The Drenched Escape

The car glided along the wide road, the middle-aged man’s gaze split between the path ahead and the sidewalks, searching for a girl with silver hair.

Rain poured outside, and as he scanned the street, he noted only a few figures in raincoats moving about.

Not long after, a silver-haired girl emerged from a copse of trees, pushing a cart. Her clothes were drenched, and her silver-white hair was matted with dirt and leaves.

Upon seeing her, the middle-aged man quickly pulled over and honked his horn.

The girl merely glanced his way twice before continuing to push her cart. It was evident she had little strength left; at this rate, exhaustion would soon claim her.

Hastily, the middle-aged man grabbed an umbrella, pushed open his car door, and extended it.

“Young lady, you must be Chen Sishi, correct?”

She nodded weakly, offering no words.

****

Just over ten minutes prior, Chen Sishi had located a foldable luggage cart within the sea-view house. Her luck held, as the cart was perfectly suited to transport Lin Yi.

With immense effort, Chen Sishi finally managed to hoist the unconscious Lin Yi onto the cart.

As the rain outside intensified, a growing urgency gnawed at Chen Sishi. The banquet must have surely ended by now, and given Lin Yiting and Chen Lujun’s capabilities, they would likely be in pursuit soon.

Steeling her heart, Chen Sishi resolved to brave the downpour and escape with Lin Yi. She feared that if she delayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to leave at all.

Should her father apprehend her, she would face not only a lecture but possibly confinement.

And so, the silver-haired girl pushed the cart, resolutely heading in one direction. The icy raindrops lashed against her, yet Chen Sishi’s expression remained unchanged.

She was embarking on a path of no return, carrying her most precious treasure.

The wind grew stronger, and droplets of muddy, dusty water soaked her long hair and her clothes.

After an indeterminate distance, Chen Sishi felt her body’s strength waning. It wasn’t until she reached the main road that she encountered the middle-aged man.

The man observed her frail state, which inexplicably reminded him of his own daughter, stirring a pang of sympathy.

“Come, young lady, get in the car and warm up.”

Chen Sishi shook her head, her soaked hair feeling unusually heavy. Already low on energy, her body swayed involuntarily.

“Uncle, I’ll do it myself.”

The girl’s voice was faint, barely louder than the surrounding rain, almost inaudible if one didn’t listen closely. Chen Sishi was adamant that she couldn’t allow him to help. The black bag contained Lin Yi; what if he touched it and realized what was inside? She had to carry Lin Yi into the car herself.

Seeing Chen Sishi’s stubbornness, the middle-aged man could only sigh and dutifully held the umbrella for her.

Chen Sishi secretly exhaled in relief when he didn’t attempt to help her further. She bent down, her arms encircling the black bag, and pulled with all her might.

The bag remained stubbornly still, as if glued to the cart. Chen Sishi gritted her teeth and tried again. Still, no movement.

“Young lady, let me help. Your parents really shouldn’t let a frail young girl carry something so heavy.”

As the middle-aged man’s hand reached out, Chen Sishi grew anxious. In a surge of desperation, she suddenly cried out.

“Don’t touch him!”

The middle-aged man flinched, startled by Chen Sishi’s sudden shout, but he couldn’t just stand by and watch her struggle.

“Wait!”

At that moment, a voice interrupted his action. From where Chen Sishi had emerged, four more figures appeared.

There were three women and one man, all appearing quite young except for the man. The voice had belonged to the beautiful woman at the forefront.

The middle-aged man was still bewildered, staring at the equally drenched group. He opened his mouth but found no words.

His gaze swept over the sole male in the group, and he realized the man bore a striking resemblance to the girl before him. An answer immediately formed in his mind.

Tentatively, the middle-aged man asked, “Are you her family?”

“I am her father. My daughter is being unreasonable; please forgive her,” Chen Lujun stepped forward, speaking with a hint of apology. He then turned to Chen Sishi, his expression a mix of anguish and anger.

Despite his fury, Chen Lujun couldn’t bring himself to scold her. She was his daughter, after all, and seeing her so exhausted tugged at his heart.

“Sishi, stop this fuss and come home with me.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Chen Sishi slowly raised her head to look at Chen Lujun, her eyes devoid of light.

“I want Lin Suo. I truly, desperately want Lin Suo. Is Father going to stop me?”

The cold voice, the familiar tone. Looking at the girl before him, Chen Lujun couldn’t help but recall memories. He remembered a time when another girl had longed for someone in her heart, just as she did now.

As one of the individuals involved, Chen Lujun understood that feeling intimately and knew exactly how to handle it.

“Alright, Sishi, you like Lin Suo, and you want him. I won’t object.”

“But have you considered where you’ll go, what you’ll do, or how you’ll survive in this world if you just run off like this?”

“Sishi, come home. I still want you by my side for a couple more years.”

These words brought a measure of calm to Chen Sishi. Chen Lujun was right; relying solely on her own abilities, it would be difficult for her to establish herself in society.

Yet, she had left such a terrible impression on Lin Suo this time. How would he perceive her next time? He would surely run if he saw her.

At the thought of the consequences, Chen Sishi felt her heart shatter. She couldn’t go back; she hadn’t obtained Lin Suo yet. How could she give up halfway?

Her aquamarine eyes once again became lifeless, and Chen Sishi lifted the luggage cart, intending to flee. They couldn’t possibly let her succeed so easily. The instant Chen Sishi moved, Qin Ruoxue blocked her path.

“Chen Sishi, put Lin Suo down!”

Chen Sishi ignored her completely, charging directly towards her. Seeing her truly committed, Qin Ruoxue had no choice but to dodge aside.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Sishi ran forward without looking back. Suddenly, a loud bang froze Chen Sishi in her tracks.

“Chen Sishi, if you run again, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Lin Yiting’s furious voice echoed from behind. Chen Sishi slowly turned around. The dark muzzle of a gun was pointed directly at her forehead. If Lin Yiting pulled the trigger now, she could take Chen Sishi’s life.

The scene instantly fell into a stalemate. The middle-aged man, sensing danger, quickly hid behind his car. He fumbled nervously for his phone, preparing to call the police. He hadn’t expected to pick up a friend and get involved in such a huge mess. If they started fighting, someone would surely die.

However, before he could dial, he saw a group of maids in raincoats arrive from all directions. Now, they had completely surrounded the area, making it very difficult for Chen Sishi to escape.