A Fated Encounter on the Roadside

Her body instinctively recoiled a step.

Before Lin Yi could react, a hand pressed firmly against her forehead, completely obscuring her vision. Cold sweat instantly beaded on her brow.

She felt as though if the girl exerted any more pressure, her arm would surely snap.

“Stop, stop, stop, my lady,” Lin Yi exclaimed. “Let’s talk this out properly. There’s no need for force.”

“First, promise me you won’t run,” the girl stated.

The girl maintained her previous posture, though she relaxed her grip slightly, allowing Lin Yi to stand upright.

She hadn’t genuinely intended to harm Lin Yi; it was merely an instinctive reaction to seeing him try to escape. She had been squatting there for nearly half an hour, and now that she had finally caught someone, it would be a pity to let them go.

Lin Yi dared not meet her gaze, fearing he would see those distinctively recognizable eyes.

“I… I won’t run,” he stammered. “Ask whatever you wish.”

The purple-haired girl rested her chin on her hand, feigning deep thought, though her mind had long drifted far away.

She had intended to secretly find her brother today, but she had misheard the broadcast and gotten off the bus early, arriving here instead.

When she had seen Lin Yi at the bubble tea shop that day, she thought he was very handsome and perfectly matched her aesthetic. She had regretted not approaching him then, and now, unexpectedly, she had met him here. This had to be fate; their encounter was clearly destined.

“So, tell me your name first, okay?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Stop with the nonsense. Hurry up, hurry up!”

A sudden sharp pain shot through his elbow. It was no exaggeration to say that if this girl exerted any more strength, his arm truly might break. To save his arm, Lin Yi quickly capitulated.

“I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you! My name is Lin Yi. Is that enough?”

“I’m Gu Yuetong. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

His heart pounded. A moment ago, Lin Yi still harbored a sliver of hope. But upon hearing that name, only tension and dread remained.

Gu Yuetong, the final heroine in the original novel, was one of the strongest fighters. She had studied martial arts, loved firearms, and was the most impulsive among all the heroines.

He needed to find a way to escape quickly; otherwise, there was no telling what this reckless heroine might do next.

“Where’s your phone? Can’t you just call your family?”

“No!”

Gu Yuetong’s reaction was surprisingly intense. She had snuck out, and if her brother found out, he would surely lock her up at home again. She absolutely would not agree to Lin Yi’s suggestion.

Seemingly realizing her impropriety, Gu Yuetong lightly cleared her throat to mask her embarrassment.

“Um… do you have a power bank? My phone died, and I don’t have much money on me.”

“This…”

Lin Yi found himself in a predicament. He had only come out for a stroll today; how could he possibly have brought a power bank?

Besides, they were mere strangers. He couldn’t just take her home.

She was a yandere heroine; Lin Yi wished they could stay as far away from each other as possible.

“How about I call you a car?”

Halfway through his sentence, Lin Yi glanced at his phone’s balance, then gritted his teeth. *You can’t catch a wolf without sacrificing a cub.* As long as he could get rid of this heroine, it would be worth it.

“I’ll pay for it.”

In an instant, a ray of light seemed to illuminate Gu Yuetong’s face. She slowly released Lin Yi’s hand, feeling as though all her recent actions had offended this pure angel.

It turned out this young man was not only handsome on the outside but also incredibly kind-hearted. This made the girl even more interested in Lin Yi, believing him to be a friend worth having.

“Lin Yi, thank you. I won’t forget you.”

It would have been better if she hadn’t said that. As soon as the words left her lips, Lin Yi no longer dared to call her a car.

If she remembered him, it would surely be a lifelong entanglement, and perhaps lead to some unexpected minor troubles.

His heart was pounding, his hands trembling. Lin Yi’s gaze lingered on the screen, yet he made no move. The girl beside him watched, growing impatient.

“Lin Yi, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, haha, nothing, nothing.”

He offered an awkward laugh, but Lin Yi ultimately called for a car. This small town was quite remote, so it would likely take a while for a driver to accept the order.

Lin Yi simply sat down on the curb. The cold marble, already in contact with the snow, emitted a crunching sound as the accumulated snow was compressed and deformed.

Lin Yi paid no mind to it. Although Dongxing City was an industrial city, its environment and air quality were well-managed, with no impurities mixed into the pristine white snow.

Seeing Lin Yi sit down, Gu Yuetong brushed away the snow and settled beside him. “Don’t you think it’s dirty?”

“Hmm? Dirty? As long as I can sit, it’s fine.”

They were just old clothes anyway, so Lin Yi didn’t care. What surprised him was that this young lady also disregarded such things.

Upon closer reflection, it made sense. Despite Gu Yuetong’s extraordinary background, she had endured considerable hardship in her childhood. After her parents divorced and her family shattered, her mother, who had raised them, passed away from illness. Her only brother had then shouldered the burden of their lives.

From that moment on, her brother had worked tirelessly, piece by piece, eventually establishing a security company and achieving his current success.

Considering Gu Yuetong herself, she was unlike other pampered young ladies. Her lifestyle was quite modest, which was evident simply from her taking public transportation.

Unaware that Lin Yi had uncovered her past, Gu Yuetong continued to chat cheerfully with him.

Indeed, as long as they could sit, it was fine.

The sunlight gradually faded, and they sat there for a long time. Even Lin Yi began to wonder if anyone would ever accept the ride request.

Even if it was remote, it shouldn’t deter drivers entirely, right?

“Little Yi, why are you sitting here? Aren’t you cold?”

A familiar voice sounded above his head. Lin Yiting, carrying a bag in one hand, scrutinized both of them. She found the girl vaguely familiar but couldn’t quite place her.

“Little Yi, you’ve only been home for a few days, and you’ve already charmed another girl?”

“What?”

‘Sister, I’m innocent! She was the one who—’ Lin Yi’s words abruptly caught in his throat as he realized something was amiss. He quickly corrected himself.

“She was the one who insisted on bothering me!”

“Really?”

Lin Yiting stared at the two of them suspiciously. She believed her brother had a certain charm, so it wasn’t surprising for girls to be drawn to him. However, their sitting together seemed a little *too* intimate.

“Little Yi, I’m telling you, you need to be faithful. Don’t be switching partners all the time.”

Lin Yi’s mouth twitched. He felt as though he could never make Lin Yiting understand. He turned his face away, as if avoiding something dirty, and stopped looking at his sister.

“Oh, you little rascal, feeling rebellious, are we? Come on, let’s go home.”

‘Sister, he’s trying to help me find a way to get home.’

Gu Yuetong’s outstretched hand suddenly froze. Lin Yiting’s gaze shifted to Gu Yuetong, and she didn’t seem to be lying.

“Little sister, are you lost?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuetong smiled sheepishly. She was indeed a bit directionally challenged; she often mixed up place names, let alone similar-looking roads.

Seeing the familiar smile on her face, Lin Yiting smacked her forehead. She suddenly remembered where she had seen this girl before.

“You’re the little sister from the bubble tea shop that day, aren’t you?”

“Mhm, that’s me.”

“Then how did you end up here?”

Gu Yuetong then explained to Lin Yiting how she had arrived. She had intended to sneak out to find her brother but had misheard the place name, which led her here.

Learning all this, Lin Yiting couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. In this age of information, some people still managed to get lost, and some still traveled without a power bank.

“Tell you what,” Lin Yiting suggested, “it’s getting late, and there aren’t usually many cars around here. Why don’t you stay at my place for the night? How about you take the morning bus tomorrow?”

Gu Yuetong’s eyes lit up. She had already been intrigued by Lin Yi. Now, with Lin Yiting’s proactive invitation, there was no reason to pass up such a golden opportunity.

“Thank you, then, Sister!”