Chapter 77: Hesitant Yun Bing

Yun Bing rubbed her tired eyes, her mind adrift. Since the assault eight years prior, she’d refused to return to Beijing. Her boyfriend had left her because of it. Her attacker remained free in Beijing, and seven-year-old Ting Ting had been forcibly taken by their family.

She hadn't slept all night because Feng Rong, her boyfriend from eight years ago, had returned from America. He'd vanished after the assault, and learning of his departure to America had been devastating—he'd left when she needed him most.

Yet, he'd contacted her, requesting she come to Beijing. She'd found his email that morning. He explained he'd been unaware of the assault; his family had sent him to America the following day, cutting off all contact. Upon returning, finding her was his priority, even tracking down her email address through others.

He professed his continued love, regardless of what happened.

Yun Bing's initial impulse was to delete the email. However, sensing his sincerity and her lingering feelings for her first love, she hesitated. Fear of her attacker remained, but Feng Rong's love offered a path—a chance to escape that nightmare in America.

Had she not felt guilty about the misunderstanding with Ye Mo, she might have gone to Beijing. He'd saved her, and she owed him a proper thank you, yet she hadn't seen him since their school encounter.

Su Jingwen had explained Ye Mo was estranged from a powerful entity and couldn't reveal himself. Yun Bing clung to the hope of seeing him in Ning Hai; otherwise, leaving would leave her unsettled. Leaving also meant confronting traumatic memories—she was deeply afraid of Beijing.

Now, with Feng Rong's return, the decision weighed heavily. Though resentment lingered, his professed ignorance and immediate search for her suggested she wasn't forgotten.

Years had passed, leaving her feeling isolated. Her cold demeanor minimized conflict, but her cold apartment echoed with loneliness. She often reminisced about the small joys of her first love.

"But was Feng Rong truly unaware? Wouldn't his family have told him? And no contact for eight years? How was that possible?" The questions overwhelmed her.

After much deliberation, Yun Bing sighed. She decided to visit Beijing for Ting Ting. Though terrified of her attacker, avoidance wasn't always the answer. She opened a file to write a note for Su Jingwen to give Ye Mo.

As she opened the file, a news story caught her eye. Initially dismissing it, she paused—something seemed familiar. She clicked on the article.

"Ning Hai Master, Shi Ying, Crushes Korean Style Taekwondo Trainer!" The headline and accompanying images startled her. The man looked like Ye Mo, though the image was unclear. The name, however, was Shi Ying, not Ye Mo.

Though she'd heard of the Korean Style Club, it held little interest. She couldn't believe Shi Ying had defeated Pu Dongheng with a single move.

Normally, she would have ignored it, but the resemblance to Ye Mo prompted her to check the university news site. She witnessed the power of online popularity firsthand. It was 4:00 AM, yet the forum throbbed with activity.

The top post, with over a million views and thousands of replies, declared: "Shi Ying, Our Handsome Man!" New comments appeared constantly.

Examples of comments included:

• "I admire Shi Ying, but I'm straight!" — Carrying the Sh*tbucket into the Dining Hall
• "Brother Shi Ying is Ning Hai's strongest!" — Sitting on the Grave Smoking the Loneliness
• "I have Brother Shi Ying's autograph!" — Clear Water
• "I'm in love! What do I do?" — Who is Changing the Mark on my Epitaph
• "Who recorded Brother Shi Ying? I object!" — Wearing Underwear

Yun Bing scanned the comments before opening the top video. The fight between Ye Mo (or Shi Ying) and Pu Dongheng was shown in high-definition. Pu Dongheng's face was clear, but Ye Mo's was obscured. The fight was brief—a single kick sent Pu Dongheng flying.

Stunned, Yun Bing believed it was Ye Mo. But why the obscured face?

It was 4:40 AM. The possibility of missing Ye Mo spurred her into action. She rushed downstairs, started her car, and sped toward Ning Hai Technology University.

Taking a shortcut, she was driving quickly when she almost hit a figure on the roadside. In her rearview mirror, she saw the figure fall.

Though certain she hadn't made contact, she reversed, rolled down her window, and asked, "Are you okay?"

The person didn't answer. In the dim light, Yun Bing saw blood. Had she hit them?

Fearful, she got out to help. To her horror, the injured man was Ye Mo.

"What happened to him?" His back was ripped, revealing bone. His face was pale, his eyes closed. He was unconscious.

Anxiety overwhelmed her. She knew his injuries were serious. Her first thought was the hospital, but Su Jingwen's warning echoed in her mind—Ye Mo was targeted by a powerful entity and had fled Ning Hai. Sending him to the hospital would risk exposure.