Wen Yu’s face turned pale from pain, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She gritted her teeth and said, “Can you at least give me a warning first?”
“If you’re caught off guard, you won’t have psychological pressure.”
“So I should be thanking you?”
“No need.”
The man’s expression was solemn, making it hard to tell whether he was serious or joking.
He found a suitable wooden stick and used it to make a simple splint for Wen Yu. Then he checked her ankle—fortunately, there was no major problem.
“Your hand.”
“Hmm?”
“Did you climb over a wall? If your force point was wrong, your hand could be fractured too.”
Wen Yu quickly shook her head. “My hand isn’t injured.”
But Shao Wenyue didn’t feel reassured and decided to check it himself.
When he squeezed her hand, Wen Yu gasped in pain.
Not detecting any bone issues, he lifted up her shirt sleeve. From her wrist to her elbow, there was a deep gash, now covered in thick scabbing. No need to think—it must have bled heavily at the time.
Shao Wenyue felt a suffocating pressure in his chest. With how delicate she was, she must have cried back then.
His already expressionless face tightened further, dark and heavy. Wen Yu found it intimidating and instinctively pulled her hand back.
“Don’t move.”
Wen Yu’s chest rose and fell. “I’m already injured. Can you stop being so fierce? Why are you showing me such a dark face?”
“I’m not being fierce.”
Wen Yu sighed. Forget it—he’s just a wooden block. Why bother arguing?
She gently lifted her wrist. When he saw the bloodied palm, Shao Wenyue’s self-blame deepened. He had rushed here as fast as possible, but she was still badly injured.
“These are just superficial wounds. It’s nothing serious,” Wen Yu said, pulling her hand back. Compared to the despair of being trapped among traffickers, this pain meant nothing.
“Why aren’t you crying?”
Aside from when they first met—when she cried from fear and grievance—why wasn’t she crying now, even though she was clearly in pain?
Wen Yu was confused. This man really spoke strangely.
“When are we leaving?”
“Now.”
Shao Wenyue lifted her onto his back, carefully avoiding her injured knee. “Don’t move your left leg. You can lean on me to save strength.”
This was not the time to be picky. Wen Yu obediently followed instructions, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing against his back.
The soft contact made his body stiffen for a moment, but he said nothing and carried her out of the small courtyard that had once trapped her in despair.
Two people ran toward them—police officers.
“Officer Shao, you’re really impressive. We searched the entire area but couldn’t find Wen Tongzhi. We didn’t expect she’d come back here.”
Ordinary people would never return to such a place.
Shao Wenyue asked, “Did you find their base?”
The officer nodded. “Other comrades have already followed them. No problem.”
Wen Yu listened in confusion. “You were already here?”
“Yes. We arrived before dark, but we stayed hidden to locate their nest. Wen Tongzhi, you’ve suffered.”
Wen Yu’s expression tightened. “As long as it helps catch them and prevents others from being harmed, it’s worth it.”
“That’s good.”
The officers explained that one group had gone to track the traffickers, while another had been searching for her.
“We didn’t expect you to be here. Those traffickers were still nearby.”
An officer praised her. “Truly a brave daughter of a brave father.”
Wen Yu felt embarrassed. “As long as they can be caught, it’s a good thing for the public.”
“Exactly. These traffickers are the worst. They destroy countless families and harm innocent people. They must be punished severely.”
Wen Yu nodded without saying more.
“Oh right, Wen Tongzhi, we were able to arrive so quickly thanks to a local resident who reported the case.”
“Everyone has a responsibility to fight crime.”
Wen Yu immediately recognized the voice—it was the man who had delayed the traffickers earlier.
She sincerely thanked him. “If not for you, I might not have made it.”
“Oh, I didn’t do much. It was mainly your quick thinking and courage.”
After a brief exchange, the officers returned to their tasks.
Wen Yu needed medical attention. Shao Wenyue carried her for five minutes, then placed her into a vehicle, letting her lie down in the back seat.
“Be careful with your leg. Don’t move.”
“Got it.”
Wen Yu glanced at him with a complicated expression. Since when was he so naggy?
Shao Wenyue simply closed the car door calmly.
He then handed ten large bills to an officer. “Please pass this to that comrade. This is a thank-you gift.”
Without waiting for refusal, the car drove away.
The officer was stunned at the generosity.
“Looks like that female comrade is very important to him.”
“They’re husband and wife. They just held their wedding yesterday.”
“Ah, I see.”
The rest of the matter was left to the police. The officer accepted the money and left.