On their way home, Long Ruyin and Tianyu passed through the bustling market of Xing Luo City. The place was full of color and life. Vendors shouted enthusiastically about their wares, the air was filled with the aroma of grilled food and spices, and visitors browsed through the stalls.
Long Ruyin held Tianyu's hand with a smile. "Tonight we're having a feast. I'm going to cook your favorites—spicy tofu, shrimp dumplings, and… what else do you want?"
Tianyu chuckled, his eyes sparkling. "You remember everything. Add one more—honey-glazed roast chicken."
"Alright, honey-glazed roast chicken it is," Ruyin said, nodding as if mentally taking notes. "Today is a special day. I want us to celebrate, even if it's just the two of us."
They divided the shopping to finish faster. Tianyu took responsibility for buying vegetables and spices, while Long Ruyin handled the main ingredients like chicken and shrimp. They parted ways in the middle of the market, promising to meet again at the market gate.
Tianyu walked through the rows of stalls with enthusiasm. He stopped in front of a friendly old lady selling vegetables and picked fresh mustard greens, scallions, and a bundle of red chilies.
"Here's the money, Grandma," Tianyu said with a smile.
"Haha, of course, dear. Here's your order," the old lady replied, handing him the package.
"Thank you, Grandma," Tianyu said, then continued his search.
As Tianyu passed by an alleyway, he heard lewd voices coming from within.
"Hey, little girl, want to come with big brother?"
"Such pretty eyes… those eyes would sell well on the black market."
"Hehehe..."
Hearing those words, Tianyu stopped in his tracks. His eyes sharpened. He slowly turned toward the source of the voices—a narrow, hidden alleyway tucked between two closed stalls. The sinister laughter and disgusting words continued, piercing the ears of anyone with a conscience.
Without hesitation, Tianyu placed his shopping bag at the entrance of the alley and walked briskly toward it.
As he peeked inside, what he saw made his blood boil.
Three adult men were cornering a little girl against the wall. The girl looked pale and terrified. The three men, wearing ragged clothes but with large builds, surrounded her like predators circling their prey. One of them had already reached out to lift the girl's chin, forcing her to look into his stained face with a cruel grin.
"Stop!" Tianyu shouted.
The three men turned, startled, realizing someone had caught them. But when they saw it was just a kid pointing at them, they relaxed.
The tallest and thinnest of the three looked around Tianyu to make sure no adults were nearby.
"Just a kid? Run along, boy, before you disappear too," he sneered. "Your eyes are nice too. Might fetch a good price if we sell them."
Tianyu stepped into the alley without hesitation. "I'll count to three. If you don't let her go, I'll make you regret it for the rest of your lives."
The three men looked at each other, then burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha! Did you hear that? This little brat is threatening us."
A fat man with a scar across his face grinned and stepped forward, eyeing Long Tianyu with contempt.
"Heh, a kid like you could disappear and no one would notice. This world is full of nameless ghosts, you know?"
Tianyu didn't answer. He simply stared at them with eyes filled with fury, counting silently in his mind.
The fat man grew irritated. "You little punk!"
He lunged forward, his fist flying straight at Tianyu.
But before the punch could land, Tianyu moved.
His body shot forward, leaving only a blur behind. He slipped close to the man and struck his solar plexus with his right elbow. The man coughed violently, his knees buckling. Before he could even catch his breath, Tianyu delivered a swift kick under his chin.
Blood sprayed from the man's mouth, and he collapsed, unconscious.
The other two men froze in shock. "Shit! This kid isn't normal!"
One of them—the tall, skinny one—reached into his clothes and pulled out a small knife. With a furious yell, he lunged.
Before the blade could reach him, Tianyu dropped low and whipped his leg at the man's wrist like a lash. The knife flew into the air, and at the same time, Tianyu drove his elbow upward into the man's jaw, knocking him out instantly.
The last man tried to run, but Tianyu grabbed the back of his collar and slammed his head against the wall.
Then he kicked the man's knee precisely—there was a sickening crunch followed by a scream as the man collapsed, clutching his leg.
Tianyu turned to approach the little girl. She had short silver hair that shimmered naturally under the sunlight—it was beautiful. Her eyes were large, like two clear amethysts.
Her face was a little dirty, but even that couldn't hide how stunningly pretty she was. It was easy to imagine how beautiful she would become in the future.
Seeing that Tianyu had defeated the bad men surrounding her, the fear in the girl's eyes suddenly vanished. She turned to look at Tianyu, curiosity shining in her big, adorable eyes.
And somehow, she felt something about him made her want to stay close.
"Hey… it's safe now. You're okay, right?" Tianyu said gently, his voice far warmer than when he'd faced the men earlier.
The girl blinked her big eyes. "I... I'm okay. Thank you, big brother."
"Where's your family? Why were you left alone in a place like this?" Tianyu asked with a soft smile.
"I… don't have any family." The girl lowered her head, looking dispirited.
Tianyu fell silent for a moment. That answer struck him in the chest like a quiet blow. A child—maybe even younger than him—was in such a dangerous place with no one to protect her. This world… is so cruel.
He slowly knelt down to meet her eyes, staring straight into her gemstone-like gaze. "In that case… from now on, I'll protect you. At least until we figure out what to do."
The girl lifted her head slowly, surprised. "Really…?"
Tianyu nodded. "My name is Long Tianyu. Can I know your name?"
The girl was silent for a moment, then softly replied, "Na'er. My name is… Na'er."
Tianyu held out his hand. "Come on, Na'er. My mom's waiting nearby. If I don't go back soon, she might start worrying."
Na'er hesitated for a second, then slowly reached out and took his hand. When their fingers touched, she gripped tightly, as if it were the only lifeline keeping her from falling into the void.
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