The Ye family lived in Mumian Alley, Yuncheng, surrounded by neighbors who had lived there for decades. Ye Li had grown up in Mumian Alley and knew the area inside out. Her mind was preoccupied with matters, and she wanted to find a quiet place to think things through. Given the current situation at the Ye household, she certainly couldn’t stay there all the time. Judging by Ye Jianguo’s behavior today, he had clearly decided that all the treasures her mother had left were now in his hands, and he would never let it go. There would undoubtedly be constant trouble. Lin Zhiyue had no maternal family, and Ye Li was virtually alone in Yuncheng.
Lost in thought, she unknowingly arrived at Liuxi Bay, a place she had often played as a child. It was a bend of the Chilin River, with weeping willows along the bank and a levee covered in graffiti made by kids with stones and chalk. Normally, residents liked to gather here to enjoy the breeze, relax, and chat. But it was getting late, and in autumn, fewer people were around.
As Ye Li walked, she suddenly sensed something was off. Behind her, at just the right distance—not too far, not too close—three rough-looking young men were following her. Ye Li stopped, slowly turned around, and saw three young men in worn cotton clothes approaching her with grins.
The leader wore a gray-blue work cap pulled low, staggering slightly as he walked up. He flicked ash from his cigarette, revealing frayed dark-gray sweater cuffs with dried leaves stuck to the hem.
“Hey, little sister, all alone? Want some company from us?” he said, one hand in his pocket, legs twitching as his gaze lingered over Ye Li’s face. It had to be said—Jiang Bowen’s fiancée was really pretty, much more attractive than that pretentious Ye Zhirou. That kid was really wasting her by letting them ruin her.
The other two hunched their shoulders, clutching their faded cotton jackets, grinning lecherously. “Yeah, little sister! Let us walk with you—you’re all alone and must be lonely.”
“You’re really pretty, little sister. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of you.”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, showing no fear at all. Anyone could tell these three were sent by Jiang Bowen. Ridiculous—she hadn’t even had a chance to confront him, and he was already delivering the perfect excuse for trouble.
In her past life, she had suffered ten years of abuse from Liu Gousheng in the countryside, then was sent to a mental hospital and beaten. She had only been timid, not incapable of fighting. Times were different now. From the moment she woke up in this life, she had sworn never to compromise or submit. Who didn’t know how to fight? The weak feared the strong, the strong feared the ruthless, and the ruthless feared death.
Moreover, after drinking a cup of Lingquan Water every day recently, Ye Li found her body had strengthened, and her power had increased significantly. A faint, almost playful smile appeared on her face as excitement surged within her: “You really want me to walk with you?”
The leader, assuming she was scared, smirked smugly and reached out to grab her. “Little sister, don’t be ungrateful. Come with us. We’ll make it worth your while.”
“Sure!” Ye Li smiled, but her eyes went cold. She suddenly unleashed a groin kick. The youth screamed in pain, bent over, sweating profusely. Shaking, he pointed at Ye Li, gritting his teeth and cursing, “You bitch! Shengli, Defa, get her—kill this bitch!”
The other two felt a chill rush between their legs, as if something had shattered in their ears. Shivering, they exchanged glances, then lunged at Ye Li with shrill cries.
Ye Li moved agilely, picking up a stone from the ground.
“Stop!” a commanding voice shouted from nearby. Ye Li and the three youths all turned to look. A young man, walking quickly despite using a cane, approached. He had sharp brows, bright eyes, and an imposing presence that demanded respect. Ye Li was surprised—the young man stepping up to protect a girl was none other than Duan Jiami.
The two thugs laughed brazenly upon seeing him. “Hahaha… Strange things happen every year, but this year’s special! A crippled guy wants to play hero and save the girl. Kid, do you want me to break your other leg too?”
Duan Jiami remained unmoved, coldly sweeping his gaze over them. “How dare you bully a young girl in broad daylight? You have some nerve!”
The thug named Shengli loosened the collar of his worn jacket and sneered at Duan Jiami. “Hey, cripple! We’re just bullying her. What are you gonna do?”
The thug named Defa stepped forward with a menacing look, swallowing thickly as his triangular eyes narrowed. “Walking all wonky and still playing hero? You’ll crawl home if you try to stop us.” He deliberately rammed his shoulder into Duan Jiami.
Duan Jiami side-stepped skillfully, unaffected. He swung a fist back with a muffled “bang,” hitting Defa hard in the stomach. Defa instantly turned pale, crouching, unable to straighten his back.
Shengli gritted his teeth and rushed at Duan Jiami, throwing punches. Although Duan Jiami’s legs were impaired, he reacted extremely fast, quickly blocking with his cane. Shengli’s fists hit the cane, sending vibrations up Duan Jiami’s arm. Seizing the moment, Duan Jiami swept the cane, causing Shengli to lose balance, nearly stumbling.
The leader of the youths had just regained his composure on the ground. Seeing his two subordinates already beaten, he was furious with humiliation. He drew a dagger from his waist and viciously stabbed toward Duan Jiami.
Ye Li’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively shouted, “Watch out!”
Duan Jiami, however, remained calm. He sidestepped and struck the thug’s arm with a palm. The leader’s arm shot with pain, and the dagger nearly slipped from his grasp. Seizing the opportunity, Duan Jiami punched his wrist, and the dagger clattered to the ground.
Seeing things going badly, the leader tried to turn and flee. Ye Li leaped forward, grabbed him by the collar, and said, “Go back and tell Jiang Bowen—if you dare pull a stunt like this again, I’ll make sure he pays for it.”
With that, she gave a sharp tug. The thug staggered back a few steps before regaining his balance. The three thugs, realizing they couldn’t get the upper hand, exchanged glances and then scrambled away.
Once they had disappeared into the distance, Ye Li dropped the stone in her hand and turned her gaze to Duan Jiami, her eyes full of gratitude. “Thank you for helping me.”
Duan Jiami smiled faintly, his expression softening a little. “It was nothing.”
“No, I insist on thanking you! How about this—whenever you’re free, I’ll treat you to a meal!” Ye Li also wanted to discuss the matter with him about Ye Zhirou; since Jiang Bowen was involved with Ye Zhirou, he had the right to know the truth.
Duan Jiami looked at Ye Li calmly. “No need for a meal. In the future, if this happens again, remember to report it to the police.”
Ye Li nodded with a smile. “I’ll remember, thank you. But this meal is definitely on me. Let’s just say this weekend at noon, the state-owned restaurant. Don’t miss it.”
Seeing that it was getting late, she waved at him and turned toward Mumian Alley without waiting for him to refuse.
Watching Ye Li’s retreating figure, a trace of curiosity appeared in Duan Jiami’s eyes.