Yan Luoxi had wanted to just leave, but she was only wrapped in a bath towel. If she went out like that, people would definitely think she was a lunatic!
Besides, she didn’t have any money or her phone. How was she supposed to leave?
After a moment’s thought, she spotted Gu Yizhou’s clean clothes drying on the balcony. She walked over, took down a sweatsuit, and went back into the bathroom to change.
Once dressed, Yan Luoxi turned to give the door to Gu Yizhou’s bedroom a long, hard look. Tearing her eyes away, she walked to the front door, gently opened it, and stepped outside, quickly disappearing into the night...
*
*
*
「4:30 AM.」
In a spacious flat in Modu Center, Roy stood before a floor-to-ceiling window, gazing outside. She held a slim cigarette in one hand and pressed her other against her temple, her face etched with worry.
A full ten hours had passed since Yan Luoxi disappeared.
She had sent out so many people to look for her, but it was as if Yan Luoxi had vanished into thin air. There was no news whatsoever.
It was impossible for her to sleep!
’Luoxi, you have to be okay...’
Roy prayed over and over.
RING—RING—
Just then, a piercing ringtone shattered the silence.
Hearing the sound, Roy’s eyes lit up. She spun around and hurried to the sofa to grab her phone.
An unknown number was displayed on the screen.
Without hesitation, Roy answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Who is this?"
The moment she spoke, she heard Yan Luoxi’s cool, clear voice on the other end. "Yiyi, it’s me!"
"Luoxi, where have you been? You worried me to death!"
Roy’s voice was thick with emotion as she heard that familiar sound.
Yan Luoxi sighed. "It’s a long story, Yiyi. I’m outside Binjiang Mansion No. 1 District right now. Can you send a car to pick me up?"
"Okay!"
"Don’t move. I’m on my way to get you myself!"
Roy said at once.
She hung up in a hurry, stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray, grabbed her coat and car keys from the sofa, and rushed out the door without a second thought.
WHOOSH...
Meanwhile, Yan Luoxi hung up the phone and let out a deep breath. She turned and handed the phone back to the elderly guard in the security booth.
"Sir, thank you. Here’s your phone back."
She said, thanking the guard.
"Ah."
"It’s nothing, no need to be so formal."
"More importantly, were you able to reach your friend? It’s so late."
The gate guard waved his hand and asked casually.
"Yes, I reached her. She’s on her way to pick me up now."
Yan Luoxi replied with a slight nod.
"Oh, you reached her? That’s good!"
The guard nodded, then said, "Well... young lady, it’s late and the mist is getting heavy. You’ll catch a cold out here. Come inside and wait for your friend!"
Hearing him say that, Yan Luoxi did feel a bit of a chill.
In September, the temperature in Modu could drop quite a bit at night. She was only wearing a thin sweatsuit with nothing underneath, and when the wind blew, she definitely felt a chill.
Pulling her clothes tighter, Yan Luoxi finally nodded and stepped inside the security booth.
The gate guard was a kind-hearted man. When Yan Luoxi came in, he immediately offered her his chair. He then stepped outside the booth, lit a cigarette, and began to smoke with satisfaction.
About twenty minutes later.
A Range Rover with Modu license plates appeared at the entrance of Binjiang Mansion No. 1 District, moving at high speed.
SCREECH—
The jarring sound of tires screeching against the pavement suddenly rang out, exceptionally piercing in the dead of night.
Hearing the noise from inside the security booth, Yan Luoxi stood up and walked out.
THUMP.
The car door opened, and a woman dressed in professional business attire stepped out from the driver’s side.
’A Range Rover and an Iron Maiden—a perfect match, indeed!’
That’s right.
The newcomer was none other than Roy, the Vice President of Tidal Group, also known as the "Iron Maiden."
After getting out of the car, she spotted Yan Luoxi emerging from the security booth and strode quickly toward her.
"Luoxi, are you okay?"
she asked, her face full of concern.
"Mm... I’m fine."
Yan Luoxi nodded and said, "Let’s head back before we talk."
"Okay!"
Roy knew this wasn’t the place to talk, so she simply nodded without saying anything more.
The heart that had been lodged in her throat could finally settle back into her chest.
"Sir, my friend is here to pick me up, so I’ll be leaving now!"
"Thank you for your help. I’ll come back and visit when I have time."
Before she left, Yan Luoxi remembered to turn and speak to the elderly guard standing outside the booth.
"Alrighty!"
"You’re too kind, young lady. It was nothing, don’t give it a second thought."
The security guard exhaled a puff of smoke, revealing a set of yellowed teeth as he waved his hand dismissively.
At that, Yan Luoxi said no more. She just waved at the guard and said, "Goodbye, sir!"
With that, she turned, opened the car door, and got into the passenger seat of the Range Rover.
Roy didn’t say anything, but she gave the security guard a slight nod before starting the car and speeding away.
*
*
*
「Downtown, Cuihu Villa Estate.」
This was the only villa estate located in the heart of Modu.
It had survived only because it was developed long ago; modern villa developments could only be built on the outskirts of the city.
After all, in a city like Modu, where every inch of land was as precious as gold, the government no longer had spare plots to approve the construction of such massive estates.
This was where Yan Luoxi lived.
"Luoxi, what happened?"
"You disappeared for more than ten hours without a word. I haven’t slept a wink!"
Roy said, her expression serious as she faced Yan Luoxi on the villa’s sofa.
"Uhh..."
Hearing her best friend’s question, Yan Luoxi was momentarily at a loss for words.
’After all, I can’t just tell her that I randomly turned into a cat, got taken home by someone, and spent the night there, can I?’
’If I told her something that ridiculous, Roy would probably think I’ve lost my mind!’
’Heck, if it hadn’t actually happened to me, I wouldn’t believe it myself, let alone Roy!’
So, after a moment of thought, Yan Luoxi decided against telling her the truth.
"Um... something unexpected came up, and my phone broke. I just didn’t get a chance to tell you."
She thought for a moment before making up a vague excuse.
Roy: "..."
Hearing this explanation, Roy couldn’t help but roll her eyes.