Meanwhile, at Mugui Theater, the performance was met with thunderous applause. However, unable to find Chi Mu, Lin Yunxin had no choice but to take her place on stage.
Yet, inside the Resting Room, the atmosphere starkly contrasted with the excitement outside.
The room was enveloped in silence, the air so still that the drop of a pin could be heard clearly.
Duan Yanxing sat on the bed, holding Chi Mu close in his embrace. Her small hands still trembled as they clutched the hem of his shirt, her consciousness somewhat blurred.
“Be good, it’s alright now. I’m here, I’ll protect Wanwan, okay?” Duan Yanxing whispered comfortingly, gently patting her delicate back.
Due to their position, her white dance dress had loosened and spilled over his black suit pants.
The man’s noble and impeccable posture was flawless.
In that moment, black and white formed a striking contrast.
Her upper body was covered only by a short bustier, concealing her vital areas while revealing her slender, fair neck and exquisite collarbones.
Chi Mu’s beautiful eyes were slightly narrowed, her tender pink lips parted slightly as she breathed softly and evenly, appearing utterly shaken.
She huddled in his arms, shivering uncontrollably, her body trembling. The ribbon bells tied to her wrists emitted faint chimes with each slight movement.
At this moment, she resembled a fragile porcelain doll, evoking an irresistible urge to cherish and protect her.
“Wanwan, be good. Sleep for a while, and you’ll feel better when you wake up. Close your eyes, okay?”
Duan Yanxing gently stroked her head, coaxing her with tender patience, as if doting on a little child.
His soothing voice echoed in her ears, and Chi Mu gazed at him with dazed, misty eyes.
His gaze was deep, dark, and intensely focused, as if possessing a certain magic that gradually lulled Chi Mu into slumber.
In her hazy state, Chi Mu seemed to dream. In the dream, a great hero said he was leaving, that he would abandon her in a room full of rats. Terrified, she immediately wrapped her fair, small arms around Duan Yanxing’s neck.
“Hero brother, don’t go…” Her voice, thick with a nasal tone, was soft and low, sounding utterly endearing. “I like you, don’t leave.”
“Hero brother, thank you for saving me.”
Seeing Chi Mu like this, Duan Yanxing’s pupils contracted sharply.
He lowered his gaze to her clear, watery eyes, a complex light flickering in his own.
After a long silence, he stared at her alluring, rosy lips but ultimately dared not kiss them.
He wanted to—desperately, overwhelmingly, to the point of agony—but he couldn’t.
If he kissed her, Wanwan would wake up.
Then all his efforts would have been in vain.
After hesitating for a long while, he finally restrained himself.
“I will save you, my wife,” he promised in a hoarse voice.
In her drowsiness, a faint curve appeared at the corner of Chi Mu’s lips. “I believe Hero brother will definitely save me.”
“Yes, definitely.”
Duan Yanxing said no more, only holding her tighter.
“Be good, sleep now,” he whispered intimately into her ear, murmuring over and over, “My wife, it was my fault for not protecting you well. From now on, I will spend lifetime after lifetime making it up to you. Wait for me, wait until I win you back, okay?”
His voice was soft and low, yet filled with unwavering resolve.
Chi Mu seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, gradually drifting into her dreams.Duan Yanxing gently brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead, lowered his head, and secretly pressed a light kiss to the space between her brows. “Wife.”
Only at times like this did Duan Yanxing dare to secretly call her “wife.”
On ordinary days, even when expressing his feelings, he never dared to be too obvious, afraid of frightening her.
If it weren’t for the fact that a few small animals had scared her so much tonight, the progress between them probably wouldn’t have advanced this quickly.
Duan Yanxing sighed softly.
Perhaps he should speed things up.
But this progress had come at the cost of frightening her—something he didn’t want at all!
…
At that very moment, Qinglong, who had come to the door to confess his crime, stood frozen in place, his entire body chilled. He could already foresee the gruesome fate of being torn to pieces.
But if he didn’t take the initiative to admit his mistake and waited for Master Duan to come find him, the consequences would likely be even worse than being torn to pieces.
Thinking this, he glanced fearfully at A Jiang. After receiving a nod of encouragement, he finally knocked on the door.
The man inside seemed to have anticipated this. He signaled for them to enter.
The group pushed the door open nervously, and what greeted them was an unbelievable scene.
At that moment, Master Duan was holding the girl in his arms, whispering soothing words to her. His movements were so gentle, it was as if he were cradling some rare and precious treasure.
This was truly unheard of and unseen before.
The girl’s petite frame was covered by his coat.
Due to the difference in their sizes, aside from the white dress spilling over the man’s trousers, only a small, fluffy head was visible.
While softly coaxing Chi Mu to sleep, Duan Yanxing cast a sharp glance toward the others.
The two men, swept by his icy gaze, immediately lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
Qinglong mustered his courage and stepped forward. “Master Duan, I… I’ve come to receive my punishment.”
Duan Yanxing’s eyes suddenly darkened, his cold gaze fixed on Qinglong’s face.
It seemed like a warning for him to stay quiet and not wake the little princess in his arms.
Qinglong didn’t dare say another word and immediately retreated to stand to the side.
…
A moment later, only after confirming that the girl in his arms had fallen into a deep sleep did Duan Yanxing turn his head and cast a cold glance at the two men, his voice low. “Get out to the hall. Don’t scare her here.”
“Yes, yes, yes.”
After A Jiang and Qinglong left, Duan Yanxing turned toward the corner of the room and spoke coldly to Xiao Chiyu. “You brat, keep an eye on your mom here. If anything happens, call me immediately, understand?”
At that moment, the little boy was blinking his bright, clear eyes, looking guiltily at his mother on the bed.
This time, he didn’t argue back with his father. He knew it was his own fault that had indirectly led to this situation, so he nodded obediently in agreement.
Only then did Duan Yanxing feel at ease. He gently laid the girl down, his movements so light and careful, as if handling something fragile, afraid of hurting her.
“Wanwan, be good. I need to take care of something and will be back soon.”
After tucking the girl back under the covers, he finally stood up and left the room, heading to the hall outside the Resting Room.
His steps were steady, his expression stern.
“Master!”
Seeing the man, Qinglong and the others greeted him respectfully.
Baihu, who had been watching a performance, had rushed over upon hearing the news, fearing that his brother Qinglong might not survive the day.
Duan Yanxing stood straight before the group. Baihu respectfully lit a cigarette for him, while Qinglong and A Jiang kept their heads bowed, not daring to utter a word.The man’s slender fingers holding a cigarette lifted slightly, the thin white smoke drifting away with the wind.
He glanced at the few men, his eyes revealing a dangerous glint. In the next moment, almost without any warning, he suddenly kicked Qinglong, aiming straight for his chest with such force that it nearly broke several ribs.
Duan Yanxing looked down at the man lying on the ground from above, then handed a pistol to Baihu: “Baihu, do it.”
“Huh?” Baihu was stunned, his hands trembling as he took the pistol. This… Qinglong was his own brother.