Deadly Trap

Chapter 106, Chapter 105: A Promising Future Amidst Mountains and Seas
This chapter can be listened to with Mika Nakashima's "Yuki no Hana".

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"Hmm. I'm tired of it," Gu Mufeng replied casually.

"So, what are your plans for 'Fri-Night'?"

"I gave it to Dai Ze. You know him."

“That’s not what I meant.” He lowered his head and sighed deeply. “The underworld is gone. What about the gray areas…?”

“Chief Cheng,” Gu Mufeng interrupted slowly, his voice calm and crisp, his tone grave:
There is no such thing as pure white in the world. I know that, and you know that too. How could the municipal government not know that?
“Only strong light leaves deep shadows. There are no absolute boundaries in human nature: if you don’t want to fall into the abyss of darkness, allow a little space and leave room for gray. Only then can the light shine through clearly and easily.”

"I see."

After pondering for a long while, Cheng Shining finally spoke:
"Gu Mufeng, you are a perceptive and intelligent person. It's just a pity that the future of Minzhou cannot be determined by politics or the economy. No one person can control all the power and make the decisions. Only the city itself, and the people who fill it, can decide."

"To be honest, over the years, as a police officer, I've admired your methods. Now that you're leaving, this city will become very boring without you, won't it?"

After pondering what he had to say, Cheng Shining straightened up, regaining his composure. Steadily, he placed his left hand on Gu Mufeng's shoulder:

"The dust has settled. I won't say much. Our eleven-year karmic entanglement has been a bit of a mess. Having known each other for so long, I'll just offer you one heartfelt word:"
"Forget everything these hands have done—the power struggles, the schemes, the pulling of the trigger. Having died once, let it have been worth it."

After saying that, Cheng Shining smiled and let go. His gaze swept over Su Li and Gu Zhipei, who were still anxiously waiting in the rain. He waved casually and turned to leave.

He opened the wet, muddy car door and plopped down in the police car:

"Don't let down the people who are willing to wait for you. Live your own life, Gu Mufeng."

Watching Cheng Shining's police car disappear from sight, Su Li pushed Gu Zhipei's wheelchair closer, then hurriedly went to Gu Mufeng's side: "Mufeng, what just happened?"

"I got a lesson."

The conversation ended abruptly, but Cheng Shining's few words had already deeply etched themselves into Gu Mufei's heart. He, however, remained expressionless. Only:
"Su Li, are you scared? Are you scared..." Gu Mufeng hesitated, "about me, who has been scheming from beginning to end?"

If his previous cunning and manipulative schemes were merely a means to navigate the treacherous waters of power and money, a necessity for survival in this complex web of relationships, now, relieved of the burden, he feels a lingering fear of his past self. Moreover—

Su Li smiled brightly:
"What about me, who does whatever I want and is out of control?"

Yes. Back then, facing a formidable enemy at the guesthouse, his only thought was to spare Su Li heartache, so he hastily ordered Quenxus to escort her abroad. Only when life and death hung in the balance did he decide to leave her the ring, speaking resolutely, determined to put an end to her worries and prevent her from turning back, no matter what.

Who would have thought that this woman would simply drop her luggage, run through the crowd across the airport, grab Welsh and Quenxus on the spot, and use all her willfulness to coerce the two professional bodyguards into bringing her back?

Throughout the entire journey, until he woke up while she was by his side, Su Li held back from shedding a single tear. Dai Ze told him this personally afterward.

With their fingers tightly intertwined, Gu Mufeng held Su Li's hand.

"Boss." Welsh, who had been waiting silently in the rain, stepped forward and addressed him, still using the same title he had used spontaneously for the past eight years. Gu Mufeng let him be.

"It's almost time. Shall we set off for the airport now?"

With a simple wave, they bid farewell to Gu Zhipei. The old man held Gu Mufeng and Su Li's hands, rubbing each one gently before letting go and allowing them to get into the car.

A light spring rain roused Lanzhou Mountain, making it lush and verdant, with occasional pear blossoms like mist, all gradually fading into the distance. The car traveled along the coastal expressway: the steep mountain ridges bowed low, and the vast ocean, with its magnificent waves, appeared and disappeared behind the mountains.

The sky is vast and the rain is heavy; it's just a pity that it's not summer yet, and it's the gloomy rainy season.

But it didn't matter anymore. From then on, through spring, autumn, winter, and summer, through mountains, rivers, seas, sunshine, rain, fog, and snow... Looking out the car window at the rainy scenery, Gu Mufeng, while fumbling in his pocket, pulled out an object and presented it directly to Su Li:

"This is for you. I was planning to wait until your birthday in the fall... but I don't want to wait any longer."

In his nervously sweating palms lay an exquisite hexagonal box, its size perfectly proportioned. Covered in lapis lazuli brocade, the embroidery was lifelike, depicting pear blossoms in full bloom, with two red-crowned cranes emerging from beneath the branches.

At the very center of the box lid, by some ingenious method, a ginkgo crest with a single branch and three leaves in pure gold is seamlessly inlaid with brocade.

Under Gu Mufeng's burning gaze, Su Li carefully and gently opened the box.

The entire emerald, about the size of a thumbtip, is bright and lustrous, perfectly translucent. Surrounded by a galaxy of diamonds, it shines dazzlingly on a pure gold ginkgo leaf wreath. Humanity's truest sincerity, the vibrant life of spring, and timeless beauty are all condensed into a graceful fingertip. A ring beyond description.

It was as if the Milky Way had fallen and the stars had been crushed; the flames illuminated every inch of the carriage, making it sparkle brilliantly.

“This is—” Su Li was speechless.

“I think emeralds are a better match for you.”

Without moving, Gu Mufeng quietly gazed at Su Li's flushed face: a smart, brave person, full of life and gratitude, who was navigating the ship alone.

Gu Mufeng's eyes probed, and they couldn't help but gleam:

“I designed the style myself and ordered a whole set before the new year. Because of the international auction, there wasn’t enough time to bid for the most suitable gemstone; so far, this is the only one available.”

His choice of words was clearly simple narration, his tone calm and ordinary. But inside, his heart was pounding; he was as nervous as a child anticipating something.

"Su Li," he unconsciously pursed his lips, his throat burning and dry. He cautiously probed, then hastily asked, "Do you...like her?"

From their first meeting, Gu Mufeng asked her if she liked him; however, Su Li hadn't thought about that question at all and didn't know how to answer.

Now, Su Li was astonished. Of course she liked it. Such dazzling, unparalleled treasures, there was actually a whole set?
Moreover, Gu Mufeng couldn't possibly be unaware that ordering a complete set would take a long time. He couldn't possibly have already planned out their long-term future when he placed the order, could he?

Since they met, aside from the sapphire at the banquet, Gu Mufeng has never personally given Su Li anything: buying something with his money and actually preparing and giving it to her by hand are two different things.

Su Li carefully turned the ring. On the pure gold inner band, only four simple letters were engraved: "SU LI," her name, nothing more. Truly, it was his style.

From the day it was created, this ring had truly and completely left him, belonging entirely to Su Li alone. No further markings were needed; in Su Li's heart, it was 100% etched, deeply engraved, solely with the sincere love from Gu Mufeng.

"Then, your mother's ring?"

After a long pause, Su Li was finally able to speak again.

For her, that ruby ​​ring was always a bit too big; soaked inside and out with his congealed blood, Su Li was even more reluctant to wash it off. She was afraid of losing it; at this moment, it was strung into a pendant, inside her underwear, heavy and close to her heartbeat.

"You can keep it after altering the size," Rou Ran said, seemingly no longer caring. Gu Mufeng smiled brightly, "But this time—"

Gazing at her, his eyes were firm yet tender: his deep eyes seemed to stretch out with infinite possibilities, yet they reflected only her image.

He slowly approached:
"Su Li—"

When eyes meet: the world can be both big and small.

We are destined to be together in this life; who can say we are not fortunate? With hearts united, we can look forward to anything, even mountains and seas.

"I am willing."

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The main text of the book is now complete.

　[Author's Note | Chapter 105 | End of Main Text]

　　Thank you to every reader who has accompanied Gu Mufeng and Su Li this far. The author sincerely thanks you and hopes this love story has brought you joy. Happy happy ending!

　　Five more bonus chapters will follow, and a preview of the new book's chapters will be included at the end. Don't miss it!
　　The happy ending of Gu Mufeng and Su Li's couple in this book is taken from "Free-flying flowers are as light as a dream", and don't forget there is also "Endless drizzle is as fine as sorrow" (covering mouth and laughing).

　　Once again, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of the babies for their companionship.

　　Gu Mufeng: Thank you.

　　Su Li (shoving him): Don't make your thanks sound so stiff! Thank you everyone! (Teaching Gu Mufei to make a heart shape with his hands)

　　May you, my readers, live a long and prosperous life! See you in the next book!
　　(End of this chapter)