The Pursuit and a Sister’s Concern

“Quick! Get on!” Lin Yiting shouted, her voice cutting through the air as she swiftly started the motorcycle. She glanced at Lin Ling behind her, a knot of anxiety tightening in her chest as she watched the black-clad figures closing in.

Realizing Lin Ling was still a few paces away, Lin Yiting abruptly swerved the motorcycle, veering directly into the bustling snack street.

“Hurry! What are you waiting for? Get on!” Lin Yiting’s voice, now a desperate roar.

Lin Yiting’s furious shout jolted Lin Ling’s senses. Without a moment to spare for thought, he scrambled onto the motorcycle. The moment he felt the reassuring weight behind her, Lin Yiting twisted the throttle, and they shot away, leaving their pursuers in the dust.

Seeing the two had already ridden off into the distance, the group of men in black were forced to halt their pursuit. One of them spoke into his walkie-talkie.

“Miss, they got away.”

A moment later, a voice crackled through from the other end.

“Chase them. No matter the cost, you must capture Lin Ling.”

Without a word, the black-clad figures swiftly located their vehicles and sped off in the direction Lin Ling had vanished.

From a concealed alcove, the silver-haired girl emerged, approaching Chu Hanxi, who remained frozen in a daze. A small, gleaming blade was then pressed against the young girl’s lower back.

“Muffled cry!”

****

The motorcycle roared down the road, pursued relentlessly by several black sedans. Lin Yiting stole a glance at the rearview mirror, muttering a frustrated curse.

“Persistent as leeches, they’re truly impossible to shake off.”

Through the rearview mirror, Lin Ling, too, caught sight of the pursuing sedans. The memory of Chen Sishi’s previous messages resurfaced, intensifying the unsettling feeling in his gut.

For some reason, Lin Ling couldn’t shake the feeling that these vehicles were somehow connected to Chen Sishi. He had been so cautious in his dealings with her, yet how had things still spiraled to this point?

“Lin Ling…”

A voice seemed to drift into his ear, yet Lin Ling’s mind was utterly consumed by the question of Chen Sishi’s potential ‘darkening.’

Receiving no response from Lin Ling, Lin Yiting checked the rearview mirror once more. Assured of his safety, she called out again.

“Lin Ling?”

Only then did Lin Ling react.

“Sis, what’s wrong?”

“Do you know who they are?”

Upon hearing the question, Lin Ling let out a sigh, then finally voiced the answer that had been weighing on his mind.

“They might be from the Chen family.”

The Chen family was the most prominent entrepreneurial dynasty in New City, with Chen Sishi’s father, Chen Lujun, at its helm.

Moreover, Chen Lujun doted on Chen Sishi immensely, meaning her current sway was more than sufficient to command such a pursuit.

“What? The Chen family? Was the person who messaged you earlier from the Chen family too?”

Lin Ling offered no reply, yet Lin Yiting’s mind had already pieced it together. The name in the chat history was Chen Sishi, also bearing the Chen surname, and by all indications, a girl.

“Why on earth would you go and provoke the Chen family?”

Lin Yiting’s voice was laced with irritation, before she executed a flawless drift around a sharp corner. The black cars behind them were left dumbfounded, and just as they recovered, the traffic light ahead turned red, forcing them to watch helplessly as Lin Yiting sped into the distance.

Even after shaking off their pursuers, Lin Yiting remained vigilant. The motorcycle didn’t slow, heading straight for the city’s outskirts. Her plan was to drive directly into the fields there, a terrain impassable for the sedans, thus ensuring their escape.

After a series of twists and turns, covering a considerable distance, Lin Yiting finally brought the motorcycle to a halt by the roadside. Dismounting, she roughly pulled Lin Ling off the bike, her voice sharp with accusation.

“Lin Ling, what exactly has been going on with you lately?”

Lin Ling could clearly discern the fury simmering beneath Lin Yiting’s composure. He lowered his head, remaining silent, resembling a child caught in a transgression.

When Lin Ling offered no words, Lin Yiting took a deep, steadying breath, striving to compose herself.

“Xiao Ling, tell me, what’s been happening with you lately?”

Hearing this, Lin Ling raised his head and met Lin Yiting’s gaze.

Omitting any mention of his transmigration and other sensitive details, Lin Ling recounted his recent experiences to Lin Yiting in a concise manner. As she listened, the anger on Lin Yiting’s face visibly softened.

“Xiao Ling, with such a tangled mess, how am I supposed to help you?”

With a sigh, Lin Yiting gently smoothed Lin Ling’s disheveled hair, then spoke.

“If things truly become unmanageable, we can always transfer you to a new school. You’re only in your second year of high school, so catching up at a slightly less demanding institution wouldn’t be overly difficult.”

Lin Ling hung his head, silent. He felt utterly helpless, as though the heavens themselves conspired to see him imprisoned by Chen Sishi.

“Don’t worry, Big Sister will handle the transfer for you. There’s no need to overthink anything.”

At her words, Lin Ling cast a grateful glance at Lin Yiting, yet a persistent intuition told him that merely transferring schools would never truly free him from Chen Sishi’s grasp.

A long silence stretched between them before Lin Ling finally broke it with a hesitant question.

“Sis, your… driver’s license shouldn’t get points deducted, right?”

He recalled the numerous red lights Lin Yiting had brazenly run to evade their pursuers. Those chasing them, too, had been left somewhat helpless.

Hearing Lin Ling’s question, Lin Yiting shrugged indifferently.

“It’s fine, I can just retake the test for another license.”

Lin Ling parted his lips, intending to utter words of gratitude, but they caught in his throat.

Noticing Lin Ling’s hesitant movements, Lin Yiting simply waved her hand. She then gestured for him to stand, proceeding to inspect his clothes thoroughly. To her relief, the expected tracking device was nowhere to be found.

However, Lin Ling’s pallid complexion struck Lin Yiting as peculiar.

“What’s wrong? You look terrible.”

“My… my lower back hurts a bit.”

Lin Yiting’s expression instantly shifted. She re-examined Lin Ling’s back, relieved to find it wasn’t a serious injury—merely some muscle bruising from the impact, which a good massage at home would alleviate.

“Let’s go. Those people shouldn’t have caught up. Let’s head home quickly.”

Lin Ling remained rooted to the spot, a nascent fear gripping him at the thought of returning to the city only to be targeted by that group once more. Perceiving his apprehension, Lin Yiting offered a reassuring smile, her voice a soft, gentle balm.

“It’s alright,” she murmured. “They probably wouldn’t dare to act too brazenly. I’ve heard Chen Lujun is a man of considerable integrity; if he were to learn of this incident, it’s unlikely he would continue to indulge his daughter so recklessly.”

Heeding Lin Yiting’s words, Lin Ling nodded silently and mounted the motorcycle. By then, dusk had begun to settle, and the two leisurely rode their motorcycle all the way home.

****

Pushing open the apartment door, Lin Ling first tossed the various bags Lin Yiting had purchased onto the nearby sofa. He then hurried into the bathroom, switching on the water heater.

A step behind him, Lin Yiting closed the door, then approached Lin Ling, gently patting his shoulder.

“Huh? What is it, Sis?”

Turning his head, Lin Ling looked at Lin Yiting with confusion.

“Let me see your back.”

“Oh.”

Turning his back, Lin Ling felt a cool, delicate hand slip beneath his warm clothes. The soft palm gently pressed against his lower back, and the sudden, searing pain made him gasp sharply.

“Sis, it hurts…”

Lin Yiting’s eyebrows furrowed, and the worry on her face became increasingly apparent.

“Is it that serious? Lie on the bed first; I’ll take a look.”

Lin Ling didn’t dare to delay. He had felt nothing serious before, so why was it suddenly so excruciating now?

Unable to comprehend the sudden severity, Lin Ling simply complied, lying prone as he awaited Lin Yiting’s examination. After a moment, it sounded as if Lin Yiting was preparing something.

Lin Ling, however, dared not look. Lin Yiting was a girl, after all, and the thought of her examining his body filled him with a considerable degree of shyness.

“Xiao Ling, lift your shirt.”

“Sis… isn’t this a bit inappropriate?”

“Stop with the nonsense, hurry up!”

Scolded once more, Lin Ling, his face flushed, slowly lifted his shirt.