Nan Yu's palms tightened. She walked over shakily and opened the door.
The man standing at the door was wearing a light gray trench coat. He was extremely tall. In the corridor, he seemed soaked in the wind and snow, his eyes as serene and otherworldly as if he had emerged from a distant realm.
Tan Linyuan stared at her, his voice deep and resonant, "It's okay now."
Nan Yu felt a momentary daze.
It seemed as if the man standing in front of her was truly a god who could rescue her from all sorts of hardships.
Like a heart that had been floating for a long time, it finally found a place to rest at this moment. She could finally breathe deeply.
Her eyes suddenly turned sour. Looking at him helplessly and blankly, a sob escaped from her throat, "Why did you come so late..."
Tan Linyuan's pupils dilated.
He closed his eyes briefly, and the next moment, he took the initiative to hug her, pulling her tightly into his arms.
It was as if the missing part of his soul was instantly filled.
He felt a warm sensation at the collar of his shirt, and the sticky and damp feeling on his skin.
She buried her head in his arms, and her tears rolled down, wetting a small patch of fabric on his chest.
"Are you so timid?"
Tan Linyuan lowered his head, his voice deep. The scent on him was reassuring, "I've already sent Shen Yanche back for self - reflection. You won't see him for a while."
Nan Yu shook her head in his arms.
It wasn't because of Shen Yanche.
The reason for her panic and helplessness was that the earth - shaking knocking on the door just now, as well as Shen Yanche's commanding tone when he told her to open the door, had reminded her of her unbearable past -
The man's growls and insults, violent threats and vulgar remarks had become a psychological shadow for her.
It was a time when she had to keep a knife by her bedside at all times, not knowing if she would survive the next day.
She was hugging Tan Linyuan tightly now out of instinctive fear and dependence.
Just like a drowning person in the sea grabbing a floating log.
...
After Nan Yu adjusted her state, she slowly let go of Tan Linyuan.
"What should we do next?" Nan Yu's legs were still a bit weak and unsteady, but she could stand firmly. She asked him calmly, feigning composure, "Shen Yanche will definitely come again."
Tan Linyuan could help her once, but not many times.
In fact, Nan Yu had already prepared herself in her heart. After all, she had been so obedient before, and now that she had suddenly rebelled, the Shen family would surely do everything they could to break her spirit.
Shen Yanche's actions today had already shown the answer.
Tan Linyuan's gaze fell on her slightly red - rimmed eyes and stayed there for a long time before he casually shifted it away, "Move out from here."
"Move out?"
Tan Linyuan nodded, "You can also choose not to move, and then just send me a distress text message at any time." After saying that, he glanced at her again, "But I may not always be available."
"Then I'll call Qu Jiaran..."
"She can't save you." Tan Linyuan lowered his gaze. After thinking for a moment, he spoke again, "I don't want to interfere with your friendships, but I hope you can keep a distance from her."
Nan Yu didn't expect him to say this.
Why did he want her to keep a distance from Qu Jiaran?
Was it because Qu Jiaran was of noble status and she was unworthy?
Or had he already developed romantic feelings for Qu Jiaran and didn't want her to continue using her?
A sudden, inexplicable pain stabbed at Nan Yu's heart, but she didn't ask anything. She just nodded, "I understand."
She composed herself and calmly asked, "According to Uncle's suggestion, where can I move to?"
No matter where she moved, she couldn't completely get rid of the surveillance and control of the Shen family.
"Move in with your piano," Tan Linyuan said casually, "You've already been there, the villa."
It was the only place where Shen Yanche didn't dare to act rashly.
Because it was Tan Linyuan's territory.
Nan Yu still frowned and instinctively retorted, "Uncle, are you doing this to help me better or to sleep with me better?"
"Both," Tan Linyuan raised his eyebrows. He wasn't surprised by her straightforwardness, "If that's what you think the reason is, then that's it."
"What if I refuse?" Nan Yu stared at him intently.
His eyes were still as calm, with a hint of a hunter's predatory and violent aura hidden deep in his pupils, not easily noticeable, "You can choose to refuse. It's up to you."
It was that same sentence again.
Nan Yu gritted her teeth. She knew that it was meaningless for her to act tough here. It would only put herself in a difficult situation.
He was right. He wasn't there just to be at her beck and call.
"Give me ten minutes. I'll pack my things."
Tan Linyuan let out a soft snort, "Twenty minutes is okay too. Take your time."
Now he was assuming the posture of an elder again, sitting directly on her sofa like an immovable Buddha.
Nan Yu really didn't have many things.
After Tan Linyuan had been sitting for only a few minutes, he saw Nan Yu dragging out a large red lacquered suitcase, "I'm done. Let's go."
Tan Linyuan glanced at her suitcase, his eyes filled with disdain, "Miss Nan doesn't seem to have much taste."
"The landlord gave it to me. As long as it can hold things, it's fine." Nan Yu didn't think there was anything wrong with it. She even touched the chipped part, "Don't look at it being plain - looking. It contains all my possessions."
Tan Linyuan curled his lips.
He walked over and took the suitcase from her hand, "Then let Miss Nan's 'all possessions' stay in my trunk for a while."
"Approved," Nan Yu grinned.
If it weren't for the redness at the corners of her eyes, no one would have known that she had had a brief emotional breakdown and deep despair just now.
Only Tan Linyuan knew.
---
After getting into Tan Linyuan's car, Nan Yu sat quietly in the passenger seat, as obedient as a little girl about to go on a long journey.
Tan Linyuan held the steering wheel. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that Nan Yu's face was still a bit pale.
He asked her calmly, "Haven't recovered yet?"
Nan Yu's voice was still a bit weak, sounding listless, "I was harassed by debt collectors for a while before. I'm a bit neurasthenic."
She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but the more she recalled today's commotion, the more she felt it was similar to several previous chases.
It was as if it was the same group of people.
It was just that this time, the leader was Shen Yanche.
This thought flashed through her mind, and she was shocked by her own idea. Thinking about the possibility of such a result, a chill ran down her back.
The car drove onto a small road. Tan Linyuan deliberately slowed down the speed, freeing his right hand to hold hers on her knee.
Her hand was extremely cold, as if it had just been pulled out of the cold winter lake.
"It's okay now," he repeated the words he had said when he opened the door.
It was like a consolation and also like a promise.
Nan Yu lowered her head and looked at his large, veined hand covering hers. Her heart was inexplicably touched.
Even though, perhaps he was just being compassionate, showing pity and love for her who had been so panicked and helpless today.
Wasn't that the meaning of gods and Buddhas?
"Thank you."