Chapter 15 Chapter Fourteen

"You're going to Bow Street today, aren't you?" Ruddy held a cup of hot tea and watched Nick devouring a large plate of poached eggs, fruit and raisin bread. Nick glanced at her with a deliberately dazed smile. "Why do you ask?" Three days after they returned from Worcestershire, he met the banker, hired an estate manager, went to the tailor, and spent an afternoon with some friends at Tom's Cafe. chatting in the hall.As far as Ruo Di knew, today should be the same as the previous few days—but her intuition made her have some doubts. "Because whenever you're going to meet Sir Kennan or anyone else in Bow Street, there's a certain look."

Nick couldn't help grinning at his wife's suspicious expression.She's as razor-sharp intuition and persistence—and while she doesn't agree, he takes it as a compliment. "Actually, I'm not going to Bow Street," he said mildly.This is the truth!Although only technical. "I'm just going to visit a friend. Eddie Xue, I mentioned him to you, remember?" "Remember, he is also one of the police detectives." Ruodi narrowed her eyes and put the teacup to her lips. "What are you two planning? Not going to do something dangerous, are you?"

There was a bit of worry in her voice, and she kept looking at him with possessiveness and concern in her eyes, making his heart beat faster.Nick struggled to understand what these manifestations meant, she seemed concerned for him, and his safety seemed important to her.She'd never seen him like that, so he wasn't sure how to react. He reached out carefully and pulled her up from the chair, placing her on his lap. "It's not dangerous at all," he said against her soft cheek.Intoxicated by the touch of her skin, he leaned towards her ear and caressed the delicate earlobe with the tip of his tongue. "I'm not going to risk bringing back my incomplete self to you."

Lotte writhed on his leg, and the action increased the heat between his legs. "Where did you make an appointment with Mr. Xue?" She continued to ask persistently. Ignoring her question, Nick reached over to her blouse, which was made of white fabric printed with flowers and leaves.The open neckline showed the soft lines of her neck, and the allure was too strong to resist.He lowered his head, kissed the sweet and soft skin on her neck, and secretly extended his hands to the bottom of the layers of skirt. "Don't think that this can distract me." Ruodi told him, but when he touched her slippery thigh, he heard her rapid breathing.The discovery filled him with lust, his manly features thrust up against her ass.

"You're not wearing panties," he whispered, running his hands greedily over her bare legs. "It's too hot today," she gasped, wriggling to avoid his touch, pushing hands under her clothes in vain. "It's not because of you that I don't wear it, and... Nick, stop it. The maid will walk in any minute." "Then, I'm going to hurry up." "You've always been slow. Nick... oh..." Her body curled up against him as his hands dug into the hair between her legs, her body responding to his caresses as he taught. "I'll do the same to you next week at the Ma's dance," he said softly, stroking her wet privates with his thumb. "I'm going to take you to a deserted corner...then pull up your clothes and caress and tease you until you come."

"No." She protested weakly, closing her eyes as she felt his middle finger slide inside. "Oh, I must." Nick pulled out his wet fingers and relentlessly touched her soft private part until he felt her body twitch rhythmically in his lap. "I'll silence you with my mouth," he whispered. "And when you cum on my fingers, I'll kiss you...like this..." He put two fingers inside her warm, throbbing body, and kissed her mouth as she moaned and trembled violently. Nick moved his mouth away and looked smugly at her flushed face as he absorbed the last few pleasures her body had enjoyed. "Is this fast enough?"

The brief incident at the dinner table left Nick feeling happier and more awake, filled with happy thoughts of what would happen when he got home later in the evening.He cheerfully rented a carriage to take him to the place agreed with Sheidi, and rode a horse or took a private carriage to the Blood Bowl Tavern, a place where criminals often haunt or is also known as the "Asshole Sanctuary" is not smart. Nick had long been familiar with the Bloodbowl Tavern, as it was not far from the flash house that Nick once owned in Fleet Gutter.The Fleet Ditch is London's main sewer, spanning an area with a lot of criminal activity.It can be considered the heart of the underworld, nestled between four prisons, including Newgate, the Fleet, and the Reformatory.

It was the only home Nick had ever known during those years.At the height of his power Nick had rented elegant offices in the city center to meet high-class customers and bank representatives who would not go to Fleet Gap.However, most of the time, he still stayed in that house, gradually polluted by the long-term stench.There he conceived his schemes, set his traps, and skillfully formed his network of smugglers and informers.He always expected to die young and rich, and fully agreed with a convict who was hanged at Tyburn: "A short and happy life is not in vain." But just before Nick is about to receive his comeuppance, Sir Rock intervenes in his notorious deal.As much as he hated to admit it, his years as a police detective were some of the best of his life.Although he has always resented Sir Ruoshi's manipulation, it is undeniable that his brother-in-law has indeed improved his life.

Nick looked curiously at the dark, crowded streets, where hordes of people were passing in and out of the rickety buildings one upon the other.Having just left his clean and pretty wife in the quiet little house on Betterton Street, he felt an immediate displeasure here.And, oddly enough, the anticipation of finding prey was nowhere near half as strong as it had been.Nick longed for the raw excitement of wandering the most dangerous parts of London, but instead... He felt a little regretful about agreeing to come here to assist Xue Aidi today. but why?He's not a timid and pampered nobleman, it's just... he has a confused feeling, as if he doesn't belong here anymore.He might lose something by doing so, and he didn't want to risk that.

Nick shook his head in confusion, walked into the Bloodbowl Tavern and saw Eddie Xue sitting at a table in the corner.The pub was as smelly and dirty as ever, smelling like rubbish, alcohol and body. Xue Aidi welcomed him with a friendly smile.Young, aggressive and big, Aidi Xue is undoubtedly the best detective Mokenan has right now now that Nick is gone.Although he was very happy to see his friend, but when he saw the cold excitement in Xue Aidi's eyes, and found that he didn't feel the same, his heart sank a little strangely.Nick thought his abilities and intuition were still there, but he no longer had the desire to catch prey.He wants to be at home with his wife.

Damn, he thought even more disturbedly. "If Mo Kainan finds out that I asked you to do this, he might tear me to pieces." Xue Aidi said regretfully. "He won't find out." Nick sat down, and when the barmaid came over with a large jug of wine, he shook his head and refused.The vulgar-looking girl gave him a feigned pout, winked at him, and walked away. "I think I can do it myself," Xue Aidi said softly, noting the possibility of being tapped. "But I don't know Fleet Ditch as well as you do. No one does. And only you know who I'm trying to get because you fought him." "Who is it?" Nick put his forearm on the table, but moved his hand away because he felt his sleeve stick to the wooden top. "Fordick." The name surprised Nick.Unlike the common criminals in London, who were mostly opportunistic, Fordick was the elite of criminals, skilled and despicable.Nick had him arrested two years ago when he broke into the home of a rich lawyer and robbed him and killed the man and raped his wife when they fought back.However, because Fu Dick gave evidence of his accomplice's crime, his hanging was pardoned and his sentence was changed to exile. "Fordick's been sent to Australia," Nick said. "He's back," Xue Aidi replied with a sinister smile. "Dogs can't change eating shit." "how do you know?" "Unfortunately, I don't really have any proof. But have heard some rumors of him haunting London lately, not to mention a string of brutal robberies that appear to be going the same way. Yesterday I questioned a poor man who was raped by an intruder and had her husband killed as well. Woman. Same break-in, same method of killing, and the description of the murderer matches exactly with Fordick's—the scar on the right side of the neck." "Oh my God." Nick frowned, pinching the bridge of his nose to think carefully about this information. "I don't believe that Mo Kainan will let you catch Fu Dick alone." "He didn't," Xue Aidi said happily. "He asked me to ask Fu Dick's former companions, and then report to him. But I want to take Fu Dick back directly." Hearing this, Nick couldn't help laughing, knowing exactly how Mo Kainan would react to this matter. "If you make it, Mokenan will skin you for your damn stupid show of love." "That's right... and then there's going to be a lot of credit for catching a sneak-back exile. Then my name will be on the front page of The Times, and then there's a whole bunch of women going to be jealous of me." Nick's smile turned sarcastic. "That's not as much fun as you think," he told his friend. "Really? Well, I still want to taste that taste." Xue Aidi raised his eyebrows expectantly. "Do you want to join?" Nick sighed and nodded. "Where do you want to start looking?" "Tips say Foudick has been seen in the slums between Hanging Ax Lane and Dead Man's Lane. It's like an ant's nest, with holes in the walls and tunnels between the cellars" "Yeah, I know that place." Despite feeling the chills in his stomach, Nick remained expressionless.He had been to those slums, and even with his high tolerance for the ugliness of the lower classes it was a harrowing experience.The last time he'd been in Hanging Axe Lane, he'd seen a mother forcing her child into prostitution for drink, and beggars and whores crowded the narrow lanes like sardines. "We search a little faster," Nick said. "Once they figured out we were in that area, word would spread quickly, and Fudick would slip away before we saw him." Xue Aidi couldn't suppress the eagerness on his face, and said with a smile: "Then, let's go. You will lead the way." They left the tavern and crossed streets bisected by uncovered gutters, the air thick with the stench of dead animals and rotting garbage.Decaying buildings lean on each other as if exhausted, creaking when strong winds blow.There are no signs at all to identify the street names, and no house or building numbers.Strangers new to this area could easily get lost, and would soon be robbed, killed, and found dead in some dark yard or alley.The poverty of the slum dwellers is so unimaginable that their only temporary escape is in taverns.In fact, there are taverns on almost every street. It annoys Nick to see the miserable conditions around him, scrawny children, depraved women and desperate men.The only healthy living things are rats scurrying about in the streets.Previously, Nick thought these were an inevitable part of life.And now, for the first time in his life, he wondered if he could do something for these people.God, they need more than he can handle.He remembered what Lodi had told him a few days ago: "There must be certain issues that you care about and want to work on..." After taking some time to think about it, he had to admit that she was right.As a viscount, he can accomplish more than when he was Janik. Putting his hands in his pockets, he carefully glanced at Xue Aidi, who obviously just wanted to find Fu Dick quickly.And he should be like this too, not to be distracted!Nick warned himself, even though another voice still rang inside him. "Challenging death too many times, there will always be times when you miss," Mo Kainan once told him. "If you are stubborn or stupid not to recognize this fact, you will eventually pay the price in blood. I know when I have to stop, and you should too..." Although Nick didn't realize it until this moment, the time to stop had indeed come.After assisting Aidi Xue in this mission, Nick will completely give up his identity as a police detective and start a new life again.This time as Viscount John Shinjohn... a man with a wife, family, and even children. There was a sweet throbbing pain in the chest imagining Lotte pregnant with his child.He finally began to understand why Sir Ruoshi could resign the post of sheriff so easily after getting married, and why Mokenan valued his family more than anything else. "Nick," Xue Aidi called out in a low voice. "Nick?" Lost in his own thoughts, Nick didn't notice the cry until Eddie called again. "John!" Nick gave him a questioning look. "What's up?" Xue Aidi frowned. "Wake up, you seem to be a little distracted." "I'm fine," Nick said curtly, finding himself really thinking too much.In this kind of place, this could be a fatal mistake. They continued deeper into the slums, and Nick watched the area cautiously, trying to recall his knowledge of the alleys, tunnels, and side roads between these crowded buildings.He ran a hand over his chest, making sure the reassuring, iron-filled leather stick was still in his coat pocket. "We started with the buildings on the north side," Nick said. "Come closer to the corner." Eddie nodded, visibly tensing up in readiness to move. They methodically searched each building, occasionally stopping to ask someone who might have a clue.The dimly lit rooms and caverns were crowded and stank.Despite many skeptical and unfriendly looks, Nick and Eddie met no resistance. In a small fort factory near the end of the street—ostensibly a buckle factory, but actually a mint and counterfeiter—Nick saw this scrawny old man whose eyes twinkled at the name of Fordick.While Eddie was inspecting the Xiaobao factory, Nick approached the old man with a questioning look. "Do you know anything about Fuhuck?" Nick asked mildly, fiddled with the hem of his left sleeve with his right hand, a code known in the slums of London!It means that if you can provide effective information, you can get a considerable reward. While thinking, the old man's yellow eyes were half covered with paper-thin eyelids. "Maybe." There were several coins in Nick's outstretched palm, and the old man's wrinkled fingers scooped them all up. "Can you tell me where I can find him?" "You can try your luck at the tavern in Melancholy Lane." After nodding his thanks, Nick looked at Eddie and rolled his eyes to signal that it was time for him to leave. As soon as they walked out of Xiaobao Factory, they quickly went to Melancholy Lane, which was only two streets away from Hanging Ax Lane.Like most of the taverns around Fleet Ditch, it was packed before noon, with many drunken patrons sitting unconscious on the floor.After a brief discussion, Nick made his way to the tavern entrance while Eddie walked around the collapsing building to find the back door. As soon as Nick entered the tavern, there was some commotion and expletives from the crowd.Unfortunately, with a detective's height and build, it's nearly impossible for him to blend in with these people.To make matters worse, since he gave evidence of his fellow criminals and worked for Bow Street, he had made countless enemies among the lower classes.This did not in any way increase his popularity around the fleet.Pretending not to hear the malicious whispers, Nick squinted his eyes and looked around the crowd. Suddenly, he saw the face he had been looking for.From one continent to another, Fudick did not change a bit, with a rat-like face covered with shocking greasy black hair, and sharp teeth that made his mouth look like jagged.The eyes of the two met, both carrying a cold and strong sense of challenge. Dark Dick was gone in a blink, running through the crowd like a mouse to the back of the tavern.Nick pushed through the crowd in front of him, charging forward with blind determination.When he ran into the alley, Foudick had disappeared among the complex fences, walls, and alleys, and Eddie was completely gone. "Eddie!" Nick yelled. "Where are you?" "Here," he called hoarsely, and Nick turned to see him climbing the six-foot fence in pursuit of Fordick. Nick immediately followed him, climbed the fence, jumped to the ground, and rushed into the dark alley hidden by the eaves of the buildings on both sides.The alley was a dead end, and Nick stopped when he saw Eddie looking up.Climbing up the old exterior wall of a three-story warehouse, Foudick looked like a worm as he searched for tiny holes in the brick face to fit his fingers into.After climbing two floors, he finally found a hole big enough, and then he burrowed into the warehouse.His thin body just disappeared into the warehouse. Eddie cursed resentfully. "Let him slip away," he said coldly. "There's no way I'd try his crawl." Examining the wall carefully, Nick strode across and jumped up.He followed Bodick's path, inserting his fingers and toes into the holes in the wall, gaining support for his climb.Panting with difficulty, he climbed up following the vanished fugitive. "Damn it, Nick!" he heard Eddie exclaim approvingly. "I'll find another way to get in." Nick continued to climb the wall until he was in a crack on the second floor.Once inside, he stood still and listened intently.Then he heard footsteps upstairs, and saw a ladder leading to the top floor in place of the broken chairs.Nick strode quickly but carefully to the ladder.In contrast, this ladder is still very new, indicating that although this warehouse is very dilapidated, there are still people in use, it is likely to be used to store smuggled or stolen goods, and it is also a good place for fugitives to hide.No reasonable law enforcement officer would dare to walk into such a collapsing place. The ladder creaked under Nick's weight.Once up to the third floor, he saw that the floorboards and oak had all but decayed, leaving only a row of supporting beams that looked like the ribs of a huge skeleton.There is still a little fragile floor at the edge, but the central floor is gone, just like the second floor, leaving only the possibility of falling directly from the center of the third floor to the first floor and falling to death. As soon as Dark Dick saw Nick, he turned and began to traverse one of the supporting beams.Nick saw his intentions immediately.The building next to it is very close to this warehouse, and you can jump over it in a maximum of three steps.Fordick can escape onto the adjoining roof simply by jumping through the crack in the window. Nick bravely followed him, determined not to see the full vacancy under the beam.Moving his feet carefully, he chased the receding figure of Fordick, growing more confident as he walked halfway across the beam.However, just as he was about to walk to the end, an ominous cracking sound pierced the silence, and he felt that the beam under his feet was about to fall down, and it was obvious that the corroded wood could not support his weight. With a curse, Nick jumped to the side beam, barely catching on as he fell.He clings desperately to the beam and wraps his arms around it.A burst of broken beams and sharp chips of floorboards fell with a loud bang, while blinding dust and wood powder flew everywhere, blinding Nick's vision.Out of breath, he tried to climb the beam, but the sudden blow to his back made him barely able to hold on.Nick grunted in surprise and pain as he saw Fordick's smug face directly above him. A wicked grin appeared on the jerk's narrow face. "I'm sending you to hell, Janick," he said, stepping a little boldly toward the beam.His booted foot pressed hard against Nick's hand, causing Nick's fingers to crack bone and growl in excruciating pain. Dark Dick laughed with wild glee. "One," he said aloud. "Two." He stepped on it again, and the force of the boot quickly aggravated the sharp pain in Nick's arm.Fu Dick's foot was raised again, ready to give Nick a fatal blow. "Three." Nick gasped, grabbed Dirk by the ankle, and yanked him off balance. With a sharp scream, Fudick fell from the beam, fell two floors before falling with fatal speed to the first-floor floor. Not daring to look down, Nick focused desperately on how to get up the beam.Unfortunately, his strength was exhausted and his left hand was injured.Wriggling like a worm on a hook, he hunched over helplessly waiting for the moment to fall. He couldn't believe he was dying. Ruodi carefully read the note in her trembling hands again. Ruddy: Please come and save me.Mother said Lord Randyll was coming to take me away.I didn't want to go with him at all, but she and Dad said I must go with him.They locked me in my room until he came.I beg you not to let this happen, Rodi, you are my only hope. love your sister Yili Not long after Nick left, a country boy brought the tear-stained letter to Roddy.The boy claimed that Yili called him to the bedroom window and gave him the letter. "She said I'd get half a crown if I brought you this letter," he said, shifting his weight uneasily, as if doubting that the promise wouldn't be kept. Roddy gave the boy half a pound as thanks, and asked Mrs. Choi to take him into the kitchen for some hot food.He paced back and forth in the hallway, biting his knuckles in frustration while thinking about what to do better.She had no idea when Nick would be home, but if she waited too long, Lord Randyll might take Illy away first. This thought troubled Ruodi so much that she clenched her fists and let out an angry cry.Her parents had allowed Lord Randyll to take away poor and innocent Illy... as if she were an animal that could be exchanged. "She's only sixteen," she said aloud, her cheeks flushed with rage. "How can they do this? Is it worthy of conscience?" Moreover, the word marriage was not mentioned in the note at all, which made Ruodi believe that her parents actually pushed Yili into the fire pit for profit.The discovery made her feel sick. No, she couldn't wait until Nick came back.She had to go get Illy away before Lord Randyll arrived.In fact, Ruodi was very angry at herself for not doing this sooner.But who would have thought that Lord Randyll would want Illy, or how her parents would give their daughter to Lord Randyll in this way? "Hayley," she yelled, striding over to the nearest bell rope and tugging frantically. "Hayley!" The black-haired maid appeared immediately, and her glasses were a little crooked from running so fast. "lady?" "Help me with my coat and hat." Then Lotte paused to think carefully of all the footmen Nick had hired, and decided that Danny was the tallest and most able to help her when Nick was away. "Tell Danny that he wants to accompany me on some errands. I want the carriage ready at once, too." "Okay, Mrs. Xin." Hai Li hurriedly followed suit, seeming to catch Ruodi's eagerness. Danny appeared in less than a minute, a tall figure in a black uniform.He is a good-natured and strong young man with dark brown hair and amber eyes. "Ma'am," he said, bowing perfectly to her and awaiting her instructions. Taking the hat from Haili, Ruodi put it on nimbly and quickly tied it around her chin. "Danny, we're going to my parents' house to pick up my sister. I'm sure there will be a strong resistance from my family, and there may even be a physical collision...I don't want anyone to get hurt, but we have to get me out together. Bring my sister back here. I believe I can count on you?" He understood what she meant. "Of course, ma'am." She smiled a little and paled. "Thank you." The carriage was ready at an unprecedented speed, and when the carriage left Betterton Street quickly, Ruodi held the crumpled paper tightly in her hand.She tried to think clearly, to understand what was going on. What would Lord Randyll want her sister to do?As far as Ruodi knew, he hardly noticed Yili's existence, except for the occasional contemptuous comment on her - Yili was too fat, simple-minded and vulgar.Why did he choose her as his mistress among so many women?Perhaps it was because Lord Randyll knew that this was the best way to hurt Roddy.He believes that if Ruddy knows that her happiness is bought at the price of her sister, then she and Nick will never be happy together. Agitated with fear and anger, Ruo Di kept twisting her hands on her skirt. It took only fifteen minutes to reach her parents' house, but Ruodi couldn't stand the wait.When they reached the Tudor street and failed to see Lord Randyll's carriage, Lotte allowed herself a glimmer of hope.Maybe it's all too late. The carriage stopped, and Danny helped Ruodi get out of the carriage.When she stepped onto the sidewalk and let Danny accompany her to the house, the calm expression on his face eased her tense nerves.The front yard was empty, and her brother and sister were oddly absent. Ruddy nodded, and Danny knocked firmly on the door with his fist, warning the house that they had arrived.A maid came quickly to answer the door. "Miss He." The maid said uncomfortably, her eyes widened on her freckled face. "I'm Mrs. Xin now," Ruodi replied and glanced at the valet. "You wait here, Danny. I'll call you when I need your assistance." "Yes, ma'am." Once inside, Ruodi saw her parents standing in the doorway of the living room... Her mother seemed troubled but determined, and her father looked down at the ground.The guilt they displayed made her anger lessen and turn to anger. "Where is Yili?" she said as soon as she opened her mouth. Her mother looked at her without any emotion. "That has nothing to do with you, Ruodi. I made it very clear when you came last time that you are not welcome here. It was you who cut off the relationship with this family by your own selfish behavior." Ruddy was about to retort, but before she could speak, she heard a determined thump from behind the house. "Ruodi!" came the vague voice of her sister. "Ruodi, here I am! Don't leave me behind!" "Here I come," Ruodi said loudly, casting a disbelieving look at her parents. "What a disgrace to you," she said softly, words full of accusations. "You plan to give her to Lord Randyll, knowing that you will destroy her chances of a good life. Where are your consciences?" Ignoring her mother's fierce resistance, Ruodi walked quickly to Yili's room and turned the key left in the door lock. With grateful sobs, Yili ran out the door to Ruodi, her brown hair matted and tangled. "I knew you'd come to my rescue," she whimpered, her wet cheek resting on Lotte's shoulder. "I knew it. Ruodi, take me away quickly. He's coming, he could be here anytime." Hugging the weeping sister, Ruodi patted her on the back and said in a low voice: "When you need me, I will definitely come to help you, Yili. Go and pack your things, and I will take you home with me. " Her sister shook her head vigorously. "There is no time, we must leave now." "Okay." Ruodi hugged Yili and walked towards the front of the house with her. "After you leave, you will tell me everything." "Ruodi," Yili was still sobbing. "It's scary, it's really—" When they reached the gate, her sister cried out when she saw the thin, shadowy figure of Lord Randyll standing with their parents.He must have arrived here right after her.Ruodi was expressionless, but seeing his calculating and dark eyes, her heart beat violently.She hugged Yili's shoulders tightly, and there was a coldness in her voice that she couldn't feel at all when she spoke. "I won't let you have her, Lord Randyll." "John Shin!" Nick heard Eddie yell from somewhere below. "Don't let go!" "I don't...would," Nick said, even as his bloodied fingers nearly slipped off the rotting beam. His ears were rumbling, his arms were numb, and his body was in excruciating pain.However, when he found that Xue Aidi was too late to save him, his thinking was extremely calm and clear. He doesn't want to die.Ironically, he probably wouldn't have cared if it had happened a few months ago.A short but happy life... that's what he wanted.He would never want to ask for more. But that was before he knew Ruodi.Now, he wants to spend more time with Lodi, wants to hug her again, wants to tell her how much he loves her even though he never thought he'd be in love with anyone, and he wants to take care of her.The thought of never being able to take care of her again...no one can protect her fragile...his fingers slipped and he gasped.Closing his eyes, he firmly grasped the beam, thinking that as long as he held on for a second, he would have a chance to see her again.The devil slashed across his body with a white-hot saw, tearing apart his muscles, causing bean-sized sweat to flow down his face and down his neck. Rodi, he thought of her with fear and pain.He finally understood his emotions, but it was too late now.The last thought he had before he died was her, the last sound that came out of his mouth was her name.Ruddy... Suddenly he felt someone grab his wrist roughly, as if he was being held by iron clips. "I've got you." Eddie's steady voice cut through the clutter of thoughts.Though the rotting beams creaked warningly, because Eddie was on the same beam as him.Nick wanted to tell him to leave him alone, to say that the beam couldn't bear the weight of both of them, but he couldn't control his breath. "You've got to trust me, John," Eddie continued. "Let go of the other hand, and I'll pull you up." Every ounce of Nick's instinct told him not to take that advice.Hanging in the air with the hands loose, completely dependent on the strength of another person... "That's the only option," Eddie said through gritted teeth. "Let go, damn it, let me help you. Come on!" Nixon let go of the beam.For a moment he swayed horribly in the air, and then he felt Eddie grab him tightly.He felt pulled up hard as he pulled him, balancing on the crackling wood. "Come up a little more," Eddie whispered, continuing to grab Nick's arm, and together they escaped the possible fall to their deaths.After walking down the beam and finding a relatively solid floor, the two of them sat down side by side out of breath. "Damn it," Eddie said loudly when he finally had the strength to speak. "You're a heavy bastard, John Sim." Lost in judgment, his body torn apart by excruciating pain, Nick tries to make sense of the fact that he is alive.He wiped his sweaty brows with his sleeve, and realized that his arm was cramping and shaking, the muscles had been overstretched. Eddie sat up straight, watching him with obvious anxiety. "You seem to have strained a muscle, and your hand looks like it was run over by a cart." However, he is still alive.It was such a miracle that he couldn't believe it.Nick just got a reprieve he didn't deserve, and he knows he's going to make good use of this divine opportunity.Thinking of Ruodi, I was attacked by a strong longing. "Eddie," he said in a barely husky voice. "I just decided on something." "Oh?" "From now on, you'll have to figure out a damned way to operate around the Fleet Ditch." Xue Aidi suddenly grinned, seeming to understand the reason behind his anger. "I think you must think that since you are a viscount now, it is too wronged to come to this kind of place. I knew you would start to put on airs sooner or later." Lord Randyll was visibly surprised to see Lotte in her parents' house.His cold eyes glanced from her face to Yili's, comparing the differences between the two.When he looked at Ruodi again, his face was very tense because of the mixture of hatred and longing. "You have no right to intervene in this matter," he said. "My sister is an innocent girl, and she didn't do anything to you," Ruodi said angrily. "Shouldn't suffer for my actions. Let her go!" "I've invested in you for twelve years," Lord Randyll said through gritted teeth, taking a step forward. "No matter what method I use, I will be rewarded." Ruodi looked at her parents in disbelief. “你们不可能是真的要把宜莉给他！你们怎么可以堕落到这种地步？我丈夫说过会照顾你们，还会负责你们的债务——” “宜莉可以有比较好的生活，”她父亲咕哝着说。“蓝道爵爷会给她一个好的——” “你们不在乎他只是要让她做他的情妇吗？”若笛怒目注视他们所有的人，宜莉则是躲在她背后，伏在她的背上啜泣。“我绝对不会让这种事发生！我要把宜莉带走——任何人如果敢碰我们一根汗毛，辛爵爷绝对不会放过他。” 听到尼克的名字似乎触怒了蓝道。“你敢？在让人无法忍受的欺骗、背叛而且污辱之后，你还想剥夺我所要求的赔偿？” “你根本就不想要宜莉，”若笛说，镇定地看着他的脸。“你只想要报复我；惩罚我嫁给别人。” “没错，”蓝道爵爷的脾气强烈地爆发出来，似乎失去自制力。“没错，我想要惩罚你。我从泥巴里把你提拔起来，你却自甘堕落。你让自己堕落，也夺走了我唯一渴望的东西。”他胁迫地向她走近几步。“每个夜晚我都躺在床上想象你跟那只猪在一起的样子，”他对着她的脸大吼。“你怎么可以选择那只令人讨厌的动物，而不是我？那个最肮脏、最不检点的人——” 若笛举起手用力地打了他，力气之大使她的手痛到没有知觉。“你不配说他的名字！” 他们的视线交锁，若笛看到蓝道爵爷眼中最后的一丝理智消失。他伸出鹰爪似的手紧紧地抓住她，用力一拉让她跌过去。宜莉在她身后害怕地尖叫。 若笛的父母状似非常吃惊，眼睁睁看着蓝道爵爷强拉她离开房子。若笛踉跄地被抓着滑下门前的阶梯。蓝道爵爷对他的男仆大叫了些什么，她拼命地挣扎反抗，直到他抓住她的头，用力一拳打在她耳朵上。若笛向后倒，摇着头希望能挥去眼前的一阵晕眩。然后她看到丹尼被蓝道爵爷的男仆包围。丹尼虽然很高大，还是抵挡不了蓝道爵爷的两个男仆。 “夫人。”丹尼大叫，同时被挥到脸上的一拳打得后退好几步。 蓝道爵爷把手伸进若笛的头发里，手指紧紧地缠住她夹起的头发。另外一只手锁住她的脖子，强迫她跟他坐进马车里。 “这个，蓝道爵爷——”她父亲焦急的声音传来。“我们说你可以把宜莉带走。放开若笛，我们可以——” “这就是我想要的，”蓝道爵爷愤怒地说，前臂紧紧地扣住她的喉咙，使她因为呼吸不到空气而快要窒息。“我不再妥协，不要替代品。我会拥有若笛，你们其他的人全都下地狱！” 若笛在他的手臂下狂乱地挣扎，觉得肺部快要爆炸。她没办法呼吸……她需要空气……她眼冒金星，觉得自己在蓝道爵爷惩罚的拥抱下逐渐虚软。