Rose Inn 21

She immediately went to Li Xing's room.

Li Xing was not inside.

"Suman, is something wrong?" Su Yuye asked, limping as she leaned against the wall and hurried after her. She still looked weak, as if she might faint at any moment.

Suman did not answer her, but instead asked, "You didn't see your mother before you came here either, did you?"

Su Yuye nodded. Sensing that Suman would not ask such a question without reason, her voice trembled slightly. "You mean... Li Xing went to find my mother?"

Suman stopped in her tracks and suddenly turned to fix her gaze directly on her.

"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" Su Yuye felt nervous, terrified of offending Suman by misspeaking.

"No. But the way you asked me that suddenly made something click for me." Suman did not hide her thoughts. "Earlier, I assumed he had gone straight to deal with your mother."

Li Xing's remark about "complete freedom" had been heavily suggestive, and coupled with the mother-in-law's timely absence, it was hard not to draw conclusions.

However, Su Yuye's words reminded her of a crucial detail. While this household treated Su Yuye poorly, Su Yuye deeply cared for her family. If Li Xing had truly harmed her mother-in-law, there would never be a future for him and Su Yuye. Li Xing was not a fool; he would never do such a thing.

If that wasn't the case, then it had to be a solution that satisfied both parties...

She fell into deep thought. Suddenly, she thought of Lin Hui, who had been quiet lately, and a flash of realization struck her: It was Kang Fu!

The ones in danger right now were Kang Fu and Bei Jia!

Without a physical body, Lin Hui could not lay a hand on Kang Fu and Bei Jia herself, but nothing stopped her from using someone else's hands.

If the mother-in-law had really promised Li Xing that they would grant Su Yuye her freedom in exchange for his help, Li Xing might actually have agreed.

This truly was the worst possible outcome.

"Suman, your complexion looks terrible. Did Li Xing cause trouble?"

Su Yuye asked cautiously, "Li Xing isn't a bad person. Please don't be angry. I'll call him and ask. If he's doing something wrong, I'll definitely stop him."

However, the call would not go through. A persistent busy tone was all that came from the receiver.

Growing increasingly anxious, she dialed repeatedly, a sense of foreboding tightening in her chest. "What's going on? Why won't Li Xing answer?"

"Suman, please don't worry, don't be angry. I'll call him again. Why isn't it connecting?"

Deep down, Suman already knew the answer, though she desperately hoped her guess was wrong. Her voice turned cold and severe. "Su Yuye, you'd better pray he hasn't crossed my bottom line. If he has, the way I saved his life is the exact way I'll take it back."

Su Yuye froze. Even when she had helplessly begged Suman yesterday, her heart had never hammered against her ribs like this. She knew Suman meant every word.

Daring not meet her gaze any longer, she anxiously dialed Li Xing's number over and over again. "It has to be a misunderstanding. Li Xing isn't a bad person. He knows where to draw the line..."

Suman had no desire to listen to these explanations. Her gaze fell out the window, and she abruptly cut Su Yuye off. "Enough. Stop calling."

Anxious, Su Yuye pleaded, "Suman, Li Xing really isn't a bad person. I'll reach him, I can reach him right now. Just give me a little more time."

"There's no need to contact him. Li Xing is already back with his answer."

Following her line of sight, Su Yuye looked outside, her eyes filled with terror. She wanted to beg Suman for mercy, but her lips parted, unable to form the words.

"Li Xing! Put him down and don't bring him into the inn!"

Suman shouted out the window.

Panicked, Su Yuye joined in, calling out, "Li Xing, put him down right now! Don't make a mistake!"

Downstairs, Li Xing was carrying the unconscious Kang Fu, walking side by side with the mother-in-law, seemingly intent on bringing Kang Fu straight into the inn.

Hearing the commotion, Li Xing looked up. Seeing Su Yuye, a flicker of excitement crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself. "Yuye, stay out of this. Your mother promised me—as long as I bring this man into the inn, she'll let you go. You'll be free. Yuye, we'll be free."

His eyes shone with a yearning and longing for the future.

Suman's expression grew steadily colder. Rushing downstairs to stop them in time was impossible; the best-case scenario would be for Li Xing to listen to reason, but it was clear he was deaf to persuasion.

Fearing some mishap, the mother-in-law urged Li Xing onward.

"Get inside first, get inside first. Stop talking."

Clutching a vegetable basket, she shoved Li Xing forward. "Don't you want to leave with Yuye? Yuye doesn't understand this right now, but she will sooner or later."

Silently, Li Xing lowered his head. Kang Fu regained consciousness around that time, and before his mind had even cleared, he began struggling to escape.

Yet Li Xing snatched him back with swift and practiced reflexes.

Seizing the opportunity, Suman dashed down the stairs at top speed, praying Kang Fu could hold on.

Downstairs, grabbed by Li Xing and still disoriented, Kang Fu began rubbing his hands together and pleading for mercy before he could even assess his surroundings. "Mister, we have no grudges between us. Do you want money? I can give you money! Please don't hurt me. I'm getting married tomorrow—really, I'm getting married tomorrow! If I die, my wife will be heartbroken. I beg you, if it's money you want, I can give it to you. Any amount!"

"You're getting married tomorrow?" Li Xing stopped dead in his tracks, stunned. He looked at the mother-in-law. "You didn't tell me this. He says he's getting married tomorrow..."

Though he did not know why the mother-in-law wanted Kang Fu brought here, it certainly boded no good. A trace of hesitation flashed through his heart. "Maybe we should just let him go..."

"Let him go? Li Xing, do you not want to be with Yuye anymore?" Soothing Lin Hui, whose spirit was attached to the vegetable basket, the mother-in-law scolded harshly, "If you pity him, who is going to pity you?"

"If you mess this up, don't ever expect to see Yuye again!"

Taking advantage of their argument, Kang Fu cleared his head enough to spot an opportunity to flee. But his limbs were heavy and weak; after taking barely two steps, he collapsed stiffly onto the ground.

Li Xing scooped Kang Fu up in one swift motion. Having made his choice, he no longer hesitated, hoisting Kang Fu over his shoulder and walking into the inn as the last rays of light in his heart slowly extinguished.

All of this transpired in the blink of an eye.

By the time Suman rushed to the ground floor, Li Xing, dragged and coaxed by the mother-in-law, had already carried the man into the lobby.

The mother-in-law and Lin Hui mocked her with the triumphant grins of victors.

At that exact moment, violent gales swept through the entire inn, and the surroundings plunged into darkness as a barrier descended to seal the building from the outside.

Blood tears welled in Lin Hui's eyes as she pointed a finger at everyone present. "You will all pay the price! This barrier will not open until every last one of you is dead! None of you will leave here alive!"

Before she could finish, Suman stepped forward, grabbed her by the hair, and delivered two sharp slaps to her face.

Lin Hui was stunned, the ferocious expression freezing on her features. She prepared to fly into a rage, but meeting Suman's gloomy, piercing gaze, she instinctively fled.

Standing nearby, Li Xing swallowed hard. Before he could speak, Suman delivered a kick that sent him sprawling.

"Idiot!"