Chapter 7: Arsonist
Xia Cheng went downstairs carrying her things, originally planning to take the elevator to the underground second floor to catch the subway, but unexpectedly, the crowd swarmed away from Door No. 1 on the first floor, either going upstairs or exiting through other exits.
She was on the second floor, holding the railing and sticking her head out to take a look, and was shocked by the scene on the first floor.
From a distance, a middle-aged man was pouring oil on himself and the ground, seemingly attempting suicide. There was no one around him; even the shop staff had run out. The security guards hesitated, not daring to approach, looking around and doing their best to disperse the crowd.
It must have just happened and the police had not arrived yet. Xia Cheng turned on his cell phone to call the police. After receiving the reply that the police had arrived, he felt a little relieved and planned to leave through another door.
"There's another person there!"
A woman holding a dog standing next to her screamed, and her round arm covered with jewelry kept shaking as she pointed in one direction. Xia Cheng stopped and looked in the direction of the scream. She saw a pregnant woman sitting on the ground far away from Gate No. 1. Her limbs were slender and she was obviously pregnant.
The woman was sitting next to the trash can. Xia Cheng didn't see her just now, but now that he saw her, he realized how bad her situation was.
She must have fallen on the slippery oil stains, and because of her pregnancy, she couldn't stand up. Her struggles only made her body and clothes more and more stained with oil. Once the man started the fire, the woman would definitely be affected.
Xia Cheng lowered her head and glanced at her clean calves. She really couldn't imagine the pain of being burned by fire.
But what did it matter? That graceful woman wouldn't save him, and so many people around her wouldn't either. Who would risk their life for a stranger? Besides, she had already called the police, and they would be here soon.
Xia Cheng was anxious for a few seconds following the woman's screams, and then decided to leave.
Logically, she should go downstairs and exit from the nearest door number 2, away from this shopping mall that could catch fire at any time.
But when she took the escalator downstairs, she saw Xun Mo and Lin Minghe right in front of her. The two of them had obviously noticed something strange at the door. Lin Minghe pointed at door number two, probably discussing leaving.
Xun Mo looked back and covered her mouth in surprise. She noticed the woman sitting next to the trash can and tugged at Lin Minghe's sleeve:
"There's someone there! It's a pregnant woman. Oh my god, she can't seem to get up. I'll go help her!"
Lin Minghe grabbed Xun Mo's arm and fixed her in place. He didn't want Xun Mo to get hurt when she came out with him, which would be very troublesome.
"Xiao Lin! Why are you holding me? Let me go!" Xun Mo struggled to break free, a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.
Lin Minghe shook his phone: "I'll call for help. It's too dangerous. Don't go."
"I..." Before Xun Mo could finish her words, a figure flashed past her.
The figure stopped in front of them, graceful and elegant, with a soft voice:
"Help me get it."
Xia Cheng listened to the entire conversation between the two. She took off her high heels and stuffed them into Lin Minghe's arms along with the gift in her hand.
Lin Minghe took it all in his arms. He guessed Xia Cheng's intention, and while throwing the things down, he subconsciously grabbed Xia Cheng's arm.
But the man was still in a daze and didn't hold him tightly. Xia Cheng turned around and patted his arm soothingly, then turned around and ran towards the pregnant woman.
"Don't go..." Lin Minghe leaned forward, stretched out his arms, and waved them in the air, but he couldn't catch Xia Cheng. He looked at the beautiful figure, and felt the itch of her hair running through his fingers.
Wanting to chase him again, Xun Mo held his other hand again:
"It's dangerous! Don't go!"
Lin Minghe's heart was beating like a drum. He stopped Xun Mo, so how could he not stop Xia Cheng? Sweat dripped from his chin onto his shirt. He put his hands on his hips and couldn't figure out why he was so soft-handed just now.
"Master." A soft call came from the other end of the phone. Lin Minghe woke up as if from a dream, picked up the phone on the ground, and shouted:
"Hurry up and come to the first floor from the parking lot!"
*
"Ahhh! What bad luck!" Xia Cheng cursed his luck in his heart as he ran towards the woman.
Even though his legs were trembling, he still wanted to get closer to the oil pile.
It’s all for Lin Minghe.
After chatting with Lin Minghe for a few sentences, Xia Cheng judged his character: a young master who was ignorant of the ways of the world, no wonder he was so easily ordered around by Xun Mo.
It is very easy to gain the favor of such a person. Simple people are easily attracted by the kindness of others. Xia Cheng was originally still worrying about how to create such a personality to approach Lin Minghe, but Xun Mo's actions made her eyes light up.
Without hesitation, she stuffed everything into Lin Minghe's arms, intending to do what Xun Mo had unfinished.
The tiles were cold under her feet, and Xia Cheng woke up after just a few steps. What was she doing? She was really stupid. She had a long life ahead of her, so she didn't need to put herself in danger.
Lin Minghe grabbed her, and Xia Cheng thought, why not just let him catch her back like this? But Lin Minghe's grip was so loose that she turned around and slapped his arm twice in anger, then rushed forward again, almost crying. What a sin!
Finally, she ran to the trash can in one go. Xia Cheng's feet were covered with oil stains and were slippery.
The man who attempted arson also noticed her and sat on an empty oil drum and scolded her:
"Don't move! You are not allowed to help her! Otherwise I will light the fire!"
Xia Cheng stopped moving, holding onto the metal trash can to stand up straight, and looked up at the middle-aged man with deep sunken cheeks, trying to comfort him:
"Do you know her?"
"Get out of here now! I just want to die with her, I don't want to take anyone else with me."
Xia Cheng nodded, indicating that she understood, but she hesitated to move her feet.
"It's too slippery. If I leave this trash can, I'm going to fall. I can't move!"
"Then crawl."
The man was afraid that Xia Cheng would not leave, so he took out a lighter from his pocket and put his thumb on the button to threaten her.
Xia Cheng looked bitter and tugged at her clothes:
"Brother, I'm wearing a short skirt today. If I crawl, I'll be exposed."
She didn't really care, she had leggings anyway. She was just stalling for time, waiting for the police to come.
Is it because the city center is too congested?
She thought to herself, pointed at the pregnant woman, and asked again:
"Brother, may I ask, what is your relationship with her?"
The man did not answer, but stood up and cried, the wrinkles on his face seemed to be smoothed out by his tears:
"Life is so boring, really. My life is so miserable, so miserable..."
"No, big brother." Xia Cheng saw the hole on his knee and took off the bracelet on his wrist and placed it in his palm:
"This ruby, I just bought it. It costs tens of thousands. You must be having trouble in life. Take it with you to tide you over. Only by living can everything turn around!"
"What do you know? Someone wants to harm me! Someone wants to harm me!"
"Who wants to harm you? Tell me. My family has connections and I can find out for you. Don't worry..."
Hearing this, the man seemed to come back to his senses:
"It's all this woman's fault! She's such a troublemaker! I'm going to kill her sooner or later!"
Sooner or later? Does that mean he won't be killed now? Xia Cheng shook her bracelet again:
"Yes! It's all her fault! The person who harmed you is afraid that you will make a comeback. I'm giving this to you without asking you to return it. I'll help you and wait for the day when you succeed, okay?"
The man sniffed, and at this moment he was as fragile as a child, with red eyes:
"real?"
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