Chapter 41: My Brother, My Guardian Angel

Su Bai glanced at the taxi driver, who had already been subdued. Then he slowly bent down and once again picked up the steel bar lying on the ground.

Without turning around, Su Bai knew well enough that the two girls hadn’t gotten into the car yet.

“Be good, listen to me. Both of you get in the car first. I’ll be fine!” he called out softly. “With you two still here, I’m more likely to get distracted!”

Yang Mengke, whose heart had just begun to calm, felt it clench with worry once more. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over her cheeks, unstoppable. She knew her brother was about to face danger, but she also understood that she and Liu Ruotong would only be a burden to him if they stayed.

She didn’t know when her brother had become so capable at fighting, but at this moment, Yang Mengke chose to trust him.

“Ruotong, let’s get in the car first,” she urged.

Liu Ruotong’s eyes were red as she stared in a daze at Su Bai’s back. Finally, she murmured, “This is exactly what my brother said to me five years ago.”

Her thoughts drifted back to five years earlier. At that time, Liu Ruihua—her father—was at a crucial juncture in his career transfer. While she was out playing with her brother, she was kidnapped by her father’s political enemies. Her brother, a graduate of a military academy, of course would never surrender. Surrounded by enemies, he turned to her and said, “Ruotong, get in the car first!”

In the end, though gravely wounded, her brother still managed to bring Liu Ruotong safely home. The moment they got home, he collapsed. From that moment on, her brother became her guardian angel—her faith.

Yet, Liu Ruotong, as a child, could never have imagined that her heroic brother would be lost just two years later in an anti-narcotics operation. Her world collapsed that day.

Now, the scene before her was so strikingly similar to that day five years ago—another man telling her to get in the car first.

A storm of emotion raged in Liu Ruotong’s heart.

Yang Mengke noticed Liu Ruotong standing there, unmoving, and thought she’d been frightened into immobility.

She gently whispered in her ear, “Ruotong, can’t you move? It’s alright, I’ll help you. Leave the rest to Su Bai. I believe in my brother, and you should too—he will protect us. Su Bai is our hero, and will always watch over us. I once brushed past death’s door, and he brought me back. I believe that this time too, Su Bai will turn danger into safety and bring us home unharmed.”

Liu Ruotong looked at Yang Mengke in surprise. Had the two of them also shared such an experience—facing life and death together?

No wonder their bond was so deep, their trust so absolute.

She shook her head slightly again.

Seeing that Liu Ruotong still refused to get in the car, Su Bai grew frustrated.

“Why are you being so stubborn? If you stay here, I’ll have to worry about you too. Hurry up and go, don’t waste time!” he urged.

No sooner had Su Bai finished speaking than a group of burly men stepped forward. Su Bai tensed, ready to act, when Liu Ruotong spoke up, “They’re here for me!”

She turned to the men around her and shouted, “Move aside! Where were you when Sister Ke and I were kidnapped? Where were you when Su Bai was fighting the criminals to save us? Now that everything is over and we’re safe, you finally show up! Tell me—what are you here for?!”

The men, stunned by the usually gentle young lady’s outburst, bowed their heads. “We’re sorry, Miss. We failed in our duties.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward. “Alright, Ruotong, don’t blame them anymore. There were too many people then, and you’re always strict about them not getting within ten meters of you. By the time they realized what was happening, it was already too late.”

Liu Ruotong threw herself into the man’s arms, sobbing. “Uncle Fu! I wasn’t really blaming them, I was just scared. Besides, they wanted to lay hands on Su Bai, who just saved me, and I lost my temper!”

Then she turned back to the men. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted at you.”

The men quickly waved their hands, dismissing her apology. They knew better than anyone what kind of person their young lady was—she had always treated them with respect, never as mere subordinates. Having such an employer was their good fortune.

Uncle Fu then looked at the young man before him. “Thank you for saving Ruotong.”

By now, Su Bai had realized that these men had come to rescue Liu Ruotong. She even had bodyguards by her side, hidden in the shadows. In all his previous interactions with her, he’d never noticed. His curiosity about her identity grew even stronger.

“It’s I who should apologize,” Su Bai said. “This kidnapping was aimed at me. I’m the one who implicated Liu Ruotong. I owe her an apology. I’m sorry.”

Liu Ruotong quickly waved her hands. “No need, Su Bai. You don’t mind if I call you that, do you? I was the one who insisted on going to watch your talent competition with Sister Ke. None of this is your fault.”

Uncle Fu chuckled, “Now that everything’s clear, let’s go home.”

He turned to two of his men. “You two stay behind and take care of these three.”

With the misunderstanding resolved, the taxi driver was naturally released as well.

Su Bai said, “Ke, you go back with Liu Ruotong. I only caught up thanks to this brother’s taxi. He didn’t care about the car or danger and helped me chase after you. I’ll go back with him and thank him properly.”

He whispered this last part to Yang Mengke, who hurriedly thanked the taxi driver. “Thank you, thank you so much!”

Uncle Fu also offered an apology to the driver.

Then, seven or eight identical Audi A8s left the scene together. If one looked closely, one of them was outfitted as a dedicated medical vehicle, with a doctor inside.

Su Bai turned to the two men who remained. “You can go now. We’re used to handling matters like these,” one of them assured him.

Su Bai nodded and left with the taxi driver. After all, the driver certainly didn’t want to get caught up in this any further.

“Brother, thank you so much! If it weren’t for your help, my sister might not have survived,” Su Bai said sincerely, sizing up the man—who clearly wasn’t an ordinary person.

The taxi driver waved him off. “No need for thanks—we’re all countrymen, it’s what we should do.”

“I’m Su Bai. What should I call you, brother?”

“Wang Yan. Just call me Old Wang. Wait—you’re Su Bai? The one who’s been all over the internet lately?”

Suddenly remembering the scene earlier, Wang Yan asked in astonishment, “You wouldn’t happen to be that Su Bai?”

Su Bai smiled and nodded. “That’s me! Since you won’t take the fifty thousand yuan, I won’t force it on you. Here’s my number—call me anytime if you need anything.”

All the way back, the two chatted at length. By the time Su Bai was dropped off at his neighborhood, Wang Yan still felt as if he were dreaming. Who would have thought that a singer famous across the internet would have such skills and such decisiveness? Thinking about what Su Bai had told him, Wang Yan couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement.