Chapter 59: Encircled and Attacked

“Say goodbye to your classmates.” A gentle, refined woman wearing glasses spoke to her daughter in a composed tone.

The little girl, holding her mother’s hand, began to turn and bid farewell to each of her kindergarten friends.

“Goodbye, my mom is taking me to buy a princess dress tomorrow,” she said politely to her classmates, her manners impeccable.

Xiaoxiao hurried over, grabbed the girl’s hand, and whispered something into her ear.

After listening, the girl glanced at Lu Feng and said to Xiaoxiao, “Your dad is really handsome. My dad has a big belly and stubble on his face, which he never shaves in the morning. Every day it pokes me.”

Xiaoxiao was especially delighted. After all the classmates had left, she took Lu Feng’s hand, bouncing and skipping toward the direction of Wenhua Community.

“Your mom has to work overtime today, so there’s no one to cook. What would you like to eat? Let’s get dinner first,” Lu Feng asked, holding Xiaoxiao’s plump little hand as they walked.

“I want eggplant with fish flavor and tofu with preserved eggs,” Xiaoxiao replied, tilting her face up.

“What else?”

“And meatballs.”

“All right, we’ll have those three dishes,” Lu Feng agreed. He led Xiaoxiao into a nearby restaurant, ordered eggplant with fish flavor, tofu with preserved eggs, and boiled meatballs, along with two bowls of stew. The meal was quite lavish for dinner.

…

Su Muqing was patrolling the streets with Officer Chen Deyong. Her police uniform was tight and stifling, so she fanned herself with her hat as they walked.

As they passed a restaurant, Su Muqing glimpsed Lu Feng through the floor-to-ceiling window and was startled. Looking closer, she grew indignant. “Oh, goodness! Here I am patrolling in the blazing sun, and he’s sitting under the air conditioner with a girl, enjoying a meal. How shameless!”

She exaggerated the setting sun as a scorching day and mistook the tiny Xiaoxiao for a date.

Su Muqing recognized the little girl and thought, since she’s here, that beautiful mother must be nearby. She glared at Lu Feng again with renewed resentment.

“Patrolling the streets is important…” Chen Deyong realized he was alone, turned back, and helplessly searched for Su Muqing.

“Hey, Xiao Su, did you hear me?” Chen Deyong waved his hand in front of her.

“Boss, something’s up. I’m going undercover,” Su Muqing said, slipping into the restaurant. She found a table, ordered an orange juice, and kept a keen eye on Lu Feng as she sipped.

Seeing Su Muqing behave this way, Chen Deyong could only sigh. After all, she was the heiress of a leading enterprise, so slacking off on patrol was trivial, especially since she was just a temp, there to experience life. He sighed again and continued on his patrol.

…

That was Chen Deyong’s view, but Su Muqing thought differently. She was seriously surveilling her target, though that target seemed unrelated to her police duties.

…

Xiaoxiao ate happily, giggling as she used her chopsticks to spear a fish ball and offered it to Lu Feng.

Su Muqing took a sip of her orange juice and scoffed, “It’s just a meal, what’s so funny?” The woman she expected to see never appeared.

…

“Are you full?” Lu Feng asked after Xiaoxiao had almost finished eating.

“Yes,” Xiaoxiao nodded.

“Then let’s go.” Lu Feng stood and reached out his hand.

Xiaoxiao hopped off her chair and grabbed his hand.

Lu Feng went to pay at the counter, then took Xiaoxiao out of the restaurant.

Su Muqing sat near the entrance, and as Lu Feng passed, she quickly raised her hat to cover her face, only lowering it after he had left.

“Ugh! That woman didn’t show up. Could they have gone straight to a hotel? How bold, how shameless!” Furious, Su Muqing slapped a hundred yuan bill onto the table, stood up, and followed Lu Feng out to continue her surveillance.

…

“Should we take a cab home?” Lu Feng asked as he walked with Xiaoxiao along the sidewalk.

Xiaoxiao shook her head. “Can you stay with me a little longer?” She worried he would leave after taking her home, so she refused the taxi.

“Then let’s walk,” Lu Feng replied, with no urgent plans.

“Okay!” Xiaoxiao instantly brightened, nodding enthusiastically.

The Wenhua Community wasn’t far; it would take about fifteen or twenty minutes on foot.

It was already seven in the evening, and the sky was gradually darkening.

Xiaoxiao remained cheerful, chattering about happy things. But Lu Feng felt an inexplicable sense of danger approaching, as if someone was watching them from behind.

He glanced back warily and caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure slipping into the darkness along the roadside wall.

Could it be someone from the Lianhong Society? Their last negotiation had failed, and Big Mouth Owl might still be looking for trouble.

If Lu Feng were alone, he wouldn’t be afraid of the Lianhong Society. But with Xiaoxiao in tow, he had to be cautious.

He quickened his pace, hoping to reach a more crowded area as soon as possible. This part of the old city had few people out at night.

Su Muqing peeked out and noticed Lu Feng picking up speed. Was it possible he had spotted her?

…

Just as Su Muqing was puzzling over this, a van suddenly charged out from a side alley, screeching to a halt in front of Lu Feng. Its doors flew open, and seven or eight hooligans wielding steel rods and machetes leapt out, immediately lunging at Lu Feng.

Almost simultaneously, a second and third van pulled up, blocking both ends of the street. The thugs piled out, brandishing machetes and surrounding Lu Feng.

Lu Feng backed up against the wall, pulling Xiaoxiao behind him, his gaze fierce and cold as he faced the mob.

Terrified, Xiaoxiao clung to his leg, trembling behind him. Her expression drooped, but she bravely held back her tears.

Lu Feng surveyed the crowd and spoke, “I’m the one you’re after. Shouldn’t you let the innocent go first?”

“Hmph!” The leader sneered, “Boss said less talk, more action. Chop anyone you see. Attack!”

At his command, the thug swung his blade.

Lu Feng shielded Xiaoxiao, unable to dodge. As the machete fell, he swiftly grabbed the attacker’s wrist, twisted it hard, and kicked him to the ground.

A second blade came down. Lu Feng tugged Xiaoxiao thirty centimeters to the side, narrowly evading the blow.

The attacks kept coming in rapid succession, and Lu Feng struggled to fend them off, barely managing to hold his ground.

If he were alone, he could have fought freely, moving boldly without fear. But now, protecting Xiaoxiao, his movements were constrained; attacks he could have dodged before he now had to block.

Spotting an opening among the assailants, Lu Feng kicked one aside, scooped Xiaoxiao up, and dashed forward like a leopard.

Two or three dozen thugs chased after them, slashing wildly.

Lu Feng ran with Xiaoxiao in his arms, almost escaping the deserted street, when a fourth van appeared, blocking the road completely.

Lu Feng had to turn into a narrow alley and continue running.

After two hundred meters, the alley ended abruptly.

He stopped and turned; their pursuers had already blocked the way behind.

“Brother…” Xiaoxiao tried not to cry, but tears rolled down her cheeks and her voice trembled.

Lu Feng set her down, gently rubbed her face, and said resolutely, “Don’t be afraid. I will get you out of here.”