0048 Xianshan (2)

Zheng Long received Wan Qifuze's call at the entrance of the Normal University.

He usually deals with Zhiwen, so for Wanqi Fuze to call him personally, it must be something important.

Having taken on this side job for so long, he still hadn't figured out his client's personality. He didn't know what he looked like or how old he was. Even when he had instructions, he would only say a few words, polite yet exuding an undeniable authority.

The other party had only told him to pay attention to people around He Lingling who were acting strangely, but he still sensed the subtext in that simple sentence that "there might be some trouble recently."

Since his "chance encounter" with He Lingling, his opinion of this "Miss He" mentioned by Zhiwen has changed considerably. He is a traditional man who believes that once you've committed to someone, you should give each other a formal status. Keeping someone as a mistress or subservient person is something he utterly despises. The only motivation for such behavior is that one is wealthy and the other is after money.

Therefore, he had previously held He Lingling in contempt. A woman with a respectable job and high education, seemingly clean and beautiful on the surface, yet secretly a mistress, engaging in sordid affairs. But after that encounter, he discovered she wasn't the arrogant and domineering woman he had imagined. On the contrary, she was lively and enthusiastic, constantly conveying passionate emotions to those around her—even someone like him, whom she had just met and whom she called a friend. Her words and actions contained neither arrogance nor self-deprecation; she was simply like… a clean, lively, and charming girl who inspires immediate affection.

If he had previously done this despite his moral unease, then the moment he saw her, all those previous awkwardness strangely disappeared.

He couldn't help but act as if he had just given her a ride, and she treated him like a friend. He did his job like a real older brother, silently protecting her.

But he didn't expect to run into He Lingling right after hanging up the phone. She smiled and waved at him like a little sun. But before he could return her smile, he saw a small car suddenly drive into the middle of the road and head straight for that thin figure.

His heart leaped into his throat instantly. He had served in the army for many years and had a strong mental fortitude, but he also knew all too well the fragility of human beings. In the face of cruel natural disasters and man-made calamities, one could not possibly contend with a so-called "iron will," especially with such a butterfly-like figure.

Fortunately, the car only grazed her side as it passed, and he only regained normal breathing the moment he pulled her into his arms. But he also understood more clearly that Wanqi Fuze's decision to send him to follow her was never superfluous.

His years of military experience gave him a keen eye for people. He knew that the other party's actions were not unintentional; on the contrary, he was very likely the person that Wanqi Fuze had secretly instructed him to guard against.

He first looked at He Lingling's face; she was pale, seemingly from extreme shock. Perhaps he should take her to the hospital for a checkup. Compared to him, she appeared so frail and delicate; she must have been terrified.

He gave the young man opposite him—or perhaps just a boy—a meaningful look, one he believed he could interpret as a warning.

He leaned on the person in his arms, looking into her eyes with a questioning gaze. He wanted to take her to the hospital, and if she didn't mind, he could carry her to the car... But he didn't expect that there would be a sudden clarity in her eyes, which he couldn't understand.

He was gently pushed away by He Lingling. It took her some effort to stand up straight, but she looked inexplicably determined. She thanked him, her voice still a little weak, and then she walked towards the boy.

He frowned instantly. The boy opposite him gave him a slightly provocative smile, a perfect response to his earlier self-righteous warning. He wouldn't let such childish behavior throw him off balance, but he couldn't let He Lingling fall into his trap.

With a little effort, Zheng Long pulled He Lingling back.

“No.” He said, frowning. He didn’t believe He Lingling couldn’t see that the man’s "deliberate" actions were so obvious.

He Lingling smiled and shook her head at him. Her face was still pale, and she looked very weak. Seeing that Zheng Long still showed no sign of letting go, she became serious.

"Big brother, he won't hurt me. He is...my student..."

His eyes were clear and bright, filled with a resolute determination to go.

Whose eyes had he ever seen such an expression?

Zheng Long suddenly couldn't help but loosen his grip, and in that instant she broke free from his hold and got into Guan Kai's car.

The car didn't leave; it was just moved a bit and parked on the side of the road.

He watched from the sidelines, unable to stop He Lingling, and tried to minimize the harm she might suffer.

The car wasn't heated, and it felt claustrophobic and cold.

The cold leather seat made He Lingling shiver involuntarily. Guan Kai sneered at her appearance: "You look so frail, you can't even protect yourself. Why would Wanqi Fuze like you the only one?"

The obvious sarcasm in her words stung He Lingling, but she also gleaned a chilling message from them—

Guan Kai's unfriendly tone suggested that he harbored resentment towards Wan Qifuze.

P.S.: Comments welcome!!! I suddenly realized I have 100 pigs in Stealing Stars!!! Thank you everyone!!!