The night hung dark and the wind howled sharp, and Lin Ruofei, feeling the bitter chill seeping into her bones, couldn't help but huddle her body tighter.
"Are you cold?" Fang Yu rubbed the bridge of his nose, his gaze darting to Lin Ruofei beside him, a faint, amused smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"I'm not cold…" Lin Ruofei stared at the mocking glint in his eyes, her face hardening into a frigid scowl as she snapped back.
Fang Yu shrugged. I saw you shivering, and even thought about offering you a little warmth, he mused silently, but with that fierce look on your face, I think I'll pass.
Of course, these thoughts remained nothing more than a quiet fancy in his head. Even if the girl had admitted she was freezing, he would never have dared make a move. For all his strength and bravado, he could have his way with her right then and there if he so desired—but he knew full well that if he crossed that line, he'd end up dead before he even knew what hit him.
All men must die. Some perish from gutter oil and tainted food, some at the hands of violent demolitions, others from the slow poison of environmental pollution. But Fang Yu had no desire to die an ignominious, unexplained death like that.
This young Miss Lin was clearly the daughter of a wealthy, powerful clan. If he let his wicked thoughts get the better of him, his life would be forfeit in an instant. To think that I, a dashing and roguish bodyguard of no small renown, would snuff out my life here? What a terrible loss that would be to this entire city. Fang Yu thought to himself, utterly unrepentant in his vanity.
"Drive faster! It's freezing!" At last, Lin Ruofei let out a loud sneeze, yelling at the top of her lungs.
"Heh, finally letting that temper loose, are we?" Fang Yu cast his frivolous thoughts aside, slamming his foot down on the accelerator and hurtling down the remote mountain trail.
From the very start, Fang Yu had suspected this was nothing more than a prank by the young mistress beside him. But if she was determined to toy with him, he could hardly be blamed for playing a few tricks of his own in return. With that thought in mind, he floored the gas pedal completely, sending the car streaking down the mountain road in a blur of red.
But just as Fang Yu was focused on navigating the winding path, a sudden flash of light split the darkness, followed by the sharp crack of a gunshot, echoing thunderously through the mountain pass.
"What the hell was that?" Fang Yu jolted violently, slamming his foot down on the brake with all his might.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Lin Ruofei shrieked, her shoulder-length hair now a wild, tangled mess, her entire frame looking thoroughly disheveled and flustered.
Even as Lin Ruofei glared daggers at Fang Yu, the faint rustle of footsteps drifted over from not far away. The sounds were barely audible, but for a master of Fang Yu's caliber, pinpointing a location by sound was second nature.
Paying no mind to Lin Ruofei's furious glare, a faint, knowing smile tugged at the corner of Fang Yu's mouth. He spoke in a low, steady voice: "Stay in the car. Don't move a muscle." Even as the words left his mouth, he had already pushed open the car door and stepped outside.
Lin Ruofei opened her mouth to demand an explanation, but before she could speak, a blinding beam of light cut through the darkness from up ahead, followed by a frigid, menacing voice.
"Don't move."
Three simple words, yet they sent an inexplicable wave of terror crashing over Lin Ruofei. She stared at Fang Yu, standing outside the car, her heart twisting in her chest with nervous dread.
"Gentlemen, it's rather late at night to be out here. Might I ask what business you have with us?" Fang Yu stood calmly beside the car, a faint smile on his face as he watched the dozen or so men striding toward them, his voice perfectly even and unruffled.
"Kid, if you know what's good for you, you'll stand aside and keep your mouth shut. We only want the girl." The man holding the flashlight wore a cold, vicious sneer on his face, jabbing a finger toward Lin Ruofei, who sat in the car, her face draining of color.
"By all means, be my guest." Fang Yu shrugged, stepping meekly to the side with that same faint smile still playing on his lips, even giving a perfectly gentlemanly gesture of invitation with his hand.