Chapter 451

Gu Kang bent over, coldly staring at Li Ruoxi; Li Ruoxi, facing the dangerous eyes of the man before her, felt her heart suddenly race, her hands clenched into fists, her body trembling slightly.

It's truly the turning of fortunes—thirty years east, thirty years west—and it hasn't even been thirty years; it's just over a year.

The status between them has turned into a desperate state.

Gu Kang focused his gaze on the woman before him, having just rushed from afar, bearing some travel-worn air, yet it did nothing to diminish her fresh, lovely beauty.

Although she was already married, the bun on her head was coiled in the style of a married woman.

Her attire was much plainer now, unlike the bright reds and greens she wore at the Pleasant Red House, and now she had a few more touches of simplicity.

Only those water-cut autumn eyes, when they gaze at someone, always draw the person into that pool of water, deep and inescapable.

Her clothes changed, her bearing changed, even her appearance changed, giving her the maturity of a young married woman, yet the only thing unchanged was Li Ruoxi's eyes.

When Gu Kang first went to cheer for Li Ruoxi, she held a pipa and played him a song of parting; those eyes stole his soul.

From then on, Gu Kang spent lavishly for Li Ruoxi, even breaking completely with the Gu family and falling into an irredeemable state.

Gu Kang had been somewhat fickle before, but the first time he truly felt love was for Li Ruoxi.

He felt that spending this life with Li Ruoxi was his ultimate purpose.

Looking back now, Gu Kang's purpose then seems like a joke.

The woman he pursued countless times cast him into dust and mire; he looked up to her as if gazing at the stars.

Yet now this woman knelt before him, and in that instant Gu Kang suddenly laughed—a frightening laugh, with tears seeping from the corners of his eyes.

Li Ruoxi's body trembled even more.

Gu Kang's hand pinching Li Ruoxi's cheek tightened; Li Ruoxi furrowed her brows from the pain, not daring to cry out.

Gu Kang's gaze was somewhat manic, but Li Ruoxi had been driven to this point; she would do whatever he asked.

She stared fixedly at Gu Kang.

"I know you like me; if you want, I can…… tonight."

Li Ruoxi was truly driven mad by her father's false case.

So many years have passed, yet that nightmare she cannot escape.

At this moment she is not entirely rational; she only begs Gu Kang to swiftly submit her father's case, to help her completely eradicate the Duan family's malignant tumor, to help her avenge and wipe away the hatred.

She knows what Gu Kang wants; having lingered in the Pleasant Red House for so many years, she understands men all too well.

Even though the present Gu Kang is changed beyond recognition, she still knows what he truly desires deep down.

Gu Kang released her cheek, slowly straightened up, and coldly stared at her.

A hint of teasing lingered in his brows, as if he had returned to the dissolute youth of Shang Jing.

"Strip! Continue!" Gu Kang sneered.

Li Ruoxi's fingers trembled badly; she couldn't even undo the top button.

Suddenly Gu Kang lunged forward, ripped open her collar, fiercely gripped her chin, and forced her to lift her head to look at him.

Li Ruoxi, panicked, met Gu Kang's eyes filled with disgust and hatred.

Gu Kang gritted his teeth and coldly said, "Li Ruoxi, I find you dirty."

Li Ruoxi's facial color faded bit by bit; her lips trembled, unable to speak.

Yes, her body is defiled; she once accompanied many men in the Pleasant Red House, and now she is a married woman.

The Gu Kang before her is now a powerful figure who holds sway over the entire Southern Qi court.

What kind of woman does Gu Kang want, and how many people would offer her to him?

And she is merely a former performer who spent many years in the Pleasant Red House.

Her body has long been impure; she is still a married woman, no longer a vigorous seventeen- or eighteen-year-old maiden.

Right, what favor could she possibly gain from Gu Kang now?

Gu Kang watched Li Ruoxi's slightly trembling body, and his heart sank heavily.

Even though he has now reformed, become a Minister of Justice, and earned official rank.

Probably, in Li Ruoxi's eyes, he amounts to nothing.

Thinking of this, Gu Kang inexplicably felt a pang of hurt; she would rather marry a rural scholar than wait for him in Shang Jing.

It was originally just his one-sided infatuation; they never gave him any promise.

Gu Kang suddenly let go, and with great force shoved Li Ruoxi to the side.

He slowly turned, stood by the window, and without another glance at Li Ruoxi coldly said, "I have no interest in married women; moreover, couldn't you show some self-respect?"

"Now that the night is deep, I have arranged for Miss Li to stay in Shang Jing for the time being."

Having said that, Gu Kang slowly turned to face Li Ruoxi before him: "Tomorrow you will submit your petition; I will set up your civil suit against the official, and hand over the evidence you previously hid."

"Besides, I will have someone bring you food later; eat well, for this may be your last meal."

"As Prince Rui said, 'In a civil suit against the official, can you withstand those torture devices now?'"

Gu Kang's words left Li Ruoxi feeling utterly ashamed; she straightened her clothes and rose to her feet.

Not long after, the attendant beside Gu Kang entered again, leading Li Ruoxi out of the room.

Inside the room, Gu Kang's palms were already slick with sweat.

He strained to suppress his pounding heart, drawing a deep breath.

Gu Kang tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and it was truly a matter of life and death.

He thought he would never again fall for that heartless, ruthless woman; later he learned she had conspired with her elder sister to set a trap, deceiving him step by step, leading him into an irredeemable predicament.

By rights he should blame her, but he cannot bring himself to do so, after all his own past was too dissolute.

Yet he actually hates Li Ruoxi more than he hates Gu Jiu Ling.

He once truly loved this woman, but in the end she was deceiving him; at that time Gu Kang nearly was driven to death by Li Ruoxi.

After great effort to forget, he never expected that when that woman appeared before him, Gu Kang would find himself unable to control his inner turmoil again.

He had to admit, he had fallen madly in love with her.

Li Ruoxin got on the carriage, left the rear courtyard of the Dali Temple, and was brought to an exquisite little courtyard.

This courtyard was chosen for her by Gu Kang; seeing the traces of a hasty tidy‑up inside, Li Ruoxi realized Gu Kang had temporarily picked this place for her, cleaned it spotlessly, looking very thoughtful.

Li Ruoxi got off the carriage and had just entered the courtyard when she saw a man squatting at the gate; upon seeing his face clearly, she was momentarily stunned.