Wu Pengpeng stared at him coldly, as if looking at a poor worm being trampled underfoot.
A sneer curved her lips while coldness filled her eyes. "I'll make sure they die before me."
Wan Pengcheng locked eyes with her for a few seconds before letting out a sudden cold laugh. "Can you really do it?"
The laugh sent a chill down Wu Pengpeng's spine. Goosebumps immediately popped up on her arms and the back of her ears.
Could she do it?
She had no answer to this question. Right now, just struggling to survive had already pushed her to the brink, leaving her with no energy to spare.
If someone was lurking in the shadows, eager to take her life, she wasn't sure if she had the strength to fight back.
Wu Pengpeng stared blankly at Wan Pengcheng. With great effort, she managed to hide her fear.
When the meeting ended, Wan Pengcheng was escorted back to his cell by the police. He didn't resist. As he passed by Wu Pengpeng, he suddenly burst into a crazy laugh. "Wu Pengpeng, if you make my life a living hell, yours will be no better."
Wu Pengpeng watched him go crazy with a cold stare. Only when his back disappeared at the end of the corridor did she relax her clenched teeth. Her body started to tremble slightly.
At that moment, she felt like she was trapped in an arena surrounded by sheer cliffs.
At any moment, a ferocious beast could charge out from nowhere and tear her to pieces.
"Don't worry, Miss Wu," Officer Chen thought she was frightened by Wan Pengcheng's threat and comforted her gently. "He can't get out of here. He won't be able to harm you."
Wu Pengpeng took a deep breath, gathering herself. Then she looked up and gave him a faint smile. "Thank you, Officer Chen. I'll leave first."
Officer Chen wanted to say more words of comfort, but seeing that she didn't seem willing to talk about it, he said politely, "I'll see you out."
When they came downstairs from the second floor, they saw Wu Xian waiting in the lobby from afar. He seemed to be dealing with some work, his brows knitted in a serious frown.
Sensing her gaze, he looked up at the stairs, put away his phone and walked towards her quickly. "Pengpeng, are you okay?"
Wu Pengpeng gave him a relaxed smile. "I'm fine, Uncle Four."
Seeing her tired look, Wu Xian lovingly stroked her head. "Don't worry. Uncle Four is here for you."
Wu Pengpeng nodded with a smile but didn't say a word.
Right now, she didn't trust anyone. Everywhere she looked, there were wolves and tigers, baring their fangs, eager to devour her.
She was scared, but she didn't dare to show it.
She was afraid that once her weakness was exposed, it would become a weapon for her enemies to destroy her.
Wu Xian chatted with Officer Chen for a while before leaving with Wu Pengpeng.
After leaving the detention center, Wu Pengpeng didn't get into Wu Xian's car. She needed some time alone to calm down.
"Uncle Four, you go back first. I haven't been out for a long time. I want to take a walk and get some fresh air."
Wu Xian put the car keys back into his briefcase and took out his phone, ready to call his assistant to pick up the car. "I'll accompany you."
"No need," Wu Pengpeng declined his kindness with a smile without explaining. "I want to take a walk by myself."
After hesitating for a moment, Wu Xian finally nodded. "Let me know when you get home."
Wu Pengpeng nodded. "Drive safely."
After seeing Wu Xian off, Wu Pengpeng walked aimlessly along the national road outside the detention center.
She wanted to calm down and think about her situation, but her mind was in a complete mess, like a ball of sticky paste.
She tried many times but got nowhere. She sighed inwardly and let her mind wander.
After an unknown amount of time, it suddenly started to drizzle. Passers-by began to trot or look for shelter.
Wu Pengpeng, however, seemed oblivious and continued walking forward.
The rain got heavier and heavier. Before long, the road with a poor drainage system was filled with sewage.
A private car sped past her, splashing her all over with sewage. The car disappeared in a hurry.
Looking at the stains on her white coat, Wu Pengpeng felt as if the last straw had broken her back. All of a sudden, she was overwhelmed with a sense of grievance.
The unwillingness of her forced death in her past life, the fear and grievance in this life, along with the coldness that had settled over the long years, came crashing down on her like a violent storm.
She was almost defenseless against the cruel reality. Finally, she squatted by the roadside and burst into tears.
She didn't understand why such a fate had befallen her.
She considered herself a "good person" in the traditional sense. She had never done anything immoral. Even when walking, she would carefully avoid stepping on ants.
Although she had occasionally had some unrealistic thoughts, she had never done anything extreme like a crazy fan. She had never slandered the judges on the Internet just because she didn't win the Nobel Prize.
Why was God punishing her like this? All she wanted was to live. Why was it so difficult?
Just as she was crying uncontrollably, a shadow suddenly blocked the light in front of her. The heavy rain was also blocked out.
Wu Pengpeng looked up, sobbing. She saw He Qianshan looking at her with heartache in his eyes.
She tried hard to control her emotions, but somehow, seeing his concerned look, she felt even more aggrieved. Her tears flowed like a broken string of beads and she couldn't stop them.
Looking at her tears, He Qianshan felt as if someone had turned on a faucet on his heart. Scalding water was pouring onto the softest part of his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.
He slowly squatted in front of her, reached out and pulled her into his arms. He gently patted her back, but his throat felt so tight that he couldn't utter a single word.
Wu Pengpeng buried her face in his chest and cried for more than ten minutes without restraint.
It wasn't until her brain started to feel oxygen - deprived and she smelled the familiar scent on him that her heart gradually calmed down.
Wu Pengpeng sniffled and pulled away from his embrace. She wiped her face and looked up at him. "Why are you here?"
He Qianshan helped her tidy up her messy bangs. His expression was gentle. "Just passing by."
He couldn't tell her how scared and desperate he had felt when he called her and there was no answer. Nor could he tell her how worried he had been when he learned that she had gone to the detention center, and how heart - broken he had been when he found her crying in the heavy rain.
If one of them had to bear all this indescribable pain and suffering, he would rather it be him.
He just wanted her to be happy.
Wu Pengpeng had walked so far that she was almost on the outskirts. There were no clothing stores nearby, so He Qianshan had to take her back to the car first.
As soon as they got in the car, he turned up the heater to the maximum. It took Wu Pengpeng a while for her frozen brain to start working again.
Thinking of how pathetic she had looked while crying, she felt a bit embarrassed.
She tried to save her image. "Well, a car splashed me with sewage just now and didn't even stop to apologize. I was so angry..."
Her voice got softer and softer. In the end, even she didn't believe her own words.
He Qianshan didn't expose her. He took a pack of tissues from the back seat and carefully wiped her hair.
After he had wiped all the water off her hair, he said softly, "Next time, don't cry where I can't see you, okay?"
Wu Pengpeng's just - stopped tears almost welled up again. She grabbed the seat belt and murmured an "um".
He Qianshan was worried that she would catch a cold in her wet clothes, so he quickly started the car and drove towards the nearest commercial street, intending to buy her some clothes to change into.
Wu Pengpeng thought he was going to take her home. She pleaded, "Can you not take me home yet?"
If Aunt Tang saw her like this, she would surely be worried. Right now, she was so exhausted that she really didn't have the energy to deal with others.
He Qianshan turned the car around and drove in the opposite direction. "Okay."