Chapter 22:

She narrowed her eyes with a hint of bitterness, tilting her head upwards, wanting the wind to dry the moisture in the air. She had to stay strong!

Meanwhile, Ace's expression grew increasingly gloomy, gradually losing its brightness in his eyes. If there was a mirror here, he could see that he and the man in his dream were strikingly similar, with eyes that were elevated and solely focused on himself.

But the people around had no idea they had turned a simple man into someone cold and ruthless. The dormant demon within him had begun to mature, slowly manifesting inexplicably, replacing the man named Ace.

"Hey, does anyone here know anything?" Another voice transmitted, seemingly aware of some hot information. Living in this neighborhood, boredom led to gossip. Suddenly, a single woman appeared in the man's house, an extraordinary mixed-race individual naturally attracting attention.

Demi Moore didn't know that others had observed her and Ace for a long time.

"What do you not know?" Everyone immediately turned their attention towards the person who spoke, as it turned out to be the idle neighborhood chief. He knew everything that happened here, and many exciting stories originated from him, some even more intriguing than watching TV.

"Well..." He glanced at Demi Moore and Ace, pretending not to notice Ace's icy gaze. That look was terrifying, but he believed this man wouldn't dare to do anything to him. Although he was tall and seemingly robust, he was still just a...

"What's the matter? Spit it out quickly, don't beat around the bush." The people beside him couldn't bear the suspense any longer, anxiously waiting for his following sentence.

"Do you not know?" He shook his head, adding a touch of mystery to his demeanor. "That girl is mute, and as for the man? On a rainy day, she found a beggar on the street. I saw it with my own eyes and was standing right behind them, watching them go home together! A mute girl and a beggar, they make quite a pair."

His words exploded like a powerful bomb, leaving everyone dumbfounded momentarily. It wasn't that the girl was a heavenly beauty, but she could still be considered attractive. Because she never spoke, they assumed she was mute, but it was surprising that it was true. As for the man, there was no need to say anything. His face was almost perfect, leaving a lasting impression one could never forget. It was hard to believe he could be a beggar. It seemed unbelievable.

"This isn't even the whole story," the other person began speaking again, and he could guarantee that the following words would upset Ace: "I can tell you all that the man is not only a beggar but also a fool."

"Ah..." Everyone turned their gaze towards Ace simultaneously, and their eyes started to change, shifting from admiration to agreement. No matter how handsome he was, he was useless if he wasn't an average person. No one willingly wanted to associate with a fool, but if there was someone who could, it had to be Demi Moore.

Demi Moore suddenly turned around, looking at the three women, who still had sharp gazes on them. She had never been so angry before. They could humiliate and say whatever they wanted about her but couldn't speak about Ace like that. Ace wasn't a fool; he wasn't.

But all she could do was clench her fists tightly, unable to utter a word. She had never longed for her voice so much before, but even though she opened her mouth several times, she still couldn't speak.

They didn't steal; they didn't rob, and they used their own hands to make everything happen. So what crime did they commit?

Everyone began to fall silent because something in that girl's eyes made them feel ashamed. A mute person finds a beggar, but his clothes are all good quality. Nobody here had money, including herself, yet she cared for a man who wasn't normal, providing him with food, clothing, and a good life. It wasn't something that anyone could do.

Was she too kind-hearted or just too naive? Perhaps only she knew the answer.

"She's simply a mute, that's all. Can't you all see? Even when we talk like this, she doesn't react. Who knows what she's thinking! Or maybe she's been lonely for too long; she doesn't even want to let go of a fool?" Someone still couldn't accept it. It was a mischievous-looking girl with dyed blonde hair, giving off the impression of not being kind-hearted.

She didn't like Demi Moore; just a glance was enough to evoke her dislike. This girl always made people feel excessively clean, clean from the inside out, and that was the type of person she detested. It was unfair, especially that man, being so handsome and following her. Therefore, she was genuinely consumed by envy.

As soon as the words were spoken, a figure swiftly passed by, so fast that no one could see what had happened, but they heard a horrifying scream. Then, everyone widened their eyes, unable to believe what they witnessed.

The man who had just been called a fool was now fiercely gripping the neck of the blonde girl, and it seemed like one could see his fingers exerting relentless force. The girl could only use her hands to continuously fight back while the man remained motionless, his eyes cold and devoid of warmth. Was this something a fool could possess? On the contrary, this man seemed like a bloodthirsty Satan emerging from hell, as if a person's life meant nothing to him.

The girl's face turned from white to pink, gradually fading into a pale shade of purple.

"Ace..." Demi Moore looked at her empty hands, not grasping what was happening. Ace was trying to free his hand from her grip and run away.

"No, Ace!" She hurriedly approached, placing her hands on his wrists, looking up and seeing Ace's face as cold as icy snow, a side of Ace she had never encountered before.

"Let go, please?" Her gaze pleaded with him, from beginning to end, without shedding a tear, yet tears were now flowing, pooling on his hand. Ace's body tensed up quickly (due to exertion or anger), revealing his fury. He wasn't average; his emotions were always displayed straightforwardly, and he honestly could strangle this girl to death.

Demi Moore slightly exerted strength, grabbing his arm. If she didn't let go, this girl would be killed by him.

A transparent tear stopped on his hand, causing Ace to calm down gradually. The icy coldness in his eyes faded, and he saw that Demi Moore disapproved.

Was he intentionally provoking Demi's anger? Could it be?

Slowly releasing his grip, the blonde girl couldn't withstand her own body any longer, falling to the ground, clutching her throat, gasping for breath. She had never experienced such a terrifying ordeal before. She felt like she had come close to death in the blink of an eye.

Why could someone who is a fool be so frightened?

"Demi..." Ace's lips trembled, hesitant to utter a sound. He felt like a child who had done something wrong, bowing his head, afraid Demi Moore would scold him. In an instant, the malicious man from earlier had transformed into a docile lamb.

Genuinely sorry, he was sorry, he knew he was wrong, he made Demi cry, but he genuinely couldn't control himself or hold his own hand. He wasn't a fool; of course, he could hear that the girl scolded Demi, and he absolutely wouldn't allow such a thing to happen!

Demi Moore took a deep breath, shook her head, and tightly held Ace's hand. She didn't blame him, honestly didn't blame him. If there was any blame, it was on herself for causing him to go through these unpleasant situations.

"It's okay!" She wrote on his hand, "Demi is fine; ignore what others say. We know what we're doing, don't steal or rob, and have no shame in our conscience. Moreover, Ace is not a fool; he just forgets about himself." After finishing writing, she raised her head and looked at Ace. She didn't pay too much attention to what others thought; she didn't know them. To her, they were just strangers. She only cared about Ace.

Nodding gently, Ace thought that he wouldn't be easily moved like this in the future, as it would dampen Demi's spirits.

"You guys... khu... khu..." The blonde girl was still sitting on the ground, one hand clutching her throat, the other pointing towards them, a hint of hesitation and a desire to speak visible on her face.

Demi Moore reached out to help her up, but Ace fiercely held her hand, conveying his intentions. She understood and firmly shook her head.

Releasing his grip, Demi Moore lowered herself, offering a deep bow towards the girl. This was her way of apologizing. Although it was clear that she was the one who initiated the conflict, she didn't feel like she did anything wrong. But she still apologized because Ace was in the wrong.

As for the other girl, her face contorted, she was about to say something, but she remained silent when she saw the people around starting to point fingers. Her appearance was already shameful enough; if she continued to be compared to the same fool, it would genuinely be uncomfortable.

Demi Moore lifted her head and pulled Ace away from this place. They didn't walk fast, but both remained silent. There was an excessive silence in the air.

"Is Ace angry?" Demi Moore tilted her face and wrote on Ace's hand. She noticed his expression wasn't natural, and he seemed to be pondering something. Although Ace wasn't talkative, this was the first time he had remained silent for so long.