Chapter 53: Standing Up for Her

A burly, dark-skinned man reached out and forcefully yanked Su Wanwan into his embrace, his thick arm clamping tightly around her shoulder. Su Wanwan's ethereal beauty remained aloof and untouchable, yet her delicate face now radiated a chilling intent to kill.

In an instant, her leg snapped upward with a speed no one could have anticipated, striking directly at the man's most vulnerable spot.

A blood-curdling scream echoed across the highway.

The brute crumpled to the ground, his body hunched over, drenched in cold sweat. All color drained from his face in the blink of an eye.

Everyone stood frozen in disbelief. None had expected the seemingly frail and gentle Su Wanwan to possess such explosive power.

Fu Ziyang reacted the fastest. He swiftly pulled Su Wanwan behind him.

The burly man, now pale as a ghost and gasping for breath, roared weakly yet furiously, "Hit them! Beat them to death!"

At his command, his companions surged forward.

Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Fu Ziyang hurried to push Su Wanwan into the car, preparing to fight their way out.

Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt, positioning itself between both parties.

The door flung open.

Out stepped five or six men dressed in black. With swift, decisive movements, they had the thugs pinned to the ground within seconds.

The dark-skinned man bellowed in rage, "Who the hell are you? Why are you meddling in my business?"

One of the men in black strode to the passenger side of the car and opened the door.

A polished leather shoe touched the ground with composed strength.

Fu Liangmu alighted, eyes sharp and icy, his presence cloaked in a chilling aura of death.

From his superior height, he gazed down at the burly man who had no sense of his impending doom. The scar tracing his face unmistakably marked his identity.

The brute's pupils contracted in terror.

Seeing reinforcements arrive, Fu Ziyang shouted, "Big Brother! Teach him a lesson! He just insulted you!"

Backlit by the streetlamp, the light glinting faintly off his hair, Fu Liangmu's entire figure radiated a glacial detachment. He was like a man sealed in ice.

Word by word, he uttered, "Take her away."

Fu Ziyang nodded at once, pulling Su Wanwan into the car and signaling his companions to retreat at once.

Only when their car had disappeared into the night did Fu Liangmu speak again, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "Which hand was it?"

The burly man's teeth chattered. "W-what…?"

"Which hand touched her?" Fu Liangmu lowered his head slightly.

Under the dim light, the brute could no longer make out his expression—but he could feel the murderous intent enveloping him, suffocating and relentless.

"I… I…"

Fu Liangmu let out a cold scoff.

"If you're so torn between left and right," he said indifferently, "why not get rid of both?"

His fingers moved slightly.

Two men in black stepped forward.

"Aaaah—!"

The highway's flickering lights finally gave out, plunging everything into darkness.

—

Su Wanwan sat quietly in the living room, waiting for Fu Liangmu to return.

As soon as he stepped through the door, she caught a whiff of something unusual—an iron tang of blood.

Still, she asked nothing.

Fu Liangmu's ruthlessness was infamous throughout the Western District. The man who had dared provoke him to his face was unlikely to have met a pleasant end.

"It's late. Go get some rest," Fu Liangmu said calmly as he headed upstairs to the bathroom, scrubbing away the stench of blood.

When he emerged, Su Wanwan was seated at the table, gazing at him intently as if waiting for something.

Fu Liangmu sat down before the mirror.

Su Wanwan hurried over and, without needing to be told, began drying his hair with a blow dryer.

"He's long abused his position to do as he pleased," he said. "This punishment was already lenient."

Though he didn't say the name, Su Wanwan understood he was referring to the burly thug.

"Boss Gao… was that your doing too?" she asked quietly.

The hum of the dryer was loud—she hadn't expected him to hear.

Yet Fu Liangmu raised his hand, turned off the dryer, and looked at her deeply.

"Mm."

"Are you afraid?"

Su Wanwan arched a slender brow, her lips lifting in a faint smile.

"You stood up for me. Why would I be afraid?"

"If anything, I should be thanking you."

Besides, the people he dealt with had all deserved it.

A barely perceptible smile tugged at the corners of Fu Liangmu's mouth. He looked at her meaningfully.

"Is your thank-you only verbal?"

"What else should it be?" Su Wanwan asked.

Fu Liangmu pointed to his cheek. "Show it with action."

Her eyes flickered. Without a word, she shoved the blow dryer into his hands and declared a strike.

"Nope, I'm going to shower."

When Su Wanwan returned, she found Fu Liangmu lying in bed, the blanket neatly pulled up, eyes closed as if already asleep.

She crept onto the bed, dimming the bedside lamp to its faintest glow.

Lying on her side, she gazed at his sharply defined features—the high bridge of his nose, the elegant arc of his thin lips.

She suddenly slapped herself on the forehead.

Heavens… What am I thinking?

Yet her body instinctively leaned closer.

Softly, she placed a kiss on Fu Liangmu's face, like a startled bird, then quickly switched off the lamp.

Curled up beneath the covers, she felt her heart pounding uncontrollably, her breath quickening.

In the darkness, she didn't see the subtle curve of Fu Liangmu's lips.

That night, Su Wanwan suffered from rare insomnia.

She couldn't tell if it was because she'd napped too long during the day—or because she had taken the initiative to kiss Fu Liangmu.

Dragging her tired body, she headed to work.

As soon as she walked in, all eyes turned toward her in unison.

But unlike the usual veiled insults and sarcasm, today's stares carried a strange flattery.

People approached one after another, bearing gifts.

"Wanwan, this is a new drink from the milk tea shop. I tried it and thought you'd like it!"

"Wanwan, look at mine! I queued for two hours to get this cake!"

"Wanwan! I saw this bracelet while shopping the other day. It's not expensive, nowhere near the brands you usually wear, but it's from the heart—please accept it!"

"Wanwan…"

Su Wanwan was surrounded as if by reporters, gazing at the obsequious faces before her with utter indifference.

Two words spilled from her lips—flat and expressionless:

"Move. Aside."

Everyone froze, then scrambled to make way.

Su Wanwan returned to her desk, sat down, opened her computer, and began idling away.

The rest exchanged uncertain glances, but none dared speak ill of her.

After all, they had long been aware of the scandal involving the Music Sanctuary and Su Nian's status as a mistress.

That alone was enough to leave them shocked and afraid.

Among them, only Li Manya didn't greet Su Wanwan.

On her desk lay a sheet of paper, violently slashed through, with Su Wanwan's name scrawled in red ink.

Li Manya crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the trash with frustration.