Quick Transmigration: What to Do When the Male Supporting Character You Saved Becomes Obsessed with

Chapter 431 "Infecting the World" - Male Mother (42)

If the man could stay safely in one place without being discovered and wait for things to calm down before making any plans, he probably wouldn't have gotten into trouble.

But the people who took him in didn't want him to be there either, but they had no choice.

What leverage did the male homeowner use to threaten him?

Given the male homeowner's personality and the unstable state he's experienced after these events, it's understandable.

That greatly increases the likelihood of them arguing and fighting.

If resentment accumulates to a certain point...

Lu Liruan felt a chill run down her spine when she thought about the two mutilated and horrifying corpses that appeared at her door every night without fail.

They've turned on each other to this extent...

What if the mother hadn't pressed the man for the answers he said?

If he continues to stay at home, playing the roles of father and husband.

What would happen if his actions went undetected?

These dangerous and wicked people lurk in the society we encounter every day.

Such people can come into contact with children, the elderly, and all kinds of vulnerable groups... Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

“You mean…” Lu Liruan said softly, “What if this kind of person is right next to each of us, and we have no way to recognize them?”

"I can't even think of any way to effectively avoid this. Does it only get our attention when we get hurt?"

Liao Tingyuan couldn't answer her question because it truly was a question without a correct answer.

"Why do you ask me everything?" He paused, his voice tinged with helplessness.

"Aren't you a teacher?" Lu Liruan genuinely started to treat Liao Tingyuan like a teacher.

He has a quality that inspires trust, makes people instinctively want to be close to him, makes them feel they can rely on him, and when they show weakness to him, he will respond gently.

This allowed Lu Liruan to open up to him quite easily.

"I've never taught a student this age before," Liao Tingyuan said, slowing down.

He seemed to be thinking about how to express himself.

"Just like Ruan Ruan said, we may come into contact with dangerous people and dangerous things every day. Sometimes, we will never know that a person or thing is dangerous, but sometimes we suddenly find out, and when we think back on it, we break out in a cold sweat and are glad that we were okay at the time."

“Yes…” Lu Liruan recalled her past job at a movie theater.

The last movie ended very late. During holidays, when new movies are showing, people line up for the late shift, sometimes not leaving the mall until two or three in the morning.

Lu Liruan was the youngest of all the stagehands at the time, and she was capable and cute, so all her colleagues liked her.

Every time she leaves work, everyone is always willing to walk with her.

So nothing happened to Lu Liruan.

At that time, Lu Liruan disliked a night shift security guard at the entrance of the mall. That man was always smiling and quite familiar with them. Sometimes when he came up to patrol at night, he would deliberately chat with them for a few words.

We worked together for at least half a year.

But Lu Liruan just didn't like him, feeling that he was too attentive, even though he was very kind to everyone.

Lu Liruan didn't talk to him much, but the other person seemed oblivious to the fact that Lu Liruan didn't like him.

Every time I see them at the gate, I take the initiative to go up and help them open the door.

He also affectionately called Lu Liruan and the others "younger sister," speaking in a somewhat non-standard Mandarin, and appearing hardworking and simple no matter how you looked at it.

Then one day at work, Lu Liruan heard something unexpected.

Last night, the last colleague to leave work was followed by this security guard when she went out alone.

He then attacked her from behind and led her to a nearby alleyway where there were no security cameras.

He's a security guard here, so he must know the surrounding area very well.

Although he ultimately failed, the female colleague struggled and screamed. It was probably his first time doing something like this, and he was taken away.

Her colleague called the police and was quite frightened. The police came to investigate and learned about the situation from Lu Liruan and the others.

Lu Liruan didn't know whether they were caught or not, because she resigned soon after.

At that time, Lu Liruan was somewhat relieved, thankful that she had never liked him.

But now thinking back...

Even if I don't like him, what's the use? Although I don't like him, I never thought he would do something illegal and criminal.

If she were facing the situation of leaving get off work alone, Lu Liruan felt that she wouldn't have been any more wary than that female colleague.

After hearing Lu Liruan's story, Liao Tingyuan's expression turned serious and somewhat cold as he listened attentively.

There is no solution.

He suddenly said this very seriously, without the slightest hint of joking.

"Huh?" Lu Liruan was taken aback by his resolute decision.

“You’re right. Even if you don’t like him, you wouldn’t immediately assume he’s a criminal.”

He walked side by side with Lu Liruan, his hand gently resting on Lu Liruan's shoulder.

"..." Lu Liruan didn't understand why he suddenly fell silent.

"Why isn't there any reaction at all?" Liao Tingyuan's sigh came from above her.

"Huh?" Lu Liruan didn't understand.

Liao Tingyuan gently squeezed her thin shoulder.

"This action of putting my arm around you without your permission is very offensive. Why didn't you notice?"

“I…” Lai Luliruan subconsciously wanted to refute, but after Liao Tingyuan said it, she did feel that this job seemed to have crossed the line.

“But it’s you.” Lu Liruan pursed her lips and said in a low voice, lacking confidence.

"You wouldn't have any bad intentions towards me."

"Why?" Liao Tingyuan didn't let go of her. After hearing her excuse, he suddenly tightened his grip on her arm.

Lu Liruan suddenly felt her footing sway and bump into Liao Tingyuan's chest.

"Ah!" Lu Liruan stumbled and fell, looking a bit embarrassed.

The two of them were walking on a busy road, but their actions went unnoticed by anyone.

No one even glanced in their direction.

"Why do you think I don't have bad intentions?" Liao Tingyuan asked again without letting go of her.

His voice was different from usual. Lu Liruan couldn't see his expression, but she sensed that he seemed a little unhappy again.

It must have been from that time at the pet hospital that he had been suppressing his emotions.

He tried to hide it from others, but now some clues have emerged.

To be honest, Lu Liruan wasn't afraid of him at all. She was just much younger than him, and she wasn't stupid.

How can you really act like a child, getting scared just because an adult puts on a stern face?

It's not that she lacks the ability to discern; besides, her intuition is already better than that of ordinary people, and it became even more pronounced after she clearly perceived her own mental power.

The key point is that Liao Tingyuan's act of being fierce lacked any sincerity or trustworthiness; it was less frightening than the subtle negative emotions he actually revealed.

"If you had bad intentions, would you have waited until now? On the very first night, you wouldn't have even needed to lift a finger; you could have scared me to death just by scarecasing me." Lu Liruan tried to break free.

Then she heard Liao Tingyuan's helpless voice. His hand slowly loosened and slid down her shoulder to the back of her neck.

Cold fingertips caressed the small patch of skin on the back of her neck.

"There's more than one kind of bad intention..."

"Okay, okay, Teacher Liao!" Lu Liruan shook her head like a little adult: "No need for danger education, I've already seen through it!"

Have you truly seen through it all?

Liao Tingyuan shrugged slightly, returning to his usual demeanor. He said the words with a faint smile, but it was these words that suddenly made Lu Liruan feel a little uncertain again.

This person is so hard to understand!

"Actually, there's really no other way."

Seeing Lu Liruan rubbing the spot he had just touched, Liao Tingyuan looked away.

"The only thing you can do is to be vigilant at all times, both with strangers and acquaintances. The best way to avoid danger is to anticipate it in advance and not put yourself in a dangerous situation."

His voice was calm and steady: "Because anything that seems trustworthy—its background, education, appearance, achievements—cannot filter out bad people."

“Schools, society, and even prisons and religious places cannot educate and discipline everyone, so no one can find them out before serious problems arise and before they expose themselves.”

Although Liao Tingyuan's words were somewhat cruel, Lu Liruan knew that this was the truth.

It's not that these methods are useless, but they can't prevent some from slipping through the net.

There is also no way to punish those who harbor evil intentions in advance.

"So the only person you should trust the most is yourself." Liao Tingyuan raised his hand and gently patted Lu Liruan's head this time.

"Although it sounds strange for me to say this, I've always felt that it's not that you can't trust people, but that once you start trusting someone, it's like entrusting your safety entirely to them." This was the first time Lu Liruan had heard someone tell her this so bluntly, without any euphemism or embellishment.

"The vast majority of people trust their parents, and many also trust their partners and children. These emotional bonds are often formed through blood ties and by establishing a contract."

"So you must think carefully before entrusting your trust. After you've placed your trust, if you find anything that makes you feel uneasy, don't try to deceive yourself. Step back and think about it and judge it as if it were a stranger. Then you can withdraw instead of continuing to get involved and into the unknown, which only increases the probability of risk infinitely." Liao Tingyuan looked into Lu Liruan's eyes.

Lu Liruan sensed his earnest admonition from his calm yet sincere light-colored eyes.

"Everything is in our own hands, right? Although society has relatively complete moral and legal bottom lines that everyone should abide by, we cannot lower our guard just because we have these." Lu Liruan summarized his meaning.

"Yes, Ruan Ruan is really smart." Liao Tingyuan praised her gently, as was his habit.

"Actually, this isn't exactly the answer to the question you just asked me, but this is all I can understand," Liao Tingyuan said frankly.

“It’s alright,” Lu Liruan said, indicating her understanding.

She slowed her pace, falling two steps behind Liao Tingyuan. Liao Tingyuan assumed she was lost in thought.

Stop and wait for her.

But then Lu Liruan took a hesitant step forward and suddenly said in a very soft voice, "I still trust you."

"In every aspect..."

Liao Tingyuan was stunned, almost thinking he had misheard.

Because Lu Liruan's eyes weren't looking at him at all, but rather awkwardly turned to the other side.

They had been walking outside for a while. The girl's bun was a little loose, swaying back and forth on her head. She had a fine layer of sweat on her forehead, and her skin, even in the dim light, was still full and white, making her look young and energetic.

At that moment, Liao Tingyuan looked at her somewhat childish face and wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything.

She simply nodded slightly and said, "Oh."

"Don't you have anything else to say?" Lu Liruan asked subconsciously, taking two quick steps forward and turning back to see Liao Tingyuan with a smile on his lips.

He raised an eyebrow, meeting Lu Liruan's gaze: "Then, I'll try my best not to betray your trust..."

Lu Liruan nodded, feeling a little embarrassed, but she was speaking from the heart.

Regardless of whether she noticed Liao Tingyuan because of the mission, Lu Liruan trusted him.

"Me too..." Liao Tingyuan's smile faded, his tone gentle and serious: "I trust you, little Ruan Ruan."

To be honest, Lu Liruan felt that with his current tone and attitude, he might say to her the next second: "Let's pinky swear, and it won't change for 100 years, little one!"

But Lu Liruan was still quite satisfied.

Liao Tingyuan harbors many secrets. Even without knowing them, Lu Liruan could vaguely sense that it was definitely not a simple matter…

But he was willing to say such things at this time, when he didn't know him very well.

He didn't seem like the type to give a perfunctory answer.

Unconsciously, Lu Liruan felt a little smug about having gained his trust.

"Okay, then I'll work hard from now on and protect you! The two of us will definitely be the strongest combination!" Lu Liruan said in a childish way, reaching up to the sky and making a "V" sign!

They were tugging and pulling at each other, but nobody paid any attention.

Now that Lu Liruan has jumped around like this, everyone's attention has been drawn to her.

"Partner?" Liao Tingyuan didn't know why she came up with that word.

“Ah, yes!” Lu Liruan replied matter-of-factly.

“Didn’t you say that where you’re from, you need at least two people to work together? It’s called… I forgot what it’s called! Anyway, anything is fine! It’s definitely us two working together! We’re so compatible, we’ve been through thick and thin together, right? We’re practically sworn brothers.”

Liao Tingyuan: "Ruan Ruan, that's not how you use the term 'sworn brotherhood'."