To Love You Again

When the three girls came out, they were stunned to see Guan Gu Ri standing not far from the door. He was wearing a suit. With a red rose in his hand.

The customized suit he wore was from Linfeng's wardrobe. It doesn't exactly fit him, but they were both fit and Guan Gu Ri could force the suit onto his body.

When the group came here, they were wearing casual and comfortable clothes.  But since there would be a once-in-a-lifetime event, Chen Ze convinced them to wear formal suits and rummaged through Linfeng's closet for the boys to wear.

Guan Gu Ri approached the three ladies. He bowed like a gentleman and offered his hand.

"I would be your escort for today, Young Lady Zhi."

Xiong Zhi blinked her eyes. She was stunned to see Guan Gu Ri. But she was more surprised to see him dressed like this while holding a flower.

What was going on?

"Go on." Tang Xinyang and Song Xuantin encouraged her.

With a baffled look, she accepted Guan Gu Ri's offered hand. The man handed him the red rose with a smile.

"Pardon us for the intrusion."

Xiong Zhi: ??

When they arrived in the living room, she was surprised once more.

The lights were dimmed. But there were candles and rose petals on the floor. The staircase was also full of flower petals and candles.

Xiong Zhi's heart skipped a beat. She had a guess but she don't dare to make it clear as if she was afraid she would hope too much.

"I haven't escorted you like this before, right?" Guan Gu Ri suddenly spoke beside her.

Their walk was slow as if they were savoring this little time they had.

"Right. But we danced before on my birthday when I first debuted. You and your grandfather also gave me a nice gift at that time."

Guan Gu Ri smiled at the memory, "Right. That was so long ago. But we never really had a chance to have a private talk. Whenever we met, we talked about business. Then I'll use this chance."

Xiong Zhi looked at him with confusion in her eyes.

Guan Gu Ri smiled at her, "I wanted to thank you for changing our lives. Because of you and Linfeng's help, the Guan family survived. If we haven't met you, I am afraid the Guan family will no longer exist now. My family had been through a lot. It's only thanks to the two of you who supported us with sincerity that we managed to get back on our feet. You saved us.

This is a debt that we can't repay in this lifetime even at the cost of my little life."

Xiong Zhi lowered her eyes. It was a bit peculiar to receive their sincere thanks out of nowhere. The Guan brothers had already thanked her and Linfeng many times. But for them to thank her again, they must have really felt grateful even though years had passed.

All she wanted to do before was to get revenge on Gunan and bring down the people behind him. But in the process, she unknowingly helped the Guan family avoid the catastrophe and survive the most difficult times.

In the past lifetime, Gunan became the head of the family with the identity of Guan Gao Huan. Guan Xixin who was the very most suspicious about Gunan disappeared with his life and death unknown. And Guan Gu Ri...

Xiong Zhi remembered the time when she attended Old Guan's funeral.

Guan Gu Ri was so haggard and thin. He looked a lot older than he actually was. With the sudden death of his grandfather, the unknown whereabouts of his second brother, 'Guan Gao Han's ' sudden changes, and him being powerless without any authorities in his hand, he was like a dead person breathing. He could only watch as his family changed drastically with a broken heart.

But even with a broken spirit, Guan Gu Ri comforted Xiong Zhi who got everything stolen away from her- including her freedom.

Guan Gu Ri whispered to her, "I am sorry...My brother...my ruthless brother changed so much and did this to you...I am so sorry." He looked at her desperately, "You should run away....run so far away. Don't give up."

Although she failed to escape, the sincerity he showed that time was real.

Afterward, Xiong Zhi doesn't know what happened to the Guan family or to Guan Gu Ri because Gunan took her someplace far away.

The past lifetime now seemed like a blur. She was happy that the Guan family did not fall into that ending and was saved like her.

Now without Gunan, and with his second bother at his side, even the Gunan family suffered a catastrophe, Guan Gu Ri would able to bring his family in their previous prominence again.

Xiong Zhi looked at his sincere and lively smile.

She also smiled, "You don't have to pay me back. How about...I call you Big brother from now on? I don't have a big brother. You are a perfect candidate."

Although they were close now after the incident with Gunan, they are still boundaries and politeness within them. To call him 'big brother' meant Xiong Zhi treated him as a family.

Guan Gu Ri was stunned then laughed. "Alright, little sister. Trust your big brother. If Linfeng bullies you in the future, this big brother would protect you."

Xiong Zhi laughed.

Linfeng would bully her? She might be the one who would bully and tease Linfeng so much in the future.

"How about me?" Guan Xixin suddenly interjected. He was standing at the top of the staircase and heard their conversation.

The two did not notice that they have already arrived at the top of the stairs.

"You should call me big bother too."

Xiong Zhi smiled. "It's been a long time, big brother Xixin."

Guan Xixin froze for a moment then grinned. "Yeah, it's been a long time, little sister." He also handed him a flower.

"I think my brother already said what I wanted to say. Anyway, I am glad I met you. No one believed in me at that time. Only you. Because you believed in me, my family is saved."

Guan Xixin never imagined that the little girl would believe him when even his own brother and grandfather did not. She even helped him to figure out the truth. He almost lost his way and died unknowingly if not for Xiong Zhi. For that, he was really thankful to her.

As his brother said, she was their family's savior.

The two brothers escorted her to the balcony.

The balcony was more romantically designed than the living room. There were more petals on the ground and candles everywhere. Little lights in various colors were hanging from the ceiling.

Before Xiong Zhi could take a closer look at the surrounding, piano keys sounded.

[A Thousand Years was playing in the background]

Xiong Zhi looked in that direction and found Lu Jin who was also wearing a suit playing the piano.

She was stunned.

Lu Jin...playing piano?

Lu Jin lightly smiled at her. He was proficient and his slender fingers were skilled.

If not for his previous background in the underworld, he would look like a young master who was skilled at classics and arts.

Xiong Zhi was surprised.

Even Lu Jin participated.

"Little Sister, may I have a dance with you?" Guan Gu Ri offered to dance with her first.

There was no reason to reject. Xiong Zhi danced with him at the right distance. Not too intimate or far. After a while, he changed with Guan Xixin.

Xiong Zhi felt strange. Why does she feel like she was reliving her debut?

It was a short dance with the two brothers.

Then Gu Zhen who just finished assisting Linfeng in another room came out. He was also wearing a suit with a red rose in his hand.

Xiong Zhi guessed he would come. He would never leave his wife alone on this island.

But seeing all the boys here, minus Lu Yin Ze and Jang Shin, she felt weird.

How come all of them have time to come here?

She was touched and felt warm.

Gu Zhen adjusted his glasses and gave her the flower.

"Hey."

Xiong Zhi shook her head with a smile. Gu Zhen never changed.

"Hey." She called out too.