Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: Has She Gone Blind?

After Yin Hang shook his head over there, the tattooed man sneered and, as if threatening him, slapped his cheek.

“Since we’re strangers, you must have seen nothing, right, pretty boy?”

Yin Hang looked up and happened to meet Wen Yang’s cold, indifferent gaze. Feeling guilty, he quickly looked away.

He barely nodded slightly.

Just moments ago, he was asking if they should call the supervisor, but now, as if nothing had happened, he turned and walked away without another glance.

It wasn’t exactly disappointment—after all, she had never pinned her hopes on him.

Now, the real matter began.

The tattooed man seemed to enjoy teasing her. He stepped forward first, casting a shadow over her shoulder as he approached, leering wickedly: “Beauty, why don’t you take off your mask so the brothers can have a good look?”

Wen Yang’s eyes chilled like a thin blade. She showed no fear and responded provocatively, “Why don’t you try taking it off yourself?”

This was unexpected. The tattooed man, full of lecherous intent, actually leaned in to grab the strap behind her ear.

At that moment, Wen Yang raised her hand and mercilessly jabbed both fingers into his eyes.

Her speed was swift, her force fierce. The most vulnerable part of a man’s body was pierced by an external blow, and he felt as if he was going blind from the pain.

A sharp, unbearable scream erupted from his throat, harsh and grating.

Taking advantage of this moment, Wen Yang dashed toward the exit.

But after only a few steps, another figure swiftly caught up behind her and grabbed her.

A blond man yanked her hair hard, pulling her back with a violent jerk.

Pain instantly shot through Wen Yang’s nerves, but she gritted her teeth and made no sound. Quickly, she grabbed the youth’s wrist with her other hand.

Without hesitation, she opened her mouth wide and bit down hard on his wrist.

A sharp metallic scent of blood filled her mouth.

She clenched her teeth tightly, refusing to relent.

Unexpectedly, her fierce spirit shocked the man. His body trembled from the pain, and with anger, he raised his other hand and slapped her face fiercely.

“Smack!”

The crisp sound of the slap cut through the quiet night like the breaking of fine porcelain.

Wen Yang’s head snapped to the side from the sudden force, the mask slipped off, and she staggered, nearly falling.

The metallic taste of blood surged in her mouth, and the burning pain on her cheek muddled her thoughts.

The blond man, furious, lunged forward to grab her again.

At that moment, glaring headlights pierced the darkness in the distance. The flashing light made his vision blur, and his movements involuntarily halted.

The blaring car horn broke the tense atmosphere.

Ignoring the discomfort, Wen Yang fixed her gaze on the source of the sound and gritted her teeth as she ran toward it.

Not just one car, but a Rolls-Royce Cullinan honking loudly, followed by several SUVs.

The Cullinan stopped right beside Wen Yang.

She raised her hand mid-motion, wanting to call for help, but hesitated.

The car window rolled down.

Pei Yanchuan sat in the back seat, his calm eyes meeting hers.

The words she wanted to speak caught in her throat, echoing in her mind: Fine, I won’t help you with anything anymore.

And don’t come looking for me under the pretense of helping.

Pei Yanchuan’s gaze casually swept over her, noticing her disheveled hair and the prominent swelling on the other side of her cheek.

Then he glanced at the four men behind her, their faces dark with ill intent; one still sat on the ground whining.

His eyes narrowed slightly, his expression instantly turning as dark as water. Just as he was about to ask questions, Wen Yang had already dashed away from his car.

Pei Yanchuan’s mouth twitched in frustration.

After a moment’s pause, he pushed open the car door with one hand and stepped out.

Wen Yang ran without looking back.

Watching her receding figure, an inexplicable irritation flared inside him.

Why run when I’m right here?

Is this woman blind?

The blond man, witnessing the scene, calculated briefly.

Seeing the man’s distinguished attire, he assumed he had no intention of interfering and prepared to give chase.

As he stepped forward, a strong grip clamped down on the back of his neck, immobilizing him.

He barely turned his head and met a pair of eyes cold as ice.

Pei Yanchuan’s voice was calm and unruffled: “You think you can scratch my car and just walk away?”

The blond man was furious. They were usually the ones extorting others; when had they ever taken such a loss silently?

“Fuck you, which dog’s eye saw me scratch your car?”

Without a word, Pei Yanchuan suddenly yanked him to the car door and ruthlessly kicked him in the stomach with full force.

“That’s enough scratching now.”

The loud thud shook the passenger seat, making Han Ting, seated there, stagger; he felt this thug’s brashness firsthand.

The assistant, Xiao Yuan, in the driver’s seat, pushed up his black-rimmed glasses, received a signal from his boss, and calmly took out his phone to call the police.

The blond man, his stomach churning violently, nearly vomited the alcohol he’d drunk all night. Pain twisted through him like raging waves, and he collapsed weakly, utterly defeated.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, filled with hesitation and fear, none daring to step forward to help.

Pei Yanchuan’s sharp eyes caught the phone clenched in the man’s hand and the circle of bloody teeth marks on his wrist. His tone darkened: “You hit her face?”

The man twitching on the ground groaned, “That bitch bit me first…”

As if triggered, his gaze suddenly sharpened; veins bulging on his arm, he snatched back Wen Yang’s phone and mercilessly stomped on his fingers.

“Ah—” A piercing, agonizing scream shattered the night air as the blond man clutched his hand, writhing helplessly on the ground, every inch of his skin seeming to cry out unbearable pain.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough. It won’t look good if this ends up at the police station,” Han Ting frowned, his eardrums aching from the scream. He quickly got out to calm the man.

“You go find Wen Yang first. She looks badly hurt. I’ll take Mr. Xu and the others upstairs.”

…

Wen Yang ran straight to the street and finally allowed herself a breath.

Her phone was gone, with no way to hail a ride and no money on her.

She dared not be sure if they would still be chasing her.

She could only take refuge in the convenience store across the street.

The cashier girl inside stared intently at her face.

Wen Yang asked if she could borrow the phone to call the police.

Perhaps seeing her disheveled and pitiful state, the girl handed over the phone without a word.

Wen Yang dialed the police, speaking through the pain flaring in her cheek.

Just as she hung up, the automatic door slid open again, and Pei Yanchuan’s voice called out: “Hey.”

Alerted by the noise, Wen Yang looked up, her nerves taut to the breaking point.

The person she had sworn never to see again that afternoon now stood before her after only a few hours.

Her heart settled slightly—at least it was him, not someone else.

Pei Yanchuan stood in front of her and sneered, “I thought you were blind earlier.”

“Now that I’m closer, turns out you’re not just blind, but deaf and mute too.”

After the harrowing ordeal and this cold mockery, Wen Yang’s heart remained unmoved.

As if to prove the “mute” label, she ignored him and sat down by the window, waiting for the police.

Pei Yanchuan’s mood soured. After watching her for a moment, he turned to the cashier and asked, “Got any ice packs?”

Taking one from the freezer, he sat beside her.

His gaze swept over her heavily swollen cheek, the bruises stark against her pale skin, shockingly vivid.

Suppressing his fury, he pressed the ice pack onto her face.

“Ugh.” The burning sensation turned into a sharp sting. Wen Yang’s eyes reddened, and she turned her head to avoid it.

Tears welled up and fell before she could stop them.

Panicked, Pei Yanchuan moved the ice pack away, frowning deeply. An inexplicable frustration churned in his heart, leaving him unsettled.