After the tour ended, Lin Jiayao stayed by Xiao Yufan’s side almost every day. Being apart for such a long time had been a torment of longing and yearning for her…
“Why does Gege look so troubled…?”
Leaning gently on Xiao Yufan’s shoulder, Lin Jiayao appeared quiet and serene, her delicate tenderness evoking a sense of affection in anyone who saw her. Such a lovely girl—if her heart hadn’t already been marked by Xiao Yufan’s shadow, how could her entire heart become so entangled with just one person?
“I’m fine!” A faint smile surfaced on Xiao Yufan’s face as he gently stroked Lin Jiayao’s cascading black hair, his eyes filled with unusual softness.
“Your worries are written all over your face; you can’t even lie properly anymore…”
Lin Jiayao’s gaze carried a hint of reproach. She knew Xiao Yufan was probably trying not to worry her by keeping his thoughts to himself. Just how many secrets lay hidden in this man’s world that she still didn’t know?
“In your eyes… what kind of person am I exactly?”
For reasons unknown, Xiao Yufan suddenly asked, sounding both inquisitive and contemplative. Clearly, something was weighing on his mind.
“In my eyes, Gege has always been a good person. Although I don’t know what really happened during the year you were gone, I can feel that you’ve changed—so unfamiliar now. Yet my feelings for you have never changed!”
After a brief pause, a charming tenderness bloomed across Lin Jiayao’s face. In her heart, her feelings for Xiao Yufan had never wavered, though there was a strange sensation lingering beneath.
“A good person?” Xiao Yufan chuckled, shaking his head slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. If even he could be considered good, then there would be no evil people left in the world.
After all, killing one man is a crime, but slaying a thousand makes one a hero. To many, Xiao Yufan was a god—a deity capable of annihilating multitudes. Yet in truth, he remained an undeniable villain.
“In my eyes, Gege has always been just that, no matter how others see you, and no matter what choices you make…”
Lin Jiayao’s expression remained unchanged. She could sense the subtle shifts in Xiao Yufan’s emotions. Her gentle and refined silence spoke volumes, each word touching his heart deeply.
“You’ve always wanted to know what kind of life I live, right? Tonight, I’ll show you exactly that…”
Gazing at Lin Jiayao’s breathtaking beauty, Xiao Yufan softened even further. He decided tonight he would let her see the life he lived. Some truths needed to be revealed.
Nodding slightly, Lin Jiayao didn’t know exactly what Xiao Yufan intended to show her, but her intuition told her that no matter what happened, this man beside her would always protect her.
Waving down a nearby taxi, Xiao Yufan leaned in as the driver rolled down his window and said, “Driver, take us to Chaoyang Road, please.”
“Chaoyang Road? Young man, what’s your business there? I heard there’s a gang war going on. A colleague of mine got slashed just the other day. Going there now would be walking straight into danger. I’d advise you to reconsider.”
” A gang war!” Lin Jiayao’s brows subtly furrowed. Could this be the kind of life Xiao Yufan had been referring to? Seeing that Xiao Yufan remained unfazed, her suspicions slowly solidified.
“Don’t worry, driver. Just drop us off nearby—you don’t have to go too far in. I know what I’m doing.”
Xiao Yufan tightened his grip slightly on Lin Jiayao’s hand. This innocent girl had barely touched the harshness of the real world. He wasn’t sure whether it was right to expose her to it.
Seeing the thick wad of cash Xiao Yufan pulled out, the taxi driver steeled himself and gave a nod. The two understood each other and climbed into the car.
“Just so we’re clear, I’ll only take you to the edge of Chaoyang Road. Once we get there, you’ll have to walk the rest of the way. Think carefully before deciding to go in—it’s a gang war after all, not a game.”
The taxi driver offered a heartfelt warning, not wanting either of them to walk into danger. Seeing how delicate and ethereal Lin Jiayao looked, like a goddess descended from heaven, he especially didn’t want her stepping into a blood-soaked battlefield.
“Just drop us off, driver. We’re only going to take a look. It should be fine…”
Xiao Yufan replied with a vague smile. He couldn’t very well tell the driver that he was the one who had orchestrated the entire gang war on Chaoyang Road. If he did, the driver would definitely refuse to take them.
With a resigned shake of his head, the driver said nothing more and started the car toward Chaoyang Road. Throughout the ride, Lin Jiayao’s body remained tense. She had no idea what awaited them ahead.
Finally, after about ten minutes, they arrived at Chaoyang Road. As the taxi pulled up, they saw a man slumped against the wall, slashed beyond recognition, slowly sliding down. Even with some expectation, Lin Jiayao felt her stomach churn violently.
Unwilling to drive any further, the driver dropped them off right in the middle of the road. Shrugging slightly, Xiao Yufan held tightly to Lin Jiayao’s icy-cold hand as they slowly stepped forward.
The sight of blood was shocking. Lin Jiayao shivered involuntarily, struggling to keep herself upright. Her legs trembled uncontrollably. She had seen street fights before, but never anything this bloody.
“Scared?” Xiao Yufan gently ran his fingers through Lin Jiayao’s long hair, loosely tied with a purple ribbon, a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. Perhaps exposing her to so much at once was too much to ask of her…
“No!”
She stubbornly pouted her lips. Despite her body trembling and her senses nearly overwhelmed, Lin Jiayao still wanted to move forward. She was determined to discover what kind of world Xiao Yufan truly lived in.
“Who goes there?”
Just as they turned a corner, two figures suddenly appeared ahead, their silhouettes rushing toward them, gleaming cleavers raised high.
“Men from the Dark Gate!” Xiao Yufan hesitated not to attack, fearing he might injure his own men. But seeing the blank expressions on the two men after he spoke, he immediately realized—they weren’t his people at all.
“If you’re not from the Dark Gate, then you die. When you reach hell, you can say it was me who sent you there. That way, you won’t die in vain!”
Before the two could react, Xiao Yufan moved. Two flashes of light cut through the air, and the two dark figures froze in place—lifeless.
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