Chapter 57 Admitting Defeat

It started as a fight in a bar, then it was reported and the bar was shut down for rectification. Now it has escalated to the point of filing a police report.

"Missing? What does someone missing have to do with my brother? Why are you arresting him? Where's the evidence?" Pu Xia struggled to control her voice.

"The police responded that the person went missing from a closed bar. Street surveillance footage showed the person entering the bar at night, but never coming out again."

"So what?"

"Mr. Xie went to that bar."

Pu Xia frowned. "What's wrong with my brother running his own bar? And the bar has more than one entrance and exit, right? Did you check the security footage at the back door?"

"The surveillance camera at the back door is broken and didn't capture any footage."

“Then there’s even less reason to hold my brother back.” Pu Xia’s expression was cold and angry as she spoke, and she was about to rush in. But before she could take a step, Li Ke grabbed her wrist.

“Yes, there is insufficient evidence,” Rick paused. “There is no evidence to prove that Mr. Xie is involved in this matter, but it also cannot prove that he is not involved. The back door surveillance was broken by such a coincidence, and the guarding was also on the borderline between lenient and strict. Miss Xia, this is not a simple matter of seeking evidence.”

Now that things have come to this point, Pu Xia couldn't possibly not know what that meant.

She immediately thought of Yang Ning, "This has something to do with my mother, right?"

"There is no concrete evidence, but I really can't think of anyone else."

“You know about what happened between my brother and me.” Pu Xia stared intently at Li Ke’s expression, her hands clenched tightly, not wanting to miss a single subtle detail.

"Yes, I did my best, but the key still lies with you, Miss Pu." Li Ke released his hand, lit a cigarette, and his pent-up emotions dissipated in the smoke.

Pu Xia noticed the pale blue under his eyes and lowered his head.

In their self-perceived world, nothing could stop them from being together. But in reality, with just a little external force, their resolve crumbled.

They don't even have the ability to protect themselves.

Pu Xia's tears fell silently.

All pride shattered in that moment.

The days that followed proved that no matter how much wealth Pu Ming accumulated here, he was still inferior to Yang Ning in terms of power and methods.

Li Ke tried to influence people from all sides, but all he got was "wait for news from above."

But I can't find this "above".

On the eighth day of Xie Sheng's detention, Pu Xia could no longer hold on.

The ordeal of these past few days left her feeling exhausted and powerless.

The light in her eyes dimmed, her proud spine was shattered by reality and scattered on the ground, all hope and future left her.

When the fire in his heart had died down and all the embers had dissipated, Pu Xia dialed a phone number, his voice hoarse.

"I'm going back."

“…Okay, I’ll have Chengming come pick you up.”

She gave up.

...Xiao Chengming arrived very quickly; he arrived on the very first day Xie Sheng was detained.

In his eyes, this was just a child's rebellious game, which would eventually be stopped by adults and everything would return to normal.

He waited with certainty for Pu Xia to bow his head.

But when he got out of the car and saw the haggard Pu Xia, he still felt sorry for her.

Xiao Chengming walked up to her, "Xiaxia..."

Just as the comforting hand was about to touch Pu Xia's head, it was slapped away violently.

Pu Xia raised her head, her eyes red and her voice hoarse, "Release Xie Sheng."

It has to be said that Pu Xia's heavy and cold gaze, and her resistant posture, made Xiao Chengming's heart sink.

But he quickly adjusted his emotions.

He thought this reaction was normal and would pass.

Xiao Chengming smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go talk to them. You can wait in the car first."

"I'm right here."

“Xiaxia, be good,” Xiao Chengming said, still smiling, but the smile had faded. “I will let you see him one last time.”

Pu Xia looked at him, her breathing rose and fell slightly, then returned to a deathly calm, "Okay."

She turned to look at Li Ke, wanting to say so much, but not knowing where to begin. Her lips moved, but in the end she only managed to say, "I'm entrusting my brother to you."

Li Ke patted her shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."

Pu Xia lowered her eyes, nodded, and wondered what would be considered good.

However, she seems to have lost the right to judge.

As soon as Pu Xia left the police station, she spotted Xiao Meng and the car behind him that would take her away. Her steps became unusually heavy.

"Get in the car and wait a bit." Xiao Meng opened the car door for her.

Pu Xia glanced back but didn't move.

Xiao Meng then advised, "Mr. Xiao will need to wait inside anyway, so just sit and wait."

Pu Xia remained standing in the same spot, making a silent final struggle.

About ten minutes later, a middle-aged man in uniform and Xiao Chengming came out together. The two were chatting and laughing, and seemed to know each other very well.

Pu Xia straightened up from leaning against the car and looked behind Xiao Chengming, but did not see the figure she had been longing for.

Her pent-up anger was about to explode in an instant. She strode toward Xiao Chengming, but stopped abruptly when she saw a figure.

Li Ke and a tall figure walked out from inside.

It seems like there's a connection.

Pu Xia's heart nearly broke when that figure looked over.

Xie Sheng had grown stubble on his chin, a dark red wound on his cheekbone, and the dark circles under his eyes made his once captivating eyes look tired and disheveled.

They looked at each other, but neither took another step closer, as if a giant wall stood between them.

Xiao Chengming had already walked up to Pu Xia's side. "Xia Xia, we should go. Your mother is still waiting for us at home."

Pu Xia ignored him, staring intently at Xie Sheng.

Pain, frustration, and embarrassment alternated in their similar eyes and brows. No one understood what the other was thinking, and as a result, neither of them took any further steps forward.

Xiao Chengming blocked Pu Xia's view and turned her shoulder, "Xia Xia, let's go."

She lowered her head, looking completely lost. The moment she turned around, her eyes uncontrollably reddened, tears blurring her vision, and all sound was shut out.

Just as she reached the car, a force grabbed her arm, and she opened her eyes wide and turned around.

Thank you, Mr. Xie!

She held her breath.

Xiao Chengming frowned, stopped Xie Sheng with his hand, and warned in an unfriendly tone, "Xie Sheng, you know you haven't finished dealing with your own affairs yet, right?"

Xie Sheng remained unmoved, only looking at Pu Xia, "Why...give up?"

His voice was like gravel, hoarse and broken.

Pu Xia felt her soul tremble. Her fingertips dug deep into her fingertips, and a sharp pain from within spread throughout her body. "Brother, we were too naive before."

Pu Xia's eyes stung, as if a sharp knife was pressed against them, yet she couldn't look away.

Despite the pain, her gaze almost greedily traced his outline.

"I understand." Xie Sheng's tone was calm, almost deathly so.

But the next second he reached out and touched Pu Xia's ear.

What are you doing!

Xiao Chengming tried to block Xie Sheng warily, but was quickly pushed away by Pu Xia.

A cold touch landed on Pu Xia's earlobe and then quickly left; Xie Sheng's hand now held her earring.

Pu Xia's wide pupils suddenly widened in shock as she saw Xie Sheng forcefully shove the black earring into his earlobe.

Blood dripped down.

Breathing also became difficult.

"You can go now," he said.

In an instant, the whole world was flooded with tears.

Puxia became a fish that could no longer breathe in the water.

Where is there any road left to go?