Chapter 72: Gift (Part 1)

  The end of the story will come sooner or later, after the curtain opens. It's just that those who haven't read the script often find themselves caught off guard.

  In the early morning, Gu Huanli sat on the balcony, leisurely reading the newspaper in her hand. She had already gotten used to waking up early and even after returning to the old Gu residence, she no longer lingered in bed like before, slowly getting up to start her day.

  Perhaps, in those few days at Shan Jian City, although brief, changed her habits and life. When leaving, Gu Huanli didn't even get to bid farewell to Ye. It was said that there were some matters in the south that required his attention, so he only left a sentence "take care of yourself" before disappearing from her life with a "whoosh".

  Back to the days of living with her brother, for Gu Huanli, apart from peace and quiet, an important point is... She put down the teacup in her hand and let out a long sigh. This was the taste that red tea should have.

  Her gaze jumped between various news articles, when suddenly, a bizarre news headline caught Gu Huanlin's attention.

  A 19-year-old high school student in this city accidentally shot himself while showing off a handgun to a woman and died after being rescued by the hospital yesterday at around 7 pm.

  Turning to the social news section, the newspaper actually used an entire page to introduce and analyze this frustrating "own goal" incident. The reporter quoted a police insider as saying, "Obviously, he went (to the bar) at night and brought a young woman back home, accidentally shooting himself in the head while playing with the gun."

  According to informed sources, this was an accidental event, "not intentional behavior".

  The police in charge of cracking the case replied that the woman taken home by the high school student initially asked him to put the gun aside, but the high school student insisted on showing off to his opponent, picked up a 9mm pistol, aimed at his own head and pulled the trigger.

  The police inferred that the high school student originally thought there were no bullets in the handgun.

  However, what is puzzling behind the unexpected "accident" is where did the 9mm caliber pistol in the high school student's hand come from? And the truth uncovered by the reporter after in-depth investigation is even more astonishing.

  It was then that a campaign to purify the campus began, and those implicated in this incident were not only the students who arbitrarily beat up girls on campus and teachers at will, but also their backers, big or small.

  At one time, the two words "anti-gang" made the entire city's underworld tremble with fear, as if the wind was howling and every blade of grass was a soldier.

  "Cassidy, do you know what's going on?" Gu Huanli put down the newspaper and thought for a moment before speaking slowly. "In my memory, this incident didn't happen. Also, I've thought about it before - that night, you could have secretly called the police and didn't necessarily need me to go, or even use... So, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation."

  "Alright...Miss, since you asked, I should give you a reasonable explanation." Cassidy picked up the napkin and leaned forward to gently wipe away the remaining red tea stain from Gu Huanli's mouth.

  "Uh-huh." Gu Huanli nodded for him to sit down across from her, then listened intently as he recounted the entire incident from start to finish.

  "Miss, as a fallen angel, although you can retain some of your magical powers, in our code of conduct, altering human destiny is strictly prohibited and is the top priority. This principle is crucial to maintaining balance between heaven and the mortal world, as well as the balance of fate among humans. Therefore, including anonymous phone calls, any means that would change their mother-daughter fate cannot be used. If Miss can't intervene, we can only watch helplessly as tragedy unfolds."

  Gu Huanli seemed to have understood this part, "So I can change it by taking action? Such behavior has been disrupting the starry sky for a long time and changing fate."

  "Miss, you are different from others." Cassidy's bright blue eyes shone with a color similar to the deep sea, and his self-deprecating smile was futilely painted at the corner of his mouth, only to be erased into a straight line. "As the only unique existence in this world, it is only possible to escape the thread of fate from the hands of the three goddesses of fate by being closely tied to your destiny."

  "If that's what you're saying, wouldn't that implicate you as well?" Gu Huanli listened to Cassidy's words, although she heard them vaguely, but she didn't doubt.

  "When I was assigned as Miss's soul guardian, the change had already taken place." Cassidy revealed a warm and perfect smile. "Besides, Miss had already made arrangements for Mrs. Shen and her daughter in her heart. I just carried out Miss's decision."

  "You" Gu Huanli was so angry that she had nothing to say, okay, the road she walked was not as salty as what he ate, and it was not worth getting angry with a foolish angel. "What decision? You'd better tell me."

  Cassio shook his head, his slender hands covering the spotless forehead of Gu Huan Lian, his eyes focused and sorrowful. Kindness was the most essential virtue in Gu Huan Lian's soul, but some people, some things had been eroding her silently, changing her bit by bit. For this angel who had lived for hundreds of years, human joys and sorrows were nothing new, he should have just smiled it off, yet a small mistake had added a thin layer of bondage.

  Since when did he, who had abandoned his mortal identity, start thinking that memories were just a ridiculous self-replication of humans; and since when did the proud angel become so mundane.

  He also remembered the soul that was last extracted from his shell. A semi-transparent human figure floated vaguely in mid-air, its outline gradually becoming clear. It was a woman similar to adult Gu Huanlin, but her entire body was only pearl white in color. Indeed, it was an exceptionally pure soul.

  He would not allow anyone to sully the one under his protection, this was God's will and the command of Archangel Michael. But how could he protect this purity? By locking her in a cage until the end of life?

  "Mrs. Shen and her daughter have moved out of the apartment and rented a house in the west of the city as a temporary place to settle down." Cassidy gazed out at the pale gray sky, suddenly feeling lost, this desolate wasteland was so similar to the era he used to live in. History and reality always had some kind of overly heavy similarity, a similarity that condensed blood and tears. "Mrs. Chu let them off for the time being because she needs to accompany Miss Chu to the film crew."

  "Miss Chu?" A faint light flashed at the bottom of his eyes, and Gu Huanli smiled sarcastically. "Cassidy, I offer my sincerest gratitude for your loyalty and thoughtfulness. However, Lian You has now changed back to her maiden name, so from a legal standpoint, you should be calling her Miss Gu."

  "Yes." Cassidy stood up, placed his right hand on his left chest, slightly bowed and softly said, "My lady."

  Gu Huanli smiled, her eyebrows curved, "Kasidio, Christmas is coming soon, do you want to go back and take a look?" She stretched out her hand and pointed upwards.

  "The command I received was to stay by Miss's side until the moment her life ends." Cassidy's eyes, like imperial green jade, shone brightly with a starry light.

  If in the night sky, there were really blue-colored stars, it should be like this.

  The warmth of the rising tide made Gu Huanli somewhat at a loss, but Cassidy's warm smile was like the sun breaking through the clouds. Gu Huanli's eyes unconsciously softened, "I think, although this period of time is short for you, but in the course of a person's life, it should still be quite long. So, what are your plans? Return to your hometown and take a look? Experience something you've never tried before? Or..."

  "Miss Cassidy has taken over all my affairs."

  "I want to go see Mrs. Shen, but you know, I can't do it with my current identity." Gu Huanli's tone was not one of negotiation or compromise, after all, there were only a few days left until the winter break, and she wanted to seize every opportunity to get everything ready.

  Gu Lianyou has already been pushed into the entertainment industry by her aunt, so what about Shen Muran? Perhaps, before meeting, she needs to think carefully. And there's Yingzi, who is said to be studying hard every day, the results are good, but Gu Huanli doesn't appreciate her behavior of overworking and damaging her health at such a young age, it seems necessary to have a talk with her, after all, what she bought was her whole life, not just three or five years.

  "It seems that I need to prepare clothes and food for Miss to replenish her energy." Cassidy's azure eyes were as deep as a ruined nursery rhyme, his decision after careful consideration did not require questioning, all he needed to do was protect, nothing more. "I don't know if the combination of salmon with mint salad and toasted butter bread Italian bread suits your taste?"

  Such a scene, such an inquiry, couldn't help but make Gu Huanli have the urge to cry. Had she really left behind the nightmare-like existence of Shanjian City?

  It's really a happy thing to be able to hear such a happy inquiry again.

  "Kassy, can you knit a scarf?" Gu Huanli suddenly asked.

  Although he could hear it, in order to protect Cassidy's personal affairs, he slightly ignored the voice in her heart and immediately lowered his head, apologetically saying, "Miss, I'm very sorry, I will learn to compile immediately."

  "What's the matter? I was originally going to ask you to teach me...” Gu Huanli furrowed her brow, staring gloomily at the gray sky outside the window. Christmas was approaching, but she still hadn't thought of what gift to give her brother.

  This is her first Christmas with her brother after all.

  In the past, she would write those letters that could never be sent in her own room to her brother and parents. But this year was different. Her brother was by her side, they could spend Christmas Eve together, and unwrap gifts on Christmas morning together.

  What gift can make brother's eyes light up?

  What gift can make her brother feel her sincerity?

  Gu Huanli lowered her head to glance at her watch, then said to Cassidy, "I'll go practice first. This afternoon, you accompany me out for a stroll. If brother asks, you know how to answer, right?"

  "Don't worry, miss."