He wore an exquisitely tailored black haute couture suit, every inch of fabric exuding understated luxury, perfectly outlining his broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted physique.
The lighting cast faint shadows across his sharply defined face—a face so strikingly handsome yet terrifyingly cold.
With a high nose bridge, thin pressed lips, and a jawline as sharp as if carved by a blade, his features were particularly severe. Especially those eyes—deep as frozen ponds, devoid of any warmth. Just a casual glance from them carried an oppressive sense of life-and-death authority, the aloof dignity of one long accustomed to power.
An ordinary person meeting such a gaze would likely have been frightened to the point of weak knees, unable to speak coherently.
Yet at this moment, those eyes capable of freezing everything miraculously thawed the instant they landed on her.
The ice and snow melted away, leaving only an indescribable, almost… tender emotion.
Yes, tenderness!
Using this word to describe him was simply unimaginable.
But it was truly happening.
She froze completely in place, her mind blank.
Lu Lie!
Why was he here?
Before she could recover from the immense shock, Lu Lie had already moved.
He stepped forward, his long arm reaching out to pull her firmly, unquestionably, and tightly into his embrace.
“Bang.” The sound of the closing door shut out the outside world.
His embrace was broad and solid, carrying a comforting warmth and a faint scent of pine that instantly enveloped her.
His grip was so strong it almost hurt her bones, yet strangely, it made her feel an unprecedented sense of security.
A large, well-defined hand gently stroked her soft hair, gliding from the crown to the ends with unimaginable tenderness.
He said nothing.
Yet she felt that this silent embrace contained countless unspoken words.
All the suppressed longing, the hidden waiting, the worries that could never be voiced.
Three years.
A full three years without seeing each other.
“Nian Nian, I’m back.” His deep voice sounded above her head, carrying a barely noticeable hoarseness. “Three years felt so long.”
To him, three years had felt like an entire century.
He had waited for her absurd, contract-based marriage to end before daring to slowly approach her again.
“From now on, I won’t let anyone bully you anymore.” His voice was resolute, carrying an unquestionable promise.
Her nose suddenly stung, and her eyes instantly grew warm.
She broke free from his embrace—not in rejection, but because she needed space to breathe.
Lowering her head, she turned toward the kitchen. “Would you… like something to drink?”
“The usual.” Lu Lie’s voice followed her.
She skillfully retrieved the coffee beans, grinding and brewing them.
Every movement was etched into her bones. This was also Fu Beichen’s favorite coffee.
Unfortunately, he had never tasted coffee brewed by her.
Soon, a fragrant cup of hand-brewed coffee was handed to Lu Lie.
He took it; the temperature of the bone china cup was just right.
He lowered his head and took a small sip.
Hmm, bitter and rich, with a subtle lingering sweetness.
It was her usual beans, her unique brewing method—the familiar taste etched deep in his memory.
“How… did you suddenly come back?” She finally looked up, her voice still unsteady, asking cautiously.
Lu Lie set down the coffee cup, the crisp sound of porcelain meeting the table echoing in the air.
He lifted his gaze to her, a faint, almost imperceptible curve forming at the corner of his lips. That smile held a hint of mockery and an undeniable air of confidence.
“What? Have you completely forgotten our Bet after just three years?”
Bet?
Her heart skipped a beat as fragments of deliberately buried memories began to surface.
“Of course, I came back for you.” Lu Lie leaned forward slightly, his intense gaze locking onto her eyes, his powerful presence enveloping her instantly. “Waiting for you to Return to the arena.”
Return to the arena…
Those four words struck her like a thunderbolt, exploding in her mind.
“And then,” he paused, his voice low and magnetic, each word striking deep into her heart, “stand with me once again at the pinnacle of this world.”
She was utterly stunned.
It felt as though something had gripped her heart tightly—aching and swollen.
Instinctively, she tried to force a smile, to say something witty to mask the turbulent emotions raging inside her.
Something like, “Bro, are you still stuck in your chuunibyou phase?”
Or, “The winds at the world’s peak are too strong—I’m afraid of the cold.”
But she failed.
As soon as her lips twitched, tears welled up uncontrollably, rolling down her cheeks.
Large, heavy drops, falling onto the back of her hand.
Scalding!
Lu Lie was her senior.
Back when she was pursuing her Ph.D. abroad, alone and without family, he had been like a true older brother, looking out for her everywhere, shielding her from hardships.
He was also her most compatible partner.
It was together, spending endless days and nights in the lab, that she had finally derived the world-changing “Equation.”
But it was also at that very moment that she chose… to retreat from it all.
She married a man she had met only a few times, even agreeing—humiliatingly—to a three-year marriage commitment.
No one understood her.
Everyone thought she had lost her mind.
Including Lu Lie.
He had been so furious he nearly overturned the table, but in the end, he simply gave her a deep, penetrating look, left behind a three-year Bet, and walked away, heading overseas to carve out his own empire.
And she? She vanished completely from everyone’s sight.
These past three years, she had lived… quietly, but also, suffocatingly.
Like a bird with broken wings, trapped in a gilded cage.
Now, the cage door was open.
And the one who had once soared beside her had returned.
With an unyielding force, he was determined to take her back to the skies.
Only she knew—there were things that had to be done.
He didn’t dare wipe away her tears, afraid he might lose control… He simply said softly, “God N’s tears are precious; don’t waste them. Change your clothes. I’m taking you to eat—you’ve grown far too thin.”
Gu Xingnian nodded and walked into the master bedroom.
Fifteen minutes later, Lu Lie and Gu Xingnian went downstairs together.
A fleet of luxury cars was already waiting below. Lu Lie opened the car door and rode with her.
He loved the faint, delicate fragrance she carried. With her by his side, it felt as if he had the whole world.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the Nanrong Club.
As the car door opened, a handsome, smiling face greeted them. “Senior sister.”
When Gu Xingnian stepped out, her junior brother and sister bowed respectfully. “Welcome back, Senior sister.”
Gu Xingnian looked at them in pleasant surprise—these familiar faces, all comrades she had fought alongside. “You’ve all returned?”
Feng Jun stepped forward and affectionately looped her arm through Gu Xingnian’s. “Senior sister, we’ve missed you so much! Thankfully, elder brother Lu Lie granted us permission to return together. This way, we can keep you company while also preparing for our Global Medical Summit.”
Cheng Xinyao also moved closer to link arms with her, offering a sweet smile. “Exactly! With senior sister here, we won’t have to work like beasts of burden every day. Elder brother Lu Lie is so strict with us.”
“You’re becoming more feminine by the day, little one. Not the crybaby you used to be anymore.” Gu Xingnian gently pinched her delicate cheek.
A sharp glance from Lu Lie made Feng Jun immediately release her arm, heart trembling.
So intimidating!
Lu Lie’s thin lips parted. “Let’s go inside.”