Bali went around to the driver’s seat and started the car.

The car behind them. Tuxi was standing by the vehicle, on the phone. He was waiting here for someone to come handle the scene.

The three of them had arrived so suddenly that they hadn’t even called anyone.

As soon as the boss got the word, he came straight over—three people, two cars—hurrying to get there.

In the car.

Vio leaned back against the rear seat, constantly turning his head to look at her.

She really did cry a lot.

Just now, when she’d been standing outside, she hadn’t cried like this at all—just standing there in a daze, with no way to tell whether the wetness on her face was sweat or tears.

But now that she was sitting inside, she’d started crying—and crying in such a pitiful, aggrieved way.

Her head hung low, her shoulders trembling with each sob, and every so often she’d sniffle, tears pattering down onto her pants and spreading into a small dark stain.

Vio couldn’t help but laugh.

He turned to the front seat and said, “Paper.”

Bali quickly replied, “Sure.”

He reached into the center console, pulled out a box of tissues, and handed it to the back. Vio took it and tore off two sheets.

Then the man reached over and yanked Qin Qinxi toward him.

Qin Qinxi was dragged right up to his side before she even had time to react, and right away a tissue was pressed against her face.

He was wiping away her tears.

His movements weren’t exactly gentle—maybe even a bit rough—but the tissue was soft.

Qin Qinxi froze.

“Did he hit you?” he asked, his voice still laced with that same lazy tone.

Qin Qinxi looked up at him.

Those light-gray eyes were right in front of her, so close. There wasn’t much expression in them, but he was definitely looking at her.

For some reason, she suddenly felt even more aggrieved.

Because of just that one sentence, tears poured out of her uncontrollably. She didn’t make a sound, but her shoulders shook even harder.

Vio watched her.

She was crying like this, with teardrops clinging to her lashes, her nose tip red, and the clear imprint of that slap still visible on her face.

She just sat there, crying without saying a word.

Suddenly, he felt something strange toward her.

It was almost like a protective instinct.

At the moment, he interpreted her crying as her seeking his intervention—she wanted him to avenge her.

And that made sense.

After all, he was her Master; she belonged to him. If she’d been bullied, it was only natural for her to come to him and cry.

Vio’s nature was always to utterly detest anyone touching what was his.

This woman was his possession.

That damn old man had dared to hit her, to lay a hand on her.

If word got out, who on this street would dare steal Vio’s things?

It had been ages since he’d encountered someone so audacious—someone who brazenly tried to snatch his property. The last one who’d done that was long gone, his bones probably scattered by now.

Vio tore off two more tissues and kept wiping her face.

His movements were still rough, but she didn’t flinch.

The car first headed back to Jumeirah.

Qin Qinxi sat in the backseat, watching the familiar villas outside the window grow closer and closer.

Maria was already standing at the door, peering out. When she saw the car pulling up, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

The car came to a stop. But Bali didn’t turn off the engine.

Qin Qinxi sat there, motionless.

She didn’t know why, but as she looked at that door, at Maria standing in the doorway, she suddenly felt something strange.

It was… a sense of security?

This was the first time she’d ever felt that way in this place.

Even though this was where she was being held captive, even though Mr. Mansero could take her life at any moment,

now, sitting here and staring at that door, she actually felt at ease.

Vio didn’t look at her.

“Get out.”

Only then did Qin Qinxi snap out of it and hurriedly open the door to step out.

No sooner had she set foot on the ground than the door slammed shut. The car didn’t linger for a second—it immediately made a U-turn and drove off.

Maria hurried over to meet her.

“Xixi!” She scanned Qin Qinxi from head to toe, her eyes red with worry. “You scared me half to death… Are you hurt? Did that bastard…?”

End of Chapter 37: Chapter 37