The lights in the Gu Family's wine cellar went out one after another.
The old mirror on the wall had shattered into several pieces, with black mist still lingering in the cracks. Gu Huai was bound to a chair by red threads, his face ashen and his wrists chafed bloody. After the mirror shattered, the threads had seemed to catch the scent of Lu Wenchuan's blood. They all changed direction, crawling toward him across the floor.
Lu Wenchuan did not retreat.
He raised his blade, Thunderfire bearing down along its edge, and severed the foremost ring of red threads first. The instant they snapped, Gu Huai let out a muffled groan, his body arching violently.
Xu Zhihan spoke at once. "Don't cut them all. Gu Huai still has Marriage Contract Lines on him."
Lu Wenchuan's blade stopped in midair. A red thread grazed his cuff, slicing it open.
Xu Zhihan pressed a hand against the marriage contract's evidence bag. With his fingertips against its surface, he slowly separated the threads around Gu Huai's wrists from a distance. The air in the cellar was cold. Unopened cases of wine stood in the corner, dust coated the wooden racks, and the flickering bulb cast an unhealthy light over everyone's faces.
Madam Gu stood in the doorway, holding on to the butler to keep from collapsing.
"Gu Huai, Gu Huai, wake up."
Gu Huai opened his eyes. His gaze wandered for a moment. When he saw Xu Zhihan, bewilderment appeared on his face first, followed by a trace of embarrassment.
"Zhihan..."
Xu Zhihan did not look at him. He kept his eyes on the threads.
"Shut up. Don't move."
The words seemed to pin Gu Huai in place. His throat bobbed, and he said nothing more.
Xu Mingji stood behind Xu Zhihan, his