Chapter Forty-Four

After Lin Ling finished recording the video, she immediately followed Lin Zimo's instructions and called the police. Lin Zimo stayed nearby to keep an eye on the lecherous man, making sure he didn't escape, though since Lin Zimo had knocked him unconscious, he couldn't get up even if he wanted to.

Still, Lin Zimo sensed something off about the man. The force with which he had kicked him earlier shouldn't have been enough to render him unconscious—he had deliberately held back so as not to knock him out completely. This made Lin Zimo grow wary.

He noticed the man's eyelids twitch and gave him an experimental nudge with his foot, but the man remained motionless. Even after being exposed, he still pretended to be out cold—it was almost laughable. Lin Zimo glanced around, searching for something suitable to teach the man a lesson, but found nothing. He then bent down, scooped up a handful of sand, and suddenly had a mischievous idea.

Just then, Lin Ling walked over. "I've already called the police," she said. "All we have to do now is wait for them to arrive and keep an eye on him. But, Lin Zimo, what are you doing?" she asked, puzzled to see him clutching a handful of sand.

Lin Zimo grinned, "Senior Sister, I've thought of something fun. Listen to me first," he whispered into her ear. Lin Ling burst out laughing. "You really are a character; it's rare to see you with a sense of humor."

Lin Xinxin, who was standing to the side, was completely baffled. What had Lin Zimo said to Lin Ling? She was curious, but Lin Zimo had told her to wait and watch—she'd know soon enough.

Now Lin Ling, too, scooped up a handful of sand from the ground, and a devious smile crept onto her face, mirroring Lin Zimo's. The two of them crept silently closer to the man.

The lecherous man, no longer hearing any sounds, started to wonder if they had left, but he didn't dare open his eyes. Still, curiosity got the better of him. He cracked his eyes open to check his surroundings.

"Now, Senior Sister!" Lin Zimo shouted. The moment the man opened his eyes, Lin Zimo flung the sand straight into them, and Lin Ling, catching the signal, swiftly tossed her handful right into his mouth.

"Ah!" the man howled in pain, sand blinding his eyes and filling his mouth. He couldn't open his eyes and screamed, which only gave Lin Ling the perfect opportunity to throw sand into his gaping mouth.

Lin Xinxin was stunned for a moment, then commented, "Sister, you’re ruthless. Thank goodness I’m not him."

"Don’t be soft on someone like this," Lin Zimo said, looking down at the man. "He almost did something terrible to you. A little punishment will make sure he remembers this lesson—and learns not to underestimate women."

Soon after, the sound of sirens reached their ears. The police had arrived, and when they saw the large man lying on the ground and the three girls standing over him, they could hardly believe what had happened. Such a big man, subdued by three young women?

Lin Ling explained the situation to the officers and showed them the video she had recorded. After watching it, the police confirmed that the girls had acted in self-defense and immediately took the man away. The man, his eyes swollen shut and mouth full of sand, was a sorry sight indeed—he would need a thorough cleaning when they got back to the station.

Once the police had left, Lin Zimo turned to Lin Xinxin, scolding her, "Why did you put on such heavy makeup? If you hadn’t, he might not have set his sights on you." Lin Xinxin, like a child, hung her head in grievance but didn't dare say a word.

Lin Ling stepped over, hugging her to comfort her and said to Lin Zimo, "It’s all over now. There's no need to blame her."

"Don’t make yourself look like some seductress," Lin Zimo admonished sternly. "When you go out, keep your makeup subtle. Don’t try to stand out so much. Now you understand how dangerous the world can be?"

"Big sister, I’m sorry—I won’t do it again," Lin Xinxin apologized. Lin Zimo sighed, "It’s not about forbidding you from wearing makeup. You just need to dress appropriately for the occasion. As long as you know what you did wrong, it’s fine."

Lin Ling laughed. "See? Isn’t this good? No fighting, just making up."

"We weren’t fighting," Lin Zimo explained. "We were just giving each other advice. As long as it helps, that’s enough."

"Now that everything's settled, let's head home," Lin Ling suggested.

Since the scooter could only seat two people, Lin Zimo said he’d walk back to burn some calories. Lin Ling took Lin Xinxin ahead to Lin Zimo’s house, while Lin Zimo strolled back on his own.

…

Yuxing Yue brought Sun Ying to a boutique. Sun Ying, reassured by Yuxing Yue’s presence, was far less frightened than before. She tried to make herself brave, let go of Yuxing Yue’s hand, and wandered around the store, but soon grew nervous again and clung to his right hand.

Yuxing Yue couldn’t help but smile at her behavior, though he understood her nature well. Most introverts either rarely go out, haven’t seen much of the world, or have been shaped by their families.

A shop assistant approached, greeting them warmly. "Welcome! Is there a style you’re interested in?"

Yuxing Yue looked up at the assistant and was surprised. "Siyu, what are you doing here?"

"You know me?" Chen Siyu asked curiously.

Yuxing Yue took off his glasses and smiled. "Now you can recognize me, can’t you?"

Chen Siyu studied him and immediately realized who he was. She was taken aback—Yuxing Yue with glasses and without seemed like two different people.

Noticing Sun Ying beside him, and seeing how she shrank behind Yuxing Yue under her gaze, Yuxing Yue introduced her. "This is Sun Ying—she might be my future little sister."

"Your sister? I thought she was your girlfriend," Chen Siyu said, glancing at Sun Ying’s mature attire. She’d always assumed the two were a couple.

Yuxing Yue realized the misunderstanding and explained, "No, she’s just a bit precocious. My mom asked me to take her shopping, that’s all."

"Oh! But you called her your future sister. Has your mom found someone special?" Chen Siyu asked.

Yuxing Yue gave a wry smile. "Yes. I can see that they truly love each other. I still don’t fully understand the adult world, but both my mom and Uncle Sun have been divorced once before. I believe they’ve learned from their past mistakes."

"Then I wish your mother and uncle happiness. If they get married, you must invite me," Chen Siyu said.

"Don’t worry, I’ll invite everyone from the Tianyuan Team," Yuxing Yue promised.

"Well then, Mr. Yu, what do you need today?" Chen Siyu switched to her professional persona, knowing she shouldn’t chat with customers for too long.

Yuxing Yue understood and straightened up. "Show me some clothes that might suit her," he said, glancing at Sun Ying, who kept her head bowed.

Chen Siyu smiled warmly, "Please come with me—there are plenty of outfits that will suit this young lady." As per store policy, she addressed all customers, regardless of age, with formal titles as a gesture of respect.

Chen Siyu led Yuxing Yue and Sun Ying into the VIP area. Her relationship with Yuxing Yue was subtle—he had become the Tianyuan Team’s medic after retiring, and she owed him a great deal. She brought them to the VIP area both out of respect and curiosity—she wanted to see just how wealthy Yuxing Yue had become.

Yuxing Yue saw through her intentions and thought to himself, "This sly woman is up to something."

Chen Siyu examined Sun Ying’s clothes and quickly deduced she wore a size XL. She handed an XL dress to Yuxing Yue. "What do you think of this one?"

"Wow, you’re amazing. I didn’t even know her size, but you figured it out instantly," Yuxing Yue said in astonishment.

"It’s just intuition—trust me," Chen Siyu replied with a smile.

To check her guess, Yuxing Yue looked at the size label on Sun Ying’s clothes. Sun Ying, too timid to move, let him check. Sure enough, it was XL, just as Chen Siyu had said.

Turning to Sun Ying, Yuxing Yue asked, "What do you think of this dress?" He gave her a gentle pat to bring her back to her senses. She looked at the dress Chen Siyu recommended and was immediately captivated by its noble air.

Seeing the longing in Sun Ying’s eyes, Yuxing Yue smiled. "Try it on first—let’s see how it looks."

Nervous again at the idea of trying on the dress, Sun Ying hid behind Yuxing Yue, but he reassured her, telling her it wouldn’t take long and he’d be right there—she had nothing to fear.

Chen Siyu guided Sun Ying to the fitting room while Yuxing Yue waited outside, idly playing on his phone. Sun Ying took a while to change—her shy nature making her slow.

Three minutes later, Sun Ying emerged. Chen Siyu, standing by, was stunned. Sun Ying didn’t notice her and walked straight up to Yuxing Yue, whispering, "Brother… how do I look?"

Yuxing Yue lifted his head, and was just as stunned as Chen Siyu. His phone slipped from his hand as he gazed at her. The dress suited Sun Ying perfectly, and combined with her makeup, she looked just like a princess from a grand castle.

When Yuxing Yue didn’t answer, Sun Ying’s cheeks flushed. "Um… do I look… strange in this?"

From her perspective, Yuxing Yue’s intense gaze made him look almost deranged—his eyes sparkled with amazement.

Snapping back to his senses at her words, Yuxing Yue smiled. "This dress suits you very well. If you had a pair of white heels, it would be perfect."

"Isn’t she a bit young for heels?" Chen Siyu remarked quietly to Yuxing Yue.

"I know. Still, bring me a pair of white heels. I doubt you can guess her shoe size," Yuxing Yue challenged, though in truth, he had no idea himself.

But Chen Siyu wasn’t fazed. She could tell Yuxing Yue was just teasing her, but she didn’t take offense. She’d have plenty of chances to get back at him when she was off the clock.