Half a year passed quickly.
The kidnapping case that shocked Mingzhu City had gradually faded with the passage of time.
No one knew that there was a missing witness to that event, which led to Qian Hu’s promotion to the head of the city’s criminal police team.
“Mom, I get it, stop worrying.
I’ll definitely go this time.
You can stop talking about it.”
Upon hanging up the phone, Li Yuan rubbed her headache-inflicted temple.
Her mother was once again urging her to go on a blind date.
The thought of this left her feeling helpless.
Originally, she chose to abandon the life of a big city and move to a small provincial town to work just so she wouldn’t be shackled by her family’s expectations.
To her surprise, despite her evasion, she found herself back at square one.
With her status and background, love seemed like an impossible dream.
Even if she looked like Ruhua, a character from Zhou Xingxing’s movies, there would be countless young talents who would risk their lives to marry her.
With a sigh, Li Yuan subtly glanced at the man sitting next to her, certain that he was not one of those men.
The man named Xiao Qiang had appeared two months ago at the rural school where she worked.
He was introduced by the old principal, who, it was said, owed Xiao Qiang his life.
Li Yuan was not clear about the details, but considering the principal’s inflexible and incorruptible reputation, Xiao Qiang’s mysteriousness was evident.
At first, Li Yuan did not pay much attention to him.
However, as time went on and a refined and cultured young man continued to ignore her, Li Yuan could not help but grow curious about Xiao Qiang.
After all, she was fairly confident in her looks.
Could it be that I seem like a village woman after staying in the countryside for so long?
Harbouring such absurd thoughts, Li Yuan watched Xiao Qiang, who was silently staring downwards, and let out a helpless bitter laugh.
This trip was intended for her to attend a blind date that her mother had arranged, as well as to buy a bulk of study materials for her students.
Although as a young woman it was tough to carry heavy loads for over 30 miles, she didn’t regret it.
She knew that she was bringing back not only books but also hope for dozens of children.
What surprised Li Yuan was that Xiao Qiang, who had seemed like an invisible man for months, was also heading to Mingzhu City.
His decision caught her off guard.
It wasn’t that Li Yuan found Xiao Qiang appealing; she was merely upset that she was being ignored by him.
That’s why she intentionally spent time with him.
This was how women were.
If Xiao Qiang had spoken to her voluntarily at school, she would have seen him as an unworthy suitor.
But now that he was ignoring her, she felt that no male should overlook her beauty, unless they were impotent.
Xiao Qiang was not impotent; he simply had no interest in Li Yuan.
Centuries of monastic life had afforded Xiao Qiang an extraordinary resistance to temptation.
From the first time he saw Li Yuan, he noticed the young lady who was different from the village teachers.
At the time, he had just finished his mountain retreat and had already unlocked 35 of the spiritual points in his body.
All he needed was to open the 36th and reach the innate realm.
But breaking through to the innate realm required more than just cultivation; it also required understanding of the natural dao.
So, Xiao Qiang decided to venture out into the world.
Coincidentally, on his journey, he saved Principal—the elder who introduced him to the school—by using an herb to cure the latter’s snakebite.
When the elder found out that his saviour was in need of a place to stay, he firmly agreed and arranged for Xiao Qiang to live in the school dormitory.
It was simple and crude, but at least it provided a place to stay.
Truth be told, Li Yuan was indeed a beautiful woman.
Her face was delicate like an ancient painting, her eyes shone softly like water, and her skin was smooth and fair.
Dressed in a white silk blouse and black jeans, she embodied a blend of elegance and composure.
A normal man would not help but harbour a desire to conquer such a woman.
But for Xiao Qiang, a cultivator, Li Yuan was merely a beautiful co-worker.
Without such self-control, how could he seek the profound truths of Dao?
“Mr.
Xiao, where are you from?” After staring out of the window for a while, Li Yuan couldn’t help but ask Xiao Qiang, who was silent and stone-faced.
With a calm expression, Xiao Qiang replied, “Huaxia.”
Li Yuan was almost speechless with his response.
She regretted asking him anything and rued having tried to make conversation with him.
This wasn’t the first time she had dealt with a tight-lipped man like him.
Just then, the bus suddenly stopped, and upon opening the door, several burly men boarded.
The lead man, bald-headed and tattoos snaking down his arm, emanated an intimidating aura.
The others, sporting dyed hair, nonchalantly whistled at the women on the bus.
Everyone could tell they were up to no good, so they avoided the men.
Whatever seats were near them, were quickly vacated.
People lowered their heads, not daring to meet their gazes.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.” The bald-headed man grinned, “Considering you’ve all been on the road for several hours, we’ve prepared some drinks for you.
Please consider buying some.”
He gestured, and his minions immediately brought up a box of bottled water, which he handed to a middle-aged man wearing glasses sitting near the door, “Brother, buy one.
A hundred yuan.”
One bottle of mineral water, one hundred yuan!
Everyone was stunned.
That’s when they realized, this is the notorious highwayman they’ve heard about.
One must say, he was exceedingly shrewd.
Each box only contained twelve bottles of water, but there were over thirty passengers on the bus.
This means not everyone would have to buy his water.
If he insisted that everyone purchase a bottle, the passengers might rise up against him in unified anger and he wouldn’t make any “deals”.
But he only brought out twelve bottles, which made many people feel fortunate.
After all, there were more monks than meat, so there was always a chance that they wouldn’t have to spend their money.
And the most prominent national failing of the people of Huaxia is detachment in situations that have no relation to them.
Soon, the whole box of mineral water was sold out.
The passengers all kept silent, just quietly handing over money for water.
Xiao Qiang and Li Yuan were sitting in the back, so they did not get a chance to buy any.
But, trouble did not bypass them.
A man with red-dyed hair took one look at Li Yuan, who was sitting in the last row, and his eyes lit up.
Without losing a moment, the man sidled up to the bald man, “Brother Hua, what about that lady?”
Brother Hua followed the direction the man was pointing.
A single glance and he was transfixed, “Damn, that girl is a real catch!” He wasn’t refined, nearly drooling at the sight.
Liu Hua, patting his bald head, headed towards the back of the bus, his two henchmen following close behind him.
Xiao Qiang and Li Yuan were seated in the second to last row of the bus.
Li Yuan was by the window, while Xiao Qiang was next to the aisle.
Liu Hua approached them with his minions in tow.
“Pretty lady, you heading into the city alone?”
Li Yuan, looking out the window, suddenly heard a somewhat mocking voice.
Lifting her head, she saw Liu Hua’s large face not far from hers.
He had pushed away the previous passenger and leaned on the seat in front of Li Yuan, smirking at her.
Li Yuan slightly furrowed her eyebrows and dismissed Liu Hua with a cold snort.
She saw no point in humoring such street scum.
Liu Hua didn’t seem bothered by her indifference.
A lascivious chuckle escaping him, as he ogled Li Yuan’s slightly open shirt.
Because of the heat, Li Yuan had left a couple of buttons on her shirt undone, exposing a bit of her pearl-white skin.
This unsightly scene pleased the thugs.
Li Yuan was getting upset.
She glanced at Xiao Qiang sitting beside her, who had shown no reaction thus far and was beginning to regret asking him along.
He was a complete waste of space, all looks and no substance.
At a time like this, he should’ve stood up for her!
A coward!
Spineless!
Li Yuan gave Liu Hua a cold stare and snapped, “Under the light of day, what do you think you’re doing?
Do you want me to call the police right now?!” “Oh, we’ve got a little spicy one here!
That’s my type.” Liu Hua chuckles, licking his lips, “What do you think, sweetheart?
I just want to have some fun with you!”
Li Yuan was trembling with rage at this man’s audacity.
If they were in Mingzhu City, one phone call would be enough to have him thrown in jail for half the year.
Even if they were not in the city, but in Qingshan Town, the townsfolk would not let him humiliate her.
Just then, Liu Hua’s minion with red-dyed hair suddenly shoved Xiao Qiang, “Hey, you, act sensible, step aside and let Brother Hua through.”
Unexpectedly, Xiao Qiang looked at him, and slowly mouthed the word, “Scram!”
The redhead was stunned, not expecting Xiao Qiang to dare insult him.
In front of the boss, and with numerical superiority, this impudent man pulled out a fruit knife from his pocket, and thrust it towards Xiao Qiang’s thigh, cursing, “Motherfucker, you don’t want face, do you?
Let me bleed you out!”
Just as the words left his mouth, a shrill scream rang out.
The next moment, Li Yuan stared at Xiao Qiang in disbelief, unable to imagine that this seemingly mild, even somewhat timid co-worker, could be so ruthlessly fierce.