Even as he pushed both of them, the old man’s hands stubbornly refused to let go of the pocket. He used all his strength, not to resist Huo Rou, but simply to hold onto the bag in his hand. This choice was clearly contrary to common sense. Qin Ningyi’s gaze swept towards the pocket in his hand. Looking at Huo Rou’s enraged face, the old man slowly lifted a smile, his eyes revealing a hint of deathly grayness and release.
"So… sorry."
The old man's voice struggled out from his throat, his smile on his face almost serene. When he spoke these words, Huo Rou’s escaping rationality momentarily returned. She loosened her grip slightly, reducing her force. The old man regained air, gasping for breath. Huo Rou stared blankly at the old man before her. The harsh sunlight of Ningzhong City had made his once wheat-colored skin even darker. His face was also covered in wrinkles, all traces of time. The old man's gasps, and the gunshots from the military district in her ears, kept flashing the image of the figure who fell in the rainy night in her mind. Looking at the old man still clinging to life before her, and hearing his words, Huo Rou’s brows furrowed tightly, unable to relax.
"Sorry?" Huo Rou let out a scornful laugh, her eyes filled with madness as she said word by word, "Then go die…" Her grip tightened again. She wanted to kill a defenseless old man; her strength alone was enough. The old man's face was full of smiles. "Okay." "Kill me."
Seeing the madness in Huo Rou's eyes intensify and the old man's breath grow weaker, Qin Ningyi stepped forward and held Huo Rou's hand. "Arou, that's enough." His eyes held pity as he shook his head at Huo Rou. Just as Zou Xiaoxiao had said, killing such a defenseless old man would bring Huo Rou a lot of trouble. He couldn’t let Huo Rou carry such a burden.
At this moment, Huo Rou could no longer hear Qin Ningyi. She looked at the old man before her, his eyes about to close, her own eyes filled with madness. Qin Ningyi embraced her. "Arou, tell me what happened, I'll help you." "Don't dirty your hands." Huo Rou wouldn't attack others without reason; this old man must be problematic. He gently clasped Huo Rou's wrist, his grip tender yet firm. "Be good, let go."
Huo Rou's thoughts were pulled back. Feeling the gentle pressure of Qin Ningyi's hand, she finally saw the old man about to breathe his last. She suddenly let go and pushed him away. The old man's body tilted backward uncontrollably. He opened his eyes. Zou Xiaoxiao stepped forward, wanting to help the old man. An old man falling like this would surely lead to trouble; she had to ensure he didn't have an accident in front of them.
Something astonishing happened. Before the old man could fully regain his senses, his body reacted. In the instant of falling, he reflexively twisted his body, his arms steadily supporting him on the ground, his whole person in a prone position. Zou Xiaoxiao's outstretched hand seemed superfluous. She stared, dumbfounded, at the old man's movements. Qin Ningyi also saw it, his eyes narrowed. He became even more suspicious of the old man's identity. Such reflexes were only possessed by those who had been trained in the military for many years. A normal person couldn't do this, nor could they be so swift and agile.
The moment his hands touched the ground, the old man seemed to regain his senses. He bent his legs and sprang up from the ground with agility, standing upright. At this moment, his body exuded an air of confidence; every movement was precise and purposeful.
"Holy cow!" Zhao Hengyu exclaimed as he watched the old man's series of clean and swift actions. After standing up, the old man realized how shocking his previous movements must have been to others. He licked his dry lips again, and the imposing aura he had displayed vanished, replaced by his usual diffidence.
"Xiao You." He looked at Huo Rou and stammered her name.
Huo Rou glared. "Don't call me that." "I warned you, don't go near the military." Huo Rou glanced at the pocket that had fallen to the ground when he got up. "What are you doing here?" By the end of the question, Huo Rou's voice rose, and her entire being was once again filled with violent energy.
Qin Ningyi gently patted her back, trying to soothe her emotions. His gaze lightly swept over the old man, finally settling on the pocket on the ground. "What is that?" he asked coldly. His already sharp and stern face became even more impassive as he spoke.
Hearing his question, the old man bent down, intending to retrieve the pocket again. Zhao Hengyu and Zou Xiaoxiao had already become suspicious of this pocket. The man cherished it so much, and Huo Rou was acting so strangely; they had long wanted to know what was inside. As the old man moved, they were faster than him. Both reached out simultaneously to grab the pocket.
"No!" The old man cried out urgently, stopping them and tugging at the other end of the pocket. Zou Xiaoxiao and Zhao Hengyu, holding the other end, refused to let go. Although the pocket looked bulging, it wasn't very heavy. Zou Xiaoxiao and Zhao Hengyu exchanged a look, seeing confusion in each other's eyes. The old man glanced at Huo Rou from the corner of his eye, extremely tense about the pocket. "Give it back to me!"