Chapter 5

Shanora Hansen walked around the snack street until her feet ached. Her arms were heavy with all the snacks and trinkets she’d picked up. The sun had long set in the west, and it grew darker. Streetlights began to light up one after another, their dim light casting shadows that stretched and shortened as she walked.

“Never mind, let’s go back first. I’ll keep shopping tomorrow.” She rubbed her sore arms, still holding half a string of sweetened haws in her mouth. Muttering to herself, she turned and headed toward the small hotel. So preoccupied with thinking about what to buy tomorrow, she didn’t notice that two sneaky figures were following her the whole time.

Those were two idle hooligans. A few days earlier, they had lost all their money in gambling. Now, with no way to come up with more cash, they set their sights on Xianola Hansen. She wore neatly dressed clothes, seemed generous with her spending, and was alone. There was also a hint of pampered naivety in her demeanor. Clearly, she was a wealthy young lady who had little experience of the world. The two immediately harbored evil intentions. They followed her around, waiting for a secluded place to strike.

Shanora Hansen kept walking further and further off the main path. The number of pedestrians around her decreased gradually, until she reached the entrance of a quiet alley. There weren’t any streetlights nearby, with only the faint light from shops in the distance providing some illumination. The place seemed eerily deserted. It was then that she frowned, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease. Just as she wanted to speed up, two men blocked her path.

“Little girl, don’t you use your eyes when you walk? You don’t even apologize after bumping into someone?” The bald thug deliberately stepped forward and bumped into Xianora Hansen with his shoulder. The snacks and trinkets in her hands fell to the ground instantly. Her sugar-coated haws also rolled onto the ground, getting covered in dust.

Shanora Hansen was knocked off balance by the collision. After regaining her footing, she looked at the items scattered on the ground and became panicked. “It was you who deliberately bumped into me! Look, all my things are scattered everywhere!” She bent down to pick them up, but another blond thug blocked her path.

“What fell? We didn’t see anything.” The blond guy shrugged, wearing a sly smile on his face. His gaze wandered over her body, as if he were evaluating a piece of merchandise. “As for you, you hurt my brother’s arm. You ought to compensate, don’t you think?”

Shanora Hansen felt a pang of anxiety in her heart. A bad 预感 overcame her. She stood up straight, frowning as she glared at the two of them. “I just bumped into them lightly. How could it possibly hurt that much? Are you trying to make trouble on purpose?” She had never encountered such unreasonable people in her life. Her tone inevitably carried a hint of petulance.

“What’s wrong with looking for faults?” The bald thug lost his smile and his tone turned fierce. “To be honest, pay us some money to calm us down. Otherwise, you won’t be able to leave here today!” The two of them weren’t willing to beat around the bush anymore and made their demands straight out: they just wanted money.

Shanora Hansen immediately realized that she was the victim of robbery! Her heart was pounding with fear, and cold sweat broke out on her palms. Yet, she tried to stay calm and said defiantly, “Why should I give you any money? What you’re doing is illegal!”

“Breaking the law? In this place, money is the law!” The blond man sneered, reaching out to grab the bag on her shoulder. “Stop talking nonsense and hand over the money right now. Otherwise, we won’t be gentle with you!”

Shanora Hansen instinctively grabbed her bag and tried to run. But having been spoiled since childhood, how could she possibly outrun those loafers who spent their days doing nothing? After taking just a couple of steps, the bald thug grabbed her by the back of her neck, pulled her back hard, and slammed her against the wall. The pain made her gasp in shock.

Fear overwhelmed her in an instant. All her composure vanished. Tears welled up in her eyes as she cried out for help: “Help! Is anyone there? Please help me!”

“Stop screaming! If you keep screaming, we’ll hurt you!” The bald thug covered her mouth with his hand, his gaze fierce. Meanwhile, the blond guy seized her bag, pulled open the zipper, and saw the cash inside. His eyes lit up immediately.

“Bro, there’s a lot of cash! And bank cards too!” the blond-haired man shouted excitedly. He turned to Xianola Hansen, his tone urgent. “Tell me! What’s the password for the bank cards?”

Shanora Hansen shook her head violently. Tears finally streamed down her face. Filled with fear and anxiety, she bit her lip tightly, refusing to speak. She stared toward the end of the alley, praying silently that someone would pass by and save her.

Just then, a cold voice came from the end of the alley. It sounded somewhat careless, yet carried a strong presence: “It’s not very nice to bully a girl in broad daylight, is it?”

The two hooligans were startled. They quickly turned around and saw a man standing at the entrance of the alley. He was dressed in white casual clothes, with a tall and straight posture. The streetlight illuminated his face, highlighting his delicate yet striking features. Yet his gaze was cold as ice, as if he were smiling, yet not really.

It’s Qimait. He had just finished dealing with various matters related to the villa. He decided to go for a walk. Unexpectedly, he heard cries for help. Following the sound, he arrived at the scene he saw before him.

“Who are you? Stop meddling in other people’s affairs!” The bald thug shouted bravely, clutching the cash he had stolen tightly in his hand. Yet, he felt a bit panicked—this man might seem weak-looking, but his aura was truly intimidating.

Qimait didn’t say a word. He simply raised his eyes, then moved swiftly. Before the two thugs could react, he was already in front of them. With quick movements, he slapped the blond guy across the face and kicked the bald guy in the stomach. The two thugs collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, too weak to even resist.

“Get lost.” Qimait spoke in a cold tone. The icy look in his eyes made the two thugs tremble with fear. They got up from the ground, not daring to stay any longer, and fled in a hurry. Even the cash they had stolen fell to the ground along the way.

The crisis was over. Shanora Hansen’s legs gave out, and she almost collapsed to the ground. Zimmet reached out to support her, his tone becoming a little gentler. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head, tears still on her face, her eyes red. Her gaze toward Qimait was filled with gratitude. “I’m fine. Thank you, thank you for saving me.” The fear from earlier hadn’t yet passed, and her voice trembled slightly.

Qimait bent down, picked up the cash on the ground and her bag, dusted them off, and handed them to her. “Check if anything is missing.” His gaze fell on her reddened eyes, and a barely noticeable trace of tenderness flashed in his eyes.

Shanora Hansen took the bag, checked it carefully, and shook her head. “Everything’s here, nothing’s missing.” She looked up at the charming and brave man before her. For some reason, she felt a sense of fondness for him. It was like a hero saving a beauty from danger, like in those TV dramas. Her heart beat a little faster.

“You live here?” Qimait looked at the items in her hands, then at the quiet alley. Frowning, he said, “This place is so remote. How can a girl like you go out alone at night?”

Shanora Hansen felt nervous. Instinctively, she concealed the fact that she had run away from home. She replied vaguely, “I… I came here for vacation. I wasn’t paying attention and ended up here by mistake.” She didn’t dare say too much, fearing that revealing her whereabouts might expose her.

Qimait raised an eyebrow, clearly seeing through her lie. But instead of exposing her, he simply smiled, his charming gaze becoming even more intense: “Traveling? I’ve never met anyone who comes to a place like this for tourism before.”

Shanora Hansen’s cheeks turned red as she lowered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I just wanted to experience a different kind of life.”

“Alright, I’m not teasing you anymore.” Qimait waved his hand, his tone somewhat exasperated. “Where do you live? I’ll take you home. It’s so late; it’s not safe for you to be out alone.”

Shanora Hansen hesitated for a moment. Looking at the man who had saved her, she felt an inexplicable trust in him. So, she told him the name of the small hotel where she was staying: “It’s that small hotel not far ahead.”

“Let’s go.” Qimait took the lead in stepping forward. Shanora Hansen followed closely behind him. As she watched his back, a warm feeling spread in her heart. She had no idea that this unexpected encounter would become the most unforgettable highlight in her life of escape.