The three n exchanged glances after hearing Xu Ke’s words.
"Calling the manager will definitely get us punished. We can’t call the manager."
"Exactly, if the manager finds out what we’ve done, we can kiss this job goodbye. Anyway, there are only three of them, and two are won. No matter what, we have to make them pay up. Once they bring the money, we’ll sweep up the shards and say the items were sold. Promotion and a raise are inevitable then." As he spoke, the leftmost clerk’s eyes glowed with greed, determined to fleece these three people.
The three quietly communicated their intentions. Upon realizing their goals were aligned, they all targeted Xu Ke and his group.
"I know why you want to call our manager. I’m telling you, it’s impossible. Today, if you don’t pay, you won’t walk out of here. Let’s see who has more ti to waste," boasted the man in the middle, his face brimming with petty arrogance.
"Ha, you dare threaten ? I’ve swallowed a lot in my life, but I’ll never swallow threats," Lin ngyao declared while digging out her phone from her bag, her face full of rage as she prepared to make a call.
The three clerks opposite saw Lin ngyao’s fierce deanor and panicked.
"We can’t let her make that call, grab her phone!" The clerk in the middle reacted first, realizing Lin ngyao’s intention. He shouted loudly and lunged at Lin ngyao to snatch the phone, prompting the other two, eyes fierce, to pounce on her as well.
Just as Lin ngyao dialed the ergency number, she saw the three of them charging at her with nacing faces. Her blood ran cold. Bai Ru, having never seen such scenes, reacted decisively, her eyes steadfast. She bit her lip and pulled Lin ngyao behind her, stepping forward to shield her.
Despite Bai Ru’s courage, having never faced such situations, she was petrified as she stood before Lin ngyao, closing her eyes and bracing for potential danger.
One, two, three. Bai Ru counted silently in her heart. On the third second, a man’s sharp scream pierced the air. Bai Ru opened her eyes to see the face of the middle clerk twisted in pain.
His hand was in Xu Ke’s grip, his entire arm twisted nearly 180 degrees and lifted up by Xu Ke. The clerk on the left fared slightly better, with his right middle finger clasped in Xu Ke’s hand, his arm wrapped around his neck and pinned under his elbow, rendering him immobile.
The worst off was the clerk on the right. Under Xu Ke’s foot, his cheek pressed against sharp crystal fragnts, a single exertion from Xu Ke, and his face would be shredded to pieces.
"Let go," the clerk held by Xu Ke scread, his face contorted.
At that mont, the call connected. Xu Ke tightened his grip, making the man scream, "Stop staring at ; focus on the call." Xu Ke said indulgently to Lin ngyao.
The police, upon answering the ergency call, were imdiately alert upon hearing the screams from the other end. "What happened over there? Is there an assailant? How many are there, what weapons do they have, and where are you? How many victims?" The officer handling the report asked quickly and seriously.
Lin ngyao snapped out of it, stirred by Xu Ke’s voice. She felt both safe and warm, despite the urgency of the questions. She responded swiftly, her tone calm and coherent, with a quick and clear speech.
Bai Ru snapped out of her daze, looking at Xu Ke and Lin ngyao with admiration. Though she had studied abroad, she was always protected by a family-hired bodyguard, never witnessing such confrontations firsthand. This was her first close encounter with violence.
Even without seeing the fight unfold, she felt a surge of excitent and admiration. Xu Ke and Lin ngyao, with one handling the frontlines and the other managing the aftermath, could only be described as "cool" in Bai Ru’s eyes.
"The police said they’ll be here soon," Lin ngyao reported after coordinating with the officer, shifting her gaze to Bai Ru. "I really appreciated what you did earlier. From now on, I’m officially declaring you my best friend. If you ever need anything, just ask, no need to be polite." Thinking of how Bai Ru rushed to defend her, Lin ngyao’s eyes sparkled with pure sincerity and affection.
Bai Ru stared into Lin ngyao’s eyes, montarily stunned, then smiled, her eyes exuding warm sunlight, completing the sentint, "Mm." Bai Ru nodded emphatically.
Like children, the two girls, raised with rigorous family expectations, who missed out on normal childhoods and adolescences, now gazed at their newfound friend with unrestrained joy.
Contrary to the warm atmosphere around Lin ngyao and Bai Ru, Xu Ke’s side was filled with cries of terror.
The two n in Xu Ke’s grasp kept talking, but the one under his foot dared not make a sound. The sharp crystal fragnts pressed against his face, threatening to mar his skin if he spoke. Without having found a wife, he couldn’t risk ruining his face, thus remaining silent, the most obedient among the three.
"With the call done, there’s nothing left for you two here. Find a clean place to sit; standing in high heels for too long isn’t good for your feet." Due to Bai Ru’s protective gesture, Xu Ke’s gaze softened towards her, although his eyes still retained so distance, his attitude was notably warr than before.
Hearing Xu Ke’s suggestion, Lin ngyao happily led Bai Ru to the only tidy spot in the store - the cashier’s counter!
Exactly behind the cash register were chairs. The newly bonded girlfriends sat hand in hand, like children, whispering secrets head to head.
anwhile, the clerk still in Xu Ke’s grip was relentless in making threats, "Do you know which crew I’m part of? Only fear would stop from telling you. Let go, or I’ll ensure you can’t stay in Shangjing!"
Seeing Xu Ke ignoring him, the clerk continued, "You may not believe , but my brother is a big deal. If he finds out how you bullied today, you won’t get off easy. Ever heard of the tiger bench? Know about the wooden donkey? A whip dipped in chili water? If you don’t release today, my brother will make sure you experience all of it firsthand." The clerk raised his voice nacingly.
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