Night, pitch black, enveloped the earth.

The gale-force winds whipped up torrential rain, creating a series of cracking sounds that made the night seem even more eerie and terrifying.

This is an imposing villa, but on nights like this, with the occasional flashes of lightning, it looks somewhat like a creepy old house from a horror movie.

A black sedan drove up in the pouring rain and stopped outside the villa's gate. The security guard made an internal phone call, and the gate slowly opened.

The car stopped. Soon, someone got out and opened an umbrella.

A moment later, a tall man in a long black trench coat stepped out of the back seat of the car. Under the lights of the villa, his features were not very clear, but the way his long trench coat fluttered in the wind gave him a wild and untamed charm.

The villa doors were opened from both sides.

The man walked in with steady steps, the wind blowing the hem of his trench coat, making it look like a black net rushing towards those behind him, creating a strong sense of oppression.

He was led into a large hall. As he stepped inside, the people there were already arrayed and waiting for him. This time, his arrival had been easy, but there was no turning back. He had known this all along, but he hadn't hesitated.

"As expected of the Lone Wolf who strikes fear into the hearts of all, he certainly has guts." The man, also dressed in black, slowly stood up from the main seat facing the door.

He was burly, probably close to 1.9 meters tall, with long, flowing hair. A cigar was dangling from his lips, and he rhythmically tapped his hands together.

He spoke words of appreciation, his face bearing a half-smile, his eyes cold and sharp.

"Likewise," Zhuang Yicheng replied calmly, glancing back at him.

"Good! I admire your courage. However, you came easily today, but you won't be able to leave easily." The man in the main seat slowly walked over, a bloodthirsty smile on his lips.

Zhuang Yicheng smiled faintly. "I know. However, I'm here to make a deal with you."

"Oh? I'd be very interested to hear that." The man raised an eyebrow, toying with the cigar between his fingers.

Zhuang Yicheng's hand slowly landed on his left chest. "I've heard you're a sharpshooter. Today, you'll shoot me, and from now on, you won't involve her in our affairs. How about it?"

The man slowly narrowed his eyes, stared at him for a long time, and then suddenly burst into laughter. "Good!"

He waved his hand and ordered, "Men, get the guns!"

Zhuang Yicheng stood with his legs slightly apart and his hands behind his back, in a straddle position. His face remained calm, without a trace of fear.

"Bang—" A gunshot rang out, followed by a puff of smoke and then a spray of blood.

Zhuang Yicheng's body swayed violently, then he clutched the bleeding spot on his chest, and slowly raised his head in a slight arc. He fell backward, and someone caught him.

"Why?" he heard someone ask before he lost consciousness.

Zhuang Yicheng smiled, his gaze already unfocused. "Perhaps I'm tired of this kind of life..." Or perhaps, this is what I owe her.

He couldn't say the second half of the sentence. Or perhaps, he didn't want to say it.

...

Early Monday morning, Ling Ruoke went into the principal's office and submitted her resignation.

The principal pleaded and begged for a long time, but when she insisted, he had no choice but to agree. However, due to handover issues, she would have to wait another two weeks before she could officially leave.

Although Ling Ruoke didn't want to stay for even a moment longer, it was indeed too sudden for her. After all, someone needed to take her place, so she had no choice but to agree.

Ling Ruoke didn't tell anyone about her resignation. But when a new teacher came to take over Ruoke's class a week later, everyone guessed it was true.

"Sister Ximeng, are you really leaving?" The first person to rush over and ask was Mei Yanting.

Ling Ruoke still had feelings for this loud and boisterous younger sister. "Yes."

"You were doing so well, why did you leave? Did something happen? Can I help you?" Mei Yanting hugged her arm; she really liked Sister Ximeng.

Ling Ruoke fiddled with her hair, shaking her head with a smile. "Nothing happened. It's just that your brother-in-law wants me to go back and be with him. He doesn't want to live this long-distance relationship anymore, so..." This reason is probably the best one.

Sure enough, Mei Yanting stopped talking and just pouted. "How annoying. Sister Ximeng, I don't want to be separated from you."

"It's okay. You can come visit me later, I'll reimburse your travel expenses, and I'll even take care of you with food, entertainment, and sex, how about that?" She just hoped that Mei Yanting wouldn't be scared when she saw Qingfeng. She suddenly looked forward to seeing Mei Yanting's frightened expression.

"It's a deal, no take-backs!" Mei Yanting understood that living apart from her husband wasn't a long-term solution. But over the years, besides Xu An, Sister Ximeng had been the kindest person to her, and she really couldn't bear to part with her.

It's a deal.

Mei Yanting was still in a bad mood, and holding her arm, she asked again, "Sister Ximeng, when are you leaving?"

"The new teacher has arrived, so I can leave now, maybe in the next few days." She needs to pack her things first and then send them to Z City. She'll need to book her plane ticket tonight.

...

When Mei Yanting got home from work, she told Xu An about it, and Xu An became quite agitated. "Sister Ximeng is leaving? Why so suddenly?"

Mei Yanting looked at him strangely. "Hey, Sister Ximeng is leaving, why are you so agitated? Don't tell me, you have a crush on Sister Ximeng?"

She felt that Xu An's attitude towards Xi Meng was a little strange. But she didn't want to think about it too much; if Xu An really fell in love with Xi Meng, she didn't know what to do.

Xu An calmed down and quickly hugged her with a smile. "You're being silly. Sister Ximeng is so good to you, and you've been much happier since she came, so of course I don't want her to leave."

What he said was true.

Mei Yanting believed him, pouting as she leaned on his shoulder. "I'm so sad too. Over the years, besides you, Sister Ximeng has been the best to me. She never looks down on me, nor does she pity me as someone inferior to her. She cares for me like an older sister. It's so great to have an older sister!"

"Did Sister Ximeng say why she wanted to leave?" Xu An rested his chin on her head, his eyes gazing out the window, then slowly narrowed. Want to leave? Not so easy!

Mei Yanting sighed and snuggled closer to his neck. "Brother-in-law doesn't want to live this long-distance relationship anymore. If it were any other reason, I could persuade her to stay. But what can I say about this reason? Long-distance relationships are prone to problems, and I don't want her marriage to have problems either."

"That's true."

...

After confirming her departure date, Ling Ruoke began packing her things and sending them back to Z City. However, she didn't send them to her own home, but rather to Pei Shi. She didn't call Pei Shi, wanting to surprise her.

Those items that couldn't be taken were given to Mei Yanting and Xu An. The things were all recently purchased and still quite new. Mei Yanting happily moved out, but Xu An didn't seem to care, as if she was unhappy about things that others had used.

On her last day after work, Ling Ruoke treated all the teachers at the school to a meal. During the meal, she was persuaded to drink several glasses of wine and almost got drunk. Mei Yanting even cried and clung to her arm, saying she didn't want her to leave, and everyone tried to persuade her to stay for a long time.

Back in the house, the huge place felt even emptier, because everything had already been shipped out. But Ling Ruoke no longer felt that emptiness, because she was about to go home, and her heart was full.

My flight is tomorrow afternoon, and I'll arrive in Z city tonight.

Ling Ruoke took out her phone and, as usual, dialed Huo Qingfeng's number, but it was still switched off. She was a little worried and could only keep reassuring herself that perhaps this mission was more difficult than she expected.

She stepped into the bathroom, washing away her fatigue and the smell of alcohol, and emerged refreshed and in a good mood. She turned on her computer to read the comments on her novel. The novel was finished; the outburst that day had caused the comment section to explode the next day—the editors said it was a phenomenon the website had never seen before. Now, almost two weeks after its conclusion, there were still many comments. Replying to the comments every day had become a pleasure for her.

While others' comments were mostly urging for more updates, hers were often lengthy, expressing the reader's understanding in a fluent and detailed manner. It was an emotional resonance between the reader and her, and she was often moved to tears.

While replying to a message, the phone suddenly rang.

Ling Ruoke excitedly picked up her phone, only to see it was an unfamiliar number. She pouted slightly, a hint of disappointment in her voice. It wasn't Qingfeng. Sigh!

Thinking it might be a spam call, she didn't answer immediately. But after a while, when the other party still hadn't hung up, she pressed the answer button. "Hello?"

"Sister Ximeng, it's me, Xu An!" The voice on the other end sounded breathless and anxious.

Ling Ruoke was slightly surprised. "Oh, Xu An, what's up?" If she had known it was Xu An calling, she would have considered not answering, since he was her good friend's boyfriend and she didn't want to cause any misunderstandings.

"Sister Ximeng, is Tingting with you?" A hurried, panting voice came from behind.

Ling Ruoke was even more surprised. Hadn't they just gone back together? "Didn't she go home with you? How come she's here with me?"

"We went home, and she kept saying she wanted to go find you. I finally managed to calm her down. Then, while I was taking a shower, she went out. I've looked all around here but can't find her, and her phone is off! I'm so worried! Sister Ximeng, could you please go downstairs and check if she really went to find you? She's a little drunk, and I'm worried something might have happened to her. Please!"

"Okay, I'll be right down. Bye!" Ling Ruoke hung up the phone and immediately called Mei Yanting's cell phone, which was indeed switched off.

Without thinking twice, Ling Ruoke changed her clothes, grabbed her phone and keys, and rushed downstairs.

She changed her shoes, rushed to open the door, but before she could even step out, the security door was pulled shut. A dark figure suddenly appeared in front of her, and she quickly took a step back in fright.

The shadowy figure followed them in, and the door slammed shut.

Ling Ruoke was terrified. Then, upon closer inspection, she realized the person in front of her was clearly Xu An. "Xu An? You...you weren't going to find Yan Ting? What are you doing here?"

Even someone as dense as her could tell that Xu An's expression was off. It was like someone breaking into a house, their smile terrifying. "Sister Ximeng, or should I call you Ling Ruoke?"

Ling Ruoke was startled and almost blurted out, "You know me?" but thankfully she stopped herself in time. "I don't understand what you mean. By the way, didn't you say Yanting is missing? Let's go find her quickly."

She tried to walk towards the door, but Xu An pushed her back.

"Don't worry, she's sleeping soundly in bed. Shouldn't we sit down and have a proper talk?" Completely wicked.

"What...what do you want?" Ling Ruoke instantly realized that Mei Yanting's disappearance was a complete lie. Xu An just wanted to trick her into opening the door so he could come in! But it was too late now.

Xu An laughed coldly, like a ferocious wolf, his expression crazed and savage. "Ling Ruoke, do you still remember me? You probably don't, but even if you turn to ashes, I'll still remember you, because you're the one who ruined me into this wretched state!"

He knew her! "If your name isn't Xu An, then who are you?" Ling Ruoke felt ice-cold all over, but she still tried to remain calm as she asked. She was so nervous that her breathing was labored.

“My name is Xu An. I was once a student at A University. Once I graduated, my future would have been bright! But because of you, I was forced to drop out of school and was forced to come to this godforsaken place. It’s all your fault!” He roared excitedly, as if he wanted to bite Ruo Ke’s neck off.

Ling Ruoke recalled Mei Yanting saying that Xu An was forced to drop out of school because she had offended someone she shouldn't have. But she had never done anything wrong to anyone. Could it be… Cang Weiwo? "I really don't know you, and I don't think I've done anything to wrong you."

"You may not have one, but you do have a lover! You were just pretending to be innocent, making all the boys in school swoon, but in the end you found a rich older man! You're shameless for being kept, am I wrong? Am I wrong?"

Ling Ruoke finally remembered. He was the one who posted photos on the bulletin board, saying she was being kept by someone! "You're the one who talked nonsense!"

Xu An's eyes widened, turning red. "What I said is all true! But Cang Wei, I actually forced the school to make me drop out, forcing me to come to this godforsaken place! If it weren't for you, with my mechanical design degree from A University, I would be a high-income earner with a house and a car by now! But because of you, I have to be stuck in this godforsaken place, living in a dark alley. It's all because of you, all because of you!"

Ling Ruoke knew that Xu An had gone mad; she had no hope of reasoning with him. This kind of person was, to a certain extent, psychologically disturbed. Even if she had chosen a boy from school back then, he would have done the same thing. In short, in his eyes, only choosing Xu An was normal for Ling Ruoke!

Xu An suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Ling Ruoke by the neck. His eyes bulged out, and he tightened his grip.

Ling Ruoke tried desperately to pry his hands off, and the air suddenly became scarce. She felt like she was about to suffocate.

Xu An suddenly released his grip and said coldly, "I won't let you die so easily. You've ruined me like this, and I'll make you pay!"

Ling Ruoke touched her throat, coughing incessantly until she felt she could breathe again. Tears welled in her eyes from the ordeal. Leaning against the dining table to support her slightly weak body, she watched Xu An warily. Her hand groped behind her back for the keys on her phone.

Xu An looked back at her, and suddenly, he smiled happily. "So many years have passed, and you're still so beautiful."

Suddenly, he rushed over, grabbed her, turned her around, and snatched her phone away. "Trying to call for help? Dream on!"

"You're disgusting!" Ling Ruoke couldn't help but curse. Then she remembered that letter from her memory, so explicit it was like something out of a pornographic novel—could it have been written by him too?

Xu An, instead of getting angry, laughed even more heartily. "Go ahead and curse! They didn't have the chance, but I do today! I want to see how you can behave under a man, hahaha..."

Ling Ruoke was terrified and ran to the door without thinking, grabbing the bolt.

Xu An pounced on her and hugged her tightly! He leaned close to her ear and said with a lewd smile, "Ling Ruoke, you can't escape!" As he spoke, he pinched her waist hard.

"You're such a beauty. Just thinking about it makes me so excited." He even disgustingly tried to grab her hand and touch his body.

Ling Ruoke cried out in pain as he pinched her. The fear in her heart, like a drop of ink falling into water, spread rapidly. Her mind went blank as she recalled the nightmare she had in Guilin!

Xu An bent down, picked her up, and strode up to the bedroom.

Ling Ruoke was so frightened that she screamed for help.

Xu An put her down and covered her mouth with his hand. "If you scream again, I'll kill you! Don't think I wouldn't dare. I'm already like this, what wouldn't I dare to do? If you're smart, just let me have my fun. Maybe I'll let you go if I'm in a good mood!"

Ling Ruo didn't care about that. She shoved Xu An hard, causing him to stumble. She hurriedly turned and ran upstairs, but after only two steps, Xu An grabbed her leg. She kicked and screamed for help, but because she was too nervous, she couldn't make a sound and her screams were not loud.

Xu An quickly covered her mouth and led her into the bedroom. As soon as they entered, they went straight to the double bed.

Ling Ruoke panicked and bit his face hard when he kissed her cheek.

Xu An screamed in pain, released her, and stood up, clutching her face. "You damned woman!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ling Ruoke kicked him hard in the groin. Although she had never learned how to deal with a pervert, she knew which spots were fatal to him.

Xu An was caught off guard; her kick was so vicious that he roared like a pig.

Ling Ruoke rolled over and ran towards the door.

Ignoring the pain, Xu An gripped her foot tightly and refused to let go.

...