The venue was far too lively—no matter where you went, you could hear deafening music. The crowds also came in waves, gathering together to chat and laugh. Xu You really couldn’t find Fu Xueli anywhere.

She was worried about getting back to school too late, so she could only fish out her phone to send Fu Xueli a message, telling her she was leaving first.

Xu You basically never came to these kinds of flashy entertainment places. Plus, the décor was too extravagant—winding corridors covered in carpet, mirrors and chandeliers on both sides, with no distinguishing features at all.

After leaving the main hall, she didn’t know which way to go.

With great difficulty, she finally found the elevator entrance and prepared to go down, but accidentally ended up in the underground parking garage instead.

She thought it shouldn’t be far—she could just follow the path and walk out. Who knew the underground parking garage would be so huge, like a maze.

Xu You tried hard to read the signs: B1, B2, C1…

The parking garage lights glowed a ghastly white, just like the classic locations where accidents happen in horror films. The surroundings were completely empty, as if there wasn’t a single person around—only the sound of her own footsteps.

Xu You got a little scared and didn’t dare wander around anymore. Just then, her phone in her bag buzzed and vibrated.

It was Fu Xueli.

She immediately answered.

The other end was very noisy. Fu Xueli said “Hello,” her voice coming through intermittently: “You You, where did you go? Why did you leave on your own? I’ll take you—you don’t even know the way.”

“I think I’m a bit lost…”

“Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

Xu You looked around in all directions. She really couldn’t find any particularly distinctive landmarks, so she could only say dejectedly: “In the underground parking garage, C—”

Before she could finish speaking, the phone disconnected.

Xu You pulled the phone away from her ear to look—the signal strength was too weak, showing “not in service area.”

She walked forward a few more steps, head down, fiddling with her phone.

Suddenly she smelled a faint scent of cigarette smoke and vaguely heard someone chatting.

Xu You’s first reaction was that there were people. She lifted her head and looked around, spotting two men in a corner not far away. One of them had his hair dyed completely blonde.

Almost at the same moment she saw them, they also noticed her.

Xu You’s heart tightened. Clutching her phone, she wanted to pretend she hadn’t seen them and walked to the side with her head down.

After walking barely two steps, two sleazy whistles came from behind, and those two people followed her. One of them gave the other a meaningful look, then quickly stepped forward to block Xu You’s path. “Little sister, don’t leave—how about we play together?”

The one blocking her path was that blonde-haired man, with a lecherous face and a smile full of ulterior meaning, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

Xu You’s back was instantly covered in cold sweat, her mind went completely blank. She clutched her phone tightly, not knowing what to do.

The person behind also caught up.

A pair of rough hands directly touched her waist, and murky breath assaulted her ear.

Xu You screamed in fright, struggling continuously. Her legs went weak. After running only a few steps, she collapsed to the ground, hugging her knees, unable to stop her eyes from reddening.

Those two men grinned, stroking their chins, ogling the girl before them with lecherous eyes.

“Oh my, don’t cry.” They approached step by step.

“Hey, what if someone comes?” The blonde discussed with his companion.

“Drag her up front—there’s a small storage room there. No one’s there.”

After discussing, the two men impatiently rushed forward, using great force to pull Xu You’s arms and tug at her clothes.

Several hands kept groping all over her body. This time Xu You was truly terrified. Tears welled up from her eyes. She tightly covered her chest with both hands. “Don’t touch me, I—I have money in my bag…”

“We want your money and we want you.”

“Damn, this girl’s skin is so smooth…”

“Stop wasting words, drag her away first.”

The blonde man’s two hands passed under Xu You’s armpits, forcibly dragging her across the cement floor.

Xu You kicked her legs wildly, crying out loud, her heart filled with utter despair.

Her tearful, pitiful appearance only aroused the men’s evil desires even more. One of them felt an itch in his heart and couldn’t help but reach out his hand, stroking from her smooth neck all the way to her face, rubbing back and forth. In the struggle, the neckline of Xu You’s dress was pulled down below her shoulders. She only felt disgusted, extremely disgusted. She reached out and wildly swatted at that nauseating face before her, crying and screaming loudly, “Let go of me!!! Sob sob sob let go of me!! Let go of me!! So disgusting…”

The man who got slapped was stunned for a moment, then reacted and, feeling he’d lost face, raised his hand high to slap her back, cursing: “Filthy bitch, ungrateful when shown respect!”

With a sharp crack, Xu You felt her head ringing.

She cried until she could barely breathe, feeling the whole world spinning dizzily. Suddenly, an enraged roar rang in her ears.

Immediately after, Xu You felt the force pressing on her body suddenly lighten.

Those two men sensed something was wrong, stopped their actions, and simultaneously looked up.

The blonde turned his head and only saw someone charging toward them at high speed. Before he could react, the newcomer lifted his foot and kicked him hard in the stomach—like a hammer delivering a heavy blow. He fell to the ground unprepared, clutching his stomach and moaning.

Xu You’s hands barely supported her on the ground. As she sobbed, she looked through tear-blurred eyes and could only vaguely make out a figure.

It was Xie Ci.

Xie Ci…

The other man quickly reacted and started grappling with him.

Xie Ci had been fighting since childhood. That man quickly fell into a disadvantageous position and was pressed to the ground by him, receiving punch after punch to the face.

He was like a furiously raging young lion, completely enraged by someone, terrifyingly mad.

Before long, the two men were beaten by him until they were rolling on the ground bloodied, hugging their heads and begging for mercy continuously, shouting: “Stop hitting, stop hitting, stop hitting.”

But he seemed to have completely lost his rationality. Eyes red, he went to a nearby spot and grabbed an iron rod before coming back.

“—Ahhh!”

Amidst the screams, Xie Ci stepped on one person’s head and viciously swung the iron rod at them, again and again.

A chorus of anguished howls filled the air.

Xu You, having survived the ordeal, hadn’t even caught her breath yet, tears streaming nonstop. Seeing blood on the ground, she was scared senseless, crawling over while crying out, only able to keep calling: “Xie Ci, Xie Ci, Xie Ci…”

Hearing Xu You’s crying, Xie Ci paused in his actions. He turned his head to look. Xu You was kneeling on the ground not far away, messy black hair draped over her snow-white shoulders, her small face streaked with tears, continuously calling his name.

She was sobbing so hard she couldn’t catch her breath.

Xie Ci held back for a moment, walked over, took several deep breaths to regain his rationality, then crouched down in front of Xu You, his voice hoarse and unable to speak.

His entire body was stained with streaks of blood not yet dried, the murderous aura in his eyes not yet dissipated 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…”

Two or three seconds of silence.

Xie Ci raised his hand, pressing one hand against the back of her head, his voice stiff as he comforted her: “Don’t be afraid.”

From childhood to adulthood, that fearless great demon king who had no heart and no conscience experienced for the first time the feeling of his heart aching and hurting for a girl.

After Xu You’s emotions calmed down slightly, Xie Ci helped her stand up, letting her lean against him.

He took out his phone and made a call.

After a few rings, the other side answered.

Xie Ci’s voice was cold as he said directly: “Parking garage, bring some people down.”

—

Before long, Zeng Qilin arrived with a group of people.

The two men who had been beaten lay on the ground, barely conscious, their faces covered in blood.

When he saw this scene, he raised an eyebrow and looked at his younger brother.

Xie Ci was looking down, holding a girl in his arms, saying something in a low voice.

Zeng Qilin kicked aside the iron rod on the ground, walked over, and asked: “What happened?”

Xie Ci looked up. Seeing it was him, his first words were: “Get rid of those two.”

“You little punk.”

Zeng Qilin was amused despite his anger. He lifted his chin. “You okay?”

Xie Ci frowned. “Get me a jacket.”

While the two brothers talked there, the remaining people exchanged glances with each other, holding their weapons, not knowing what to do.

Xie Ci draped the jacket over Xu You, holding her hand and preparing to leave.

After walking two steps, as if remembering something, he shouted to the person making a phone call not far away, “Bro, give me your car keys.”

Xu You still hadn’t recovered at all, obediently letting herself be led.

Her fingers were cold and soft, held in the palm of his hand.

Xie Ci drove the car out of the underground garage. Outside, the sky had darkened somewhat, and streetlights lit up one by one along the roadside.

He kept glancing at Xu You in the rearview mirror.

She kept her head down so her expression couldn’t be seen. She remained completely silent, wearing the oversized jacket, looking thin and small.

The car turned a corner and drove onto the main road, gradually accelerating.

“Where do you want to go?” Xie Ci pressed down the car window, letting the night breeze blow in, and turned to ask Xu You.

She didn’t react for a long time.

“Xu You?” He called her name.

Xie Ci steered with one hand, pulling the car to the roadside. After the engine stopped, he leaned over, lifting Xu You’s chin with his hand. “Hey…”

When she raised her head, her eyes were full of tears, falling continuously.

“I… I…” Xu You said two words, then choked up again. She raised the back of her hand to wipe away the tears that kept falling. “I’m sorry…”

Xie Ci’s heart clenched. He frowned hard, pulling several tissues from the tissue box and stuffing them roughly into her hands, at a loss as he said: “You, tsk, stop crying already.”

“Okay.” Xu You agreed, but still couldn’t control her tears.

Her hands hanging at her sides clenched tightly. She shook her head, moved her lips, and struggled to say: “You… you… just take me back to school, thank you…”

Looking like this, she couldn’t be more pitiful.

His heart ached.

“Fuck.” Xie Ci cursed under his breath.

This was the first time he had no idea what to do with a crying girl.

Not the impatient kind—it was just that his heart felt oppressed and sour, he felt very agitated, yet didn’t know what to do.

The night breeze from outside carried a slight chill, blowing in through the window.

“Hey, I’m begging you, little ancestor, can you please stop crying?”

Xie Ci propped his hand on Xu You’s seat, lowering his head to lean over and look at her expression. “Should I take you somewhere fun?”