C17 Embarrassment

Lin Yuan let out a cold sneer, stepped forward, and delivered a powerful kick to Zhou Kaizhi's chest. The force sent Zhou flying two to three meters before he crashed against the wall.

As Zhou Kaizhi shivered in terror, Lin Yuan approached, seized him by the neck, and hoisted him into the air with a slow, deliberate motion.

"Brother, let's talk this out," Zhou Kaizhi managed to say, his voice strained and his face flushed from the lack of air.

He had no idea where Lin Yuan had come from, but in an instant, all his men were down. Clearly, this was not a man to provoke. A smart man knows when to cut his losses. His priority was to save his own skin.

"Look, if you're after the girl, I'll step aside. Or if it's money you want, I can pay. Let's just talk this through, okay?" Zhou Kaizhi pleaded.

The icy look in Lin Yuan's eyes gave Zhou Kaizhi a chilling glimpse of his own mortality for the first time.

"Scum," Lin Yuan spat out.

He slapped Zhou Kaizhi hard across the face, knocking him unconscious, then followed up with a kick that left him sprawled on the ground. A scream of agony escaped Zhou Kaizhi's lips before he succumbed to darkness.

Lin Yuan dealt with the rest of the men in the same manner. Such vile creatures, driven only by their basest desires, deserved no less. It was best to incapacitate them now to prevent future harm to innocent girls.

With the situation under control, Lin Yuan turned his attention elsewhere, only to be met with a throbbing headache at the sight of Ye XiaoXiao writhing on the bed, her face flushed from the drug's influence, her clothes torn.

Thanks to his extraordinary self-control, Lin Yuan kept his composure. Anyone else with weaker resolve might have already lost themselves to their impulses.

He had considered calling the police, but the potential scandal could devastate the girl's reputation. With a heavy heart, he sighed in resignation.

What others might consider a stroke of luck held no appeal for Lin Yuan. With his status, he had no shortage of women willing to be with him, but he had always been indifferent, his heart as unyielding as iron.

To him, beauty was as ephemeral as a passing cloud. He had seen his fair share of beautiful women, but what he truly valued were the emotions within his heart. Only Bai Shuang held a special place there.

Lin Yuan glanced around, ensuring they were alone, before approaching Ye Xiaoxiao with his head bowed.

"Just to be clear, I'm not trying to take advantage of you," he said.

With that, Lin Yuan gently placed his hand on Ye Xiaoxiao's head, and a unique, chilly aura emanated from his palm, gliding over Bai Shuang's skin.

He inhaled deeply as his hand moved to other acupoints, the cool sensation working to neutralize the drug in her system.

Despite his intentions, avoiding physical contact was impossible. Lin Yuan would never have done this if there were any other way, especially since he was a married man.

But Ye Xiaoxiao, already agitated by the drug, found it too much to bear. She clung to Lin Yuan, writhing. Ultimately, Lin Yuan had no choice but to incapacitate her with a swift chop to the back of her neck, and she finally stilled.

Three minutes passed before Lin Yuan ceased his ministrations. By then, Ye Xiaoxiao had recovered, though her clothing was in disarray.

Seeing she was back to herself, Lin Yuan turned to leave. If she awoke and saw him there, how could he possibly explain?

Unexpectedly, as he turned to exit through the window, a sharp scream pierced the air behind him—Ye Xiaoxiao had come to.

"Ah!"

Upon regaining consciousness, Ye Xiaoxiao instantly realized something was amiss. She felt a chill, her clothes a tattered heap, with rips and exposed skin.

Confusion reigned in her mind, and all she could do was scream. When she caught sight of Lin Yuan's retreating figure, rage took over.

"Lin Yuan, you beast, what have you done to me?" she demanded.

Lin Yuan turned back, touching his nose with a sense of resignation.

"I haven't done anything to you," he insisted.

"Do you think I'm a child? After all this, you claim innocence? How could you face Bai Shuang?" she accused.

Ye XiaoXiao was on the verge of losing her mind with frustration. She wasn't a child, after all.

In such a situation, it was clear to anyone what was happening.

Lin Yuan, feeling helpless, could only shrug his shoulders and began to undress.

Ye XiaoXiao let out a terrified scream at the sight, her face turning pale. Her body was sore and weak, and she feared Lin Yuan was about to become a predator.

But to her surprise, he simply removed his clothes to cover her.

"I haven't done anything to you, so you can relax," he assured her. "I've got other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now. You should get yourself together and leave when you're ready."

Lin Yuan, seeing that Ye XiaoXiao was unharmed, had no desire to linger. He had already taken care of the assassin, but there was no telling if his wife was truly safe. If not for the urgency of the situation, he wouldn't have wasted a moment here.

So, without the patience for further explanations—a trait typical of him—he spoke his piece and departed.

Ye XiaoXiao tried to call him back but found herself unable to move, helplessly watching Lin Yuan walk away.

For some reason, she found herself trusting the sincerity in Lin Yuan's clear, transparent gaze.

It took a few minutes before she could slowly start to move again.

She hurriedly dressed herself, her heart pounding with terror as she took in the scene before her.

Reflecting on the events that led up to this moment, she began to piece things together, especially upon noticing Zhou Kaizhi lying on the ground.

Zhou Kaizhi, her classmate from abroad, had followed her all the way home. Ye XiaoXiao had been annoyed by his presence, but today he had unexpectedly sought her out.

With no other option, she had sat down with him for a talk over tea, which she now suspected had been laced with a drug.

Tears welled up in Ye XiaoXiao's eyes as she realized the violation of her years of chastity.

And then there was Lin Yuan's sudden appearance. Was it possible that he was involved too? And he was Bai Shuang's husband—how could she ever face her dear friend again?

The thought alone was enough to make Ye XiaoXiao feel like dying. Her face turned ghostly pale as she pushed herself off the wall and stood up. But after taking a step, she paused, confused. Wasn't it supposed to be incredibly painful the first time? Why didn't she feel anything?

She incredulously lowered her head, slowly checking herself over, and finally, a relieved smile broke through. Thankfully, the nightmare she had envisioned hadn't come to pass. But how could that be possible? She had clearly been drugged and taken to a bed.

Ye XiaoXiao racked her brain but couldn't make sense of it. Deciding to leave the place that brought her sorrow, she couldn't bear to stay a moment longer. Though she hadn't been violated, the distinct scratches on her body were evidence enough that someone had taken liberties with her. No girl would willingly linger in such a place.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan had made his way back to the villa. As he opened the door, Bai Shuang was there to greet him.

"Weren't you the one who ran off? How can you shamelessly return?" he asked.

Lin Yuan found himself at a loss for words. He had been her secret protector, and revealing his identity would only complicate matters.

"I didn't run off," he said with a grin, trying to smooth things over. "I was just making sure no one was lurking around, possibly taking potshots at us."

Despite Lin Yuan's cheery explanation, Bai Shuang wasn't convinced. In her eyes, he had clearly fled.