Unexpected Encounter

“Wait…. Wait a minute!”

Just as Luo Yao and Frost were about to enter the pet shop, Luo Yao felt an inexplicable force pulling at his shoulder, compelling his body to turn towards the source of the strength.

“Who are you?!”

Seeing an arm suddenly grasp Luo Yao, Frost instinctively turned to shield him. “Get out of the way!”

At that moment, a familiar face appeared before Luo Yao. “Back off!”

Frost, with one hand, forcefully pried the other person’s grip from Luo Yao’s arm. The hand, adorned with long nails, left five faint scratches on Luo Yao’s arm as it let go.

“Su…” Luo Yao tried to speak, but Frost interrupted him.

The person who had just grabbed Luo Yao was none other than his former classmate, Su Mengqi.

Upon seeing Su Mengqi, Luo Yao was so astonished that he forgot the pain of the scratches, standing there stupidly as Frost partially blocked his view of her.

“Are you Luo Yao?”

Su Mengqi, her eyes now sparkling with an unfamiliar intensity, ignored her previous dejection. “Who are you?” Frost’s expression hardened instantly, her cold demeanor turning fierce as she faced Su Mengqi.

“Who are you?” Su Mengqi, seeing Frost protect Luo Yao like a mother hen, lost her earlier excitement. “You don’t need to know who I am. It’s best if you stay away from us.”

Frost’s icy gaze bore into Su Mengqi, her grip tightening around the other woman’s arm. “Get away! Luo Yao, is that you?”

Su Mengqi shook off Frost’s hand and leaned closer, focusing her gaze on Luo Yao behind Frost. “Who is that?”

Mu Yaochen, hearing Su Mengqi’s voice through the earpiece, asked, “Who is it?”

“Not sure, a woman. She seems to know Luo Yao,” Frost replied promptly. “Su Mengqi…” Luo Yao whispered, never expecting to encounter her here.

As Su Mengqi drew closer, she noticed the collar around Luo Yao’s neck. Her excited expression turned to hesitation, as in her memory, Luo Yao had always been a symbol of purity. “What is that on your neck, Luo Yao?”

Luo Yao, seeing Su Mengqi’s bewildered look, struggled to find an explanation. He hadn’t expected to encounter a familiar face after being auctioned off, and it turned out to be Su Mengqi, not his family. “Don’t tell me… hey, what are you doing?”

As Su Mengqi moved closer to Luo Yao, Frost seized her arm, restraining her firmly. “Let go of me! Why is Luo Yao with you? Shouldn’t he be with his parents? Who are you?”

Each time Su Mengqi spoke, Frost silenced her with a powerful technique, holding her tightly. “That’s none of your business.”

Frost’s voice was cold, and although Su Mengqi struggled, Frost’s Special Forces training made her resistance futile. “Then let me go!”

Frost and Su Mengqi’s actions drew the attention of many passersby, some of whom began taking photos. Seeing the growing crowd, Frost frowned and released Su Mengqi, turning her head. “Miss, what should we do next?”

Mu Yaochen, in the villa’s second floor, didn’t know the specifics, but the noise from the other end told her the situation wasn’t good. Had they encountered an acquaintance?

Putting down the phone, Mu Yaochen stood from the office chair and walked to the window, lost in thought. “Let’s go.”

Frost, following orders, grabbed Luo Yao’s arm and pulled him towards the underground parking lot. “Wait, are you one of Mu Yaochen’s people?”

Seeing Frost leave with Luo Yao, Su Mengqi remembered the morning’s headline news about the “Private Pet of the Queen of Fanhai.”

She recalled the photo of Mu Yaochen and Luo Yao together. Initially, she hadn’t believed it. Frost ignored Su Mengqi’s outburst and continued pulling Luo Yao away. “What’s going on? Kidnapping a man?”

The onlookers began to speculate, as Frost’s imposing figure made her seem aggressive, while Su Mengqi appeared weaker. “Luo Yao, has that woman, Mu Yaochen, hurt you?”

Although reluctant, Su Mengqi shouted the question. “What did you say?” Frost stopped in her tracks. “Watch your tongue, or you’ll regret it.”

Frost’s pupils narrowed to slits, her eyes fixating on Su Mengqi like a predator ready to pounce. “Make me regret it, if you can.”

Su Mengqi, undeterred by the challenge, held her ground. Although she didn’t know much about Fanhai, she was confident her family’s wealth could match Mu Yaochen’s. “You…”

Frost clenched her fists, wanting to teach Su Mengqi a lesson, but the crowd made her hesitate. “Hmph, little girl, watch your step.”

Frost regained her composure and grabbed Luo Yao’s arm again, ready to leave. Su Mengqi wanted to rescue Luo Yao but knew she was no match for Frost. It must be Mu Yaochen’s doing, Su Mengqi thought, but she was powerless to stop it. “If I can’t even protect the man I love, what kind of woman am I?”

Su Mengqi asked herself, then looked up to see Luo Yao’s face in the distance. “Save… save me…”

Luo Yao, desperate to escape Mu Yaochen’s clutches, signaled to Su Mengqi with his hands. Seeing Su Mengqi’s determined expression, Luo Yao shook his head in dismay. Was she really so stubborn?

He had only given her a hint, not an invitation to charge in. Who was Frost, if not someone formidable? Seeing Su Mengqi approach, Luo Yao could only hope she understood his message to call the police. The auction had to be illegal, involving human trafficking. “Call the police… call the police.”

Luo Yao sighed in relief as Su Mengqi stopped. He signaled again, mouthing ‘call the police.’ Watching Su Mengqi walk away, Luo Yao hoped she had understood. But two seconds later, she sped up, approaching them again. “You’re playing with fire, got it?”

Frost sensed Su Mengqi’s presence and, without turning, continued her path with Luo Yao. Luo Yao looked back, seeing Su Mengqi’s resolute expression. Stupid, don’t do this. “I’m playing with fire, are you sure?”

Su Mengqi’s voice was no longer hesitant, carrying a powerful aura. If she couldn’t protect the man she loved, what kind of woman was she? In that moment, Su Mengqi seemed invincible, her gaze fierce. Frost didn’t turn, just kept walking. But Luo Yao watched as Su Mengqi’s small foot kicked Frost’s back. That foolish woman,

****

Emotionally drained, I haven’t played League of Legends ranked matches for about a month. I’ve dropped from Diamond I to Platinum I, and my season reward of Diamond Prestige is gone. It’s just too hard.

(Tomorrow might be a double update, please vote for me, I’m humble and pitiful.)