Ning Li was embraced by Lu Huaiyu, and the familiar scent of cedar of his filled her nose. It was such a reassuring smell.
She could even hear his heart thumping loudly.
It was a strong rhythm that pounded in her eardrum and reverberated in her heart.
Ning Li was frozen in place.
Lu Huaiyu held the back of her head and pressed it tightly on his broad and solid chest with a force that was self-restrained yet palpable.
“Lili.” Lu Huaiyu’s stern voice came from above her head.
“Go in first.” As he said this, he led Ning Li inside the house.
Ning Li then heard a painful groan full of resentment coming from outside the door.
“You! Who the h*ll are you?! You broke my arm! I-I’m going to sue you!”
Cheng Xiyue looked at the small group of people with bloodied faces in front of him. They were still loudly making a fuss, full of bloodlust.
It had taken him a lot of effort to pull Lu Huaiyu away.
If not for Ning Li being there, they would not be left with only a few broken bones!
Cheng Xiyue had known Lu Huaiyu for so many years, but he had never seen him in such a rage.
They had come up as fast as they could when they heard the commotion. The scene that greeted them was of these people standing in front of a door, frantically smashing it with clubs and hammers, trying to break in as they screamed and cursed. All the words coming out of their mouths were unpleasant to the ears.
As soon as he had seen this situation, Cheng Xiyue knew that it would end badly. However, before he could react, Lu Huaiyu had already started fighting them.
Although these people were armed, Lu Huaiyu had quite a reputation in the army and the Capital as a fighter. How could they even qualify as his opponent?
A few rounds later, all these people were defeated.
Cheng Xiyue watched on the side with trepidation.
Lu Huaiyu did not hold back. Every punch or kick had landed on the most painful and vital parts of the body.
He had been determined to kill.
When Lu Huaiyu heard the man talking, he paused in his footsteps and looked back.
Cheng Xiyue’s heart jumped. He then quickly approached and kicked the man.
“You guys were trying to break into someone’s home and threatened a minor with violence! I think you’re the ones who should be sued!”
After that, Cheng Xiyue turned to Lu Huaiyu and urged him. “Lu, take Little Ning Li inside first. Don’t taint her eyes with these scumbags.”
Lu Huaiyu held Ning Li a little tighter, completely blocking her view.
However, before they could go inside, these people were clamoring again.
“Are you guys with the Ning family? Do you know that her father ran over my brother with his car and killed him? Her father’s in jail now. Don’t expect her to have an easy time either!”
“It’s only right for them to die! This is what her family owes us!”
“Ning Li! Do you think you can hide? Don’t you feel guilty? Aren’t you afraid that my brother’s spirit will haunt you in the middle of the night? My brother is dead! You and your father should live in remorse and pain for the rest of your life!”
The spiteful and sharp voice was incomparably clear.
Ning Li’s petite body was encircled by Lu Huaiyu. Her forehead rested lightly against his chest so that the only thing in her view was his black shirt.
Aside from that, there was nothing else to see.
Ning Li opened her eyes. She breathed lightly without moving a muscle.
All these years, she had heard these kinds of words so many times.
Ning Li thought that she had gotten used to it and could calmly sweep it under the rug when they said these unpleasant words.
However, she now suddenly felt a trace of panic and fear.
It was not because of their curses, but because Lu Huaiyu was here.
‘He…heard it all, right? What my father did, that accident, the pain and hatred of another family that I have to carry forever…’
In fact, Lu Huaiyu should have known about it long ago.
Everyone knew about it. Even if no-one enquired about it, these events would certainly be mentioned along with her name.
However, Ning Li had never thought that Lu Huaiyu would encounter such a scene.
‘It’s so embarrassing…’
Suddenly, a pair of hands covered her ears.
She froze.
Those were…Lu Huaihe’s hands.
His warm, strong palms covered her ears gently but firmly.
The abusive and harsh voices suddenly seemed far away.
Lu Huaiyu bent down slightly and said in her ear with a low voice, “Lili, don’t listen to this.”
‘Don’t listen to it. There’s no need to entertain these people.’
Ning Li was leaning in his arms, unable to see anything, but she could hear his voice clearly.
The warmth and assurance that his hands brought her were so easily etched in her heart. It was indelible.
Lu Huaiyu took a step forward.
“Wait for me here.” He urged.
After that, he turned around and looked at those people.
Cheng Xiyue saw his gaze and felt like the whole situation would go awry.
“L-Lu… I think we should call the police..”
Lu Huaiyu’s hand was on the door handle as he said in a calm voice, “Go in and stay with Lili.”
Cheng Xiyue refused to enter the door and only moved half a step.
He was not sympathetic to these people, but he worried that if something really happened here, he would not be able to explain this to Old Master Lu!
When Lu Huaiyu had come to Yunzhou, Old Master Lu had set a military order that Cheng Xiyue had to keep an eye on Lu Huaiyu, no matter what.
Lu Huaiyu had been good all year. This time, how could he lose his cool…
Those people also seemed to realize that something was wrong and finally shut up.
Lu Huaiyu looked at those people condescendingly before finally settling his gaze on the guy in the middle. His eyes were terrifyingly calm.
“Was it you who cursed her just now?”
The man wanted to speak, but looking at Lu Huaiyu at this moment, he inexplicably felt scared.
Earlier, they had been too agitated and had not had time to think it through. Only now did they notice that this young man was certainly not from an ordinary background. They had also been beaten up by him earlier. Facing Lu Huaiyu now, this thug could not spit out a word.
Lu Huaiyu did not seem to care about his answer.
“If I remember correctly, you kicked the door with your foot?”
The man instantly winced.
‘W-What does he mean by this…This man has already broken my arm. Does he want to break my leg now? Just because I kicked the door a few times?’
Cheng Xiyue’s heart was beating very fast.
“Lu, calm down. I’ll call Chief Dou.”
Dou Lifeng was the Chief of the Lincheng Police Department and had a good relationship with the Cheng family.
This was something that Lu Huaiyu also knew, but he obviously did not want to take the high road now.
‘How many times has my girl experienced such insults and threats?!’
Cheng Xiyue saw that he could not be persuaded, so he could only try to turn to Ning Li.
“Ning Li, I’ll handle this matter, can you take Huaiyu…”
Ning Li herself noticed that something was off with Lu Huaiyu.
Currently, he looked even more cold and stern than when he had beaten up Dai Li at Old Master Cheng’s birthday banquet.
Lu Huaiyu had already taken the wooden club that he had set aside earlier and took one step out the door.
Seeing this, Ning Li’s heart jumped. She immediately lunged forward and held his hand.
“Second Brother!”
