Pei Wanyou mentally prepared herself for a few seconds. If she just sat there waiting for death, death would be the only thing awaiting her—because she had just witnessed everything.
“…”
Pei Wanyou took a deep breath. The moment the man raised his arm and aimed the gun, her agile body lunged forward. Her palms pressed against the ground, and before the man could react, she delivered a swift side kick…
A sharp “crack” echoed as the man’s forearm went limp and dropped uncontrollably.
His arm had been fully extended while holding the gun, and Pei Wanyou’s kick landed squarely on his elbow joint. She caught the black pistol as it fell.
The man’s companion was the first to react. The girl standing not far away looked harmless, with eyes brimming with fear and a petite frame. No one had expected her to fight back.
“…”
By the time Bai Yanzhou arrived, the scene was already chaotic. Some were trying to maintain order, and an ambulance from the hospital had also pulled up.
“Mommy…”
A little boy had gotten separated from his family amid the chaos.
As Bai Yanzhou passed by, he bent down and picked up the boy, then casually handed him to a brother beside him. “Take him to the claim center.”
Lu Shu’an had a bad feeling. He followed closely behind Bai Yanzhou, with over a dozen of the Bai family’s men trailing behind them.
They arrived at the Hume self-select store where Pei Wanyou had disappeared.
The car Pei Wanyou had been in was parked across the street. Inside, two shadows were pressed close together, and a pink hairband stood out starkly.
The car had been smashed and deformed.
When Lu Shu’an saw the hairband, his mind went blank with a deafening “boom.” He forced himself to stay calm.
Bai Yanzhou, walking ahead, had a changed look in his eyes. As he approached, his legs trembled…
Memories of Pei Wanyou’s voice flooded his mind:
“I don’t want to! You always bully me. I’m telling my mom, wuwu…”
“Brother, they hit me…”
“Brother, do you think this dress looks pretty on me? I really have the potential to be a princess!”
Bai Yanzhou’s heart clenched violently. A buzzing filled his ears, his eyes reddened, and veins bulged on his arms.
“What are you standing around for?!” Bai Yanzhou’s voice was loud, but he was already struggling to hold back his emotions.
It was as if, as long as he didn’t think the worst, Pei Wanyou would be okay.
Lu Shu’an and a few others stepped forward.
“Useless!”
Bai Yanzhou kicked aside the person in front of him. He bent his tall frame and yanked hard at the car door, which had been deformed from the smashing.
“Brother Bai.” Lu Shu’an’s voice was hoarse.
If someone had been inside a car smashed like that, they wouldn’t have survived. He was afraid Bai Yanzhou wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Even though the two of them often bickered, she was still the little sister he had protected since childhood.
Bai Yanzhou couldn’t hear anything now. Even his arms were trembling, not because the weight was too heavy.
“Brother…”
Pei Wanyou’s pink dress was filthy beyond recognition, her delicate face smudged with dirt. In her hand, she still held the Magic Wand Jiang Lu had paid for. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she looked so pitiful, as if a gust of wind could knock her over…
Hearing the voice behind him, Bai Yanzhou straightened up. His golden hair was no longer neat, strands falling loosely. His suit was covered in dust—he rarely let himself become this disheveled.
Lu Shu’an slumped to the ground. Those few short minutes had felt longer than a century. Thankfully, the young mistress was unharmed.
Bai Yanzhou strode quickly over to Pei Wanyou. “Didn’t I tell you this morning not to wander off everywhere!”
“Wuwu…” Pei Wanyou reached out and wrapped her arms around Bai Yanzhou’s waist, tears welling up in her eyes. She had almost died just moments ago.
Through his clothes, she could feel his warmth, and her emotions gradually began to settle.
Bai Yanzhou’s large hand landed on Pei Wanyou’s shoulder, pressing her firmly against his chest. “What do you know besides crying?”
All she knew was how to cause trouble. She was already a mother, yet she still acted like a child who never grew up.
Pei Wanyou smeared her tears and snot all over Bai Yanzhou’s clothes, along with the grime she had picked up near the garbage pile. At a time like this, he still had the nerve to scold her.
If she had died, he probably would have been overjoyed.
“Take the young mistress back,” Bai Yanzhou said, shoving Pei Wanyou out of his embrace. “From now on, she is not allowed to leave the house without my permission.”
“Wuwu, I’m going to tell my mom on you…” Pei Wanyou wiped her tears, crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. Her shoulders trembled, and her fair cheeks flushed red from lack of oxygen.
Bai Yanzhou: “Go ahead and tell her, wherever you want.”
Pei Wanyou accidentally pressed the button on the Magic Wand. A long string of incantations and music played from it, ending with the phrase, “I’m going to transform!”
The thought that she had nearly died here just to buy this useless thing infuriated Bai Yanzhou. He turned and threw the Magic Wand away.
“Wuwu—”
Pei Wanyou cried even harder. How could anyone be so hateful? He wasn’t even as protective of her as he had been when they were children.
Lu Shu’an’s expression was complicated. Who was the one who had nearly gone insane just moments ago? Had he been mistaken?
“Young mistress, this place isn’t safe. Let’s go back first,” Lu Shu’an stepped forward, taking off his jacket and draping it over Pei Wanyou’s shoulders.
To him, Pei Wanyou was just a little sister who loved beauty and enjoyed acting spoiled.
Pei Wanyou pouted, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, she went and picked up the Magic Wand.
Bai Yanzhou was nothing but a grump, the annoying kind.
“Brother Lu, I have a close friend named Jiang Lu, and she’s missing,” Pei Wanyou said, looking at Lu Shu’an. “I have to go find her.”
That was her best friend. She couldn’t just obediently listen to Bai Yanzhou and go home. At the very least, she had to find Jiang Lu before she could feel at ease.
Lu Shu’an looked troubled. “Young mistress, let me take you home first. Don’t worry, I’ll send someone to look for that girl named Jiang Lu.”
“Youyou.” Jiang Lu’s face was covered in dust, her tears streaking through it like painted talismans.
When the shooting started, she had been dragged into the basement by the store manager of Hume. She had wanted to run and find Pei Wanyou, but the gunfire had kept going.
Pei Wanyou turned around, and the two girls embraced, sobbing uncontrollably.
Bai Yanzhou walked past Jiang Lu, grabbing Pei Wanyou’s arm and dragging her toward the parking area.
“What are you doing? At least give me some face in front of my friends,” Pei Wanyou stumbled along beside Bai Yanzhou.
Jiang Lu stood frozen in place. Lu Shu’an handed her the Magic Wand he was holding. Their eyes met, and he gave a slight smile.
“…”
What kind of wonderful life was Pei Wanyou living? How come all the men around her had broad shoulders, narrow waists, and long legs…
“Text me when you get home,” Jiang Lu called out loudly.
Pei Wanyou was shoved into the car, and Bai Yanzhou slammed the door shut with a heavy thud.
No one spoke a word throughout the journey. Pei Wanyou kept her distance from Bai Yanzhou, afraid he might vent his frustration by spanking her.
After more than twenty minutes of winding mountain roads, the car came to a steady stop.
Si Xiang and Bai Miaomiao looked grim. They had already heard the relevant news—how could someone act so brazenly?
Pei Wanyou tugged at Bai Yanzhou’s sleeve. “Please don’t mention that I wandered off today. Auntie isn’t in good health, and you wouldn’t want her to worry, right?”
“That depends on your behavior,” Bai Yanzhou said as he opened the car door.
Pei Wanyou rolled her eyes inwardly. How much more did she have to behave? This was clearly bullying.
“Dad, Mom,” Bai Yanzhou walked over. “I just got back from downtown.”
“Don’t discuss this in front of your sister,” Bai Miaomiao whispered, then smiled and opened her arms. “Where did you go to play today, Youyou?”
Pei Wanyou was covered in dirt. Just as she was thinking of an excuse to brush it off, Bai Yanzhou’s cold voice cut in.
“She went downtown.”
“…”