Chapter 78.1

Xia Ruan instinctively wanted to refuse, but when she met Mr. Li’s gaze, she felt a chill and couldn’t speak.

That commanding gaze from a superior made her too scared to refuse.

Yun Feiwu whispered into Xia Ruan’s ear, “Ruan Ruan, take a break if you don’t like it here. We’ll leave as soon as you get back.”

Yun Feiwu’s voice was sweet, especially when talking to Xia Ruan. She always used her softest, sweetest tone, easily coaxing Xia Ruan.

So, at that moment, Xia Ruan made a choice she would regret for years.

She nodded.

Although Xia Ruan sensed something was wrong with the dinner, the cigarette counter was very close, within sight. It should be fine. And Yun Feiwu had said they would leave once she returned. Besides, Xia Ruan was too scared to refuse the man…

After Xia Ruan returned to the private room from the counter, Yun Feiwù was already gone. Li Zong had vanished with her.

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As Xia Ruan ran desperately, she called Zhou Hanchi. Her voice, hoarse and pained from exertion, was almost spasmodic: “Uncle Zhou, something’s happened to Maomao. The investor from the production team… please, you have to save her…!”

Zhou Hanchi didn’t know the specifics at that moment, but hearing Xia Ruan’s voice, his mind went blank, as though struck by a heavy blow.

The next second, Zhou Hanchi guessed what had happened: “Xiao Ruan, I’ll be back immediately. Don’t panic, I…”

The investor for “Ten Thousand Miles Away” was Li Zong from the Li Group. At that time, the Li Group was in a different league, one that Xinghui couldn’t even touch. Although Zhou Hanchi had heard some unsavory rumors, the Li Group appeared clean on the surface. Zhou Hanchi wasn’t one to believe in rumors, so he never thought anything bad would happen. Who knew those rumors were true…?!

Zhou Hanchi was preparing for a meeting. After hanging up the phone, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He abandoned the meeting and rushed straight to Haicheng Airport.

But he was still too late.

When he returned to Yuncheng, everything had changed. Everything was irrevocable.

Yun Feiwu had been sent to Li Zong’s room, and Xia Ruan, always so soft and gentle, had hit Li Zong on the head to save her.

She almost killed him.

…

Switching to Yun Feiwu and Xia Ruan’s perspective.

Yun Feiwu lay on the bed, dazed, her limbs weak, unable to move or make a sound, but she could hear everything around her clearly.

First, Yun Feiwu heard knocking and a man’s voice.

“Hey, isn’t this the little assistant? I haven’t even touched her yet. What, little girl, you want to join in too?” Li Zong was changing into a bathrobe, his greasy smile almost bursting from his face.

He was too busy teasing to notice the determination hidden deep in Xia Ruan’s timid eyes.

Xia Ruan, trembling, nodded and walked into the room, closing the door behind her.

Li Zong raised an eyebrow in disbelief: “Oh, the little girl really came? What, Xinghui’s salary isn’t enough, and you want some extra from me?”

Xia Ruan lowered her head, one hand behind her back, feeling the man’s scrutinizing gaze. Her fingers trembled violently.

Li Zong clicked his tongue: “You’re quite pretty, but a bit old. Never mind, I’ll take a loss this time and let you have it.”

He placed his hands on Xia Ruan’s shoulders, inching closer.

The closer he got, the more Xia Ruan trembled.

Finally, feeling the hot, nauseating breath on her cheek, Xia Ruan suddenly looked up. The timidity in her eyes was gone, replaced by… murderous intent.

She raised her hand and smashed the ashtray into the man’s temple with all her strength.

Blood started to trickle down.

Then, Yun Feiwu heard the sounds of tearing and the man’s curses.

“You little b***h, what are you doing! I’ll beat you to death…!” Li Zong instinctively covered his head, looking in disbelief at the frail girl before him.

He tried to slap her, but Xia Ruan lunged forward, biting down on his neck. No matter how he hit or threw her, even tearing her clothes, she wouldn’t let go.

Red mist clouded Xia Ruan’s vision.

There was more and more blood.

Next, Yun Feiwu heard the sounds of struggle and the man’s weakening screams.

Li Zong, losing too much blood, gradually weakened. Xia Ruan, however, seemed possessed, her eyes red, mercilessly smashing the ashtray into Li Zong’s head repeatedly until… his face was covered in blood.

With her limited strength, if not for the element of surprise in her first strike, she wouldn’t have stood a chance against him, no matter how he hit or threw her.

Throughout, Xia Ruan didn’t make a sound. Only when the man lay lifeless on the ground did she gradually regain her composure, standing up in a daze.

With reddened eyes, Xia Ruan looked towards the bed.

Yun Feiwu lay there, unmoving, her clothes still intact. Clearly, the man hadn’t had time to do anything. Xia Ruan felt a surge of fear. What if she had been too late…

Xia Ruan wanted to walk over to Yun Feiwu, to hold her, but as soon as she took a step, she stumbled over the man’s arm. Xia Ruan belatedly realized that she might have… killed someone.

Her expression changed repeatedly.

Panic, fear, and calmness interwove.

After standing in a daze for a while, Xia Ruan suddenly realized something and dashed towards the door.

She had killed someone; it would be discovered sooner or later. She should turn herself in. Right now, the one in danger wasn’t her, but Yun Feiwu. Xia Ruan remembered reading somewhere that an overdose of sedatives could be fatal. Yun Feiwu had been drugged for so long without moving, she might be in danger. So, Xia Ruan needed to find a doctor immediately to save Yun Feiwu, then turn herself in…

Xia Ruan almost bolted out of the room, nearly colliding with a passing guest as soon as she stepped outside.

The guest sidestepped just in time, and as they parted, Xia Ruan staggered a few steps and instinctively met his gaze. He was an elderly man in his fifties or sixties, with slightly graying hair but piercing eyes, sharp like those of a hawk.

If Mr. Li at the dining table resembled a majestic tiger, this old man was more like a deadly snake that could easily kill a tiger. Just one glance, and Xia Ruan felt a primal fear.

The next moment, a slight smile appeared in the old man’s eyes, and his gaze slowly moved down to Xia Ruan’s collarbone.

Under the scrutiny of such a snake-like stare, Xia Ruan shuddered, realizing that her clothes had been torn earlier, revealing a birthmark.

Trembling, Xia Ruan tried to cover the birthmark with one hand while preparing to close the door and run away. However, the old man grasped her wrist with a smile. “Young lady, do you need help?”

Xia Ruan instinctively wanted to refuse, but under the old man’s half-smiling gaze, she felt her whole body stiffen, her throat tightening so much that she couldn’t utter a word.

The old man asked again, “My personal doctor is downstairs. Shall I call him up?”

He then pushed the door open and walked in, dialing a number on his phone.

Xia Ruan hesitated for a moment but quickly followed him, slamming the door shut to prevent anyone from seeing the state of the room.

Seeing the man on the floor, who looked like a dead pig, the old man merely squinted slightly, his expression unchanged. He turned his head and, seeing the girl on the bed, almost immediately guessed the situation.