He didn’t wait for the two men to react. Immediately, he threw punches to both their faces, then spun and kicked out with his right leg. The tall, skinny man lost his balance and fell, so he focused on dealing with the brawny one first.

When he’d pushed Xiaoya toward her, Chu Minghuan had already sensed what to do, dashing out from behind the utility pole and catching the little girl in her arms as she ran to her.

“Xiaoya, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Huahuan Jie!” Xiaoya sobbed. “Mom told me to wait for her at home…”

“All right, I know, Jie will take you to find your mom.” She comforted the little girl, glancing over to see Mo Tingfeng locked in a brawl with the burly man, while the skinny one was starting to pick himself up off the ground. She couldn’t help but feel anxious.

“Mo Tingfeng, I’ll take Xiaoya to your car first. Hang in there!”

“Got it! You two go on!”

Chu Minghuan bit her lip. Realizing she and Xiaoya couldn’t help by staying, she hurriedly took the girl by the hand and ran, clicking the remote to unlock the car. She signaled for Xiaoya to get in, then jumped into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

She initially thought Mo Tingfeng would wait for her to drive back to pick him up, but as she turned the car around, she saw he had already dealt with the two men with ease. He even found a thick rope in the back of their van to bind their hands and feet together.

She rolled down the window. “Mo Tingfeng, are you all right?”

He turned to look at her, his tall figure silhouetted in the moonlight with a graceful elegance, his clothes flowing as if he were a celestial being.

“Do I look like I’m hurt?” He flashed a bright smile, revealing a set of white, gleaming teeth.

Mo Tingfeng personally escorted the two criminals to the police station. Before long, Xiaoya’s mother arrived as well. When she learned that her live-in boyfriend had told her to bring her daughter back as part of a ransom plot, she was furious and ashamed, lashing out like a madwoman.

Not wanting Xiaoya to see this scene, Chu Minghuan, after giving her statement, asked Mo Tingfeng to drive them back to the dormitory. Xiaoya, still shaken, clung to her and wouldn’t let go. It took a lot of coaxing to finally get the tearful girl into bed.

As Chu Minghuan soothed Xiaoya to sleep, Mo Tingfeng quietly observed from the side, marveling at her endless patience. No matter how much Xiaoya cried or clung to her, Chu Minghuan remained gentle and kind.

Compared to how she acted toward him, she was like a fiery tigress!

The thought left Mo Tingfeng feeling a little annoyed, an odd mix of jealousy and frustration stirring within him.

It was nearly midnight when they left the dormitory. Mo Tingfeng noticed Chu Minghuan looking pensive, guessing she was still worried about Xiaoya.

He hesitated, unsure how to comfort her, and clumsily said, “Don’t worry, kids usually feel better after a good night’s sleep.”

“What do you think kids are, pets?” she scoffed. “As if they’ll just be fine after a nap!”

Mo Tingfeng flinched, feeling compelled to defend himself. “I just think the kid is a bit too clingy! Her mother didn’t even treat her well, letting that man abuse her right in front of her, and yet she’s still so attached to her.”

“That’s how kids are. I used to be like that…” She suddenly stopped.

Mo Tingfeng noticed her expression change. “What is it?”

“Nothing.” She quickly shook her head.

But he wasn’t convinced. His dark eyes bore into her, as if trying to read her thoughts.

Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, she snapped, “What are you looking at? Do you think you’re so smart? Didn’t you ever miss your mom as a kid?”

He was momentarily stunned, his gaze turning somber. “My mother died shortly after giving birth to me.”

“What?” Chu Minghuan was speechless. After a long silence, she mumbled, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“It’s fine,” he interrupted softly. “It’s late. Let me drive you home.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The atmosphere turned awkwardly quiet, and Chu Minghuan berated herself for putting her foot in her mouth. She tried to think of something to say, but as they walked, she noticed two figures following them at a distance.

It was Tiancheng and Xiao Huang, who had come to meet Mo Tingfeng when he dropped the criminals off at the police station. Now they were dutifully keeping their distance, watching over him from afar. Chu Minghuan saw them trailing like shadows, and a smile crept onto her face.

“Your bodyguards are pretty loyal,” she remarked, breaking the silence.

Mo Tingfeng glanced back at them, and Tiancheng and Xiao Huang grinned sheepishly. Had they not both been so tall and solid, Chu Minghuan might have mistaken them for a pair of loyal sheepdogs.

She stifled a laugh, which made Mo Tingfeng self-conscious, assuming she was mocking him.

After his heroic display of bravery tonight, now his cool image was being undercut by his followers trailing him like bodyguards. 

What kind of hero needs constant protection? Embarrassed, he cleared his throat, trying to recover his image, but just then, his stomach growled audibly.

Chu Minghuan raised her brows in surprise. “What was that?”

Mo Tingfeng didn’t answer, but his stomach rumbled again, stubbornly making itself heard.

Finally, she understood. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

This was not the time for his stomach to be making such demands! Flustered, Mo Tingfeng wished he could sink into the ground, while Chu Minghuan chuckled, her eyes bright with amusement.

“All right then. Since you helped me save Xiaoya tonight, I’ll treat you to a late-night snack.”

“No need.” He huffed, a bit prickly. “I’m not broke, you know.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be so petty!” She laughed, tugging on his sleeve. Her brows arched with a playful charm. “Let’s go! I know a great spot for late-night bites, and we can even get a drink…”

Steamed pork with garlic, stir-fried green beans, crispy fried tofu, spicy squid, mushrooms with watercress, crispy intestines…

A whole table of dishes, glistening with oil and filled with tempting aromas, looking mouthwatering. But eating this much in the middle of the night—wasn’t that asking for trouble?

Watching his hesitant expression, Chu Minghuan blinked. “Are you not used to this kind of food?”

“Don’t you think it’s a bit too greasy?”

“It’s a little bit, yes.”

“Won’t eating this late cause indigestion?”

“Maybe.”

“Then why did you order so much?” He shot her a suspicious look. Was she planning to get back at him for tonight’s help by giving him a stomachache?

She laughed, filling their glasses with cold beer. “Oh, come on! Do you really think I’d try to prank you and risk eating all this too? Relax. I’ll eat and drink with you—if you’re really worried, we can ask the owner to bring some plain porridge to balance it out.”

As if to show her sincerity, she took a bite of every dish, savoring each one with a satisfied smile.