Chapter 39: Qi Wen Runs into Thugs

Jiang Ning had just found out.

No wonder when she had said she accidentally wandered in, that young man Tao Tao had looked at her with such a strange expression.

So the guards at the gate here were actually armed!?

Jiang Ning was shocked as she stepped out of the entrance.

Armed guards at the door…

Then an electrified wall didn’t seem so strange, right?

So…

How did she even get in?

Damn.

Jiang Ning was suddenly filled with lingering fear, her face turning pale.

Just then—

A hand smacked the back of her head.

“If you don’t want to live, just tell me. I’ll help you out.”

!!!

???

Did this little brat just hit my head?

Jiang Ning’s anger flared instantly. Her pale face turned deep red, changing colors like a chameleon.

She swung her fist at him.

But with a smack, it was caught mid-air.

“I just saved your life.”

“And instead of thanking me, you want to hit me?”

Jiang Ning felt her face heat up.

Truth be told, given the security of this sanatorium, wandering around alone inside wouldn’t get her shot or anything… but being detained? That was entirely possible.

A full interrogation process would have completely ruined today’s outing.

And if her family had to come pick her up, the embarrassment would be unbearable.

Still, even knowing this, she was not over the fact that he had smacked her head just now.

She pulled her hand back, put on a sullen face, and strode ahead.

Behind her, Tao Tao’s lips curled up slightly as he quietly followed.

Meanwhile, Qi Wen and the others started getting suspicious.

They had assumed Jiang Ning had gone to the restroom, but it had been nearly an hour, and she still hadn’t returned.

Just as they were about to start looking for her—

Jiang Ning appeared in their sight.

Before Luo Shanshan could ask where she had been, the group noticed something surprising—

About five meters behind Jiang Ning, a tall and handsome young man was following her.

Luo Shanshan immediately recognized him and smirked knowingly.

“Well, well, who’s this little seductress? Goes to the bathroom and comes back with a guy?”

???

A guy?

Jiang Ning, confused, followed their gazes behind her—

Only to find someone had already walked up beside her.

“Hello, I’m Tao Tao, from Class 9, Grade 10.”

His confident demeanor, coupled with his good looks, made Zhu Hui and Luo Shanshan’s faces flush slightly.

“Hello, hello…”

“Nice to meet you, handsome…”

Both girls responded warmly. Luo Shanshan even cleared a spot on the picnic mat, making her intentions obvious.

At this, Jiang Ning, face dark with irritation, snapped:

“Hey, why are you following me?”

Clearly, she still hadn’t forgiven him for smacking her head.

Noticing Jiang Ning’s hostility, Chen Yang, who had already been annoyed, chimed in:

“Hey, aren’t you a little too familiar, dude?”

But Tao Tao completely ignored him. Instead, he politely asked Luo Shanshan:

“We’re classmates. Mind if I sit for a bit before leaving?”

Luo Shanshan practically beamed. She didn’t care at all about Jiang Ning’s murderous glare and waved him over.

“Sure! Sit anywhere, stay as long as you like!”

Damn this lovestruck fool.

Jiang Ning couldn’t argue with Luo Shanshan, nor could she really kick Tao Tao out—he had just helped her, after all.

Damn it.

Frustrated, she plopped down next to Zhu Hui, ripped open a bag of chips, and started eating.

“Where are the others?” she asked.

“Li Duoyong and Wang Zekai went to the restroom,” Chen Yang replied.

“Qi Wen went too. Said she’d check if you got flushed away.”

Zhu Hui chuckled at her own joke.

But just then—

Urgent panting reached their ears.

Everyone turned.

It was Wang Zekai, breathless and speaking anxiously:

“Hurry! Qi Wen is being cornered by some thugs!”

Thugs!?

The group exchanged looks and immediately jumped up.

“Zhu Hui, Shanshan, stay here and watch our stuff.”

With that, Jiang Ning sprinted in the direction Wang Zekai had come from.

Soon, she reached a secluded pond.

There, three shady-looking men were surrounding someone, throwing punches and kicks.

Qi Wen stood nearby, face pale, clearly wanting to intervene but too scared to move.

She looked like she was about to cry.

The sight enraged Jiang Ning.

Taking advantage of their distraction, she ran up, grabbed Qi Wen’s wrist, and pulled her away.

“Are you okay!?”

Seeing a familiar face, Qi Wen’s eyes turned red. She pointed at the thugs, her voice trembling:

“Li… Li Duoyong… he tried to protect me…”

Jiang Ning turned.

She saw Li Duoyong curled up on the ground, arms over his head, being beaten by the three men.

She wasn’t particularly close to him, but they were still classmates.

Her anger surged.

Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and shouted:

“STOP!!”

“I already called the police!!”

At this, the three men actually paused and turned around.

Seeing that the speaker was an even prettier girl, they smirked.

“Called the cops?”

“Do you even know how far the nearest police station is?”

The leader, a blond man, held up five fingers.

“Five kilometers.”

“Know what that means?”

“It means you three are screwed.”

A calm voice interrupted.

Tao Tao had appeared, stepping protectively in front of Jiang Ning and Qi Wen.

Chen Yang and Wang Zekai arrived too, but they were blocked off by the thugs, leaving Tao Tao, Jiang Ning, and Qi Wen with nowhere to retreat except into the lotus pond behind them.

Even though they had more people, the situation was clearly in the thugs’ favor.

And then—

The three men pulled out switchblades.

With a snap, the blades flicked open, glinting in the light.

“Think numbers help you, kid?”

“Trying to be a hero?”

Jiang Ning could feel Qi Wen trembling next to her.

Even Chen Yang and Wang Zekai looked uneasy.

Clearly, the flashing knives had them spooked.

Jiang Ning’s face darkened.

Damn.

Was Jiangzhou always this dangerous?

Why had she never run into this kind of thing before?

Just as she was starting to panic, Tao Tao suddenly spoke in a low, steady voice:

“Don’t be afraid. I got this.”

Then, he pulled out a walkie-talkie from somewhere and muttered:

“Captain Chen, Captain Chen.”

A static-filled voice responded:

“Copy. Receiving.”

“Three armed robbers by the mountain lotus pond.”

“Repeat, three armed robbers by the mountain lotus pond.”

“Move in!”

(End of chapter)