Chapter 1: Escape in the Rain

The rain had been relentless for hours, pouring down in torrents that made it nearly impossible to see. Each raindrop that pelted Lu Wei's skin felt like a tiny sting, but she couldn't afford to slow down. She had no choice. Her feet slapped against the wet pavement, sending splashes of water into the air. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps, and her heart raced faster than her legs could carry her. She had to run.

She didn't look back. There was no need. Her family, her blood, was a prison, and today, they had forced her hand. They were trying to sell her off to a man—someone ruthless, someone who wouldn't see her as anything more than a transaction. It was a fate she couldn't bear.

Lu Wei was 23, but she had learned to survive long before her teenage years. Growing up in a family where expectations were suffocating, where her every move was scrutinized, had made her tough. But no matter how strong she'd become, today was different. Today, it wasn't just about surviving—it was about escaping.

She had run out of options. No one in her family cared for her as a person. To them, she was merely a tool, a pawn in their web of power. The man they had chosen for her to marry wasn't just any man. He was a wealthy, controlling businessman with a reputation for cruelty. A marriage like that would've been a prison of its own, one she might never escape.

A chill ran down her spine as she turned the corner, her sneakers splashing against the puddles. She could still hear the voices of her family members, calling her name, warning her that there would be consequences for this. They didn't know where she was going, and that gave her a brief moment of peace. But that peace wouldn't last long.

As she rounded the corner, something caught her attention. A small alleyway appeared ahead, and for a split second, she thought she saw movement. She didn't slow down, thinking it was just another shadow cast by the storm, but then, there it was again—a soft cry. It was faint, muffled, almost like a whimper.

Instinctively, Lu Wei stopped dead in her tracks. The sound had come from the alley. Someone—or something—was in distress.

Her heart raced faster, though she couldn't tell whether it was from the sprinting or from the growing concern. She stepped cautiously toward the alley, her body tense, ready for anything.

The alley was narrow, and the rain had pooled in small puddles along the ground. She stepped carefully, peering into the darkness. The glow of the streetlights cast long shadows, but it was hard to make out anything at first. She squinted, trying to see through the curtain of water, when suddenly, a small figure appeared.

It was a child—no older than three years old.

Lu Wei froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She had always been independent, never seeking to connect with anyone, especially not children. But seeing this tiny figure in distress was something she couldn't ignore. The child's face was pale, and the way he wobbled, clutching his chest, made her blood run cold. He wasn't just lost. He was in trouble.

"Hey, hey there," Lu Wei called softly, taking a cautious step forward. Her voice was quiet but steady, her every instinct telling her not to startle the little one.

The child didn't respond at first, but as she got closer, he looked up. His eyes were wide, filled with fear, but there was something else too—pain.

Lu Wei's chest tightened. He was in trouble. She could feel it deep in her gut.

Before she could say anything more, another figure appeared beside the first one. A second child. This one looked like he was about the same age as the first, but there was something different about him. His face was scrunched in concern, his small hands resting on the first boy's shoulder. But as Lu Wei took a closer look, she noticed that the second child's face, though still young, seemed to radiate a kind of quiet strength.

The second boy reached out to the first and muttered something under his breath. "Lian... it's okay. We'll be okay."

Lian? Lu Wei blinked in surprise, her attention shifting between the two children. She had no idea who they were or why they were out here, alone, in the middle of a storm. But there was no time to think about it.

The child who was holding his chest—the one named Lian—took a shaky step, and Lu Wei could see that he was struggling to breathe. Her heart skipped a beat. This child was in serious trouble. His condition was severe—he was too young to be facing something like this alone.

She didn't hesitate.

Lu Wei rushed forward, dropping to her knees in front of Lian. His body was trembling with every shallow breath, and his face was pale. She could see the telltale signs of a heart condition: the labored breathing, the blue tint around his lips.

"Hey, listen to me," Lu Wei said urgently, though her voice was gentle. "We need to get you some help. Can you walk?"

Lian shook his head weakly, tears welling in his eyes.

Before Lu Wei could respond, the other child—the one who had been so protective of Lian—tugged at her sleeve.

"Please... help him," the little boy said, his voice high and pleading. His eyes were wide, filled with a kind of determination that belied his age.

Lu Wei's heart clenched in her chest. There was no way she was going to leave them out here, not like this. The rain was still falling hard, and the night was growing darker by the second.

"Okay, okay, we'll get you inside," she said, scooping Lian up in her arms despite the rain soaking her to the bone. "You're going to be alright, I promise."

The boy didn't respond, but he didn't protest either. He just clung to her, his small body trembling in her arms.

Lu Wei glanced at the other child, who was staring at her with those wide, trusting eyes. "What's your name?" she asked softly.

"Liam," the boy replied in a whisper, then quickly added, "Lian's my brother."

Lu Wei smiled at him, trying to reassure him. She wasn't sure what had happened to these children or why they were out here alone, but she wasn't about to leave them. They had no one else.

She turned and began walking quickly down the alley, towards the nearest building. The children's small figures, their fragile trust in her, weighed heavily on her heart.

As she approached the end of the alley, she could see a small apartment building in the distance. It was nothing special—just a modest building tucked away on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

She kept her pace steady, not wanting to startle the boys or make Lian more uncomfortable than he already was. The rain was still pouring, but she didn't care. As long as she could get them inside and warm, that was all that mattered.