At that moment, a figure suddenly rushed out from a nearby alley, chasing after the person ahead.
This figure moved extremely fast, like a green lightning bolt, and within moments, had pinned the person to the ground.
Yao Yunzhen and Yu Wen quickly caught up as well.
Seeing Yu Feng, Yao Yunzhen was so angry that she immediately reached out and twisted his ear.
“Pant, pant… You little rascal! What were you chasing him for? If he got away, he got away. What if he had accomplices?”
Hearing this clear and pleasant voice, Xie Jingyue instinctively looked up and was instantly stunned.
It was her—the girl he had seen eating at the State-run Restaurant yesterday.
Xie Jingyue happened to be handling some business nearby today. Just as he finished, he heard someone shouting about a robbery. As a soldier, he rushed out without a second thought, never expecting that the person in need of help was the same girl from yesterday.
They really were fated.
Xie Jingyue’s heart began to race again, and unfamiliar emotions stirred within him.
It felt strange and left him somewhat at a loss.
It wasn’t until the person he was restraining beneath him sensed the pressure easing and began struggling fiercely that Xie Jingyue snapped back to reality.
He quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look any longer, and pressed the man firmly back onto the ground.
Having his ear twisted didn’t bother Yu Feng in the slightest. He grinned foolishly and asked with concern, “Cousin, check if the money in your pocket is still there.”
“Don’t you dare do something like this again.”
After issuing another warning, Yao Yunzhen reached into her pocket to check.
Everything was still there—the only thing missing was the mask that had been on her face.
Yao Yunzhen couldn’t help but laugh in frustration, exclaiming, “What a lunatic! He didn’t steal money—he stole a mask!”
Because the mask had been violently torn off, her ears still hurt a little.
No doubt about it—her ears were probably bright red.
Hearing this, Xie Jingyue couldn’t help but glance at Yao Yunzhen’s ears.
They were flushed crimson—it must have been painful.
Xie Jingyue felt a pang of discomfort, wishing the redness would vanish immediately. His patience with the still-struggling thief wore even thinner.
“Stay still.”
The pinned man had no intention of complying. “Let me go! I didn’t do anything. What right do you have to arrest me?”
Only then did Yao Yunzhen turn her attention to the two men.
She first looked at the kind helper.
When she got a clear view of his face, her eyes instantly lit up.
He was an exceptionally handsome man—with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and an imposing, heroic aura.
Dressed in an army-green military uniform, the crisp lines of his outfit accentuated his broad shoulders and trim waist. As he restrained the thief, the muscles in his arms bulged, radiating an intense masculine energy.
As for the man pinned beneath him, he was a scrawny fellow with shifty eyes that darted around nervously. He was still protesting his innocence, and his overall demeanor made him seem untrustworthy.
Perhaps because of him, and the fact that Yao Yunzhen’s ears had been chafed by the mask straps, she found everything about him irritating and repulsive.
“Thank you, comrade. If it weren’t for your help, this guy would have gotten away.”
Xie Jingyue avoided Yao Yunzhen’s gaze, pursed his lips, and feigned calm as he replied, “It was my duty.”
He hoisted the man up. “This guy is very uncooperative. Let me help you take him to the Public Security Bureau.”
Yao Yunzhen was delighted. “Thank you so much!”
This was a grown man, and he was fast. With their slight builds, there was no guarantee they could have subdued him on their own.
If he managed to break free, there would be no way to catch him again.
But…
“He didn’t steal anything. Will it be useful to send him to the Public Security Bureau?”
“That’s right, I didn’t steal anything at all. Let me go—”
The man was still shouting defiantly, but when his eyes fell on Yao Yunzhen’s face, he instantly fell silent.
In that moment, it seemed as though he had regained his sense of shame. His eyes darted away, and his face was filled with embarrassment.
He lowered his head, stopped struggling, and obediently allowed Xie Jingyue to escort him away.
Yao Yunzhen covered her face with her hand, slightly bowed her head, and followed behind Xie Jingyue.
At this moment, she unexpectedly thought of her fiancé, whom she had never met and whose name she didn’t even know.
She heard he had joined the army. She could only hope he was doing well there and could become her support.
At the very least, it would allow her to go out without having to wear a mask anymore.
She was truly tired of this kind of concealed life—wearing a mask was stifling and uncomfortable.
…
In an alley not far away, Yao Meimei and a man were hiding, watching the group walk away.
Seeing the man still staring intently at Yao Yunzhen’s retreating figure, a look of disgust flashed across Yao Meimei’s face.
“So? Did I lie to you?”
This man was the son of the Revolutionary Committee Director, named Lu Yikang.
Despite his father being the Revolutionary Committee Director, he himself was unruly and secretly engaged in business, wielding considerable influence in the black market.
When she saw him wandering around the black market yesterday, she suddenly remembered events from her past life.
In her past life, after Yao Yunzhen started working in the county, this Lu Yikang had also harassed her. It was only later, when many people were rehabilitated and his father’s crimes of framing loyal citizens were exposed, that his family fell from power.
He himself ended up in prison due to his numerous misdeeds, which finally put an end to his harassment of Yao Yunzhen.
But that was still several years away. For now, the Lu family’s influence remained strong.
Thinking about her own situation, Yao Meimei realized that as a vulnerable woman, if she wanted to do business in the black market, it would be best to find someone to protect her.
Almost instantly, Yao Meimei thought of pushing Yao Yunzhen forward in exchange for Lu Yikang’s patronage.
Since Lu Yikang had been attracted to Yao Yunzhen in her past life, it should naturally be no different in this one.
All she needed to do was make sure Lu Yikang saw Yao Yunzhen’s face.
Yao Meimei immediately sought out Lu Yikang and vigorously promoted Yao Yunzhen to him.
After much effort, Lu Yikang finally agreed to meet her, but who knew Yao Yunzhen would refuse to go out with her?
Left with no choice, she turned back to find Lu Yikang again.
Risking a beating, she finally succeeded in piquing Lu Yikang’s curiosity enough to make him agree to cooperate with her.
Yao Meimei knew that hearing about something was not as convincing as seeing it with one’s own eyes.
So, the first thing she had to do was make sure Lu Yikang saw Yao Yunzhen’s true appearance.
Even if he only saw her once, he would never give up on Yao Yunzhen.
Lu Yikang had initially just been looking for some amusement to pass the time, but he never expected to see a beauty who resembled a celestial being.
After seeing Yao Yunzhen, it took him a long time to snap out of his daze. He didn’t even react when his subordinate was captured, his mind wholly occupied by the stunning beauty.
As he watched the graceful figure walking further away, he was practically drooling.
Yao Meimei raised her voice: “Are you satisfied?”
“Satisfied, heh heh, very satisfied.”
“Tell me more about her.”
Yao Meimei took a deep breath. “Zhenzhen…”
“Hehe, she’s called Zhenzhen. What a lovely name.”
Lu Yikang seemed lost in thought again, grinning foolishly as his mind wandered off somewhere.
Watching Lu Yikang’s behavior, Yao Meimei felt an inexplicable discomfort stirring in her heart.
Throughout the series of earlier tests, she hadn’t dared to let her gaze fall upon Yao Yunzhen, deliberately looking elsewhere instead.