The night in the bustling metropolis was like a huge piece of black satin, inlaid with countless brilliant gems - the neon lights of all colors, which decorated the city's night as dreamy as a fantasy world, yet couldn't conceal the stories hidden in the shadows. The streets were bustling with traffic and pedestrians were hurrying along, each carrying their own concerns and shuttling through this world where light and shadow intertwined.
In a certain corner of the city, there was a rather secluded alley. Usually, few people stopped there, and only the lights from a few nearby small shops managed to dispel a bit of the darkness. However, on this night, this alley became the stage for a wonderful encounter.
Evelyn had just finished her street performance. She was wearing a simple yet elegant white dress. The hem of the dress swayed gently with her steps, like a lily swaying gracefully in the night. Her golden curly hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, shining with a soft luster under the dim yellow streetlight. Her blue eyes were like deep lakes, full of innocence and liveliness. When she smiled, the two little dimples at the corners of her mouth seemed to be filled with honey, sweet enough to warm people's hearts. At this moment, she was holding her guitar, looking a bit tired yet with a satisfied expression, walking towards home. Today's performance had gone fairly smoothly. Although there weren't many spectators, every person who stopped to listen had given her the motivation to continue chasing her artistic dream.
However, this tranquility was soon broken. A few hooligans emerged out of nowhere. They were dressed sloppily, with malicious looks in their eyes and cigarettes in their mouths. The flickering sparks of the cigarettes were particularly dazzling in the darkness. They blocked Evelyn's way. The guy with a fierce and fleshy face, tilting his head, said in a frivolous and arrogant tone, "Well, this little girl is quite good-looking. It's not safe for you to walk alone at night. Why don't we brothers keep you company for a while?" With that, several of them burst into laughter. The laughter echoed in the silent alley, sending chills down one's spine.
Evelyn's heart leaped to her throat. She hugged her guitar tightly and subconsciously took a few steps back, her eyes full of panic. She looked around, longing to find someone to ask for help or an escape route. But this dim alley seemed to have become a dead end at this moment, trapping her firmly. "You... don't mess around. I'll shout for help!" Her voice trembled a little, but she tried to make herself sound tough, attempting to intimidate these abominable guys in front of her.
The hooligans, however, didn't care about her warning at all and still kept pressing forward, saying some vulgar words. Evelyn's back had already touched the cold wall. She felt like a small animal trapped in a snare. Fear and helplessness filled her heart.
Just at this critical moment, a dark figure flashed by like a ghost. It was so fast that one could hardly make out its shape. In the blink of an eye, those few hooligans were like being hit by a powerful force and flew backward one after another, falling heavily to the ground, grimacing in pain and moaning with agony.
Evelyn's eyes widened. She stared at the sudden change in front of her and couldn't react for a moment. When she came to her senses, she could clearly see a tall and straight man standing in front of her. He was Lucas. Lucas was wearing a long black windbreaker, and the corners of his coat fluttered gently in the night wind, just like an emissary in the dark night. His face was like that of a god in ancient Greek mythology, with sharp features. Under his high and straight nose, his slightly pursed lips showed a hint of coldness. His deep eyes were like the brightest stars in the night sky, yet so deep that they were unfathomable, as if hiding endless secrets. His black hair was thick and casually scattered on his forehead, adding a bit more mysterious charm to him.
Lucas frowned slightly, with a hint of displeasure in his eyes. He glanced at the hooligans on the ground. His gaze was as cold as if it were tangible, making the hooligans shiver involuntarily and not daring to be presumptuous any more. Then he slowly turned around and looked at Evelyn. His eyes instantly became much softer, as if the cold look just now had been just an illusion.
Evelyn looked at the man who had appeared like a hero in front of her. The panic in her heart was gradually replaced by curiosity and immediately. She opened her mouth slightly and was stunned for a while. It took her quite a while to come to her senses. A blush crept onto her face and she stammered, "Th... thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you."
Lucas raised the corners of his mouth slightly and showed a charming smile. That smile seemed to be able to dispel the coldness of the night. He said softly, "You're welcome. It's really too dangerous for a girl to walk alone at night so late." His voice was deep and magnetic, like the beautiful notes played by a violin in the night sky, lingering in Evelyn's ears and making her heart tremble involuntarily.
Evelyn subconsciously smoothed the hair beside her ears, trying to make herself look less flustered. She looked at Lucas, her eyes full of gratitude and also with a hint of a desire to explore. She said, "You... why did you suddenly appear here? Your skills are so amazing, just like a superhero in the movies."
Lucas was slightly taken aback. Then a barely noticeable complex look flashed in his eyes. He quickly regained his composure and said with a smile, "I just happened to pass by and saw that you were in danger, so I lent a helping hand. As for these skills, I've just practiced some self-defense techniques." He made it sound so casual, but Evelyn felt that this man in front of her was becoming more and more mysterious.
At this time, the hooligans on the ground helped each other up and were about to leave dejectedly. Before leaving, they didn't forget to glare at Lucas viciously and mutter some harsh words. However, they didn't dare to stay any longer, for fear that Lucas would teach them another lesson.
Lucas didn't pay attention to them. He just quietly looked at Evelyn, with a kind of special focus in his eyes, as if this girl in front of him had a unique magic that attracted all his attention. Evelyn felt a bit embarrassed being stared at by him. She lowered her head slightly, but couldn't help stealing glances at him. The moment their eyes met, it seemed that an invisible electric current was running between them, making their heartbeats accelerate involuntarily.
The night wind blew by, bringing a bit of coolness. Evelyn shivered slightly. Lucas noticed it and asked concernedly, "Are you cold? Do you want me to walk you home?" Evelyn hesitated for a moment. In fact, she really wanted to say yes. After all, she was a bit scared to go home alone after such a terrifying experience just now. But she also thought that it might be too troublesome for this stranger she had just met.
Lucas seemed to see her concerns. He smiled and said, "Don't worry. I don't have any other intentions. I just want to make sure you can get home safely." Evelyn looked at his sincere eyes and felt a warmth in her heart. Finally, she nodded and said, "Then thank you for your trouble. My home is not far from here."
Thus, on this magical night, Evelyn and Lucas walked side by side in this secluded alley. Their figures were elongated by the streetlights, like a beautiful picture scroll. And their story had just begun to unfold its mysterious prologue.