Chapter 132: Gu Zixi's Invitation

Soon after hanging up the phone, he received a text message from Gu Zixi detailing the meeting location.

After a quick search, he realized it was not far away. Xiao Kaitian pondered for a moment; Gu Zixi’s sudden request for a meeting had disrupted his plans. He rarely deviated from his schedule, yet this time, he felt as if driven by an inexplicable impulse.

Leaving the hotel, he hailed a taxi. The destination was close, and as he stepped out, he spotted a woman in a honey-colored trench coat sitting inside the shop. Her hair was swept up, revealing the prominent veins in her neck.

The agreed-upon venue was a cafe called Snail Coffee, characterized by a minimalist and elegant decor. Since it was the afternoon, the shop was quiet and empty.

As Xiao Kaitian pushed open the glass door, a chime rang out. The young woman turned, stood up with a bright smile, and nervously rubbed her hands together. "Brother Kaitian!"

This was Gu Zixi. She looked thinner than he remembered. Xiao Kaitian scanned her with his divine essence but found nothing physically wrong, leaving him puzzled as to how she had become so frail.

Logically, as the second daughter of the Gu family—one of the eight great noble families in the capital—she should not have been suffering from a lack of proper nutrition. Xiao Kaitian sat down, his mind filled with questions.

"What would you like to drink? My treat," Gu Zixi said, looking overjoyed as she handed over the menu. "Their mousse and the new artisanal coffee are excellent."

Xiao Kaitian had no interest in tea or desserts, so he casually ordered a coffee and began to study her more closely. Gu Zixi was not exceptionally beautiful, but she was pleasant; however, her extreme thinness made the veins beneath her skin visible, giving her an unsettling appearance.

"When I went to Haidu to find you last time, I wanted to have a good talk, but unfortunately, I ran out of time," Gu Zixi said with a smile, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "At least we can talk now."

Xiao Kaitian was not good at small talk. He did not know the girl before him at all and was unsure what to say, so he searched for a topic. "Since you are the second daughter of the Gu family, did we spend a lot of time together when we were young?"

"Yes," Gu Zixi’s expression dimmed. It seemed Xiao Kaitian’s memory loss was true. The man before her no longer had his old foolishness, but it felt as if something else had faded away along with his "recovery."

She felt a wave of disappointment but forced herself to adjust, focusing on the benefits of his newfound normalcy as she managed a smile. "Yes, you used to take very good care of me when we were little."

"Really? I thought I might have been a burden or bullied you, considering I used to be a fool," Xiao Kaitian probed intentionally.

Gu Zixi sniffled, her expression turning uncharacteristically serious. "Brother Kaitian, why would you say that about yourself? I never thought you were... well, it wasn't like that at all."

It was clear they had a history. Xiao Kaitian wanted to ask about the past, but it felt awkward to bring it up. However, he was certain he had never done anything to harm her.

"Beyond wanting to see you today, there is something I need to tell you," Gu Zixi said, glancing around before leaning in to whisper. "I accidentally overheard a conversation between my father and my sister. The Xiao, Bian, Su, and Qin families seem to be joining forces to target you. You must be careful."

Xiao Kaitian was taken aback; he hadn't expected this to be the reason for their meeting. "Don't do things like this in the future; it's dangerous. But thank you."

"I hope I can help you, Brother Kaitian." Gu Zixi looked so happy that he couldn't bear to say anything more.

Xiao Kaitian was not good at chatting, but Gu Zixi didn't seem to mind. No matter what he said, her eyes remained bright, and she would laugh heartily from time to time.

Their coffee time was brief. Gu Zixi checked her phone and looked embarrassed. "Brother Kaitian, my time is up. I'm sorry to have dragged you out only for us to talk for such a short while."

Xiao Kaitian shook his head. He didn't dislike her; on the contrary, he found her very innocent. He just wondered what she meant by "time."

Gu Zixi insisted on paying for the coffee. Afterward, she seemed even happier. "You always used to pay for me, Brother Kaitian. I'm finally able to treat you for once."

They walked out of the shop together, laughing. As they stepped onto the street, a Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up in front of them. Upon seeing the license plate with a string of eights, Gu Zixi’s face turned pale. She stepped back in fear and instinctively reached out to grab Xiao Kaitian, but she quickly pulled her hand back.

A young man wearing sunglasses stepped out. Xiao Kaitian recognized him as Jiang Yun, Gu Zixi’s bodyguard. Removing his shades, he glanced at Xiao Kaitian. "Young Master Xiao, I didn't expect you to be in the capital. No wonder the Second Miss is being disobedient again."

"Oh?" Xiao Kaitian raised an eyebrow, sensing the hostile atmosphere. "So, this is my fault?"

"I wouldn't dare. It's a matter for the Gu family," Jiang Yun said, dismissing Xiao Kaitian as an ordinary man of no consequence. "Second Miss, get in the car. Young Master Bian is waiting for you inside."

"Him?" The color drained entirely from Gu Zixi’s face.

"Don't make it difficult for us subordinates. He is your fiancé, after all—isn't that right, Young Master Xiao?" He emphasized the last two words with a heavy, threatening tone.

Gu Zixi trembled, the light fading from her eyes. She bowed her head in resignation. "Brother Kaitian, I have to go."

Xiao Kaitian’s eyes flickered. Should he intervene? In broad daylight, would it cause trouble?

But Gu Zixi had already accepted her fate. She gave him a slight bow, knowing the price of the pleasant moment she had just enjoyed was now due. Not daring to look back, she climbed into the Rolls-Royce.

Xiao Kaitian scanned the car with his divine essence and sensed a person with a faint life force in the back seat. Ultimately, he did not act and watched the car speed away.

In the back seat sat a young man who was nearly a cripple. His neck was held in a brace, his head tilted to one side. As soon as Gu Zixi entered, he began to curse: "Slut... you... met Xiao... Kaitian."

"I... will kill... you."

He struggled to speak, each word requiring immense effort.

"Young Master Bian, please, take care. The Second Miss hasn't married into your family yet," the driver, Jiang Yun, kindly reminded him.

"Pah..." The young man spat on the seat, his face contorted. "Lick it... now..."

Gu Zixi clenched her fists, staring at the deformed Young Master Bian with fury.

"Do you... believe... I will kill... Xiao Kaitian!"

At these words, tears welled up in Gu Zixi’s eyes. Gritting her teeth, she slowly lowered her head...