In ancient times, the powerful and wealthy seized power step by step.

Gu Zhao felt a tingling sensation run through his body when she looked at him like that. He felt that she had become a different person, gentle and beautiful, in the study these past few days. He couldn't help but walk towards her.

Sensing Gu Zhao's approach, Zhu Qingyu panicked and ran away, only to be blocked by Gu Zhao in a few steps between the bookshelf and the corner of the wall, with no way to retreat.

In the past few days, in order to fulfill his promise to Zhu Qingyu to give her time to recover from her injuries, and also to alleviate her psychological burden, Gu Zhao has not touched her directly. He even left his cabin for her and moved out.

On this ship, he was the most important person. With such a large ship, it was impossible for Lord Gu not to have a place to stay, and Zhu Qingyu had never asked him where he would stay at night.

Today, because of her coquettish glance, Gu Zhao was somewhat distracted and couldn't control himself. He braced one hand against the wall to prevent her from running away, and with the other hand, he placed his head on her chin and gently kissed her.

With nowhere to hide, Zhu Qingyu pressed both hands against his chest, pushing him away haphazardly.

Whether it was because she was inherently weak or because she was still intimidated by his power and dared not exert herself, in Gu Zhao's eyes, the hands that pushed against his chest were more like caresses than resistance.

The fact that she was actively touching him made Gu Zhao's blood surge even more, and a wave of heat swept through his body, making it difficult for him to control himself.

Gu Zhao grasped her injured right hand, caressed her palm, gently bit her earlobe, and asked in a hoarse voice:

"Qingyu, I've been waiting for so long, is your injury healed yet?"

The abrasion on Zhu Qingyu's right hand had scabbed over and the gauze had been removed. When he stroked her palm like this, it didn't hurt, but it was very itchy. Her left hand was pressed against his chest, in the location of a normal man's hidden pocket. The touch felt different, as if there was something in the hidden pocket.

She tried to pull her right hand out but failed, so she pressed her left hand harder against his chest to confirm that there was indeed something there.

There was something there, even if it was a key, but she couldn't possibly reach in and take it in front of him unless Gu Zhao took off his coat.

Then I could only wait until he was asleep at night and secretly take it, but he had moved out, and I couldn't find him at night.

Or we could think of a way to get him to move back.

Zhu Qingyu was multitasking, figuring out how to get the key on one hand, and on the other hand, relying on her status as a doctor, she made up some lies:

"not yet."

Gu Zhao didn't expose her little trick, and instead pressed his face close to hers, whispering sweet nothings in her ear:

"Okay, I'll ask again tomorrow. Don't keep me waiting too long."

Not receiving a positive response, Gu Zhao felt that his promise should be rewarded, so he hugged her and pressed her against the wall for a while, kissing her until he lost control of his self-control before letting her go.

Zhu Qingyu was like a frightened bird. As soon as she was free, she ran to the door as if she was about to run away at any moment.

Gu Zhao called out to her from behind:

"Don't run away, come here, write a letter to your parents."

Zhu Qingyu's expression grew even more terrified:

Why write to my parents?

Gu Zhao took out various colored stationery and spread it on the desk, saying:

"We'll be stopping at the ferry crossing for the next couple of days to handle some matters. The people I've arranged will also be changing boats at the crossing tomorrow to take you to Sichuan to pick up your family. Write a letter to your parents. Firstly, they've not seen you for many years, and they're bound to miss you. Secondly, it serves as proof that you're being picked up, so they won't disbelieve you."

During their meals these past few days, Gu Zhao would always ask Zhu Qingyu about her family, showing great curiosity about her past and asking very detailed questions.

Gu Zhao already harbored doubts about Zhang Shen being her cousin, and if she kept denying it or lying, she would inevitably let slip the truth. Zhu Qingyu mixed the truth with the lies, and also told him about not seeing her parents for several years.

The more details and the more thorough the explanation, the more Gu Zhao believed it.

To make the act convincing, even knowing that her parents couldn't possibly receive the letter, Zhu Qingyu didn't refuse. She went back, carefully selected stationery, and began writing.

Because Gu Zhao might read this letter, and she was afraid he would notice something amiss, Zhu Qingyu wrote it with genuine emotion, thinking of her modern parents. In just one short page, tears fell between the pen and paper at the end, which startled Gu Zhao.

Gu Zhao pulled her into his arms and comforted her:

"Alright, why are you crying? You'll see me soon, won't you?"

Upon hearing Gu Zhao's words, Zhu Qingyu, who had only pretended to cry, could no longer control herself when she thought about never seeing her parents and brother again. Her pent-up emotions exploded, and the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and the louder she cried.

She felt wronged, realizing that she was a promising young woman with a bright future, and wondered why she had inexplicably ended up in this cannibalistic place.

It's also unfair that Gu Zhao could be so wicked and immoral, knowingly stealing someone else's wife.

Even more aggrieved was the thought of never seeing her modern-day relatives again, as if they were separated by life and death.

Zhu Qingyu cried and made random accusations, accusing whatever came to mind:

"How could you be so cruel!"

"To steal another man's wife is immoral and violates human ethics!"

"Bringing my parents here, are you trying to kidnap me again?!"

"The books on the shelf are so ugly, not a single one of them appeals to me!"

"If you keep pushing me like this, aren't you afraid I'll jump off the ship one day!"

In the end, Zhu Qingyu cried out all the grievances she had never cried in front of others in all the years she had been here. Not only did her tears fall onto the paper and pen, but she also cried her heart out and almost fainted.

Gu Zhao was terrified. When Zhu Qingyu cried so hard in his arms that she almost stopped breathing, for a moment he almost thought she had really died and that he had killed her.

After a while, Zhu Qingyu finally came to her senses and found herself not in the study, but lying on the bed in the cabin.

Gu Zhao sat by the bed, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. Seeing that she was awake, he asked:

"You hate me? Don't you?"

He had always known that her gentleness and attentiveness these past few days were all an act. Her husband's life was in his hands, so how could she be so heartless and willing to get along with him so well?

But the love potion was too tempting, and even though he knew she hated him, he was willing to indulge in the beautiful dream she wove for him.

Zhu Qingyu cried her heart out. She was so exhausted that she didn't even have the strength to maintain her persona or act. Without answering, she closed her eyes again.

No answer is, in itself, an answer.

The false happiness was so fleeting, and even though he knew it would be like this, he was unwilling to let go.

Even something fake is better than nothing.

Gu Zhao gently touched her forehead, but his words were as cold as ice:

"Zhu Qingyu, I know you hate me in your heart. You can hate me, but you must remember that my promise to you only counts as long as you are alive. If something happens to you, I will be very unhappy. There will always be some people who will die with you. You know I am a heartless and immoral person, not a good person at all. I am capable of anything. Live well, don't do anything foolish. Only by living can you hate me."