A few crisp slaps rang out, followed by a furious kick for good measure.  

After hitting her, Xiuzhu quickly retreated behind Gu Yu, remembering Yan Ming’s description of Gu Yu’s combat skills on the train. Using him as a shield felt much safer than relying on Lin Yaowen’s scrawny frame.  

Li Yurou was stunned. Xiuzhu had moved too fast, and no one had expected her to strike. When the shock wore off, Li Yurou let out a piercing scream—“Ah!”—before lunging at Xiuzhu like a madwoman.  

Coming from a privileged background, she had never been slapped before. Today, not only had she been hit, but her face had been struck! There was no way she would let this woman off.  

Lin Yaowen reacted swiftly, grabbing her before she could attack. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t break free.  

Peeking out cautiously from behind Gu Yu, Xiuzhu saw that Li Yurou had been restrained. She rolled her eyes and retorted in a haughty, petulant tone, “I don’t care what you say—you’re the one who pushed me earlier!” 

“Whether it was intentional or not, the consequences are the same. If someone kills a person, can they just avoid responsibility by saying it wasn’t on purpose?”

“If that’s the case, then I didn’t mean to hit you just now, and later, I won’t mean to stab you with a knife either.”

Remembering the venomous words this woman had spat earlier, Xiuzhu still felt unsatisfied.  

“You ugly, vicious monster! You wanted me to get disfigured—you’re just jealous because I’m prettier than you!”

“But you could never compare to me, not even with a single finger!”

Hands on her hips, her pink lips moving animatedly, her big eyes wide and round—she even raised her delicate eyebrows smugly when she made a particularly satisfying point.  

Gu Yu’s lips curled into a faint smile. Everything about her was captivating, even when she was angrily scolding someone.  

Li Yurou felt the sting of those words. She had always been plain-looking and had harbored resentment toward pretty girls since her school days. Hearing such cutting remarks now pushed her over the edge.  

She lost all restraint and screamed in hysterical fury: “You shameless fox! Dressed like a cheap seductress!”

“Flirting with men even at the movies—why didn’t that knife stab you to death earlier? I should’ve pushed you harder!”  

Gu Yu stepped fully in front of Xiuzhu, shielding her completely. His expression darkened as he glared at the snarling woman.  

Then, in a tone that brooked no argument, he said sternly to the nearby officers: “This is a malicious attack on a fellow citizen—a clear case of counter-revolutionary behavior. Why haven’t you arrested her yet?”

The officers exchanged uneasy glances before stammering, “Y-yes, right away!”  

There was no concrete evidence, and the victim seemed unharmed—normally, this wouldn’t be enough for a serious charge. At most, it would warrant a warning. But Gu Yu’s accusation was severe—this could mean being sent to a labor camp.  

However, the newly appointed deputy bureau chief had powerful connections, and they couldn’t afford to cross him. Besides, this woman’s malice was undeniable. Even as a man, he found her actions horrifying—who would target someone just for being beautiful?  

Li Yurou hadn’t expected the man to pin such a heavy charge on her. At worst, she had thought she’d get a reprimand. But now, they were going to lock her up. Panic set in.  

“I didn’t do anything! He’s framing me! Arrest him—he’s the real counter-revolutionary!” she shrieked.  

The officers, fearing Gu Yu’s wrath, quickly gagged her and dragged her away despite her struggles.  

Li Yurou was no match for several men. No matter how much she resisted, she was ultimately taken into custody.  

Before being hauled off, she desperately looked toward Jiang Xu, who had stayed silent the entire time. But he averted his gaze, ignoring her plea for help.  

At that moment, she knew it was over—she had provoked someone she shouldn’t have.  

Jiang Xu had witnessed everything. He and Li Yurou had been betrothed as children, but he had never liked her. She was controlling and used their engagement as an excuse to bully any girl who got close to him.  

Watching her being taken away, he felt a strange sense of relief.  

With one last reluctant glance at the breathtakingly beautiful girl, he turned and walked home.  

He didn’t dare stay—the handsome man beside her was staring at him with a chilling gaze. And for some reason… it frightened him.  

With Li Yurou gone, Xiuzhu’s anger subsided, and her fear gradually eased.  

Turning to Gu Yu, she said sincerely, “Brother Gu, thank you. Let me treat you to a meal.”  

“Lin Xiuzhu, do you know him?” 

“Thank you for saving my cousin,” Lin Yaowen said to Gu Yu, his gratitude genuine.

*Just a little more, and things could have gone terribly wrong.* Even now, the thought sent a chill down his spine.  

If something had really happened to his cousin, he would never forgive himself. It was his negligence—he shouldn’t have let her out of his sight.  

Gu Yu replied gently, “As long as Xiuzhu is alright, there’s no need for thanks.”  

Then, turning to Xiuzhu, he said, “I’m afraid dinner isn’t possible today—I still need to return to the bureau. How about another time? Same address as before—mine hasn’t changed.” 

“Mmm, my address is the same too. I was actually planning to visit you soon anyway!” she chirped, though inwardly, she felt a little guilty. If not for today’s incident, she might have completely forgotten they had exchanged contact information.  

With so many people keeping her company in the capital, how could she have remembered him?  

Gu Yu, having dealt with all kinds of people over the years—and being sharp-witted himself—could easily read the unspoken thoughts written all over Xiuzhu’s face.  

*This little heartless brat—as if she’d ever think of me on her own.*  

It seemed he’d have to arrange more meetings with her, just to stay on her mind. Maybe with enough reminders, she’d finally remember him.  

Right now, though, he still had to personally interrogate the two suspects they’d caught.  

But he couldn’t shake the worry—when he had rushed to shield her earlier, had he accidentally hurt her? She was so delicate, unlike him.  

“I can drive you to the hospital for a check-up in the bureau’s car,” he offered, concerned.  

Xiuzhu had already mostly recovered and didn’t feel any serious discomfort, but before she could refuse, Lin Yaowen cut in.  

“Thank you, Brother Gu. Xiuzhu, let’s go get checked,” he urged.  

Seeing how anxious he looked, Xiuzhu relented. “Alright, let’s go then.”  

Worried that her cousin would panic if they didn’t return home by noon, she turned to Dahu and his sister. “Could you please go to the Lin family and let my cousin know I’m at Xicheng People’s Hospital?”  

Dahu was more than happy to help. “Of course, don’t worry, Xiuzhu!” he replied, his face flushing before he quickly grabbed his sister’s hand and hurried off.  

Gu Yu watched in silence. *What’s this brat blushing for?*  

—  

He personally drove her to the hospital and stayed until the examination confirmed she was unharmed. Only then did he bid her farewell and leave in a hurry.  

When Lin Xiuli received the news from Xiaohu and his sister, she was terrified. She immediately had her fiancé, Tao Jian, take her to the hospital on his bicycle.  

Seeing Xiuzhu safe and sound eased her fears—aside from a bruise shaped like a handprint on her waist, she was completely fine.  

Just then, two officers arrived for a routine investigation. Gu Yu had already briefed them, so after asking Xiuzhu a few simple questions, they prepared to leave.  

Tao Jian, cautious by nature, worried about possible future retaliation. “Officers, may I ask the name of the woman who harmed my cousin and what her current situation is?” 

“Li Yurou,” one officer replied. “Anything else? Rest assured, the matter has been dealt with. Unless someone high up intervenes, she won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

“That’s all, thank you.” Tao Jian saw them out politely.  

At the mention of the name, Xiuli froze for a moment, a flicker of disgust crossing her eyes.  

Tao Jian escorted Xiuli and the siblings back to the military compound before returning to work—he still had tasks to finish before his wedding leave. The pre-wedding period kept him busy.  

Once home, only Xiuli and Xiuzhu remained. Lin Yaowen had gone to Dahu’s house to reassure them about Xiuzhu’s condition.  

Xiuli followed Xiuzhu into her room and recounted how Li Yurou had once reported a classmate for reading foreign books—and the tragic fate that befell that family afterward.  

“Thank goodness Gu Yu stepped in today,” Xiuli said, still shaken. “People like her are like venomous snakes—once they fixate on you, they won’t let go.”

“Yeah, I never imagined someone could be so cruel, treating human life so carelessly,” Xiuzhu murmured.  

“But lucky for her, she ran into me—I specialize in dealing with villains like that!” Now that the anger had passed, Xiuzhu felt triumphant.  

“Karma always catches up,” Xiuli said softly, though her thoughts lingered on the classmate who had suffered.  

“It’s time for my nap. There’s food in the kitchen if you get hungry later—eat with Yaowen.”  

“Rest at home this afternoon—don’t go out again.”  

Xiuli’s heart ached for her sister, and she repeated her instructions like a worried mother.  

Xiuzhu, now the picture of obedience, nodded eagerly. “Mhm, I won’t go anywhere. Sis, you should head back to work!”  

Xiuli patted her little sister’s head before quietly closing the door behind her.