Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 5: Let Go of That Girl
I stepped out of the hospital and felt an unsettling sensation that someone was watching me from somewhere behind. Turning around, I caught sight of a figure standing quietly by the window on the third floor. The moment I saw this person, it was as if I had been struck by lightning; I froze in place, doubting my own eyes. Rubbing them, I looked again, but all I could see were the drooping curtains—nothing else.
Had I truly imagined it? If not, how could that person have been there? I remembered that room belonged to Uncle Luo. Could it be that Lao Luo was watching me leave?
No way. It wasn't him; it was—never mind, it was impossible to think of a reason for it. I pondered for a while but couldn't come up with anything sensible. It was a waste of time and mental energy; better to focus on how to help Fatty get through tonight's ordeal.
Dodging the speeding cars and the crowd, I sprinted toward the bus station. The bus would take me directly to Ma Wu Funeral Home, and if traffic cooperated, I would arrive in about ten minutes.
This time of night was the busiest, with many people waiting for buses. There were men and women of all ages; young couples were hugging and whispering sweet nothings to each other, while older folks looked on disapprovingly, clearly disdainful of the youthful romance unfolding before them.
The bus arrived quickly. My mind was solely focused on Fatty's safety, rendering everything else nearly invisible to me. I boarded the bus, mechanically inserted my bill into the fare machine, and found a seat as if nothing else mattered—just getting to my destination.
Inside the bus, chatter filled the air along with various odors: sweat, foot odor, perfume, and smoke.
I closed my eyes and rested my elbows on my knees, enjoying the vibrations from the bus's movement. It felt comfortable and somewhat hypnotic. I was indeed tired and thought it might be a good opportunity to rest a bit, so I relaxed my body into a comfortable doze.
"Slap! You pervert!" A sharp voice broke through my thoughts, startling me into looking up toward where the sound had come from.
To my surprise, a woman was fiercely confronting a man wearing earrings and a plaid shirt. The man had a cocky demeanor and was being handsy while the woman appeared helpless; she muttered curses under her breath while clutching her clothes as if afraid he would take further liberties.
The other passengers seemed to turn a blind eye as if they hadn't seen anything at all.
I observed the man; he certainly seemed like trouble.
Seeing that no one was coming to her aid, tears streamed down the woman's face in frustration. Her voice grew louder but lacked its earlier strength; she clearly felt vulnerable and feared attracting even more trouble.
I had originally intended to take a quiet break, but the scene before me disrupted that peace. The woman's voice sounded somewhat familiar; even though she was facing away from me, I had a feeling she was someone I knew.
Perhaps she was a former client of Ma Wu Funeral Home. Regardless, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
I stood up and walked toward the woman and the arrogant man who was trying to make advances on her.
As I pushed through the people blocking my way, I shouted, "Let go of that girl!"
Those in the carriage who were watching the commotion, pretending to sleep, or ignoring everything around them suddenly snapped to attention at my shout. Before long, I became the center of attention in the carriage.
I had gotten closer to the woman and the man who was pestering her with his lewd behavior.
They both turned to look at me.
I looked back at them.
To my surprise, the woman was Chi Xinrong.
I didn't recognize the man, but judging by his demeanor, he wasn't a good person.
"Buddy, mind your own business," he said arrogantly, threatening me.
I snorted coldly and gently pushed Chi Xinrong behind me as if I were a wall standing firm against him. "Who do you think you are? If you dare to bully her, do you know what she means to me?"
"What does she mean to you? Don't tell me she's your personal toy?"
"Go to hell!" Before he could finish his sentence, my fist had already struck him hard in the face.
A cry of pain escaped his lips as blood gushed from his nose, unable to be contained. Gritting his teeth, he disregarded the blood and lunged at me with a punch.
I pushed Chi Xinrong aside, and chaos erupted in the cabin as everyone scrambled to avoid the confrontation.
Grabbing the overhead bar with one hand, I kicked out my leg just as he charged at me, landing a solid kick right on his chin.
Another cry of pain rang out. He fell backward, crashing into an unsuspecting passenger who barely had time to react, startling them. He quickly got back up, a shoe print clearly visible on his chin.
Despite the excruciating pain, he gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of blood and saliva, pulling out a dagger with a fierce glare. Wiping the blood from his hands, he cursed at me, "Damn it, I'm going to kill you today."
I raised my middle finger at him and said, "Come on, let’s step outside to play. It’s too cramped in here for a proper fight."
The driver sensed trouble brewing. He stopped the vehicle and called the police.
With my intervention, the other passengers found their courage and began to voice their condemnation of the man.
Amidst the clamor, I pieced together what had happened.
Chi Xinrong had been seated when she stood up beside her seat; the Plaid Shirt Man had gotten too close and started groping her. He made lewd gestures that frightened her enough to shout "Pervert!" and slap him across the face, which only enraged him further.
Seeing so many people rally against him, Scum felt cornered. He feigned bravado, brandishing his dagger threateningly and shouted, "Who the hell dares to call the police? I'll kill his whole family!" Then he pointed the dagger at me and cursed, "You! I’ll remember you. The mountains may not move, but the waters will turn; one day you'll regret meddling in my business."
"Scum, I'm definitely meddling in this business. What are you going to do about it?"
With a cold laugh, Scum shot a vicious glance at Chi Xinrong before turning to the driver and bellowing, "Open the door!"
"Take him to the police station!" shouted the passengers in unison.
I supported Chi Xinrong, who was trembling with anger, her expression awkward and tears welling up in her eyes.
"If you want to cry, just go ahead. My shoulder is free for you to lean on." What was meant to be a comforting statement unexpectedly touched her sore spot. She suddenly threw herself into my arms and began to cry loudly.
The scum in the plaid shirt, seeing the crowd and sensing their anger, retreated step by step, his heart racing. He stumbled back to the car door and lost his balance, falling onto the car steps as the vehicle screeched to a halt. The door creaked open, and he slid out of the car like he was on a slide.
Amidst the crowd's laughter, someone sighed, "He should have been sent to the police station."
"Forget it. This kind of thug has connections; he's not someone we should provoke."
The Driver Brother's words silenced the noise in the car.
Here I was, holding a warm and soft Chi Xinrong in my arms, feeling a bit flustered. For some reason, I couldn't help but think of Han Mi. Nervously, I pushed Chi Xinrong away but immediately felt it was inappropriate. In her moment of shock, I awkwardly helped her sit down again.
Comment 0 Comment Count