Chapter 128: Pitiful
Liang Xiaoluo's sobs echoed in the dark alley, her heart sinking deeper into despair.
"Well, well, Xiaoluo jie, I never thought I'd see you like this," a venomous voice rang out from behind the group of men.
Liang Xiaoluo froze, her tearful eyes darting to the figure stepping into the dim light.
"Gu Lingzi!" Her voice trembled with disbelief as her gaze locked onto the familiar, smug figure. Gu Lingzi's usual mask of innocence was gone, replaced by a menacing smile that reeked of malice.
"Surprised?" Gu Lingzi's voice was mocking, her eyes glinting with cruelty. "I warned you, didn't I? Stay away from Ye Tianlin, or you'd regret it. But you didn't listen, and now... you'll pay the price."
"What do you want?" Liang Xiaoluo stammered, her body trembling as she shuffled back, desperate for a way out.
"What do I want? Isn't it obvious?" Gu Lingzi sneered, signaling to the men surrounding Liang Xiaoluo. "Let's make this clear: you've stolen what's mine, and now, I'll destroy everything that's yours."
The men closed in, grabbing Liang Xiaoluo roughly. They pinned her arms behind her back and bound her wrists with coarse ropes. A filthy rag was stuffed into her mouth, muffling her desperate cries.
"Stay still, Xiaoluo jie. You don't want to make this worse," Gu Lingzi taunted, pulling out a camera. "Let's take some beautiful pictures, shall we? Pictures that will show Ye Tianlin exactly who you are."
Liang Xiaoluo shook her head violently, tears streaming down her face as the men began to rip at her clothing. She struggled, her muffled screams begging for mercy, but her captors only laughed at her futile attempts to escape.
"You should've stayed in your place," Gu Lingzi continued, snapping photos as if it were a casual photoshoot. "When these are plastered all over the world, even Ye Tianlin won't want you anymore."
Just as one of the men leaned closer, his intent clear, a shadow darted into the alley like a bolt of lightning. Before anyone could react, a powerful kick sent the man sprawling to the ground. A second assailant was knocked unconscious with a precise blow, and the third was disarmed and pinned against the wall.
"Who... who are you?" Gu Lingzi stammered, her bravado evaporating as the newcomer stood tall, radiating an aura of danger.
Liang Xiaoluo's tear-filled eyes widened in recognition. "Xiluo!" she cried, her voice muffled by the rag.
"It's okay, Xiaoluo," Xiluo murmured, his voice steady yet filled with fury. He quickly removed his jacket and draped it over her trembling form, shielding her from prying eyes.
Gu Lingzi tried to regain her composure. "Do you know who I am? If you touch me, my family will—"
Before she could finish, Xiluo's cold, piercing gaze silenced her. He stepped forward and yanked the camera from her grasp. With one swift motion, he smashed it to the ground, shattering it into pieces.
"No one touches her," Xiluo growled, his voice low but lethal. "Not you, not anyone."
Gu Lingzi's confidence crumbled. Her threats died on her lips as she took several shaky steps back. "You'll regret this," she hissed, before turning and fleeing the alley, her voice echoing with empty threats.
Liang Xiaoluo, still trembling, clung to Xiluo as he gently helped her to her feet. "I... I thought no one would come," she whispered, her voice breaking.
"I'll always be here for you," Xiluo said, his tone softening. But his eyes, dark and vengeful, flicked toward the unconscious men on the ground. "I won't let this happen again."
As he carried her away from the scene, Liang Xiaoluo buried her face in his chest, the safety of his embrace a stark contrast to the nightmare she had just endured.
Later that day
Ye Tianlin paced the length of his office, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. He had rushed back to resolve an urgent issue at the Ye family estate, but now, every second away from Liang Xiaoluo gnawed at him.
His phone buzzed, and he answered immediately.
"Where is she?" he barked, his voice edged with panic.
"She's safe," Xiluo's calm voice replied.
Ye Tianlin's heart sank. "What do you mean? What happened?"
"You left her unprotected," Xiluo said sharply. "She was attacked. By people you should've anticipated."
The words hit Ye Tianlin like a blow. "Where is she now?"
"She's with me. And if you can't guarantee her safety, maybe you don't deserve her," Xiluo said, his tone icy before the line went dead.
Ye Tianlin's hand trembled as he lowered the phone. Fury, guilt, and a deep sense of failure roiled within him. He swore to himself that he would find the ones responsible—and make them pay.