The man, caught up in his excitement, instinctively pulled out his lighter. His fingers barely touched the switch before he fell dead beneath the shadow of a cold, black muzzle.
In the silent night, there were only a few muffled, insignificant sounds.
Inside, another man, lost in his fervor, suddenly screamed as pain shot through his leg, collapsing him to the ground.
A tall, lean figure stepped towards Chi Yu. "Forgive me, Miss, I arrived too late."
Chi Yu, pale and dazed, stared at the handsome man before her.
Several moments passed before she rasped his name in a hoarse whisper.
"Qi Chao?"
Qi Chao nodded, his eyes scanning the disheveled and battered Chi Yu, her hair in disarray, her clothes askew, a pitiful sight.
His gaze darkened slightly. Turning his face away, he slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
After that, Qi Chao raised his gun, pointing it coldly at the man crawling on the ground, attempting to flee.
Just before pulling the trigger, Chi Yu's voice rang out behind him. "Spare his miserable life for now. Take him back—I'll deal with him myself."
One command, one swift response.
Qi Chao holstered his gun, walked over, and deftly dislocated both of the man's arms, leaving him to writhe helplessly in pain.
He then turned to inform Chi He of the situation, receiving a reply that someone would be sent to handle the aftermath, before returning to Chi Yu's side.
Qi Chao asked her whether she preferred to walk herself or be carried to the car.
Chi Yu, hearing this, lifted her eyes to glare at him, clearly about to lose her temper.
But then, something seemed to cross her mind, and instead of scolding him, she pursed her bloodstained lips and irritably raised both hands.
She was wrapped in Qi Chao's coat, which, due to their height and size difference, looked remarkably like the oversized jacket of a boyfriend.
The sleeves were too long, and when she lifted her hands, only the pale tips of her fingers peeked out.
The usually willful and imperious heiress looked, in this moment, strangely awkward yet somewhat endearing.
A flicker of amusement passed briefly through Qi Chao's eyes, though he was careful not to show it, fearing the young lady's wrath.
He stepped forward, effortlessly scooping Chi Yu into his arms, carrying her out of the dilapidated building, and gently placing her into the car.
As they made their exit, it was impossible to avoid the sight of the bodies scattered around.
Qi Chao observed Chi Yu closely, noting that her gaze remained fixed on the corpses without so much as a blink.
Even after entering the car, she calmly instructed him, her voice cold and detached, "Tell them to clean it up thoroughly."
As Qi Chao watched her profile, tinged with a subtle mockery, a complicated emotion stirred within him.
He wanted to say something but felt that, given his position, he had no right to offer comforting words.
His thoughts shifted quickly, and he merely nodded in response. "Understood."
Chi Yu knew well enough what that glance from Qi Chao meant. It was a reminder: Chi He hadn't appeared personally, and it wasn't by choice.
Five years ago, when she had been kidnapped, Chi He, with all his influence, could easily have disposed of the man while he was in prison, but the man had survived.
That same year, the once-struggling Chi family suddenly regained its former glory.
Business circles that had previously shut their doors to Chi He now reached out to him, welcoming him into their inner ranks.
He transformed from an outsider knocking at the gates into a towering figure shaping the very rules within.
On her twelfth birthday, when Chi Yu was teetering on the edge of madness, she received an extravagant gift—one percent of the family's stock.
Chi He hadn't come to see her in person; instead, he had sent Qi Chao.
Chi Yu fully understood the message behind his actions.
The bodies had to disappear without a trace—any slip-up could bring down the entire network of interests tied to them.
Chi Yu's seemingly considerate words were a clever gesture.
But one had to wonder—what kind of gift would Chi He offer this time as compensation?
If it were more stocks, that would be quite laughable.
Chi Yu was nothing but a placeholder. The day she turned eighteen and met her end, those shares would fall into the hands of the rightful heir of the Chi family, Ning Jin.
In essence, Chi Yu had cheated death twice, only to pave the way for Ning Jin.
One had to admit, Chi He truly deserved his reputation as the darling of financial magazines.
Even Steve Jobs himself would have been awestruck by such business acumen.
At midnight, Chi Yu was sent back to the hospital.
It had been a long time since she'd been this gravely injured; even her usually stoic attending physician showed signs of pity.
A group of doctors in white coats surrounded her bed, while Chi Yu lay there, expressionless.
As they treated her bleeding wounds, she didn't shed a single tear.
Chi Yu had plenty on her mind.
For instance, how had Qi Kun allowed that man to take her right from under his nose?
Had he stayed by her bedside while she was unconscious?
And how could she make that man suffer enough to quench the burning hatred that had festered in her heart for years?
Bruises mottled her entire body, a testament to her fragile skin, which was prone to subdermal bleeding.
The man's relentless blows had left her back and legs marred with unsightly purplish-black marks.
It would be at least a month before she could wear a skirt again.
Outside the hospital room, Chi He waited anxiously. The moment the doctor emerged, he rushed forward to inquire about Chi Yu's condition.
The doctor removed his mask and shook his head solemnly.
"Mr. Chi, if I may be frank—no matter how resilient someone is, no one can endure this kind of torment time and again, let alone a delicate young girl like her. If possible, I'd suggest assigning more bodyguards to protect her at all times."
Chi He clenched his jaw but said nothing, waiting for the doctor's full report.
"She has a few external injuries, but she's suffered severe physical abuse. There's barely an inch of her that hasn't been harmed. She has a mild concussion, and two of her ribs are broken. We're preparing her for surgery shortly."
The operating room had become a second home for Chi Yu.
She had probably spent more time there than an average girl would at an amusement park.
When Chi He stepped into the room, he didn't know how to face her.
Chi Yu lifted her head first, smiling as she waved at him.
Mid-gesture, something seemed to pull at one of her injuries, causing her face to turn pale.
"Don't move." Chi He quickly walked over, gently placing her hand back down.
His eyes were bloodshot, filled with genuine concern for her well-being.
The doctor notified them that she'd be taken into surgery in twenty minutes. With little time to discuss anything else, Chi Yu spoke three brief sentences.
"Uncle, don't blame yourself."
"Don't deal with Qi Kun yet. Wait until I've recovered. And as for that man, leave him to me as well."
"Qi Chao did well. I'd like him to stay by my side for a while. What do you think, Uncle?"
In her current state, even if Chi Yu had asked for the stars, Chi He would have tried to deliver them. How could he possibly refuse?
"You can have anything you want, Yu'er. Uncle—"
Chi Yu lightly patted the back of his hand, the touch fleeting and devoid of warmth.
"Don't worry, Uncle. I understand your difficulties."
Chi He felt a pang in his heart. He almost wished she would slap him like she had half a month ago, venting her anger.
It would have been far better than this understanding, which felt like needles pricking at his conscience.
Chi Yu wasn't being understanding. She was simply burying all her bitterness deep inside, retreating so she could make Chi He feel guilty.
And once that guilt reached a certain level, it would become a soft spot she could easily exploit.
The more Chi He believed he had wronged her, the more advantageous it became for Chi Yu.
(End of Chapter)