When the Heartthrob Meets the Cold-Hearted Ex - Chapter 33

Tang Yeran sometimes admired Su Yang’s ability to zero in on the key point, but now she could only sigh helplessly. “Is the form of address really the focus here? Did you even understand what I just said?”

“I understood perfectly. You were saying that our past relationship is over.”

At least she was teachable. Tang Yeran was about to nod in relief when Su Yang continued earnestly.

“So from now on, we’ll start over.”

Tang Yeran: ?!

That was definitely not what I meant just now!

Su Yang had a stubborn streak. Once she set her mind on something, no matter how difficult, she would go all out to achieve it.

During their school days, Tang Yeran had admired that very tenacity, it was what made Su Yang shine no matter where she was.

But now, that same stubbornness gave Tang Yeran a headache.

Like right now, on the busiest commercial street in City Y, the usually taciturn Su Yang and the typically eloquent Tang Yeran seemed to have swapped personalities, as if they’d body-swapped.

“Ranran, there’s a performance over there. Want to go take a look?”

“Ranran, isn’t that bag heavy? Let me carry it for you.”

“Ranran, you must be hungry after walking so long. Should we grab something to eat?”

“Ranran.”

Stop!

Tang Yeran was getting a headache from the constant chatter. Originally, she had planned to explore City Y’s sights with An Xin this afternoon, but An Xin had been called away on urgent business.

She figured she might as well wander around alone, but the moment she stepped out of the hotel, Su Yang had attached herself like a little tail, following her everywhere!

The entire way, Su Yang had kept up a steady stream of chatter. Finally, Tang Yeran couldn’t take it anymore. She turned around and tried to reason with her. “President Su, you really don’t need to follow me anymore. Don’t you have your own things to do?”

“Su Yang.” The woman was unusually insistent about the form of address now.

Tang Yeran couldn’t win this battle, so she surrendered. “Fine, fine Su Yang. Let’s not even talk about how ‘starting over’ requires mutual feelings. Just tell me, who taught you that being affectionate means being this clingy?”

Su Yang pressed her lips together and gave her a sidelong glance.

That look carried a multitude of emotions, and Tang Yeran actually understood it perfectly.

[Su Yang, are you taking Professor Zhang Yuan’s elective? What a coincidence, I signed up too. We can sit together.]

[Su Yang, the second cafeteria just added a new dish yesterday, claypot fish. I saw a lot of students lining up for it. Let’s go try it together.]

[Su Yang, are you looking for The Amazing Inventions of Ancient Times? Heh, I have the last copy here, but I can lend it to you.]

[Su Yang, my solo dance is the fifth act in tonight’s campus gala. You have to come watch.]

[Su Yang.]

[Su Yang.]

[Su Yang.]

Well, damn. Turns out she had taught this method herself.

Finally understanding what it meant to “lift a rock only to drop it on one’s own foot,” Tang Yeran spoke again, this time with less conviction.

“Ugh, I was just too young back then, acting without thinking. That method isn’t worth learning, it doesn’t work.”

Su Yang looked up at her, eyes tinged with a hint of resentment. “Who says it doesn’t work? I think it’s a great method.”

Tang Yeran admitted defeat. Perhaps because she was in the wrong, the usually quick-witted Tang Yeran found herself, for the first time, losing a battle of words against Su Yang.

Since arguing was getting her nowhere, Tang Yeran decided to stop talking altogether. At worst, she could just treat Su Yang as part of the background.

Someone as proud and aloof as Su Yang would likely lose interest after a while and leave her alone.

Tang Yeran quickened her pace. Even if she couldn’t shake the other woman off completely, she could at least put some distance between them.

Suddenly, there was a commotion up ahead. Several people rushed past her at high speed.

Unless her eyes were playing tricks on her, the last few had guns holstered at their waists.

Was this a film shoot or an actual crime in progress?

Almost instinctively, Tang Yeran pushed through the crowd. There, she saw a middle-aged man holding a knife to the throat of a little girl about five or six years old. His menacing voice trembled slightly.

“Stay back! Let me go, or else I’ll, I’ll!”

He pressed the blade tighter against the girl’s throat. Terrified, the child wept silently, too afraid to cry out.

Nearby, the girl’s young mother was hysterical with grief. If not for the people restraining her, she would have lunged at the assailant in desperation.

“Drop your weapon! Resistance will only make it worse!” Plainclothes officers aimed their guns at the man, caught in a standoff unable to let him leave but equally unable to advance.

The man shuffled backward, using the girl as a human shield, his eyes wild with desperation.

“All I did was take a few things! You’re chasing me down with guns like this? Go ahead and shoot! Let’s see who dies first!”

As he moved, the knife dug deeper, leaving a visible cut on the girl’s neck. The sight nearly broke her mother completely.

In a burst of urgency, Tang Yeran called out, “Wait!”

Hearing a young woman’s voice, the assailant glanced warily in her direction.

Seizing the moment of distraction, Tang Yeran spoke rapidly.

“I know you just want to escape, not hurt anyone.

“Getting caught for robbery might mean some jail time, but if you accidentally kill someone, your life is over.”

The man glared at her, veins bulging in his neck. “I don’t wanna get caught, and I don’t wanna kill anyone! Just let me go, damn it!”

Tang Yeran kept her tone measured, carefully gauging his reactions.

“You say you don’t want to kill anyone, but that little girl’s already bleeding.

“Kids are fragile. If something happens to her while you’re running, you’ll be facing the death penalty, a manhunt for the rest of your life.

“Why not let her go first? We can talk this out.”

The man hesitated for a second before laughing harshly. “You think I’m stupid? Without a hostage, I’m done for. Shut up and let me go!”

Meanwhile, two plainclothes officers had quietly moved behind the assailant. But with the girl held so tightly, they couldn’t risk intervening.

Just as the standoff reached its peak, a cool voice cut through the tension. “Take me instead.”

Those four words from Su Yang, though softly spoken, carried undeniable weight.

She stepped past Tang Yeran into view. “If you need a hostage, take me. Let her go.”

The abrupt shift left everyone including the assailant stunned.

“Su Yang!” Tang Yeran’s panic was genuine now. She’d spoken up earlier only because the police were nearby, relying on words to buy time.

But this woman had just volunteered herself as a hostage to a desperate criminal, no less!

Su Yang gave Tang Yeran’s hand a subtle squeeze before locking eyes with the assailant, laying out the stakes.

“The little girl in your hands is already injured. You don’t have experience taking care of children, and dragging her along while fleeing could lead to unforeseen accidents.

“But I’m different. I’m an adult rational, cautious, and capable of taking care of myself. I’ll cooperate fully.

“Wouldn’t it be more suitable for me to volunteer as the hostage?”

The assailant glanced at the exhausted, sobbing child in his grip, hesitating.

A few seconds later, he looked up at Su Yang. “Then raise your hands and come over alone. No one else moves closer, or I won’t hold back! Stay honest, no tricks!”

Su Yang obeyed, lifting her hands above her shoulders as she stepped toward him.

The tension was palpable; no one dared make a sound.

The assailant remained wary, but seeing Su Yang a slender, unarmed woman he relaxed slightly.

When she was just two steps away, he shoved the girl aside and swung the knife toward Su Yang.

Despite her tears, the girl reacted quickly, darting toward her mother the moment she was released.

Only after confirming the child was safe did Su Yang act, executing a swift “Snowflake Piercing Cloud Palm” to disarm the assailant.

Realizing he’d been tricked, the man flew into a rage, lashing out with brute force at Su Yang’s arm.

She dropped the knife but didn’t retreat. She intended to use the “Intercepting Hand Technique” to immobilize him, but before she could strike, she noticed another hidden blade in his sleeve.

A misstep, a gash several inches long split open her arm. Blood seeped through her sleeve, staining the fabric crimson.

Wincing, she stepped back, but the assailant, now frenzied, attacked again, each strike fueled by fury.

Everything happened in a flash. Two plainclothes officers lurking nearby seized the moment, rushing in to subdue him from both sides.

With the violent criminal finally restrained, the girl’s mother approached, profusely thanking Su Yang.

Yet Su Yang remained indifferent, a stark contrast to her earlier heroism.

Tang Yeran, after comforting the mother and daughter, glanced at Su Yang’s wound, hesitating to speak.

Noticing the concern in his eyes, Su Yang suddenly found the pain less unbearable.

Despite the injury, she couldn’t suppress a faint smile.

But before she could savor the moment, one of the officers reprimanded her.

They commended her bravery but added, “In situations like this, we don’t advise civilians to take risks. You should trust the police.”

Beside Tang Yeran, Su Yang seemed like a different person.

The usually aloof and independent woman now nodded obediently under the officer’s lecture though what she truly thought remained a mystery.

After the officers left, another familiar face appeared.

While Tang Yeran went to a nearby pharmacy for bandages, Meilin, who had been watching from the crowd, approached.

“President Su, you never cease to amaze. I was still assessing the situation, yet you stepped forward to negotiate a hostage exchange quick-witted, brave, and resourceful. Truly impressive.”

“Flattery,” Su Yang replied coolly, her usual demeanor returning in Tang Yeran’s absence. Her gaze drifted toward the pharmacy. “But the first one to act wasn’t me.”

“Oh~” Meilin followed her gaze and instantly understood, “President Su is truly a person of sentiment and loyalty. By the way, the moves you just used seem to be from the Emei school, right?”

That last sentence was actually the main point.

Su Yang nodded calmly, “I spent a year learning at Emei in my childhood, just some basic skills. Naturally, it can’t compare to professionals.”

“Professional” Meilin smiled, “President Su is too modest. Let’s schedule another session when you’re free. That cooperation proposal you mentioned last time seems quite promising.”

“What are you two talking about?” Tang Yeran appeared with bandages and medicine, nodding at Meilin, “Teacher Mei.”

“Just casual conversation. I was just saying President Su is a person of great sentiment and loyalty, someone truly worth cherishing.” Meilin’s gaze shifted between the two, her words carrying an implied meaning.

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