Sadly, it was a dysfunctional relationship, with only a marriage certificate binding two people who had no feelings for each other. Xiao Luo had no idea how Su Li felt about the marriage. Still, it was a strange union to him, and he only hoped that Su Li would meet someone that she fancied and end this relationship with him as soon as possible.

He had always believed that they would drift apart ultimately and become mere strangers with no strings attached, and therefore, he never took the trouble to tell Su Li more about himself.

He called Zhang Dashan after he got back to his apartment.

Zhang Dashan had not been very busy lately, so he frequently tried to get a date with Huang Ruoran. Unfortunately, Huang Ruoran showed no interest in him and even told him in his face that for them to date was simply out of the question.

“F*ck, I’ve sent her flowers a dozen times and even asked her out frequently, but she just won’t give me a chance. What should I do, bro?” Zhang Dashan lamented.

Xiao Luo shook his head and replied, “What’s the point of asking me? I thought you’re more experienced in dating girls.”

“F*ck, should I really do as what the Internet says? Rape her if you like her, and if that doesn’t work, then just drug her. What’s the worst scenario, end up in jail?” Zhang Dashan cried, feeling dejected and gloomy.

Xiao Luo raised his brows and joked, “Go to jail then, I’ll visit.”

“For f*ck’s sake, can we just chat in peace? I’m hurting here…”

Xiao Luo sighed, not sure what he could say to Zhang Dashan to lift him. Then, another call came in, and it was his cousin, Ding Zhenyun.

“Just move on, okay. Anyway, I’ve got another call coming in.”

“Fine.”

Zhang Dashan ended the call on his end.

Xiao Luo swiped right on the calling button and picked up Ding Zhenyun’s call.

“Cousin… help me, please… help me.” Ding Zhenyun’s anxious and frightened voice came through from the other end of the line.

Xiao Luo stood up immediately and asked, “Where are you?”

******

******

A forlorn figure dashed out from a dark alley into the quiet street at a corner of the Dongcheng area. He wore a gray leather jacket with a pair of black pants, the shirt he was wearing was hanging out, and his buttons were misaligned, making him appear unkempt. His face was severely bruised, covered with blood, and his mouth was slightly swollen. It was evident that this man had taken a beating—he was none other than Ding Zhenyun.

“Ding, you better come back with us obediently, if not you’re going to get beaten up real bad!”

Behind him, there were four rascally-looking youths, and the one who had shouted at him was a well-built youngster with a knife scar across his face. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his firm and muscular arms, and there was a scorpion tattoo on the back of his left hand.

Ding Zhenyun was trembling and trying his best to get away from them, but, as often was the case, when a person panicked, they made mistakes. Unfortunately for Ding Zhenyun, this applied to him as well, as he tripped over a hump on the street and fell hard on the ground.

Before he knew it, the four youths were on him, and he found himself encircled with his adversaries looking down at him fiercely.

“Keep running then… why don’t you keep running, huh?”

The leader, a muscular youth thumped Ding Zhenyun in the stomach with a powerful kick, and Ding Zhenyun screamed in agony, his face twisted from the excruciating pain.

The muscular youth squatted down and grabbed Ding Zhenyun’s hair, pulling his head up roughly, as the remaining three youths stepped on Ding Zhenyun’s hands and leg. There was no way Ding Zhenyun could struggle free.

The muscular youth grinned and snee