On the way back, not far from the bus stop where they had gotten off earlier, Qin Yunxi spotted a meat supply station. She stopped and instructed her daughter, “Sang Sang, put your headscarf on and stay here to watch our things while you wait for me. I still have a few meat coupons that are about to expire. Since there’s a meat station right here, I’ll go buy some so we don’t have to make another trip.”
“It’ll be cooler at the entrance of that alley over there, and it’s not far. Go wait there—Mom will be right back.”
Sang Sang glanced at the crowded meat station nearby, where people were packed shoulder to shoulder. She wrinkled her nose in distaste and naturally had no desire to go along, so she obediently agreed.
Meat coupons were precious these days—she couldn’t let them go to waste.
After walking to the alley her mother had pointed out, Sang Sang, eager for some cool air, wandered deeper and deeper inside until she reached the end before finally stopping.
In the narrow and secluded alley, the air felt noticeably fresher and cooler. She took a deep breath, feeling the summer heat leave her body.
Seeing no one around, she untied the headscarf from her head.
Bored from waiting, she popped a piece of candy into her mouth and began looking around.
The alley she was in was tightly enclosed by buildings on both sides.
Sang Sang wasn’t familiar with Harbin yet and had no idea where exactly she was. Aside from the supply cooperative near the textile factory and her school, she didn’t know much of the city.
After all, she had only recently arrived with her mother.
This was her first time at the department store—she only remembered getting off the bus on the street ahead.
Suddenly, Sang Sang felt a twinge of regret. She had wandered too far just for the sake of cool air. The meat station was no longer in sight, and there wasn’t a single person around. What if she ran into a bad person?
Just as she was regretting it and bending down to pick up the large bags on the ground to head back, she heard a faint rustling sound.
In the silent alley, it sounded especially eerie.
Under normal circumstances, she should have run. But the newly bought bundles were still on the ground. Supplies were scarce these days, and they had used almost all their fabric coupons today—there was no way she could just abandon them.
In the few seconds it took her to bend down and reach for the bags, a force she couldn’t resist suddenly pinned her down.
“Mmmph—!”
Sang Sang might be a bit scheming, but faced with such a sudden situation, she was still terrified. Her eyes instantly reddened.
Was this man after money or after her?
She was doomed—she was so pretty that even if he had only wanted money at first, he might change his mind now.
As her thoughts ran wild, a hoarse male voice sounded by her ear.
“Don’t move. If someone comes later, you’ll help me send them away. Don’t try anything funny. See what I’ve got in my hand? If you want to live, do as I say. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee this thing won’t go off.”
The man’s voice was clearly disguised.
Sang Sang valued her life—how could she refuse? With tears in her eyes, she quickly agreed.
A tear fell onto the man’s hand that was holding her. He seemed to flinch as if burned, then cast a sharp glance at her face.
After seeing it, his brows furrowed even tighter.
Too beautiful—trouble.
Enduring the pain from his gunshot wound, he smeared some wall dust onto her face, then lifted her headscarf and wrapped it back around her neck and head. In a cold voice, he warned, “Cover your face properly. Don’t let it show. If you don’t listen, I’ll ruin that face.”
He didn’t want unnecessary complications. This girl he had accidentally taken hostage was far too eye-catching.
Sang Sang stood pitifully, letting him do as he pleased. Even though her delicate face was rubbed red, she didn’t dare move at all.
She had no choice—this bastard had a gun. She was scared.
…
Before long, a group of men dressed in black, clearly not to be trifled with, arrived. They asked her aggressively whether she had seen a man pass by.
The “bastard” had already hidden himself. Following his earlier instructions, Sang Sang said, “No, I’ve been waiting here for my mom to come back from buying meat. I’ve been here quite a while—haven’t seen anyone except you.”
The flat-headed man stared at her with a sinister gaze.
In the middle of summer, she was wrapped up so tightly—what was she hiding?
Without even asking further, he reached out and yanked off her headscarf.
“Ah! Mister, what are you doing? My face is dirty—I finally covered it with a scarf, why are you pulling it off? You’re bullying me! I’m going to tell my dad when I get home, wuu…” Sang Sang burst into tears instantly, clutching her face as she squatted by the wall and cried loudly without any regard for appearances.
Seeing that she was clearly just an immature girl, the man dismissed his suspicions.
Afraid her crying might attract trouble, he led his men away in another direction.
…
“Wuu… wuu…”
At first, Sang Sang had been pretending, but the more she cried, the more frightened and aggrieved she became—she couldn’t stop.
She had secretly glanced earlier—the flat-headed man also had a gun at his waist. He didn’t look like a good person at all, certainly not military or police.
Then what was he?
Someone who could carry a gun…
Could he be a spy?
The thought terrified her. Her legs were already weak.
“Stop wailing. They’ve gone far enough. Let me see what you’ve got in those bags—something to use for bandaging. I’ll borrow it.”
Listen to that—was that even something a person should say?
This bastard had kept his face covered the whole time. If she lent him something, would she ever get it back?
Why not just call it robbery?
And what exactly was he? Why was he being hunted?
He didn’t look like a good person either—after all, soldiers wouldn’t take even a needle or thread from civilians.
Still, he didn’t seem intent on killing her, and that at least eased her mind a little.
Even so, she cursed him inwardly, though she didn’t dare refuse out loud. In a small voice, she said, “It’s not convenient to show you what’s in the bags—they’re all personal items for girls.”
His gunshot wound was severe. He didn’t even bother arguing with her clumsy excuse—what kind of “personal items” would fill several large bags?
He had been tense the whole time. Now that the people searching for him had gone and only a frightened little girl remained, he knew there was no immediate danger. His body finally relaxed.
The pain followed instantly, spreading through him.
At this point, even speaking felt difficult.
He didn’t hide it, and Sang Sang naturally noticed that he was injured. Suddenly, she grew bolder. A hint of calculation flashed in her eyes, and in a trembling voice, she said, “Big brother… wuu… you’re bleeding. I’ll use my scarf to bandage you.”
“If you don’t say anything, I’ll do it.”
She stepped forward cautiously, removed her scarf, and carelessly wrapped it around his wound. Then, while he wasn’t paying attention, she used all her strength to tie a tight knot right over the injury.
“Hiss—!”
Leaning against the wall, Pei Che broke out in cold sweat from the pain. For a split second, killing intent flashed through him.
But when he saw the little girl’s barely concealed look of triumph, he thought—forget it. After all, she had helped him earlier. No need to argue with a child.
Completely forgetting how cold and ruthless he usually was during missions—someone who would rather kill by mistake than let a threat go.
The pain in his wound intensified after her “help.” His face turned pale as he closed his eyes to rest, forcing himself to stay conscious.
But Sang Sang was not kind-hearted. Seeing how badly this “bastard” was injured, and how he hadn’t even made a sound earlier, she thought he might be on the verge of collapse.
Her desire for revenge surged.
Looking at the man now slumped on the ground like a dying dog, completely lacking the earlier intimidation, Sang Sang quickly stood up, gathered her scattered bags—
And, catching him off guard, viciously kicked the very wound she had just “bandaged.”
…
“Ah!”
A heart-wrenching scream burst from the man’s throat.
In all his twenty-plus years, this was the first time Pei Che had been outplayed in the gutter.
But he had undergone special training. In an instant, he pulled out the gun at his waist—
And aimed it at the wicked girl who was already running away as fast as a rabbit…