“Shijin, save me!”
However, the cry she mustered all her strength to voice was just drowned out by the horn of a passing car. The man gave a cold sneer, forcefully clamped his hand over her mouth, and began shoving her into the vehicle. Mei Ran, pressed so tightly her peripheral vision was reduced to a thin slice of panic, saw across the street the man who, holding a phone, was scanning the main entrance of the hospital, seemingly searching for her.
They were so close, barely more than ten meters apart. The thought that she was being… right under his nose… She struggled frantically while calling his name over and over in her heart, but evidently, mental telepathy wasn't coming into play this time.
Only one thought pounded through Mei Ran's mind: absolutely, under no circumstances could she let herself be taken away!
Her hand felt for the man's hand covering her mouth, and she pressed down hard on the Hegu point. For this press, she used almost all her remaining strength, her nails digging so deep into the back of his hand that they left marks. The man grunted in sudden pain and reflexively loosened his grip. Mei Ran seized the chance, bent her knees, and threw her weight downward, her entire body sliding lower, her upper torso beginning to twist ever so slightly beyond the range of his control.
The man hadn't expected her to pull such a move. The hand she'd pinched now felt numb and weak, unable to exert force. Still, overpowering a woman physically was far too easy for a man, especially now that night had fallen, the thick twilight providing excellent cover. He dragged Mei Ran back up, clamped his other hand on the slender nape of her neck, and started pushing her head toward the car door with a hard shove. “Still acting up?” he hissed viciously.
Just then, a loud shout came from nearby. “What the hell are you doing?!”
It was the hospital's old security guard, holding the dinner he'd gone out to buy. He saw a man and a woman struggling together, and upon closer look—wasn't that Dr. Mei Ran, who'd just gotten off work?
Though he didn't know who the man was or his relationship with Mei Ran, the old guard, having often benefited from her kindness and knowing her character, felt this scene was utterly out of place. Dr. Mei was not someone who'd cause a public scene on the street, making this situation highly suspicious.
Following his shout, two or three more guards rushed out of the security booth, holding batons, one of them still chewing food, mouth slick with grease, with no time to wipe it.
Seeing several people suddenly appear, the man's face abruptly changed. Yet, unwilling to let such a good chance slip away, he quickly assessed that standing his ground in this scenario wouldn't bode well. It was better to retreat now and plan for the long term rather than risk losing everything. As the saying went, while the green hills remained, there would always be firewood to gather.
“You got lucky this time!” he gnashed his teeth and released his hold. Mei Ran immediately slumped to the ground.
Just then, a rush of cool wind seemed to arrive. Mei Ran watched, disbelieving, as a figure swiftly approached. She covered her mouth, forgetting she could produce sound, simply staring at him. Warm liquid welled up and spilled from her eyes.
The man was just stooping to scramble into the van, his front foot already planted inside, when suddenly the collar of his shirt was yanked backward with great force. Caught entirely off guard, he was pulled out bodily. Before he could even see his attacker's face, a solid punch landed squarely on his nose, instantly causing blood to gush like a fountain.
“Fuck!” He spat a mouthful of bloody saliva and glared venomously at the man before him. Not bothering with words, he immediately swung another punch.
Fu Shijin deftly dodged and, quick as lightning, caught the oncoming fist, then pulled the man forward sharply. His palm cut through the air like a blade, and with a swift, decisive motion, he struck downward onto the man's elbow. A crisp cracking sound echoed, followed by the man's right forearm hanging limp and disjointed from his elbow like a broken branch.
“Well done!” the old guard couldn't help but pump his fist. “Take him down!”
The man snarled and lunged again, only to have his left forearm dislocated in the same manner mere seconds later. Fu Shijin released his hold — he hadn't actually used much force — but the man, now like a rag doll, was flung aside. He collapsed onto the ground, wheezing heavily.
Fu Shijin didn't spare him another glance. He strode directly over to lift Mei Ran to her feet. “Are you alright?”
He patted the dust from her clothes and checked her over thoroughly from head to toe. On the surface, he couldn't spot any visible injuries just yet. But seeing the particularly bright shimmer still lingering in her eyes, the lingering traces of shock and fear yet to fade, a dull pain began throbbing in his heart. “I'm sorry.”
Mei Ran took his slightly trembling hand, about to say something, when the man on the ground suddenly bellowed, “Fuck! Gutless bastards! Just gonna stand there watching the show?! Get the hell down here and help me!”
So there were accomplices after all! The few guards, momentarily stunned by the previous display, quickly tightened their grips on their batons and shifted into defensive stances.
They waited a moment, bated breath, searching their surroundings, but there was no movement. Instead, they heard the faint sound of a car engine starting up. The van, its door still wide open, suddenly lurched forward like a shamed thief taking flight, fishtailing away from the curb.
“Mr. Fu, should we not give chase?” the old guard asked, stepping forward.
“No need. Please help me by calling the police,” Fu Shijin replied. He gave a faint glance in the direction the vehicle had fled, his expression turning deep and inscrutable. Then, embracing the woman in his arms, he murmured gentle reassurances. “It's over now.”
Mei Ran nuzzled her face against his chest.
An hour later, this attempted “kidnapping case” was declared officially cracked.
The police officer handling the interrogation informed the couple, “He's confessed everything…”
It turned out the man was the same paparazzo who had secretly photographed Mei Hongyuan and his daughter back in Binnan Town. Following that previous rumor-mongering incident, the magazine he worked for not only had its business license revoked but also went bankrupt shortly after. His own subsequent job hunts met with repeated failure. Upon some probing, he discovered he had been effectively blacklisted within the entire industry. A good friend had even covertly tipped him off: “You managed to piss off the wrong people, of all choices, the Mei Group.”
Unbelievable. Was he truly being driven into a corner with nowhere to turn?
As the funds in his bank card dwindled day by day, he felt himself reaching a dead end. Every time he thought of the one who had caused him such wretched ruin, hatred simmered to a boil within every organ of his body—heart, liver, spleen, kidney, lungs—as if they might explode!
A cornered dog will jump a wall, and a man with his back against the wall could be even more desperate. Mei Hongyuan was too prominent a target, always guarded when out and about, making him too difficult to approach. So he had quietly set his sights on Mei Ran.
He staked out the hospital entrance for two days, memorizing her arrival and departure schedule, finally deciding to strike at a specific time. He didn't actually want her life; just having some “fun” with her would suffice, especially with such a beauty. Besides, such acts weren't unfamiliar territory—he had done them before. Resistance from unwilling parties actually heightened the thrill. And if he got caught… well, it was never a big deal. The law was notoriously lax in this area. He had a buddy who'd served only a few months for exactly this sort of thing and was out walking free now.
Once the deed was done, and she was “defiled,” so to speak, taking a few years in prison wouldn't be unbearable. After all, he was living a worthless life anyway—how much worse could it get?
He had even considered the worst-case scenario. The one thing he hadn't envisioned? Being dragged into the police station before he could even successfully abduct his target.
The thought that another man had harbored such vile, filthy designs on her made Mei Ran's entire body tremble with fury. Her lips paled and shivered faintly.
Fu Shijin spent quite some time soothing her. He initially wanted someone to escort her home first, but she kept holding onto his hand, not letting go, clinging to him like a helpless child relying on a protector, and so he dropped the idea.
One and a half hours later, the accomplice who had fled the scene was also arrested and brought in.
Fu Shijin's personal lawyer arrived shortly after, having already understood the particulars of the case. “His actions constitute kidnapping. However, depending on the specific circumstances, there's significant room in legal gray zones. I'm confident we can push for a ten-year sentencing.”
“Ten years?” Fu Shijin gently stroked the back of the person curled in his arms, then gave a light chuckle—though there was no warmth in his laughter, only chilling intensity mixed with overwhelming fury. “Not enough.”
The lawyer, having worked by his side for nearly seven years and possessing excellent rapport, naturally understood the implication. After a moment's thought, he said, “In that case, I'll dig deeper into his past for any prior crimes or similar records.”
Fu Shijin gave an affirmative hum.
“Can we go home now?” Mei Ran lifted her head and gave his hand a gentle shake.
“Yes,” he said, holding her hand as they stood. “I'll take you home.”
Mei Ran was quiet for most of the evening. She thought of The Kidnapping Case Six Years Ago—the similar scenario, the similar terror. Sitting on the sofa, she intertwined her fingers, her shadow cast long and slender across the floor.
Fu Shijin brought her a glass of warm water. Mei Ran dazedly reached for it, but he held onto the glass. Instead, he gently held her chin and helped her take small sips, one after another, feeding her.
After drinking most of it, a slight flush returned to Mei Ran's dry lips. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned her whole weight against him, and deeply inhaled his familiar scent. Only when she confirmed it wasn't a figment of her imagination did the tightly wound string of fear in her heart begin to loosen ever so slightly.
“Carry me. I want a bath.”
“Alright.”
As the man carefully rolled down her pantyhose, the sight of faint red marks appearing on her knees made his chest constrict sharply, his brows furrowing into a pronounced “川” shape. “You're hurt?!”
Only now did he notice the bruising discoloration on her wrists and the nape of her neck. Her skin was pale and delicate, so tender that during intimate moments he dared not be too forceful. Yet it was this very person he cherished and guarded so carefully who had nearly been snatched away right under his eyes. The thought alone twisted a dagger of pain deep within Fu Shijin's heart.
If something truly terrible had happened, he could never have forgiven himself!
“Ranran, I'm so sorry.”
I failed to protect you.
He had once imagined that, had he been by her side six years ago, perhaps she wouldn't have had to suffer so much hardship. Yet now he was finally by her side… and still, she was injured…
How could Mei Ran not sense the deep self-blame churning within him now? She offered him a faint smile. “We can never foresee what accidents the future holds. But you did rescue me in the end, just like a hero. I could hardly bear to look away.”
In that moment, she had been plunged into darkness; he had been the only glimmer of light in her world.
“Does it hurt?” the man's voice came out slightly rough.
Mei Ran shook her head at first, but meeting his deeply concerned gaze, a delayed wave of self-pity inexplicably bubbled up in her heart. “A little.”
Truthfully, because her pantyhose were quite thick, her knees had only suffered some slight scraping. Though they looked flushed and irritated, it didn't actually hurt that much.
She just really wanted him to dote on her a bit more, to let her know he cared for her as his cherished one, not to be tormented by guilt and blame.
“This won't happen again,” he promised solemnly, placing a kiss on her forehead.
After the bath, Fu Shijin carried her to bed, then went out again to retrieve the first aid kit. Sitting beside the bed, he rested her legs atop his own. He used a cotton swab to carefully disinfect the scrapes, then applied medication. His movements were feather-light, but Mei Ran was particularly sensitive to pain. With the slightest inadvertent twitch from her, he would immediately pause, his brow gently furrowing.
“Did I hurt you?”
“...No.”
Fu Shijin looked up to see her slightly flushed face reflected in his vision. “What is it?”
Mei Ran bit her lip and lowered her eyes. “Nothing.”
Was she the only one thinking that last sentence sounded rather… ambiguous? Still, strangely enough, after the medicine was applied and she lay sprawled across his back chatting about random things for a while, the lingering unease and terror from the ordeal seemed to dissolve into thin air as well. With this man beside her, the storms of this world seemed not so daunting anymore.
He gave her enough sense of security. As long as she could feel his presence, she could settle into a peaceful sleep.
Fu Shijin gazed with a dark, intent look at the slender, pale legs that had just been treated, watching as they slid up and wrapped securely around his waist. His voice grew husky. “Hmm?”
“Aren't you going to show me a little more care?” Her eyes were wide open, beautiful and full of guileless innocence.
She likely had no idea how utterly enchanting and exquisitely alluring she appeared to him in this moment. She didn't need to deliberately seduce—a single look from her was enough for him to willingly surrender.
“You're injured,” he murmured.
Mei Ran half-raised herself to kiss his lips. “Will it interfere?”
“No, it won't.”
“Click.” She had already unbuckled his belt, flashing a proud, triumphant smile his way…
The bedside lamp glowed softly to life, its light spreading over the intertwined couple on the bed, stretching and magnifying their merged silhouettes into a single, elongated shadow. Soon, the gentle orange glow began to sway with a rhythmic quiver.
Their intense entanglement served nothing more than to reaffirm, to prove, that to each other, they were indeed the one and only.
Mei Ran fell into deep exhaustion and slept soundly. The man watched her serene, sleeping face for a long while, until the cellphone on the bedside suddenly vibrated once, then went into continuous vibration.
“Mr. Fu, I've discovered he had a hit-and-run record half a month ago. Moreover, there's an old record from three years ago alleging involvement with rape of a minor…”
Fu Shijin stared out at the night sky adorned with a blanket of stars, but his gaze was steeped in the deep cold of a desolate winter night. He remained standing on the balcony a few moments longer before finally turning back and entering the room. He stood before the bed until the wintry chill clinging to him dissipated, and then slid under the covers.
The person sleeping soundly in the bed seemed instinctively aware of him, curling toward him in her sleep, her arms wrapping around his waist. His forehead gently pressed against hers, and he whispered softly, “It's over now, don't be afraid, alright?”
She held him tighter still, and as he found her hand, interlacing their fingers, she gradually settled back into peaceful rest, her breathing slowing into an even, calm rhythm.
The next morning, Mei Ran’s biological clock roused her precisely at its usual hour. Opening her eyes, she found the man already sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked at him questioningly. “You never slept last night?”
“Good morning,” he responded, tenderly ruffling her messy hair, his smile overflowing with affection.
Seeing the faint dark circles under his eyes, she reached out to gently touch them. He tilted his head forward, and his cool lips pressed against her forearm, softly kissing it, adoring and tender.
“Let’s get you freshened up first. Breakfast is already warmed and ready. Today is the weekend; let’s go out together and unwind.”
Speaking these words, he began helping her dress, one piece of clothing at a time.