Chapter 87: The Price of Misunderstanding

While Liu Hong was attacking Lin Qing, Wang Fanran, who had been stealthily waiting, quickly scrambled to his feet.

He squeezed through the broken iron railings. His corpulent figure, surprisingly agile, moved with remarkable speed, entirely unhindered.

Su Yao watched Wang Fanran slip away, then turned her head to Lin Qing, who was passively taking the blows. He seemed utterly unresponsive, as if trapped by a nightmare, presenting a truly pitiable sight.

Recalling Wang Fanran’s words, Su Yao sighed. She realized that the escapee had inadvertently struck Lin Qing’s deepest vulnerability. It was a fortunate, albeit accidental, hit.

Wang Fanran’s flight ironically ensured the plan’s smooth progression, moving it to the next phase. With these thoughts, Su Yao didn’t linger.

She lifted her leg and lashed out, kicking Liu Hong with swift, merciless force.

Su Yao possessed considerable strength. Even with Liu Hong’s towering stature, a powerful kick sent him stumbling to the side with a grunt of pain.

Zhou Lin and Wang Jian, who had rushed over, witnessed Su Yao’s actions. A chill ran down their spines.

They marvelled at how Su Yao was not only beautiful but also incredibly strong. To think she could kick Brother Liu aside…

Having just witnessed the intimate actions between Su Yao and Lin Qing, Brother Liu’s eyes had immediately flared crimson. He was consumed by an uncontrollable rage.

In his current state, his entire body was tense, and with his considerable muscle mass, it would be difficult to even budge him, let alone knock him down.

Zhou Lin and Wang Jian knew they couldn’t have done it. Yet, the seemingly delicate Su Yao had miraculously succeeded.

‘What a hidden talent!’ they thought.

“Lin Qing, are you alright? Look at me, I’m right here.”

After kicking Liu Hong down, Su Yao immediately knelt beside Lin Qing. As she helped him sit up, she clasped his slightly trembling hands, attempting to draw his mind back to reality.

During their encounter with the kidnappers at the amusement park, Lin Qing had been able to chase after them in a furious rage.

So why was he now so stunned, so unresponsive, after hearing Wang Fanran’s words? Merely hearing about child trafficking shouldn’t provoke such a severe reaction.

Could it be the mention of a ‘basement’ or ‘iron cage’? These were unusual keywords, rarely encountered, leaving Su Yao to wonder what Lin Qing had truly endured.

As these thoughts raced through Su Yao’s mind, she watched the focus return to Lin Qing’s eyes. She dismissed her speculations, turning her attention to the immediate situation.

“Wang Fanran!”

Once Lin Qing regained his senses, the first word he uttered was Wang Fanran’s name.

Su Yao understood his unspoken question. She simply shook her head.

“He’s already gone.”

Upon hearing Su Yao’s reply, Lin Qing’s strength seemed to drain away. His arms, which had been tense, slumped limply, like a frost-bitten eggplant withering away.

If one could have seen his face beneath his hair, it would have revealed a similar desolate expression.

With others present, Su Yao suppressed her private thoughts. Her fingernails dug into the soft flesh of her palm, reminding herself to be cautious.

The plan was paramount. There would be ample time to witness all sorts of expressions from Lin Qing in the future; there was no need to rush now.

“No… must catch… the children…”

As his last vestiges of strength faded, Lin Qing’s voice became a broken murmur, his words disjointed. His mental state was clearly deteriorating.

His body began to tremble uncontrollably, much like the first time he had caught Su Yao’s attention, collapsing on the ground in a violent, involuntary seizure.

This sudden turn of events prompted Su Yao to immediately embrace Lin Qing. One hand gently stroked his head, seeking to quell the spreading tendrils of his terror.

When Su Yao had previously questioned her own mental state, she had consulted numerous related books. Though not a professional, she could discern that Lin Qing’s trauma had been triggered.

In this moment, Lin Qing resembled a small, wounded animal, covered in blood and curled in a corner. He would watch passersby with wide eyes filled with abject fear.

The pain inflicted by the outside world was so profound that even time could not erase it. Instead, it merely grew, like a snowball rolling downhill, ever larger.

****

Seeing Lin Qing’s abnormal state, Zhou Lin, who was standing nearby, reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He instantly leaped behind Wang Jian.

The last time, in the classroom, Lin Qing’s sudden episode had terrified him profoundly.

Meanwhile, Liu Hong, who had been sitting dumbfounded after Su Yao kicked him, slowly regained his senses. Seeing Lin Qing and Su Yao embracing, his eyes turned red once more.

Just as he was about to charge forward to confront Lin Qing again, Wang Jian quickly intervened, holding him back and preventing him from acting impulsively.

Observing the current situation, Wang Jian felt a terrible premonition. It seemed they had made a grave mistake.

If he hadn’t been mistaken, the person who had just escaped through the broken railings was none other than the runaway Wang Fanran.

Wang Fanran, who had supposedly vanished from everyone’s sight, had suddenly appeared in Lin Qing’s residential complex. No matter how one looked at it, this was not good news.

Considering Lin Qing and Su Yao’s recent closeness, a daring hypothesis flashed in Wang Jian’s mind, striking him like a bolt of lightning.

If his theory was correct, then Su Yao’s proximity to Lin Qing had been a ploy to draw out the hidden Wang Fanran. It was entirely different from what he had initially assumed!

Recalling his earlier words in the billiard hall, Wang Jian felt a profound sense of doom. He was utterly finished this time.

‘Liu Hong hit the wrong person!’

At this realization, Wang Jian exerted all his strength, clinging tightly to Liu Hong’s arm, refusing to let go. They could not afford to make another mistake.

Zhou Lin, who had been hiding behind Wang Jian, saw Liu Hong still intent on hitting Lin Qing. He quickly sprang out, grabbing Liu Hong’s other arm.

Last time, when Lin Qing was merely grabbed by the collar and thrown to the ground, he ended up in the hospital. If Brother Liu were to strike now, who knew how severe the consequences might be?

‘What if he accidentally killed him…?’

A shiver ran down Zhou Lin’s spine at the thought, strengthening his resolve not to let go.

With one person restraining each arm, Liu Hong was prevented from immediately taking action.

Su Yao, oblivious to the others, focused solely on Lin Qing’s trembling. As it gradually subsided, she knew his self-healing ability had activated, pulling him back from uncontrolled panic.

Lin Qing was a strong person, yet also profoundly fragile. He was contradictory, much like herself.

But this very contradiction made him endearing, a person one couldn’t bear to let go of. The more she understood him, the more she desired to possess him.

“Are you feeling better?”

As Lin Qing’s body rapidly ceased its tremors, the warmth radiating from Su Yao prevented him from pushing her away. Instead, he reached out and tightly embraced her slender waist.

He yearned for this rare comfort.

He would no longer be locked in an iron cage. There was no need to panic.

Even if he were, fear would be futile. Lin Qing had believed he could manage his negative emotions well, but now it seemed he still had a long way to go.

“Thank you, I’m alright.”

The lingering terror in his heart swiftly receded at her words.

Having recovered, Lin Qing released Su Yao. He gently pushed her away, his demeanor now back to normal.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. If we can’t catch Wang Fanran this time, we’ll try again next time.”

However, Su Yao firmly raised both hands to cup Lin Qing’s face, her expression earnest as she spoke, her words brooking no argument.

Had she known Lin Qing would react so intensely, Su Yao would have opted for a gentler, safer plan. She wouldn’t have allowed him to converse with Wang Fanran.

Nor would she have let the instigated Liu Hong lay a hand on Lin Qing. Judging by the force of the blows, Lin Qing’s face was surely injured.

Yet, it wasn’t entirely without benefit. After this experience, Su Yao would be far more careful and cautious in the future.

Remaining by Lin Qing’s side would undoubtedly bring various troubles, and she would factor these into her plans moving forward.

Upon hearing Su Yao’s words, Lin Qing, for once, didn’t argue. He simply nodded silently, his emotions still too raw to fully recover in the moment.

Su Yao’s words offered only solace; the reality was harsh. Having failed to catch Wang Fanran this time, the next attempt would be even more challenging.

Wang Fanran would undoubtedly go into hiding, secretly, and wouldn’t present another opportunity for capture. Humans learned from their mistakes, becoming more cunning.

Thus, the chance was gone.

Recalling Wang Fanran’s words as he fled, Lin Qing clenched his fists. He knew he couldn’t pretend not to have heard them.

What if it was true?

Then, countless children would suffer the same fate as he once had. Basements reeking of blood and filth, chains dragging across the floor, screams that never seemed to cease, and a chilling cold seeping into every cell of one’s body.

An endless torrent of fear surged over him like a flood.

Observing Lin Qing’s reaction, Su Yao didn’t press him further. After lowering her hands from his face, she immediately turned her head to face Liu Hong and the other two.

“Liu Hong, do you understand the consequences of your actions? We spent days staking out this complex, finally managing to lure Wang Fanran out, and now, because of you, he’s escaped.”

Su Yao had never spoken so many words to Liu Hong, and her gaze upon him was unprecedentedly cold—more akin to an enemy than a stranger.

Her words were like a bucket of icy water splashed over Liu Hong, chilling him to the bone.

At this, Liu Hong’s struggles ceased. Without Zhou Lin and Wang Jian needing to restrain him further, he quickly calmed down.

‘Something, indeed, felt very wrong.’

“Wang Fanran incited an assault that failed, and is now a runaway. Furthermore, he joined Chen Sen’s dog-stealing gang and has been lurking around Lin Qing’s complex this entire time. Even when residents grew suspicious, he didn’t change his location, which clearly indicates he was looking for an opportunity to get revenge on Lin Qing.”

Before Liu Hong could speak, Su Yao continued.

Her few sentences laid out the entire sequence of events, causing cold sweat to break out on Liu Hong’s forehead. He hadn’t anticipated such a truth.

Wang Jian, standing nearby, turned pale with guilt, realizing he had completely misunderstood the situation.

‘Now, Brother Liu has truly offended Su Yao!’