Chapter 25: The Ice Queen’s Fierce Love p2
“Damn! She’s fast!”
“Is she on the track team or something?”
“We’ll catch her! She’s just a girl!”
But Xu Qiuyi, despite her speed, couldn’t outrun experienced enforcers. They caught her.
Tiger, striding towards her, grabbed her arm, his hand raised to strike. “You little…”
Xu Qiuyi instinctively raised her hand to block the blow.
Suddenly, bright headlights flooded the alley, illuminating the scene, momentarily blinding them.
Xu Qiuyi, shielded from the glare, opened her eyes and, without hesitation, kicked Tiger in the groin.
“Aaargh!” Tiger’s scream echoed through the alley, his men wincing in sympathy.
Taking advantage of his momentary incapacitation, Xu Qiuyi wrenched herself free and ran.
She had put all her strength into that kick, aiming to disable him, and the force of it was evident.
The headlights, like two miniature suns, intensified the glare, momentarily blinding her.
Shielding her eyes, she ran blindly, screaming at the top of her lungs, her voice almost cracking. “Fire! Fire! Fire in the Crown Club alley! Someone’s hurt!”
She had considered yelling “robbery” or “assault,” but those were commonplace in Bailu Lane, unlikely to attract attention.
Fire, however, was a different matter. The densely packed buildings were a fire hazard, and a fire in one could quickly spread to others.
She thought she saw a figure emerge from the car, backlit by the headlights.
I must be hallucinating, she thought, her mind racing. The figure looked like… Tao Ning.
But Tao Ning couldn’t possibly be here.
Someone, please help me… anyone…
The glare intensified, making her dizzy. Her heart pounded, her legs trembling, moving mechanically.
The adrenaline rush was fading, the emotional strain taking its toll, but she didn’t dare stop, didn’t dare slow down.
Then, she was caught, a strong arm grabbing her, another wrapping around her waist, pulling her close, the familiar scent of perfume filling her senses.
“Qiuyi? It’s me.”
The person who couldn’t possibly be here was here, her voice filled with concern. “Are you okay? What happened?”
Xu Qiuyi stopped struggling, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her eyes unfocused as she looked at Tao Ning’s face, still muttering, “Call the police… call the police… they attacked him… he’s bleeding…”
Tao Ning quickly checked Xu Qiuyi for injuries, finding only bruises on her arms. “They hurt you? Where does it hurt?”
Xu Qiuyi, her body trembling with exhaustion, struggled to speak. “My father… it’s not… it wasn’t me…”
Tiger’s men emerged from the alley, three in the lead, two helping their boss, who was clutching his groin and cursing, vowing revenge.
Seeing only three figures – two girls and a man in a suit, who looked like he wouldn’t hurt a fly – they grew bolder.
“You think you can steal our prey? Get them!” Tiger yelled, gesturing to his men.
Uncle Liu, stepping out of the car, calmly loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar, preparing for action.
Tao Ning, pulling Xu Qiuyi closer, turned and yelled, “Liao Shishi!”
The men, assuming “Liao Shishi” was the man’s name, were about to mock it when a voice answered from behind the alley’s wall.
“Yes, Miss. I’m here.”
A pair of hands appeared on the wall, their fingers, exposed by fingerless gloves, thick and calloused, suggesting their owner was not to be trifled with. They looked up and saw a woman with a scorpion braid peering down at them, her gaze sweeping over them.
It wasn’t just a casual glance. The men felt like they were being scanned, their fighting styles analyzed in seconds.
“Six,” she said. “I’ll take four, you take two. Actually, just protect the miss. These guys are amateurs.”
One of Tiger’s men exclaimed, “Where did you come from?!”
Liao Shishi dropped down from the wall, effortlessly taking down the men, leaving none for Uncle Liu.
Within minutes, the alley was filled with groaning bodies, their cries of pain echoing through the night, sending passersby fleeing in terror.
Tiger, still incapacitated from the kick, was no match for Liao Shishi, who, not wanting to take unfair advantage, merely punched him once, leaving him barely able to stand.
Liao Shishi, dusting off her hands, said, “Traffic was a bit heavy. My colleagues will be here soon.”
Tao Ning, her gaze cold, surveyed the scene. “Excellent work. You made it just in time.”
Xu Qiuyi, seeing the situation under control, finally found her voice, her tone filled with disbelief. “What are you doing here?”
Tao Ning countered, “I should be asking you that. What are you doing in Bailu Lane?”
Xu Qiuyi’s mind was racing. “I… I…”
Tao Ning, placing a reassuring hand on her arm, said, “It doesn’t matter. It’s over now. Calm down. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
Xu Qiuyi nodded, then nodded again a few seconds later. “…Okay.”
“Don’t be a hero, little girl,” Tiger, having recovered slightly, snarled, his face contorted with rage. “This is Crown territory. You’re messing with the wrong people. Do you even know who owns this place? The Nangong…”
Tao Ning finally looked at him directly, a smirk playing on her lips. “Nangong? And who are they?”
She glanced towards the back entrance of the Crown Club, a faint light emanating from within.
Uncle Liu was crouching beside a figure slumped against the wall, checking on Xu Zhihong, then pulling him up by his arm.
Tiger had never heard anyone dismiss the Nangongs so casually. He was stunned, then a wave of unease washed over him. She had said the name “Nangong” so easily.
Few people knew who truly owned the Crown Club.
Tao Ning’s voice was light, almost mocking, yet each word stung like a needle. “Surprised? I know what goes on here, who really owns this place. I even know who your boss is.”
Tiger looked at her, his eyes filled with uncertainty.
Tao Ning continued, “Just because you’ve been back from Nanyang for a few years doesn’t make you the king of Tong City. Like father, like son. He’s here, isn’t he? Inside. Watching the security cameras, too afraid to show his face.”
She turned, her gaze fixed on a newly installed security camera. “Am I right, Nangong Yunfei?”
Tiger’s face paled, his eyes darting towards the back entrance, which remained empty.
He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or terrified. Then, he steeled himself. It was better this way. It would protect Nangong Yunfei.
Tao Ning scoffed. “See? He’s too afraid to come out. Even less courage than you. Can’t even face me and say he’s challenging me. You chose the wrong side.”
“No one threatens the people I protect. And you will pay for this,” she said, turning and walking towards the car, Xu Qiuyi beside her.
Tiger, watching them leave, couldn’t help but ask, “Who are you?”
Liao Shishi, standing like a guardian angel beside the car, replied, “Our employer is the Tao family. The Tao family of Tong City.”
Tiger: “And she’s…?”
Liao Shishi shrugged. “As you can see, the sole heir.”
Tiger, still clinging to hope, lunged forward. “You’re Tao Ning? You’re Tao Ning! But… you like Nangong Yunfei!” The young master himself had said so.
Liao Shishi, having dealt with Nangong Yunfei before, expertly intercepted him, amused by the similarity in their reactions. Like owner, like dog.
Tao Ning, feeling like she had stumbled into the wrong script, glanced at Xu Qiuyi, whose face was flushed with anger, and scoffed. “Someone said I like Nangong Yunfei? Impossible. I’m gay.” There. That should stop the rumors.
Xu Qiuyi froze. “…”
Tiger’s face turned ashen, the pain in his groin forgotten. He turned and punched Xu Zhihong, who was being dragged towards the car. “You tricked me!”
Xu Zhihong, caught off guard, was enraged. His daughter’s connection to such powerful figures was evident. He wouldn’t be beaten up without retaliation. He fought back.
“You forced me to do this! You monster!”
“You sold out your own daughter! You’re the monster!”
Uncle Liu, considering himself a civilized man, didn’t join the brawl, watching the two men fight with detached amusement. He walked over to the car.
“Don’t worry, Miss Xu,” he reassured her. “Your father wasn’t injured earlier.” Then, glancing at the two men wrestling on the ground, he added, “He might be now.”
Xu Qiuyi’s expression darkened. “What do you mean?”
Now that she was calmer, the inconsistencies were becoming clear, but she still couldn’t quite accept the cruel truth.
Uncle Liu, seeing her questioning gaze, explained, “The blood he spat up was from a blood capsule. No visible injuries, just a few scrapes.”
He pulled out a small packet of capsules, offering it to Xu Qiuyi. “We found this on him. These are commonly used in film productions. Easy to swallow, easy to control.”
Xu Qiuyi stared at the packet, one capsule missing, her fingers tightening around it, her knuckles turning white.
After a long moment, she turned to Tao Ning, her movements stiff, like a malfunctioning robot. “Fake? I… I don’t understand.”
Tao Ning had expected tears, but Xu Qiuyi’s eyes were dry, not from a lack of sadness, but from a grief so profound it transcended tears.
Despite her reluctance, Tao Ning knew she had to tell her the truth. “It was all an act. A lie.”
Xu Qiuyi whispered, “…Why?”
Why would he do this? Why go to such lengths? Wasn’t he her father? What could be more important than family?
Her mind raced, searching for answers, finding none.
Tao Ning looked at her, her gaze steady. “I don’t know yet. I’ll tell you when I find out.”
Xu Qiuyi stared at her, her eyes unfocused, trying to make sense of her world, then nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll wait.”
Then, she fell silent, her eyes open, but seeing nothing.
Tao Ning sat beside her, offering silent comfort.
The betrayal, which had occurred much later in the original timeline, had arrived early. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, sparing Xu Qiuyi years of slow torture, of being manipulated by guilt and family obligations, only to have the truth revealed in a devastating blow.
In the original timeline, life as the Nangong family’s fiancée hadn’t been easy for Xu Qiuyi. She had accidentally discovered the truth behind the proposal: Mr. Lu, the loan shark, shared the same surname as Lu Weiyu. She had even found a photo of him and Xu Zhihong together, seemingly celebrating.
But the man in the photo was clearly Dragon, identical to Tiger, the man who had forced her to sign the contract in that alley ten years ago.
The realization had been devastating, shattering her trust, making everything seem unreal. In a novel, this would have been the climax, the moment of greatest heartbreak.
Another woman, also romantically interested in Nangong Yunfei, had discovered the truth, but instead of confronting Xu Qiuyi, she had told Guan Ruolin.
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