Chapter 561: Yelena

Chapter 561: Chapter 307: Yelena

Flustered, he failed to notice the young man in front of him and nearly crashed right into him.

“Sorry, sir, I’m in a hurry…” Luke apologized frantically, glancing down at the flowers in his arms. Thankfully, the petals were still intact.

Seeing the man was uninjured, Luke muttered another quick apology and hurried toward his destination, oblivious to the thoughtful gaze the man sent after him.

‘I’m not going to make it… I’m not going to make it… Still so far to go… I’m going to be late…’

Luke sprinted through the streets like a madman, drawing stares from countless pedestrians.

They were probably wondering why such a young-looking man was so determined to go for a morning run on a morning so foggy that not even the sun could pierce through.

Finally, just before the hands on his watch reached the appointed time, he arrived at the designated park. He saw the girl beneath the sycamore tree, and… Aik’s crew, laughing and jeering as they surrounded her.

Luke’s heart sank. He rushed forward, placing himself between Yelena and Aik’s gang. “What are you doing?!”

He saw Yelena’s scarf in Aik’s hand, and his face froze. He knew exactly what was happening.

Aik sneered. “Well, if it isn’t Luke. We were originally here to cheer you on, but who would’ve thought you’d be late at a crucial time like this… So I figured I’d offer this poor young lady in the wheelchair a drink…”

Aik’s gaze fell upon the girl’s face, her long, light teal hair framing it. The stunned admiration in his eyes was completely unconcealed. He paused, then added:

“A pity this young lady refuses to cooperate. It’s putting me in a difficult position.”

Yelena’s voice was calm as she said, “I already told this gentleman I have no intention of drinking in the morning, but he has been most insistent.”

In truth, Luke didn’t need Yelena to explain to know what had happened.

Aik was a notorious hoodlum in the area. His favorite pastime was taking his cronies to bars to scout for and “hunt” good-looking girls. Luke knew of several Asian exchange students who had already fallen victim to him.

The reason Luke knew Aik was simple: he had taken out a loan for school, and the hoodlum Aik and his brothers were the debt collectors.

It was a common occurrence for Aik to use debt collection as an excuse to bring his large and small gangs of brothers over to freeload off Luke for food and drinks.

Previously, to protect Yelena, Luke had always painted a picture of her for Aik as just an ordinary, disabled girl in a wheelchair.

Because of this, Aik’s crew had often mocked Luke for his low ambitions. Luke would just laugh foolishly along with them, as if he really were that kind of unambitious young man.

But now, Luke’s worst-case scenario had come to pass.

Aik had discovered Yelena’s beauty, and it was obvious he had his sights set on her.

It was only natural. In fact, any man or even boy who saw the girl, upon witnessing those jade-green eyes brimming with the fullness of spring, couldn’t help but want to discover what astonishing allure was hidden beneath her scarf.

This had nothing to do with love; it was merely humanity’s pursuit of beautiful things.

And the truth was just as Luke had feared.

Aik had egged Luke on to confess his feelings and had come along to watch the show and cause a scene. But when he saw the girl in the wheelchair up close, his heart seized at the sight of her beauty—a heart-stopping beauty that was undeniable even wrapped in a scarf.

The girl wore a simple white winter dress and a light gray Scottish plaid scarf large enough to hide her face. Her long, light teal hair was woven into a fishtail braid that rested on her shoulder, and violets were embroidered on her dress.

He completely forgot he was there to watch Luke make a fool of himself. As if compelled by some unseen force, he stepped forward to lavish attention on the girl. Even when she rejected him, he still fell back on the lines he had used to hit on women in bars for years, though his words were considerably gentler than his usual fare.

The girl listened to him without saying a word, her head lowered, most of her face hidden by the scarf. Her exposed, jade-green eyes seemed exceptionally clear in the dense fog.

Aik suddenly felt the girl was like an Elf of springtime whose wings had been broken, leaving her to wait here, praying for someone to shelter her through the long winter.

He thought that perhaps he could be the one she was praying for. Without hesitation, he reached out to touch her fair, delicate cheek, but the girl abruptly buried her face deeper into her scarf and blocked his hand.

“Sir, I don’t believe we’re that familiar with each other.”

The girl’s voice was serene yet lovely, as crisp and clear as a wind chime. With a voice like that, even angry words would sound like she was being playful and coy.

Aik’s brothers were also secretly sizing up the fair-skinned, bright-eyed girl. They were stunned that in this area they had roamed countless times, there could exist a girl who seemed to have descended from the heavens, like an Angel.

A mix of faint jealousy, regret, and malicious glee stirred in their hearts.

Jealousy that they weren’t the ones who had met this girl, but rather a country bumpkin like Luke.

Regret that they hadn’t come here alone.

And glee that Luke’s good fortune was about to be snatched away. Aik had clearly locked onto this girl, and in a place like Maria Street, no prey that Aik targeted could ever escape his fangs.

Aik laughed at the girl’s words, dismissing them as the nonsensical ramblings of a drunken woman. Taking advantage of her inattention, he pulled off her scarf.

Everything went silent.

The boisterous, noisy men suddenly fell quiet. Their gazes were glued to the girl’s face, unwavering, like a Dwarf emerging from underground to behold a pile of treasure glittering in the sun.