Chapter Fourteen: Premeditated Murder
Her face suddenly turned pale, clearly thrown into panic. Frozen in place, she was at a loss—so much so that she forgot to dodge, or rather, had no time to react at all. Death was closing in so swiftly!
“Watch out!”
A fierce roar burst from Li Mu’s chest, his muscles tensing abruptly as if an uncontrollable, violent force surged within him. Like a ghost, he vanished from where he stood, leaving behind a faint afterimage. In that instant, the distance between him and Jiang Wan seemed suspended in time, compressed to the extreme.
Even the most advanced high-speed cameras could not capture his figure.
Like a fast-forward scene in a movie, Li Mu teleported beside Jiang Wan, snatching her into his arms. Then, his leg muscles exploded with incredible power.
In the blink of an eye, they had already appeared at the side of the road.
Bystanders who witnessed the scene were dumbfounded, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief as they stared at Li Mu.
The driver of the white truck only caught a blurred figure flashing past his line of sight. Before he could react, the woman who had nearly been crushed under the wheels had vanished. Breaking out in cold sweat, he quickly drove away from the scene.
Li Mu held Jiang Wan in his arms, a teasing smile curling at the corner of his mouth. She slowly opened her eyes to see the sharply defined, heroic profile of the man. Despite his scruffy beard, Jiang Wan had to admit—he was somewhat handsome.
Feeling the warmth and strength of his embrace stirred unfamiliar emotions in her heart. Yet, noticing the smug expression on Li Mu’s face, she immediately broke free from his hold.
Li Mu still wore that sly grin. “Your waist is really soft.”
Jiang Wan’s cheeks flushed deeply; she bit her lip, covering her burning face with her hands before shooting him a glare. “You scoundrel!”
“If it weren’t for this ‘scoundrel’ just now, you probably would have—”
Jiang Wan’s expression flickered uneasily as she glanced towards the retreating truck, a trace of lingering fear in her eyes. Her voice trembled, “Did that truck... was it trying to run me down on purpose?”
Li Mu narrowed his eyes, a cold gleam flashing through them. “Exactly. Have you offended anyone recently?”
Shaking her head, Jiang Wan’s delicate face turned pale. “I don’t recall.”
After a moment’s thought, Li Mu advised, “Be more careful from now on. I’m heading back for now.”
Jiang Wan stared deeply at the man before her, then nodded in agreement.
The luxurious Bentley sped through the bustling city streets, the passing scenery stirring unrest in Li Mu’s mind. After three years away, the city had undergone tremendous change.
And when he returned, he was no longer a small figure trampled upon, but someone who could look down upon the entire city.
The shifting world stirred deep reflection.
Closing his eyes, he prepared to rest for a moment. Soon, they arrived at their destination, the car halting at a familiar alleyway.
Silence lingered in the car for a long while. Jiang Wan glanced at Li Mu, who rested with his eyes closed; his resolute, masculine features stirred a strange feeling—perhaps he was rather handsome when seen like this.
For some reason, a subtle emotion quietly took root. Indeed, in the eyes of the world, their statuses were worlds apart.
Yet today, this man not only saved her grandfather but also her life; that moment was etched deeply in her memory. Facing mortal danger, Li Mu had leapt without hesitation to rescue her.
Such self-sacrifice caused a subtle shift in a soft corner of Jiang Wan’s heart.
Just then, Li Mu opened his eyes, his gaze clearing from haze. “We’re here?”
“Mm... I thought you’d fallen asleep.”
“Just a short rest—I didn’t sleep much last night.”
But Jiang Wan seemed to think of something else, her face reddening again. Li Mu glanced at her lightly and said, “Well, goodbye then.”
As he was about to get out, Jiang Wan suddenly asked, “What’s your phone number?”
Raising an eyebrow, Li Mu teased, “You don’t like me much, do you? So why ask for my number?”
A flush rose on Jiang Wan’s face as she explained softly, “Don’t overthink it. I just need to contact you about my grandfather.”
With a shrug and a smile, Li Mu still gave her the number. Then he opened the door and stepped out. Behind him came the sound of the window rolling down, followed by her voice: “Think about how to make a hundred billion. If you need help, you can come find me.”
Li Mu paused briefly but did not look back. “No need. I can reach my goal on my own.”
Watching the figure fade into the alley’s end, Jiang Wan’s expression grew complicated.
This man... seemed somewhat extraordinary...
Stepping into the familiar courtyard, Li Mu called out loudly, “Mom, Dad, I’m home!”
Only a deathly silence answered him. As he pushed open the main room’s door, the scene before him turned his eyes icy cold.
The room was ransacked—someone had come to stir trouble!
Bowls and chopsticks lay shattered, furniture smashed into ruins.
A note was stuck to the wall. Li Mu tore it down, his gaze filled with dark, violent fury as he read the few words:
“Your parents are in our hands. Come to the Wanglu Pavilion if you want to save them!”
A terrifying aura exploded from Li Mu’s body, the note turning to dust in his hands instantly.
“Wanglu Pavilion? From now on, I’ll call you the Bright Dog Hall! A bunch of clowns—just because the tiger doesn’t roar doesn’t mean it can be bullied!”
Clenching his fists, Li Mu left the courtyard without looking back.
On the other side of Banyang City, the Luo family’s seaside villa estate was gathered with all its members.
Bai Weiwei’s face, still swollen from a slap, bore the mark clearly. Beside her, a middle-aged couple’s faces were filled with concern.
The woman was Bai Weiwei’s mother, Li Xiaohong; the man Bai Weiwei’s father, Bai Zhu.
Li Xiaohong carefully touched Bai Weiwei’s cheek, tears threatening to fall, cursing fiercely:
“That bastard! I want him dead for daring to hit my daughter! I, Li Xiaohong, will personally tear him apart!”
Bai Weiwei had been among those recently broken off from engagement, and one of those who had been slapped.
Li Xiaohong’s gaze was filled with hatred as she looked at her daughter’s face. “Our Bai family is a leading force—how dare they lay a hand on us?”
“We, the Bai family, will not let this go!”
Wiping away tears, Li Xiaohong continued sorrowfully, “Grandfather, look at our Weiwei—so smart and lovely, yet treated so poorly by that worthless man.”
“Besides, Weiwei didn’t even know that gentleman. What does he have to do with that scavenger?”
“Of course, Weiwei is unhappy about this, but hitting someone is wrong, right?”
The elderly man seated at the head of the table slammed his hand on it furiously. “Enough with the nagging!”
“That gentleman’s status is not simple, and besides, the old man saved our lives.”
He sighed and waved his hand. “Alright, since the engagement is broken off, don’t go looking for trouble.”
Bai Weiwei refused to accept this. She was the one injured! A prominent young lady of the Bai family, and yet she had been struck—by a mere scavenger! How could she endure it?
“Grandfather, I don’t understand why you tread so carefully about what’s happened. I can’t swallow this grievance. I will make that worthless man suffer—and when the time comes, I’ll have his parents brought here!”