On the pedestrian walkway, Bai Ruyan's Maserati, encountering an unusually deserted path, managed to avoid colliding with pedestrians. However, it got stuck, unable to move any further. The enraged Mercedes driver briskly exited his car, walked up to the Maserati, yanked open the door, and grabbed the black-clad bodyguard by the collar, attempting to pull him out of the driver's seat. Yet, the bodyguard, far from an easy target, skillfully pushed him away.
Observing this scene, Qin Hai chuckled and shook his head.
It wasn't just Bai Ruyan; even the black-clad bodyguard alone was a force to be reckoned with, far beyond what the Mercedes driver could handle. The driver, thinking his grand Benz made him invincible, was oblivious to the impending trouble.
To Qin Hai's surprise, after being shoved aside, the Mercedes driver pulled out a handgun from his pocket, aiming it at the black-clad man's head.
Simultaneously, two individuals swiftly emerged from the Mercedes, opened the rear doors of the Maserati, and pulled Bai Ruyan out. Following closely, a van sped up from behind. Two men efficiently seized Bai Ruyan and rapidly retreated into the van.
"Kidnapping?" Qin Hai blinked in astonishment. The precision of their actions suggested a well-coordinated and premeditated plan.
As the van sped away, Bai Ruyan's black-clad bodyguard remained at gunpoint. Qin Hai realized his involvement was inevitable.
Unable to ignore Bai Ruyan's predicament, especially after the recent contract signing, Qin Hai couldn't stand idly by. Moreover, if something were to happen to Bai Ruyan, the significance of the freshly signed contract would diminish.
"Jie, it seems Bai Ruyan has run into some trouble. I'll go check it out. You don't have to wait for me; go back to the company first," Qin Hai hastily informed Qiao Wei, not waiting for the taxi to come to a complete stop before opening the door and rushing out. He quickly closed the door behind him.
The van carrying Bai Ruyan had turned into a nearby side road. Without waiting for the taxi to stop completely, Qin Hai pushed open the door and rushed out, leaving Qiao Wei bewildered.
Meanwhile, the van carrying Bai Ruyan had already turned onto an adjacent side road. Qin Hai, without hesitation, chased after it. At the same time, Qiao Wei hadn't even registered what had happened, and in an instant, she lost sight of Qin Hai.
After shouting a few times out the window, Qiao Wei lowered her head to check the time, her brows furrowing. With only half an hour left until the end of the workday, if she couldn't bring the contract back to the company before then, Jian Ren would undoubtedly use this opportunity to trouble Qin Hai.
The problem now was that the contract was with Qin Hai. Even if she went back to the company first, it wouldn't help.
"This impulsive guy!" Searching through her bag and failing to find the contract, Qiao Wei could only sigh helplessly.
After waiting for a few minutes with the driver parked at the roadside, and with no sign of Qin Hai returning, Qiao Wei became increasingly anxious. Seeing that the end of the workday was imminent, she had no other choice but to instruct the driver to continue. Regardless, going back to assist Qin Hai in handling the situation was the best course of action for now.
On the other side, Qin Hai closely tailed the van. It wasn't that he couldn't catch up; rather, the side road was bustling with pedestrians, and the presence of a gun made it an unfavorable place for confrontation. Additionally, Qin Hai, after his recent rebirth, intended to lead a low-key life and avoid unnecessary trouble. Thus, finding a secluded spot before taking action was the prudent choice.
Fortunately, the van soon left the side road. After a series of twists and turns, it entered a rarely frequented alley.
Qin Hai casually grabbed two pieces of clothing from a nearby clothesline, quickly disguising himself. He rushed forward.
Inside the van, Bai Ruyan remained calm, seated quietly in the back. She neither struggled nor called for help. Two kidnappers flanked her, firmly gripping her arms and watching her vigilantly.
"Are you after money?" Bai Ruyan suddenly smiled lightly, saying, "Let's make a deal. It's tough for everyone; name your price, and I'll have someone deliver the money immediately."
The two kidnappers exchanged glances. One of them coldly snorted, "Cut the crap. Beware, or I'll disfigure your face!"
Bai Ruyan's lips curled slightly as she said, "Since you dared to kidnap me, you should be aware of my background. If a single hair on me is harmed, you'll never leave Chunjing for the rest of your lives. Consider my suggestion—meeting is fate. I'll give you a sum of money, and I guarantee no further pursuit. Take the money, leave happily, and we can all go our separate ways. Rest assured, I, Bai Ruyan, never go back on my word. I won't deceive you."
The two kidnappers showed signs of hesitation. At that moment, the driver in front sneered, looking at Bai Ruyan through the rearview mirror, and said coldly, "It's said that Bai Ruyan not only possesses heavenly beauty but also a silver tongue. Seems like it's true."
"But you've guessed wrong," the driver continued with a wicked grin. "We want both money and you. A beauty like you is a rare encounter. If we let this chance slip by, we'd regret it for a lifetime, hahaha..."
As the driver finished speaking, the two kidnappers sitting beside Bai Ruyan exchanged a glance. Lustful desire gleamed in their eyes, and their gaze towards Bai Ruyan became particularly obscene.
Bai Ruyan's heart sank. This situation was more complicated than she had anticipated. The fact that they dared to target her despite knowing her identity suggested they were not ordinary criminals.
At that moment, the kidnapper on the right assessed Bai Ruyan, smiled wickedly, and extended his hand. He first touched Bai Ruyan's fair and tender cheek and then boldly reached towards her chest. Simultaneously, the other kidnapper, unwilling to be outdone, placed his hand on Bai Ruyan's smooth and delicate thigh, attempting to explore further under her skirt.
"Stop! Leave me alone!" Bai Ruyan's face turned pale. Regardless of her usual intelligence and strength, in this situation, she was just a powerless twenty-year-old girl. One kidnapper suddenly flipped over, pressing her down, and greedily leaned towards her pristine neck.
Just as tears of despair rolled down Bai Ruyan's cheeks, a black figure, resembling a giant eagle, leaped over the van and landed steadily in front of it. The driver, alarmed, slammed on the brakes and stuck his head out, cursing, "Are you looking for death?"
Everyone in the vehicle was left in disarray. Bai Ruyan, seizing the opportunity, desperately pushed away the kidnapper pinning her down. Initially relieved to see the black-clad person in front, she thought it was her family sending help after receiving the news. However, upon closer inspection, she realized he was a stranger, not from the Bai family.
The newcomer was Qin Hai, disguised simply. Wrapped in a black coat and a piece of clothing around his face, only his eyes were visible. His altered voice echoed, "Committing crimes in broad daylight? I see you're asking for trouble!"
The van's driver, puzzled by Qin Hai's unconventional appearance, only snapped back to reality when Qin Hai approached. Quickly pulling out a gun, he aimed it at Qin Hai and shouted, "If you don't want to die, get the hell away!"
Qin Hai continued walking forward.
Bang! The van driver fired the gun. However, to his surprise, despite the bullets hitting Qin Hai, he stood firm and kept advancing toward the van.
"Damn it, I don't believe I can't kill you!" The van driver, still in shock, furiously pulled the trigger again, firing three consecutive shots. Qin Hai, undeterred, remained unscathed.
"Get the hell away from me!" Frustrated, the van driver discarded the gun, stepped on the gas pedal, and accelerated the van towards Qin Hai.
As the van neared, the black-clad figure suddenly lifted his foot and kicked it. Accompanied by a deafening explosion, the van, as if colliding with a solid wall, violently shook before screeching to a halt.
Bang! A fist abruptly shattered the van's windshield, firmly grabbing the driver's neck.
"Get out!"
The van driver, disoriented by the impact, hadn't figured out what happened and was already lying on the ground by the time he did.
Following that, a massive foot descended from above, sending him into dreamland.
Moving the foot away from the van driver's head, Qin Hai approached the van's side. Opening the door, he kept a cold and stern gaze on the remaining two kidnappers.
These two were deeply intimidated by Qin Hai's brutal actions moments ago. As Qin Hai approached, they were not only unable to react but struggled to articulate themselves.
"Don't... don't come closer, we... we surrender!"
Unfortunately, before they could raise their hands, two large hands reached out, one for each, and effortlessly pulled them out of the vehicle.
Thunk!
Heads collided, and they both fainted simultaneously.
Having dealt with them, Qin Hai glanced at Bai Ruyan, confirming her safety. He turned and walked away.
"Hey, wait!" Bai Ruyan, awakening from her shock, hurriedly followed. However, having collided earlier, her head was still spinning, and her legs were weak. As she stepped out of the car, she stumbled to the ground.
In this critical moment, a robust arm caught her soft waist, and with a whimper, Bai Ruyan found herself cradled in someone's arms.
Once steady, Bai Ruyan, following the arm upward, couldn't see the black-clothed person's face but gazed into a pair of bright, spirited eyes.
This person is strong! And quite robust!
Bai Ruyan's delicate hand rested on the black-clad person's chest, feeling his strength. Her enchanting face, which had never shown any emotional ripples, suddenly blushed, and her heart began to beat erratically.
Heroes love beautiful women since ancient times, and beautiful women are not indifferent to heroes, especially when the hero has saved their lives.
"Thank you, thank you for saving me!" Bai Ruyan's voice was soft, melodic, and carried a hint of shyness, making her even more charming.
"Justice should prevail, and I couldn't ignore wrongdoing," Qin Hai replied, looking at the beauty in his arms with a somewhat amused expression. Surprisingly, within half a day, this pretty girl had fallen into his arms twice. Could it be that they were destined?
But to be honest, Bai Ruyan was indeed beautiful, especially her eyes—mesmerizing like a little fairy, not much different from his beloved wife. Besides, her slender waist was soft and comfortable to hold.
At that moment, Qin Hai saw Bai Ruyan's black-clad bodyguard appearing in the distance. Although reluctant, he released Bai Ruyan, turned around, and ran. Ignoring Bai Ruyan's attempts to stop him, he took a few steps and kicked off the wall, soaring high like a giant eagle and disappearing without a trace.
Bai Ruyan shouted several times, stopping only when Qin Hai vanished.
"Miss, are you okay?" The black-clad bodyguard approached Bai Ruyan and glanced at Qin Hai's disappearing figure, asking, "Who was that person, and do you want me to go after him?"
"I'm fine, thanks to that person who saved me." Bai Ruyan shook her head, and while frowning in thought, murmured, "But I seem to have seen him somewhere."
The black-clad bodyguard suddenly noticed the huge dent on the front of the van, his eyes widening. Astonished, he exclaimed, "Miss, this person is formidable, and his origin is unknown. Be careful if you encounter him in the future!"
Hearing the bodyguard's words, Bai Ruyan questioned, "Even you can't defeat him?"
After receiving an affirmative answer, Bai Ruyan was once again surprised. She knew how powerful her bodyguard was, yet he couldn't beat the person from earlier.
Glancing once more in the direction Qin Hai disappeared, Bai Ruyan suddenly rushed to the side of the alley, picked up a piece of paper from the ground, and quickly read its contents. At the bottom, she noticed a flamboyant signature, and her bright phoenix eyes immediately curved into crescent moons.
"Haha, so it's you! Now, let's see where you can escape!"