PART 10 The Fire at the Other Pavilion, A Narrow Escape from Death

Although the sound had been suppressed, Gu Xiaoshao still noticed it. His movements were extremely swift; by the time my hair was subjected to the first tug, he had already seized the intruder

It was only then that I realized we were saved; all the strength in my body suddenly vanished, and my hand went limp, causing Gu Xiaoshao to fall down.

He tightened his grip, probably exerting a lot of strength. The young girl exclaimed "Oh no" and suddenly pouted, bursting into tears, looking both wronged and sad: "We were just standing up for you."

They all see clearly, and upon reflection, I feel somewhat ashamed of my own lack of detachment

Suddenly, the hall was illuminated as brightly as daylight. It was then that I noticed the red liquid had soaked into the front of my garment; it was undoubtedly the finest wine from the bottle, and I could even smell its fragrant aroma. Although my hair had only been tugged slightly, a few strands had come loose from the desolate bun.

Hello, is the grip comfortable?

Believe me, meow | meow, he is filled with overwhelming passion that is surging!

Dongfang Wuyou let out a cold scoff and said: "Others may not know, but I understand Mi Mi the best. If it weren't for her lack of security, how could Mi Mi get into all those troubles? However, even if Mi Mi is a bit mischievous, it is still better than the pretentiousness of these women"

I gathered my courage and took another step, this time the heel of my high-heeled shoe landed directly on the top of his foot. He looked at me with a twisted expression, but before he could erupt in anger, the music came to an abrupt halt, accompanied by a sharp alarm sound.

Fortunately, there was an ambulance on site, and someone immediately came to lift him onto a stretcher and take him into the vehicle

He immediately sighed in relief and coldly said to the girl in dark colors: "I see, the person I am doing a good deed for today is Xiao Mi, so it is impossible for me to be alone with any other girl. You shouldn't feel wronged; do you know how long she has been pursuing me?"

It turns out that Gu Xiaoshao has become this narcissistic

"In the east, someone is watching you." I raised my chin, indicating that outside under the colorful lights on the lawn, there was a girl resembling a small white rabbit who was secretly looking at him, shy and timid, very cute.

The young master of the East asked me: "What will you do when you enter the Dongfang family in the future? She will be your sister-in-law." His voice was gentle and affectionate, and his gaze was filled with concern and helplessness

... ...

He glared at me in anger and turned his head, continuing to speak to the girl: "Recently, I have developed a particular compassion for the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled, so you tell them that, apart from Xiao Mimi, no other women should come to bother me."

The decorative beams fell one after another, carrying sparks, igniting wherever they landed like embers ready to spread into a wildfire. I barely managed to dodge a few sparking wooden planks, and before I could react, I saw a small cluster of flames ignite in Gu Xiaoshao's hair, sparked by the beams that brushed past her.

It is estimated that he has hurt himself from the fall, as Gu Xiaoshao's face displayed a pale expression of enduring pain

She sneered and said, "Brother, what she likes are those merchants, we cannot relate to each other." She glanced at the clothes I was wearing

I sighed, took a deep breath, and with a strong effort, lifted him up

Most of the people here are unfamiliar to me, but because I am the heir of the Xiao family, many greet me with smiles. I find this rather uninteresting

I clutched the front of my little dress, feeling utterly desolate.

This awkward fellow

I saw the girl beside him, who had been sobbing, gradually stop crying and quietly glance at me, her face still bearing a hint of disdain

The girl caught by him stared at him without blinking, trembling all over, and mustered the courage to speak: "Gu Shao, we are doing this for your own good"

It is unknown who shouted, "Fire!" and the scene immediately descended into chaos

I was wearing wet clothes and sneezed several times in succession. Gu Shao and Shang Er Shao, who was not far away, both offered their coats at the same time. I hesitated for a moment, but upon seeing Gu Shao's unabashed gaze, I immediately chose his dark blue suit adorned with a silver family crest with eagerness.

To know that a prince's princess carry is truly magnificent, when I, as a girl, hold you like this, to outsiders, it can only imply that I am rude and unrestrained. Do you think I am willing to destroy the pure and innocent image of a little lily that I have just crafted

My hand was still in Gu Xiaoshao's grasp, and his other hand remained on my waist. We both turned to look outside at the same time, where thick smoke was rolling in. We instinctively covered our noses and exchanged a glance; he appeared more flustered than I did

The poor little Princess Lu was still reading aloud lengthy official texts incessantly when Gu Shao suddenly interrupted coldly, "Stop reading, turn on the light!" In the darkness, I saw Gu Shao's eyes shining astonishingly bright. He coldly commanded once more, "Turn on the light!"

What are you laughing at? I asked while squeezing him.

I heard Xiao's mother hesitatingly calling out, and I slowly turned my head. The scene was silent, and everyone appeared to be in a state of petrification

I inexplicably felt a chill, which was the result of the piercing gazes directed at me by all the members of the Gu Xiao's personal guard. Thus, I became the target of everyone's attention once again.

"Xiao Mi | Mi, put me down, you foolish woman!" he exclaimed angrily

The young girl immediately shut her mouth, her face turning red.

Gu Xiaosheng gritted his teeth and moved his body, probably in severe pain, and let out a muffled groan. His hand slipped, and he fell down again. He was furious: "Xiao Mi Mi, I hate seeing you, get lost. With you around, I feel like I'm going to have bad luck every time I go out!" He paused for a moment, and after just a few seconds of staring, he shouted in an even angrier voice, "Get away from me! Xiao Mi Mi, hurry up and get lost. Without you, I could get out faster!"

Oh dear..." He lay on the ground, holding his waist and groaning, his pitch-black eyes glaring fiercely, "Xiao Mimi, you are very good, very good, very good..."

Shang Er Shao smiled faintly, not feeling angry, retracted the hand that had offered the coat, and turned his face back to the role of a listener as before

Xiao Mi | Mi, do not think that just because you have held this young master's hand, you can take advantage of it. I merely thought that rather than rejecting each one individually, it would be better to find a target that is universally despised and deal with them all at once. He arrogantly explained, his large eyes fixed on me, seemingly observing my reaction. His calculations were quite clever: "Young Master Gu, I was wrong. I apologize for my youthful ignorance." If it were possible, I truly wanted to strangle that Xiao Mi | Mi guy, seeing the kind of people she has attracted, none of whom are normal. His calculations were quite clever: "Young Master Gu, I was wrong. I apologize for my youthful ignorance." If it were possible, I truly wanted to strangle that Xiao Mi | Mi guy, seeing the kind of people she has attracted, none of whom are normal

Xiao Mi | Mi, hold my hand!

I exchanged an awkward glance with that girl at the same time. Gu Xiao Shao, you have always been so confident! This level of confidence truly allows me to see far and wide

I quietly put on Gu Xiaoshao's clothes, intending to tie my hair into a ponytail. Just as my hand was raised halfway, I was suddenly pulled over by Gu Xiaoshao.

I crouched down, adopting the posture of carrying a bag of cement, gritted my teeth, and with all my strength, threw him onto my shoulder, instantly feeling a surge of pride

Xiao Mi | Mi, where is the arrogance you used to have? I remember that back in the day, you weren't so timid when you slapped the girls who liked me. " As he spoke, he ran his fingers through my hair, tidying it up, and then he took off the diamond clip from his bow tie and pinned it at an angle in my bangs. After that, he tilted his head to admire his masterpiece, saying proudly: "Not bad!"

... ...

I was taken aback, seeing the young lady from the East turn around; amidst that large group of girls dressed in dark colors, she truly appeared charming and lovely

I was just about to refuse when the lights in the hall suddenly went out

The old master Gu approached with a smile, patted my shoulder, and comforted me, saying, "That child has a tender face; he is expressing his gratitude."

He was infuriated, and his beautiful glass-like eyes shone even more brightly: "Why are you keeping such a distance from me? What happened to the fierce determination you had when you pursued me back then?"

I no longer speculated about his thoughts and squeezed my way out of the crowd

... ...

A crowd of people is gathered at the entrance

The young lady I helped up pushed me away and stumbled off in pursuit of another figure.

Old man, do you have presbyopia, glaucoma, and cataracts? ... That look in Gu Xiaoshao's eyes is clearly one of seeing the murderer of his father, the one who annihilated his family...

He glared at me, and upon seeing my apologetic smile, surprisingly only curled the corners of his mouth, unprecedentedly not getting angry.

I can tell that he is using his own pretentious way to comfort that girl in dark colors, however, I couldn't help but ask: "Isn't eight years the Anti-Japanese War?"

I was just about to express my gratitude when he glared at me and threatened, "Remember, all of this is lent to you, and it must be returned! Xiao Mi, to be honest, I am truly afraid that you might feel inferior using my things"

With a slap, he let out a cold grunt and immediately fell silent

I estimate that she will not reveal the person who made her pour the wine, as this circle operates in such a manner: big fish bully small fish, small fish bully little shrimp, and little shrimp always become the victims. Unfortunately, this girl is that little shrimp. I sighed and said, "Forget it"

The girl glared at me with tear-filled eyes and turned to leave. Gu Xiaoshao's most unrefined trait is his lack of understanding of cherishing delicate feelings. It is absolutely impossible to win his heart with tears and coquetry, and it is evident that his personal guard understands this as well.

Especially the old master Gu, with a quivering mouth, looking as if he wanted to laugh but dared not to.

Due to standing at the edge of the hall, where the light was very dim, I felt a cold arm brush against my own. Startled, I had not yet had time to react when suddenly, a chill spread across my chest, followed by the sensation of liquid flowing down my skin. I let out a soft "ah".

A breath of fresh air immediately wafted in, accompanied by the uniquely crisp and cool breeze of the night, refreshing my mind significantly

I had always thought that he had feelings for Xiao Mi, but it turned out that he only loved the Xiao family behind her. I suddenly felt a bit weary and smiled at him, saying: "I will go take a break, you can browse on your own for now"

When the fire first ignited, hardly anyone noticed, as the sky outside the hall was filled with fireworks, vibrant and colorful, each one bearing the emblem of a consortium, after the party had commenced. Most of the staff had secretly slipped away to enjoy the annual fireworks competition, while those remaining inside were preoccupied with maintaining the situation. It was not until the smoke became suffocating that someone finally realized that a fire had broken out

I waved my hand to Dongfang Wuyou and said, "Forget it, my younger sister and I have quite a significant generation gap." How embarrassing; calling it a generation gap is perhaps an overstatement. As long as Gu Xiaoshao is close to me, her gaze feels as if it could tear me apart. I am not a beast tamer and cannot communicate well with wild animals

I estimate that she is in for a tough time, as there are definitely spies of Madam Xiao in this hall. I can overlook it, but I cannot guarantee that she can endure the ignorance of a girl who questions her eighteen generations of ancestors. Sure enough, a staff member adorned with a four-leaf clover badge immediately pulled her down. From that moment on, the world fell silent

Alas? This is the first time I have heard such an argument

Pfft... Is the term "the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled" referring to me? Gu Xiaoshao, your sharp tongue has indeed reached a new level.

This villa, also known as Xungu Mountain Villa, is an old villa from the last century, constructed from nanmu wood. The hall is designed to mimic ancient architecture, featuring numerous beams, either for decoration or structural support. Above the hall, a small loft has been built to highlight its rustic charm. This gathering was held in the hall, and the loft was adorned with small light bulbs as decoration. Perhaps due to a short circuit, this led to a major fire.

Gu Xiaoshao was quietly held by me, his eyes sparkling, his face flushed, with half-burnt strands of hair curling against his ears, looking very obedient.

He seemed a bit invigorated by my smile and waved to Miss Dongfang on the lawn, saying, "Wen Ying, come here and keep Sister Mi company"

I hesitated for a moment and placed my hand in his palm

In one breath, he said five very good things; Gu Xiaoshao is likely driven to madness by anger

Thick smoke billowed in the hall, while the strong and robust staff had already squeezed to the entrance, leaving the wealthy young heirs crying and making a fuss, unable to find an exit

"Mi, why don't you join in?" I turned my face and saw Dongfang Wuyou. Ever since that time he compromised and stood by Gu Xiaoshao, he has been avoiding being alone with me.

I did not hesitate to slap his firm and perky bottom, and to my surprise, it felt very good to the touch, with excellent elasticity, likely due to Gu Xiaoshao's regular exercise.

I turned around and smiled at him: "I can't fit in because they don't like me." This is the truth. In the eyes of these wealthy young ladies, although the Xiao family is considered a leader among various conglomerates, Xiao Mimi's outrageous behavior of chasing handsome men is a significant blemish. It seems that getting close to Xiao Mimi would lower their status, making them appear as misguided infatuated girls.

Although at a height of 1.58 meters, my princess carry is truly a struggle to the utmost, my arms supporting his body tremble from the exertion. However, the strength developed from my recent weight loss exercises should not be underestimated, and coupled with the explosive power in a life-and-death situation, I am even impressed with myself.

At this moment, an unknown young lady was lying on the ground, pulling at Gu Xiaoshao's foot and wailing: "I twisted my ankle, take me out, I will give you one hundred thousand, one million, no, no, more..."

Alas? I looked down, and the front of the gown was already wide open, revealing half of my corset. It seems that the diamond cufflinks that Xiao Bie had previously fastened behind my back had come undone.

"What do you want?" I walked over reluctantly and stopped five steps away from him

His eyes and the corners of his lips both curved into a familiar smile as he slowly extended a hand towards me, saying: "Come here!"

Xiao Mi | Mi, your Xiao steward is not by your side, being alone is quite pitiful. I, as a young master, do a good deed every day, so tonight, please stay by my side

I looked at the East with the gaze of a Martian: "East, the issue you are concerned about, I believe will not arise." Does he love Xiao Mi to the extent that he must have her?

Everyone, please do not push. The fire is already being extinguished. If you turn around, you will see that the flames have been significantly reduced, right? I assure you, everyone is safe. Please come out one by one! I heard someone outside the door desperately calming the crowd of evacuees.

His gaze clearly and arrogantly implied: "If you refuse this young master's daily act of kindness, you are not far from death!"

He raised his eyebrows and finally laughed out loud: "Xiao Mi, this is the first time I've seen someone wearing a girl's bra under a gown, and it even has lace trim. Your taste is truly poor"

There is still some time before the host officially announces the start of the PARTY. The older attendees have tacitly moved to the lounge at the back, leaving the younger ones to converse in the hall or on the front lawn.

His incessantly writhing body caused my strength to deplete rapidly. In a fit of anger, I exclaimed, "Shut up, Gu Liancheng! If you move again, I will bite you!"

You brainless fool! He pushed me away forcefully, and the burning wood struck his back. I heard him grit his teeth and let out a muffled groan as he knelt on the ground, slowly collapsing down.

I am completely devastated; can't he continue to maintain the posture of a fighting cock as before? At the very least, he shouldn't disgust me like this

Dongfang Wenying is very beautiful, so compared to Xiao Mi's infatuation, all her pursuits of men are glorified as commendable courage. However, Young Master Dongfang, do you not know that your sister has already regarded me as a rival in love

However, Director Xiao has discussed the matter of a marriage alliance and joint venture between our two families with my grandfather

I have seen him call his enormous Old English Sheepdog with the same demeanor, except he adds one more phrase: "Come here, darling!" Although I have no need to compete for affection with a dog, this realization still dealt a blow to my proud self-esteem

Gu Xiaoshao indeed stopped squirming, but her expression was peculiar, her eyes sparkling, and she bit her lip, presenting a look of shame and grievance

Is she implying that I have tarnished Gu Xiaoshao's magnificent prince image? Tarnished his pure and unblemished demeanor? Thinking of it this way, it is actually quite amusing, and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Gu Xiaoshao glanced at me and threw out three words: "Neurotic!"

"Why do this?" The girl caught by Gu Xiaoshao was wearing a dark brown dress, trembling all over, seemingly so frightened that she was at a loss.

My eyes were streaming with tears from the thick smoke. I reached out my hand, and Gu Xiaoshao suddenly grasped it a few times, finally pulling my hand firmly. With all his strength, he held it so tightly that it hurt, and then he slowly turned my palm over, intertwining our fingers tightly, holding even more firmly.

He relaxed his body and lazily leaned against the pillar in front of the hall, his pitch-black eyes becoming even more profound: "No need, over the past few years I have deeply understood my charm with women; you merely express it a bit more fervently than others."

I crouched down and focused my gaze; on his pale face, cold sweat had dissolved the ash, creating a stark contrast of black and white, rendering him utterly disheveled. It seemed he could not bear to have his disheveled side exposed before me

Damn it, how dare you throw me!

Is there? I looked at the old master Gu with a skeptical gaze

I heard a chilling sound coming from beside me, and suddenly realized that he and I were still in a state of hand-holding. A shiver ran through me, and I immediately shook off his hand

"Xiao Mi | Mi, put me down!" I heard someone on my shoulder emit a chilling voice

"Mi, I will come to find you to dance the first dance later." Dongfang Wuyou still did not give up. Every year's gathering is the best opportunity for the 'ideal match' generated under the mutual benefit of the family.

Dongfang Wuyou turned his face and cast a sidelong glance at me, coldly snorting in impatience. He shrugged and replied nonchalantly, "It's just a small consortium, not worth paying attention to."

I trembled as I looked down at him, only to find the corners of his lips curved upward, as he was secretly amused.

Gu Xiaoshao was still tightly gripping my hand. I bent down to help her when suddenly, a burning piece of decorative wood fell from the sky, and I was so startled that I forgot to react

Who are we?" He raised an eyebrow, "What kind of nonsense is this?"

The situation has spiraled out of control

After a moment of silence, Princess Lu bravely raised the microphone and continued to recite her opening blessing. Everyone pretended to listen attentively to her speech. The atmosphere at the scene excited Princess Lu, causing her voice to rise several times, resulting in the microphone producing a series of loud feedback sounds.

Gu Xiaoshao's gaze remained fixed on my chest, and I instinctively covered my chest. As soon as I withdrew my hands, I knew something was amiss

I suddenly had an epiphany. In this circle, there is no such thing as pure love. The Dongfang family currently has a project that is exactly what Mother Xiao has been longing for, and this project can only be researched by the Dongfang family due to their technical capabilities. However, the required funding is substantial... Therefore, Young Master Dongfang is so concerned about Xiao Mi.

Damn it! he shouted, shaking his head

I have matured a bit now and can understand your past actions to some extent. He looked at me with a tolerant gaze and said, "You were merely expressing your obsession with me honestly"

I pursed my lips and did not respond. Turning around, I saw Gu Xiaoshao not far away, speaking harshly to a little girl dressed in dark colors. I couldn't help but smile; compared to the insincerity of the crowd, I found Gu Xiaoshao's straightforwardness particularly endearing

"Can you stand up?" We are not far from the hall entrance. The fire is burning more fiercely, and I can even feel the waves of heat rolling over my cheeks

A beam of blue light descended from the highest point of the hall, swirling around before landing on tonight's host, the little princess of the Lu Group, as she stammered through a long toast.

Gu Xiaoshao cast a sidelong glance at me, suddenly smiled, and her eyes sparkled with a kaleidoscope of colors due to the refracted light.

But it was completely useless, and the situation became even more chaotic. Outside there were shouts, inside there were wails, everyone was crowded together, and no one could evacuate more effectively.

His eyes immediately emitted a standard gentle light, and he replied in an extremely soft tone, reminiscent of a male lead in a romance novel: "Mi Mi, you must accompany me for the opening dance later; I have been looking forward to it for an entire year." Goodness, a year ago, Xiao Mi Mi was still a ball; do you really want to dance the rumba while bouncing a ball? I raised an eyebrow at him, letting out a cold snort filled with disdain, and for the first time, embarrassment appeared on his handsome face. A year ago, Xiao Mi Mi was still a ball; do you really want to dance the rumba while bouncing a ball? I raised an eyebrow at him, letting out a cold snort filled with disdain, and for the first time, embarrassment appeared on his handsome face.

"It's all used up." I rolled my eyes at him, feeling very angry inside. He really brings up exactly what I fear the most. Here, the thing I dread the most is when others mention the heroic past of that Miss Xiao.

I saw the corners of his mouth slightly lift. He is clearly a person who takes pleasure in playing tricks on others, so how could he possibly be kind-hearted

Gu Xiaoshao was quite astonished, raising an eyebrow and turning her face away, but her grip loosened. The girl felt relieved, yet she was unwilling to let the moment pass without a word. After greeting classmate Xiao Mi, she proceeded to inquire about the entire lineage of the Xiao family, spanning eighteen generations.

I halted my steps and decisively threw the small suit he had draped over me back at him. Fortunately, my movement was swift enough to extinguish the flames on his head in an instant

Xiao Mi | Mi, I command you to let me down!" He twisted his body, his expression extremely awkward, and his pale face surprisingly took on a hint of redness

Xiao Mi | Mi, come here!" He suddenly waved at me, looking very impatient, and my scalp immediately tingled.

"I can only dance the male steps, classmate Gu. Since starting school, I have only practiced as a partner in the school two or three times, and each time it has been the male steps.

As he passed by me, I saw him glaring at me fiercely, a hint of a cold smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. In a voice only he and I could hear, he menacingly threatened, "Xiao Mi, I tell you, this matter is not over!"

By the time the ball officially began, it was already an hour later. Princess Lu had diligently prepared her speech for over half a year and read it for a full two hours, more splendid than any previous speeches. I, who have always received a score of zero in composition, greatly admired her. Therefore, as soon as she finished, I immediately took her hand to express my enthusiastic admiration. Fortunately, Princess Lu is also a simple-minded and good-hearted young person; I poured my overwhelming enthusiasm into her, and she instantly reciprocated with even greater fervor. We felt an immediate connection. Thus, as soon as she finished, I immediately took her hand to express my enthusiastic admiration. Fortunately, Princess Lu is also a simple-minded and good-hearted young person; I poured my overwhelming enthusiasm into her, and she instantly reciprocated with even greater fervor. We felt an immediate connection.

Xiao Mi | Mi, that's enough. You two have talked too much, which is not good for your intellectual development. As soon as the music for the first dance began to play, Gu Xiao Shao ominously pulled me back, displaying his domineering nature, but unfortunately, I stepped on his foot with my first step.

A full eight years, eight years... the Eighth Route Army liberated China. He turned his head and looked at me with a very appreciative gaze, saying, "This is the most cultured and high-class thing she has done."

He pulled me and ran towards the hall.

Come here! He continued to smile, but the smile was exceedingly sinister, as if the words "come here" were squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a powerful sense of oppression

However, it seems that the Eastern Young Master is likely the only supporter of Xiao Mi, and his sincere devotion can be attested by heaven and earth, as well as the sun and moon. Upon reflecting on this, I couldn't help but find him endearing, and even smiled gently at him.

He rarely patted my shoulder kindly and said, "The world needs tolerance and understanding"