I’m Face-Blind, But I Devoted Myself To Three Guys - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: “Little Master, You’ve Mistaken Me Again…”

The ground was wet and slippery, forcing Qi Xu to tightly clutch the arm of the person in front of him to maintain his balance. Although he avoided the areas where the man was injured, fresh blood still seeped through the fabric, staining his pale fingers.

The heavy air was laced with the metallic scent of blood. Cold air rushed through his nose and mouth, entering his lungs before it could be warmed, causing Qi Xu to cough twice uncontrollably. His muscles tensed instinctively, and he could clearly hear the dull thud of his heart and pulse drumming in his ears.

The alley wasn’t very long, but it was a labyrinth of forks. The man led him through various turns, and Qi Xu could only follow blindly, silently praying they wouldn’t hit a dead end. After all the running, Qi Xu’s breathing was ragged, and his throat burned with a searing pain, yet he didn’t even have the chance to pull down the scarf covering his face.

The burly men behind them remained in hot pursuit. Gradually, Qi Xu found himself unable to keep up with the man’s pace, falling half a step behind. The sound of heavy panting was punctuated by the whistle of clubs slicing through the air, sounding as if they were right at his heels.

Before Qi Xu could look back, he caught a glimpse of a dark shadow lunging toward him out of the corner of his eye—a muscular arm reaching directly for his face.

“!!!” His pupils dilated in an instant. Just as he was about to be caught, a sudden force pushed against his waist, sending his body tilting uncontrollably to the side.

Just as Qi Xu thought he was going to fall, the arm at his waist tightened, supporting him and shifting his direction. The man pulled Qi Xu into his protective embrace, shielding him with his body while his other hand firmly intercepted the arm that had swung toward Qi Xu. He grabbed the attacker’s wrist and twisted it back; the man let out a cry of pain as he buckled. Without hesitation, the man delivered a powerful kick to the attacker’s chest.

Sheltered in the man’s arms and still shaken, Qi Xu eventually gripped the front of the man’s jacket and curiously peered over his shoulder. He saw the large man fly backward like a meteor, knocking over two others who were attempting a sneak attack.

This man is really good at fighting, Qi Xu thought, his mind wandering even in such a dangerous situation.

The man kept one arm around Qi Xu while the other held a long club he had just snatched. He stood sideways, staring warily at the group before them. Qi Xu gazed at the man’s profile—his tightly pressed lips and the sharp line of his jaw from gritting his teeth. He felt a faint sense of familiarity.

Before he could process it further, the men opposite them moved again, advancing in unison. Qi Xu wondered if he could explain that he was just a passerby and if they would let him go. But a quick glance showed them all staring at him like predators.

“…” Great, they’ve pegged me as the weak link.

The man glanced at him and whispered a single, concise word: “Run.”

Qi Xu felt the hand on his waist slowly loosen. Accurately receiving the signal, he took a subtle step back. The gap between their bodies allowed the cold air to rush in, and only then did Qi Xu realize that the man’s body temperature was incredibly high.

Once the hand released him completely, Qi Xu knew the time was right. He eyed the positions of the men and slowly turned, using his peripheral vision to scan the path ahead. He could faintly hear the sound of traffic and car horns—the street was just outside. If they could reach a crowded area, these people wouldn’t dare act so recklessly.

However, the attackers seemed to realize this as well. After a brief standoff, they lost their patience and charged. Qi Xu reacted quickly; he reached out, grabbed the man’s wrist, and prepared to bolt.

But before he could take a step, an opposing force from the man’s arm nearly yanked him backward. Surprised, Qi Xu looked back to see the man he was holding looking just as startled.

Xie Chengyan’s planned offensive had been disrupted. He tilted his head, meeting Qi Xu’s eyes, a flash of confusion crossing his face.

“Fight?” Qi Xu asked, puzzled. Didn’t you just say run? Did the strategy change to staying and fighting them?

Xie Chengyan extended a long leg and kicked an attacker away. He quickly realized Qi Xu had misunderstood him. He had intended for Qi Xu to leave first, but feeling the warmth on his wrist, he suddenly changed his mind: “Run.”

With that, the two didn’t hesitate. They moved in perfect sync, breaking into a frantic sprint. To prevent Qi Xu from being caught, Xie Chengyan stayed half a step behind him as a shield.

As they ran, Qi Xu pulled the vibrating phone from his pocket and answered.

“Where are you?” Jiang Yingshen’s voice came through. He had arrived at the location Qi Xu sent two minutes ago, but he couldn’t find him, and his texts went unanswered.

“Senior, re… re…” The wind felt like knives against his skin. Qi Xu’s throat was dry and stinging; he was gasping so hard he couldn’t finish a sentence.

“Embrace?” (Both “Report” and “Embrace” sound like bao in Chinese). Jiang Yingshen was confused.

“Report to the police!” Qi Xu shouted, his voice echoing.

Jiang Yingshen pulled the phone away slightly and looked toward the alley behind him. It sounded as if a voice had just echoed from there at the same time as the voice on the phone.

“Are you nearby?” Jiang Yingshen frowned. But this time, there was no reply. The call remained connected, but he could only hear the whistling wind and a few faint cries of alarm. Sensing something was wrong, he looked toward the alley and hung up, heading straight for it.

…

Qi Xu had no time to worry about his phone. The group had split into two teams, taking shortcuts to surround them. Qi Xu stared at the glinting blades in their hands, his throat tight.

I should have checked the lunar calendar before leaving the house today. How much of a grudge did they have to be this relentless?

“I think you guys should just talk it out. There’s no need to fight,” Qi Xu tried to play peacemaker, hoping to extract himself. But the menacing grins on their faces made it clear they didn’t care about his mediation.

Xie Chengyan exhaled a breath of turbid air. He lowered his eyelashes, glancing at the person beside him who was nervously clenching his fists. There were too many of them; he couldn’t guarantee he could protect Qi Xu against five attackers.

“Go first,” Xie Chengyan said raspily. He narrowed his eyes at the two men closest to Qi Xu and adjusted his fighting stance. Although he was the target, Qi Xu was now involved, and it was impossible to ask them to leave him alone. His only option was to let Qi Xu run first.

Qi Xu swallowed. “Then what about you?”

Xie Chengyan didn’t answer. Instead, he initiated the fight, giving his answer through action. Seeing the chaotic scene, Qi Xu knew staying would only make him a burden. He turned and ran.

He hadn’t gone two steps when someone collapsed at his feet. Qi Xu nearly tripped. The man rolled on the ground, clutching his stomach, yet he still managed to grab Qi Xu’s pant leg to stop him from escaping. Qi Xu tried to shake him off, but the grip on his ankle was firm. He bit his lip and delivered two hard kicks to the man’s arm. The man let out a cry and let go, allowing Qi Xu to break free.

He reached a fork in the alley, hesitating on which way to turn. Suddenly, he felt a chill down his spine. He looked back and saw the man who had been grabbing his leg had somehow caught up. Perhaps the man mistakenly thought Qi Xu and the fighter were accomplices and planned to use him as leverage.

“You brat, stop right there!” the man shouted angrily.

Of course, Qi Xu didn’t stop. He just didn’t understand—why chase him? He was clearly an innocent bystander. If you have this little judgment, don’t be a thug. Just go home! Qi Xu cried inwardly.

Fortunately, Qi Xu was agile, and the man had just been beaten, so he could only trail a few steps behind. At another fork, Qi Xu looked back and saw the man gaining ground, reaching out for him. Qi Xu’s adrenaline spiked; he accelerated but failed to notice a figure appearing around the corner and crashed straight into them.

“Ugh!” The collision was hard. Qi Xu bit his tongue, and the pain brought physiological tears to his eyes. The person he hit was also caught off guard, staggering back several steps before finding their footing.

Qi Xu grabbed the person’s arm, ignoring the pain. His first instinct was to look back at the man chasing him. The pursuer, seeing another person appear, stopped two meters away, eyeing them cautiously.

Jiang Yingshen glanced at the fierce-looking man and then looked down at the person in his arms. Even though half the face was hidden in a soft scarf, he recognized him.

“Qi Xu?”

The boy froze and looked up, blinking. “…Senior?”

“What’s the situation?” Jiang Yingshen noticed the fine sweat on Qi Xu’s forehead and frowned. Didn’t he say he was handling an accident? Jiang Yingshen looked at the man across from them—he was covered in dust, with blood on his clothes and a hostile gaze. This didn’t look like a compensation negotiation; it looked like a violent debt collection.

The familiar voice seemed to have a magical effect, instantly calming Qi Xu’s racing heart. He licked his dry lips and shook his head. “I don’t know. People are fighting over there.”

Jiang Yingshen looked in the direction Qi Xu had come from. Sure enough, at the end of the alley, several dark figures were locked in combat. Soon, one figure broke free and walked out. When he saw the man’s face, Jiang Yingshen’s brow furrowed again.

Xie Chengyan leaned against the wall as he walked, stopping two or three meters away. He scanned Qi Xu to ensure he wasn’t hurt, then looked at the hand resting on Qi Xu’s back, finally locking eyes with Jiang Yingshen. They exchanged a look—no words were spoken, but both saw a flicker of subtle, unidentifiable emotion in the other’s face.

Meanwhile, the thug saw Xie Chengyan appear unharmed and realized the situation had turned. He looked between Xie Chengyan and Jiang Yingshen, clutching his fists, hesitation in his eyes. “Dammit.” Seeing no backup arriving, he spat on the ground and instinctively took half a step back.

Xie Chengyan held his injured hand, his gaze sweeping contemptuously over the man. He had just realized one person was missing from the group and feared they had gone after Qi Xu, so he finished the others and came looking. He hadn’t expected that man to be here. He glanced at Jiang Yingshen and the person in his arms.

Qi Xu had never been chased through alleys before; his heart was still pounding. He gripped Jiang Yingshen’s clothes tightly, terrified the two men would start fighting each other next. Xie Chengyan’s gaze swept over their close contact, and he frowned.

Qi Xu didn’t notice the look of dissatisfaction; his attention was on his pursuer, who was now unusually quiet. “He’s calling for backup!” Qi Xu realized, seeing the man’s hand behind his back.

Xie Chengyan reacted instantly, pinning the man to the ground, snatching the phone, and throwing it. The phone, still in the middle of a call, shattered into pieces.

“Let’s get out of here first,” Jiang Yingshen suggested. Xie Chengyan agreed. The three of them moved along the alley.

However, they didn’t expect the backup to arrive so quickly. The sound of numerous footsteps approached. They decisively took another fork to bypass them, only to run into another group.

Qi Xu was stunned. He wondered if the man had stolen someone’s national seal. These people were armed and vicious, lunging at them without a word. Jiang Yingshen shielded Qi Xu, successfully dodging several attacks. Qi Xu’s mouth fell open at Jiang Yingshen’s unexpected agility.

Xie Chengyan, as the primary target, took the brunt of the attacks. Jiang Yingshen watched the man falling into a disadvantage under the siege and knit his brows. Keeping Qi Xu at his side, he kicked away a thug who was raising a knife behind Xie Chengyan.

Xie Chengyan caught his breath and looked back, his expression complex. “Thanks.”

Seeing they couldn’t gain an advantage, the thugs turned their attention to the protected Qi Xu. Jiang Yingshen and Xie Chengyan exchanged a look and moved in sync to surround Qi Xu, standing back-to-back with him in the middle.

“Finish this quickly and split up,” Jiang Yingshen said concisely. Together, the three of them were too big a target. Xie Chengyan nodded. Qi Xu heard the suggestion and nodded as well, standing with his legs apart, ready to bolt.

With the two of them coordinating, they quickly knocked down the remaining men. The groans from the ground would soon draw more help. Sure enough, footsteps echoed from the other side of a wall.

The three men looked at each other. Qi Xu pursed his lips and gave the man opposite him a “Take care” look. Before he could react, Qi Xu grabbed the wrist of the person beside him: “Let’s go!”

He pulled the person into the nearest alley opening. Before leaving, he glanced back at the man left behind. The man’s expression was momentarily blank, as if he hadn’t expected to be the one left behind. Qi Xu felt a bit guilty. While leaving him wasn’t great, he couldn’t let Jiang Yingshen, who had come to help, fall into further danger. They were just chance acquaintances; he could only help him this far.

Qi Xu’s thoughts were thorough as he pulled the person toward an exit. Seeing the exit ahead, his eyes widened with joy. But the next second, someone else burst from a corner. Qi Xu nearly crashed into them again, but the person beside him pulled him back just in time.

Thinking it was more thugs, Qi Xu’s heart leaped into his throat. He took a step back. Strangely, the newcomer looked even more panicked than he was, glancing up briefly before looking away. He wore a black mask, but Qi Xu noticed a mole the size of a soybean near his temple. The person heard a noise, looked back, and muttered a frantic “Sorry” before running past them.

Just as Qi Xu was celebrating the false alarm, another figure appeared from where the man had come. They stopped at the alley entrance and looked over.

One person is a coincidence; what are the odds of two? Qi Xu didn’t want to gamble. He instinctively raised his arm to protect the person behind him.

The snow, which had been slowing down, started falling heavily again, covering them in white. Qi Xu’s long eyelashes became perfect landing spots for the flakes.

The person behind him looked down at the crystals on Qi Xu’s lashes, resisting the urge to reach out and brush them away. His gaze drifted down to the protective arm Qi Xu had raised, and he cocked an eyebrow slightly. After a moment, he looked at the unidentified person across from them.

The three of them stood in silence, studying each other with suspicion. The newcomer also wore a mask, but his gaze was much sharper than the previous man’s—even from a distance, it was intimidating.

Qi Xu tightened his grip. Without turning back, he whispered: “Maybe we should go another way.” He had lost all sense of direction after the escapes and was just wandering by instinct.

The person behind him didn’t respond, so Qi Xu took it as consent. But as he prepared to turn around, the man across from them frowned and took a step forward. Qi Xu was now certain he was one of the thugs, likely hesitating only because he was alone.

Getting frustrated with being chased, Qi Xu tightened his grip and began to run in the opposite direction. Sure enough, the man immediately gave chase.

Qi Xu felt as if the last time he had run this much was in a previous life. His throat felt like it had swallowed razor blades, but he didn’t dare stop. After an unknown amount of time, they finally lost the pursuer.

At his limit, Qi Xu slowed his pace, gasping, “Let’s get out here.” He pointed to an alley exit. But a sudden sense of unease hit him—perhaps because of the previous corner-collisions. He tightened his grip, and feeling the heat from the person behind him, he felt slightly more settled. He took a large step toward the exit.

However, the person behind him seemed to sense something. Without warning, they grabbed Qi Xu’s wrist and pulled him back. Qi Xu couldn’t react, his body tilting backward. Simultaneously, another arm tightened around him, and an opposing force pulled from the other side.

Caught between the two forces, Qi Xu was immobilized. His brain stalled. When he saw the person who had silently appeared in front of him and grabbed him, he nearly stopped breathing. It was the man they had just “lost.” He hadn’t been left behind; he had taken a shortcut to wait at the exit.

“Wait, it’s a misunderstanding!” Qi Xu’s eyelashes fluttered. The man didn’t believe him, tightening his grip.

“Really, we aren’t with that guy. We just happened to be passing by.” His voice was muffled by the scarf. Qi Xu realized he still had it on. Since he couldn’t break the grip, he let go of the other person’s hand and pulled the scarf down. He exhaled a deep breath that turned into white mist. “We don’t know him.” He looked up with a harmless, innocent smile.

The man froze for a moment upon seeing his face. After a long while, his expression soured. “Why is it you?”

The tone sounded as if he knew Qi Xu, but with the mask, Qi Xu couldn’t tell. He tilted his head. “Huh?” The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t place it.

Chi Hui (for it was he) clicked his tongue. “Are you with those sasaeng fans?”

The familiar term sparked a memory. Qi Xu’s eyes widened. “You’re… Chi Hui?”

Chi Hui: “…” What is that ‘I just recognized you’ look?

“You just applied to be my assistant, and you’re already doing things behind my back?” Chi Hui was nearly laughed with anger. At least the previous one had pretended for a year.

Qi Xu blinked, focusing on one part of the sentence. “Huh? I got the job?”

Chi Hui suspected he was playing dumb.

“But there’s a misunderstanding. I don’t know those sasaengs. I just got back,” Qi Xu explained. “On the way back, I saw a fight and got dragged into it. I just ran out; I haven’t done anything.”

Chi Hui stared into his eyes, judging his honesty. “If you didn’t do anything, why were you running?”

“Because someone was chasing us!” Qi Xu realized it was all a mistake. “And then you appeared and chased us too!”

Chi Hui pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why wouldn’t I chase you if you were running?” He had been unsure if they were with the paparazzi he was tracking. But Qi Xu’s guilty, evasive attitude and their sudden flight made them look extremely suspicious.

Qi Xu pouted slightly. “But if you hadn’t chased us, we wouldn’t have run…” If Chi Hui hadn’t looked so menacing, making him think he was part of the earlier gang, he wouldn’t have run for ten minutes.

Chi Hui put a hand on his hip, truly amused by the absurdity. But he couldn’t just take their word for it. He had recently caught a paparazzo who revealed a nest of sasaengs, and now suspicious people were near his new complex—which he had only moved into yesterday. Only Xu Changshu knew the location. This was why he had ignored the “avoid conflict” advice and chased them.

Chi Hui gripped Qi Xu’s wrist and took out his phone. “Explain it at the police station.”

Seeing Chi Hui wouldn’t let it go, Qi Xu looked at the person behind him. “Senior, what should we do? It looks like we’re going to be delayed again.”

Since he had let go of the hand to remove his scarf, the person behind him had been abnormally silent. Qi Xu looked up at him, reaching for his hand again. “Senior?”

The tall man looked down, his eyes narrowing, his expression a mix of a smile and something else. He tilted his head, his voice strangely cold as he enunciated: “Sen… ior?”

“?”

“….?”

“……..??!!”

Qi Xu’s eyes widened in sheer shock.

“Little master, you’ve mistaken me again.”

Xie Chengyan ground his teeth. Although he was smiling, his eyes were colder than the falling snow. He had finally realized that whether it was Qi Xu choosing him earlier or the protective stance just now, it hadn’t been for him at all. A surge of frustration and defeat was impossible to ignore.

Qi Xu still couldn’t process the situation. How is it Xie Chengyan? The man who was fighting everyone was Xie Chengyan? When did the person I was holding become Xie Chengyan?

And if Xie Chengyan is here, where is Jiang Yingshen?

The scene of him pulling “someone” away flashed in his mind. That was when he made the mistake. He and Xie Chengyan had teamed up to dump Jiang Yingshen with the thugs…

Qi Xu felt his world go dark. He immediately wanted to go back for Jiang Yingshen, but Chi Hui saw this as an attempt to flee.

“No, I have something urgent. I need to find someone!” Chi Hui wouldn’t let go, and Qi Xu’s voice carried a hint of pleading.

Chi Hui: “…Acting cute won’t help.”

“Really! I’ll come back and go to the station with you later,” Qi Xu promised. But it sounded like a fish promising to jump back on the hook if released. It was completely unconvincing.

“Then come with me,” Qi Xu suggested.

Chi Hui was about to refuse. But seeing Qi Xu’s teary, bright eyes, the refusal stuck in his throat.

In the end, Qi Xu led two world protagonists deep into the alley to find the third.

Qi Xu thought Jiang Yingshen would have left, but when they arrived, he was still there. However, he was surrounded by uniformed officers cleaning up the scene. Jiang Yingshen was by a wall having his hand bandaged. He looked up as they approached.

He immediately noticed the extra person. Even with the mask, he recognized Chi Hui—the star Qi Xu liked. His mind echoed a friend’s joke: “Rich people play for keeps; maybe he’s dating several at once.”

Jiang Yingshen: “…” He had a feeling Qi Xu’s “targets” were all gathering.

“Senior, are you okay? I mistook someone else for you earlier,” Qi Xu said guiltily, checking him over. Fortunately, aside from a cut on his hand, he was fine.

“I’m fine,” Jiang Yingshen replied, glancing at the other two. They stood to the side with their arms crossed, both staring at Qi Xu. Their gazes were heavy—full of scrutiny, doubt, and a hidden spark of interest they hadn’t even realized yet.

In the end, Jiang Yingshen, Xie Chengyan, and Qi Xu were taken to the station for the brawl. Chi Hui, wanting answers, followed them in the car. The four of them sat in the same vehicle, the atmosphere deathly silent. The officer driving felt awkward—it was the first time he’d transported so many tall, handsome men at once.

Qi Xu, squeezed in the middle, wanted to speak. But seeing a cold Jiang Yingshen, an angry Xie Chengyan, and an annoyed Chi Hui, he kept his mouth shut.

Standing before the familiar police station, Qi Xu scratched his cheek. He hadn’t expected to be back so soon. As they entered, he ran into another acquaintance—the middle-aged officer who had lectured him before.

“Hey, kid, you’re back again?”

The officer emphasized the “again,” drawing the attention of the three men.

Finally, they were questioned separately. Qi Xu had it the worst—explaining he was an innocent bystander in the fight and then clearing himself of being a sasaeng fan. When he finally finished and was about to leave with Jiang Yingshen, a conversation between an officer and Xie Chengyan stopped him.

“A citizen reported a damaged car on Lanhe Road. It turns out you’re the owner. Do you want to process the claim?”

Xie Chengyan smiled politely. “The cameras there are broken; we probably won’t find who did it. Don’t worry about it.”

Qi Xu froze. Jiang Yingshen glanced at him and quickly understood.

The next second, Qi Xu turned to him with a sheepish smile. “Senior… can you wait for me a bit longer?”

Even the stoic Jiang Yingshen sighed. “Go ahead.”

Qi Xu shuffled over to Xie Chengyan’s side and slowly raised his hand.

“Um… the person who hit that car… I think it was me.”