Gao Wu: I'll enjoy the benefits, but you'll bear the side effects.

Xu Wenfeng's conversation with Qin Hailong finally ended, and he embarked on his journey home, feeling both relieved and exhausted.

Throughout the journey, Qin Hailong's words kept echoing in his mind. Those warnings felt like a tight band around his neck, making him feel incredibly oppressed.

He knew full well that he was now in an extremely delicate and dangerous situation, and one wrong step would lead to utter ruin.

He returned to his car, leaned heavily against the seat, and let out a long sigh. He was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally, and all he wanted was to find a place to rest as soon as possible and temporarily forget all the turmoil and troubles.

Qin Hailong's meaning was crystal clear: he wanted him to behave himself and not cause any more trouble.

He knew in his heart that if he didn't stop and continued to mess things up, Qin Hailong, with his ruthlessness, would definitely not let him off easily.

Therefore, the most important task at present is to persuade the daughter to agree to the marriage with the Qin family as soon as possible, and everything else must be put aside for the time being.

He sat in the car, watching the street scenes rushing past the window, his heart filled with helplessness and melancholy, and he couldn't help but sigh again. A short while later, the car slowly started moving and sped off northwards.

In fact, Xu Rourou was not an ignorant girl; she was exceptionally intelligent and had a delicate mind.

These past two days, her father had been unusually impatient with everything, and this unusual behavior naturally did not escape her notice.

She knew that her father's actions must have some deeper purpose, and were not just unfounded anxiety.

During her time under house arrest near the villa, Xu Rourou did not sit idly by. With her wisdom and courage, she secretly planned an escape route and patiently waited for the best opportunity.

Just now, Xu Wenfeng left home in a hurry because of Hou Youcai's matter, and Xu Rourou keenly sensed that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

She made a quick decision, changed her clothes immediately, carefully avoided the guards, and slipped out silently.

Her first thought was to go back to the school, hoping to find some clues or get some help there.

She learned from her roommate that Huang Muran, Huang Xu, Gao Jie, and others had all moved away, but no one knew where they went.

This news came like a bolt from the blue, leaving Xu Rourou feeling instantly desperate and helpless.

She wandered aimlessly around the university town several times, her eyes filled with anxiety and confusion, but she still couldn't find out where they were.

While Xu Rourou was lost in thought near the university town, Gao Jie, Huang Xu, and others were chatting and laughing as they went out to buy fruit.

It turned out that everyone was in a great mood after Sister Wen's matter was resolved smoothly. Huang Muran also thought about changing his bed sheets and quilts to make his life feel fresh and new.

So the three of them traveled together, laughing and chatting all the way, as if all their troubles had vanished.

After all, the fact that Sister Wen was able to return safely was, in their eyes, a great thing, as if the gloom had dissipated and the sun was shining on the earth again.

They did indeed think things through simply and clearly, believing that as long as Sister Wen's matter was properly resolved, and they were extra careful in their actions in the future, they would be able to handle everything.

However, Huang Xu, being a foodie, kept complaining the whole way.

"The fish was pretty good tonight, but it was too far away from me, so I could only take a tiny bite each time. It was really unsatisfying. To be honest, if they were still selling fish later, we should buy one to take home and eat. I've been wanting to try a different kind of fish for a while now."

As he spoke, he licked his lips, as if he could already see the delicious fish laid out before him.

Gao Jie looked at him helplessly after hearing his words and joked.

"Bro, do you want to see how much weight you've gained lately? If you keep eating like this, aren't you afraid of bloating your stomach? Alright, let's hurry up and get on with some business. Let's talk about what we need to talk about, and keep quiet about what we shouldn't for now."

As Huang Muran was walking, he suddenly sensed something was amiss and instinctively looked across the street.

Gao Jie and Huang Xu noticed something was wrong with him and followed his gaze, only to find that it was Xu Rourou sitting there.

Her eyes were filled with exhaustion and helplessness, and her face was still streaked with tears.

Gao Jie scratched his face, a complex emotion welling up inside him. He immediately led his men over. "Xu Rourou, what are you doing here?" His voice carried a hint of concern and confusion.

Upon hearing Gao Jie's words, Xu Rourou subconsciously wiped away her tears and whispered, "I'm hungry."

Huang Xu already had some reservations about Xu Rourou's previous behavior, and hearing this made him even more amused.

"Miss, if you're hungry, go find somewhere to eat, okay? What's the point of you sitting here? No way, are you expecting us to treat you to a meal?"

His tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction and sarcasm.

Xu Rourou ignored Huang Xu's words, her gaze remaining fixed on Gao Jie, and spoke softly again.

"I'm hungry, Gao Jie."

Hearing these words, Gao Jie felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. He knew Xu Rourou's situation well and understood that her current predicament was perhaps a cruel twist of fate.

A flicker of pity and helplessness crossed his eyes, yet he remained unsure of what to do. Gao Jie understood that once Xu Rourou married into the Qin family, her future would be shrouded in mist, filled with unknowns and dangers; no one could predict what would become of her. Moreover, given the current complex and thorny situation, Gao Jie truly did not want to delve any deeper into the matter; his heart was filled with contradictions and anxieties.

"Get up, I'll take you to eat. Did your dad not know you sneaked out?" Gao Jie said softly, trying to break the slightly awkward silence.

Xu Rourou was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "How did you know I snuck out? I haven't eaten all day..." Her voice carried a trace of grievance and exhaustion, making one feel sorry for her.

Gao Jie sighed softly and led Xu Rourou to a restaurant, letting her order some food herself. Then, he turned to Huang Xu and the others and said, "Go ahead and do your work. Come find us when you're done shopping; I'll have a meal with her here."

After seeing the others leave, Xu Rourou suddenly grabbed Gao Jie's hand tightly as if she had grasped the last straw, and her emotions collapsed instantly, and she burst into tears.

"My dad wants me to marry a mentally challenged man. I really can't take it anymore. Please, take me away! If this continues, I'll go completely insane. Gao Jie, I haven't even graduated from university yet. If I marry like this, my whole life will be ruined, you know that?"

Her tears fell like beads from a broken string, soaking Gao Jie's sleeves.

"Besides, the Qin family members are all ruthless. I'm really afraid that one day I'll stumble upon some secret of theirs, and they'll kill me. Can you take me with you?"

Her eyes were filled with fear and despair, a deep dread of her unknown fate.

Gao Jie was at a loss for words after her tearful complaint, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

He knew that if he took Xu Rourou away like this, his family would definitely be in danger.

Given the Qin family's ruthlessness and vindictiveness, they will definitely not let me off easily, and it could trigger an uncontrollable disaster.

For a moment, he was completely at a loss for words to comfort Xu Rourou, and could only stand there silently, his brows furrowed.

Seeing that he remained silent, Xu Rourou felt even more desperate. She wiped away her tears and pretended to be strong as she spoke.

"Since you refuse to take me with you, then don't sit here anymore. I'm an unlucky person, and I'll definitely affect you. Go now."

Gao Jie shook his head rapidly, his face full of anxiety and unease, and hurriedly began to explain.

"Don't misunderstand, I really didn't mean that. You have to understand, the main problem is that if I take you away, the risks I would have to take are far too great. The Qin family and your father both have considerable power and influence in Jinling City. If we choose to escape, they will definitely search for us at all costs."

"At that time, we'll be like frightened birds, hiding everywhere, never having a peaceful day. Besides, you should have seen firsthand the complicated and difficult situation we're in now; it's like a tangled mess. We can't just keep running away and crying; we have to calm down and think of ways to solve those problems one by one. Otherwise, what's the point of continuing to make a fuss without any results? It will only increase our troubles and chaos, and won't change anything at all."

His eyes genuinely revealed a hint of helplessness and sincerity, his gaze like a clear spring, trying to make Xu Rourou truly understand his inner turmoil and struggle.

Xu Rourou listened quietly to Gao Jie's words. Although she felt extremely reluctant and unwilling, she also knew that what he said was true.

She sighed softly, a sigh that seemed to carry all her disappointment and helplessness, yet also contained a hint of stubbornness.

"I don't want to think about so many things. I don't want to think about those complicated situations and dangerous consequences. I only know that in this world that makes me feel so scared and confused, I only feel a sense of security when you are by my side. It's as if as long as you are this solid bulwark, I can withstand all the unknown storms and darkness."

Her voice was as faint as a candle flame in the wind, yet as firm as a thousand-year-old rock, as if she had finally found a glimmer of light in this boundless darkness and suffocating predicament, and was holding on tightly, unwilling to let go.

Looking at Xu Rourou's pitiful yet incredibly determined appearance, Gao Jie felt as if his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer.

He paced back and forth, his mind racing, but he couldn't come up with a good solution.

After a painful and lengthy period of deliberation, he finally decided to secretly hide Xu Rourou next to the underground boxing gym.

That place was a long-abandoned house, with the marks of time etched on it.

It is said that a few years ago, someone deliberately set fire to this place. After the raging fire, the entire house was left in ruins, with rubble everywhere. Since then, it has been abandoned, and few people dare to approach it. The eerie and terrifying atmosphere seems to be cursed, making people hesitate to go near it.

In reality, it was A Bao and his friends who set the fire.

Back then, those bastards next door were always making a racket. Their clamor was like the roar of demons, echoing around us day and night, seriously affecting our daily routines and business dealings.

Gao Jie only learned by chance later that the place next door was a gambling den before the fire, a place full of all sorts of evil and dark transactions.

Gao Jie led Xu Rourou to the abandoned house. He first carefully examined the surrounding environment to make sure there were no suspicious signs.

Then, with his intelligence and skill, he handled a series of problems that needed to be solved, such as the basic repairs of the house and the enhancement of its concealment.

Not only that, he also made a special effort to connect the abandoned house to electricity.

He carefully laid the wiring along the walls and foundation, cleverly using the surrounding weeds and ruins to conceal it, so that from the outside, it was impossible to tell that there was electricity unless one entered the house.

This meticulous arrangement was like a silent protection, creating a relatively safe and secluded temporary shelter for Xu Rourou.

"Stay here for a few days and let me know if anything happens. I'll keep a close eye on things here and make sure you're safe. In short, I really can't bear to see you, so young, ruin your happiness because of these unfortunate things."

Gao Jie looked at Xu Rourou with eyes full of concern and comfort. His gaze was like a warm cloak, gently draped over Xu Rourou, giving her strength and courage.

Seeing Gao Jie tirelessly running around and meticulously arranging everything for her, Xu Rourou finally showed a genuine smile of gratitude.

That smile, like the warm sun in winter, dispelled the gloom and fear in her heart.

"Thank you so much."

Her voice trembled slightly, a result of a mixture of emotion and relief.

Gao Jie prepared everything he needed for daily life, from food and clean drinking water to warm clothes and comfortable bedding.

Like a patient teacher, he took out each item one by one and carefully demonstrated to Xu Rourou how to use it, afraid that she might have any inconvenience or misunderstanding.

Just as the two were still immersed in this rare moment of peace and warmth, and wanted to chat a little longer to ease their tense emotions, Huang Xu, like a startled rabbit, hurriedly ran over from a distance.

His face was pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He approached Gao Jie hurriedly and whispered something to him.

"Xu Wenfeng is here to see you. Sister Wen is dealing with it with all her might. Judging from the situation, it's very urgent. You should go back and check on things quickly."

Upon hearing this news, Gao Jie's brows furrowed instantly, as if gripped by an invisible hand, forming a deep frown.

A hint of worry and unease flashed in his eyes as he turned to Xu Rourou and spoke.

"Your dad actually came looking for you. Just wait here patiently. I'll go back and check things out. If I can resolve this smoothly, I'll come back for you as soon as possible. But if things get out of control, don't do anything rash, don't leave here, and wait for my news, understand?"

His tone carried an undeniable seriousness and concern.

After saying that, he rushed back like an arrow released from a bow.

Xu Wenfeng stood there, his face red and his neck thick, his eyes seemingly spitting fire, hysterically shouting at the crowd.

"If you don't hand over the person, I'll tear this place down today, you lousy wrecked house!"

The angry roar echoed in the air, causing those around to tremble slightly.