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墨書 Inktalez
Ruan Tingyu rushed into the side hall with a newspaper in hand, where Madam Lu was playing mahjong with Mei Jiao and the others. She unfolded the newspaper for Madam Lu to see and exclaimed, "Why are my photos with Zhao Shanxing in the newspaper?"
The paper had dedicated a column to her, featuring images of her being carried by Zhao Shanxing from the alley of a hot pot restaurant, to their outing at the racetrack, shopping at department stores, and even on a boat ride on the river. The headline boldly read, "Shanghai's Young Nobleman Enamored with the Pure Socialite of Fog City."
"Listen, Tingyu, you did an outstanding job this time. Look how much Zhao Shaoye cares about you! I had someone take these candid shots. Once this news breaks, how could the Zhao Family possibly allow him to marry a socialite? Under public pressure, they'll surely offer you some money to leave. When that time comes, just ask for whatever amount you want! Don't worry, once everything is settled, I'll give you your freedom back," Madam Lu said, calculating her gains while those around her nodded in agreement.
Ruan Tingyu's head buzzed as if it were about to explode. She shouted, "If Commander Yu finds out about this, I’ll be done for! You haven’t considered my safety at all!"
"Oh dear, you can't catch a wolf without letting go of the child. I've raised you for two years; it's time for you to repay me by accomplishing something," Madam Lu replied with a smile, reaching out to pat Ruan Tingyu's hand. But Ruan Tingyu forcefully shook her off.
Zhao Shanxing waited at the theater entrance for Ruan Tingyu. After a while, a figure wrapped up tighter than a dumpling appeared beside his car. Through her constantly blinking eyes, he finally recognized her as Ruan Tingyu.
Looking up at the blazing sun, he sympathetically asked, "Aren't you hot dressed like that?"
"It's better than being recognized and causing trouble," Ruan Tingyu replied cautiously as she glanced around. "But who else could be with me besides you?"
Zhao Shanxing looked at her as if she were foolish.
Ruan Tingyu fell silent and pulled her scarf down to her chin. Taking a breath, she said, "Maybe we should meet less often from now on."
“Why?”
“Do your parents know you’re with a socialite? Would they approve?”
“What does it matter? In times of national crisis, as long as I can keep my life, who I marry is the least of my concerns,” Zhao Shanxing said with a laugh.
Well, what about the gold? Madam Lu’s dreams would surely be dashed, and her freedom would become an illusion. Zhao Shanxing didn’t notice her emotions; today was the day Zhou Xuan's film “Meng Jiangnu” premiered, and Zhao Shanxing was one of her loyal fans.
By the time they finished watching the movie, the sun had set. Zhao Shanxing drove Ruan Tingyu home. The bustling streets during the day felt particularly desolate at night. Ruan Tingyu leaned against the passenger seat, drowsy. Seeing her sleepy demeanor, Zhao Shanxing couldn’t help but tease, “I’m telling you, don’t fall asleep! If you dare to doze off again, I won’t take you home like last time; I’ll just carry you to my place.”
At his words, Ruan Tingyu perked up immediately, sitting up straight. Zhao Shanxing affectionately reached out to ruffle her hair and couldn’t help but say, “You’re really adorable.”
Ruan Tingyu was too busy dodging his playful hand to hear him clearly and foolishly asked, “What did you say?”
Just as Zhao Shanxing was about to respond, a car suddenly approached from ahead, its blinding headlights making it hard for both of them to see. As the car drew closer, a group of men got out and opened the passenger door, dragging Ruan Tingyu out. Zhao Shanxing tried to resist but found himself locked inside the car.
“What do you want?! Let her go!” Zhao Shanxing banged on the door and slammed against the windshield but couldn’t get out.
Ruan Tingyu leaned against the car as five or six men approached her with malicious intent. Trembling, she asked, “You… you’ve got the wrong person.”
“Miss Ruan, you had the guts to seduce a man; why don’t you have the guts to admit it? Tough luck for you; who told you to offend someone you shouldn’t have? Don’t blame us if you end up regretting it,” the leader said, and the others laughed wickedly. For them, dealing with an unarmed woman was far too easy.
"Don't come over here! If you do, you'll regret it," Ruan Tingyu said weakly, her words only eliciting laughter from the men around her, followed by Zhao Shanxing's shouts from inside the car.
In the end, someone would indeed regret it. When Zhao Shanxing saw those men lunging at Ruan Tingyu, he impulsively elbowed the car window, shattering the glass. However, what he didn't expect was to hear the men crying out in despair. Ruan Tingyu had tied the hem of her qipao around her waist, revealing a pair of shorts underneath. With a fluid motion, she dispatched the men effortlessly, leaving them sprawled on the ground, unable to get up, begging for mercy from the female hero.
Zhao Shanxing reached out and opened the car door. By the time he got out, Ruan Tingyu had already regained her composure and rushed over to ask, "Shanxing, are you okay?"
He shook his head, covering his bleeding elbow, regretting his impulsive action of breaking the glass. Glancing at the men on the ground, he asked, "You... know martial arts?"
Ruan Tingyu was taken aback and immediately feigned shyness, saying, "No way! I'm just a delicate girl."
"Delicate? Did these guys hurt themselves?"
Ruan Tingyu smiled awkwardly and then noticed Zhao Shanxing's arm was bleeding. She exclaimed in panic, "Oh no! You're bleeding! Quick, let's go to the hospital!"
It was just a superficial wound that required simple bandaging. The nurse advised him not to exert himself and that it would heal in a few days. Ruan Tingyu supported Zhao Shanxing as they walked down the hospital corridor. Zhao Shanxing softly said, "You don't need to help me; it's my arm that's injured, not my legs."
Ruan Tingyu smiled. Knowing how he had gotten hurt warmed her heart. Zhao Shanxing asked, "Where did you learn martial arts? If you can fight like that, why are you working as a socialite?"
"I was bought by my adoptive father when I was young and learned a lot of skills from him. We performed on the streets for a living. Later on, he became addicted to gambling and owed a lot of money. Two years ago, he sold me to a creditor who then sold me to Madam Lu," Ruan Tingyu said softly. Thankfully, she had her martial skills; otherwise, she might have truly fallen into a life of debauchery.
Zhao Shanxing stopped in his tracks and wrapped his uninjured arm around her waist, whispering, "Tingyu, let me buy your freedom."
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