Ling Xiaoman, sitting by the roadside, massaging her feet, whose soles were nearly worn down, kept her eyes fixed on the direction where Lu Yun had disappeared, her concern clearly visible. This content is the textual material from Chapter 236 of "Rural Beauty 236." The liaison team had already passed by for nearly half an hour, yet showed no signs of returning, and not a single siren sound could be heard—clearly they had taken the wrong route or were simply lost to the two thieves. As for Lu Yun, he remained completely silent. Through these days of interaction, she had gained a better understanding of his temperament: while it was acceptable if he couldn't catch the two young thieves, if he managed to catch them and they refused to return the money, he would certainly be resolute in plunging his knife into their bodies. "Lu Yun, please stay calm. Don't do anything that might make you regret for the rest of your life." Ling Xiaoman folded her arms around her knees, her chin resting on them, gazing at the bustling streets. A sense of loneliness and helplessness spread through her like ripples. She longed to follow the path that Lu Yun had taken, yet feared that upon her departure, Lu Yun might have turned back and lost her. Caught between hesitation and uncertainty, she felt like a small, helpless girl, burying her face in her arms and softly weeping. She didn’t know how long she had been sorrowing until, suddenly, something cool and unexpected rested against her neck. A mischievous voice then said, "Don’t move—now you’re captured. Just a little movement, and I’ll cut your throat." This content is from Chapter 236 of "Rural Beauty." Ling Xiaoman lifted her head in confusion, then beamed with joy, rising abruptly despite the blade pressing against her, weeping with relief: "Lu Yun, you’ve returned!" She then rushed into Lu Yun’s arms. When Lu Yun retrieved the knife he had snatched from the elderly woman selling sugarcane just as Ling Xiaoman stood up, he was about to speak—when suddenly, Ling Xiaoman launched herself into his arms, and he lost his balance, stepping back two steps with a stumble. If it hadn’t been for a middle-aged man steadying him from behind, he would have ended up with a rather dramatic sit-down. "Wheeeew! Where have you been? I was so scared—called you over and over, but you wouldn’t answer…" Ling Xiaoman clung tightly to Lu Yun, her head buried against his chest, weeping uncontrollably. Lu Yun was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected that simply chasing after the two young guys would make Ling Xiaoman so worried. Listening to her heartfelt sobs, he for the first time realized that people couldn’t always simply follow their own intentions—they often had to genuinely consider the feelings of those around them. "Sorry,姐, I really worried you," Lu Yun said, hesitating. He slowly placed his hands on Ling Xiaoman’s shoulders, yet didn’t know quite how to comfort her. "Next time, don't be so impetuous! As for this knife—do you think it's something you can casually handle? What if something goes wrong? Then you'd be ruined for life." Ling Xiaoman leaned against Lu Yun's shoulder, wept until she had poured out all her worries and anxieties, then stepped away from his embrace, blushing as she spoke. Lu Yun nodded slowly and awkwardly, then concealed his grip on the knife behind his back. He reached out to wipe away her tears, and with a carefree smile said, "Sister, those two young guys ran off like rabbits—there wasn't even time for me to say hello to you. So don't be upset. Look, I've recovered the money, right? Just smile and let your brother see." He then pulled out the money from the intact pocket on the opposite side of his trousers. "You keep it. I never know what mishaps might happen if I hold onto it." Lin Xiaoman took the money, placed it neatly, and thought back to how, in her moment of excitement, she had lost control of her emotions, collapsing into Li Yun’s arms on the street and weeping openly. Her face flushed warmly, yet she still offered him a sweet smile. "Ha! My sister is always so lovely when she smiles—more beautiful than the Jade Goddess herself!" Lin Xiaoman stopped crying, and Li Yun felt a sense of ease and clarity settle within him. She gave him a scolding remark: "You're so talkative!" then bent down to put on her shoes. "Sister, wait a moment—I'll go back and return the knife to the old lady who sells sugarcane." Li Yun had hardly finished speaking when the sound of sirens grew louder and closer, and a police motorcycle sped toward them—the same two community officers from before. A sharp screech of brakes echoed, and the motorcycle came to a halt beside where Li Yun and Lin Xiaoman stood. The officer sitting on the back seat called out, "Don't move!" The agile monkey leapt down from the back seat and, in the span of an eyeblink, surged forward to land right in front of Lu Yun. With a sudden shake of his hand, the rubber rod whistled past, striking directly at Lu Yun's arm holding the knife. Ling Xiaoman had no time to react and was pushed aside by Lu Yun just in time, her body barely managing a swift leftward shift, so that the rod skimmed past her skin. "For heaven's sake, what's wrong with you? You dare to attack me like this!" Lu Yun was furious. He'd just managed to settle two of the yellow-haired kids, and now here comes another one in uniform—what's so special about wearing a uniform? Does that make them entitled to strike anyone down with full force? Lu Yun had read about this rubber rod in a book bought from a classmate and knew that though the surface injury might not be immediately apparent, the impact actually injured the bones. That very blow just now—hadn't Lu Yun reacted swiftly, his little arm would have required a cast and been out of action for two to three months. The patrol officer was stunned by Lu Yun's scolding, thinking that nowadays criminals had greater courage—instead of fleeing when they saw him, they even brought out their knives to berate him harshly. Feeling annoyed, he raised his rubber bat and prepared to strike Lu Yun again. Lu Yun raised his head, glaring just as angrily at this clumsy, broad-shouldered giant. Come on, wasn't it just because he was wearing a dog skin suit? If he didn't want Ling Xiaoman worried, he'd risk his life and fight him to the death. "Little Yun, are you all right?" Ling Xiaoman hurried over to Lu Yun's side, lifting his arm to examine it carefully, her voice full of deep concern. "I'm fine. Just got a little brushed against—nothing serious." Though only lightly touched, the pain was intense, yet Lu Yun didn't want to worry Ling Xiaoman, so he held it in. "Sorry," the motorcycle driver's team member said politely, "my teammate was rushing to save someone and acted a bit impulsively. I'll take responsibility for apologizing on his behalf." ... Rural Beauty 236, Main Text 236, Ling Xiaoman's emotional update completed!