Never before had Gu Congli’s aggression toward her felt as unsettling as it did now.

It was as if something inside him had finally broken free from its restraints, his impulses overwhelming reason. He no longer restrained or controlled himself, teetering on the edge of an explosive breakdown, almost abandoning all semblance of composure.

His fingertips rested against her neck, tilting her chin upward. Shi Yin was forced to raise her head and look at him.

She hadn’t yet decided what to say.

But it seemed he didn’t need an answer from her.

Their lips met—his teeth like those of a predator, sharp fangs piercing her flesh, brutally crushing and devouring her. The pain brought tears to her eyes, her cries muffled, reduced to soft whimpers.

The disparity in strength between man and woman became painfully evident in that moment.

Gu Congli half-carried her forward a few steps, pushing open the door to an empty private room before turning back to close it behind them.

Inside, it was pitch black—the bright light from the corridor completely shut out, save for the faint glow filtering through the frosted glass on the door.

The harsh sound of chairs scraping against the marble floor echoed, followed by a dizzying blur. Her lips were released, and Shi Yin landed on the cold, soft leather sofa. Before she could catch her breath, his mouth was on hers again, his teeth pressing over the spot he had just bitten.

In the darkness, every sensation was magnified. Her tongue throbbed with pain and numbness, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth.

Gu Congli pinned her kicking legs with his long ones, tightly gripping her slender wrists. He licked her lips, sucked on her earlobe, and bit down on her neck.

Shi Yin felt as though her skin was being torn apart. The pain made her cry out, curling into a ball as she tried to squirm away.

Gu Congli raised his head, his gaze dark and intense.

Her eyes were wide open, filled with shock and fear, her voice trembling and hoarse. “It hurts…”

As soon as she spoke, the pain in her tongue triggered her salivary glands. Blood mixed with saliva, the wound throbbing sharply, making her wince. She instinctively bit her lip lightly to stifle the pain.

Her hair was disheveled, her eyes red and wet, tears rolling down from the corners.

Gu Congli stiffened.

His breathing slowed and steadied. He braced his hands on either side of her body, lowering his head to gently lick the bleeding bite mark on her lips. Then, he pulled back, got off the sofa, and left the room.

Bright light flooded the room for an instant before the door closed again, plunging it back into darkness.

Shi Yin scrambled backward using her hands and feet, her back pressing against the sofa. She sniffled, curling up in the corner of the booth, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

He was gone.

In the quiet, enclosed space, only the faint sound of the girl’s shallow breathing remained, each inhale shaky, like suppressed sobs.

Shi Yin buried her face in the crook of her arm, taking a long moment to steady herself before raising her head and wiping her eyes. Just as she prepared to stand, the door to the private room opened again.

Gu Congli’s breathing was slightly labored as he silently approached her, kneeling halfway beside her. He gently lifted her chin.

A soft tissue pressed against her lips. His movements were gentle, but the contact stung.

Shi Yin raised her hand, batting his away, scooting back slightly to put some distance between them.

The door was still open, light spilling in. She could vaguely see the bloodstains on the tissue in his hand.

His voice was hoarse. “I only have tissues for now. Clean up first. I’ll go to the pharmacy later.”

Shi Yin stared at him in silence.

Facing the door, the faint light illuminated her face, her eyes red-rimmed. “What are you doing…?”

Her words came slowly, each syllable pulling at the bitten wound, sending sharp, lingering pain through her. She could feel fresh blood seeping from her tongue, spreading across her mouth.

“What you just did—I don’t know how to interpret it. Do you want to explain?”

He remained silent.

The metallic tang of blood lingered in her throat. Shi Yin endured the pain, her voice steady despite the heavy nasal tone. “You said you were angry. Is this your justification for acting this way? Do you think it’s acceptable to do whatever you want just because you’re upset? What do you think I am? Your possession? I can’t possibly avoid talking to other men forever, Gu Congli. Do you realize how irrational your behavior is?”

Her mouth hurt so much. Her tongue was still bleeding, and the wrist he had gripped earlier throbbed with pain and numbness. For a moment, Shi Yin thought he might have shattered her bones.

This man had gone mad, his force so brutal she feared he might leave her dead in that room.

She wanted to argue properly, but he refused to speak.

Shi Yin slid off the sofa, stood up, and walked to the door. Turning on the lights, she stood by the doorway and looked into the colorful mirror on the wall.

Her lower lip was badly torn, blood smeared beyond the lip line, congealing at the corners in a horrifying red. Marks dotted her neck. Sticking out her tongue, she saw blood still seeping from the tip, unable to locate the source of the wound.

“…”

Shi Yin turned to look at Gu Congli. “Do you have some kind of violent tendencies?”

He gazed at her quietly, his light brown eyes dark and unreadable. “No.”

Shi Yin laughed bitterly. “You call this ‘no’?”

Gu Congli fell silent again.

He had wanted to leave his mark on her, as if to declare or prove something. In that moment, his possessive desire had overwhelmed his rationality—a dark impulse within him that had always lurked beneath the surface.

His long lashes lowered, and after a prolonged silence, he spoke slowly. “I heard… he confessed to you.”

He gazed at her reddened eyes, pressing his lips together before stubbornly declaring, “You belong to me.”

Shi Yin froze for two seconds, then exhaled deeply. “Then you should have also heard that I rejected him.”

She took two steps back, leaning against the colorful mirror. “I know men may have some degree of possessiveness or something like that. I don’t know if others are the same, but you’re the only man I’ve ever been with. But I’m certain their jealousy doesn’t manifest in this way—without any dialogue or communication. Your actions today made me feel hurt.”

She wiped away the dried blood from the corner of her mouth, wincing as the movement reopened the wound, causing it to bleed again. The fresh blood smeared onto her pale fingertips, quickly drying into a thin layer.

Gu Congli’s gaze lingered on her fingers, his own twitching slightly before falling back to his sides.

Shi Yin had never spoken to him like this before.

But today, she suddenly understood where the lingering sense of distance between them had come from.

Perhaps, subconsciously, she still felt a lingering guilt, so her attitude toward him was more like that of a junior rather than a romantic partner. Whenever he took a step forward, she would retreat one step back, maintaining a safe and cautious distance.

She avoided prying too deeply into his world, ignored the occasional flashes of extreme aggression he revealed, and refrained from voicing things she disliked.

Now, the invisible glass barrier between them had finally shattered.

Shi Yin felt as though something that had long been lodged in her chest had broken apart along with it. Even breathing seemed lighter now.

A question that had lingered in her mind for so long, one she had never dared to ask, suddenly felt simple to voice.

Lowering her head, her voice soft, laced with grievance and unease, tinged with the sticky remnants of tears: “Teacher Gu, do you really like me?”

Gu Congli stood frozen, unable to respond.

When he was younger, watching Bai Lu scream hysterically at Gu Lin, he found it both ugly and incomprehensible.

His mother had always been a gentle person. He couldn’t understand why such a tender woman could display an expression so filled with sorrow.

Gu Congli detested Gu Lin.

But Bai Lu loved him. She adored Gu Lin far more than she cared for Gu Congli. For that man, she neglected even her own son.

Gu Congli’s rebellious phase came early. His personality seemed to harbor two contradictory traits—he inherited Gu Lin’s coldness, yet carried Bai Lu’s intensity.

It was as if he had split into two distinct personas. During the height of his clashes with Gu Lin, the passionate side of Gu Congli employed every tactic to oppose, argue, and harm.

Meanwhile, the detached side of Gu Congli observed the absurd, laughable, and foolish drama unfold from a great height, aloof and indifferent.

Throughout all of this, Bai Lu never once sided with him.

She treated him kindly—but only in the absence of Gu Lin.

At school, teachers taught that a mother’s love for her child is great and selfless, surpassing even her love for her own life.

But Bai Lu wasn’t like that. In her world, he was expendable.

In his life, there would never be someone who loved him more than their own life.

So, six years ago, when that young girl stood crying before him, promising to explain everything and vowing never to let him get hurt, Gu Congli felt a fleeting moment of confusion.

His heart felt like a balloon, inflated to its fullest.

For the first time in his life, he experienced the feeling of being protected.

She approached him with sincerity and warmth, cautiously inching closer until she stepped into his world.

This person was too warm—so warm that he instinctively wanted to clutch her tightly, hold her close, fearing she might slip away at any moment. Every step anyone else took toward her made his nerves taut, terrified that she’d be taken from him and he’d once again become the expendable one.

But in doing so, how was he any different from Bai Lu?

They both became people who harmed others for their own desires.

Desire whispered, What’s wrong with this? She’s yours. If you don’t act this way, she’ll leave. She won’t want you anymore. You must hold onto what’s yours.

Reason countered, This isn’t right.

Desire asked, What’s not right?

Reason replied, You’ve made her sad. She’s bleeding. She’s crying.

A faint pang of pain struck the softest part of his heart.

Gu Congli stood up and walked over, tentatively pulling her into his arms.

She appeared calm, speaking many words to him. But when he truly embraced her, he realized her entire body was still trembling slightly. Her delicate frame, soft and fragile, rested in his arms.

Gu Congli didn’t dare to tighten his grip or make any sudden movements, afraid of scaring her further. His warm lips brushed against her forehead. He raised his hand to gently tousle her hair, patting her back soothingly, over and over. “Don’t be afraid.”

“It was my mistake. I’m sorry,” his voice rasped. “Don’t be afraid. I will never hurt you again.”