The man’s strength was extraordinary. He pinned her tightly in the corner, one hand covering her mouth, the other impatiently reaching towards her. Chu’e was both angry and frightened, her limbs pressed against the wall, unable to call for help, only able to struggle and make muffled sounds, her eyes filled with pleading and fear.
As the man began to unbuckle his pants, Chu’e summoned all her strength and kicked him hard in the groin. He let out a painful cry, releasing his grip on her, bending over and clutching himself.
Chu’e took advantage of his pain and ran out of the alley as fast as she could.
Hearing urgent footsteps behind her, she panicked and looked back to see the man, teeth bared and furious, chasing after her. Terrified, she ran with all her might, sprinting out of the alley.
Standing on the bright, bustling street, she was still catching her breath. Looking back, the man had disappeared, and she finally exhaled deeply.
After her frantic run, she instinctively reached into her bag for a tissue, only to realize her bag was gone – along with her keys, wallet, and ID. Chu’e was stunned.
The October night was already cold, and she stood shivering in the wind. Go home? No keys. Go to a hotel? No ID, no money! She stood bewildered on the busy street, not knowing what to do.
Searching her pockets, she found a five-yuan bill. She entered a nearby small shop with a public phone and, after hesitating, dialed Luo Xuan’s number. She could have called Lin Lan, but for some reason, she didn’t want to ask for her help.
Twenty minutes later, Luo Xuan arrived, seeing Chu’e shivering in the cold, her clothes disheveled. He rushed to her: “Chu Chu, what happened? Are you okay?” Earlier, she had only given him an address on the phone without explaining anything. He knew she would never ask for help unless it was urgent.
Smelling the alcohol on her, he asked in surprise, “Chu Chu, have you been drinking?
He took off his suit jacket and draped it over her, his eyes full of concern.
