The moment she saw Gong Ming, tears instantly welled up in her eyes, and she cried out pitifully, “Uncle… save me…”
“Mm.” Gong Ming responded indifferently, walking closer to Cheng Youyi and crouching down beside her to carefully examine her injuries.
His gaze swept over her injured arm, his brows slightly furrowed, and a dark glint flashed in his eyes.
“Where’s the doctor?” the man coldly snapped at the black-clad subordinates behind him.
“Gong… Mr. Gong, we’ve already sent for one,” the black-clad subordinate behind him replied, lowering his head.
“Hurry and urge them.”
After speaking, Gong Ming reached out and grasped her slender arm, inspecting the wound on it.
Cheng Youyi instinctively pulled her arm back, taking a step backward as she glanced at him timidly, sobbing, “Uncle, it hurts…”
“Will you dare to run around recklessly next time?” The man’s tone remained calm, betraying no emotion.
But his gaze made Cheng Youyi feel afraid. She bit her lip and shook her head, her small shoulders trembling slightly, looking utterly pitiful.
She had truly been terrified.
She thought she was doomed.
She never expected those two big creatures would actually let her go.
She still remembered the ferocious appearance of the tiger when she opened the door earlier, scaring her nearly out of her wits.
“Mr. Gong, the doctor is here.” Wen Zhuo followed behind several medical staff, who rushed over carrying medical kits and bandages.
Seeing this, the man finally withdrew his gaze. He reached out a large hand to wrap around Cheng Youyi’s waist, lifting her up, then strode into the nearby lounge.
Ignoring her objections, Gong Ming sat her on his lap, holding her firmly in his embrace.
“No~~” Cheng Youyi winced in pain, wrinkling her small nose as she squirmed, trying to break free from Gong Ming’s hold.
“Behave.” Gong Ming glared at her, his tone domineering and forceful.
Scolded by the man like this, the young girl felt a surge of grievance, a warm tear sliding down the corner of her eye. She pouted, her teary eyes fixed on Gong Ming, filled with accusation.
Why did he yell at her? Why was he so harsh with her?
It was his pet tiger that bullied her first!
“Apply the medicine first.” The man’s heart ached as he looked at her bleeding arm.
He glanced up, signaling to the doctors who had entered.
After receiving permission, the doctors quickly stepped forward to treat her wound.
Gong Ming’s gaze remained fixed on the delicate young girl in his arms. Seeing her pained expression as she endured the pain, he felt even more that he should have killed those two beasts—and Wen Zhuo and the others.
“Endure it. If it hurts, hold onto me.” Gong Ming coaxed the young girl in his arms softly, his large hand gently pulling her small head into his embrace.
Such a gentle, doting tone utterly shocked everyone.
Their Mr. Gong was known for his coldness and ruthlessness, yet now he could speak so softly and tenderly.
Cheng Youyi’s heart seemed to stop in that moment.
She leaned dazedly against his chest, and under Gong Ming’s soothing, gradually forgot the pain radiating from her hand.
Only after her slender arm was wrapped in white bandages did Cheng Youyi snap back to reality.
Remembering how she had just allowed Gong Ming to hold her, and in such a public setting, she instantly flushed bright red with embarrassment.
But thinking back to how he had just scolded her, Cheng Youyi felt deeply wronged. She buried her head sullenly against the man’s chest, her small hands tightly clutching the expensive fabric of his shirt.
Gong Ming watched her childish actions and couldn’t help but curve his thin lips, a flicker of amusement flashing in his eyes. “A few words and you’re already upset? Such a child.”
Cheng Youyi sniffled, her voice muffled. “You’re the child. I’m nineteen, not that young…”
Seeing this, Gong Ming sighed softly. He pulled her away slightly, lowering his head to meet her gaze, and asked seriously, “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was just now?”
Cheng Youyi blinked, turning her head away slightly without a word.
Though she didn’t want to admit it, she had been truly terrified.
She had never encountered anything like this before, especially with those two enormous creatures lunging at her from both sides.
Gong Ming patiently continued to coax her. “I can indulge you in anything, but this was dangerous for you. If Xiao Mang and Shen Ye hadn’t just returned from a mission recently, you would have lost your life.”
Hearing this, Cheng Youyi stared at him with wide, clear eyes, stunned for a moment before asking, “So… they eat people?”
“Of course. They are wild beasts and giant serpents, just like my subordinates—not pets in a zoo for people to admire. They saw you as prey just now, but because they couldn’t agree on how to divide you…” Gong Ming paused, watching the girl’s frightened expression, then continued, “Will you listen to me from now on?”
Cheng Youyi gasped sharply, looking at the man with bewildered unease.
So…
She had narrowly escaped death just now, all because the two monsters couldn’t agree on how to tear her apart?
“Uncle…” Cheng Youyi looked up at the man pitifully, her long lashes still glistening with droplets of moisture, like a little kitten that had suffered endless grievances. She asked timidly, “Then… will they come after me again in the future?”
“If you don’t listen, maybe they will.” Gong Ming seized the opportunity to deliberately scare her.
Sure enough, Cheng Youyi’s fear deepened. She clutched the man’s collar tightly, pleading, “Uncle, please don’t let them eat me…”
Watching Cheng Youyi’s frightened expression, Gong Ming narrowed his eyes slightly, his mood improving a little.
“Uncle?”
“How about changing how you address me?”
“Huh?”
Seeing Cheng Youyi’s bewildered and flustered look, Gong Ming took the chance to grip her slender waist with his large hand. His calloused palm slid upward, tickling her.
Cheng Youyi’s face flushed bright red. She kept dodging his increasingly rough fingers, her trembling voice betraying her panic. “Un… Uncle, don’t.”
“You You, do you plan to call me ‘Uncle’ for the rest of your life?”
“I…” Cheng Youyi opened her mouth but didn’t know how to deny it.
Unable to break free, she simply buried her head in the man’s chest, pretending to be an ostrich.
A faint smile played on Gong Ming’s lips as he reached out to tousle her hair.
His movements were gentle and soft, and even his voice was much warmer than before. “Even after all this, you still don’t want to marry me?”
His voice was deep and husky, sending tingles through Cheng Youyi’s ears.
She pursed her lips, her voice muffled. “But… you’re my elder…”
“If I marry you, my Dad and Grandpa will beat me to death.”
Her family was strict. If her parents discovered she had disregarded the Cheng Family’s reputation and future prospects by secretly being with Gong Ming, the younger uncle of the Gong family, they would surely beat her to death.
Moreover, he was ten years older than her and belonged to the same generation as her father. If they were to become in-laws in the future, the situation would seem rather absurd.
“An elder?” Gong Ming raised an eyebrow, clearly displeased with the term.
“Yes, you are my uncle,” Cheng Youyi emphasized again, deliberately using the formal “you” in hopes that the man would give up the idea of marrying her.