The sky outside had long since turned completely dark, and the dim streetlights cast long shadows of everything beyond the station.
The autumn evening carried a chill. Zhao Hong, already fearful, felt goosebumps erupt all over her body when the cool breeze blew. She looked at Jin Kun, who remained silent, and trembling, she asked in a shaky voice:
“Jin, Jin Kun, where are you taking me and Cheng Ming?”
Cheng Ming.
Jin Kun let out a cold snort and said casually, “Weren’t you two wanting to be together? This just fulfills your wish.”
Hearing this, Zhao Hong’s heart leaped into her throat.
If he had wanted to fulfill their wishes, he should have agreed to let them leave back in the waiting room. There would have been no need for this elaborate plan to take them away.
“Jin Kun, Brother Kun, I was wrong. Please, I beg you, let us go.”
Lu Cheng Ming also sensed something was wrong. He stopped walking forward with them and began to struggle, attempting to resist.
“What right do you have to grab me? Do you know this is illegal? If you know what’s good for you, let me go now.”
Zhao Liang kicked him unceremoniously in the back of the knee. Lu Cheng Ming stumbled forward several steps, unable to stand, and was then slapped by another person beside him, his head turned askew.
“Talking about being illegal now? You damn gigolo seducing someone else’s wife and you dare to bluster? Believe it or not, I’ll cripple you right here.”
“You, you guys?” Seeing the constantly flickering knife in the other man’s hand, Lu Cheng Ming was terrified. His earlier defiance vanished.
“If you know what’s good for you, just shut up and go wherever we tell you to go. Otherwise…”
The other man didn’t finish his threat. Lu Cheng Ming knew that if he didn’t cooperate, the consequences would be something he definitely didn’t want to see.
Circumstances were beyond his control. He could only obediently shut his mouth.
At that time, there was little leisure activity, and certainly no so-called nightlife. Even in the provincial capital, by eight or nine in the evening, there weren’t many pedestrians on the streets. Those who were out were walking with a hurried pace.
No one paid much attention to the group. At this hour, people roaming the streets in small groups were either loafers or thugs, neither of whom ordinary citizens would dare to provoke.
The group headed north. After about an hour, they were nearing the riverbank. Thinking of something, Zhao Hong and Lu Cheng Ming’s faces turned deathly pale with fear.
“I, Brother Kun, I really was wrong. I won’t dare to do it again. I promise I’ll live properly with you from now on. Please, just let us go this time.”
Zhao Hong’s legs went weak, and she was almost kneeling as she pleaded with Jin Kun. Lu Cheng Ming wasn’t any better. Overwhelmed by fear, his whole body trembled slightly.
He suddenly regretted his actions and wanted to run, but with the two men beside him glaring threateningly, he didn’t have the courage.
“Is everything arranged?” Jin Kun asked one of his subordinates.
“Don’t worry, Brother Kun. I already sent Da Cheng over to make arrangements. We just need to go over.”
Jin Kun nodded and said to Zhao Liang, “Take them to the boat.”
Seeing Zhao Liang approach to grab them, Zhao Hong struggled desperately. “I’m not going, I’m not going anywhere, Brother Kun…”
Although there was no one by the river at night, Zhao Hong’s loud cries could still attract attention. Jin Kun stepped closer and said coldly, “You can shout even louder. I’ll throw you into the river to feed the fish right now.”
Zhao Hong’s eyes widened in terror, and she fell silent, her body beginning to shake uncontrollably.
As they approached, a boat was indeed docked by the riverbank. Judging by its size, it was the motorboat used for sightseeing on the river during the day.
They boarded the boat via the deck, which was only a few dozen centimeters wide. Zhao Hong and Lu Cheng Ming were too scared to board, but Jin Kun’s subordinates unceremoniously pushed them onto it.
Once everyone was on board, the engine quickly sputtered to life with a “putt-putt-putt” sound. The boat began to move, slowly heading towards the center of the river.
“Brother Kun, I went to see your place. Besides Sister-in-law, Zhao Hong took all her clothes and all the valuable things from the house with her,” a subordinate reported from the boat.
“I know,” Jin Kun replied, his initial anger having subsided. He simply nodded lightly.
“Brother Kun, I also went to check on the shop. She sold it at a low price.”
Jin Kun looked up and glanced at Zhao Hong. The brief glance terrified her. Her face turned pale, and she kept shaking her head. “Brother Kun, I truly know I was wrong.”
“Didn’t I treat you well enough?” Jin Kun walked over to Zhao Hong, raised her chin, and said, “I used all my savings to help you set up the shop, and I never guarded any of the money I earned, handing it all over to you. Is this how you repay me? Tell me, what is it about this gigolo that’s better than me? Hmm?”
Zhao Hong was already crying uncontrollably, snot and tears streaming down her face. She was too frightened to say anything but shake her head.
“Bitch!” Jin Kun’s face darkened, and he kicked her, sending her sprawling to the ground.
“I warned you long ago that I can’t tolerate such behavior. Since you dared to betray me, you should have thought about the consequences!”
As Jin Kun spoke, he waved his hand, and immediately two subordinates came forward, dragging Zhao Hong towards the side of the boat.
“What are you doing? Let go of me! Brother Kun, I’m wrong…” Before she could finish speaking, she was forcefully pushed into the water.
After a moment, when she was pulled back up, she gasped for air and began to cough violently. But before she could recover her breath, she was forcefully pushed underwater again. Her struggles were futile.
After repeating this several times, Jin Kun finally said, “Alright.”
Zhao Hong felt as if she had been granted a great pardon. She collapsed onto the ground, too weak to even stand.
Lu Cheng Ming, watching from a distance, was already utterly terrified. He had never truly witnessed Jin Kun’s ruthlessness, nor could he have imagined what a cold-blooded person he was. Now, Lu Cheng Ming was completely petrified.
Trembling, he turned around and practically crawled to Jin Kun’s feet. “Brother Kun, I have nothing to do with this. It was all Zhao Hong seducing me. She said a lot of bad things about you. Selling the shop and taking the money from home were all her ideas. It was my fault for being blinded by lust. Brother Kun, please spare me this time.”
Zhao Hong, who had been lying limply on the ground, heard his heartless words. She suddenly looked up, staring at him with disbelief. “Cheng Ming, you, you said you would never betray me again, that you would always treat me well and make up for your past mistakes. How could you…”
Lu Cheng Ming turned back in terror. “Don’t talk nonsense! When did I ever say that? You seduced me, and I was confused, which is why I made a mistake. You unfaithful woman, in the end, you still want to get me killed, don’t you?”
Jin Kun stood up, walked over to Zhao Hong, and crouched down, looking at her. “Do you see clearly now? This is the man you were willing to betray me for.”
It was only then that Zhao Hong finally came to her senses, realizing how terribly wrong she had been.