Tangled strands of hair clung haphazardly to her cheeks. Her tattered clothes left parts of her body exposed. Her slender frame seemed so frail that it could be swept away by the wind at any moment, and her face was deathly pale.
However, even in such a state, her outstanding beauty was undeniable. It was precisely this face that had attracted the unwanted attention of the local bully.
Facing the hooligan's lewd advances, the woman remained neither overbearing nor humble and refused his vulgar demands.
"I'm not selling my body."
The greasy face of the local bully was repulsive. Tang Youyou watched from afar and had no intention of getting involved.
Although she considered herself a kind person, she wasn't the type to jump in and help every time she saw an injustice.
Why? She thought there were countless such things in the world. If she were to help every time she encountered one, it would consume a great deal of her energy. Moreover, if she intervened, the local bully would surely find ways to cause her trouble.
Besides, in novels, such plots were often carefully crafted. The woman selling herself to bury her father wasn't as innocent as she seemed. Although she currently appeared pitiful and delicate, who knew what schemes were hidden in her heart.
She worried that if the woman latched onto her and insisted on going back with her, it might lead to all sorts of trouble.
At this time, she didn't want to invite any unnecessary problems.
As Tang Youyou passed by them, she didn't notice that the woman's eyes were constantly wandering over her. Her gloomy eyes seemed to be filled with heavy thoughts.
The local bully pinched her face roughly. His fat head and big ears, combined with his greasy voice, made people want to flee immediately.
"I'm talking to you, bitch! How dare you ignore me!"
She felt the pain from the force on her chin but didn't resist at all, allowing him to threaten her.
"Don't be ungrateful! If you follow me, you'll have a good life. I won't treat you badly, but only if you serve me well!"
The woman showed a pained expression, looking at him with tears in her eyes but saying nothing. Her stubbornness was laced with determination.
The local bully felt uncomfortable under her gaze. Enraged by her look, he raised his hand and was about to strike.
The woman had already prepared herself to bear the pain, but after waiting for a while, it never came. She opened her eyes and looked up to see that the local bully had been kicked to the ground.
Originally, Tang Youyou didn't want to get involved. But just moments after passing by, she couldn't help but look back. She happened to see the man about to hit the woman. The woman was already so weak, and no one else dared to step forward to stop the bully's brutality. In a fit of anger, she quickly walked back.
The local bully was dazed from the kick. Sitting on the ground, he looked at the fiery woman in front of him and immediately jumped up in a rage.
The man pointed at her menacingly and stepped forward quickly with a ferocious expression. But Ye Yue, who appeared behind him, turned around and pressed the tip of her sword against his pig-like belly.
At that moment, Ye Yue felt as if her sword sheath had been defiled.
"You dared to kick me! I'll surely make you pay!"
The local bully gritted his teeth and said. Tang Youyou thought he would charge forward immediately, but unexpectedly, he turned around and left.
Tang Youyou thought something was amiss. Chances were that the man had gone to call for reinforcements. She had to leave quickly.
Before she could take two steps, the woman who was selling herself to bury her father quickly caught up and grabbed the corner of her clothes.
Tang Youyou stopped and turned to look at the woman. Only then did she notice the several scars on her face, hidden by her hanging hair. When the wind blew, they were still visible, but they didn't detract from her beauty.
"What do you want?" Tang Youyou asked warily.
The woman slowly said, "Miss, you saved me. Could you allow me to follow you? Even if it's just to serve you tea and water, I can repay your kindness today."
Tang Youyou sighed. This was exactly the kind of trouble she had been trying to avoid by not getting involved. She had hoped to evade such a plot, but it seemed that things were still going according to the script she had anticipated.
"Miss," Tang Youyou said earnestly, "I didn't save you on purpose. I just simply didn't like that man. You don't need to repay me. There's nothing to repay. You should think about how to get some money to bury your father quickly."
As she spoke, Tang Youyou snatched back her sleeve and walked away without looking back.
"Why are such plots so similar everywhere? Just because I showed off a bit, she's eager to offer herself in marriage. Fortunately, I'm not a man, or else she'd surely cling to me."
Ye Yue thought there was some truth in her words.
"Yeah, I've encountered something like this before."
"Oh, have you been proposed to in return for your help?"
Ye Yue replied, "Sort of. But I ran away before she could finish speaking."
Tang Youyou gave him a thumbs up. He was such a straight - laced guy, but it was the right choice. However, if one helped with ulterior motives, that would be a different story.
At this moment, Tang Youyou only hoped that the local bully wouldn't come looking for trouble.
She had just arrived in this place, and not many people had seen her. It shouldn't be easy for him to find her.
When she returned to the inn, she found Xun Rong sitting in the room waiting for her. His expression was not good.
"What's wrong with you?" She walked in and wanted to pour herself a glass of water, but he snatched the kettle away first.
Taking the glass of water he had poured, Tang Youyou drank it in one gulp. Seeing that his expression remained unchanged, as if someone had owed him money.
"What happened?" She couldn't help but ask again.
Xun Rong finally spoke, but his tone was extremely cold.
"Why didn't you tell me when you went out? Do you even consider me your personal guard?"
"Oh."
Seeing his serious and solemn expression, Tang Youyou thought something serious had happened. Hearing his words, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Ye Yue is enough to accompany me. He's extremely skilled in martial arts. Not only can he protect me, but even if you were added, he'd still handle it perfectly."
"Really? Then how did you end up being captured by Rong Jiangyu?"
Tang Youyou paused for a moment and then defended Ye Yue, "Although he's highly skilled in martial arts, he's a bit lacking when it comes to dealing with tricks. But it's not his fault. No one is perfect."
"Exactly. What if you encounter something more than just a normal attack when you go out? What if someone tries to harm you in secret? Can Ye Yue protect you then?"
Tang Youyou sensed that he seemed to be angry. She thought, could it be that this incident had made him feel insecure? Did he think she no longer needed him and was worried about being dismissed?
It was really not easy being a boss. She even had to constantly pay attention to her employees' feelings when going out.
"Okay, I know. Next time, I'll definitely tell you when I go out." Tang Youyou patted his shoulder to console him.
Hearing her words, Rong Xun's expression softened a bit.
"You must tell me no matter where you go. This won't be tolerated again." He said it very seriously, but his tone didn't sound like that of a subordinate.