You Owe Me, My Love

Chapter 373 Why Risk Your Life

Wu Nian's heart skipped a beat. Her breaths came in rapid, shallow bursts as she explained, “I honestly didn't injure myself on purpose! I didn't see someone shooting at me from the side. I'm not that foolish.”

“Then stop doing foolish things! Why did you risk your life to come back?” Gu Mingchen roared. His eyes were bloodshot from the pressure accumulating within him, threatening to explode.

Heaven only knew the fear he had just experienced. When Gu Mingchen caught sight of Wu Nian behind the wheel of the vehicle that was charging in, his mind had gone numb with terror.

Wu Nian lowered her eyes. Her long eyelashes hid whatever expression was dancing therein.

Gu Mingchen sighed inwardly. Why on earth did Wu Nian risk her life to come back?

She could easily have fled with Liu Yan!

"I..." Wu Nian began falteringly.

“I'm not interested in your explanation,” Gu Mingchen cut in with a low voice. He then stood up and looked back down at the woman.

He knew he would not be satisfied with whatever her reply was.

Coldly, he turned and walked out the door. He stood beneath the old locust tree and lit a cigarette, his hands still trembling from his earlier agitation. He inhaled deeply, then expelled a thick cloud of smoke.

I've finally found her after so long! After so long...

“Can I have a joint?” Stephen suddenly appeared beside Gu Mingchen, interrupting his thoughts. Gu Mingchen passed the man a cigarette. Stephen lit it and took a deep breath, then peered at Gu Mingchen through the halo of smoke. “Do you know why I stopped painting ten years ago?” he asked.

Gu Mingchen glanced at Stephen. “You lacked inspiration? Or did you no longer need to use art to express your emotions? Did your feelings diminish with time?”

“Bingo!” Stephen exclaimed. “You know me best. You hit the nail right on the head! My life was so peaceful and uneventful that even when I racked my brains thoroughly, I still couldn't manage to produce a single realistic painting. It was a never-ending cycle of drawing, then destroying what I'd just made. There was no point to it. However, I've just felt the impulse to paint again!”

“Because of what had happened?” Gu Mingchen inquired.

“I suppose that's one of the reasons. That gunfight just now made me feel as if I'd died and resurrected. I thought I was dead for sure! But everything changed when I saw that girl's steady gaze. She didn't fear for her own life, only that of others,” Stephen said, reminiscing fondly.

Gu Mingchen knew in his heart that the girl Stephen was referring to was none other than Wu Nian. At the thought of the woman's equanimity in the face of death, Gu Mingchen’s heart lurched However, he hardened his emotions and muttered, “Childish! Foolish!”

"We'd all be dead now if it not for her. Don't be angry. Few others share her boldness. She could have successfully escaped with her friend, but she came back to save us! Doesn't that prove that we, or at least one of us, are more important to her than her own life?” Stephen reasoned.

Gu Mingchen looked thoughtfully at the artist. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aaron bringing Liu Yan over. “Has the first aid kit been prepared? Has the police been notified? Get the yacht ready,” he ordered.

"Everything's ready. You can go in and take a look at her.” Before Stephen even finished his sentence, Gu Mingchen had already pushed his way in.

Liu Yan dashed over to Wu Nian. Tears brimmed from her eyes when she saw that Wu Nian's sleeve was drenched with blood. She flung herself on her knees beside the bed, begging, “Nian, please don't die.”

Wu Nian had merely closed her eyes to rest. At the sound of her friend's pleas, she opened them and said to Liu Yan assuringly, “Don’t worry. I'm not going to die. I wasn't severely injured and only got shot in the arm. I'll be fine once the bullet's out. In fact, I'll recover in a week! Don't cry.”

“I'll get it out right now. I recall we have anesthesia here somewhere,” Liu Yan quickly rummaged through the first aid kit and held the anesthetic up.

“It's my right arm that's hurt. You can use the brachial plexus block,” Wu Nian gently reminded. The other woman nodded and injected the anesthesia in one smooth motion.

The anesthesia required a minute to take full effect. Liu Yan wept as she cut open Wu Nian's sleeve and poured disinfectant on the wound to cleanse it.

"Don't cry. There's no use crying,” Wu Nian sighed as she used her other hand to dab at Liu Yan's tears

Liu Yan sniffed as she said, “Su Xuyan said that the photographs those people were carrying were of me. They came for me! This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been here.”

“It didn't begin with you. It won't end with you either. At the end of the day, you're only another innocent victim in this mess. These people have their own organizations and laws to follow. It wasn't your fault, okay?” Wu Nian comforted her friend.

Liu Yan nodded and wiped at her eyes with a napkin. She pinched Wu Nian’s arm lightly. “Do you feel anything?”

Wu Nian shook her head.

Liu Yan proceeded to remove the bullet from Wu Nian’s arm. She then expertly disinfected and bandaged the wound.

“Are we leaving now? You'll still have to go to the hospital. It won't do for you to get a fever,” Liu Yan admonished.

"We'll have to ask the chief if it's convenient to sail at night. If not, we can't force them to do so either,” Wu Nian said obediently.

“I'll ask.” Liu Yan darted out to look for Stephen.

Stephen was still smoking under the old locust tree when Liu Yan found him

“I've operated on my friend, but I'm still worried that she'll develop a fever. Can you send us back tonight?” Liu Yan queried.

"Of course. I'll arrange for a vehicle to transport both of you to the dock,” the man replied readily. "Also, it was all because of me that you almost lost your lives. Ill compensate you for all the monetary losses you've incurred here,” Liu Yan continued apologetically.

“Forget it. I'm not all that poor. I'll see you on Saturday night,” Stephen retorted.

“All right. See you Saturday night then,” Liu Yan agreed.

When she returned, Gu Mingchen was standing at the doorway, peering into the room with dark eyes. He wore a thunderous expression as he bit his lip furiously.

Aaron was holding on to Wu Nian's left hand and saying mournfully, “You've saved my life once again.”

"We're all in the same boat, so it was only natural for me to do so,” Wu Nian replied modestly. Her gentle voice rippled through the room like a warm spring.

Aaron gazed longingly at Wu Nian, then bent down and planted a kiss on her forehead. “You're my hero!”

Hero?

Wu Nian found Aaron's term of choice rather peculiar.

Aaron's expression softened. “I'll stay behind today. You must leave with Liu Yan first. I'll call you tomorrow. I have something I want to give to you.”

Wu Nian nodded. “Call me.”

Liu Yan brushed past Gu Mingchen and reentered the room. She then announced to Wu Nian, “Mr. Stephen said we can leave now.”

“OK,” Wu Nian attempted to get off the bed. Before she could do so herself, she was instead swept up in Aaron's arms and carried out of the room.

As the trio passed Gu Mingchen, he muttered, “Those people who came here were from an organization named Invisible. The big boss of that organization is probably Shen Yiyan.”

Liu Yan gaped at Gu Mingchen. “Are you saying Shen Yiyan sent men to capture me and kill all of you? How can that be? Shen Yiyan was the one who brought about our partnership in the first place!”

“I can only tell you this much. Who knows whether it was Shen Yiyan who sent those men or whether his subordinates decided to do this of their own accord?” Gu Mingchen stated icily.

“I'll ask Shen Yiyan right now,” Liu Yan fumed. Drawing out her phone, she uncovered each masked man while furiously snapping photos. She sent them all to Shen Yiyan for his perusal.