Chapter Forty-Eight: Arriving in the Nick of Time

In the dim alley, three figures huddled in a secluded corner—one tall, one short, and one as round as a ball.

“Listen, fellas, don’t fight me for it later. I’m going first. Tsk, tsk, Little Fei really found us a good job this time!” The ball-shaped man wore a lecherous grin, a DV camera clutched in his fat hand.

“Fatty, take it easy. How many times have you ended up inside for this kind of thing? You enjoy the scent of the police station that much?” The tall one among them spoke with a sneer.

“You know nothing. It’s called ‘to die under a peony blossom, to be a ghost is still worthwhile,’” Fatty replied, leering.

“Shut up, Old Fat. Don’t mess this up. Get the job done, grab the cash, and leave. Whatever happens next is none of our concern. Let the girl handle it herself,” the scrawny, short man said, frowning.

At his words, both Fatty and Tall Guy instantly fell silent. Despite his small stature, everyone who knew him understood that this man was vicious and ruthless, infamous for his sinister cunning. They called him Shadow Monkey—second only to Brother Tiger in their little gang. Normally, Sun Feifei couldn’t even invite him to these schemes. But money spoke, and Shadow Monkey wouldn’t have bothered with such a dirty job otherwise. This time, Meng Ranan was determined to ruin Wang Yuqing’s reputation; she put up three thousand yuan for the deed. She’d arranged for Shadow Monkey and his crew to wait in the alley while she lured Wang Yuqing there.

Wang Yuqing and Meng Ranan walked together, chatting and laughing. One had to admit, Meng Ranan’s act was flawless. With that gentle smile on her face, no one would suspect the malice lurking beneath. As they approached the agreed-upon alley, a glint of triumph flashed across Meng Ranan’s face. “Yuqing, let’s go down this alley up ahead.”

“What for? The chestnut vendor isn’t in that alley,” Wang Yuqing asked, puzzled.

“Oh, just come with me. Stop asking. Come on.” With that, Meng Ranan half-pushed, half-pulled her toward the alley. Wang Yuqing felt uneasy; just moments ago, Meng Ranan was all smiles, so why the sudden change in tone? Still confused, she found herself already inside the alley.

“There, fellas, she’s the one.” Meng Ranan’s eyes found Shadow Monkey and his companions not far away, and she gleefully pointed at Wang Yuqing.

“What do you mean, ‘I’m the one’?” Wang Yuqing saw the three men too. The sky was growing dark, but she could make out their faces. The fat one stared at her with a lascivious gaze that unsettled her deeply. Instinctively, she stepped back, but before she could retreat a few steps, a shove sent her stumbling forward. Meng Ranan’s triumphant, malicious laughter echoed behind her, “What a fool you are. Did you really think you could take what’s mine so easily? This time, I’ll destroy you.”

Wang Yuqing turned to the now-maniacal Meng Ranan, suddenly a stranger to her. “What… what did I ever take from you?”

“What did you take? Why does Gao Zheng dote on you? Why were you chosen to speak on stage? Why are you the school beauty?” Meng Ranan screamed, wild as a madwoman, her composure shattered. She was no longer the refined girl but a spiteful shrew.

Wang Yuqing, faced with Meng Ranan’s flailing arms and furious shouting, turned pale with fright. She was gentle by nature, never having been accused of anything since childhood, nor had she ever done anything to deserve reproach. How could she have imagined Meng Ranan could be so petty and venomous?

While Meng Ranan ranted, Shadow Monkey and his crew drew near. The tall one naturally moved to block the alley’s entrance, making escape impossible.

“Alright, Meng Ranan, enough shouting. Let’s get this over with,” Shadow Monkey said, sneering at her. If it weren’t for the money, he would have taught a girl like her a lesson himself.

“Yeah, what the hell are you yapping about? Here’s the DV, you film. I can barely wait,” Fatty said, shoving the camera into Meng Ranan’s hands, eyes greedy as he gazed at Wang Yuqing’s terrified, trembling frame.

At their words, Meng Ranan quieted. She had no intention of provoking the thugs; all she cared about was ruining Wang Yuqing. She switched on the camera and aimed the lens.

“Heh, little girl, will you take off your clothes yourself, or do I have to do it for you?” Fatty leered, his gaze devouring her like a naked rabbit. He preferred to use force—it gave him a twisted pleasure. Of course, he wouldn’t actually rape her; Shadow Monkey had warned against making things too big. Meng Ranan’s goal was only to film Wang Yuqing undressed and then release it, ruining her reputation. For all her malice, Meng Ranan was still just a high schooler. But Fatty intended to grope her as much as he could during the process.

“What are you doing? I’ll… I’ll call the police! Who are you people?” Wang Yuqing stammered, voice trembling with tears, her hands clutching her chest as she retreated step by step. She was just a girl, utterly lost in terror.

Suddenly, the screech of bicycle brakes pierced the air. A boy in a black sweater leapt from a fiery red mountain bike and dashed into the alley, abandoning the bicycle where it fell. It was none other than Xiao Lin, who had raced all the way there. Within seconds, he reached the place where Tan Linlin was snacking with two other girls. Anxiously, he asked, “Tan Linlin, where is Wang Yuqing?”

“Huh? Yuqing and Meng Ranan went down the alley to buy chestnuts. Wait—why are you sweating so much, Xiao Lin? Where’s your coat?” Tan Linlin looked up, surprised to see him.

At her answer, Xiao Lin’s heart sank. Noticing the two unfamiliar girls flanking Tan Linlin, he immediately understood. He shouted, “Tan Linlin, keep an eye on those two. I’m going to find Yuqing.” With that, he sprinted deeper into the alley.

“What’s going on? Why watch them? What’s happened to Yuqing?” Tan Linlin was utterly confused.

Xiao Lin had already passed the three girls. There was no time to explain. He wasn’t worried about Tan Linlin; she’d trained in taekwondo, so if it came to a fight, those two were no match for her. His only concern was for Wang Yuqing’s safety. He rushed through the maze of winding alleys, finally stopping when he realized he didn’t know which one she was in. Just as his anxiety peaked, a lewd laugh echoed from one alley: “Ha ha, little girl, you want to call the police? Relax, big brother will be gentle.”

Without hesitation, Xiao Lin bolted toward the voice. In seconds, he reached the mouth of the alley and saw Wang Yuqing, her face streaked with tears, cowering in the corner. He caught sight of the fat man reaching toward her chest and, furious, roared, “Stop!” The shout startled Fatty so much that he jerked his hand back instantly.