Fang He drove the car with steady hands. At some point, the interior fell silent—even Wei Xingzhou, who was usually talkative, had stopped speaking. Ji Chuxing had fallen asleep without anyone noticing.
Her breathing was soft and shallow, and even in slumber, she pouted slightly. Leaning against the seat, her small head swayed gently before finally resting on Bo Yanchen's shoulder. She slept soundlessly, completely unguarded.
Wei Xingzhou turned around, about to say something to Bo Yanchen, but before he could open his mouth, he caught the icy glare from the second young master that clearly told him to stay quiet.
He froze as if he'd seen a ghost.
Watching carefully, he saw Bo Yanchen lift his hand and gently adjust the sleeping girl's posture so she could rest more comfortably against his shoulder.
Ji Chuxing frowned unconsciously.
Bo Yanchen immediately reached out, softly patting her hair. "Be good, little one. Sleep," he murmured in a soothing tone.
With that, Ji Chuxing drifted into an even deeper sleep.
Eventually, Wei Xingzhou stumbled out of the car, awkward and flustered, and was left behind halfway through their journey. The reason? He might disturb Ji Chuxing's rest. After all, the girl had stayed up late and gotten into a fight; her frail body needed the rest.
Wei Xingzhou seethed with frustration, grinding his teeth, but dared not utter a single complaint.
The next morning, after another grueling wake-up call, Bo Yanchen finally escorted Ji Chuxing to her destination. Knowing he would be busy, Ji Chuxing stepped out early to buy something at a nearby beverage shop. She sipped slowly on a box of sweet milk, looking drowsy and disheveled, still half-asleep.
As she rounded a corner, she found herself in an alley where a group of young men in their early twenties had cornered a girl.
Mocking laughter filled the narrow space.
"Hey, how dare you show your face in Nan City?" one sneered.
"Your dad's dead—why don't you just die too?"
"Hahaha, Brother Kuan, why waste words? Let the boys teach her a lesson!" another chimed in.
Amidst the cruel jeers, faint, desperate pleas escaped the girl's lips.
Zhou Sixue hadn't expected to be trapped here, especially by Brother Kuan. It was her own fault for taking this rarely used shortcut to save time, only to run into him. Cornered, she felt utterly helpless.
Just then, a cool, commanding voice cut through the air. "Move aside."
The men surrounding Zhou Sixue were having fun, but hearing a girl's voice intrigued them. Turning around, they spotted a striking figure—a beautiful girl—and their eyes lit up.
"Well, look what we have here! They weren't kidding when they said this place is full of beauties, Brother Kuan," one smirked.
They released Zhou Sixue and advanced toward Ji Chuxing with malicious intent.
Seeing her chance, Zhou Sixue rushed forward, colliding with the yellow-haired man approaching Ji Chuxing. "Run! Don't come near!" she shouted.
"Damn it!" The yellow-haired thug cursed angrily, swinging his fist at Zhou Sixue.
Bang!
But the punch never connected. Instead, the man was sent flying backward by a powerful kick. Zhou Sixue was yanked back and safely placed behind Ji Chuxing.
Stunned, Zhou Sixue stared in disbelief. Was she really that strong?
For a moment, silence reigned. Then, with renewed ferocity—including Brother Kuan—they lunged at Ji Chuxing.
"How dare you interfere!" Brother Kuan snarled.
Zhou Sixue froze, too terrified to move.
Ah—
Bang—
In the next instant, cries of pain erupted as bodies hit the ground. Zhou Sixue instinctively opened her eyes and saw all the men who had been tormenting her lying defeated. Brother Kuan, in particular, was slammed against the wall by Ji Chuxing's punch and collapsed, unable to rise.
Realizing what had happened, Zhou Sixue rushed over, grabbing Ji Chuxing's arm. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Are… are you okay?"
Only then did she notice her torn clothes and the gash on her shoulder, prompting her to instinctively cover her neck.
Ji Chuxing shook her head and handed her a jacket. The late September air in Nan City carried a chill.
Tears welled up in Zhou Sixue's eyes. "Thank you so much… but I've dragged you into this. You helped me today, and they'll definitely come after you next time."
Ji Chuxing's voice remained calm. "Let them come."
Zhou Sixue didn't know what to say, her gaze filled with concern.
Ji Chuxing reminded her, "If we don't leave now, we'll be late."
"Oh, right!" Zhou Sixue snapped out of her daze, quickly picking up her backpack and clutching it tightly.
Without sparing another glance at the men sprawled on the ground, Ji Chuxing stifled a yawn. She was still exhausted. As she turned to walk toward the alley exit, Brother Kuan, lying on the ground, grabbed a brick and hurled it at the back of her head.
"Look out!"
Zhou Sixue's eyes widened, and she instinctively tried to push Ji Chuxing away.
But in the blink of an eye, Ji Chuxing spun gracefully, delivering a swift roundhouse kick. Brother Kuan crashed to the ground once again, the brick landing heavily on his foot. A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the alley.
Zhou Sixue was dumbfounded. This time, she had seen Ji Chuxing's movements clearly. Fear mingled with admiration in her eyes.
"Ji God! No wonder Sister Fei calls you a god—you're incredible!"
Ji Chuxing: "… "
She turned and walked away, with Zhou Sixue trailing closely behind. For a while, neither spoke, the silence comforting yet charged with unspoken thoughts. But Zhou Sixue felt a rare urge to confide in her savior.
"Actually… Brother Kuan isn't a good person. He's been targeting me because of a car accident. My father's car collided with his father's, and his father died. Since then, he's never let me go."
This was something she had never dared to share with anyone, but now she felt compelled to tell Ji Chuxing. Deep down, she believed Ji Chuxing wouldn't judge her like others did.
Ji Chuxing listened silently, her expression unchanged. She rarely showed much emotion about anything.
Zhou Sixue fell silent as well, walking quietly beside Ji Chuxing. Perhaps… perhaps if Ji Chuxing knew the whole story, she wouldn't have helped her today. But… she still felt weighed down by guilt. Her father hadn't meant to cause harm—it was a tragedy that affected both families. If Brother Kuan's father hadn't been drunk driving, things might not have ended so tragically.
Yet, she had endured constant harassment and threats from Brother Kuan, branded as the daughter of a murderer. Her mother had also been left in a helpless, embarrassing situation.
Suddenly, a hand extended in front of her.
Zhou Sixue blinked in surprise.
Ji Chuxing held out a light purple jelly, her expression calm and composed.
Zhou Sixue took it, standing there in a daze for a long moment.
She heard the girl's soft, reassuring voice. "It's not your fault."
Unable to hold back, tears streamed down Zhou Sixue's cheeks. She clutched the jelly tightly in her hand, feeling a warmth she hadn't felt in years.