Chapter 155: A Deep, Passionate Kiss
The leader glanced at his subordinate and waved dismissively. "Fine, show me what you've got."
Delighted at the chance to prove himself, the henchman gripped his bat tightly, preparing to beat Xiluo to death and leave him lying in a pool of his own blood.
As the henchman stepped forward, the leader turned to his men. "What about the woman who was with Prince Xiluo earlier? We can't let anyone know he was murdered. It has to look like an accident, like a car crash."
The leader stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, no one else can know about this."
"What should we do, boss?" another subordinate asked.
The leader smacked him on the head. "Are you stupid? We kill her too, of course!"
"Right, of course! Killing's what we do best!" the henchman said smugly, already preparing to chase after Liang Xiaoluo.
"Wait!" the leader barked.
"What now, boss?" the henchman asked, confused.
"To be safe, take care of her family too. We don't want any loose ends."
"Huh?" the henchman replied, baffled.
"Once they're asleep, burn the house down. That way, it'll look like an accident, and no one will suspect us."
"Got it!" The henchman grinned. "You can count on me, boss. I'll make sure everything's handled perfectly." He hurried off to carry out the orders.
Lying on the ground, battered but still conscious, Xiluo overheard their conversation. His eyes widened as Liang Xiaoluo's face flashed in his mind—the innocent purity of her features and the rare clarity of her eyes.
This woman, so special, was about to be taken from the world because of him.
Bloodshot and furious, Xiluo's eyes burned with resolve. He couldn't let her die.
"Die, Prince Xiluo!" the henchman yelled, raising his bat to strike a fatal blow.
Just as the bat swung down, Xiluo thought of Liang Xiaoluo's tragic fate. A surge of strength coursed through him. His sharp, chiseled features twisted with rage, and his eyes narrowed to slits. He kicked out with all his might, striking the henchman in the abdomen.
Caught off guard by Xiluo's sudden burst of energy, the henchman stumbled backward, blood spurting from his mouth as he collapsed, unable to rise again.
The turn of events stunned the other assassins. By the time they recovered from their shock, Xiluo had already gotten to his feet and fled.
"Damn it! After him! Chase him to the ends of the earth if you have to!" the leader roared, issuing a death order.
The assassins gave chase, determined to finish their mission.
Xiluo ran as fast as his wounded body would allow. Blood trickled from his injuries, leaving a trail that made it easy for his pursuers to track him. He knew he couldn't keep this up. Eventually, they would catch him.
His life was insignificant—a worthless existence that didn't matter. But Liang Xiaoluo was innocent. He couldn't allow her to be dragged down with him.
Xiluo ducked into a hidden corner and pulled out his phone. His contact list was nearly empty. He scrolled through it repeatedly, his trembling fingers hovering over one name: Ye Tianlin.
At this moment, Ye Tianlin was the only person he could turn to for help.
But could he trust him? Xiluo hesitated, his hand shaking as the assassins closed in.
Unaware of the danger Xiluo faced, Liang Xiaoluo returned to the small apartment, her mind in turmoil after his earlier actions. Her steps were heavy, and her heart felt weighed down by an unshakable sadness.
"You're back, Xiaoluo. What took you so long?" Liang Hui asked, concern etched on his face. He looked behind her and frowned. "Where's Xiluo? Didn't he come back with you?"
Snapping out of her daze, Liang Xiaoluo forced a weak smile. "He had something urgent to attend to and left early."
"I see," Liang Hui said after a pause. "Well, invite him over for dinner again sometime. He must be having a hard time living alone in this city."
"Okay," she replied, hiding her pain behind a stiff smile. Her heart felt like it was being crushed, but she swallowed her sorrow and went to her room.
The tiny space was familiar and comforting, filled with the bittersweet memories of her life. As she lay on the bed, the weight of her emotions bore down on her. Breathing became difficult, but she told herself she had to endure—for her family's sake.
Hours later, Liang Xiaoluo was startled awake by the smell of smoke. Her throat burned as she coughed violently. Struggling to open her eyes, she realized the house was on fire.
"Fire!" she screamed weakly, her voice hoarse from the smoke. She stumbled out of bed, barefoot, and rushed to Liang Hui's door. "Dad! Wake up! The house is on fire!"
After several desperate knocks, Liang Hui finally opened the door, coughing and covering his mouth. "Xiaoluo!"
"We have to get out now!" she cried.
Liang Hui quickly gathered Lin Meiling in his arms and woke Lin Xue. But by the time they were ready to escape, the flames had consumed the stairs, cutting off their path.
"Dad, what do we do? Are we going to die here?" Lin Xue sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
Liang Hui clenched his fists, trying to think of a way out. Suddenly, Liang Xiaoluo remembered the water pipe outside her window—a pipe she had used to escape once before. "There's another way!" she said, leading them to her room.
She opened the window and pointed to the pipe. "It's not far. We can climb down."
"Xue, you go first," she instructed.
Terrified but desperate to survive, Lin Xue didn't hesitate. She climbed down quickly and safely reached the ground.
"Dad, you and Meiling go next," Liang Xiaoluo urged.
"No, you go first," Liang Hui insisted. "I'll help Meiling down afterward."
Realizing there was no time to argue, Liang Xiaoluo ran out of the room. Moments later, she returned with a rope. "Here, Dad. Tie yourselves together so she won't fall."
Liang Hui hesitated but finally nodded. Once he and Lin Meiling were securely bound, he climbed out the window, slowly making his way down.
Watching them safely reach the ground, Liang Xiaoluo felt her strength give out. Her body swayed as she struggled to breathe. Her vision blurred, and her legs buckled beneath her.
"I can make it," she whispered to herself, forcing her trembling body to move. "Just a little further…"
With every ounce of willpower, she crawled toward the window, desperate to escape the raging inferno.