The venue was too noisy, with deafening music everywhere. Groups of people gathered, chatting and laughing. Xu You really couldn’t find Fu Xueli anywhere.
Worried about getting back to school too late, she could only take out her phone and message Fu Xueli to let her know she was leaving first.
Xu You rarely came to such entertainment venues. With their flashy decorations, winding corridors carpeted floors, and identical mirrors and chandeliers everywhere, they all looked the same.
After leaving the main hall, she didn’t know which way to go.
Finally finding the elevator, she accidentally ended up in the underground parking lot.
She thought it wasn’t far and could just follow the path out. Who knew the underground parking lot would be so huge, like a maze.
Xu You tried hard to read the signs: B1, B2, C1…
The parking lot lights were ghostly white, like a classic accident scene from a horror movie. The surroundings were empty, seemingly without another soul, with only the sound of her footsteps.
Xu You became scared and didn’t dare wander around anymore. Just then, her phone began vibrating in her bag.
It was Fu Xueli.
She answered immediately.
The other end was very noisy. Fu Xueli said “Hello,” her voice coming through intermittently: “Youyou, where are you? Why did you leave by yourself? I could have taken you home, you don’t know the way.”
“I think I’m a bit lost…”
“Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
Xu You looked around but couldn’t find any obvious landmarks. She could only say dejectedly, “In the underground parking lot, C—”
Before she could finish, the call dropped.
Xu You took the phone from her ear to look at it. The signal was too weak, showing no service.
She walked a few more steps forward, head down fiddling with her phone.
Suddenly she smelled a hint of cigarette smoke and faintly heard people talking.
Xu You’s first reaction was that there were people. She looked up and around, seeing two men in a corner not far away, one with dyed yellow hair.
Almost as soon as she saw them, they noticed her too.
Xu You’s heart tightened. Clutching her phone, she tried to pretend she hadn’t seen them and walked away with her head down.
After just a few steps, two wolf whistles came from behind as the men followed. One of them gave the other a knowing look, quickly stepping forward to block Xu You’s path. “Little sister, don’t go. How about hanging out with us?”
The one blocking the way was the yellow-haired man, with a lewd face and a meaningful smile revealing yellowed teeth.
Xu You’s back was instantly covered in sweat. Her mind went blank, and she gripped her phone tightly, not knowing what to do.
The person behind also came closer.
A rough hand touched her waist directly, and foul breath hit her ear.
Xu You screamed in fear, struggling constantly. Her legs were weak, and after just a few steps, she crouched down hugging her knees, her eyes reddening involuntarily.
The two men grinned, stroking their chins while leering at the girl before them.
“Aw, don’t cry.” They approached step by step.
“What if someone comes?” Yellow-hair discussed with his companion.
“Drag her to the front, there’s a small warehouse. No one’s there.”
After discussing, they eagerly moved forward, using great force to grab Xu You’s arms and pull at her clothes.
Several hands kept groping her body. Xu You was truly scared this time, tears flowing from her eyes. She tightly covered her chest with both hands, “Don’t touch me, I… I have money in my bag…”
“We want both your money and you.”
“Damn, this girl’s skin is so smooth…”
“Stop talking, let’s drag her away first.”
Yellow-hair put his hands under Xu You’s armpits, forcefully dragging her across the cement ground.
Xu You kicked wildly, crying out loud, feeling complete despair in her heart.
Her tear-stained appearance only aroused more evil thoughts in the men. One of them couldn’t resist reaching out, stroking from her smooth neck to her face, repeatedly caressing. In the struggle, Xu You’s dress neckline was pulled down to her shoulders. She only felt disgust, absolute disgust, reaching out to frantically wave at the revolting face before her. She cried and screamed loudly, “Let me go!!! Wuwuwu let me go!! Let me go!! So disgusting…”
The man who was slapped was stunned for a moment, then realizing he had lost face, raised his hand to slap back, cursing, “You bitch, don’t take kindness for granted!”
With a loud smack, Xu You felt her head buzzing.
She was crying so hard she could barely breathe. The world seemed to be spinning dizzily when suddenly an enraged roar rang out.
Then Xu You felt the force on her body suddenly lighten.
The two men sensed something wrong, stopped what they were doing, and looked up simultaneously.
Yellow-hair turned his head to see someone rushing over quickly. Before he could react, the newcomer raised his foot and kicked him hard in the stomach like a hammer strike. He fell to the ground unexpectedly, clutching his stomach.
Xu You barely supported herself on the ground, crying while watching, her tears making everything blurry, only vaguely seeing a figure.
It was Xie Ci.
Xie Ci…
The other man quickly reacted and started fighting with him.
Xie Ci had been fighting since he was young. That man was quickly overpowered, pinned to the ground as Xie Ci rained punches on his face.
He was like an enraged young lion, completely infuriated, becoming terrifyingly wild.
Soon, both men were beaten and rolling on the ground, covering their heads and begging for mercy, saying: “Stop hitting, stop hitting, stop hitting.”
But he seemed to have completely lost his reason, red-eyed, going to get an iron rod from nearby.
“—Ah!”
Amidst the screams, Xie Ci stepped on one man’s head, violently swinging the iron rod down on them, again and again.
There was a chorus of howling.
Xu You, having survived the ordeal, hadn’t caught her breath, tears flowing uncontrollably. Seeing blood on the ground, she was terrified, crawling over while crying out, only able to keep calling: “Xie Ci, Xie Ci, Xie Ci…”
Hearing Xu You’s cries, Xie Ci paused his movements. He turned to look; Xu You was kneeling on the ground not far away, her black hair scattered over her snow-white shoulders, her small face streaked with tears, continuously calling his name.
She was sobbing, gasping for breath.
Xie Ci held back, walked over, took several deep breaths to regain his rationality, then crouched in front of Xu You, his voice hoarse and unable to speak.
His body was covered in streaks of undried blood, the killing intent in his eyes not yet subsided from the recent conflict.
Xu You was in a daze, her spirit and heart already on the verge of collapse. Still in shock, she suddenly threw herself into Xie Ci’s arms, her head against his shoulder, choking out: “Are you okay, Xie Ci, are you okay…”
Silence for two or three seconds.
Xie Ci raised his hand, pressing one hand against the back of her head, his voice stiff as he comforted: “Don’t be afraid.”
From childhood to now, that fearless and carefree demon king experienced for the first time the feeling of his heart aching and hurting for a girl.
When Xu You’s emotions had calmed slightly, Xie Ci helped her stand up, letting her lean against him.
He took out his phone and made a call.
After several rings, the other end connected.
Xie Ci spoke coldly, saying directly: “Parking lot, bring some people down.”
—
Soon after, Zeng Qilin brought a group of people.
The two beaten men lay on the ground, barely conscious, their faces covered in blood.
Seeing this scene, he raised an eyebrow, looking at his brother.
Xie Ci was lowering his head, holding a girl in his arms, speaking softly about something.
Zeng Qilin kicked aside the iron rod on the ground, walked over, and asked: “What happened?”
Xie Ci looked up, seeing it was him, and his first words were: “Take care of those two.”
“You kid.”
Zeng Qilin laughed in exasperation, raising his chin, “Everything okay?”
Xie Ci frowned, “Bring a jacket.”
While the two brothers were talking, the remaining people exchanged glances, holding their tools, unsure what to do.
Xie Ci put the jacket over Xu You, holding her hand ready to leave.
After walking a few steps, he seemed to remember something and called out to someone on the phone nearby, “Brother, give me the car keys.”
Xu You still hadn’t recovered, obediently letting herself be led.
Her fingers were cold and soft in his palm.
Xie Ci drove out of the underground garage. Outside, it was getting dark, with street lights lighting up one by one.
He occasionally glanced at Xu You through the rearview mirror.
She kept her head down, her expression unclear, wearing the oversized jacket, looking small and thin.
The car turned a corner, got on the road, and gradually accelerated.
“Where do you want to go?” Xie Ci rolled down the window, letting in the night breeze, turning to ask Xu You.
She didn’t respond for a long time.
“Xu You?” he called her name.
Xie Ci steered with one hand, pulling the car to the roadside. After turning off the engine, he leaned over, lifting Xu You’s chin, “Hey…”
When she looked up, her eyes were full of tears, continuously falling.
“I… I…” Xu You said two words, then choked up again, raising her hand to wipe the endless tears, “I’m sorry…”
Xie Ci’s heart clenched, frowning hard as he pulled several tissues from the box, messily stuffing them into her hands, saying helplessly: “You, tsk, stop crying.”
“Okay.” Xu You agreed, but still couldn’t control her tears.
Her hand hanging at her side was tightly clenched. She shook her head, moved her lips, struggling to say: “You… you… just take me back to school, thank you…”
Her appearance was heartbreakingly pitiful.
It made one’s heart ache.
“Fuck,” Xie Ci cursed under his breath.
It was his first time being completely helpless with a crying girl.
Not the impatient kind of helpless, but a suppressed ache in his heart, feeling agitated yet not knowing what to do.
The night breeze outside brought a hint of coolness through the window.
“Hey, please, little princess, can you stop crying?”
Xie Ci leaned his hand on Xu You’s seat, lowering his head to look at her expression, “Want to go have some fun?”
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