Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

359  Why did they have tattoos?

Zara's flying kick came with an overwhelming force, and Ethan could tell right away that this wasn't just for show—this girl clearly had some real skills.

What he didn't expect was for her to go all out right from the start.

Was this some kind of instinct to protect Elise kicking in?

Or maybe... she thought he was some kind of creep?

Ethan quickly realized that this was a very real possibility.

Seriously? How could she think he looked like a creep?

Now, he was really curious about what kind of message Elise had sent earlier.

While he was lost in thought, Ethan instinctively took a step back and turned his body, effortlessly dodging Zara's kick.

Zara, who had been so sure her kick would land, was caught off guard. She had calculated the distance perfectly, but now her momentum was spent, and she was about to fall.

Without thinking, Ethan reached out and caught her.

And just like that, she fell right into his arms, and they ended up in what could only be described as a classic "princess carry."

Zara froze.

Ethan froze.

Time seemed to stop as they stared at each other, wide-eyed.

To any bystanders, it looked like Zara had just thrown herself into his arms, and a few passersby couldn't help but feel a mix of envy and irritation, silently cursing this public display of affection.

The murmurs of the onlookers didn't escape their ears.

Ethan was the first to snap out of it. He immediately became aware of the warmth of the girl in his arms and the pleasant scent she carried.

But he didn't have time to dwell on that. He needed to explain, so he quickly looked over at Elise, who was still staring at them in confusion, as if wondering what on earth they were doing.

Elise, stop watching and help me explain!

But before he could say anything, Zara snapped back to reality.

Her cheeks were a little flushed, but there wasn't a hint of embarrassment in her eyes—only a fierce, murderous intent, likely fueled by the whispers around them.

12:26

Her response was swift and ruthless. Using the leverage from Ethan's arms, she bent her body and swung her legs backward, locking them around his neck.

Ethan instinctively looked down, only to see Zara's upper body slipping out of his arms. Using the momentum from her fall, she twisted her waist with incredible force, and before he knew it, her legs had yanked him sideways, sending him flying.

At the same time, Zara flipped herself mid-air and landed on the ground. However, she lost her balance and ended up falling back onto the floor.

But what she saw next left her completely stunned.

Even though she had thrown him, Ethan had somehow managed to flip in mid-air and land gracefully on his feet.

Zara's expression immediately turned serious.

She wasn't a novice when it came to fighting, and she quickly realized that the only reason her move had flowed so smoothly was because Ethan had deliberately gone along with it. Otherwise, there was no way it would've worked so perfectly, even surprising herself.

Who is this guy? Is he some kind of monster?

No, this won't do. If things keep going like this, I won't be able to protect Elise.

Without wasting another second, Zara made a quick decision. She scrambled to her feet and ran straight toward Elise, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along.

She didn't believe Ethan would try anything in such a public place, but better safe than sorry. Zara figured it was best to find help, and her first thought was to head for the station's security officers.

But just as she took her first step, she was forced to stop.

It wasn't because the "creep" had caught up to her—it was because Elise had grabbed her arm.

"Zara, you've got it all wrong."

Elise had finally realized something was off. Zara must have misunderstood the situation, so she quickly held her back and tried to explain.

"That guy isn't a creep. He helped me. He's a good person!"

"Huh?"

Zara stopped in her tracks, turning to Elise with a look of utter shock.

Elise was saying this guy was a good person? So, she had misunderstood everything?

Oh my god, what have I done? I almost beat up a good guy just now!

At that moment, Ethan walked over with a complicated expression on his face.

He just hoped Elise would stop talking. If she kept going, even the nicest guy would lose it.

Though Zara was sharp-tongued, strict, and often unintentionally put pressure on others, she was undeniably a good person.

So, the moment she realized her mistake, she immediately apologized to Ethan.

"Sorry, I misunderstood you. And thank you so much for helping Elise."

"No worries. Being willing to go all out for a friend is a beautiful quality."

Ethan was understanding, but honestly, he was more curious about how Elise had sent that message earlier.

"Uh, well…" Zara, for once, looked a little embarrassed, scratching her cheek awkwardly.

Elise, sensing the tension, quickly pulled out her phone and showed Ethan the chat history.

Elise: I ran into a creep.

Zara: What!? Where are you, Elise? I'm coming right now!

Elise then sent her location, and that was the end of the conversation. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Yep, just three messages back and forth.

No wonder Zara had immediately assumed he was the creep. With a message like that, how could she not? Ethan couldn't help but mentally facepalm.

But then, something else caught his attention. The last time Zara and Elise had messaged each other was quite a while ago. Yet, when Elise found herself in trouble, the first person she thought of was Zara.

And Zara? Judging by the sweat on her brow, she must have dropped everything the moment she saw the message and rushed over without a second thought.

What was this?

This was the power of true friendship.

In that moment, Ethan couldn't help but feel a little moved.

But then Zara remembered something and asked, "Wait, where's the creep?"

"In the bathroom," Elise replied.

Zara immediately started heading toward the restroom, looking like she was ready to commit murder.

Ethan quickly stepped in front of her, reminding her, "Uh, Zara, that's the men's restroom."

"Then can you stand guard and make sure no one goes in for a bit?" Zara asked, completely serious.

It was clear that anyone who tried to harm Elise would eventually face Zara's wrath.

Ethan shot Elise a look, hoping she'd help talk Zara down.

But, as usual, Elise didn't pick up on his silent plea, leaving him to wonder if he was doing the right thing by trying to intervene.

Just then, two people who looked like medics rushed over with a stretcher, heading straight for the bathroom. Moments later, they emerged, carrying out the unconscious middle-aged creep, and hurriedly left the scene.

"That guy on the stretcher? That's the creep from earlier," Ethan explained to Zara.

"Huh?" Zara was visibly shocked.

The creep was covered with a white sheet, one limp hand dangling out from underneath. He was being carried away!

It finally dawned on her.

Of course, the guy standing next to her, with his righteous demeanor, was clearly a good person. How could he have let the creep off the hook?

He must've dragged the guy into the bathroom and beaten him half to death. No wonder the medics had to carry him out.

Still, Zara thought Ethan was being too soft. If it had been her, she wouldn't have cared whether the creep lived or died.

But then something else caught her eye, and she frowned in confusion. She noticed a strange symbol peeking out from under the uniforms of the two "medics."

What hospital were they from? And why did they have tattoos?

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