Crashing into His Arms

"Yuan Su? Where are you going?"

Pu Yu called out in confusion, but the boy's retreating figure vanished into the bustling crowd in an instant.

Clutching the cold brass gear, she stood there, unsure what to do.

She was surrounded by strangers haggling over prices. She dared not wander far, afraid Yuan Su wouldn't be able to find her when he returned.

The seconds and minutes ticked by.

About five minutes passed, but Yuan Su still hadn't returned.

"Well, well. Look who it is."

A voice laced with mockery and malice sounded behind her.

Pu Yu stiffened and turned around.

Several thuggish boys were walking toward her. Their blond-dyed leader was Chen Jun, the son of Boss Chen, who had tried to trick her through an arranged marriage meeting last time.

He had come to collect the vendor's stall fee today. He hadn't expected to run into his enemy here.

"What a coincidence." Chen Jun spat out his cigarette butt, his sinister gaze sweeping over Pu Yu as she stood alone. "You got me dragged down to the station and grilled by the cops last time. I haven't settled that score with you yet."

Ever since Pu Yu had reported him to the police for abducting a minor, getting him detained and questioned and making him lose face among his crowd, Chen Jun had held a grudge.

"Didn't you transfer schools? What are you doing back here? Couldn't bear to leave me? Came back to marry me?" Chen Jun leered as he took a few more steps toward her.

Seeing this, the vendor immediately lowered his head and pretended to sort his goods, saying nothing.

"What do you want? There are people everywhere!" Pu Yu backed away warily.

"So what?" Chen Jun sneered and signaled the two thugs beside him. "It's fine. Let's find somewhere quiet to have a little 'chat.'"

Pu Yu turned to run, but before she could, someone behind her grabbed a fistful of her hair and dragged her toward the dead-end alley nearby.

"Let go of me! Help-"

Pain tore through her scalp. Pu Yu struggled desperately, kicking and clawing, but her strength was nothing against these boys.

People nearby looked over, but when they saw that the leader was Boss Chen's son, Chen Jun, most chose to stay out of the way.

Despair surged over her like a tide.

Pu Yu was dragged into the dead-end alley.

Meanwhile.

Yuan Su paid no attention to anything else. The moment he got what he needed, he hurried back.

But when he reached the stall, gasping for breath, there were only passersby around it.

The figure in the white jacket was gone.

"Where is she?"

Yuan Su rushed up to the vendor, his voice icy. "The girl who was standing here just now. Where is she?"

The vendor's eyes darted about as he stammered, "Huh? What girl? I didn't notice. There are so many people coming and going..."

A vicious fury flooded Yuan Su's eyes.

He snatched up a short length of iron pipe beside the stall and slammed it onto the vendor's table with a clang.

"I'll ask you one more time. Where did she go?"

The boy's gaze was fierce and menacing, as though he might throw caution to the wind and bring that pipe down on the vendor's head any second.

The vendor shuddered, his face draining of color. He hastily pointed down a side lane to the right. "Th-there! Chen Jun took her! There was nothing I could do! This stall belongs to the Chen family. I can't afford to cross them..."

Before he finished speaking, Yuan Su had already charged off with the pipe in hand.

The dead-end alley was piled with discarded appliances and rubbish.

Pu Yu had been shoved to the ground, her white jacket smeared with dust.

"What are you crying for? Weren't you all tough when you called the cops last time?" Chen Jun crouched in front of her and patted her face hard. "You wouldn't even listen to your dad. He told you to marry me, and you still refused."

"Get away!" Pu Yu desperately swatted his hand aside.

"You ungrateful bitch!"

Humiliated and furious, Chen Jun raised his hand and slapped her hard.

Pu Yu's ears rang for a moment. Gritting her teeth, she raised the brass gear in her hand and slammed it into Chen Jun's head.

"Get away from me!"

"Fuck! You fucking bitch!" Completely enraged, Chen Jun seized Pu Yu's wrist and yanked her jacket open.

Pu Yu was terrified. She fought with all her strength, but the difference in their strength was too great. No matter how hard she struggled, it was useless.

Just as Chen Jun was about to go further-

Thud!

A dull impact rang out.

The short, rusty iron pipe slammed into Chen Jun's back.

Chen Jun screamed and pitched forward, landing flat on his face.

Yuan Su stood at the mouth of the alley, backlit, his chest heaving.

He glanced at Pu Yu on the ground, then charged forward without a moment's hesitation and threw several punches at the two thugs beside her before they could react.

"You have a death wish!"

There was no technique to his fighting, only reckless ferocity. Every punch carried a fury that threatened to shatter their bones.

In the melee, the young man in green reacted first. He grabbed a brick nearby and smashed it into Yuan Su's back, but Yuan Su seemed not to feel the pain. He caught one thug's arm, twisted it, and slammed him into the wall.

The two thugs were stunned by his crazed ferocity.

Before long, all three were on the ground, howling in pain.

Yuan Su turned and hurried over to the still-shaken girl, taking her cold hand and pulling her up.

"Come on!"

Holding her hand tightly, he pulled her out of the filthy alley and ran through the maze-like market.

They kept running and running.

Only when they reached the stairwell of an old apartment building and made sure no one had followed did they stop.

The stairwell was dim, silent except for their ragged breathing.

Yuan Su felt the chill and trembling of her hand. He turned toward her, about to say something.

But Pu Yu couldn't hold herself together any longer.

Terror, hurt, and the lingering fear all burst out at once.

She suddenly let go of his hand-not to push him away, but to throw herself into his arms with every ounce of strength she had.

It wasn't a gentle embrace.

It was an almost desperate collision, a frantic search for shelter.

She buried her face against his chest. The tears she had held back for so long finally broke free, turning into broken, muffled sobs.

"Where did you go..."

Her voice was soaked in tears, her words blurred and muffled against his chest. "I couldn't find you... I was so scared..."

"I thought... I thought you'd left and didn't want me anymore..."