Chapter 33
The kidnapper leader's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Lu Jinxian's ears.
Not only should the Lu family be taught a lesson, but Han Meng should also be ruined?!
Lu Jinxian's eyes instantly turned icy. He gently pushed the still sobbing Lu Baozhu to the side of the servants who had rushed over, and walked step by step toward the kidnapper leader who was being held down on the ground. The chill emanating from his body was terrifying.
"Explain yourself. Who ordered this? How do you intend to ruin her?" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chillingly oppressive quality.
The kidnapper leader trembled under the murderous intent in his eyes, but still remained defiant: "Hmph, if you have the guts, kill me! I'll..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Jinxian struck with lightning speed, stepping on his arm, whose wrist had just been dislocated, with precise and ruthless force.
"Ah—!" A pig-like scream echoed through the warehouse.
Lu Jinxian leaned down, his voice like a chilling wind from hell: "I won't kill you, but I have a hundred ways to make you wish you were dead. Speak!"
The intense pain, along with Lu Jinxian's ruthless methods—completely different from his "sickly" image—utterly shattered the kidnapper leader's psychological defenses.
"It's...it's Wang Ao from the Wang family! And...Young Master Shen Jianhe also tacitly approved! It was Wang Ao who provided the money, saying...saying that not only should we make the Lu family anxious, but we should also find an opportunity to...tie Miss Han to a dilapidated temple outside the city, ruin her reputation, and then...and spread it around! To make both the Han family and the Lu family lose face!"
With a whoosh, Han Meng felt a chill run through her body, as if her blood had frozen.
Wang Ao! Shen Jianhe! How could they be so vicious! Not only did they want to take revenge on her, but they also wanted to use such a despicable and destructive method to deal with her!
Lu Jinxian's face was beyond ugly; he pressed down harder, and the kidnapper's screams became even more shrill.
"Where are they?" Lu Jinxian's voice was icy cold.
"No... I don't know... They only said that after we succeed, we should go... go to the 'Drunken Spring Breeze' tavern in the east of the city to report the news..."
Having obtained the crucial information, Lu Jinxian stopped wasting words and directly ordered his men, "Tie them up tightly and send them to the police station along with their statements! Tell the chief that if they dare to show favoritism, the Lu family will not let this go!"
"Yes, Third Young Master!"
After dealing with the kidnappers, Lu Jinxian immediately turned around and strode up to Han Meng.
Han Meng was still in shock and fear, her face pale and her body trembling slightly.
The next second, she was embraced in a firm and warm hug.
Lu Jinxian held her tightly, his chest heaving violently, his heart pounding like a drum, striking her eardrums.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse with the shock of surviving a disaster and the lingering fear he couldn't hide. "With me here, I will never let anyone hurt you."
This hug, filled with protectiveness and a sense of preciousness that had been lost and found, completely broke down all previous boundaries.
Han Meng could clearly feel his body trembling, not just from anger, but also from fear—fear of almost losing her.
At this moment, all rational admonitions and all thoughts of "going back" seemed so pale and powerless in the face of this emotionally charged embrace.
Han Meng didn't push him away. Instead, she reached out and gently hugged his lean waist, burying her face in his chest, which smelled faintly of blood, drawing comforting warmth and strength from it.
"I...I'm not afraid," she whispered, her voice muffled inside his clothes, carrying a hint of dependence that she herself didn't even realize.
Lu Jinxian stiffened, then hugged her even tighter.
"Third Brother... Sister Han..." Lu Baozhu's soft, tearful voice broke the moment of tenderness.
Han Meng blushed and quickly stepped back from Lu Jinxian's embrace, adjusting her collar somewhat embarrassedly.
Lu Jinxian regained his composure, but the way he looked at her was completely different; it was filled with undisguised affection.
He turned to his sister and said softly, "Baozhu, it's alright, let's go home."
He took his sister's hand with one hand, and with the other hand, very naturally and firmly, grasped Han Meng's hand.
Han Meng's fingertips trembled, but she did not break free.
His warm, calloused palms completely enveloped her slightly cool hands, conveying a silent promise.
The three of them, along with Lu's men, left the dark warehouse. The night remained deep, but Han Meng's heart felt as if it had been filled with light.
...
Back at the Lu family home, there was another period of chaos and reassurance. Lu Wen, seeing his daughter return safely, wept tears of gratitude, expressing his deepest thanks to Lu Jinxian and Han Meng.
Upon learning that Wang Ao and Shen Jianhe were the masterminds, he flew into a rage and immediately wanted to lead his men to settle scores with the Wang family, but Lu Jinxian calmly persuaded him to stop.
“Father, this matter needs careful consideration. The Wang family can easily deny everything based solely on the kidnappers' testimony. Shen Jianhe's identity is special, so direct confrontation is not advisable. The most urgent task is to strengthen our defenses and protect our family and… Mengmeng.” He looked at Han Meng, his eyes gentle yet firm. “As for revenge, I will make them pay the price in my own way.”
His composure and sense of responsibility impressed Lu Wen and the Lu brothers. This "sickly" third brother, whom they had always either overlooked or worried about, seemed to have unknowingly grown into a man capable of supporting the family.
Han Meng stayed at the Lu family home with the still-shaken Lu Baozhu until she fell asleep. When she came out of the room, she found Lu Jinxian waiting for her outside the door.
Under the moonlight, his figure stood tall and straight like a pine tree.
"I'll take you back." His tone left no room for refusal.
"Your arm..." Han Meng looked worriedly at the spot where he had been hit.
"It's nothing, just a superficial injury," Lu Jinxian said calmly, his gaze remaining fixed on her.
On the way back to the Han family home, the two walked side by side, silent but no longer awkward, instead exuding a silent understanding and warmth.
When they were almost at the Han family's door, Lu Jinxian stopped.
“Mengmeng.” He looked at her, the moonlight casting a soft glow in his eyes, making him exceptionally earnest. “Before, I faked illness, partly because of my family, and partly because of my own… cowardice and scheming. I wanted to use this method to escape some things, and also to… gain some attention.”
This was the first time he had so honestly analyzed himself.
“But now, I don’t want to pretend anymore.” He took a step forward, so close that they could feel each other’s breath. “I want to stand by your side, openly and honestly, to protect you and support you. I know you may have concerns, or you may still want to leave. But in any case, please give me a chance, and give yourself a chance, to see if there is any possibility between us besides cooperation…”
His words were direct and sincere, without any fancy rhetoric, yet they touched people more deeply than any sweet talk.
Han Meng looked up at him, at the man who had risked everything to save her in her time of crisis, who was now abandoning his pretense and revealing his true feelings to her.
She recalled every moment since they met, from the initial misunderstandings and wariness, to fighting side by side and the moments of attraction, and then to the shock and reliance she felt tonight in sharing life and death.
The scales in my heart have already tipped.
Time travel may have been an accident, but the sincerity before me is real.
She took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, her eyes sparkling with a clear and determined light.
She gently raised her hand and took his uninjured hand in hers.
“Lu Jinxian,” she called his name, her voice clear and gentle, “the cooperation continues. As for other possibilities…” She paused, and under his tense and expectant gaze, a bright smile slowly rose on her lips, “…we can give it a try.”
An unbelievable surge of joy instantly flashed in Lu Jinxian's eyes. He tightened his grip, completely enveloping her small hand, as if he were holding the most precious treasure in the world.
"Okay!" His voice choked with emotion, filled with utmost solemnity. "Let's give it a try!"
The moonlight flowed quietly, like water.
In chaotic times, the road ahead may still be bumpy, but at this moment, they have each other, and thus they have the courage to face everything.
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