Swish!

　　Bai Yin’s expression changed drastically and her eyes showed greater urgency. She sent a few other looks in succession towards Gu Ruoyun, hoping that she would catch her meaning to hurry up and leave.

　　If she feels that she was not welcomed, Gu Ruoyun would naturally reject the offer to stay. She stood up and said, “There’s no need, I can leave on my own and I won’t trouble you any further. Also, you’ve helped me so I’ll owe you one. If you need anything in the future, I’ll pay you back in kind.”

　　The scariest thing in the world was not a debt of gratitude but owing a debt of gratitude. Debts of gratitude were usually the most difficult to return.

　　Even though Gu Ruoyun had a really good impression of this man in red, she was not willing to owe him a debt of gratitude.

　　“No,” The man in red frowned, “Allow me to finish my business and I’ll send you on your way. Besides, in saving you, I never had any desire for you to return your debt to me. I helped you because you look a lot like an old friend of mine.”

　　“An old friend?”

　　Gu Ruoyun was mildly stunned as she stared in confusion at the man in red.

　　“That’s correct.”

　　Upon mentioning his old friend, the man in red’s expression softened. His initially haughty and unruly eyes filled with gentleness. One need not overanalyze to know that this old friend was his lover.

　　“She was my wife and the love of my life. All these years, I’ve risked life and limb to find her as quickly as I could! In order to complete my goal, I’ve journeyed for almost twenty years. During these twenty years, I’ve never even returned to see my son and daughter. My poor daughter was left alone by her parents from the moment she had been born. I didn’t even get to name her. Now, looking at you, I feel as if I’m looking at my own daughter. If she were by my side, she would be about your age.”

　　Hearing this, Gu Ruoyun could not help but be reminded of Gu Tian and his wife. Her lips curled into an agonized grimace.

　　“By the way, little girl, I haven’t asked you what you were doing out here all alone? Where are your parents?” The man in red snapped out of his reminiscence and asked with a warm smile on his handsome face.

　　“My parents?”Gu Ruoyun spoke calmly, “They’ve passed on.”

　　To her, her father in her past life, Xia Ming, was indeed no different from a dead man. As for Gu Tian and his wife, their whereabouts were still unknown and no one knows if they were dead or alive. So what if she believes that they were still alive? After so many years, there has not been a single piece of news. Hence, she had been unable to confirm anything.

　　The man in red’s eyes moved and he placed his large hand on Gu Ruoyun’s shoulder.

　　“My apologies, I should not have brought this up.”

　　“It’s fine,” Gu Ruoyun shook her head, “You’ve never gone back to see your son and daughter in the last twenty years? Not even once?”

　　Hearing this, the man in red laughed bitterly and shook his head. His face looked utterly helpless as he spoke, “I’ve lived for the sake of vengeance over the past twenty years but my enemies are too powerful, how could I bear to drag my children down with me? Once I’ve had my vengeance and found my wife, I’ll go back and look for them! Every day that I don’t kill my powerful enemies is another day that I cannot return to my family!”

　　These were his absolute convictions for those many years.

　　Who could have ever imagined the cruel life he has had to suffer for the past twenty years? However, he has been rather fortunate to finally reach this stage after having been hunted like an ant. All this time, these convictions were the only thing which had continued to motivate him!

　　“Little girl, it’s a rare opportunity for me today to have met a little girl near my daughter’s age so I can’t help but want to say a few more words.” The man in red smiled and lowered his eyelids to gaze upon the young woman’s delicate features. A hint of absent-mindedness flashed in his eyes, “If you don’t mind, would you like to become my goddaughter?”