She couldn't believe it until she caught her ex-husband Zhou Yikun in the act of infidelity.
A man who betrayed their love, yet claimed to love her, knelt there begging, promising he would never do it again.
But Zhu Liyue was someone who couldn't tolerate deceit.
She understood a fundamental truth: infidelity and domestic violence are either zero times or countless times.
So, she decisively filed for divorce.
What she didn't expect was that the man who once had eyes only for her would resort to violence and imprisonment.
He claimed it was out of love that he became so desperate. From then on, he became erratic, alternating between ferocity and tenderness.
When ferocious, he would hit her. When tender, he would kneel before her, begging her not to leave.
For the first time, Zhu Liyue realized the terrifying nature of the person sleeping beside her.
She just wanted to get away from him; he brought her nothing but fear and trauma.
After being imprisoned for a full week, she finally managed to escape.
During that week, she was violated, tormented, and restrained. That dark period was the greatest nightmare of her life.
Yet, Zhou Yikun refused to let her go. Even after her lucky escape, he continued to pursue her.
She ran for her life, never daring to look back.
In her semi-conscious state just now, she dreamt that she hadn't escaped and was still trapped in a terrifying nightmare.
She was terrified of being caught, of being imprisoned again.
She ran, desperately fleeing, filled with fear and utter despair.
Gong Ye frowned deeply, his face as dark as stagnant water. This chaotic scene disturbed him greatly.
He hadn't intended to meddle, but Zhu Liyue was getting closer and closer, her cries reaching his ears clearly.
"Don't chase me, don't imprison me, no, help me..."
Her words made Gong Ye's expression shift slightly. Seeing the terror on her face and the fear in her eyes, he was immediately reminded of himself.
Twenty years ago, the Gong family was annihilated. That bloody, tragic scene was deeply etched in his memory.
Guilt, sorrow, breakdown, despair... these negative emotions always plunged him into nightmares.
For many nights, he couldn't wake up, having no idea what he was doing.
He saw countless monstrous figures, brutally slaughtering the people he loved most.
During the most intense episode, he held a gun, wanting only to shoot them.
It was only when startled by a few exclamations that he woke up. But what he saw made him break out in a cold sweat.
His gun was pointed at his subordinate.
With a single pull of the trigger, he could have ended the man's life.
For this, he had sought psychological counseling to address his issues, and it was only then that he gradually emerged from his trauma.
He had been deeply stimulated by the massacre of his family, combined with the growing hatred in his heart, which led to his psychological problems.
The psychologist had told him that simple nightmares wouldn't cause such a situation, and that dreams that instilled fear were often rooted in one's own inner shadows and fears.
Therefore, she wasn't drunk and disorderly.
Without hesitation, Gong Ye grabbed her and sternly commanded, "You've already escaped!"
Although his impression of her wasn't good, facing someone who had experienced similar pain, he felt compelled to awaken her.
Gong Ye's stern voice, though devoid of emotion, struck like a thunderbolt, instantly pulling Zhu Liyue out of her nightmare.
She stared at him blankly, her eyes gradually clearing.
The fear in her heart vanished instantly, and the shadow of her nightmare was completely dispelled.
Gong Ye's military status, his decorated achievements, and his title as a war hero exuded an unparalleled sense of security.
In Zhu Liyue's eyes at that moment, he radiated righteousness, warding off all darkness and evil.
Seeing that she was alright, Gong Ye's gaze immediately returned to one of disdain. He quickly let go of her hand and turned to leave.
Zhu Liyue had been watching him and naturally noticed the change in his expression.
Disdain again?
Why did he dislike her?
"Wait!" Zhu Liyue called out to Gong Ye.
Gong Ye paused for a moment but did not turn back.
Zhu Liyue quickened her steps and ran in front of him, looking up at him and asking, "We haven't met before, have we?"
"Hmm?" Gong Ye looked at her, confused, not understanding her meaning.
Zhu Liyue asked directly, "Since we haven't met, why do you dislike me so much? Did I offend you in some way?"
"No, if there was any offense, I apologize."
Clothing choice was a matter of personal freedom, and Gong Ye wouldn't normally comment on a woman's attire. However, everyone had their own boundaries and preferences.
This answer was clearly not what Zhu Liyue wanted.
She pressed on, "Tell me, just as there's love at first sight in the world, there's also instant dislike. You owe me an answer."
Gong Ye had lost patience with her trivial questions and turned to leave with a cold expression.
Zhu Liyue was unwilling to give up and continued to follow him, chattering incessantly.
"Why aren't you talking?"
"Am I that annoying?"
"Thank you for helping me just now!"
...
Gong Ye's head buzzed from her incessant talking. He pursed his lips tightly, taking deep breaths to control his irritation.
Later, Zhu Liyue no longer expected an answer; she simply wanted to follow him.
Such a formidable person, anyone would be curious and admire him.
Even though Gong Ye had a fierce, terrifying scar on his face, Zhu Liyue wasn't afraid at all.
Instead, she felt the scar made him appear even more majestic and imposing, lending him an air of mystery.
Gong Ye walked quickly towards his courtyard, eager to get away from the noisy woman.
Being tall with long legs, his strides were long.
Zhu Liyue had to jog to keep up, struggling to follow him.
"Wait for me, you're walking too fast..."
"Hey... wait for me..."
Having had a drink and then running for a while, Zhu Liyue's stamina gave out, and she stopped abruptly.
Watching Gong Ye's back as he left without hesitation, she felt incredibly annoyed.
Gong Ye couldn't wait to escape. He walked straight back to his courtyard, closed the door to his room, and finally found peace.
He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling refreshed.
He returned to bed. Already feeling unwell from the alcohol, he just wanted to sleep. As soon as he lay down, drowsiness overtook him, and he was about to drift off.
Then, a knock came from the door.
"Uncle Gong? Open the door."
Gong Ye's eyes snapped open, bloodshot and filled with crimson veins.
He was a grown man and couldn't possibly stoop to arguing with a woman; it would be undignified.
He covered his ears and closed his eyes, refusing to acknowledge her.
After calling out several times without a response, Zhu Liyue finally gave up in disappointment.
"Thank you today. I won't bother you again. It seems you really hate me!"
After saying this, Zhu Liyue left.