40 minutes later…
Those who caused a scene at the club were taken to the police station. A group of people were clamoring about drunkenly for more to drink. On the other hand, the people who had laid their hands on Yan were interrogated separately.
After Yan was done giving her statement to the police, she sat down on a bench, her face sore. Seeing this, a police woman took some ice cubes and wrapped it in a towel then gently handed it over to Yan. She thanked her politely and pressed the ice cubes against her sore face in silence.
Although she was safe and sound, her emotions were still in turmoil. Everything that happened just now was just too terrifying.
Had Lin Xuzheng not appeared just in time, Yan couldn’t imagine what would have happened to her…
She then closed her eyes in a vain attempt to drain the thought out of her mind.
Just at that moment, the sound of her phone ringing startled Yan back to reality. She composed herself and shuffled toward the phone. It was the caller ID belonging to a phone at the ramen restaurant.
She was so consumed in her thoughts that she didn’t realize how much time had passed. She had not gone back for some time and they must have been very worried.
Yan took a deep breath and answered the call.
“Hello?”
“Yan, are you okay? Why aren’t you back yet? Has something happened to you?”
Luo Huimei stood by the phone, asking several questions anxiously. Mr. Zhou, who was standing beside her, quickly followed up with his own question.
“Yes, where are you now, Yan?”
Yan glanced around for a moment and lied to her parents.
“Hey Mom, don’t worry, I am fine. I will be back soon enough. Are you in the store with Dad right now?” she calmly responded.
It was fortunate for Yan that she had not cried. Her voice was normal and did not give away anything in her response to her parents except for a slight hint of avoidance in her tone which went unnoticed.
“Are you sure everything’s fine?”
Despite knowing that her parents on the other end of the phone call couldn’t see her expression, Yan worked up a forceful smile that looked more dreadful than pleasant before saying, “It really is nothing, Mom. I strolled by a jewelry store and got distracted by the pretty items, so I looked around a bit more. I’m sorry I have been playing truant from work. I’ll get back soon. Bye, Mom.”
Yan quickly ended the conversation and hung up for fear of giving herself away by speaking too much.
Shortly after ending the call with her parents, Yan heard the sound of footsteps rushing toward her. Not taking much heed, she continued to press the towel filled with ice cubes on her face lightly, her eyes fixed on her toes.
Not long after, a pair of shoes appeared right before her. Stunned, she slowly tilted her head upward to take a glance at the owner of the shoes but a pair of hands held her shoulders down.
Yan immediately felt the intense aura this man radiated enveloping her. She looked at him blankly as he held her by her shoulders and scanned her seriously.
“Are you alright?”
Yan’s pale lips trembled as she continued to look at the man in complete disbelief.
He was handsome with defined features, but his usual calm gaze was now filled with anxiety and his breathing was unsteady, his hot breath falling on her face.
Han Qing.
Yan internally called out the name that crossed her mind. It took her some time to react, her lips opening and closing slightly before finally voicing a question.
“What are you doing here?”
Am I dreaming? Is this a mere hallucination as a result of the blow I took to the face earlier? Han Qing, whom I have not seen in months, is now standing before me?
Seeing that she had not answered his question, Han Qing pursed his lips in displeasure before he grabbed Yan by the wrist and stormed out.
Yan stared at the sight of Han Qing, who had his fingers wrapped around her wrist, in astonishment. She felt her entire figure being led by him, much like a puppet on strings.
As they were heading out, they crossed paths with Lin Xuzheng, who was headed in the opposite direction of them.
The sight of his usually haughty friend dragging a tender girl by her wrist unconsciously carved a smile on Lin Xuzheng’s face.
It seems that all the things he said before were a bluff.
Lin Xuzheng had just struck a casual conversation with Han Qing about what had happened earlier that day and within 10 minutes, Han Qing arrived. As he walked past them, Lin Xuzheng still intended to say hello. However, the frosty expression on Han Qing’s face made him hold back.
Lin Xuzheng was not mad that Han Qing had ignored him, instead he disregarded the reaction and greeted Yan.
“The police officer mentioned that you can leave once you’re done giving your statement to them. Coincidentally, something has come up on my side and I have to leave now. President Han will send you back.”
Yan parted her lips in an attempt to say something, but she found herself speechless.
Suddenly, something crossed her mind and Yan froze in her tracks.
Feeling her reluctance, Han Qing turned around and knitted his brows.
“You need to get to a hospital now.”
Yan shook her head in disagreement and loosened her arm from Han Qing’s grasp. “I am fine; I do not need to go to the hospital.”
She had not suffered any serious injuries, except for the slap that left her feeling rather dizzy and her face slightly swollen. Accepting that it was probably her fate, Yan decided that she was fine.
Suppressing his bubbling anger, Han Qing insisted further, “You should still see a doctor and let the expert have the final say if you are okay.”
With that, Han Qing moved to take Yan by the hand again.
Yan, however, reacted unconsciously and took a step back, evading his grasp.
Lin Xuzheng, who was not too far away, raised an eyebrow as he observed the scene. He was about to leave, but it seemed that something interesting was about to happen. Thus, he decided to stay and watch the situation unfold.
Given the events that had taken place earlier that day, Yan was feeling rather dazed and confused with her emotions running wild in her head. Han Qing’s sudden appearance only added to that cocktail of emotions she was experiencing. However, Yan was not a fool and she understood the situation before her.
Han Qing had come because of Lin Xuzheng. The two of them must know each other.
“Do you know Mr Lin?” Yan asked Han Qing as she raised her gaze and locked it with his.
This was the first time Yan locked gazes with Han Qing even since she swore not to get caught up with him again.
Seeing that Han Qing had remained silent and that he looked as though he would keep remaining silent, Yan insisted once again, “You know him, don’t you?”
Yan turned to look at Lin Xuzhen, who immediately let out a cough to hide his embarrassment.
“Yes.”
Han Qing finally mustered up the courage to confess to Yan.
Yan was once again left speechless.
He admitted to knowing him?
“Why?” asked Yan, her eyelashes quivering.
“Is it because I am a good friend of your sister? Or, is it because you find me pitiful after rejecting me?”
As she said that, it was clear that Yan was referring to what happened at the store.
Lin Xuzheng, whose initial intention was to watch a good show, now felt rather awkward. He did not expect Yan to bring up the shop incident. I should have left when I had the chance.
Han Qing advanced toward Yan as he said, “Don’t do food delivery runs anymore. It can be dangerous for a girl.”
He actually evaded my question?
Yan laughed mockingly. “How would I make a living without doing those delivery runs?! Not everyone is privileged like you, and not everyone has a wealthy family!”
