Huo Jiayuan panicked for a moment.

Her first thought was that the note might be a prank, but she quickly dismissed that idea.

Even if there were pranks, there was no need to target her.

Besides, the name on the note was clearly written, so Meng Yan was fine.

It's Meng Yan!

This person must know her, but for some reason, cannot tell her these things in person. This person is not Zhao Ashuang, because his personality is to speak his mind directly and he wouldn't use these roundabout methods.

But in this border town, who else did she know besides Zhao Ashuang and Meng Yan?

Huo Jiayuan's heart raced, and she almost jumped up when Xiao Rong put his hand on her shoulder.

"Miss, what's wrong?"

Huo Jiayuan stared at him blankly for a few seconds, then hurriedly shook her head.

"You don't look well," Xiao Rong frowned. "What's wrong?"

She quickly and discreetly slipped the note into her pocket, continuing his line of thought: "I...I'm feeling a little unwell."

"What happened?"

"It might be this flower." She looked at the flower in her hand and casually tossed it into the trash can. "You know, I've been a little allergic to pollen since I was a child."

Xiao Rong's brow gradually relaxed. What she said was true. Perhaps because she had been too well protected since birth, she had allergies to many things to varying degrees.

Later, Huo Junyu and his wife simply let go of her and stopped being overly cautious, and she grew up to be very healthy.

However, some lingering allergies from childhood have persisted.

"It's okay." Huo Jiayuan chuckled. "I'm going to the restroom to wash my face. I'll be right back in a bit."

"I'll stay with you..."

"No need, I'll be back soon!"

After saying that, Huo Jiayuan quickly ran to the restroom.

Xiao Rong felt something was off, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He turned and glared at the other two bodyguards, asking them what had just happened. The bodyguards could only tell him that the flower girl had been there.

He walked over, took the flower out of the trash can. The wrapping paper was rough, clearly a cheap product. There was nothing inside the wrapping paper, and the flower happened to be a rose, which Huo Jiayuan was allergic to.

Perhaps her pale face just now really was related to this flower?

Xiao Rong slowly lowered his hand and threw the flower back.

...

Huo Jiayuan leaned against the bathroom wall, took out the note and looked at it again and again, her fingers gently tracing Meng Yan's name, feeling a mix of emotions.

She thought about it for a moment, and although she was very reluctant, she tore up the note and flushed it down the drain.

She went outside, washed her face, and looked at herself in the mirror, suddenly feeling a bit lost. The sound of a ship's horn drifted from afar; her return to the central city was beginning its countdown. But because of that note, a sense of unease lingered in her heart.

She slowly moved to the public area outside the restroom.

At that moment, two men emerged from the men's restroom. They were burly, fierce-looking, and had tattoos on their arms. They walked and laughed as they pulled up their pants, their unrestrained laughter echoing throughout the corridor.

Huo Jiayuan had never liked this kind of person, so she hid behind a pillar, trying to avoid them, and would walk back after they left.

But just then, she heard two men talking:

"I heard it's a young lady tonight?"

"Yes, she was raised with the utmost care and pampering from a young age, her skin is so delicate and tender!"

"Hahahaha... We'll have to do this a few more times, and wear her out!"

"Get lost! This is a virgin, I'll go first!"

"I can't wait any longer..."

The filthy words coming from their mouths were as disgusting as garbage.

In that instant, Huo Jiayuan's mind went blank.

She remembered another sentence on the note: "Don't get on the boat, it's dangerous."

And what these two people were saying...

Her heart skipped a beat, as if she had stepped into thin air and fallen off a precipice! She forced herself not to connect the two things, but could there really be such a coincidence in this world?

If the young lady these two men are talking about is someone else, then what's the story behind this note?

Huo Jiayuan slumped against the pillar on the ground, panting heavily, her body covered in cold sweat.

However, she quickly calmed down, turned around to look at the two men, and quietly followed behind them. Then, she watched as the two men bypassed the waiting room and, like thieves, jumped onto a ship...

In the moonlight, she could make out the ship's number: 0829. It was the very ship Xiao Quan was going to take her back to the capital!

Huo Jiayuan felt completely drained; her mind went blank as if a bomb had blasted her chaotic thoughts into a void.

She held her breath, suppressing her rapid heartbeat, and subconsciously searched for Xiao Rong.

But as she turned to run back, she hesitated.

Why were those two people allowed on the ship? Didn't Xiao Rong have everything arranged?

Could it be...?

Were those two people also arranged by Xiao Rong?

impossible!

Huo Jiayuan squatted on the ground, clutching her head tightly, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. At that moment, her world was like the sea before her, an endless expanse of blackness, and an endless expanse of despair.

...

Xiao Rong waited for a long time, and the boatman sent people several times to urge him to board the boat, but he waited and waited and still did not see Huo Jiayuan.

He went to the bathroom to look, but it was empty; there wasn't a soul in sight.

He was extremely agitated when he inadvertently saw the tattered rose in the trash can again, and something suddenly flashed through his mind... He then desperately ran towards the boat!

On the boat, one man said to another, "Is this the place?"

"This ship isn't big, it only has three rooms, and this is the best one... it has to be here!"

"But it was dark inside, so it didn't look like anyone was there."

"Perhaps the little princess is asleep?"

The two men exchanged a smile and were about to break down the door when suddenly a dark shadow appeared in front of them, and then they were hit hard on the head with a thick stick!

"ah!"

One of the men shouted.

The boat began to wobble, and the other man, without asking any questions, rushed towards the dark figure, only to be struck by a stick as well. The three began to fight, but then a flash of light stunned the two men!

"You? You..."

"Get out of here, all of you!" Xiao Rong roared.

The two men looked at each other in dismay. Just then, Xiao Rong swung his stick and struck them several more times. Blood gushed from their heads and flowed down their faces like streams.

The two men were enraged and roared as they stepped forward to teach Xiao Rong a lesson.

...

Huo Jiayuan could see fighting figures on the ship from afar. The ship was rocking on the sea, as if a small wave could swallow it up.

Her heart tightened, and she staggered back to the waiting room. At that moment, the other two bodyguards also became agitated and desperately tried to rush onto the ship.

"Where's Xiao Rong?" Huo Jiayuan shouted.

"He's on the ship!" A bodyguard shielded Huo Jiayuan behind him and instructed another, "You stay here and protect Miss, I'm going to help Brother Rong!"