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Being a good soldier, this seemed to be her only joy in life now.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night, aren’t you cold?" Standing across the iron fence, Jing Yuan looked at Gu Xiaoxi’s silhouette and couldn’t help but climb over the wall to join her.

The winter in Imperial Capital wasn’t over yet, and the nights were even colder.

Gu Xiaoxi was only wearing a thin sweater, not even a coat.

He took off his windbreaker and draped it over Gu Xiaoxi’s shoulders. "Everyone knows about your sacrifice, Gu Xiaoxi. Now that you’ve made this decision, don’t overthink it. From now on, you all have to live well."

"I know!" Gu Xiaoxi wasn’t the type to brood over things, nor did she get disheartened when faced with problems.

Even though Quan Shaoqing had forgotten her.

She had never forgotten him.

She would remember their beautiful love and keep it in her heart for a lifetime.

"It’s cold, go back to rest early. When are you leaving? I’ll send you off," Jing Yuan asked.

"No need. I bought a ticket for the midnight flight. I’ve packed everything, I’m leaving shortly," Gu Xiaoxi took off Jing Yuan’s coat to return it to him, "I’m leaving. I don’t know if we’ll be able to meet again in the future."

"Then, are we friends?" Jing Yuan immediately asked tensely. He favored Gu Xiaoxi, just like his father favored Quan Shaoqing.

"Of course!"

"Then, when I invite you over to hang out, you must come. Haoran called me and said that once his training is over, he’ll come to City A to find you," Jing Yuan said.

But Gu Xiaoxi sighed, "Better not. I think it’s best to see him less."

"Haha! I think so too," Jing Yuan immediately laughed.

Right at the moment when Gu Xiaoxi and Jing Yuan were parting, a window suddenly opened above their heads.

Both looked up curiously, just in time to see Quan Shaoqing standing at the window, saying coldly, "You, woman, flirting around. Jing Yuan, she’s just a swindler who married for money. I’ve just been conned out of 10 billion by her. Don’t let her deceive you."

Gu Xiaoxi heard this and the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile.

Seemingly with pride, she pulled out Quan Shaoqing’s check from her pocket and said to Jing Yuan with a smile, "Yes, Jing Yuan. I’m divorced now, and I have money. Lots of money, and tomorrow I can take it and splurge. If you want to marry me too, be prepared to split half of your assets."

As soon as Gu Xiaoxi finished speaking, Quan Shaoqing immediately shouted angrily, "Did you hear that, Jing Yuan? Don’t be deceived by her. She’s a big swindler!"

"If she’s willing to marry me, I’m willing to be scammed out of 20 billion!" Jing Yuan said nonchalantly, draping his coat over his shoulders before he climbed over the iron fence and strode away.

Quan Shaoqing watched Jing Yuan’s retreating figure, puzzled. "Hey, you don’t like that money-grubbing woman, do you? She’s nothing but a scammer."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiaoxi was exasperated.

If it weren’t for wanting to keep her distance, she would’ve gone up and beaten Quan Shaoqing up.

How dare he accuse her of being greedy and a scammer.

Gu Xiaoxi held back and didn’t lose her temper.

She felt like, under the cover of darkness, she should find a sack to put over his head and beat him up.

Gu Xiaoxi decided to beat him up before leaving.

...

But when it was time to leave,

how could she bear to do it!

Now, in his eyes, she was playing the role of a swindler in love with money.

So she would play the part of a money-swindling con artist well.

"Xiao Xi, this is your dad’s compensation for you. Take it, and if anything comes up in the future, you can always come to your dad. As my goddaughter, you should come to see your dad often, do you understand?" Quan Gui handed a bank card to Gu Xiaoxi.

Gu Xiaoxi, however, bowed her head and smiled, not taking it. "Dad, 10 billion is enough for me. Thank you for your love, I will come to see you again."

With that, Gu Xiaoxi turned to Song Xu, "Mom, take care. Tell Momo not to miss me."

Momo had been crying nonstop since she knew about this.

Now, she was staying at Jing Yuan’s house, and they didn’t dare let her come home.

"I will! You take good care of yourself too," Song Xu’s eyes immediately reddened.

She was afraid of crying out loud, which might attract Quan Shaoqing upstairs, so she quickly turned away from Gu Xiaoxi to wipe her tears before continuing to look at Gu Xiaoxi.

"Let Xiao Wu take you to the airport. Make sure to visit us when you have time. "

"Okay! I’m leaving now. Take care, mom and dad!" Gu Xiaoxi said with a smile, hugging the two elders and walking out of Fragrant Hill Villa wearing the windbreaker.

She hadn’t expected things to turn out this quickly.

It felt like in the blink of an eye, all her happiness had vanished.

Gu Xiaoxi stood at the gate, looking back at the villa behind her.

The lights in Quan Shaoqing’s room were still on.

Right, her happiness was him. Without him, naturally, her happiness was gone too.

Though she was reluctant to leave, she couldn’t be the cause of his death.

For his sake... she had to leave resolutely.

Quan Shaoqing stood behind the window, secretly watching the woman at the gate.

What did that unwilling glance she cast backward mean? He actually saw a deep longing in her eyes.

And, his parents treated her so well.

That shouldn’t be! Why would they give money to a woman greedy for wealth? Quan Gui wasn’t foolish, so why would he give her money before she left?

And yet, she didn’t take it! She only took the severance he gave her.

In his memory, this woman was nowhere to be found.

For him, Gu Xiaoxi was just a name on his marriage certificate.

Whenever he tried to think about everything regarding Gu Xiaoxi, his head hurt terribly. Especially since he felt as if he had lost a lot of memories.

Just as Gu Xiaoxi was about to get into the car, Jing Yuan’s car stopped beside them, he rolled down the window and said to Xiao Wu, "You don’t need to take her. I’ll take her, I have something to discuss with her anyway."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiaoxi said to Xiao Wu, "You go back and rest! Take good care of mom and dad’s safety!"

"Miss Gu is the most considerate. Good girls will definitely be loved by many. Miss Gu, keep on doing well." Xiao Wu also said with a smile.

Gu Xiaoxi nodded with a smile.

Jing Yuan’s car wasn’t driving fast; there weren’t many cars on the road at midnight.

Gu Xiaoxi sat in the car, and the two of them did not speak to each other.

"Gu Xiaoxi, if you don’t want to stay in the Z Unit anymore, come to me. There’s a job that suits you well," Jing Yuan said.

But Gu Xiaoxi flatly refused. "I will continue to be a soldier, even if we cannot be together. I won’t leave him."

Being a soldier, standing by his side, secretly looking at him, protecting him.

Jing Yuan sighed and said no more.

"I heard you’re an orphan?" Jing Yuan asked.

"What? Does Mr. President also want to adopt me as his daughter?" Gu Xiaoxi joked.

But Jing Yuan responded seriously, "That’s not impossible. If you’re willing, you can be a member of the Jing Family by tomorrow."

"No need. I’ve found my brother, and he will be with me in the future," Gu Xiaoxi said, lowering her head.

Jing Yuan took her to the airport and personally escorted her into the waiting lounge.

The midnight flight wasn’t very crowded.

Gu Xiaoxi sat in the seat next to the window.

It wasn’t until this moment that she dared let a few silent tears fall.

It wasn’t so much out of sadness, but to commemorate the happiness she had lost.

From now on, it would be just her alone again.

But as long as Quan Shaoqing was still alive, she had purpose and motivation to live.

To protect him, to continue loving him.

*

City A.

Gu Xiaoxi hadn’t expected that Ai Xiang had prepared everything so thoroughly for her.

This even included her household registration.

From now on, she would be Ai Xiang’s younger sister.

She had moved all her belongings out of Quan Shaoqing’s villa.

Gu Xiaoxi stood in front of Jinhua Garden, looking at the three big characters on a large stone.

They were what she had whimsically written there once.

"Uncle Zhou, take this away too! If he asks about it, it will be hard for you to explain," said Gu Xiaoxi.

But Uncle Zhou said nonchalantly, "Don’t worry, Gu Xiaoxi, I’ve come up with an explanation already. I’ll say I had someone write it; Young Master Quan doesn’t care about these things. He won’t think too much about it."

"Okay!" Gu Xiaoxi then turned around, feeling reassured.

Afterward, she looked back at the villa one last time.

And said silently in her heart, "Goodbye, Quan Shaoqing!"

Ai Xiang’s car was already waiting by the roadside.

*

Ai Xiang’s Yearn Residence.

Gu Xiaoxi had not expected that after more than a year of uncertainty, she would end up in this place, really becoming siblings with Ai Xiang.

"You will live in the house next to mine. Apart from my place, it is the largest in the entire Yearn Residence," Ai Xiang explained.

Gu Xiaoxi bowed politely to Ai Xiang, "Thank you for taking me in."

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have anywhere to go during her holidays.

What’s there to thank! It’s only right for me to help him take care of you.

After all, we’ve always been on good terms.

Gu Xiaoxi smiled.

Indeed, her relationship with Ai Xiang had become much better since their trip to Dream Island.

After organizing her things and getting familiar with Yearn Residence,

Gu Xiaoxi prepared to return to the military!

She had taken a few days off and now it was time to go back.

Gu Xiaoxi stood at the bedroom window, looking out at the expansive view of the city.

She wondered how Quan Shaoqing was doing now.