Chapter 105: The Couple Behind the Fake Mountain

Zhou Ming was being pulled by Tang Ran towards a small grove. As they got closer, the sounds became clearer. With Zhou Ming's extensive experience from his previous life, he could immediately tell that it was a man and a woman engaged in intimate activities.

Though Tang Ran's strength was insufficient to pull Zhou Ming along, his own curiosity about who would be so bold in this conservative era made him follow her.

"Brother Ming, that woman sounds like she's in pain. Should we call the police?" Tang Ran asked, looking back at Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming was at a loss for how to answer. If it were someone like Lin Muqing or Kong Xiaolin, he could have avoided explaining. If it were Su Han, he could have justified it, but explaining this to Tang Ran—who was so innocent and pure—felt almost criminal.

After some thought, Zhou Ming replied, "Ran Ran, let's not go over there."

"Why?" Tang Ran asked with innocent, wide eyes.

Zhou Ming was troubled and unsure how to explain. He heard another voice from the direction of the noise: "Damn it… Zhou Ming, you…"

Both Zhou Ming and Tang Ran froze. Despite not catching every word, Zhou Ming heard his own name clearly.

"Brother Ming, why is that person mentioning you?" Tang Ran asked.

Zhou Ming shook his head. "I'm not sure. Let's go check it out, but be quiet and hold onto my hand tightly."

Tang Ran nodded seriously, and Zhou Ming led her cautiously towards the source of the noise. His emotions were a mix of nervousness and anticipation, much like when he finally downloaded a long-awaited file and was about to open it. They arrived at a small fake mountain, where the sounds indicated that the couple was behind it.

Peering around the corner, despite the dim light in the grove, they saw a man and woman entwined. The woman lay on the grass, her dress bunched around her waist, her pale skin exposed. The man had his pants half-off, his clothes still on, and was thrusting rhythmically on top of her. The woman's moans were the same ones Zhou Ming and Tang Ran had heard earlier.

Tang Ran, though innocent, was not naive. She understood what was happening and blushed deeply. She was about to call out, but Zhou Ming swiftly covered her mouth.

Tang Ran understood that making a noise would reveal their presence, so she stayed quiet, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Brother Ming, why are they doing this here? It's so shameless."

"I didn't expect anyone would do this in a park," Zhou Ming said, shaking his head. Even in a much more open-minded era, such behavior was rare, let alone in the conservative present time.

"I should have listened to you and left earlier. Now I'm so embarrassed!" Tang Ran lamented.

Zhou Ming smiled slightly and was about to say something when another voice from the scene startled him: "Zhou Ming, damn you! You're so arrogant. Just you wait, I'll make you pay!"

Hearing his name again, Zhou Ming was taken aback. This voice seemed familiar…

"Brother Ming, isn't that Zhou Hu's voice?" Tang Ran whispered.

Zhou Ming nodded. He recognized the voice and was surprised that Zhou Hu had such a peculiar habit. Moreover, Zhou Hu was cursing him while involved with a woman. He seemed like a real piece of work.

"Be careful. You're messing everything up," the woman's voice came through, sounding somewhat pained but also intensifying Zhou Hu's excitement.

Zhou Hu responded harshly: "Shut up! You're just a cheap slut, like Tang Ran. I'll do whatever I want with you. Soon, I'll make Tang Ran kneel before me too!"

Zhou Ming was enraged by the derogatory comments about Tang Ran and wanted to confront Zhou Hu, but the following conversation made him pause.

"Have you finished the task the boss gave you?" the woman asked, sounding anxious.

"Damn it! Don't ask me about that while I'm busy with you," Zhou Hu grumbled. "I've done everything the boss asked. The goods are all in hand and ready for sale once the nightclub opens."

"Be careful. If the police catch you, it's a death sentence. The boss won't protect you," the woman warned.

"Damn it! Can't you stop scaring me? What if I'm paralyzed and no one can pleasure you?" Zhou Hu shouted.

The woman, indifferent, responded, "If you're paralyzed, it's not my problem!"

Zhou Hu's anger flared, and he kissed the woman passionately. The sounds of their kiss and Zhou Hu's continued expletives filled the air.

Zhou Ming, however, was more focused on the conversation's implications than the disturbing scene. From their dialogue, it seemed the woman was a gift from a boss to Zhou Hu, meant to ensure Zhou Hu completed a task. The task was likely illegal, given the potential death penalty involved. Zhou Ming was intrigued but had no idea what the "goods" were.

Just then, Zhou Hu, in a fit of rage, began to thrust harder, cursing even more. The woman, clearly in pain, urged him to be gentler. Their mutual insults and violent actions reached a climax, leaving only heavy breathing behind.

Frustrated by the lack of useful information, Zhou Ming was startled to find Tang Ran's face buried against his chest, her cheeks hot against his body.

Realizing his mistake, Zhou Ming had been so absorbed in the scene that he forgot Tang Ran's presence. She was a shy and conservative girl, not accustomed to such situations, and was clearly overwhelmed.

Feeling guilty, Zhou Ming gently stroked her head and said, "Let's go. We don't need to worry about those people anymore."

Tang Ran nodded, not daring to look up. Just then, Zhou Hu and the woman's voices approached again.

"Get up. I need to get dressed," the woman said.

"Already? I want to hold you a bit longer. I'm not done yet," Zhou Hu protested.

But the woman had lost interest and insisted, "I have other tasks for the boss. Don't come here again. This is a public park. What if someone sees us?"

Zhou Hu reluctantly agreed, and the sounds of dressing were followed by their departure.

Tang Ran finally looked up, her face still flushed, and said urgently, "Brother Ming, what should we do? They're coming this way."

With no other options and realizing their quiet departure would be noticed, Zhou Ming quickly leaned in and kissed Tang Ran's lips.

Tang Ran's eyes widened in surprise but soon realized Zhou Ming was using the kiss to shield them from being seen. The darkness around them made it difficult for Zhou Hu to see clearly. She accepted the kiss, trying to stay still and quiet.

As Zhou Hu and the woman walked past, Zhou Hu chuckled, "Look at this! I didn't expect to find another couple here. I told you it's quite thrilling."

The woman only snorted and said nothing.

Zhou Ming, anxious, hushed Tang Ran: "Hurry up and leave!"

Zhou Hu laughed and said, "Enjoy yourselves. I'm off now."

With Zhou Hu and the woman gone, Zhou Ming sighed in relief. Tang Ran, however, looked up with tears in her eyes and said, "Brother Ming, I'm sorry. I'm so embarrassed. I didn't mean to…"

Zhou Ming quickly reassured her, "You're not at fault. You're the purest girl in the world."

"Really?" Tang Ran asked hopefully.

Zhou Ming nodded firmly, "Of course it's true!"

Tang Ran's tears slowly subsided, and she looked up at Zhou Ming with a mix of relief and lingering embarrassment. Zhou Ming, though still slightly shaken, took a deep breath and tried to calm both of them.

"Alright, let's get out of here before they come back or someone else finds us," Zhou Ming suggested, carefully guiding Tang Ran away from the scene.

As they walked away, Zhou Ming couldn't help but think about the conversation he had overheard. The "goods" mentioned by Zhou Hu were troubling, especially given the mention of death penalties and illegal activities. It was clear that Zhou Hu was deeply involved in something criminal, and the boss's influence was significant.

Once they were safely out of the grove and back into a more open area, Zhou Ming stopped to ensure Tang Ran was alright. He could still feel her anxiety and shame radiating from her.

"Ran Ran, are you okay?" Zhou Ming asked gently, his voice full of concern.

Tang Ran nodded, though she still looked pale. "I'm fine now. Just… a little shaken. I've never seen anything like that before."

Zhou Ming offered her a comforting smile. "You handled it well. Don't worry too much about what happened. It was unexpected and unfortunate."

Tang Ran gave a weak smile in return, though she still seemed troubled. "Thank you, Brother Ming. I just hope… I hope nothing like this happens again."

Zhou Ming nodded in agreement. "Let's just focus on getting back. We can talk more when we're in a safe and comfortable place."

As they made their way out of the park, Zhou Ming's mind was already racing. The information he had gathered could be crucial, especially if it involved illegal activities and dangerous individuals. He knew he would need to report this to the authorities or take some action to ensure that such criminal activities didn't continue unchecked.

For now, however, his priority was ensuring Tang Ran felt safe and comfortable. He walked with her, trying to keep the mood light and reassuring, as they left the unsettling scene behind.