Chapter 45 I Hate You

The bus was moving at a steady speed on the road. The noise on the bus was harsh. With Xie Yan sitting beside me, I couldn't even look out the window.

I stared quietly ahead until we were near my home. I stood up to get off the bus, only to find that Xie Yan also stood up. I got off, and Xie Yan followed suit.

"What on earth do you want?"

I shouted angrily at Xie Yan, "I admit that you saved me, but we're really not familiar. Do you know that it's illegal for you to follow me like this? I can call the police at any time."

My sharp voice and hurtful words fell directly into Xie Yan's ears.

Xie Yan looked at me with a deep gaze. At this moment, the expression on his face was a mix of helplessness and disappointment that I couldn't understand.

After a long while, Xie Yan asked me, "Gu Mian, do you hate me?"

"Of course I do."

I replied without even thinking.

Who would like it when a stranger appears in front of them at any time and interferes in everything they do?

Even a savior wouldn't be an exception.

My attitude was resolute, and there was no room for compromise in my tone. I was determined to get rid of this kind of life completely.

A sudden cold wind blew on this bright day. The corner of Xie Yan's black coat was lifted by the wind. He just stood there quietly looking at me and then nodded. "Okay."

Xie Yan disappeared.

In the following days, I went to the cake shop to open it as usual, and then went home to eat, sleep. I thought I would see Xie Yan in the evening when the sun was setting, but there was no sign of him.

Through the transparent glass, I looked at the endless stream of people outside the window but didn't see that familiar figure.

Xie Yan had really left.

My heart was still beating, but it no longer had the previous sense of ease and comfort.

My phone rang. It was Chen Xiaodong.

"I've found that person named Xu Qiang. According to the surveillance, he only comes out at night." Chen Xiaodong also said on the phone, "But it's very strange. He's always lingering around your house. Every time I rush over, he disappears."

It was impossible for Xu Qiang to know Chen Xiaodong's whereabouts.

Chen Xiaodong and I had only been in contact by phone and had never met in person. Chen Xiaodong saw Xu Qiang from the surveillance. So how did Xu Qiang know that Chen Xiaodong would go after him?

I needed to know the answer.

After thinking it over, I said in a calm tone on the phone, "Since he's always around my house, maybe he's after me. I want to give it a try."

I wanted to see if I could lure out Xu Qiang.

After hearing my words, Chen Xiaodong took a deep breath and asked me in surprise, "Gu Mian, are you crazy?"

My hand holding the phone was unusually calm. I was very composed at the moment.

"I'm not crazy." I told Chen Xiaodong that I would go downstairs in an hour.

An hour later, I went downstairs and stood by the roadside. Soon, I received a message on my phone from Chen Xiaodong.

"Xu Qiang has already arrived."

When I saw these words, my hand holding the phone suddenly tightened. I breathed gently through my nose, trying my best to steady my emotions.

I put away my phone and quietly waited for Xu Qiang to appear.

"Bang!"

There was a loud noise behind me. I suddenly turned around to look, quickly scanning everything around me, but found nothing.

Everything in the community was the same as usual, without any changes.

Another message came on my phone.

"A man took away Xu Qiang."

The message was from Chen Xiaodong. I knew that he was sitting behind the surveillance at this moment, quietly watching everything around me.

Who took away Xu Qiang?

I went back home. My mind kept repeating Chen Xiaodong's message until I fell asleep. The next morning, I took a taxi to the outskirts.

The dense forest was dark, damp, and the dewdrops on the weeds quickly wet my shoes. I walked slowly, and the wind with the smell of soil kept passing by my ears.

It was supposed to be a pleasant moment, but suddenly a white shadow flashed before my eyes. I stopped in my tracks, held my breath, and vigilantly paid attention to all the sounds around me.

A cold wind blew past my ears, and out of the corner of my eye, a black shadow flashed by.

The depths of the forest were dim and lightless. I looked at the surrounding scenery timidly, my legs went weak, and my body trembled uncontrollably.

I needed to leave.

At this moment, there were some footsteps not far away. I turned around and saw Shen Yue and Xu Qiang standing on my left and right sides respectively.

Chen Xiaodong was right.

They would definitely appear wherever I showed up.

The roads on both the left and right were blocked. I lowered my head and tried my best to observe the surroundings calmly. There seemed to be traces of someone walking not far in front of me.

As long as I got out, as long as I reached the edge of the forest, I could find Chen Xiaodong.

He was waiting for me not far away.

This was what I had discussed with Chen Xiaodong last night.

I raised my chin and looked indifferently at the path covered by the grass. I ran out before Xu Qiang and Shen Yue could take any action.

The rustling sounds rose and fell in the forest. I ran desperately, and the wind blowing in my ears was mixed with rapid footsteps. Suddenly, I stumbled and fell

forward as if I had lost my balance.

I looked at the messy branches on the ground and closed my eyes in fear, waiting for the pain.

But the next second, I landed firmly in someone's arms. The faint, cool woody fragrance immediately filled my nose. When I opened my eyes, I saw Xie Yan's sharply contoured side face.

His gaze was fixed on my left side, and his narrow eyes slightly narrowed. His whole body was in a defensive state.

Why was Xie Yan here?

Before I could think, suddenly Xie Yan hugged me tightly and started running quickly.

The jolting of my body made me involuntarily hold Xie Yan's neck tightly. He was taken aback and looked down at me. His ink-black eyes were filled with worry.

"Sorry." Xie Yan retracted his gaze and said softly.

I tightened my grip on Xie Yan's arm, and a sour feeling welled up in my heart. I knew that Xie Yan was apologizing for appearing in front of me again, but I only felt guilty.

Every time I was in danger, it was Xie Yan who came to save me, yet I had said those hurtful words to him.

My arm around Xie Yan involuntarily tightened a lot. Perhaps sensing my movement, the frown on Xie Yan's face relaxed a bit.

I let out a long sigh. Suddenly, Xie Yan stopped.

"It's okay."

Xie Yan lowered his head and held my face in his arms. His hand tightly hugged my back. I wanted to struggle and look up to see what was happening, but Xie Yan didn't give me a chance at all.

He forcefully held my face in his arms again and whispered to me, "It's okay. I'll take care of it."

The moment Xie Yan finished speaking, I felt his body quickly cool down, and even the arm behind me was as cold as ice.

I shivered with cold and instinctively burrowed deeper into Xie Yan's arms, wanting more warmth.

"Brother."

A cold and sinister voice suddenly came. I stopped moving and listened quietly to the commotion outside. Soon, the person said again, "I want her."