Chapter 15: Hoping to Bring Them Together

“Don’t be like that. It doesn’t matter if you have a boyfriend. We’ll just have fun for one night, and afterward, we’ll pretend we never knew each other. Ha ha ha.”

The man was stronger than Xianyu, and she couldn’t break free, her face flushing with panic.

At that moment, regret flooded her—she should have left immediately after Liang Youjia walked away.

Now, it was too late to pull out her phone.

The man was groping her, speaking with a foreign accent, yet his features were unmistakably East Asian.

The only option now was to call for help.

There were people scattered along the beach; some ignored the scene, while others watched with morbid curiosity.

“Help! Help!” Xianyu shouted as she was dragged a considerable distance.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from behind.

“Let her go!”

It was Ji Lingfeng’s voice.

Seeing her savior, Xianyu’s heart, which had felt deadened, began to beat anew.

“Who are you?” The man still gripped Xianyu tightly, eyeing Ji Lingfeng suspiciously.

Ji Lingfeng didn’t answer but raised his brow with a smile. “No matter who I am, I can’t stand by when a man forces a woman to come with him. I have to teach you a lesson.”

With that, Ji Lingfeng cracked his knuckles. The man cursed, “You’re crazy,” then released Xianyu and walked away.

Once out of danger, Xianyu’s legs gave way, and she turned pale as she thanked Ji Lingfeng. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me—”

“No need to thank me. Even if it were another woman, I wouldn’t just stand by and watch.”

“Especially since you’re Youjia’s woman.”

Xianyu was truly grateful to Ji Lingfeng. Even though he was just a close friend helping out, his support was exceptionally thorough.

After all, she wasn’t Liang Youjia’s official girlfriend or fiancée.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you back to the hotel.”

Still shaken by the earlier ordeal, Xianyu dared not return alone. Ji Lingfeng was stepping in to protect her.

After escorting her to the hotel entrance, Ji Lingfeng couldn’t help but call Liang Youjia.

When the call connected, his expression darkened.

“That’s too much.”

Liang Youjia was silent for a moment. “Is she alright?”

Ji Lingfeng said, “You shouldn’t have left her alone on the beach.”

Liang Youjia hesitated before replying, “Xianyu is beautiful. Isn’t that exactly the type you like?”

“Are you trying to set us up, or do you just want to keep seeing her?” Ji Lingfeng frowned.

Liang Youjia evaded the question. “Don’t worry about it. I can’t marry her. Since you like her, then go after her.”

Ji Lingfeng sneered, “You never even asked if she wanted that.”

Liang Youjia fell silent.

Ji Lingfeng said no more. “Even if you two break up, any relationship has to wait until then. Otherwise, what does that make me?”

With that, he abruptly ended the call.

Back in her hotel room, Xianyu immediately went into the bathroom and scrubbed the places the stranger had touched multiple times until her skin turned red.

Emerging from the bath, she sat dazed before the vanity mirror.

On the table lay Liang Youjia’s camera, and the image of his resolute face as he left her echoed in her mind.

Her heart ached painfully, and she involuntarily picked up the camera, pressing the slider, expecting to see only her photos taken that day.

Instead, before the first beautiful shot in the sunset, there were dozens of pictures of Du Ruanyuan.

Walking, reading, soaking in hot springs.

In every photo, Du Ruanyuan smiled brightly.

A nearly tearing pain overwhelmed her. Her hands turned icy cold, and she paused for a long moment.

Then, as if punishing herself, she scrolled past all the photos.

Clinging to the illusion of dignity.

As long as she pretended not to know, Liang Youjia wouldn’t realize she had touched his camera.

That night, Liang Youjia did not return.