The look on Su Li and Luo Pingxiang's face changed. They had experienced this sort of situation many times before, and instinctively ran toward the emergency exit. If this horde of frenzied fans surrounded them here, then the consequences would be dire, and they couldn't even imagine what would then happen. While making their escape, Su Li quickly carried Su Xiaobei in her arms.
"You guys go first, I'll be right behind you!"
Xiao Luo ran together with Su Li, and as soon as Su Li and Luo Pingxiang passed through the emergency exit, he immediately closed the door. As there was no lock on the door, he had to use both of his hands to bar the exit.
"You must be mad. There are so many people in there, there's no way you can hold all of them back by yourself. Let's go together!" Su Li, with Su Xiaobei in her arms, turned around and shouted.
Right then, everyone in the skating rink scrambled after them and crowded around the emergency exit. Driven mad by the sight of their idol, the fans banged on the door without a care in the world. They were trying their very best to knock down the barrier that prevented them from meeting their idol. But Xiao Luo held the door firmly, and acting like a colossal lock, he managed to stop them from getting through. All the banging and knocking was for naught.
Su Li and Luo Pingxiang were shocked when they saw what happened. The strength of one man was enough to block the surging force of hundreds of people; what kind of national joke was this?!
"Stop looking, hurry up and go!" Xiao Luo urged.
"Okay then, you be careful, we'll wait for you in the underground car park," Su Li replied.
"Daddy, you should hurry up and come find us too, Bei Bei will be waiting for you!" Su Xiaobei, safely in Su Li's arms, cried out as well, nervously staring at Xiao Luo without blinking.
"Alright, go now," Xiao Luo said, giving her an encouraging smile.
Her eyes looked like black gemstones as she stared at him, and every single action and smile was enough to touch his heart. This little girl was like a tiny elf that resided inside his heart.
Su Li carried Su Xiaobei, and together with Luo Pingxiang, they immediately headed toward the staircase, which led them to the underground car park. As they made their way, they pulled down the peaks of their caps and kept their masks on to hide their identities. They didn't want to risk anyone stopping them along the way.
"Seems like it isn't easy being a celebrity at all."
Xiao Luo shook his head, and his brows furrowed into a frown. Su Li had earned the privilege of being a glamorous superstar but had lost the fundamental rights of leading an everyday life. She had to always keep her guard up and be wary of crowds, even for simple activities like having a meal or skating.
"Senior Xiao Luo, please open the door. We won't do anything that will harm sister-in-law. All we want is just an autograph from her," a junior screamed, looking at Xiao Luo through a small viewing port on the door.
When Xiao Luo heard that, he felt like just punching the guy to death. This junior clearly had a screw loose in his head, or why would he say something like that at such a chaotic time? He was clearly trying to create a scandal for Su Li.
Indeed, that statement was like throwing a rock into the lake and sending waves across its calm surface, and as expected, with just that one sentence, a storm had stirred...
"What, sister-in-law? You mean Goddess Su has married already?"
"How is that possible? There's no way Goddess Su is married."
"Oh my God, this is huge news. Quickly contact the media; this will definitely dominate the headlines of major media websites tomorrow."
There was a huge commotion among the crowd, and some even took out their phones to contact the media outlets. Others were even more absurd and tried to take Xiao Luo's picture through the viewing port's glass pane.
Xiao Luo hurriedly moved to one side and kept his body flushed to the door to avoid the cameras, but both of his arms were still firmly on the door to prevent them from barging in.
He had underestimated how crazy these fans could get, as soon, a guy somehow managed to find a fireman's ax. He roared, "make way for me," and pushed his way toward the emergency exit. He took aim and smashed the ax into the small viewing port on the door, shattering the glass pane.
"My~! @#!%."
Xiao Luo cursed from behind the door. He was not afraid of the fans but was fearful that they did not even fear death when they went crazy. Xiao Luo figured that Su Li and Luo Pingxiang would have already made it to the underground car park by now. There was no reason to hold the door any longer, so he immediately decided to make his getaway.
In just a short while, he arrived at the underground car park and quickly located his car.
When he got there, he could only see two forlorn figures—one big and one small. Luo Pingxiang and Su Xiaobei were both crying, and Su Li was nowhere to be seen.
"Daddy, some bad guys took Mummy away, Daddy quickly go and save her!"
As soon as Su Xiaobei saw Xiao Luo, she quickly ran to him and hugged his thigh. She looked up, and tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Xiao Luo knelt down to hug her, then turned to Luo Pingxiang and asked, "What happened here?"
"We...we just came down, and two guys in black shirts suddenly appeared from nowhere. They popped up right in front of us, knocked sis out, and carried her away; they were really fast, in just the blink of an eye, they were gone! They were quiet and stealthy... like they were like a ghost..."
Luo Pingxiang was trembling uncontrollably from the trauma as the two black-shirted men terrified her. The way they abducted Su Li was unbelievable, and she was still in a state of shock and was completely disoriented, at a loss of what to do.
"What kind of black-shirted guys?" Xiao Luo asked.
Luo Pingxiang shook her head, still trembling, and said: "I... I don't know, they covered their faces... their outfits resembled those ancient assassins you see on TV..."
Assassins?
Xiao Luo grimaced. Memories of the two black-clad assassins he confronted after the racing competition at the Wild Wolf Mountain instantly flashed in his mind. Based on Luo Pingxiang's description, especially the "quiet and stealthy" part, Xiao Luo was ninety percent sure that they were one and the same.
Were they coming after him?
There was a look of contemplation in Xiao Luo's eyes.
"Daddy, please go and save Mummy, Bei Bei is really scared, sob, sob..." Su Xiaobei cuddled in his arms, crying.
"Don't worry. You go and have a good rest, and when you wake up, Mummy will be back," Xiao Luo reassured her.
"Really?" Su Xiaobei said in between sobs and wiping her tears with her sleeves.
"Yes, I promise!"
Xiao Luo put his finger to her forehead and lightly touched her eyebrows. The little girl fell asleep immediately in his arms.
He took out the car keys, opened the doors, and lightly placed Su Xiaobei in the backseat. Then, he passed the car keys to Luo Pingxiang, and said, "Bring her back first. Leave Su Li to me."
"Mr. Xiao Luo, I..."
Xiao Luo raised his hand and cut her off. "You don't have to say anything else, just do as I say and wait for me at home. Take good care of Xiaobei," he said.
Luo Pingxiang nodded her head, took the car keys from him, and opened the door to the driver's seat.
Xiao Luo took out his handphone and dialed Ji Siying's phone number.
"Siying, are there any updates regarding the two assassins that I wanted you to investigate for me?"
"Mmm, I can confirm that it has nothing to do with the MLM Organisation. The two assassins seem to be linked to Yang Yuanzhong from 'Huangpu Entertainment,'" Ji Siying said.
"Yang Yuanzhong?"
Xiao Luo tried to recall where he'd heard that name before.
"He is the father of Yang Hongzhi, the guy who went crazy because he was scared by you, Mr. Xiao Luo," Ji Siying pointed out.
Xiao Luo finally understood what was going on here. He would never have imagined that Yang Hongzhi's father would have an identity like this. With two such subordinates, he must have a high level of power and authority as well. It just seemed like this world was very much like a martial arts society, where many powerful fighters and leaders remained incognito.
...
[Suburb of Xiahai City: Bode Villa]
In the silent night, the mansion evoked a sense of grandeur and tranquility under the enchanting light of a bright full moon.
The craggy rocks that formed the garden landscape, the ripples of the artificial lake, and the calm surface of the swimming pool—they all just seemed so much more serene under the illumination of the bright night sky.
It was Yang Yuanzhong's Bode Villa!
Besides the watchdogs located inside the villa compound, at least a dozen bodyguards patrolled the perimeter. They were separated into two shifts, and regardless of day or night, they were constantly patrolling the premises and were responsible for the villa's security.
At the far end of the expansive garden, the largest villa was well lit among a cluster of buildings, sending streams of light across the quiet compound. The word "happiness" was conspicuously posted everywhere, and it gave off a festive feel to the surroundings. A strange buzzing noise emanated from within the villa, echoing across the open space in the dead of night.
Su Li was stirred by the piercing sound, and she awoke from her state of unconsciousness. She had a painful expression on her face when she awakened, coming from the throbbing pain and soreness she could still feel around her neck. She took a closer look at where she was and realized that she was in the middle of a cavernous hall. The hall was extensively adorned with red decorations, and it appeared like the place was bathed in a blazing fire to her. The setting itself was reminiscent of an ancient marriage ritual hall. When she looked down, she realized that her outfit had been changed to a red bridal gown, and she was wearing a weighty headdress. To her horror, she also realized that she was also tied to a chair.
She wondered just where on earth she was at that moment.
Unlike many other girls, she did not scream immediately. She could clearly recall in her head that someone had knocked her out and taken her away. In her stupor, she felt like all the things she was experiencing right now felt more like a dream and surreal.
"Poop... Hehehe, I want to eat poop..."
The sound of a giggling man could be heard, and Su Li felt a shudder. She turned her head to take a look. Her pupils started to dilate in abject shock, and she unintentionally called out the man's name. "Yang Hongzhi?"
Yang Hongzhi was dressed in a traditional groom's outfit that was in black. He wore a groom's wedding hat, and a corsage of fiery red-colored flowers adorned his vest. Yang Hongzhi was sitting in a chair next to her and holding a lollipop and happily licking it. His eyes were unfocused, and he had a foolish smile on his face—with just one look, one could tell that this man was in a mentally unstable state.
This jerk had really gone completely mad!
Su Li opened her mouth slightly, and she found it quite hard to believe what she was seeing. She had heard something regarding Yang Hongzhi but just brushed them off as mere rumors. Besides, it was not like she really cared about Yang Hongzhi, so she didn't take the trouble to go and find out more about it. But now that she was looking at Yang Hongzhi right in front of her, she was convinced that Yang Hongzhi had really turned insane.
She instantly thought to herself that it must mean this was the Yang family's Bode Villa.
Then, she suddenly realized that there were two men dressed in black shirts standing in the hall. They stood there imposingly still without even moving an inch, like statues. And it even seemed as if they weren't breathing at all, for they made no sound and were like two inanimate objects. If it wasn't because they happened to be right in front of her, there was no way she would have noticed them at all.
"So these were the men who captured and brought me here. Are they even human, or are they ghosts?"
Su Li's face was filled with much horror. In all her years, she had never once met people who were like them. They were creepy and exuded a bizarre and mystical aura, just like ghosts out of hell.
"Just who in the world are you guys? Why did you kidnap me and bring me here?"
She tried her best to maintain her composure and asked with a stern look on her face, "Did Yang Yuanzhong make you guys do this?"
The two black-dressed men just stood there motionlessly and did not reply to her question at all. It was as if they were trapped in two stone statues and unable to smell or speak or respond to any questions from the outside world.
"Yes, you're correct. I was the one who made them do this."
A hoarse, gritty voice could be heard. Then Yang Yuanzhong, donning a suit, walked down from the spiral staircase in deliberate steps. His hair was neatly combed backward, with three deep wrinkle lines visible across his forehead. His eyes looked really sharp, and even without any trace of anger, an aura of foreboding rage could be sensed emitting from his entire body.
The moment they saw him coming down the staircase, the two black-dressed men reacted in an alert and synchronized way, placing their left hands on their chest to show their respect toward him.
"CEO Yang, what is the meaning of this?"
Su Li forcefully calmed herself down and attempted to talk to Yang Yuanzhong, like how she would normally speak. Since she was an artist signed under "Huangpu," Yang Yuanzhong could be considered her boss.
Yang Yuangzhong did not reply to her question directly, but instead walked toward the memorial tablet and burned three joss sticks before sticking them in the altar urn. A framed black-and-white photograph of a woman was placed before the memorial tablet. Yang Yuangzhong turned to Su Li, and in a soft voice, he spoke, "Let me introduce you. This is Zhi-er's mother. Thirteen years ago, she cheated on me with another man. I killed both her lover and her, and I built a wall to place their dead bodies in there." Then, he pointed toward the wall that was right behind Su Li. "That's correct. It's that wall right behind you," he declared.
Yang Yuangzhong spoke casually, in a matter-of-fact way, but what he had mentioned cast a frightening light on the kind of man that stood in front of Su Li.
Su Li gasped, and a chill ran down her spine instantly. Her entire body turned cold, and a cold sweat started to break out on her forehead as she breathed heavily all of a sudden.
Yang Yuanzhong appeared as if he was living in his own world. "She was Zhi-er's mother after all, so it's not like I left no room for compassion. I have made sure her memorial tablet has been well taken care of for the past thirteen years, and since today is Zhi-er's happy day, I invited her to this hall so that she can also witness the most important event of Zhi-er's life," he said.
Su Li's body began to tremble uncontrollably as she finally understood why Yang Yuanzhong had her kidnapped and brought here. "CEO Yang, it is impossible between Yang Hongzhi and I. I can't..." She cried.
"Hush..."
Yang Yuanzhong gestured, signaling for her to keep quiet.
Under Yang Yuanzhong's menacing gaze, with stern-looking eyes warning her to abide, Su Li compliantly kept her mouth shut. He was a terrifying person, and those eyes of his were too frightening.
Yang Yuangzhong nodded his head in satisfaction, patted her shoulders, and walked back and forth in the hall. "Miss Su, all the success that you have now, apart from your own personal hard work and effort, was due to the company. I think you have to admit that the company has been treating you exceptionally well. You have a pretty-looking face and a really sexy body, and when you pick up a microphone and sing, there are barely any guys out there who won't fall for you. The spark that you ignite is not merely accidental. It is inevitable," he said.
"You must be very familiar with the rules of the entertainment industry. Women, especially women who are good-looking and aiming to climb higher, have to give up something equivalent of value if they wish to succeed. These include giving up your body since there is no shortage of sleazy men in this world, which is even more prevalent in the entertainment industry. But in your case, since your debut till now, nobody has even hinted at these unspoken rules. Have you never wondered why this was so?"
Su Li's heart thumped a little more as she unconsciously turned her eyes toward Yang Hongzhi.
Yang Yuangzhong laughed and said, "Seems like you are clear that it was all because of Zhi-er. Zhi-er has been desperately in love with you all this while. He has been protecting you from the rules of the entertainment industry. Take a look at the entire country. How many out there will not do things for the Yang family's sake. I guess you could say that, on your path toward success, Zhi-er was the one who was escorting you along that road."
His eyes turned cold, and his facial expression became ferocious. "If that were not the case, do you think you could still have a pure and innocent body? A good-looking leather bag like you would have already been worn and torn by thousands of people out there. Zhi-er has done so much for you. Forget marrying him. It won't be too much to ask for you even to be his slave for the rest of your life!" he roared.
Su Li was surprised and filled with fear from within. The version of Yang Yuanzhong right in front of her now was unfamiliar and frightening. Like an evil spirit ripping through human skin, he was rude and vulgar, and his tone was really aggressive. It was as if he could devour someone and leave no bones behind.
But Su Li's innate self-esteem and arrogance did not allow her just to take things lying down. She lifted her head and sneered in response. "If Yang Hongzhi was really that in love with me, then he wouldn't change girlfriends that quickly just like he was changing clothes. I can't deny that the fact that I have never faced any trouble thanks to the Yang family, but the one who really protected me all this while wasn't the Yang family, but my best friend Shen Qingyan!"
These words were largely true, for when some male directors or investors showed interest in her, Shen Qingyan came out and helped her reject all of them. Shen Qingyan even personally invested in her and paved the road to her success. The amount of help that Shen Qingyan had given her was incomparable.