Thankfully, the awkward parts of the rehearsal were over. After Xiao Ya finished expressing her feelings to Xiao Gang as a way of post-event appeasement, Qi Xi mentally prepared herself to deliver the simple yet sincere confession lines according to Gu Yan's instructions.
However, whether intentionally or not, Gu Yan kept calling for a retake during Qi Xi’s confession scene as Xiao Ya. Qi Xi had to repeat the "confession" again and again, only to be rejected by Gu Yan each time. Despite the bumps along the way, they managed to go through the general plot and lines.
Thinking that they had completed the task assigned by the Bar Association and only the final filming was left, Qi Xi felt a surge of happiness. “Alright! Today's rehearsal is done! Gu Yan, what are you planning to do next?”
Gu Yan pursed his lips. "Get a haircut."
Qi Xi glanced at him and noticed his hair had indeed grown a bit. However, it didn't detract from his looks. The short-haired Gu Yan had a refreshing handsomeness, while the slightly longer hair gave him a touch of elegance and scholarly air.
He looks good no matter what. Even the most ordinary hairstyle seems extraordinary on him.
No wonder so many people like him.
Qi Xi felt a pang of jealousy and suddenly didn't want to look at Gu Yan directly. She lowered her gaze and muttered to herself, "I'm going to buy milk tea and head home then. See you!"
Qi Xi didn't know what came over her. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet she ran away as if escaping.
When she returned home with ginger milk tea in hand, she found Zhao Yiran was still working overtime.
Zhao Yiran sent Qi Xi a text message. The reply was a crying emoji, indicating that she might have to work late into the night again.
Qi Xi nestled into her room and watched some TV. Soon, she heard the sound of the door lock turning.
Didn't Zhao Yiran say she'd be back later? Did she finish work early?
Qi Xi didn't speak, her mouth occupied with the tapioca pearls from her milk tea. She opened her room door, intending to let Zhao Yiran in.
However, as if by fate, Qi Xi glanced through the peephole before opening the door. This one glance sent chills down her spine.
The person outside was not Zhao Yiran at all. It was a shifty-eyed, fierce-looking middle-aged man. He was furtively fiddling with the door lock with something, seemingly trying to pry it open. On the ground near him lay an ax.
Qi Xi immediately locked the door and called the police.
However, even after reporting the incident, Qi Xi didn't feel any safer. As far as she knew, the nearest police station was some distance away from her rented apartment. It was also peak hour, with people returning home after dinner, drinks, or social gatherings. Traffic would be heavy. There was no telling how long it would take for the police to arrive.
She had been calm while making the call, but now Qi Xi realized her hands were trembling slightly.
The sound of prying at the door intensified her fear. Just then, Zhao Yiran's call came through. "Qi Xi, are you home?"
Zhao Yiran's voice was full of anxiety and panic. "That thug just texted me! He really followed me! He knows our address and said he's coming over with an ax to 'catch up'! You're rehearsing with Gu Yan tonight, right? If you're not home, don't come back! I've already called the police!"
Qi Xi's heart sank. This is bad news.
So that's the thug outside. If I remember correctly, he's a sex offender.
"I'm already home. He's prying the door open. He really has an ax…"
Qi Xi had never experienced anything like this. Her hand holding the phone began to tremble, her voice shaking with fear and panic. Every sound from outside felt like a stab to her heart, amplifying her terror.
Almost at the same time, the sound of the lock turning stopped. The sound of the door being kicked open echoed from outside.
Qi Xi lowered her voice, trying to suppress a sob. "Zhao Yiran, he's inside! What should I do? Help me, I'm so scared."
Zhao Yiran was scared to death as well. "I'll be right back with a few male colleagues from the enforcement division. Hide before I get there. He's a serial rapist, Qi Xi. You have to protect yourself! Hide! He's only seen me, so if I'm not home, he might leave! You must protect yourself! Your life is the priority! Don't do anything stupid!"
Qi Xi was in no state to say anything more. She hung up the phone and scanned her room, grabbing a fruit knife. In a state of near-paralyzing fear, she hurriedly hid in the closet.
It was a closet used to store bedding and heavy winter coats. Inside, the thick layers of fabric muffled the sounds from outside, leaving Qi Xi with only a vague sense of what was happening. She could only tell from the faint noises that the thug had broken in, but she had no idea where he was or what he was doing.
This uncertainty, far from reassuring her, only heightened her fear. She was terrified that he would barge into her room, discover her hiding place, and drag her out of the closet.
He's a repeat sex offender.
He's far more terrifying than a typical violent criminal with a specific target. Sex offenders are more likely to commit impulsive crimes against random women, often without any reason other than their own twisted desires.
There was no one in the house to help her, and Qi Xi knew she stood no chance against this strong, middle-aged criminal.
The closet was crammed with clothes, and her fear made the air feel thin and suffocating. Qi Xi endured the heat and terror, huddled in the small space behind the coats. She didn't dare even look at her phone, afraid the light from the screen might betray her location.
Trapped in the closet, Qi Xi couldn't move, didn't dare to move.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl, each passing minute an excruciating eternity.
Being a lawyer who dared to argue with people in court and facing a real-life violent criminal were two completely different things.
Qi Xi bit her lip, her fear making her tremble uncontrollably.
What if... What if the worst happens...?
In the long, silent terror, Qi Xi heard sounds from outside, like a struggle or things being smashed. Her fear peaked in that instant.
Then, she heard her bedroom door being flung open, the sound of the door hitting the wall indicating a rough, hurried movement. Footsteps approached.
Please, please don't let him find me.
Someone, anyone, please come and save me.
Qi Xi prayed silently, her eyes squeezed shut.
But her prayers seemed to be in vain.
The closet door was suddenly thrown open, light flooding in.
Qi Xi, who had clutched the fruit knife in her hand ever since she hid, was ready to fight for her life.
"Qi Xi."
Just as she was about to make her last stand, a familiar voice made her go limp.
It was Gu Yan.
That was Gu Yan's voice.
After the immense tension and fear, hearing Gu Yan calling her name felt like an auditory hallucination. Then, his voice came again, this time closer:
"Qi Xi, it's okay. Come out. It's alright, I'm here."
Gu Yan's voice was calm and steady, full of reassuring strength. At that moment, Qi Xi finally relaxed her grip, the fruit knife falling from her hand.
She looked up and saw that it was indeed Gu Yan standing outside the closet.
His face was stormy, so dark it seemed like he was about to kill. But when his eyes landed on Qi Xi, he visibly relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Gu Yan's voice sounded like he was trying hard to control his emotions. He seemed to have a lot to say, but in the end, he just looked at Qi Xi and said in a deep voice, "You're okay, that's good."
Qi Xi, on the other hand, could no longer hold back her emotions. Just like a child who wouldn't cry over a fall when alone but would burst into tears at the sight of their mother, Qi Xi's tears flowed freely the moment she saw Gu Yan.
All the fear, terror, and anxiety poured out.
Holding onto Gu Yan's hand, Qi Xi finally emerged from the closet. Her legs were numb from squatting for so long, and she almost fell, but Gu Yan caught her.
It was probably then that Gu Yan noticed the tears on Qi Xi's face. The man who had been so grim just a moment ago seemed to forget his own bad mood, his concern evident in his flustered demeanor.
"Why are you crying?"
He tried to comfort her awkwardly. "Don't cry. I've tied him up. Zhao Yiran and the others will be here soon, and the police are on their way. They'll take him away. Everything will be alright."
Gu Yan was clearly shaken. He patted Qi Xi's back awkwardly with his large, warm hand. The gentle pats finally brought Qi Xi a sense of reality. As the tension and panic subsided, she was left with a desperate need to be comforted.
Almost instinctively, she hadn't let go of Gu Yan's hand since he pulled her out of the closet. In fact, she was clutching his sleeve so tightly, as if holding onto him would shield her from all harm. As if as long as Gu Yan was there, she would be safe.
It was only then, with her emotions gradually settling, that she became aware of the commotion outside. Just then, Zhao Yiran's voice rang out:
"Qi Xi, Qi Xi, are you alright?"
Several of Zhao Yiran's colleagues followed her in. "Don't worry, we watched the police take that guy away. Are you okay?"
Zhao Yiran and her colleagues had arrived.
Almost immediately, Zhao Yiran rushed into the room from the living room like a whirlwind and embraced Qi Xi. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her voice trembling with fear. "Qi Xi, thank goodness you're alright. Don't be scared, don't be scared. I'm so sorry, it's all my fault for dragging you into this."
After a moment of comforting Qi Xi in her arms, Zhao Yiran finally turned to Gu Yan, her voice still shaky. "Thank you so much, Gu Yan. Luckily, I quickly explained the situation in my college alumni group chat, asking if anyone was nearby and could help. I was afraid my colleagues and I wouldn't arrive in time. I didn't expect you to be the closest."
She then looked back at Qi Xi. "It's also fortunate that Gu Yan got here first. He had already subdued that thug and tied him up by the time we arrived."
Zhao Yiran was still visibly shaken. She checked Qi Xi from head to toe, making sure she was unharmed, before finally calming down. Then, as if just noticing Gu Yan, she glanced at him.
This one glance made her eyes widen in surprise. "Gu Yan, what happened to your hair?!"
Following Zhao Yiran's gaze, Qi Xi finally noticed Gu Yan's hair... His bangs were uneven, looking as if they had been gnawed by a dog...
Zhao Yiran was clueless about what had happened, but Qi Xi, who had just parted ways with Gu Yan not long ago, quickly understood.
So…
Qi Xi tugged at Gu Yan's sleeve. "Did you rush over here in the middle of your haircut?"
Gu Yan didn't seem to want to answer the question, but Qi Xi stared at him, waiting for a response. He finally relented with a reluctant "Hmm."
If Gu Yan had found a barbershop near where they parted ways, it wouldn't have been a short trip to her apartment.
Looking at his comical hairstyle, Qi Xi felt a surge of emotion, a mixture of gratitude and something more profound stirring within her.
Gu Yan truly is a good, good person.
He rushed over here with his hair like that, enduring the stares and questions from strangers along the way, all without a second thought, prioritizing her safety over his unfinished haircut.
Qi Xi's heart pounded in her chest.