the richest person's mistress

In the splendid spring light, with wisps of breeze that soothed the heart and soul. 

The lazy warmth made one feel as if floating in mid-air. Holding shopping bags, Gu Dandan strolled through the bustling streets, basking in the freedom...

After taking a leave from school, Gu Dandan hadn't stepped out of the threshold. Seeing her boredom, Gu Ao instructed the driver to take her out and canceled her lessons for the day.

Despite Gu Ao giving her plenty of cash and credit cards, her frugal habits from childhood persisted.

Some say that once you're used to being poor, you forget how to spend money; she seemed to be such a person...

This crowded little market was Gu Dandan's destination. The items here were not only cheap but also included clothes and daily necessities—pretty much everything one could need. The driver waited across the street, while Gu Dandan leisurely wandered among the crowd.

Gu Ao had bought her countless pieces of clothing, but those luxurious silks looked cheap on her, no matter how expensive they were. After picking out a few items and buying several pairs of flat canvas shoes, Gu Dandan left the market with her bags.

Suddenly, a familiar fear crept up behind her...

"Stupid girl!"

Three words, the same tone, the same anger, came from her mother's mouth.

Gu Dandan trembled as she turned around, her left ear immediately twisted with force, flipped and squeezed.

"Mom..." The bags fell to the ground with her frightened cry. With her ear pulled, Gu Dandan struggled to keep up with her mother's steps.

"Gu Dandan, are you tired of living? Where have you been all this time!" In the first few weeks of her daughter's disappearance, she didn't pay much attention, assuming she was hiding somewhere. But months passed without any sign of her, and even her teachers at school didn't know where she was.

If there was worry, it was far less than the anger filling her chest. That foolish girl wanted to die by running away from home!

"Mom, listen to me..."

"Come home with me, I'll deal with you!"

"No! No!" Gu Dandan looked across the street at the car, but the driver clearly hadn't seen her.

"Stupid girl! Who do you think you're arguing with!?" A fiery slap followed.

Gu Dandan covered her face and burst into tears, which drew quite a crowd.

"You tell me, I raised this girl, and she ran away from home. Now she refuses to come back. What do you all think about this!" Saying this, she kicked Gu Dandan's calves fiercely.

Gu Dandan fell onto the concrete ground, the dense crowd pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe. "Sob sob..."

"You still have the nerve to cry. Get up and come home!"

"I won't go home! Won't go home!"

"Gu Dandan, dare to raise your voice to me!?"

Such defiance against her mother was perhaps the first time since childhood, but the more she resisted, the more beatings and scolding she would receive...

After a while, some people couldn't bear to watch anymore and quickly stepped forward to pull Gu Dandan's mother away. If this continued, it could lead to something serious.

Several kind-hearted middle-aged people helped Gu Dandan up from the ground and tried to calm her mother down.

At this moment, the driver also rushed over, only to see this scene...

...

"Why are you here?" Gu Ao opened the door, expecting it to be Gu Dandan returning home, but standing at the door was... his ex-wife...

"I... just came to see. What? Not welcome?" Xuan Ran Xi smiled coyly and squeezed herself inside.

Gu Ao stood indifferently by the door, "Since we're divorced, I hope you don't disturb me anymore."

Xuan Ran Xi's heart sank; he still wouldn't forgive her, still blamed her for conspiring with his mother to deceive him...

"I heard someone new is living in the house?" She smiled lightly, "Little Mu told me."

"Xuan Ran Xi, if you have nothing else, you can leave."

"Ao... we..." Her delicate hand reached for Gu Ao's arm, her affectionate gaze piercing into his eyes, "I was wrong, I shouldn't have conspired with Mom to deceive you, but... wasn't marrying me good? Can't we have a child together?"

"You hate it most when others deceive me! Xuan Ran Xi, you know that!"

Her arms fell weakly; she should have known long ago—the man before her couldn't tolerate any deceit... She truly made a mistake...

...

"Mr. Gu." The driver hurriedly entered the door, carrying Gu Dandan...

Gu Dandan weakly opened her eyes, seeing a figure of a woman with a charming body.

Gu Ao frowned darkly, the shocking injuries pained his heart...

"Who did this!?"

...

Taking Gu Dandan's slight form from the driver, Gu Ao carried her close to his chest and headed towards the bedroom upstairs.

So his heart could hurt like this too...

"Ao... Do you want me to call Little Mu over?"

"Xuan Ran Xi, didn't I tell you to leave?"

"But she..."

"It has nothing to do with you!"

Xuan Ran Xi silently turned away, not even realizing the hint of anger in her own eyes... Jealousy always flared up unexpectedly.

...

Physical pain wasn't anything. Getting beaten, what does it matter? She had gotten used to it.

Bite your teeth, endure it; if you can't bear it, then cry out loud. Once you get through it, everything will be fine.

Before, she was very good at enduring, but now, no longer.

With shoulders to lean on, tears wiped away by someone else, no matter how scared she was, as long as she hid under his wings, everything would be okay...