Chapter 65: My people, I protect them

The man slowly pulled the car over to the side of the road, opened the door and got out.

But his eyes kept fixed on Meng Shutang, seeing her scan the shop's payment code, and also seeing the shopkeeper pack while praising her good taste.

"Sister, you have great taste; this dress would look absolutely lovely on your child. Actually, you can take another look—we have other colors and styles."

"If you buy a few more, I'll give you 20 percent off."

Upon hearing the 20 percent discount, Meng Shutang's heart stirred.

She had also taken a liking to a yellow little dress; if paired with an inner layer, Xin Xin would surely like it too.

She reached out and took the yellow little dress, "Please pack this as well; tell me how much more I owe, I'll make up the difference."

She scanned the payment code, after paying she took the clothes from the vendor's hand and walked over happily.

As a result, at the entrance she saw some small hair clips again, bought a few strawberry and mango designs, then paid and left.

Gu Yunci stood there, countless thoughts flashing through his mind.

In the morning at the storage room, he heard Meng Shutang speaking softly, her words gentle, on the phone with someone.

At the time he still thought Meng Shutang was calling Lu Shenyang.

Now thinking about it, that tone sounded more like she was speaking to a young child.

In that moment of lowering his head in thought, when he looked up again, Meng Shutang was gone.

He thought she had gone to a nearby store to buy something, hands on hips, anxiously searching.

Turning his head, he saw in the narrow alley beside them several burly men blocking Meng Shutang against the wall.

Her figure was slender and delicate; before those few hulking men, she seemed like a little white rabbit facing a colossal beast.

Those men were shirtless, their jackets draped over their shoulders, their speech frivolous and coarse—clearly they had drunk a lot.

Meng Shutang swung her bag at them, "Don't touch me! If you keep this up I'll call for help!"

A man with a cigarette clenched in his mouth reached for Meng Shutang's slender waist, meanwhile muttering obscenities.

"What a tiny waist, come play with big brother, big brother will make you feel good."

Meng Shutang's face turned as pale as paper, her back pressed against the cold wall.

Although her weak, boneless hands swung the bag with force, her face was full of helplessness and despair.

Gu Yunci's pupils contracted sharply, the pressure around him plummeting to freezing point.

He instinctively rushed forward; before the drunks could react, his swift punches and kicks landed.

The burly men stared at his sheer strength, yet they were not skilled fighters.

In just a moment, they lay on the ground, wailing without cease.

Gu Yunci did not linger in battle; he stepped to Meng Shutang's front, his tone hiding barely perceptible panic and tension, his voice deliberately low, "Are you alright? Any injuries?"

Meng Shutang, still trembling from fright, looked at Gu Yunci, "I… I'm fine."

Gu Yunci took her hand, "Let's go."

The two ran to the car; Gu Yunci opened the Maybach door, "Get in my car, I'll take you home."

Saying that, his gaze unintentionally flicked to the bag in her hand.

Meng Shutang froze for a moment, then belatedly hid it behind her back.

"No need."

Saying that, she turned to return to her own car, but the man grabbed her wrist, firmly ushering her into his vehicle with a boyfriend's force, "You can't drive like this; I'll take you."

Saying that, he also hired a driver to have someone drive Meng Shutang's car back.

On the way, Gu Yunci noticed Meng Shutang kept looking out the window, and also noticed she clutched her bag tightly to her chest.

He really wanted to ask about her buying children's clothing.

Was she deceiving him, actually having given birth to a child but just not wanting him to know?

But he had no intention to ask; Meng Shutang had just experienced danger, now she needed comfort—even if he wanted to know, it would be too cruel.

The car's air-conditioning hum was faint, her breath close at hand.

Gu Yunci occasionally glanced at her through the rearview mirror; sometimes when she lifted her eyes, their gazes met in his deep pupils, where complex emotions surged, along with an imperceptible tenderness.

Neither spoke; their breaths lightly entwined, Meng Shutang nervously shifted her gaze away, no longer daring to look ahead.

His gaze fell on her slightly trembling red lips, then quickly shifted, his Adam's apple rolling lightly.

Midway they passed a place.

"Please stop for a moment, I want to buy something."

Gu Yunci parked the car at the roadside; Meng Shutang lifted her bag and got out, entering a century-old stationery shop marked with a bronze plaque.

The man saw this, his sword-brows slightly raised, inwardly delighted.

Meng Shutang must be buying a gift to thank him for his earlier "heaven-sent soldiers, hero rescuing the beauty."

"No need, Shutang, I have a fountain pen."

The next second, Meng Shutang's unhurried voice came from the air, "I'm not buying it for you; I'm buying it for my Shenyang brother,

he's been using that model, the nib worn smooth, yet he's thrifty and reluctant to replace it.

I want to buy one, to give him next time we meet."

The man's hand paused slightly, he put back the pen he liked, "You still think about him a lot!"

Meng Shutang saw it, but said nothing.

She took out her phone, called Lu Shenyang, "Shenyang brother, are you busy?"

From the other end came Lu Shenyang's voice, "Not busy."

Meng Shutang, "I happen to be passing by the stationery shop we often go to; do you want black or white?"

Lu Shenyang, "No need to spend money."

"I'm already here, black?"

I'll listen to you.

Meng Shutang hung up the phone, handed the pen to the boss, and said, "Please wrap it up."

The pen Meng Shutang chose had a deep, dark ebony barrel, an 18K gold tip, and was understated yet eye‑catching.

She has a good eye for quality; this pen's temperament really suits Lu Shenyang.

She also picked the most expensive dark‑blue silk‑velvet gift box; at a glance it's clear she put thought into buying something for Lu Shenyang.

Gu Yunci watched, his chest clenched with a sharp pang, a fine ache spreading through him.

They'd been together three years, yet she had never bought him a steel pen.

She personally threw the folded‑star gifts she'd made for him into the hospital's medical waste bin.

And the hand‑knitted scarf had been cut up, used by Aunt Zhang as a rag, tossed who knows where into some trash station, cycling through lifetimes.

The two walked to the door; Meng Shutang saw Gu Yunci's gloomy face, hesitated a moment, then took out the pen he had liked earlier but set aside and handed it to him, saying, "I bought one for you too."

Gu Yunci's steps halted; he turned his gaze to her, his voice low yet inexplicably tinged with a flutter, "…For me?"

"Mm," Meng Shutang nodded naturally, "Don't overthink it—I'm just thanking you for saving me just now."

The man took it, his knuckles seemingly brushing her fingertips by accident, "I'll accept it."

Back in the car, Meng Shutang saw via the rearview mirror that Gu Yunci was driving more steadily than usual, his breathing lighter as well.

Although he didn't smile, she knew he was pleased.

She glanced at him, then shifted her gaze away.

Gu Yunci saw her looking at him; after she looked away, he gazed back at her deeply, his eyes holding a tenderness and possessiveness that couldn't be dispelled.

But Meng Shutang's brows and eyes remained light, showing little emotion.

The car arrived at the residential complex's gate; just as they stepped out, a person from the antiquities trade walked toward them.

He gazed at Meng Shutang, pure as a lotus rising from water, and said, "Shutang, what a coincidence? Want to come to my place for a while? I happen to have some work‑related matter I'd like to discuss with you."

As he spoke, the man reached out to pull her.

Meng Shutang was startled by this sudden turn; she had also recently heard that this man had a bad reputation in the industry, having toyed with several young women.

Even his wife could do nothing about him.

Seeing her silent, the man said, "I've heard you like to go to Minister Lu's house—does that mean you only drink the liquor he brings over?"

His hand hung in midair as he watched Meng Shutang's embarrassed little face, and he gave a lewd smile.

The next second, the man beside her stepped forward half a pace, his long arm extending smoothly to shield her behind him without a sound.

"It's too late; she's not in a position to go."