Renault parked his rugged SUV outside the corner restaurant, pressing the horn repeatedly. The sound echoed through the empty streets, but there was no response from within.

“Lu You!” he shouted, his voice rising above the cold wind. “Are you in there?”

The eerie silence that followed sent a chill down his spine. The restaurant felt abandoned, as if it had been swallowed by the encroaching darkness.

“Where the hell is everyone?” Renault wondered. The atmosphere was tense, almost suffocating. 

He glanced at Wanqing, who was visibly anxious, her eyes darting around as they stood outside. “What if something happened?” she said, biting her lip. 

Renault pushed open the door to the restaurant, the hinges creaking ominously. The interior was dimly lit, and they moved cautiously towards the back. 

“Lu You!” he called out again, louder this time. “Are you here?”

A few moments of silence stretched, but then a faint voice reached them from the second floor. “Renault? Is that you?”

Renault and Wanqing exchanged quick glances, relief flooding through them. “Yes! We’re here!” Renault shouted back. “Hold on, we’re coming!”

As they climbed the stairs, Renault’s mind raced with possibilities. Had Lu You been caught in something dangerous? What if those thugs had returned?

When they reached the second floor, they could hear the sounds of a struggle from one of the rooms. Without hesitation, Renault kicked the door open. 

Inside, they found Lu You cornered by five men, their faces twisted in drunken fury. Lu You was backing away, desperately trying to fend them off.

“Get away from him!” Renault shouted, rushing into the room.

The men turned, surprise flashing across their faces at the sudden intrusion. “Look who it is! The little hero!” one of them sneered, taking a step toward Renault.

“Leave him alone, or you’ll regret it!” Renault warned, positioning himself protectively in front of Lu You.

The leader of the group laughed, a cruel sound that sent shivers down Renault’s spine. “You think you can save him? You’re outnumbered!”

Renault glanced back at Lu You, who looked shaken but determined. “Are you alright?” he asked quickly.

“Yeah, but I could use a little backup,” Lu You replied, eyeing the intruders warily.

“Hold on,” Renault said, taking a deep breath as he prepared to confront the group. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Your choice.”

One of the men lunged at him, but Renault sidestepped and quickly grabbed a nearby chair, swinging it to block the attack. The chair shattered upon impact, sending splinters flying, but it bought him enough time to push forward.

“Get out of my way!” Renault shouted, tackling the nearest thug to the ground. They wrestled on the floor, fists flying.

Lu You took the opportunity to grab a broken bottle from the floor, holding it defensively as he stood next to Renault. “I’ll help!” he shouted, his voice steadier than he felt.

Renault managed to pin the thug down, his knee pressing into the man’s back. “You picked the wrong fight, buddy!” he growled, glancing at Lu You. “Are you ready?”

“Ready!” Lu You replied, his grip tightening on the bottle.

Just then, the leader of the group turned, furious and desperate. “You think you can take us both on?” he shouted, his bravado slipping. “You’ll regret this!”

Renault released the thug and stood up, ready to face the leader. “We’re not afraid of you. Get out now, or things are going to get messy!”

As if to punctuate his words, he lifted a nearby metal pipe that had been left on the floor, brandishing it menacingly. The sight of it made the group hesitate, their confidence wavering.

“You’re not worth the trouble!” the leader spat, backing away slowly. “Let’s get out of here, boys!”

The other thugs exchanged nervous glances before turning to follow their leader. “This isn’t over!” one of them shouted as they stumbled out of the room, their bravado quickly fading.

Renault and Lu You exchanged relieved glances as the door slammed shut behind the retreating figures. 

“Are you alright?” Renault asked, his voice softer now.

Lu You nodded, though he was still visibly shaken. “Thanks for coming. I thought I was done for.”

“You’re safe now,” Renault assured him, lowering the pipe. “Let’s get out of here before they decide to come back.”

As they made their way downstairs, Wanqing was waiting anxiously at the entrance. “I was so worried!” she exclaimed, rushing towards them. “I thought something had happened!”

“We’re fine,” Renault said, his heart still racing from the adrenaline. “But we need to be careful. Those guys won’t take this lightly.”

“Let’s get to my place,” Lu You suggested. “I have some supplies, and it’ll be safer there.”

The trio hurried out of the restaurant, glancing back to ensure the thugs weren’t lurking in the shadows. The cold night air hit them as they stepped outside, but it was a relief to be free from the restaurant’s confines.

As they walked, Wanqing kept close to Lu You, her expression filled with concern. “You really scared me back there,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry,” Lu You replied, guilt washing over him. “I didn’t mean to put you in danger.”

“It’s not your fault,” Renault interjected. “What matters is that we got you out of there.”

As they turned the corner, Lu You’s place came into view. He opened the door and ushered them inside, relief flooding through him as he felt the familiar warmth of his home.

“Let me grab some supplies,” Lu You said, moving toward the kitchen. “I’ll make us something to eat.”

Renault and Wanqing settled into the living room, the tension slowly dissipating as they caught their breath.

“You did great back there,” Renault said, looking at Wanqing. “I’m glad you were with us.”

“Thanks,” she replied, a smile breaking through her worried expression. “But I was just following your lead!”

Moments later, Lu You returned with a tray of snacks and drinks. “Here, I hope this helps,” he said, trying to lighten the mood.

They settled down, the weight of the night still heavy on their shoulders, but the warmth of friendship began to banish the darkness. Together, they would face whatever came next, united by the challenges they had overcome. 

And as they shared stories and laughter, Lu You realized he wasn’t alone anymore—he had found his place among friends, ready to take on the world, one day at a time.