The men were all over six feet tall and powerfully built. Lin Mei, who was only a little over five feet, felt as if a dark cloud had descended upon her as she was surrounded by them.
A chill ran down her spine, and her heart pounded in her chest. The men easily subdued her, tying up her hands and feet. Lin Mei knew resistance was futile, like a moth to a flame, and would only lead to her destruction. She calmed herself and tried to negotiate, "Do you want money? I can give you money."
"Little lady, you've got some nerve, trying to negotiate with us?" The leader grabbed her hair. Lin Mei cried out in pain, tears welling up. Her desperate, tear-streaked face only fueled the man's destructive desires.
He chuckled lewdly, "We don't want money. Just be a good girl and play with us for a while. Once we've had our fun, we'll let you go."
These words plunged Lin Mei into despair. Her hair was being pulled, causing immense pain. She scanned her surroundings, instinctively searching for a familiar figure. But the area was deserted. Her heart sank to the bottom, and despair washed over her like a tidal wave.
Perhaps it was because he had saved her so many times, but when she encountered danger, he was the first person she thought of. Yet, she had forgotten that he couldn't always appear...
Lin Mei found a surge of strength from somewhere and began to resist. With her hands and feet bound, she had no room to maneuver. Instead, her struggle only angered the men. One of them slapped her hard across the face several times, leaving her vision blurred and her ears ringing. He wasn't satisfied and proceeded to choke her and kick her legs.
Lin Mei fell to her knees in pain. Before she lost consciousness, she heard a man's voice, "Lin Mei! Are you alright?"
Unfortunately, she no longer had the strength to discern who had saved her.
When Lin Mei woke again, she smelled a pungent odor of disinfectant. As she tried to figure out where she was, she overheard a conversation. One voice belonged to a doctor, and the other to Zhao Jianghe.
Lin Mei closed her eyes. Had Zhao Jianghe been the one who saved her?
Why would he suddenly appear there, and why would he happen to save her? The matter was likely not as simple as it seemed. Lin Mei heard Zhao Jianghe ask the doctor, "How long will the leg injury prevent her from walking?"
"A week, at most. Your people didn't break her leg." This must have been the doctor's voice. Despite his role as a healer, he spoke chilling words. "Your people" referred to the group who had cornered her...
Therefore, this "kidnapping" was orchestrated by Zhao Jianghe. But why did he personally intervene to save her? What was his motive?
"A week is enough," Zhao Jianghe said confidently, as if he had planned it all. "She's just a woman; a little kindness and a few sweet words are all it takes to make them devoted."
Lin Mei: "..." Zhao Jianghe was so confident?
No wonder he hadn't noticed Jiang Chubi lurking around him for so long. Jiang Chubi's acting skills were natural, but Zhao Jianghe's overconfidence also played a part.
The doctor asked, "Is this the woman Xing Yan has loved for so many years?"
Zhao Jianghe replied with an "Mm." The other person chuckled and teased, "Xing Zheng's fiancée is already devoted to you, and you've captured this one too. You've cuckolded both Xing brothers. You're impressive."
Zhao Jianghe smirked sinisterly, his tone venomous, "They deserve it."
The other person then asked, "How is Uncle doing at the nursing home?"
Zhao Jianghe said, "Let's talk outside."
Lin Mei had been listening intently, but Zhao Jianghe was so cautious. After he and the other man left, Lin Mei could no longer hear any information about the person at the nursing home.
However, Lin Mei understood the previous conversation. Zhao Jianghe had orchestrated this kidnapping to "save the damsel in distress," hoping to make her fall for him, simply because he knew she was someone Xing Yan had once loved.
When the other person mentioned him cuckolding the two Xing brothers, he had viciously said "they deserve it." What kind of tangled history did he have with the Xing family, and who was the person at the nursing home...
Since Zhao Jianghe had staged such a drama for her, she had no reason not to play along. If Jiang Chubi could fight for Xing Zheng, why couldn't she?
Lin Mei felt a competitive spirit rise within her. In the past, Jiang Chubi had always subtly or overtly implied that she couldn't help Xing Zheng, as if only she could do things for him. But competing with Jiang Chubi was secondary; the most important task was to uncover the identity of that person.
If she were to "get together" with Zhao Jianghe, she could openly enter and leave his residence. If he went to Runcheng, she would have a legitimate reason to follow. These were things Jiang Chubi couldn't achieve.
Lin Mei remained "unconscious" all night. The next morning, she finally opened her eyes hazily. As she did, she seemed to recall yesterday's ordeal, her face a picture of lingering fear, her eyes red and her gaze timid, like a frightened rabbit, appearing utterly pitiful.
When Zhao Jianghe returned from outside, he saw this scene. He paused slightly and approached the bedside. "Manager Lin, you're awake."
"How did I get here?" Lin Mei asked him blankly, her voice trembling. "Those people... what did they do to me?" Saying this, she looked down to check her clothes.
Zhao Jianghe placed his hands on her shoulders. "They didn't do anything. I've already handed them over to the police. Don't worry, you're fine, just some minor external injuries."
"Did you save me?" Lin Mei asked. "But how were you there?"
Zhao Jianghe replied, "I happened to be nearby discussing some business. My car was parked in the factory's lot."
"Thank you, thank you," Lin Mei kept expressing her gratitude. "If it weren't for you, I might have been..."
"Don't be afraid, it's all over now. However, in the future, it's best to have someone accompany you when you go to secluded places," Zhao Jianghe advised. "You could have your boyfriend accompany you."
Lin Mei paused, then hesitated before lowering her head, as if something sad had been touched upon. Zhao Jianghe, of course, didn't miss this. "What's wrong? Did you have a disagreement with your boyfriend?"
"No, he's very good to me," Lin Mei shook her head. "He's just usually very busy."
Zhao Jianghe smiled and said, "No matter how busy he is, his girlfriend's safety is more important, isn't it? Have a good talk with him."
"Your future girlfriend will surely be very happy," Lin Mei said, looking at him for a long time, her voice filled with emotion.
Zhao Jianghe replied humbly, "You flatter me," and then created some distance between them.
Playing hard to get, maintaining a delicate balance of closeness and distance, was the most effective way to capture someone's attention. His casual words of comfort had already shown signs of Lin Mei taking the bait. Making her devoted was merely a matter of time.
At lunchtime, Lin Mei suggested they eat out, and Zhao Jianghe agreed. The two went to a restaurant near the hospital.
As Lin Mei had difficulty walking, Zhao Jianghe put his arm around her and led her inside. This scene was witnessed by Gu Song, who was arriving for a date.
Gu Song frowned. Why was Lin Mei involved with Zhao Jianghe again? Did Xing Zheng know?
Thinking this, he pulled out his phone and called Xing Zheng.