"Brothers, what are you trying to do?"
The three men quickly stepped back.
Several burly men rushed forward.
Within 10 seconds, the three were subdued and thrown to the ground.
The six burly men, each holding a wooden stick, began beating the three of them!
The three hugged their heads and wailed in agony.
The six men specifically aimed for the fleshier parts, avoiding any fatal vulnerable spots.
After a good half-hour of beating, they finally stopped.
One of the men spoke in a dialect, "This time it's a lesson. Next time, you won't see the sun."
With that, they turned and got into the vehicle.
In the next second, the silver van quickly sped away.
The three on the ground tried to remember the license plate.
But the van didn't have one.
He Yu, Liu Yang, and Wan Wei lay on the ground in pain and despair.
Liu Yang, enduring the pain, wailed, "It must have been Xu Xiuwen! How could he be so ruthless? He wants to kill us!"
Wan Wei struggled to take out his phone, "I'm calling the police to get Xu Xiuwen!"
He Yu, covered in injuries, feeling pain every second, gritted his teeth, "Don't call the police. Call 120. If anyone asks, say we fell ourselves."
Liu Yang and Wan Wei looked puzzled.
He Yu, enduring the pain, explained, "Did you forget what those men said? If we call the police, we won't see the sun again. If you want to die, don't drag me with you."
"So we just endure this?"
"Would Xu Xiuwen really dare to kill us?"
"Why wouldn't he? Do you have proof it was him who hired them?"
Liu Yang and Wan Wei fell silent.
Calming down, they realized Xu Xiuwen had arranged for the beating. It scared them, not because of the beating itself, but because Xu Xiuwen, who smiled and said he wasn't angry, was lying.
He left, and immediately after, people came to beat them.
It was clear these men were pre-arranged.
Thinking about the arrested Cao Yu and his son, and Xu Xiuwen's meticulous plans, they were terrified.
Liu Yang, now scared, asked, "Will Xu Xiuwen really send someone to kill us?"
He Yu: "Probably not. This beating was meant as a lesson."
Hearing He Yu's words, Liu Yang and Wan Wei were relieved.
But then they both said in unison, "Xu Xiuwen went back on his word. I can't swallow this!"
He Yu thought, whether you can or not, you have to.
After seeing Xu Xiuwen's methods and his calm demeanor earlier, He Yu had no intention of provoking him anymore.
He stopped talking, too much pain to spare for words.
After a while, the ambulance arrived and took the three to the hospital.
At the hospital, they refused to say anything, insisting they fell while walking.
After examination, though none of them were in life-threatening condition, their injuries were severe.
He Yu was the most injured, covered in bruises with multiple fractures.
The doctor said he'd need at least a month in the hospital, and several more months to fully recover.
Liu Yang and Wan Wei were slightly better off, but still faced months of recovery.
...
In the quiet outskirts of the city at night, a car drove towards the city.
Inside were two people, a handsome young man focused on driving, and a pretty girl in the passenger seat.
The girl sat sideways, legs together near the driver's seat, hands pressed on the hem of her short skirt, revealing her stockinged legs.
She occasionally glanced at the boy driving, then at the fast-retreating streetlights outside, a hesitant look in her eyes.
"Just say it."
Xu Xiuwen didn't turn his head but noticed her hesitance.
Xiao Youran was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "Was everything tonight your doing?"
Xu Xiuwen responded, "Didn't you see?"
Xiao Youran asked, confused, "But why?"
Xu Xiuwen couldn't bring himself to tell Xiao Youran the truth.
The truth was that in his previous life, Cao Yu used manipulative tactics to make Xiao Youran misunderstand his feelings, which led to Xu Xiuwen misunderstanding her as well.
This series of misunderstandings drove apart the childhood sweethearts who were supposed to be together.
Xu Xiuwen slowed down the car, his foot hovering over the brake.
He turned to look at Xiao Youran and said, "Because Cao Yu crossed my bottom line. If Cao Yu hadn't bribed He Yu and the other two to manipulate me, if he had pursued you in a proper manner, I wouldn't be angry. But he used such despicable means to sabotage our relationship, which I can't accept. So, from the night of the dinner party, I decided to get back at Cao Yu. Of course, if he hadn't broken the law, there wouldn't be much I could do. But you see, he and his father are both scumbags. The sooner people like them are locked up, the better for society."
Xu Xiuwen paused and then suddenly asked, "You don't feel sorry for him, do you?"
Xiao Youran tensed up immediately, quickly shaking her head to deny it. "No, I don't feel sorry for him."
"That's good. Others might not understand my actions, but if even you don't understand me, I'd be really disappointed."
"Xiao Xu~~" Xiao Youran was very touched.
She knew that Xu Xiuwen was taking revenge on Cao Yu because of her.
Xu Xiuwen paused again and suddenly asked, "Is there something you're hiding from me?"
Xiao Youran's heart tightened immediately.
Seeing her silence, Xu Xiuwen pulled the car over to the side of the road.
He set the handbrake, turned to Xiao Youran, and asked again, "Is there something you're hiding from me?"
Xiao Youran kept her head down, making it hard for Xu Xiuwen to see her expression.
Xu Xiuwen took her hand, placing it gently in his palm, and softly said, "If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you."
Xiao Youran looked up at Xu Xiuwen and softly called, "Xiao Xu~"
"Hmm, I'm listening."
"Some time ago, I received a recording device with a recording of your conversation with the class monitor and the others."
Since Cao Yu had obtained the recording device, he must have sent it to Xiao Youran.
Otherwise, spending money to bribe the class monitor and the other two would have been pointless.
So Xu Xiuwen had already guessed that Cao Yu would do this.
He asked puzzledly, "Then why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Xiao Youran said softly, "Because I was afraid it was true. I was afraid you really liked someone else and didn't want me anymore."
Xu Xiuwen fell silent upon hearing this.
That night, after learning the truth, he couldn't help but go find Xiao Youran.
They got back together, and their relationship deepened.
Even so, when she received the recording and heard his conversation with Liu Yang, Wan Wei, and the class monitor, she was so worried.
It was understandable.
In his previous life, Xu Xiuwen went back to repeat his studies and hadn't seen Xiao Youran for a long time.
Then Xiao Youran heard him say such things. How could she not believe it was true?
Even Xu Xiuwen himself, if he had heard Xiao Youran say to her friend Yang Xiaoxiao that she didn't like him, he would have believed it too.
Moreover, in his previous life, Xiao Youran's personality was much more willful and proud than it is now.
Hearing Xu Xiuwen personally admit that he didn't like her would have definitely prevented her from seeking clarification due to her pride.
She would have just been sad and heartbroken alone.
Thinking about this, Xu Xiuwen sighed.
Why hadn't he thought of this in his previous life?
Seeing the worried look on Xiao Youran's face, Xu Xiuwen felt a pang of heartache.
He reached out and pulled the girl into his arms, soothing her, "Didn't I tell you? This lifetime, you'll never escape from my grasp."
Xiao Youran nodded obediently, finally no longer worried.
Xu Xiuwen continued, "In the future, no matter what happens, remember to tell me. Don't overthink things by yourself, okay?"
"Mm, I know."
After holding her for a while, Xu Xiuwen let go of Xiao Youran.
Xiao Youran's face was as delicate and tender as a freshly boiled egg.
Her big eyes were misty, her forehead exposed without bangs.
Her exquisite nose and small cherry lips, paired with her school uniform, made her look incredibly pure and cute.
Xu Xiuwen couldn't help but look at her several times.
He even involuntarily swallowed, quite loudly.
Hearing the sound of him swallowing, Xiao Youran realized where his gaze was.
Following his line of sight, she immediately noticed he was looking at her legs.
Xiao Youran's face flushed red.
Her slender legs instinctively pressed together tighter.
Xu Xiuwen realized that Xiao Youran had caught him looking.
But he didn't feel embarrassed.
He moved his gaze back to her face, looked at her for a few seconds, then leaned in closer.
Xiao Youran's sense of modesty made her put up a slight resistance, but it wasn't firm and quickly ceased.
After a passionate kiss, Xu Xiuwen released Xiao Youran, satisfied.
Half an hour later.
Xu Xiuwen drove back to their community.
He parked the car steadily downstairs at Xiao Youran's home and turned to her, saying, "We're at your building."
Xiao Youran unbuckled her seatbelt and suddenly asked, "Do you want to come upstairs?"
Xu Xiuwen hesitated briefly, then shook his head, "It's better not to. It's late, and it would be hard to explain."
Xiao Youran bit her lip, a blush appearing on her face. "My parents probably haven't returned yet."
"It's this late, and your parents haven't come back yet?"
Xiao Youran nodded, "My dad has been working overtime lately, always coming home past midnight. My mom went back to our hometown yesterday; she probably won't be back today."
After saying that, she coquettishly asked, "So, are you coming upstairs with me or not?"
Xu Xiuwen hesitated, "What would I do up there?"
"Come up and sit for a while. Have some tea and chat with me," she pleaded.
"Xiao Xu, please?" Xiao Youran asked in a sweet voice.
Looking at Xiao Youran's eager eyes, Xu Xiuwen nodded and said, "Alright, let's go upstairs and just sit, nothing else."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Youran chuckled, "Then let's go up quickly."
Following Xiao Youran upstairs, they arrived at her home.
It had been a long time since Xu Xiuwen had visited Xiao Youran's house, but everything in the living room was still familiar.
Xiao Youran asked Xu Xiuwen to wait on the sofa in the living room while she went to the kitchen and brewed a cup of tea with her father's precious tea leaves.
Xu Xiuwen took the tea cup and noticed the tea leaves in the water.
The green tea leaves were slightly curled, resembling sparrow's tongue, yellowish-green in color with silver tips showing.
He couldn't help but ask, "Why do these tea leaves look so much like Maofeng?"
Xiao Youran nodded, "That's exactly what these tea leaves are."
Xu Xiuwen was surprised, "Uncle Xiao rarely drinks this; he only does on special occasions like Chinese New Year. And you're brewing it for me now?"
"Aren't tea leaves meant to be drunk?" Xiao Youran replied innocently.
Xu Xiuwen chuckled helplessly, "Youran, if Uncle Xiao finds out his daughter tricked him and I drank his tea, I'm doomed!"
Xiao Youran giggled and reassured him, "Oh, don't worry about that. I won't tell him."
Touched by the gesture, Xu Xiuwen drank the Maofeng tea.
He believed that if there were something better at home, Xiao Youran would readily offer it to him as well.
Xu Xiuwen wasn't used to savoring tea; he drank it as easily as water, finishing it in a few sips.
After finishing the tea, Xu Xiuwen followed Xiao Youran into her bedroom.
Before graduating from high school, he used to come to her room often and was familiar with its layout and decorations.
He glanced at the big brown bear on the bedside, which used to make Xiao Youran laugh when he bought it for her in his freshman year. "You still keep this?" he smiled.
Following his gaze, Xiao Youran's eyes shone with happiness as she nodded, "Yes, it's my favorite."
Xu Xiuwen couldn't help but ask, "Do you really like bears, or do you just like it because I bought it for you?"
Xiao Youran was taken aback.
Regaining her composure, she looked away, feeling embarrassed to answer.
But sometimes silence itself is an answer.
At this moment, Xu Xiuwen realized how foolish he had been before.
Many signs indicated that Xiao Youran had always liked him, so she couldn't have suddenly lost interest after just a year of college.
The lights were on in Xiao Youran's bedroom.
As the saying goes, seeing beauty under the light makes it more beautiful.
Xu Xiuwen couldn't help but feel the same now as he looked at Xiao Youran.
Already stunningly beautiful, she seemed even more irresistibly attractive now.
Sensing his intense gaze, Xiao Youran felt nervous and tried to appear calm. Just as she turned to speak, Xu Xiuwen suddenly leaned in and kissed her.
They had kissed briefly in the car earlier, but now in Xiao Youran's bedroom, seeing her alluring and charming, Xu Xiuwen couldn't resist.
Suddenly, Xiao Youran was startled.
She quickly grabbed his hand and murmured, "Don't."
But Xu Xiuwen was carried away in the moment and ignored Xiao Youran's wishes.
Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his lips.
Immediately, Xiao Youran pushed him away.
With her head down, she pleaded, "Please don't. I'm not ready yet."
Xu Xiuwen also realized he had been too impulsive.
He touched his lips and found no blood, which relieved him.
Tomorrow school would start, and he would see Cheng Lu.
If he showed up with his lips bleeding, she would surely kill him.
Seeing his actions, Xiao Youran also realized and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Xiao Xu. I didn't mean to; I was just so nervous..."
Listening to Xiao Youran apologize, Xu Xiuwen chuckled and quickly said, "You don't need to apologize; I was too hasty."