his polished shoes as he walked up the steps. As the umbrella tilted slightly, his face came into view—

It was the man she thought it couldn’t possibly be. Gu Zhendong.

His eyes were striking—deep and dark like still water, calmly fixed on her.

His face stunned her for a second. Lu Huan’s heart skipped, then sped up violently. The pounding rain outside faded from her senses.

The world fell abruptly silent. All she could hear was the wild drumming of her own heartbeat.

Her ears turned red without warning.

“Why is it you?” she asked, her voice soft and unsure, threaded with surprise.

Hearing her speak, Gu Zhendong felt the splitting pain in his head ease, just a little.

For once, he said more than a few words.

“It’s pouring. Get in. I’ll take you home.”

He was being this kind?

The kitten in her arms needed immediate medical attention, so Lu Huan didn’t hesitate for long. “Thank you.”

Lu Huan was definitely a bit of a hypocrite—when a handsome man offered help, how could she possibly say no?

Besides, she was in a hurry.

The umbrella was large, and as she stepped closer, the two of them shared it side by side.

Gu Zhendong looked straight ahead, but the girl was standing quite close. A faint trace of wine lingered in the air between them, brushing past his nose—subtle, fleeting, and hard to ignore.

Rain drummed steadily against the umbrella, a clear, rhythmic sound like falling jade.

It was only a few steps to the car. Lu Huan slid into the seat.

The interior was spacious. As soon as Gu Zhendong got in, he heard a few soft, pitiful meows coming from her hands.

The sound couldn’t be ignored. Lu Huan gently brought the kitten out and explained, “I found it in the bushes by the roadside just now. If I didn’t help, it wouldn’t have survived the night.”

She wiped the tiny kitten with a wet tissue. The muddy, dark little creature slowly began to reveal its true coloring—a surprisingly adorable calico.

Adorable was Lu Huan’s opinion. Gu Zhendong didn’t share it.

He had a serious case of germophobia. It wasn’t just the kitten—Lu Huan’s hands and even the hem of her jacket were now stained and messy. His brows furrowed sharply.

He was already regretting letting her into his car.

Lu Huan noticed his expression shift and realized he didn’t like what he saw. She had originally wanted to show him how cute the kitten was but quietly cradled it back to her chest.

Would he suddenly change his mind and kick her out?

The driver retrieved a clean towel from the trunk and brought it over for Lu Huan to wrap herself in.

She was thoroughly soaked—if she didn’t dry off soon, she’d catch a cold.

Lu Huan smiled and thanked the driver. One towel was draped over her shoulders, while another was wrapped snugly around the tiny kitten.

“Would it be possible to take me to the nearest animal hospital first?” she asked tentatively.

If the man wasn’t willing, she’d get out and hail a cab on her own.

Gu Zhendong had never been fond of furry animals. He didn’t allow cats or dogs near him, ever. But today was clearly an exception.

His head had been aching terribly, but somehow, as soon as she spoke, that sharp, needling pain began to ease.

He wasn’t sure if it was just a coincidence—or something else.

Gu Zhendong stared at the kitten nestled in her hands, eyes dark and unreadable. After a moment, he gave a low hum in response. That was as good as a “yes.”

Lu Huan lit up with surprise and gratitude, glancing at him with a look that clearly said she hadn’t expected someone who looked so cold to actually be this agreeable.

The driver heard the exchange, quickly entered directions for the nearest animal hospital into the GPS, and stepped on the gas.

Lu Huan gently tapped the kitten’s tiny head with her fingertip, coaxing it softly, “Hang in there, little one. We’re taking you to the hospital now.”

Even after being cleaned, the kitten’s fur remained damp. She wrapped its frail little body tightly in the towel.

It couldn’t have been more than a few days old—its eyes were still shut tight.

Staring at the helpless creature bundled in cloth, Lu Huan murmured to herself with a pang in her chest, “Did your mama move and forget to take you with her? Poor thing…”

The kitten didn’t understand a word, of course. It just kept mewling nonstop—heartbreakingly small and pitiful.

Lu Huan gently coaxed the kitten, “Are you hungry? Just a little longer, we’ll get you something to eat soon, okay?”

Gu Zhendong leaned back and closed his eyes, resting. Her soft voice lingered in his ears, and little by little, the discomfort in his body began to ease.

In his mind, he connected with Xiao Hao.

—Why does my headache disappear every time I hear her voice?
—Xiao Hao replied coolly: I don’t know.

Even Xiao Hao was puzzled. It was just a bound system—not omniscient, not all-knowing.

Outside, the rain poured down hard, showing no signs of letting up.

When they arrived at the nearest animal hospital, Lu Huan handed the kitten over to the vet.

Gu Zhendong had planned to stay in the car, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her and half-expected her to say something. So, without a word, he followed her inside.

Once the kitten was examined, Lu Huan stayed close, full of concern. “Doctor, it’s so tiny… is it going to be okay?”

“It’s nothing serious.”

Only then did Lu Huan finally breathe a sigh of relief. The worry in her eyes softened.

The kitten was only a few days old, and after being caught in the rain, it was extremely weak.

After deworming it, the vet fed the kitten some goat milk. “Turns out, it’s a little boy.”

Lu Huan let out a surprised “Eh?”

“Really? This is the first time I’ve seen a male calico!”

About 99% of calico cats were female. She never expected to run into that rare 1%.

Once the kitten was fed and warm, it curled up in the towel and drifted off to sleep.

All soft fur and tiny paws, the little guy looked ridiculously cute. Lu Huan couldn’t resist reaching out and giving him a gentle pet or two.

Cradling the kitten, she stepped out of the animal hospital and got back into the man’s car.

Glancing over at the man beside her, who was resting with his eyes closed, Lu Huan couldn’t help but feel a bit thankful. He hadn’t hesitated to take her to the hospital and even stayed to keep her company the whole time.

A brief silence fell over the car.

Gu Zhendong felt a tightness in his chest again, like he couldn’t quite catch his breath.

She hadn’t said much since they left the hospital.

But Gu Zhendong had his own selfish reasons—her voice, to him, was like pain relief. As long as she was speaking, his headaches eased.

Her gaze burned just a little too intensely. Sensing it, Gu Zhendong suddenly opened his eyes and locked eyes with her clear, focused stare.

Lu Huan hadn’t expected him to open his eyes so abruptly. Their eyes met head-on, and with his sharp, impossibly good-looking face so close, she instantly felt her heart stutter and skip.

Color rushed to her cheeks.

Thank goodness the lighting in the car was dim. Hopefully he couldn’t see how red she was.

After a few seconds of silence, the man finally spoke.

“…Why are you staring at me?”

Why was she staring at him?

Well, it was only because he was so good-looking—how could anyone not sneak a few extra glances?

But if she complimented him outright, he’d probably just give her a death stare.

Lu Huan let out an awkward laugh, eyes shifting. “Um, I just wanted to thank you.”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for taking me to the animal hospital… and for saving the kitten.”

It was a simple sentence—barely ten words—but to Gu Zhendong, her voice was like balm. He instantly felt more at ease.

“You really want to thank me?”

His gaze turned a little strange as he looked at her. A big question mark popped up over Lu Huan’s head.

“What kind of thank-you are we talking about… exactly?”

Her mind instantly spiraled into chaos.

To be honest, when she’d bumped into him earlier that afternoon, he looked downright annoyed. Now, though, he’d not only taken her to the vet, but was even offering to drive her home?

Something was definitely fishy.

Wait a minute…

Could it be that he was taken by her beauty and wanted her to repay him with her body?

No way!

Just because he saved her kitten didn’t mean he could do whatever he wanted. Not happening!

Handsome men were nice to look at—but strictly off limits.

Lu Huan racked her brain, trying to recall if she’d done anything earlier that might’ve given him the wrong idea. And then it hit her—back at “Heaven on Earth,” when she asked for his contact info… and maybe accidentally confessed?

Wait… could it be… he actually took that seriously?

Lu Huan cleared her throat and met Gu Zhendong’s gaze, her voice soft and cautious.
“About that time I confessed to you at Heaven on Earth… you misunderstood. It wasn’t love at first sight or anything. I lost a game, and my friend dared me to confess to a random guy and ask for his number. It wasn’t real, okay?”

Her “don’t take it seriously” came out sweet and flirtatious, but her eyes were nothing but sincere.

Gu Zhendong had no idea what wild theories she’d cooked up in her head. Honestly, he hadn’t thought much about that so-called confession at all.

Still, hearing her ramble out all those words somehow made his headache ease again.

He stared at her for a few seconds, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

Then, without a word, he pulled out a document and handed it to her.

“If you really want to thank me, read this aloud.”

Lu Huan glanced down at the cover. It said XX Agreement. She froze.

“W-what?”

Read… a contract?

What kind of beautiful madman is this guy?!

Gu Zhendong raised an elegant brow. “Didn’t you say you wanted to thank me? Shouldn’t there be some actual effort involved?”

Lu Huan: …

He didn’t look like he was joking.

With no other option, she braced herself and took the document, reluctantly beginning to read it out loud.

Lu Huan, dead inside: Sigh… I’ve become a soulless reading machine.

=^_^=