The speed of Shang Ziqian's movements, or the slowness of their steps, was such that in less than a moment, a knife was pressed against Xie JinYi's waist.
A sinister, icy voice dripped with menace.
"Don't scream, or I'll stab her."
His tone was deceptively calm, yet no one dared to doubt the sincerity of his threat.
Wen TingXue's face drained of color. The plea that rose to her lips caught in her throat, turning into a choked gasp.
Breathing itself became difficult.
"You… let's talk this through, don't hurt anyone."
She stared intently at his hand gripping the knife, regretting not having cried out the moment she saw him.
She had lost the initiative.
She truly hadn't expected him to be so brazen!
This was Jiangcheng's largest art center, and he dared to enter with a knife!
Shang Ziqian sneered, the curve of his lips twisted into a cruel arc.
"Talk? I broke two ribs and spent five days in the detention center. How do you expect me to talk?!"
The knife pressed closer, and a pained expression flashed across Xie JinYi's face.
Wen TingXue's heart leaped into her throat. She wanted to step forward but dared not, frozen in place.
Tears welled up instantly, her eyes glistening as she looked at him.
"What exactly do you want? Tell me."
The people surrounding him noticed nothing of the knife.
But a group standing at the entrance was conspicuous, and her cry drew more attention.
Shang Ziqian frowned impatiently, nudging Xie JinYi's waist with the tip of the knife. A trickle of red appeared.
"Just behave and come with me, or with one slash, you won't be here for long."
When it came to harming others, his words were always so light, as if it were a trivial matter.
Wen TingXue, sensing his recklessness, dared not act rashly. She nodded frantically.
"As long as you don't hurt her, I'll do whatever you say."
Shang Ziqian glanced at her, let out a cold, inexplicable laugh, and then instructed those beside him.
"Confiscate their phones."
...
Escorted out of the art center and into a nearby alley, Shang Ziqian's knife had not been lowered.
In fact, it had been pressed deeper.
Xie JinYi's entire side of her waist was stained red.
Wen TingXue's heart pounded as she looked at Shang Ziqian, volunteering impulsively.
"You came for me, didn't you? Take me, let her go. She still has to dance..."
"Dance?"
Shang Ziqian interrupted abruptly. The knife finally left Xie JinYi's waist.
But in the next second, it caressed Xie JinYi's right cheek!
The tip of the blade was used!
Even Xie JinYi, usually so calm, couldn't help but tremble.
"Shang Ziqian… what exactly do you want?!"
She clutched his hand, crying out, tears streaming down her face, splashing onto the knife. Shang Ziqian shook it off with disgust.
Then, he quickly pressed it against her neck.
He chuckled sinisterly, "What do you think I want? Don't you know?"
Xie JinYi looked up in terror, meeting Shang Ziqian's bloodshot gaze. "To sleep with you!"
The words were spat out through gritted teeth, as if they held a deep-seated hatred.
Xie JinYi's eyes widened, tears pouring down.
"Why are you crying?" Shang Ziqian narrowed his eyes.
Xie JinYi trembled with fear, unable to speak.
Shang Ziqian's gaze was dark as he smiled, the cold blade stained with her tears as he lightly tapped her face.
"How dare you cry? Didn't you hand over that video yourself?
"If you hadn't, Ya He wouldn't have suffered such humiliation.
"Aren't you good friends? How could you stab her in the back like that? Huh?"
The tip of the knife traced her beautiful face again, filled with threat.
Xie JinYi's face turned pale, her eyelashes quivering. Her voice became hoarse.
"Yes… I gave it to them, but… but she did something wrong, you…"
"I don't care about right or wrong! You hurt my people, and you'll pay ten, a hundred times over!"
With that, Shang Ziqian suddenly seemed amused. His eyes playfully flickered between Xie JinYi and Wen TingXue, then he smiled mischievously.
"Or, how about this? You convince your best friend to kneel and play with me, and I'll let you go…"
"What do you say?" He tilted his head, staring at Xie JinYi's tear-streaked face, a smiling expression. "Aren't I quite loyal?"
Xie JinYi's lips, pale, pressed together. She refused to speak.
Shang Ziqian's expression grew impatient. He raised his hand, about to slash her face!
Wen TingXue blurted out, "I agree!"
Shang Ziqian and Xie JinYi both looked at her, the former with amusement, the latter with concern.
"Don't pay attention to him!" Xie JinYi cried out in desperation, her voice tearing, sounding awful. "Don't pay attention to him! You're not allowed to! Do you hear me?!"
She wept, and Wen TingXue wept with her, her almond-shaped eyes a swollen red, as if they had been soaked in water.
The scarlet hue was terrifying.
"Yi Yi…"
She looked at her with tearful laughter, her voice thick with a nasal tone. "I can't just watch you get hurt…"
She had always thought she had seen the most intense forms of depravity.
Those school bullies who appeared human but were devils in disguise were the worst people in the world.
Not until she met Shang Ziqian did she realize with a jolt that there were even worse beings in this world.
He was rotten to the core. All notions of right and wrong were mere trifles in his eyes.
Things that others feared, he was indifferent to.
Therefore, in front of him, they could only lose…
At least, that was the case now.
"Let her go to the competition… I'll stay…"
The young girl stood in the interplay of light and shadow, her head slightly bowed. Her voice was hoarse and deep, her slender shoulders still trembling slightly.
Yet her voice remained steady, as if she had utterly resigned herself, her resolve absolute.
Shang Ziqian paused for a moment, then curved his lips into a smile. "Interesting."
Xie JinYi's eyes widened, wanting to say something, but he abruptly covered her mouth.
Amidst her muffled cries, he said, "Come here."
He beckoned gently with the hand holding the knife.
He stood in the shadow, his outstretched hand falling precisely into the light, long and elegant.
Wen TingXue, as if bewitched, thought that such hands should be playing the piano.
The next second, he spoke, "Kneel here."
He pointed to the area in front of his crotch.
Wen TingXue let out a sudden, strained laugh. To hell with pianos! He should be playing iron chains in hell!
"Wuwuwu!!!"
Xie JinYi shook her head desperately, her eyes wide open, blood vessels webbing across them, giving her a somewhat frightening appearance.
Wen TingXue, her eyes red, smiled. "Yi Yi, you still have to dance. You can't hurt your face… I don't care…"
She knew what was about to happen.
But this matter had started because of her.
If she hadn't gone to report it.
If she hadn't been too concerned with face to admit the matter of the video, she wouldn't have produced that video.
Then Shang Ziqian wouldn't have sought revenge, and in the end, it was all her fault.
Xie JinYi shouldn't have to pay the price.
The young girl stood in the light, her expression shattered and tragically beautiful, like a lily battered by wind and rain.
Shang Ziqian narrowed his eyes, gazing at her, then looked down mockingly at Xie JinYi.
"See? This is a true friend, a true best friend. Much better than your fake pretense."
Then, he released her mouth, pressed the knife against her lower back, and threatened casually.
"If you dare to call the police, or dare to cry out, I'll take her life directly."
Xie JinYi looked back in terror. Shang Ziqian smiled, vile and despicable. "Don't worry, I'll only stab her a couple of times, I won't really kill her."