Chapter 26: Tenderness

From his tone, Gu Yao could tell that Su Yu was acquainted with this somewhat sinister man, and that he addressed him as "Tuesday" with a clear note of contempt.

Expecting the man to be angered, she saw his expression merely darken, his eyes turning even gloomier. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?" Su Yu snorted, unwilling to engage with him. He walked over, pulled Gu Yao to her feet, and said simply, "Let's go."

With that, he led her toward the door as if no one else were present. Just as when they arrived, his steps were steady, unhurried, and carried an imposing aura.

Gu Yao followed him in silence. As they reached the door, she glanced outside to see two neat rows of sturdy men in black suits. Their hands were clasped behind their backs, their spines held perfectly straight. Though their faces were devoid of expression, one could clearly discern a sense of cold-blooded cruelty. Compared to Su Yu’s bodyguards, these men were visibly more ferocious.

"Stop them," the man said languidly in Cantonese, though Gu Yao could roughly guess the meaning.

With a sudden commotion, the men in black swarmed forward, blocking the doorway tightly. The atmosphere turned tense in an instant.

Su Yu, as if anticipating this all along, calmly shielded Gu Yao behind him and turned around.

The man in the hall finally stood up and walked slowly from behind the desk. He was tall and lean, draped in a loose black silk shirt; the fabric hung smoothly, with the collar open to reveal his delicate collarbones. His skin was deathly pale, his thin lips a vibrant red, which, combined with his pitch-black eyes, made him look like a vampire stepped out of a movie.

Standing gloomily in the dim hall, his long, slender fingers continued to slowly manipulate the beads in his hand, producing a rhythmic "clatter-clatter" sound that made one's heart sink.

Looking over with an incredibly wicked gaze, he suddenly smiled—that same cold smile that reached his mouth but never his eyes.

"Su Yu, you may leave, but you cannot take this woman," he said, his voice low and devoid of any emotion.

"And if I insist on taking her?" Su Yu watched him, unflinching.

The man let out another cold laugh. "Then you won't be leaving either. Su Yu, although our ancestors had some dealings, you and I have no relation, so I will not show any mercy."

As the two of them went back and forth, neither willing to yield, Gu Yao frowned and suddenly interjected, "Wait a moment, I have a question."

Turning to look at the man, she said, "Sir, I asked before, but you never answered, so I will ask again: what exactly do you want by bringing me here? I am quite certain I do not know you."

The man finally shifted his gaze to her, his dark eyes hollow. "A physician should have a benevolent heart, yet you lack the necessary compassion. I am saving you."

Gu Yao raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. "Why do you say that?"

The man, however, said no more, only staring at her darkly.

Gu Yao smiled. "You mean because I refuse to perform surgery on your mother, that makes me lack compassion? If that is the case, then I am determined to be this heartless person. What can you do about it?"

"I naturally have my ways." A touch of paranoid amusement glinted in his eyes. The Buddhist prayer beads in his hand began to turn faster. With just a slight glance, the men in black slowly closed in a few more steps.

Does he believe in Buddhism? Gu Yao sneered inwardly. In fact, it was doubtful. To someone like him, religion was merely a gimmick to achieve his ends. If he truly understood compassion, he would not have so many murderous men under his command.

With her keen eye, she could naturally see that this man’s character was already somewhat pathological.

"If a fight breaks out, hide behind me and keep yourself safe," Su Yu whispered to her as he pulled her behind him.

Looking at the man, he said calmly, "Tell me, what do you want? No matter what, we are both leaving today."

"Simple." The man remained where he was, rubbing his chin with interest, and said slowly, word for word, "If you can knock down all twenty of my bodyguards and still remain standing, I will let you both go."

His tone was as cold as a venomous snake. "How about it? Do we have a deal, Mr. Su?"

Hearing this, Gu Yao immediately looked back at the men. She realized they had been carefully selected; their builds were largely similar to Su Yu’s, and some were even over six-foot-three. Through her recent systematic training in boxing, Gu Yao knew that strength was crucial in a fight—it wasn't something that could be solved by technique alone, especially when the opposition had such a massive numerical advantage. Even a war of attrition would wear him down until he collapsed.

Her heart tightened. Just as she was about to intervene, she heard Su Yu calmly accept: "Fine, we will do it your way."

He took off his coat, tore a strip of cloth from his shirt, and wound it slowly and methodically around his hands. When he looked up again, a flash of ferocity crossed his eyes.

It was a silent confrontation. Opposite the tall man stood twenty vicious-looking men in black. Though he was alone, his aura forced the men to retreat a step; they were intimidated.

"A bunch of losers! Get him!" the man behind the desk shouted, sounding irritated.

The men in black lunged forward.

Su Yu did not panic. His eyes fixed on the man at the front. He growled and met the charge, landing a crisp, heavy punch to the man's chin, sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious.

The others hesitated for a moment, then swarmed over to surround him.

Gu Yao stood in the back, watching without blinking. She knew she couldn't stop Su Yu from taking risks, and she knew that in this situation, force was the only way out, so she remained silent. But throughout this, she never stopped thinking.

Su Yu was formidable. Now, unleashing his full potential, he was like a wild beast—explosive, steady, and ruthless. Almost anyone he struck stayed down, unable to rejoin the fray.

But the opposition's numbers were being replenished constantly.

This sinister young man surnamed Zhou was a liar. He spoke of compassion but acted with total depravity. He intended to use this war of attrition to exhaust Su Yu’s stamina.

Gu Yao looked back. The man was hidden in the shadows, a cup of tea with curling steam at his side. His slender fingers held the cup as he sipped elegantly, looking as though he were enjoying a peaceful, quiet day.

Gu Yao stepped forward.

When she reached a distance of five paces, several men emerged from the sides to block her path. She stopped and said coldly, "Mr. Zhou, may I have a word with you?"

The man lowered his gaze, blew on the tea leaves, sipped, and finally put the cup down. He picked up the crimson prayer beads and toyed with them again.

Seeing he wouldn't answer but hadn't ordered her away, Gu Yao continued, "I want to make a bet with you. Do you dare?"

"Oh?" The man looked up, finally showing some interest.

"I will take on one of your bodyguards. If I win, you let both of us go. If I lose, I will stay and treat your mother."

When Gu Yao walked back, her steps were steady and calm. She wasn't surprised that the man accepted the wager. Compared to a fight between a strong man and a group of guards, a bout between a frail woman and someone twice her strength was far more entertaining.

Ultimately, this man surnamed Zhou was simply bored and wanted to watch a show.

The men in black had been ordered to stand down, and they stood to the side, hands behind their backs, faces grim.

Su Yu stood there looking at her, his expression slightly pained. He seemed fine, though he was breathing heavily. To have fought so many for so long and not lost his footing was truly remarkable.

"Why didn't you discuss this with me first?" He took a few long strides toward her. His tone was heavier than ever, his eyes practically smoldering with suppressed rage.

"Our goal is the same. Just as you risked coming here, I am making this new wager to protect someone." Gu Yao looked up at him. Despite his imposing size and the ferocity he still exuded, she felt no fear, only calm resolve.

She stood on her tiptoes, pressed her hands to his shoulders to make him lean down, and pressed a light kiss to his chin, right against his dark stubble.

The woman’s petal-soft lips brushed his cheek, her scent lingering in the air—light, like her, yet intoxicating.

Su Yu’s expression softened slightly. He gazed at her for a moment before whispering, "Do you remember what I taught you?"

"I remember," Gu Yao nodded.

"Good." He unwound the cloth from his hands and carefully wrapped it around hers, circle by circle. "Remember, do not get hurt."

To everyone's surprise, Gu Yao chose the tallest, strongest guard of them all.

She kicked off her high heels and stood barefoot on the floor. She tore two slits in the hem of her skirt to allow for a wide range of movement, then took off her coat and tied it tightly around her waist to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions.

She was left in a short-sleeved T-shirt, her delicate collarbones exposed. Her wrists and legs were slender, and against the backdrop of the men, she looked remarkably petite.

Yet, even at a physical disadvantage, her expression remained proud. She held her head high and beckoned with a contemptuous finger, as if calling a kitten or a puppy. "Come on, big guy. I’ve chosen you today. Don't go crying for your mommy later."

Even with their training, the bodyguards couldn't help but laugh. A tiny woman like her, making someone cry? She must be dreaming!

The chosen guard walked out with a swagger. He stood still and looked at Gu Yao as if examining a small animal. "How do you want to start?"

Gu Yao smiled, though she looked slightly nervous. She took a small step back, her body trembling slightly, and bit her lip. She scanned the bodyguard's face, put her hands up in a boxing stance, shifted her weight back and forth, and finally locked her gaze firmly on his chin. As if to bolster her own courage, she shouted loudly, "Don't get cocky! I'll knock you to the ground in one move!"