Chapter 45: Don't Be Afraid, I Am Here

Seeing that her close friend had the worst of it, Nan Zhen'er could no longer stand by and do nothing.

She hurriedly stepped forward to stop Nan Xing. "Sister, Baozhu only did that to help me. Don't take it out on her; if you have any issues, just direct them at me."

Tears shimmered in Nan Zhen'er's eyes, and her eye rims were red. "If it's because of that diamond, I can go to the jewelry store and buy one for you right now, okay? Sister, please don't use violence."

While wiping her tears, Nan Zhen'er reached out to grab Nan Xing's arm.

In reality, however, she didn't even touch Nan Xing before suddenly crying out, stumbling, and falling onto the lawn.

A tender blade of grass scratched a cut on Nan Zhen'er's fair arm, droplets of blood immediately welling up, and a smudge of dirt stained her pristine white dress.

"Sister, it hurts so much."

Nan Zhen'er raised her head, her watery, expressive eyes brimming with crystalline tears.

Nan Zhen'er's fragile and helpless demeanor stood in sharp contrast to Nan Xing's violent behavior at that moment.

Just then, the auction concluded, and a large crowd poured out from the exhibition hall.

In an instant, Nan Xing became the target of public criticism.

Supported by others, Nan Zhen'er climbed up from the ground. Ignoring her injury, she fiercely shoved Nan Xing aside.

Wang Baozhu finally struggled to her feet from the water.

Seeing the crowd of onlookers growing larger by the minute, Wang Baozhu regained her haughty momentum and began pointing right at Nan Xing's nose to curse.

"Everyone, come take a look! This country bumpkin is Nan Xing. Not only is she ugly, but she also bites the hand that feeds her!"

"Do you want to know why? Just because she's greedy! Miss Nan Zhen'er didn't give her what she wanted, so she bullied us!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a series of gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd.

Nan Xing standing there all alone, fighting off several of them single-handedly?

That story lacked a bit of credibility.

At this moment, Nan Zhen'er bared her injured arm and approached Nan Xing, looking like a pear blossom drenched in rain. "Sister, let me apologize to you on Baozhu's behalf. She was only worried about me. Please don't blame her, okay?"

Nan Xing curved her lips into a cold sneer. "Life isn't easy to begin with; if you can blame others, don't blame yourself."

"Now everyone believes what I said, right? This Nan Xing not only has a venomous mouth, but a venomous heart too!"

Standing disheveled in the middle of the crowd, Wang Baozhu wiped the water from her face. "It's true that there are more of us, but we never threw a punch. Nan Xing was the one who started it and provoked us first."

By this point, the onlookers had no choice but to believe Wang Baozhu and the others.

Indeed, Nan Xing was dressed in a flamboyant punk style, and her sharp, cold brows and eyes seemed laced with murderous intent.

She fit the profile of a delinquent girl through and through, instantly looking like someone full of bad habits.

Quite a few people stepped forward to condemn Nan Xing one after another.

"Please don't scold my sister, everyone. It's her first time coming to a place like this and she hasn't seen the big world, so it's inevitable she'd be at a loss and make a mistake."

Nan Zhen'er sobbed softly, taking the initiative to stand up and shield Nan Xing.

Someone in the crowd recognized Nan Xing.

"Look, isn't that the heiress the Nan family brought back from the countryside? I saw her last time I attended a banquet at the Nan house."

"I remember she had this exact same inappropriate attitude at the banquet—reeking of alcohol and improperly dressed. Nine times out of ten, she did it on purpose to embarrass Madam Nan."

"Who's to say she didn't? Madam Nan treated her so well, treating her like her own flesh and blood, yet who would have thought she'd raise an ungrateful wolf?"

"If she's that disrespectful to Madam Nan, let alone Miss Nan! And this is just outside; who knows how badly she bullies Miss Zhen'er at home."

As more and more people joined in the reprimands, a wild and triumphant smile crept up the corner of Nan Zhen'er's mouth.

She hadn't expected that bringing Nan Xing to Star Coast would allow her to watch her make a fool of herself time and time again.

Quite a few reporters had also come to this auction.

As the wealthiest family in Beixin, the Nan family was a goldmine; capturing even the slightest hint of scandal about them would earn a handsome payout.

The moment Nan Xing realized camera flashes were focused on her, she instinctively raised her hand to block them.

Someone in the crowd gave a shove, and a person slammed backward into Nan Xing's waist, causing her to lose her footing and crash to the ground.

In an instant, those reporters swarmed forward like wolves catching scent of meat, raising their equipment high.

They surrounded Nan Xing so tightly not a single drop of water could leak through.

Suddenly, a flood of battered, pitch-black memories surged into Nan Xing's mind like a tidal wave.

Nan Xing clutched her head with both hands, her brain feeling as though it might explode at any second, the agonizing pain causing the veins on her forehead to bulge.

Seeing Nan Xing in such a wretched state, Nan Zhen'er heaved a heavy sigh of relief in her heart.

"Serves you right, you country bumpkin! Of all people to offend, you had to offend us. Just wait for tomorrow's front page headlines!"

Wang Baozhu wrung out her soaked hair while grudgingly spitting toward Nan Xing's direction.

"Get lost!"

Planting her palms on the ground, Nan Xing struggled to push herself up.

She wanted to get out, only to find walls of people on all sides, making escape utterly impossible.

At the most critical juncture, a group of men in black bodyguards suddenly materialized from out of nowhere.

Each one stood tall and burly, highly disciplined, and they quickly forced open a path through the crowd.

Led by Jing Zhe, a small squad of bodyguards bypassed everything else to target the pack of reporters and paparazzi, directly confiscating the equipment in their hands.

This included memory cards, as well as any already-filmed photos and videos, and they stood over them to ensure they were completely wiped clean.

Faced with this sudden turn of events, Nan Xing was stunned for a fraction of a second.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

A low voice, gentle yet firm, sounded right above her head.

Immediately following that, a black suit jacket was draped over Nan Xing's shoulders.

The ensuing warmth instantly chased away the fear gripping her heart.

Nan Xing raised her eyes, and what came into view was the sharply defined face of Li Beitian.

"Fourth Uncle," Nan Xing's voice trembled, her nose stinging as unfilial tears slipped down.

"Mm, it's me."

Li Beitian reached out to button the collar of Nan Xing's jacket, adjusting it snugly around her, before his large palm gently ruffled her hair. "Don't be afraid. I'm taking you home."

Right under the gaze of the crowd, he swept Nan Xing up horizontally in his arms.

The surrounding bodyguards stepped aside in unison, orderly splitting into two lines to clear a passage.

With a taut expression and a tall, jade-straight back, Li Beitian carried Nan Xing toward a black Maybach parked by the roadside.

Leading a fleet of identical black cars, each bearing the logo of the Li Group, the Maybach stood out unmistakably.

Jing Zhe watched this scene quietly, his perception of Nan Xing completely rewritten once more.

It seemed this eldest Miss Nan held an extraordinary position in Fourth Master's heart.

From the moment Li Beitian appeared to the moment he took Nan Xing away, less than a minute had passed.

By the time Nan Zhen'er and her companions snapped back to their senses, the surrounding bodyguards had long since vanished.

Along with the Maybach-led motorcade parked outside the gates of Star Coast, which had disappeared tracelessly like a sudden squall.

It was as if everything that just happened was merely a dream.

"Zhen'er, who was that person just now?"

Shielded by the tall, burly bodyguards, Wang Baozhu hadn't managed to see Li Beitian's face clearly.

She only knew it was a tall man.

"It... it seemed to be Fourth Uncle."

It was Nan Zhen'er's first time experiencing such a scene as well, and Li Beitian's sudden appearance had abruptly shaken her confidence.