"I really don't know what to do with you,"

"Yuu agreed, and Xi was quite happy about it,"

"I was completely forced..."

"Hehe..."

I really want to knock her head and see if she can still laugh,

It's so hot outside, when I see the big sun, I want to give up,

"Where do you want to go?"

I asked with little interest,

"Do you have any good places to recommend, Yuu?"

Xi asked me instead,

"You ask me for good places... I don't know any good places at the moment. Oh, I think going forward will lead to a good place,"

"Going forward?" Xi turned around and looked at what was behind her in confusion. "Isn't that the way back home?"

"Yes, congratulations on getting it right,"

"..." She didn't say anything, so I decisively walked in the direction of home,

"Yuu..." She suddenly grabbed my arm. "What are you doing?"

"Going home? Isn't that good?" I asked, puzzled,

"No... Yuu has already promised to go out with Xi. How can you go back on your word?"

Xi reproached me,

"Didn't Xi ask me for recommendations on where to go?"

"Well..." Xi nodded,

"Then isn't it okay? Going home doesn't expose us to the scorching sun, and we can enjoy air conditioning and cold drinks. It's the place I most recommend,"

It's not wise to go against the sun, so I insist on avoiding it,

"But this is Xi and Yuu's first time going out together. How can we turn back halfway?"

"We still have plenty of time, right? The summer vacation is still long... Isn't it better to wait for a day with suitable temperature without the hot sun?"

The sun is so scorching, I feel like I'm being roasted, my shirt is getting wet,

"Xi doesn't have that much time,"

Xi said in a low voice,

"Do you want to go back?" I was quite happy that she wanted to go back. I don't want to taste any more of her cooking experiments,

"Not really... just..." Xi seemed to have something on her mind, but I didn't have the intention to ask,

I really wanted her to go home as soon as possible, although I couldn't bring myself to say it,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing... just accompany Xi, Yuu," Xi pleaded,

"It's so hot outside..."

"Yuu..." Xi was about to cry like a child,

"Okay... okay," I couldn't stand this expression from a girl,

"Then let's go quickly..." Xi pulled me and we started running. On second thought, her expression can change so quickly,

"Ha... Ha... Xi..."

Xi was out of breath, panting with hands on her knees,

"I told you... to let me go..." I'm not good at running, so I've been gasping for air after she dragged me for two hundred meters. But when I noticed Xi's shirt, I found it soaked with sweat, and her pink bra was half-visible,

"What's wrong, Yuu?" Xi tilted her head and looked at me, so I could only look towards the other side and cover half of my face with one hand. "Um... it was seen,"

"Ah! You perverted wolf, Yuu!" Xi crossed her arms and squatted down,

"It's not like I wanted to see, and furthermore, if you hadn't run off on your own"

It's not my fault at all, and I didn't have any improper thoughts,

Xi blushed and stayed crouched on the ground for a minute or two before standing up again. "Anyway, Xi is Yuu's wife... so it doesn't matter."

In the next second, what Xi did shocked me. She shamelessly revealed herself, almost completely exposed due to being soaked wet. I almost had a nosebleed.

"Girls should protect themselves well. Don't casually show this kind of thing." I covered my eyes.

"Really?" Xi suddenly ran away for some reason.

"Where are you going? Hey!" I shouted, but Xi didn't look back. What does this mean? Did she stand me up? Did she leave me behind? I don't think I said anything wrong.

"Hey...hey..." Xi's figure grew farther and was eventually blocked by a building, leaving only a faint sound of emptiness around me.

"Damn it..." Regret filled me. But I couldn't bear the torture of this high temperature. I had to find a place to rest first.

Coincidentally, I saw a bench under a tree. I sat on it to enjoy the coolness under the big tree.

Feeling refreshed, I really wanted to take a nap. I squinted my eyes and sensed that something was blocking my line of sight.

I opened my eyes and found two burly men. They wore suits, ties, and sunglasses, giving off a gangster vibe.

"Come with us."

"What do you want with me?" I looked confused, but they easily picked me up and brought me tens of meters away to a narrow alley.

Then they dropped me on the ground. I sat down with a thud.

"What do you want to do to me?" I trembled against the wall.

"We won't harm you. As long as you agree to do something for our boss, our boss will reward you."

"I don't remember provoking you, let alone your boss. Who are you guys exactly?"

"You don't need to know. Just agree to our boss's request..."

The tall guy with sunglasses said coldly.

"What request?" I cautiously asked.

"That is to leave Miss Xi and have no contact with her."

"Are you talking about Xi Yu?" I asked, and the guy with sunglasses nodded. It seemed to be Xi. But why should I leave her and have no contact with her?

"Why should I do that? Who are you people?"

"Don't ask too much. Just do what you're asked to do. The rewards will come naturally."

"Although this guy has been a headache for me during the past two days, I don't dislike her. I don't really want to drive her away. Moreover, it's a bit difficult to suddenly cut off all contact. Besides, I haven't even figured out who she really is. So, I refuse."

Seeing that these two guys were not good people, I naturally didn't want to agree to their request.

"Then I guess I'll have to teach you a lesson to make you obedient."

The tall guy with sunglasses swept his arm, almost grabbing me. Fortunately, I ducked down in time.

Even so, I still lost my balance and knelt on the ground. I didn't have time to care about that and quickly stood up again, running towards the end of the alley.

"Damn it, don't let him escape."

These two guys with glasses chased after me. But my endurance was really poor. After running for a short while, I tripped over a stone and fell to the ground.

"Ouch..." It hurt. It seemed like my skin was scraped.

"He's over there..." The guy with glasses shouted. They found me.

"This is not good... I need to run quickly..." I tried to get up but the pain made me stay on the ground again.

"What bad luck, what on earth has happened to me?"

Feeling completely bewildered, I can only prepare myself for a beating,

"I won't allow anyone to harm Jie..." I hear Zhiye's voice and look up to find him standing with his back to me, assuming a defensive stance,

"Zhiye!?"

"Jie."

Zhiye is holding a ribbed tool in his hand, looking at me with ambiguous eyes,

"What are you doing here..."

"I've come to save Jie...I won't let them hurt Jie."

"It's too dangerous, Zhiye, you must run."

These two burly men, how could Zhiye be a match for them,

"I have to protect Jie. That way, Jie will respect me and like me even more. He won't go on dates with other girls."

Zhiye draws a knife and charges at the two guys, seemingly losing control of himself,

"Zhiye!" I shout, watching this perilous scene unfold,

"Ah..." one of the taller men lets out a scream as Zhiye's knife grazes his arm, immediately causing blood to drip,

"Damn it..." the other man, seeing his comrade being attacked, becomes angry and mercilessly punches Zhiye in the abdomen, sending him flying and crashing hard to the ground,

"Hey...hey...no way,"

I am stunned by the scene before me, unable to speak, my heart racing uncontrollably, my body trembling,

"Zhiye...Zhiye..." I call out,

"Jie...I'm fine..." Zhiye clutches his abdomen and kneels on one knee, "I will protect Jie."

"Why are you talking about this now...Zhiye, run, don't worry about me."

I don't want to see Zhiye get hurt. If I had the ability to handle this guy...but unfortunately, I don't. So as long as Zhiye runs away, everything will be fine,

"I want to protect Jie...always, always protect Jie."

Zhiye stands up and faces the tall man with sunglasses again,

"Are you stupid? Why does someone like me need protection..."

Someone as ordinary and powerless as me doesn't need or deserve someone else's protection. Besides, in the current situation, I can't let Zhiye be in danger just to save myself,

"Maybe I am a fool, but it's precisely because I'm a fool that I have to do this."

"What kind of joke is this!"

"I'm not joking...now that Jie is in danger, I won't stand by and do nothing. I must protect Jie."

Zhiye still refuses to listen to my advice, enduring the blow and struggling on, why, for someone like me...

"This is your own doing...don't blame me."

The tall man with sunglasses says this and rushes towards Zhiye,

With a force that seemed capable of smashing even rocks, he throws a punch at Zhiye,

"Zhiye!" My cries echo through the entire corridor,

Terrified, I shut my eyes, and when I open them again, I see the tall man with sunglasses lying on the ground,

"Jie...we need to leave here, okay?"

Zhiye helps me up, and I don't know where I'm injured, feeling pain and walking very slowly,

"Is Zhiye hurt?" I ask worriedly,

"Did Jie get hurt?" Zhiye asked me with a smile.

"Just now that guy threw a punch, and it seemed like a devastating blow. How did Zhiye manage to block it?"

"Jie, do you think I'm weak?"

"No... that's not what I meant. On the contrary, I am really weak."

I haven't even exchanged blows with the other person, and I have already made a fool of myself.

"It's okay, I will protect Jie and make sure no one bullies you or hurts you even a bit."

"Why go to such lengths?" I couldn't understand at all.

"Because I really like Jie, is that reason enough?"

Zhiye revealed a gentle smile.

I couldn't say anything and didn't know how to respond. Despite my repeated rejections and deceits, why was she still so unwavering? What is there about me, someone like me, that is worth her liking? What is there worth her going to such extents for?