Chapter 419
“A tiger, though fierce, will not eat its cubs. I never thought that there could be such a cold-blooded man in this world who treats his wife and children this way. Isn’t he afraid of ending up with nothing in his old age?” Lin Mengyao said with righteous indignation.
“Of course, he’s not afraid. Even if his children are all dead, he still has the power in his hands. At worst, he can adopt an heir in his old age, ensuring a glorious life until the end. But I refuse to let him get his way. I want him never to achieve what he desires, and to lose whatever he gains immediately.” Ariel spoke slowly, with a desire for destruction hidden in her tone that made one’s heart race.
“You’ll help me, won’t you?” Ariel raised her head and looked at Xu Ke, “I’ve been in this city since I was born. I’m intimately familiar with every brick and tile here, yet I loathe them. I want to leave here. I want to go out and breathe fresh air, to see what the outside world is like, if it’s really as wonderful as people say online.”
“Alright.” Xu Ke nodded in agreement without hesitation. Ariel’s face broke into a smile. Lin Mengyao noticed the atmosphere between Ariel and Xu Ke and frowned slightly. Her intuition told her something beyond her control was happening, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. This feeling made her somewhat anxious.
“I’ll accompany you to tomorrow night’s party,” Xu Ke said, feeling moved as he looked at Ariel.
“And what about me?” Not hearing Xu Ke mention her, Lin Mengyao clutched the sheet tightly, her face betraying no flaw as she asked.
“You should wait here for us. If something unexpected happens at the party, I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect you,” Xu Ke explained.
Lin Mengyao wanted to counter. How could he fail to protect her? Didn’t he always manage to protect her before? Why couldn’t he do it this time? But seeing Ariel still sitting on their bed, all her questions were swallowed back down. Although she still smiled, impatience tinged her eyes.
Ariel glanced at Lin Mengyao, her azure eyes flowing gently. “I won’t disturb you anymore. I’ll head back to my room and leave you two to your world.” Ariel got up from the bed and left without giving them time to ask her to stay, leaving only her exceedingly sweet smile for them.
Once the door closed and Ariel’s figure was no longer visible, Lin Mengyao finally put away the smile on her face.
“Why don’t you take me?” Lin Mengyao stood by the bed, looking at Xu Ke and asked.
“You heard it yourself. This time, both the eastern and western bosses are attending with their crews. If a conflict breaks out, I might not be able to protect you. I don’t want you to get into danger,” Xu Ke explained.
“You don’t want me to get into danger? Bringing me here was already risky. And in the past, you always managed to protect me during numerous dangerous times. Why can’t you do it this time? What exactly are you hiding from me?” Lin Mengyao wasn’t satisfied with Xu Ke’s explanation and continued to ask.
The atmosphere inside the room grew tense.
The two stared at each other, neither backing down.
“Yaoyao, are you resenting me for bringing you here?” After a long while, Xu Ke asked softly.
“No. I’m not upset about you bringing me here. I just don’t want to be here alone. I… I’m really scared being here by myself. I want to be braver and stronger, but as soon as I think of you not being by my side, I can’t help but feel scared. I don’t want to be apart from you, Xu Ke.” Lin Mengyao moved closer to Xu Ke, resting her head on his shoulder, tears soaking through his shirt, softening his gaze.
Xu Ke sighed gently, “Tomorrow, during the day, I’ll put you in a relatively safe place. But truly, you can’t come to the party. There’s a good chance we’ll have a confrontation, and if a fight breaks out, they outnumber us significantly. I might really not be able to look after you. You’ll be much safer outside than going in with me.”
Feeling Xu Ke’s resolve, Lin Mengyao pursed her lips, forming a straight line. “Take care of yourself, and make sure to come back unharmed. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me. I won’t give you the chance to be a widow,” Xu Ke said with a smile. Hearing Xu Ke’s words, Lin Mengyao playfully punched him and said, “Don’t say things like that, it’s not good luck. No matter what happens to others, you have to return to me unscathed. If anything happens to you, I won’t speak to you again.”
Lin Mengyao spoke seriously, and her seriousness affected Xu Ke, who couldn’t help reaching out to touch Lin Mengyao’s cheek, his gaze gentle. “I’ll take care of myself and won’t give you the chance to ignore me. I promise.”
Xu Ke rarely made promises, so Lin Mengyao felt relieved to hear him say this. She rubbed her cheek against Xu Ke’s palm, and the previously tense atmosphere suddenly calmed, a warm feeling flowing through.
The party time arrived extraordinarily fast. Under Ariel’s cover, Xu Ke got Lin Mengyao out of the city and handed her over to Sheng Wenhao, who had rushed over overnight upon receiving the message.
“I couldn’t think of anyone else I could trust, so I brought Wenhao here to take care of you. Let him take you on a vacation. After I’ve handled everything here, I’ll come find you,” Xu Ke said, holding Lin Mengyao’s hand.
“Okay, I’ll wait for you. Don’t forget to come and find me,” Lin Mengyao said, her eyes full of reluctance and worry. “Don’t forget your promise to me, ensure your safety,” she urged gently.
“Hmm.” Xu Ke nodded, then turned his gaze to Sheng Wenhao. “You’ve gotten darker and thinner since last time,” Xu Ke remarked as he patted Sheng Wenhao’s shoulder.
“I’ve entrusted my wife to you, so don’t let her suffer. When I’m done with things here, if I find out she’s gotten darker and thinner because of you, see if I won’t beat you up.”
Hearing Xu Ke’s threat, Sheng Wenhao, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, chuckled. “Relax, I promise she’ll be the same when I give her back to you.”
Xu Ke shared a few more words with Lin Mengyao before she followed Sheng Wenhao out of his sight.
“Let’s go then,” Xu Ke replied.