C18 The past Was like Smoke.

How could it be her?!

Ye Tian's brow furrowed deeply upon spotting the girl on the ground.

If not Hsu Qing, who else could she be?

Yet, how had she come to such a fate?

"Shut your mouth, you wretched woman. Your weeping will curse us with bad luck. Cry one more time, and I'll slash your face with a knife!"

The two brutes were oblivious to Ye Tian's approach. One of them, gripping Hsu Qing's neck, delivered a harsh slap across her face, leaving five red welts.

"Little harlot, you're so pretty, with such large breasts. Who knows how many men you've been with? Stop playing the innocent with us. Make us comfortable, and we'll escort you down the mountain safely. Otherwise..."

The other thug grinned maliciously, his eyes lecherously fixed on Hsu Qing.

"Please, brothers, I'm not what you think. I've never even been in love. I'm begging you, let me go. I'll pay you—my family has money. Whatever amount you want, it's yours..."

Tears clouded Hsu Qing's vision as she pleaded desperately.

"A true, pure, and beautiful heiress, huh? Your words just make me more interested!" The men were practically salivating at Hsu Qing's plea. The leader, still clutching her neck, turned to his accomplice with bloodshot eyes, "Erzi, strip off her skirt!"

Hsu Qing's gaze was filled with utter helplessness and despair.

"Back off, both of you!"

Ye Tian's gaze turned icy as he stepped forward, his voice a cold command.

His opinion of Hsu Qing might have hit rock bottom, but that was beside the point. Confronted with such villainy, ignoring her plight would be a betrayal of his conscience.

"What's with all the shouting? Looking for trouble, are you? Keep quiet and stand watch for us. Once we're done, she's all yours to enjoy..."

The unexpected voice sent a shiver through the thugs. But upon seeing Ye Tian alone, they sneered with a threatening, lewd grin.

"You..."

In that moment, Hsu Qing's eyes locked onto Ye Tian, her expression frozen.

"If you won't leave willingly, then I'll have to make you!"

Ye Tian's smile was frosty as he surveyed the two men with detached contempt.

"Damn it, you're asking for it, aren't you? I'll finish you off!"

Erzi's glare turned icy upon hearing Ye Tian's words. He bellowed, seizing a stone and charging at Ye Tian, aiming for his head.

Ye Tian watched him approach with a cold, mocking smile.

As Erzi reached him, Ye Tian's fist shot out, striking Erzi squarely in the chest.

The stone dropped, and Erzi was sent flying into a thicket of thorns before tumbling down the mountainside. In mere seconds, his body was lacerated by stones and branches, blood streaming from his wounds—a ghastly sight.

"Now, you're next!"

Ye Tian turned his attention to the other man, stepping forward and delivering a fierce kick.

A sharp crack echoed as the kick landed, injuring not only the intended spot but everything around it.

"My genitals!"

The burly man clutched his crotch, his face awash with snot and tears. He stood up, hopping around in a frenzy before glaring at Ye Tian with rage. "Bastard, I'll fight you to the death!"

"Scram!"

Ye Tian let out a cold laugh and delivered another kick.

The man screamed pitifully as he was sent flying two meters into the air, crashing down onto the slope. Like Erzi, he tumbled down the mountain, his body soon drenched in blood.

"Here, wear this."

Once the man was out of the way, Ye Tian turned to Hsu Qing. Noticing her exposed shoulders and chest, he frowned, stripped off his shirt, and tossed it to her.

Despite his dislike for Hsu Qing, he couldn't deny her figure was quite attractive.

Hsu Qing quickly slipped on the shirt, then gazed at Ye Tian, eyes wide with fear.

"If I had any ill intentions, I wouldn't be giving you my shirt," Ye Tian said, almost amused by the situation.

Hsu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. After a moment of silence, she locked eyes with Ye Tian and asked, "Have you been following me all this time?"

The previous night, after watching Ye Tian and Ning Xue leave, Hsu Qing had aimlessly wandered the city streets to clear her head. Overcome by sleepiness in the early hours, she had hailed a taxi back to school. To her surprise, she dozed off and awoke to find the taxi driver had taken her to Zhexiu Peak.

And the last thing she expected was to encounter Ye Tian there.

The coincidence made Hsu Qing wonder if Ye Tian had been tracking her.

Had she not witnessed Ye Tian's unflinching brutality and his detached demeanor, she might have suspected the two thugs were in cahoots with him, staging a damsel-in-distress scenario to win her affection.

"I'm not that idle, and you're giving yourself too much credit," Ye Tian retorted with a mocking smile. "If you can stand, do it now. I have other matters to attend to and can't wait around for you."

Rescuing Hsu Qing didn't mean Ye Tian was obliged to soften his view of her, even with the chivalry involved.

Hsu Qing's eyes welled up at Ye Tian's icy words. She bit her lip and forced herself to her feet, limping along behind him. Despite her irritation with his words, she was too shaken to be alone.

At the roadside, Hsu Qing slipped back into her high heels, wincing as sweat beaded on her forehead.

Ye Tian glanced down at her swollen, reddened ankle—likely twisted during the scuffle with the men.

"What are you doing?!" Hsu Qing exclaimed as Ye Tian bent down and took hold of her ankle.

"I'm treating it," he said coolly, his hands skillfully manipulating her delicate ankle and polished foot. A gentle push and twist, accompanied by a faint pop, and the searing pain vanished.

Hsu Qing tentatively moved her ankle, finding the excruciating pain that had plagued each step was now completely gone, leaving her foot feeling effortlessly light.

"You can heal?" Hsu Qing couldn't hide her astonishment as she gazed at Ye Tian, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Do you think you know me that well?" Ye Tian responded with a chill in his voice. "Your foot's better now, so it's time to head down the mountain." With that, he turned and began descending the mountain ahead of her.

Hsu Qing watched his retreating figure, a mix of shame, anger, and confusion swirling within her. It dawned on her that she might not truly understand Ye Tian at all.

An hour later, they reached the base of the mountain. Ye Tian casually pulled out his phone and hailed a car. He addressed Hsu Qing with a detached tone, "I'm not returning to school. You'll need to call your own ride."

Accustomed to Ye Tian's aloofness, Hsu Qing nodded and dialed her family to request a pickup. She hesitated before broaching the subject, "Ye Tian, about today... could you possibly..."

Her cheeks flamed with the effort of her request. Once, she had stood on a pedestal before Ye Tian. Now, she found herself supplicating.

"You're asking me not to tell anyone, aren't you?" Ye Tian cut her off, his voice icy as he regarded her with a scornful smirk. "You really don't understand me at all."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the car he had summoned pulled up. Ye Tian opened the door and departed without looking back.

Hsu Qing remained, staring blankly in the direction he had gone. Eventually, she sank to the ground, her expression an indecipherable blend of relief, bewilderment, and sorrow.

The past, with all its events, had become but a wisp of smoke. They might walk the same streets, but they were now strangers to each other.

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