Chapter 30: Applying as a Maid
Upon hearing those words, the black-suited men immediately sprang into action. Three or four of them lunged forward, attempting to grab Liang Xiaoluo.
Despite her petite frame, Liang Xiaoluo's survival instincts kicked in with astonishing strength. She darted around, grabbing whatever objects she could find and hurling them at the black-suited men. Her resistance was fierce and relentless.
One of the men, too slow to dodge, was struck by an object and immediately erupted in anger. "Damn it! You're asking for it!"
He charged forward, catching Liang Xiaoluo by the hair, and hurled her to the ground like a ragdoll. Her head hit the ground with a sickening thud, and a sharp pain radiated from her forehead as though her skin had been torn apart.
Despite the excruciating pain, Liang Xiaoluo refused to scream. She glared at the black-suited men with defiance, her eyes gleaming brightly in the dark alley.
"What are you looking at? Keep staring, and I'll gouge your eyes out!" one of the men snarled.
But Liang Xiaoluo didn't avert her gaze. She loathed bullies like them and resolved that even in death, she would not bow to their intimidation.
"Damn it!" the man cursed, pulling out a gleaming knife. His tone was menacing as he threatened, "You won't cry until you see your own coffin, will you?"
Yet Liang Xiaoluo didn't flinch. She didn't even blink.
The man raised the knife, poised to stab her, but another black-suited man quickly stopped him. "We can't harm her yet. We have orders to bring her back alive."
"Alive or dead, it makes no difference. She's as good as dead when we get her back. I say we kill her now to settle the score!"
"Think! The old man specifically said she must be brought back alive. Do you really want to bring back a corpse and face his wrath?"
"Tch!" Reluctantly, the knife-wielding man withdrew, muttering angrily under his breath as he stepped aside.
The other men stepped forward and roughly grabbed Liang Xiaoluo by her arms, dragging her to her feet. She kicked and thrashed like a wildcat, her voice hoarse from screaming. "Let me go, you beasts! I'll never go with you, even if it kills me!"
Ignoring her protests, the men dragged her away.
A Shadow Appears
Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the alley, Ye Tianlin strolled leisurely toward the commotion. His black umbrella shielded him from the rain, but his expression was unreadable.
"Sir, shouldn't we move faster? If we don't, they'll take her back to the old man," reminded Zuo Lun, Ye Tianlin's bodyguard and newly returned from training in America.
Ye Tianlin watched the scene in the alley with mild interest. He finally spoke, his tone casual, "Do you really think those men were sent by the old man?"
Zuo Lun hesitated, squinting at the black-suited men. He had indeed seen them around the Ye family estate, even sparring with them during his training. "I could swear I've seen them with the old man before. Did I make a mistake?"
"You didn't. It's not your memory that's at fault. That woman is just exceptionally persuasive." Ye Tianlin smirked faintly, his dark eyes gleaming as he observed Liang Xiaoluo's valiant struggle against the men.
Realizing Ye Tianlin was referring to the matriarch Hua Lin, Zuo Lun immediately fell silent. He dared not press further for fear of inadvertently angering his master.
Ye Tianlin seemed unfazed by the situation. He chuckled, finding Liang Xiaoluo's fierce resistance amusing. "She's surprisingly tenacious," he remarked, "but not very clever. Fighting head-on isn't the way to survive. Submission first, escape later—that's the smarter choice. She has a lot to learn."
Despite his detached words, Ye Tianlin's eyes flashed with possessive anger as he recalled Liang Xiaoluo's defiance and vulnerability. He despised the idea of anyone else touching what was his.
"Let's go," he ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Zuo Lun quickly followed, holding the umbrella over Ye Tianlin while feeling eager to stretch his muscles.
However, Ye Tianlin abruptly halted. "Sir?" Zuo Lun asked in confusion. Had he changed his mind?
Ye Tianlin remained silent, his faint smile masking an inscrutable expression. His gaze was fixed ahead, as though he had spotted something amusing.
Following his line of sight, Zuo Lun saw the struggling Liang Xiaoluo, slung over the shoulders of one of the black-suited men. Her sharp, accusatory gaze was locked directly on them.
A Misunderstanding
"Sir, Miss Xiaoluo seems… suspicious of us," Zuo Lun muttered, his brow furrowing.
Indeed, Liang Xiaoluo's glare carried an unmistakable accusation. She had no doubt that Ye Tianlin was behind her current predicament.
Her realization was swift and bitter. "Of course, it's him," she thought. "Who else would stoop so low?"
"Let me go, you bastard! I won't let you get away with this!" she screamed, her fury directed squarely at Ye Tianlin.
Ye Tianlin's smirk deepened.
Her anger only fueled her struggles, her cries becoming more frantic. "What's so funny? Wipe that grin off your face before I do it for you!" she shouted.
The black-suited men glanced at each other, baffled. "Boss, is this woman crazy? Who's she yelling at?" one of them whispered.
"Who cares? Just get her in the car," another replied.
A Change of Plans
Amused by her fiery defiance, Ye Tianlin finally acted. His voice was low but carried an undeniable authority. "Scram."
The men froze. They hesitated, unsure how to respond to the sudden appearance of their second master. "But sir…"
Ye Tianlin's cold stare silenced them instantly. They exchanged nervous glances before retreating, leaving Liang Xiaoluo behind.
Stunned by this unexpected turn of events, Liang Xiaoluo was still trembling as Ye Tianlin approached. He crouched down, gripping her chin with his hand. "Still so full of fight. I like that."
"Don't touch me!" she spat, jerking her head away.
Ye Tianlin's grip tightened, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "Do you hate it that much? Or is it just me you despise touching you? Perhaps you'd prefer Nan Shaojie?"
Liang Xiaoluo's eyes widened in shock. "You… you've been following me?"
Ye Tianlin chuckled softly, the sound sending chills down her spine. In the eerie silence of the alley, the tension was suffocating, and the storm overhead rumbled ominously.