An imposing iron gate came into view, flanked by an exceptionally well-maintained and beautiful garden. The giant banana leaves stood as tall as a two-story building, far surpassing the ones at Lu Xixiao’s home.
Zhou Wan sat quietly in the car, watching the scene unfold outside the window.
The driver stopped the car at the entrance.
Old Mr. Lu stepped out, leaning on his cane. Zhou Wan hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to support him.
She didn’t utter polite phrases like “be careful,” but simply held his arm gently, not too firmly, just enough to catch him if he stumbled.
“I usually live here,” Old Mr. Lu said with a smile. “It’s a pity that none of my children live with me. It gets lonely. When A Xiao was little, he often stayed with me here for a few days.”
Hearing him mention Lu Xixiao’s childhood, Zhou Wan tilted her head slightly.
Old Mr. Lu led Zhou Wan into the house, dismissed the others, and even personally poured her a glass of water.
Zhou Wan accepted it with both hands, thanked him, and sat opposite him.
If Zhou Wan weren’t Guo Xiangling’s daughter and hadn’t involved A Xiao, Old Mr. Lu might have admired her—for her composure, ruthlessness, and decisiveness.
“A Xiao was such a good child when he was young. Everyone praised him. His mother raised him well, but unfortunately…”
Old Mr. Lu sighed, his tone so sincere it seemed as if he were merely making casual conversation. “He once had a younger sister. I gave her the nickname Wanwan because her eyes were so beautiful, and she loved to smile. When she laughed, her eyes curved into crescent moons.”
Wanwan.
Wanwan.
Zhou Wan clenched her fist silently, suddenly feeling a pang in her stomach.
It throbbed, as if needles were pricking her.
“A Xiao adored his sister and often played with her. But his entire childhood was marked by constant loss. One by one, he lost everyone who mattered to him.”
“After that, his personality changed. He became indifferent, careless about possession and abandonment. He must have broken many girls’ hearts, but it’s only because he lost so much that he no longer dares to hold anyone too close.”
“But I can tell that A Xiao likes you. You’re different to him.”
Old Mr. Lu’s tone was so gentle that even Zhou Wan grew increasingly uncertain about his true intentions in bringing her here.
“That’s precisely why I came to you,” Old Mr. Lu said, looking calmly at Zhou Wan. “A Xiao is different from you. He bears the Lu name and is tied to too many people and matters. Many are watching him closely. So, what you’ve done isn’t just revenge against your mother—you’ve also placed him in a very difficult position.”
“If people find out about your relationship, what will they say?”
Old Mr. Lu smiled, his voice low and composed. “Disgusting, perverted, immoral, filthy… These things won’t disappear just because your mother is gone.”
With each word he spoke, Zhou Wan tensed up further.
“I made an agreement with President Lu earlier. As long as Guo Xiangling loses everything, I… will also disappear from Lu Xixiao’s world,” Zhou Wan said, lowering her gaze and trying to steady her breathing. “I’ll leave in a few days.”
“As soon as possible.”
Old Mr. Lu said, “A Xiao is rebellious. He likes you, and he might truly give up everything for you. But you’re a smart person. You should know what kind of reputation he would suffer and what he would lose from then on.”"I know."
Zhou Wan stood up and bowed deeply to Old Mr. Lu. "I'm sorry, I was too selfish and caused you trouble."
When Lu Xixiao woke up, the house was quiet with no one in the living room. Thinking Zhou Wan was still asleep, he noticed a missing umbrella by the entrance.
He glanced at the gloomy sky and drizzling rain outside the floor-to-ceiling window, then called Zhou Wan.
It rang for a long time.
No one answered.
Lu Xixiao frowned, an inexplicable anxiety spreading through him as he recalled what Uncle Zhang had said earlier.
He quickly walked to the wardrobe and yanked it open - all the clothes were still there.
Only then did he relax, curling his lips in a self-mocking smile before closing the wardrobe door and heading to the living room.
Lu Xixiao ordered two breakfasts, but they grew cold without any sign of Zhou Wan returning. He picked up another umbrella from the entrance and prepared to go look for her.
Just as he was about to lock the door, his phone vibrated with a text message from an unknown number.
It was an address.
Lu Xixiao frowned and immediately called back.
"Hello."
It was Luo He's voice, carrying a gritted-teeth smile. "Lu Xixiao, long time no see."
He remained silent, standing under the eaves with his face darkening, his eyes shadowed and obscure as he watched the curtain of rain before him.
"Come to the address I sent you, alone." Luo He laughed. "If you're late, don't blame me if your little girlfriend starts crying."
His expression didn't change, only his jawline tightened, carving a sharp angle that seemed capable of drawing blood.
But reason told him Zhou Wan was smart - she knew Luo He and wouldn't fall for his tricks.
"Where is she?"
"Don't believe me?" Pacing sounds came from Luo He's end as he walked somewhere, crouched down, and held out the phone. "Say something."
Lu Xixiao's Adam's apple bobbed.
Complete silence from the other end.
Luo He: "Little girl, don't be so stubborn. This isn't the time for your deep affection act. If he doesn't come, things won't end well for you."
Lu Xixiao's brow furrowed deeply. "Zhou Wan."
Still no response.
Luo He sneered, suddenly grabbing Zhou Wan's hair and yanking her head back.
The move was so abrupt that Zhou Wan couldn't suppress a pained whimper from her throat.
It was soft, brief, almost inaudible.
But Lu Xixiao heard it.
Veins bulged instantly on his forehead, his voice full of menace: "Luo He, if you dare hit her, I'll kill you!"
Hearing his furious voice, Luo He laughed even more delightedly: "Don't worry, I just pulled her hair. Alright, Lu Xixiao, hurry over. I'm not very patient."
Before Lu Xixiao could respond, Luo He hung up and tossed the phone aside.
He crouched on the ground, eye-level with Zhou Wan, then patted her cheek: "Little sister, if you don't want to get beaten later, you'd better cooperate."
Under the iron shed of Pingchuan City's abandoned station, Zhou Wan lay on the ground with her hands and feet bound.
The girl's messy hair spilled over her shoulders, her pants stained with dirty, mottled dust. She wasn't crying, nor did she show excessive fear - only her eyes were bloodshot as she glared hatefully at Luo He.
Once again, Luo He saw Lu Xixiao's shadow in this slender girl.
He scoffed: "What are you being proud about? Let's see if Lu Xixiao can still act proud later."
"No matter what state he's in, you'll never measure up to him.""Alright then." Luo He chuckled. "Keep your eyes wide open and watch closely."
He straightened up and turned his head. Jiang Yan was struggling violently against the two men restraining him, cursing Luo He for being untrustworthy and calling him a street thug.
Luo He walked over and without a word kicked Jiang Yan in the stomach. Jiang Yan's entire body stiffened, cold sweat instantly breaking out as he groaned in pain.
"If I'm a street thug, then what are you?" Luo He looked down at him with contempt. "You're even worse than a street thug - brainless and a hypocrite."
"But I should still thank you." Luo He said, then smiled as he helped Jiang Yan up by the arm. "If you hadn't made that call, Zhou Wan wouldn't have come. Isn't that right?"
Jiang Yan was too furious to speak.
After leaving Lu Zhongyue's company, Old Mr. Lu's words kept echoing in Jiang Yan's mind. He hated Lu Xixiao to the core, unable to understand what made him better than himself, wishing he would disappear from this world forever.
That's why he had acted impulsively and told Luo He he had a way to lure Lu Xixiao out.
But he had never intended to harm Zhou Wan.
He had specifically told Luo He that no matter what happened to Lu Xixiao in the end, Zhou Wan must not be hurt.
In Jiang Yan's heart, Zhou Wan was his only friend.
He always held some indescribable feelings for her.
...
Feeling Zhou Wan's gaze upon him, Jiang Yan felt as if he'd been pierced by cold arrows. He didn't dare admit anything, feeling lost, scared, and wronged.
"It wasn't me." He denied instinctively. "Zhou Wan, it wasn't me."
Zhou Wan didn't believe him, but she didn't scold him either, just indifferently looked away.
Soon, the noisy sound of an engine echoed from outside the abandoned station.
Luo He raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So fast."
He moved behind Zhou Wan, roughly dragging her some distance. Zhou Wan's palms were forced against the ground, skin tearing open in bloody scratches.
She winced in pain, her hair falling over her chest with the ends dragging on the ground, stirring up dust. Through her hair, she saw a figure approaching in the distance - dressed in black, walking with determined strides.
When Lu Xixiao saw the scene before him, his entire being radiated fury.
He had been caught in the rain, his shoulders and hair damp.
Zhou Wan pressed her lips tightly together.
"You really do like her." Luo He dragged Zhou Wan aside and laughed.
Lu Xixiao's voice was hoarse. "What do you want?"
Luo He put a cigarette in his mouth and swaggered over to him, flicking the ash before uttering two words: "Kneel down."
Lu Xixiao's expression remained unchanged, unmoving.
Luo He knew exactly how proud Lu Xixiao was.
He would rather die than suffer such humiliation.
This only excited Luo He more, his pupils gleaming with madness as he grinned grotesquely and said word by word: "Kneel. Before. Me."
Zhou Wan stared fixedly at Lu Xixiao.
The young man's face was dark, showing no shame from the insult, no retreat or evasion - his stillness was terrifying.
Zhou Wan's heart tightened unbearably, feeling like she might vomit blood.
Luo He observed Lu Xixiao's expression, savoring every detail like fine wine.
He paused, then smiled. "Otherwise, I'll strip her clothes off and take photos to post at your school. She looks a bit thin, but since you like her so much, she must have a nice figure, right?"At this moment, Lu Xixiao's expression finally cracked.
Gone was his usual aloof and detached demeanor. His eyes were bloodshot and crimson—the first time Zhou Wan had ever seen such vivid color on his face.
As if realizing something, she suddenly let out a piercing scream.
"Lu Xixiao!" she cried. "Don't!"
From the beginning until now, Zhou Wan hadn't cried, screamed, or begged for mercy.
Even after Lu Xixiao arrived, she hadn't made a sound, afraid that even the slightest reaction from her might affect him—until this moment—
But she watched, helplessly, as Lu Xixiao lowered himself, bending his knees.
He knelt straight down.
Perhaps the act of kneeling made no sound at all, but Zhou Wan clearly heard a "thud."
It was the sound of his kneecaps hitting the ground.
"Don't! Lu Xixiao, get up!" Zhou Wan's mind went completely blank. She struggled desperately, screaming and crying, "Don't, don't do this, Lu Xixiao... Get up!"
The proud young man who had always been the center of attention knelt silently and straight.
The world fell silent, yet everything was turned upside down.
Zhou Wan couldn't accept this from Lu Xixiao.
She couldn't bear to see him humiliated like this. If it came to that, she would rather die.
She had already caused him so much trouble; she couldn't shatter and take away the last bit of pride he had left.
But Lu Xixiao didn't even glance at her. He remained kneeling, his pants stained with dust, like a fallen deity.
Luo He laughed maniacally beside them. He had been fighting Lu Xixiao for so long and never imagined he would one day truly trample Lu Xixiao under his feet and crush him at will.
He laughed until his stomach hurt, tears streaming down his face. Bending over, he braced one hand on Lu Xixiao's shoulder as his shrill laughter echoed through the carport.
"Lu Xixiao, so you've come to this."
He finally straightened up, still laughing, and patted his pants pocket but found no phone. He glanced around.
Then he walked over, picked up his jacket, pulled out his phone from the pocket, turned on the camera, and took a photo of the kneeling Lu Xixiao.
"How do you like the shot?"
Luo He held the photo in front of Lu Xixiao's eyes, laughing loudly. "Let me think of a good caption for it later. How about—'Lu Xixiao Kneels and Begs for Mercy, Kowtowing in Apology'?"
"Luo He, let her go," Lu Xixiao said calmly, looking up from his kneeling position. "Everything else is between you and me."
Zhou Wan cried as if her entire being were falling apart.
She thrashed, shouted, and screamed, wanting Lu Xixiao to get up, to stop caring about her, to tell him she didn't deserve such treatment and sacrifice from him.
Amid her cries, she caught sight of the umbrella lying on the ground.
Dust mixed with the rainwater on the umbrella's surface, forming muddy patches that mottled its appearance.
At some point during her struggle, Zhou Wan had damaged the umbrella. Sharp ribs of the frame protruded, glinting faintly like bleached bones.
At this moment, Zhou Wan suddenly remembered when she and Lu Xixiao first met.
It had been a rainy day like this. She was cornered by a group of thugs, her umbrella knocked away, its canopy upturned and broken, the ribs snapped, revealing sharp tips.
Back then, she had thought: she would not be humiliated, she would not be defiled.
If it came to that, she would use the umbrella ribs to stab that person in the eye.
She had never been a weak, fragile girl. Deep inside, she had always been fierce and dark.
She clenched her fists, her rationality hanging by a thread.At that moment, mingled with the sound of wind rustling through leaves, she heard Lu Xixiao's voice.
He wasn't holding an umbrella, wearing a black hoodie with the hood pulled over his head, carrying the strong scent of tobacco and a faint woody fragrance.
He gently grasped her wrist and pulled her behind him.
He saved her.
In every sense of the word, he saved her.
Physically, spiritually.
So early on, she had already begun owing him.
She owed Lu Xixiao too much.
His money, his love, his dignity and pride.
At least, before she left, Zhou Wan wanted to make amends, no matter the cost, even if she would fall from grace and plunge completely into the lightless Hell.
...
Ignoring the painful friction from the ropes binding her wrists and ankles, she threw herself forward, landing heavily on the ground.
Stretching out her arms, she strained forward with all her might until her fingertips finally touched the umbrella handle.
She yanked it over and forcefully broke the protruding rib of the umbrella, her fingers cut and stained with blood.
"What are you doing!" Luo He scolded the two men restraining Jiang Yan. "I told you to watch her, and you can't even do that!"
He saw Zhou Wan's actions but never imagined that someone with her delicate appearance, crying so pitifully, would dare to do such a thing.
Letting his guard down, he quickly walked over to Zhou Wan, bent down, grabbed her collar, and tried to drag her back.
It was at that moment that Zhou Wan raised the broken umbrella rib in her hand.
Her eyes were red with painful tears, but with extreme determination, she stabbed down with all her strength.
When a few drops of scalding blood splashed onto her face, Zhou Wan suddenly stopped moving, her entire body stiffening as she turned her head in a daze to look at her blood-stained hand.
She didn't know how much force she had used—the umbrella rib had pierced directly into Luo He's collarbone.
Luo He widened his eyes, staring at Zhou Wan in disbelief.
The entire world seemed to pause.
Several seconds passed before Luo He felt the pain.
Covering his collarbone with one hand, he flew into a furious rage: "You're asking for death!"
He reached into his pocket with one hand.
A dagger flashed with a blinding white light.
Zhou Wan saw it clearly but suddenly lacked the strength to dodge. Her blood-stained hand trembled uncontrollably, and she could almost feel herself falling step by step, the surrounding light growing dimmer until there was no light left, no sound at all.
As Luo He raised the knife, Zhou Wan stood frozen in place and closed her eyes.
At the very least, she didn't want to be Lu Xixiao's weakness anymore, didn't want him to lose his dignity again.
...
But the next second, she was knocked down by a force.
The familiar scent of tobacco filled her nostrils, along with... the heavy smell of blood.
Streams of blood gushed from Lu Xixiao's chest, soaking through his clothes and completely staining Zhou Wan's hands red.
By this point, Zhou Wan's vision began to blur.
In her daze, it felt as though she had been the one to stab Lu Xixiao, as if all of this was because of her.
Her entire body trembled uncontrollably: "Lu Xixiao..."
The young man's face drained of color as he collapsed into her arms. His fingers slowly pried hers open, then held them, intertwining their fingers with a comforting gesture.
"Wanwan, you did well."
He squeezed her hand with a slight pressure, but soon his strength faded, and he let go. He looked at her earnestly and whispered, "Don't be afraid anymore."
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