At that moment, flames engulfed the villa, and waves of heat rushed forth, making Zhou Ruoran feel suffocated.

However, seeing the Jade Bead on the bracelet transform into a halo that shielded her from danger, Zhou Ruoran was moved and struggled to sit upright.

"Ding Fan, is that you? Are you still worried about me in that world? Are you the one protecting me, right?" Zhou Ruoran said, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry…" Zhou Ruoran fought back her sobs, and her lips were trembling violently.

"I'm sorry... I wish I could tell you in person, but you're no longer in this world. I've been so stubborn. You were kind to me, and I misunderstood you, yet you never explained. From beginning to end, I've been a fool. When I was bullied, your eyes already told me you cared, but I still didn't understand you...

How could I be so foolish..."

Zhou Ruoran finally couldn't hold back and began to cry uncontrollably. "Ding Fan, why did you tolerate me so much? Working from dawn until dusk, carrying heavy loads at the dock, yet I misunderstood you for indulging night after night.

I even ruined the breakfast you made for me, and I wasn't compassionate, not only unable to do anything for you but also treating you with cold indifference every day..."

Whoosh...

Another tongue of fire lunged at Zhou Ruoran, and a halo lit up again, intercepting the flame. By this time, Zhou Ruoran didn't care anymore.

"Ding Fan, do you remember the day of the farewell dinner?" Zhou Ruoran said, her heart inexplicably aching. She seemed to see again the table full of dishes, herself leaving insensitively, leaving only Ding Fan sitting there alone.

"You said you were leaving and wanted to dissolve our engagement. At the time I was so naive; you must have sensed the danger in advance. Worried about dragging me into it, you set me free... But I thought you wanted to go live a grand life with that superstar, to be her kept man... How ridiculous was I, how ignorant was I?

That was the farewell dinner you had carefully prepared, and there I was, still throwing a tantrum... Ding Fan, do you hate me? Do you hate me..."

The fire grew fiercer... Tiles from the roof began to fall off, each intercepted by the halos.

"Ding Fan... I regret this life so much... I never truly understood you, and now I don't have much time left before I see you, I'm so happy..." Zhou Ruoran said, a smile crossing her tear-stained cheeks.

"Wu Min once told me what it means to like someone: it's when someone's heart hurts more than your own when you are hurt; that's what liking someone is... In my life, I thought I'd never be liked by someone, or like someone else. But thinking about you cooking for me, carrying packages at the dock... remembering these things, my heart aches, and since then, I knew I had fallen for you..."

"Ding Fan, I know I don't deserve you, but I hope you won't despise me, even if... even if just to let me stay by your side and watch over you…"

Zhou Ruoran said this and was utterly inconsolable...

"Cough cough…" Inside the villa, the temperature was extremely high, Zhou Ruoran felt her breathing becoming difficult.

"Ding Fan!" Zhou Ruoran shouted with all her strength.

"I had wanted to listen to you all my life, but there is one thing I will definitely not agree to. I will never dissolve our marriage. I want to be your wife. In that world, even if you despise me, I will not leave you, my husband! You are alone in that world, too lonely; may I come to accompany you?"

By then, Zhou Ruoran's vision was blurring, and all she could see was the color of the surrounding flames. But by now, she was fearless.

Just then, within that blurred scene, a familiar figure came to Zhou Ruoran's side.

Seeing this figure, a smile crossed Zhou Ruoran's lips. She recognized him; it was Ding Fan.

"Husband...did you hear what I said? Have you come to take me with you?"

Before Zhou Ruoran could finish speaking, she passed out.

Ding Fan, pained, held Zhou Ruoran in his arms. At this moment, Ding Fan was not an illusion; he had risked his life, rushing in from the outside to save Zhou Ruoran.

Just now, Ding Fan had heard everything Zhou Ruoran said. He felt a complex mix of emotions.

If it weren't for Zhou Ruoran, he might well have died in the hospital on Earth. Therefore, how could he ignore her plight?

Getting up early to cook was simply to strengthen Zhou Ruoran a bit, merely a convenient act; and carrying loads was nothing more than a method to both cultivate his body and earn money...

Yet Zhou Ruoran felt guilty because of these, proving indeed that Zhou Ruoran was a fundamentally good and kind-hearted girl...

"Silly girl…" Ding Fan untied Zhou Ruoran's bound hands and then very tenderly held her in his arms.

At this moment, the bracelet Ding Fan had made and placed on Zhou Ruoran's wrist had lost all of its beads. The bracelet was a defensive magic artifact and it seemed that all the beads had been used up to fend off the surrounding flames. Otherwise, Zhou Ruoran would have had no chance of surviving in such a blaze.

Ding Fan lifted Zhou Ruoran horizontally and with a flicker, he dashed straight out of the villa. The waves of heat from the fire were stifling, and any delay could endanger Zhou Ruoran's life.

Whoosh...the moment Ding Fan carried Zhou Ruoran out of the fire, the villa behind them collapsed instantly...

Though some people had gathered outside the fire scene, no one noticed Ding Fan's escape, which spared him unnecessary trouble.

After getting out of the villa, Ding Fan found a secluded place to check Zhou Ruoran's injuries. Thanks to the defense array, she had not sustained any fatal injuries, only some minor cuts and bruises.

Since Zhou Ruoran was unharmed, Ding Fan decided to find a safe place to settle her down. Since Wang Luohao had made an attempt on his life, Ding Fan could not continue to hide like a turtle.

"A gentleman's revenge, ten years is not too late," is a saying definitely unsuitable for Ding Fan. His idea of revenge was within a day...

However, deciding where to place Zhou Ruoran now was somewhat challenging. The hospital was not an option without someone he trusted by her side, because if anything happened to Zhou Ruoran, he wouldn't know.

After some thought, Ding Fan finally decided to call Lin Qingqing. In Dancheng, Lin Qingqing was someone even the Yanjing Royal Family wouldn't dare to provoke, and having a camaraderie with her and her brother Lin Zhanting, they would surely help him in times of need.

He found a phone booth at that moment and thought he should indeed get a cellphone. Carrying a person around while looking for a phone booth was unavoidably conspicuous.

"Second Sister, it's Ding Fan, I need your help…" Ding Fan remembered Lin Qingqing's phone number by heart. As soon as the call connected, he went straight to the point without beating around the bush.

…

Dancheng, Menggong Nightclub.

This was the hottest nightclub in Dancheng, mainly because it had a strong backing and was home to the most beautiful hostesses in town.

Wang Luohao's mood was not great tonight. Although he had burned down the Ding Family villa, he felt vaguely uneasy.

The men he had sent to the Immortal Peak Primeval Forest had yet to report back to him. He had made numerous calls, but no one on the other end was picking up.

After drinking, Wang Luohao did not seek the company of a few girls to take home as usual. The kick Zhou Ruoran had delivered at the Ding Family villa earlier that afternoon had been fierce, and he still felt uncomfortable in his lower body.

"Young Master Luohao, are you still worried about that Ding Fan? Don't worry, he must be dead beyond dead by now. That kid, no matter how capable he is, couldn't possibly stand a chance against the people of Hao Mountain's He Family," Wang Luohao's assistant Wang Cun said with a smile as he stood behind him.

Wang Cun had been with Wang Luohao for a while and, despite his tendency to flatter, was quite adept in handling matters.

"I'm still not at ease. Tomorrow, send some people to search the Immortal Peak again. Ding Fan disappeared, He Chen disappeared, and the two men sent after them also disappeared. There must be something wrong," Wang Luohao said.

"Understood, Young Master Luohao."

As they talked, they approached a Bentley car. Wang Cun eagerly opened the door, and Wang Luohao got directly into the car.

"Young master, tonight Menggong has a few hot chicks from Rosa Country. I heard those girls are really something…" Wang Cun started introducing the new girls from Menggong as soon as they got into the car.

However, once Wang Cun got into the car, he felt the atmosphere was off. Next to Wang Luohao, a person had appeared out of nowhere, it was none other than Ding Fan.

"Who the hell are you? Do you know who we are, how did you get in the car?" Wang Cun hadn't grasped the situation yet and cursed at Ding Fan.

Slap… At that moment, a slap rang out unexpectedly, and Wang Cun, who had been bluffing just now, instantly had a bleeding mouth and a swollen right cheek.

"Drive…" Ding Fan said coldly.