Chapter 10:  Do I Need to Transfer Money First?

“Mm—”

A barrage of kisses rained down, filled with the uniquely cold scent of the man’s body, overwhelming all her senses.

“Lu Yan… Let go of me!”

Li Qingqing was almost suffocated by his aggressive kisses.

She struggled to break free, but her entire body was suspended midair—she couldn’t muster any strength.

This man had completely lost his mind. What did he take her for?

His sudden and forceful kiss left her dizzy and disoriented.

In a panic, Li Qingqing’s hand groped around the table and happened upon a photo frame. Without thinking, she swung it and smashed it hard against Lu Yan’s head.

With a groan of pain, he finally let her go, covering his forehead and staring at her in disbelief.

“Are you crazy, Lu Yan?!” Li Qingqing screamed, her voice trembling with tears.

She could hardly believe it—this man had once again violated her.

Lu Yan rubbed his forehead, clearly shocked by the unexpected violence.
So even this gentle little bunny could bite.

He furrowed his brows, massaging the spot where the photo frame had struck. “What are you pretending for? Weren’t you enjoying it last time? What, now I need to wire money first before I can sleep with you?”

Lu Yan was clearly upset now—no one had ever hit him like this before.

Li Qingqing was stunned. So in his heart, she was that kind of woman? He actually believed he could just humiliate and toy with her however he pleased?

Her chest heaved violently. Humiliation welled up in her eyes, and tears streamed down her flushed cheeks.

“You bastard, Lu Yan!”

She flung the photo frame aside and ran out of the study in tears.

She bolted out of the Wan Hua apartment complex and dashed all the way to the main road—she couldn’t bear to stay there a second longer.

The cold night wind bit at her, making her shiver uncontrollably. The dried tear stains on her cheeks stung from the chill.

She didn’t know how long she’d been walking before she snapped back to reality—only to realize she was still in pajamas and slippers, and she hadn’t brought anything with her.

At this hour, the school dormitory would surely be locked, and besides, she didn’t even have money for a ride.

Looking around, she figured she’d try to spend the night in a nearby park.

But she hadn’t walked far when a group of drunken thugs staggered toward her. The stench of alcohol on them was nauseating, and their vulgar chatter could be heard from a distance.

Instinctively, Li Qingqing turned to leave, but the group quickly caught up.

“Well well, little missy, aren’t you scared walking alone this late?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll protect you.”

“Out in your PJs, huh? Just took a shower? Mind if I get a whiff?”

The blonde one reached out and grabbed her, leaning in toward her neck. The heavy stench of alcohol almost made Li Qingqing throw up.

“What the hell do you want?” she snapped, disgusted, pushing him away.

Their filthy laughter rang out across the empty street—eerie and vulgar.

Goosebumps shot up her arms. Just hearing their words filled her with dread.

She turned and tried to flee, but the thugs easily grabbed her again.

Her screams for help were muffled by a sweaty, alcohol-reeking hand. Despair overtook her—she suddenly regretted storming out so impulsively.

They dragged her behind some bushes in the park and threw her onto the ground.

Panting heavily, Li Qingqing tried to scream again but there wasn’t a soul in sight.

She had run out in such a hurry she’d forgotten her phone—there was no way to call the police now.

The blonde thug wasted no time, reaching out to tear at her clothes—

—but was suddenly interrupted by a cold, commanding male voice from the distance.

“Stop.”

They turned toward the voice. Under the streetlamp stood a tall, slender figure, backlit so his face couldn’t be seen, but his menacing aura sent chills down their spines.

“Who the hell are you?” the blonde yelled.

No answer.

That ticked him off even more.

Who did this guy think he was, ignoring him like that?

They forgot all about Li Qingqing and charged toward the man.

But he just stood there calmly, hands still in his pockets.

The blonde threw a heavy punch straight at his face—but the man nimbly dodged it.

Cursing, he tried another punch.

This time, the man didn’t dodge.

Instead, he grabbed the thug’s wrist, twisted his arm 180 degrees, and crack—it broke.

The thug screamed in pain. “What are you guys doing?! Get him!”

His buddies rushed in.

But under the dim lights, the tall figure weaved through them like a ghost, swift and brutal.

In less than two minutes, the thugs were all sprawled on the ground, groaning in agony.

Li Qingqing stared, dumbfounded.

She never imagined this man was this skilled.

Mouth agape, she forgot why she’d even ended up here in the first place.

“Stunned?”

Lu Yan adjusted his sleeves and spoke with mild irritation.

Li Qingqing blinked a few times, shut her mouth, swallowed hard, and murmured, “You’re… really good…”

He was speechless at her dazed look.

“Out on the street in pajamas in the middle of the night—this is your idea of safety awareness?” Lu Yan mocked.

Embarrassed, Li Qingqing looked down and tugged at her clothes. She didn’t know how to respond—it felt like a kid getting caught running away from home.

Her messy hair clung to her tear-streaked cheeks. A bit of dirt smudged her face, making her look like a helpless stray kitten.

Lu Yan’s heart softened.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, trying to sound stern.

She obediently shook her head, sniffling.

Aside from being roughly grabbed, she was mostly unharmed.

“Let’s go home.” He turned and strode toward the car.

Li Qingqing followed behind him like a scolded child, her small figure tucked into his large shadow, matching his pace step by step. Strangely, she felt safe.

Back at the apartment, Lu Yan took off his coat, washed his hands in the bathroom, and returned to the study to continue working.

After everything that had just happened, Li Qingqing felt physically drained and emotionally scattered.

She looked down at her dirty clothes and went to take another shower.

As she stepped out, her gaze landed on the bathroom trash bin—where she spotted a blood-stained tissue.

Had Lu Yan gotten hurt?