The intruder pushed the door open with great force. Their footsteps were heavy, as if they hadn't considered the possibility of alerting anyone.
Zhu Yaya's mind instantly felt like a hundred squeaky toy chickens were screaming in unison. She bit her lip so hard that it bled, yet she didn't loosen her grip, seemingly unaware of the broken skin. Her entire body was tense.
It's okay, it's okay.
She was hiding so well; no one would find her.
Zhu Yaya tried her best to comfort herself.
However, the person's footsteps were getting closer and closer to the giant plush bear. Zhu Yaya closed her eyes in despair, not daring to open them. Then, she heard an incredibly familiar voice—
"Yaya!"
It was Yan Heng's voice!
Zhu Yaya felt her eyes instantly well up with tears. Her previously taut body completely relaxed the moment she heard his voice. She crawled out from inside the plush toy, her voice choked with sobs. "Yan, Yan Heng!"
Just as she emerged from the plush toy, through her tear-blurred vision, she saw the tall, upright figure of the young man standing not far away, holding a flashlight.
Then, Zhu Yaya fell into an exceptionally warm embrace.
All the fear and grievance in her heart found an outlet. She wrapped her arms tightly around Yan Heng's waist, buried her face in his chest, and burst into loud wails.
The light in the storage room hadn't been turned on, and the darkness enveloped the embracing pair. Yan Heng's face was hidden in the shadows, his expression unreadable, but his voice was incredibly gentle, as were his movements.
With one arm holding Zhu Yaya, he used his other hand to gently stroke her messy hair, lowering his voice. "It's alright now. I'm here."
"Mhm," Zhu Yaya replied between sobs.
In Yan Heng's arms, under his quiet yet gentle and reliable comfort, her reasoning gradually returned. Whimpering, she scrunched up her nose, which was red from crying, and asked between hiccups, "Outside... the bad guy... is he still there?"
"The bad guy outside has left. Don't be afraid."
Zhu Yaya nodded. Just as she was about to pull away from Yan Heng's embrace, a sudden knock on the door startled her, and she swiftly ducked back into his arms.
Yan Heng chuckled softly, patting Zhu Yaya's back. "It's okay, it's okay."
The storage room door was opened, and light from the living room spilled in through the gap. A hearty middle-aged man poked his head in and immediately spotted the two embracing in the room. He let out a loud, fake cough. "Finished checking. There's no one else."
"Alright, Uncle Liu." Yan Heng's expression remained unchanged, his voice calm and open. "We will be right out."
Then, he lowered his head and softened his voice. "Don't be afraid, it's the uncles from the police station."
Only then did Zhu Yaya's heart finally settle back into her chest.
After she and Yan Heng came out, they saw a group of middle-aged men in plain clothes, some of whose faces looked very familiar. Zhu Yaya remembered; she had seen them before at Yan Heng's mother's funeral.
All the lights in the living room were turned on, bright and illuminating, dispelling the last trace of unease in Zhu Yaya's heart. The living room was a bit messy, with obvious signs of being ransacked.
Zhu Yaya's heart sank. Someone had indeed broken into her house.
"You're quite a smart little girl!" While Zhu Yaya hid behind Yan Heng, a kindly-looking uncle smiled at her. "You even know how to create a diversion!"
"This is Uncle Liu, my dad's former superior," Yan Heng tilted his head back and introduced him to Zhu Yaya behind him.
Zhu Yaya forced herself to perk up and smiled at Uncle Liu. "Happy New Year, Uncle Liu!"
Uncle Liu smiled and nodded at her.
Zhu Yaya took a deep breath, stepped out from behind Yan Heng, and bowed to the uncles standing in the living room. "Thank you all for coming here in person. I'm sorry for the trouble."
They all laughed heartily, waving it off and saying it was no trouble at all.
Afterward, Yan Heng took Zhu Yaya in Uncle Liu's car to the Imperial Capital Third People's Hospital. On the way, Zhu Yaya made a WeChat video call to the terrified Zhao Jing at the hospital, and took the opportunity to reclaim the WeChat red envelope she had sent to Zhu Jianjun.
Zhu Yaya recounted everything that had just happened to Yan Heng and Uncle Liu, who was driving.
Uncle Liu burst into laughter. "So, you're saying that bad guy even topped up your phone bill?"
"Mhm, mhm." Zhu Yaya nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at rice.
She was very glad that this bad guy didn't seem to be the brightest, which allowed her to escape tonight without a scratch.
Yan Heng told Zhu Yaya that perhaps because the intruder couldn't find her in the bedroom and she didn't answer the phone, he assumed she wasn't home. Coupled with hearing the commotion of Uncle Liu and the others arriving, he didn't stay long and left in a hurry.
"Sigh, it's a pity he wasn't caught," Zhu Yaya sighed.
"Your safety is the most important thing," Yan Heng said, patting Zhu Yaya's head.
Zhu Yaya's ears turned red.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Zhu Yaya saw a haggard-looking Zhao Jing and Zhu Jianjun lying on a hospital bed.
Zhu Jianjun had been suddenly attacked while on duty, passing through the dimly lit Wutong Street. The attacker first knocked Zhu Jianjun unconscious with a blunt object, and then, while he was dazed, viciously stabbed him in the abdomen with a knife. Although Zhu Jianjun didn't suffer a fatal injury, he lay there for a long time, losing a massive amount of blood.
The doctor said that if he had been brought in half an hour later, his life might have been in danger. Now, he just needed proper rest and to eat more blood-replenishing foods.
Holding Zhu Yaya's hand, Zhao Jing kept expressing her gratitude to Yan Heng.
"Yan Heng, Aunt Zhao is truly so grateful to you. You are our family's benefactor." She then turned to Zhu Yaya to explain, "It was Yan Heng who found your dad."
Zhu Yaya's heart was deeply moved. She looked up at Yan Heng very seriously, her tone sincere. "Thank you, Yan Heng. Thank you for saving my dad, and thank you for protecting me once again."
Yan Heng's expression became slightly unnatural. He looked away and said softly, his words somewhat vague and hesitant, "It's nothing. I had my own selfish motives too."
"What selfish motives?" Zhu Yaya was a bit curious.
Yan Heng's previously wandering gaze suddenly focused, staring intently at Zhu Yaya without saying a word.
After such an ordeal, Zhu Yaya's face was filled with sleepiness, and she let out a tired yawn. Zhao Jing didn't dare let Zhu Yaya go home, so she booked a room at a hotel near the hospital and told Zhu Yaya to go rest.
Zhao Jing originally wanted to book a room for Yan Heng as well so he could rest, considering how late it was. However, Yan Heng declined.
Yan Heng gently shook his head. "Aunt Zhao, I have other things to do at home."
Zhu Yaya lazily bid Yan Heng goodbye and followed Zhao Jing to the hotel to rest.
After all the commotion, by the time Yan Heng returned to his residence in the West District, his phone showed that it was already 1:30 AM.
He lay in bed, tossing and turning, but he didn't feel the slightest bit sleepy. He kept his eyes open, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Thankfully, despite the scare, everyone was safe and sound.
After a while, Yan Heng still couldn't sleep. He let out a sigh and sat up in bed.
At that moment, the phone on the nightstand buzzed. Yan Heng reached for it, unlocked the screen, and saw a very brief text message:
"Open the door."
