Qiu Tong bent down slightly and took a light-colored lace lingerie from the drawer of the bedside table. She skillfully fastened the back clasp, adjusted the straps, picked up her nightgown and casually draped it over the back of a chair, then put on a pale yellow short-sleeved T-shirt.

The whole process took only a minute or two, but Su Ming saw it all clearly in the mirror. His Adam's apple involuntarily moved, and he quickly lowered his eyes, silently cursing himself for peeking. Yet, the fleeting image was already etched in his mind, impossible to erase.

His sister-in-law's figure... so good, so sexy, so charming!

"Alright, you can turn around now!" Qiu Tong tidied her clothes, her tone relaxed.

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Su Ming turned around, not daring to look her in the eye, and said softly, "Shall we go then?"

The two of them went downstairs. The neighborhood at night was much quieter than during the day, with dim streetlights and swaying tree shadows. Qiu Tong led Su Ming through the familiar paths of the neighborhood, past several buildings, until they reached a small pond. The pond was surrounded by overgrown weeds, with a few sparse landscape lights barely illuminating the path.

"This kind of place is perfect for purslane to grow," Su Ming squatted down, using his phone's flashlight to carefully identify the plants in the grass, "It likes moisture and usually grows by the water..."

Qiu Tong mimicked his posture, bending down and shining her phone on the ground. The night breeze blew past, carrying the unique damp smell of the pond and lifting her loose hair. The neckline of her T-shirt was slightly open, revealing a patch of fair skin as she bent over.

Su Ming quickly averted his gaze, focusing intently on searching for the herb.

As the two of them slowly searched along the pond's edge, the roar of motorcycles approached from afar. Three modified motorcycles roared into the open space by the pond, screeching to a halt.

Three young men jumped off the bikes, all wearing flashy shirts with hair dyed in various colors. The leader, a blond, swaggered over with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"Hey, beauty, what are you doing here so late?" The blond squinted at Qiu Tong, his gaze brazenly scanning her up and down, "Come have a late-night snack with us, I know a place with amazing skewers."

"Yeah, come with us, beauty!"

"Come on, squeeze in, our motorcycles can still fit you."

Qiu Tong straightened up, giving the three of them a cold glance, "I don't know you, please leave!"

"You can get to know us!" The blond grinned, stepping closer and reaching out to touch Qiu Tong's face, "Such a pretty lady must be lonely by herself, let me keep you company..."

"Slap!"

Qiu Tong slapped his hand away and delivered a resounding slap to the blond's face.

"Are you blind?" she snapped, her eyes icy, completely devoid of her usual gentle demeanor.

The blond was momentarily stunned, then flew into a rage, "Damn! You dare hit me?" He clutched his face, his eyes filled with malice, "Alright, you're feisty! I swear I'll have my way with you right here tonight!"

The other two thugs also closed in, cracking their knuckles.

Su Ming's heart tightened, and almost instinctively, he stepped forward, standing protectively in front of Qiu Tong. He clenched his fists, though uncertain, his back was straight, "Don't you dare!"

However, Qiu Tong gently pushed him aside.

She stepped forward, her expression cold as she looked at the three thugs, raising her face with a calm yet undeniably intimidating tone, "If you dare lay a finger on me, I guarantee that within three days, each of you will have at least one broken hand or leg. If you don't believe me, go ahead and try."

Her voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet of the night, it was exceptionally clear. The certainty and chill in her tone made the three thugs pause.

The three exchanged glances, their eyes showing a newfound wariness. The anger on the blond's face gradually faded, replaced by uncertainty. He scrutinized Qiu Tong, as if trying to judge the truth of her words.

A few seconds later, the blond snorted, pointing at Qiu Tong, his tone no longer as arrogant as before, "Fine, you're tough! I've got other plans tonight, I won't bother with you."

He waved his hand, and with his two companions, turned and mounted their motorcycles. The engines roared to life, and they quickly disappeared into the night, leaving only the smell of exhaust behind.

Su Ming stood there for a long time before coming back to his senses. He turned his head, staring at Qiu Tong in disbelief, his mind in turmoil.

That scene just now felt too unreal. His sister-in-law... had she really just used a few words and a look to scare off three thugs? Where did she get the confidence? Where did that aura come from?

A thought involuntarily surfaced: that man named Jiang Jian from earlier, driving an Audi A6, with a private driver, looking so imposing... could he be a mafia boss? Otherwise, how could his sister-in-law face those thugs so calmly...

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, and his feelings towards Qiu Tong became even more complicated—there was a sense of regret for her "fall," but also an inexplicable sense of awe, and even... a hint of indescribable affection. It turned out his sister-in-law wasn't just gentle and charming, but also had such a decisive and bold side.

Qiu Tong saw Su Ming staring at her dumbfoundedly and couldn't help but laugh. She reached out and gently pushed his shoulder, "What are you looking at? Do I have words written on my face?"

Su Ming snapped back to reality, his cheeks slightly red, forcing a smile, "Sister-in-law, I didn't know you were so amazing."

"Amazing, huh!" Qiu Tong's smile faded, she raised her hand to gently touch her chest, letting out a long breath, "I was scared to death just now. If they really pinned me down..." She paused, her voice lowering, "I think I'd rather die."

Her words were light, but they sent a jolt through Su Ming's heart. He looked at her slightly pale face, realizing that her earlier composure might have been mostly an act.

A protective instinct surged within him. Su Ming straightened his back, his expression resolute, "Impossible. As long as I'm here, I won't let that happen."

Qiu Tong was surprised, looking up at him, "You mean, you'd step up to protect me?"

"Yes." Su Ming nodded firmly, "I won't let them bully you in front of me."

In the night, the young man's eyes shone brightly, filled with a stubborn sincerity. Qiu Tong looked at him, stunned for a moment, then gradually broke into a genuine, gentle smile.

She reached out and patted Su Ming's shoulder, her voice as soft as the evening breeze, "Looks like I didn't spoil you for nothing. Alright, I understand your intention."

She paused, turning to look at the pond, "Let's go, continue looking for the purslane. The sooner we find it, the sooner we can leave. This place... really isn't very safe."

"Okay." Su Ming responded, following by her side, his gaze vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

The two of them continued searching along the pond. The pond wasn't large, and after circling halfway around, they indeed found a large cluster of lush purslane on a damp muddy bank. The leaves were thick and healthy, glowing green under the phone's flashlight.

"Found it!" Su Ming exclaimed in delight, squatting down and reaching for the nearest plants.

The soil by the pond was slippery, covered in moss. Su Ming cautiously leaned forward, his fingers just touching the leaves when his foot suddenly slipped.

"Careful!" Qiu Tong exclaimed.

It was too late. Su Ming lost his balance and toppled towards the pond. In his panic, he tried to grab onto the nearby weeds but caught nothing. His head hit a nearby tree with a thud, and everything went black. He passed out, half his body slumping into the knee-deep water.