《Supernatural Insight Eyes》


 Chapter 1 - 1 0001 old man you tricked me

    ?1: 0001 old man you tricked me 1: 0001 old man you tricked me In a pitch-dark little room, two silhouettes whispered to each other.


    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t even think about getting a new cell phone unless you agree to my terms!¡±


    ¡°Old lecher, don¡¯t push me too far, your demands are too unreasonable!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t play innocent with me, boy, I raised you myself.


    I know exactly what you¡¯re like, so there¡¯s no room for negotiation.


    If you want a smartphone, you have to meet my conditions, or forget about it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ruthless!¡± Ye Qiu stormed out of the room, succumbing to the old lecher¡¯s demands, while in the darkness, the old man revealed a triumphant smirk.


    ...


    The next day, Qin¡¯an Temple was in uproar from the crack of dawn!


    Overnight, all the nuns¡¯ undergarments in Qin¡¯an Temple had disappeared, and not even the abbess had been spared the demon¡¯s grasp!


    The nuns, their eyes blazing with fury, were determined to catch the shameless thief who stole their undergarments the night before, tirelessly searching every corner.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s method was neat and clean; in the shameful theft of the previous night, he left not a single trace.


    In truth, Ye Qiu despised the old lecher¡¯s shameless demands as well, but since he was caught in a tight spot, he had to relent and acted against his conscience towards the nuns.


    From a cluster of trees not far from Qin¡¯an Temple, he looked out over the entire complex, feeling a great sense of guilt.


    He certainly hadn¡¯t meant for this to happen, ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, this was all the old lecher¡¯s doing.¡±


    After watching the state of Qin¡¯an Temple from the mountaintop for a while, Ye Qiu lay down on a branch to sleep, until he returned to the dilapidated hut around dusk.


    Ye Qiu stepped on the green stones, gradually climbing to the mountaintop.


    Just as he was about to call out to the old lecher, he was stunned to discover a crowd standing in front of him.


    Dressed in plain robes and with shining heads, who else could they be but the nuns of Qin¡¯an Temple?


    ¡°Was it you who did it?¡± asked the abbess of Qin¡¯an Temple, her gaze so accusing that the old lecher couldn¡¯t look her in the eye and hedged, ¡°Impossible, it can¡¯t be me.


    Jingxin, you know my heart, and you know me even better.


    How could I commit such a vile act?¡±


    ¡°Abbess, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense.


    Apart from our Qin¡¯an Temple, this is the only place inhabited on the mountain.


    Who else could it be but him?¡± A nun interjected.


    ¡°Hey, hey, young girl, don¡¯t talk nonsense.


    I was quite the handsome man in my youth; how could I do such tasteless things?


    But what you said is true; on this mountain, there are only you from Qin¡¯an Temple and the people living here.¡± The old lecher caught a glimpse of me appearing from behind and smiled at me.


    What was the old man up to?


    Then the old lecher¡¯s tone changed dramatically, ¡°But, Jingxin, it¡¯s not just me living here.


    I¡¯m a man of integrity, beyond doubt.


    If there was someone else, then it could only be my ungrateful disciple.


    Disciple, you¡¯ve returned at just the right time.


    Elder Jingxin has questions for you.¡±


    Ye Qiu froze, suddenly getting a bad feeling.


    The old lecher gestured to him, and at this point, he couldn¡¯t just walk away, or it would seem even more certain that he was involved in the theft of the undergarments the night before.


    Ye Qiu forced a faint smile and stepped forward to greet Elder Jingxin with a bow, ¡°I pay my respects to Master Jingxin.¡±


    Elder Jingxin naturally had seen Ye Qiu before and had a rather good impression of him, but with all the disciples of the temple standing there, and even though she didn¡¯t believe it was Ye Qiu who was responsible, she nonetheless had to ask, ¡°Ye Qiu, did you know about the theft at Qin¡¯an Temple yesterday?¡±


    Although Ye Qiu knew what Elder Jingxin was suggesting, he pretended ignorance and shook his head, ¡°I had no idea, Elder.


    Surely you¡¯re not suspecting me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Sister Jingxin, I can guarantee it¡¯s not the doing of my beloved disciple.


    If you don¡¯t believe it, you can search his room.


    If anything is found, I¡¯ll punish this boy immediately!¡± The previously silent old lecher suddenly chimed in.


    Ye Qiu frowned, feeling that there was something different about the old lecher today.


    He seemed in a good mood; why did he look so cheerful?


    ¡°This old lecher is definitely still fantasizing about hitting on Quiet Heart Sister!¡± Ye Qiu muttered to himself, glancing at the old lecher.


    Suddenly, he felt that something was amiss.


    Today, the old lecher was speaking differently; he would never refer to his disciples as his treasures in the usual course of things.


    Could it be...


    Just as Ye Qiu realized the old lecher had ulterior motives, a nun quickly emerged from a thatched hut beside them, holding a large parcel in her hands.


    ¡°Abbot, we found this in Ye Qiu¡¯s room.¡± The handsome nun said.


    As she opened the parcel, revealing item after item of personal clothing, Ye Qiu was stunned!


    He slowly turned his head to look at the old lecher, intending to ask what was going on.


    However, to his surprise, the old lecher had turned his head away with an air of indifference, as if deliberately ignoring him.


    Ye Qiu knew he had been set up by the old lecher!


    ¡°Ye Qiu, how do you explain this?¡± Quiet Heart Sister¡¯s face looked terrible, and the nuns behind her were also looking furious as if they wanted to tear him apart.


    ¡°This...


    it wasn¡¯t me...


    it¡¯s a misunderstanding...¡± Ye Qiu explained feebly, feeling that anything he said sounded like a cover-up.


    ¡°Hmph, you scoundrel, why would you do such a thing, you have shamed me,¡± the old lecher stood out at that moment and rebuked Ye Qiu.


    Then, with a grin, he turned to Quiet Heart Sister and said apologetically, ¡°Sister Quiet Heart, it¡¯s my lack of discipline that this has happened.


    I will ensure to give you an explanation.


    Please be magnanimous, Sister Quiet Heart.


    I will surely visit to apologize another day.¡±


    Seeing the old lecher taking a stance, Quiet Heart Sister nodded.


    They were old neighbors after all; she couldn¡¯t go too far, after leaving a comment, she led the nuns away.


    Although she left, the old lecher knew he would have to give an explanation to Qin¡¯an Temple sooner or later.


    Once all the nuns were out of sight, Ye Qiu, with a dark expression, said, ¡°Old lecher, you framed me on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Disciple, don¡¯t blame your master.


    I also didn¡¯t expect Sister Quiet Heart to come knocking so soon.


    If she caught me, my lifetime of happiness would be ruined.


    Is that what you want to see?¡± the old lecher started to play the sympathy card again.


    ¡°So, you decided to set me up?¡± Ye Qiu remained unmoved.


    ¡°Disciple, let me make it up to you.


    Look, this is the smartphone you wanted, with really good internet speed.


    You can watch high-definition movies, and it has a large storage capacity¡ªyou can download hundreds of movies!¡± the old lecher said as he took out a black smartphone and handed it to Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu fiddled with it for a bit, indeed, this smartphone was much better than the ones with physical keyboards and was exactly the style he had wanted.


    ¡°Old lecher, you gave me the phone so easily, it¡¯s not just because of this incident, right?


    Spit it out, what else do you want me to do?¡± Ye Qiu casually slipped the phone into his pocket, his bright eyes intently staring at the old lecher.


    The old lecher chuckled, ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t keep anything from you, lad.


    Indeed, there is something I want you to do.¡±


    Ye Qiu remained silent, signaling the old lecher to continue.


    ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s like this, I have an old friend, he asked me to help protect someone.


    He once did me a favor, and I need to repay that debt.


    I¡¯m old now and no good in a fight, so after much thought, you¡¯re the only one who can take my place,¡± the old lecher said earnestly.


    ¡°Considering the current situation, if you stay here, those nuns won¡¯t let up.


    It¡¯s better for you to just leave the monastery.¡±


    Ye Qiu remained silent, contemplating that the situation was indeed as described.


    If he stayed, he would inevitably face ridicule from the nuns.


    As he watched the old lecher go on and on, analyzing the situation, he even suspected that this might have all been a scheme by the old lecher, designed to get him to leave the monastery.


    ¡°Alright, I agree,¡± Ye Qiu consented.


    After many years in the mountains, he too was weary.


    Leaving wasn¡¯t so bad, especially since it meant he might finally meet his female online friend.


    ¡°Here, this is the man¡¯s contact information.


    Pack your things and set out.¡±


    The next day, Ye Qiu left the mountain, finally departing from the deep woods where he had lived for over a decade.


    ¡°When you¡¯re in the big city, do not misuse your eyes,¡± the old lecher warned.


    ¡°I know, my eyes are meant to appreciate beautiful things; I won¡¯t use them for ill deeds,¡± Ye Qiu waved his hand, gradually disappearing from the old lecher¡¯s view.

 Chapter 2 - 2 0002 Mysterious Youth Please Collect

    ?2: 0002 Mysterious Youth (Please Collect) 2: 0002 Mysterious Youth (Please Collect) Ye Qiu took a day and a night¡¯s train from the Qinling Mountains to Zhongshan City.


    With one yuan, Ye Qiu squeezed onto a public bus.


    The bus was crowded with men, women, and children, all packed within the carriage.


    Ye Qiu stood in the middle of the carriage, and as the bus stopped and started, the number of passengers didn¡¯t decrease but seemed to increase instead.


    Soon after another stop, quite a few more people got on the bus.


    While Ye Qiu was lost in his thoughts, suddenly a girl squeezed in front of him.


    She wasn¡¯t very tall, just about the height of Ye Qiu¡¯s chin.


    The girl had a pair of ¡°Spiritual Energy¡± eyes that caught Ye Qiu¡¯s attention, prompting him to look a couple more times.


    They were clear and transparent, without any impurities.


    Screech...


    The bus suddenly braked hard, causing a shake that made everyone inside sway.


    The girl standing in front of Ye Qiu also stumbled into him because of the abrupt stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, so sorry...¡± the girl quickly got up and apologized, her face turning slightly red.


    ¡°No worries,¡± Ye Qiu said, shaking his head indifferently.


    Seeing that Ye Qiu just shrugged his shoulders, the girl smiled sweetly, nodded, and thought well of him.


    As the bus traveled on, three young men with dyed red hair, about twenty years old, boarded.


    The trio quickly scanned the entire carriage, and their eyes soon fell on Ye Qiu¡¯s area.


    They exchanged smiles and started pushing through the crowd towards him.


    Although Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes were half-closed, he had already sensed the ill intentions of the three men.


    This was because the three men stopped near the girl, prompting other passengers around to give way.


    The girl frowned slightly, deliberately creating some distance from the men, but given the small carriage and the crowd, she could only move so far.


    One of the trio pushed to the other side of the girl, another blocked her from behind, and quickly they formed an encirclement, trapping the girl in the middle, clearly intent on taking advantage.


    Ye Qiu watched the actions of the three men quietly as the girl looked scared, glancing sideways, hoping to get help from someone else.


    However, in today¡¯s world where people are reluctant to get involved, there were few willing to risk helping others.


    Those who seemed ready to intervene were quickly intimidated by the fierce looks of the three men and backed off.


    As a result, the three men became even more arrogant.


    As for Ye Qiu in front of them, they didn¡¯t take him seriously at all.


    In their eyes, Ye Qiu was just a country bumpkin, wearing clothes embroidered with Adidas and Nike logos¡ªthe trio almost laughed out loud.


    They thought it was a joke that such a hick dared to meddle.


    To them, it was simply an absurd fantasy.


    However, very soon, the impossible indeed happened.


    ¡°How shameless it is for a few grown men to bully a girl,¡± Ye Qiu said, pulling the girl behind him as he stepped forward to protect her.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this country bumpkin; mind your own business,¡± one of the red-haired young men replied hotly, swinging a slap towards him.


    Just as the slap was about to hit his face, Ye Qiu laughed coldly, suddenly reaching out a hand and grabbing the red-haired man¡¯s wrist, then twisting it hard, a crack immediately heard by everyone in the carriage.


    The red-haired man¡¯s face contorted in pain as he continuously apologized: ¡°I was wrong, I dare not do it again, big brother, please let me go.¡±


    ¡°Get lost,¡± Ye Qiu snorted, releasing the man.


    Intimidated by Ye Qiu¡¯s bravery, the three men quickly left the bus.


    At that moment, the girl stepped in front of Ye Qiu and whispered a thank you.


    ¡°My name is Chu Yao.¡±


    ¡°Jialong Building station!¡± The announcement for the stop rang out inside the bus, and upon hearing it, Ye Qiu was momentarily startled.


    Had they arrived so quickly?


    He hurriedly got off the bus, not even managing to reply to Chu Yao.


    ¡°Hey...¡± Watching the hastily departing Ye Qiu, Chu Yao sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name...¡± Their distance grew steadily farther apart.


    The tallest building in Zhongshan City in front of him must be the address given by the old lecher.


    There was also a contact number on the note, and the contact person was Shen Tianlong.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t rush inside but instead made a phone call.


    After a long wait, someone finally answered with a cough, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    ¡°I am the old man¡¯s disciple; he has asked me to come down the mountain to protect someone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello, hello,¡± the person¡¯s voice immediately warmed up, sounding much more eager, ¡°He told me about you coming over; where are you now?¡± asked the person on the other end of the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m just downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll send someone down to pick you up shortly.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Ye Qiu hung up the phone and then slowly walked into the Jialong Building.


    The building was huge and lavishly decorated.


    The people coming and going were all in suits and shiny shoes, their hair slicked back¡ªexcept for Ye Qiu, who stood out on his own.


    He was dressed in knockoff street stall clothes, hadn¡¯t shaved for two days, and wore a pair of black sneakers.


    This attire should not have appeared here.


    ¡°Good day, sir, may I ask who you are looking for?¡± A receptionist at the front desk saw Ye Qiu looking around and took the initiative to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Shen Tianlong.¡± The reception girl thought for a moment with confusion.


    The name sounded somewhat familiar, but she couldn¡¯t place it.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?


    Who are you looking for?¡± At this point, a supervisor came over and asked the receptionist.


    The receptionist cautiously said, ¡°He says he¡¯s looking for Shen Tianlong.¡±


    The supervisor glanced at Ye Qiu, frowned, and quickly said, ¡°We don¡¯t have a Shen Tianlong here; you¡¯d better leave.¡±


    Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders, not bothering to say more to the woman.


    Instead, he went and sat down on a leather sofa nearby.


    Seeing Ye Qiu sitting on the sofa, leisurely crossing his legs, the supervisor said irritably, ¡°Security, get rid of this beggar, don¡¯t let just anyone in.¡±


    Several security guards came over at her command, gesturing for Ye Qiu to leave.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t go?¡± Ye Qiu didn¡¯t take the security guards in front of him seriously at all.


    ¡°You stinking beggar, if you don¡¯t leave, we¡¯ll beat you up and carry you out,¡± the security guards said with a laugh.


    ¡°Heh...¡± Ye Qiu sneered.


    ¡°Hey, you looking down on us?¡± The security guards rolled up their sleeves, ready to sort out Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Which one of you is Young Master Ye?¡± At this moment, a middle-aged man appeared in the lobby, looking around and calling out urgently.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, who are you looking for?¡± The supervisor saw a high-level executive from the company and quickly went up to greet him.


    ¡°Have you seen a young man?


    He just entered our building,¡± Uncle Liu said earnestly.


    ¡°A young man?


    Uncle Liu, you¡¯re being too vague.


    Could you be more specific?¡± the supervisor asked.


    As they were talking, there suddenly came a cry of pain, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to hit me?¡± Ye Qiu held a security guard¡¯s wrist between two fingers, and with just a little force, the guard cried out in pain.


    Seeing Ye Qiu, Uncle Liu¡¯s eyes lit up, he ran over, and asked respectfully, ¡°May I ask if you¡¯re Ye Qiu, the young master invited by Chairman Shen?¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu, the young master?¡± The supervisor and the other security guards were stunned.


    Why was the high-ranking Uncle Liu being so polite to this young man?


    ¡°I am Ye Qiu.


    Is your chairman named Shen Tianlong?¡± Ye Qiu mentioned, touching his chin.


    Uncle Liu nodded eagerly, ¡°Our chairman is Shen Tianlong.


    Please come with me upstairs; our chairman is waiting for you.¡±


    When they heard this, the face of that previously arrogant supervisor and the faces of the security guards instantly turned the color of pig liver.


    They hadn¡¯t expected that this shabbily dressed young man was a guest of the chairman.


    No wonder Shen Tianlong¡¯s name sounded so familiar¡ªit was their chairman, after all.


    They knew that the tallest building in Zhongshan City, the Jialong Building, was owned by Chairman Shen.


    ¡°That...


    um...


    you, may I ask you for a favor?¡± Ye Qiu took a couple of steps forward and then stopped, standing right next to the previously arrogant female supervisor.


    Turning back, Uncle Liu said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what Young Master Ye wishes to ask of me, but if it¡¯s within my power, I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    ¡°This person, I think she¡¯s not suitable for her current position,¡± Ye Qiu said, pointing at the female supervisor.


    Uncle Liu nodded at the female supervisor and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to come to work tomorrow.


    You¡¯re fired!¡±


    ¡°What...¡± Upon hearing these words, the female supervisor was dumbfounded.


    She was very satisfied with her current job¡ªhigh salary, comfortable work environment¡ªbut just like that, it was all lost because of one person¡¯s comment.


    ¡°Are we okay?¡± The security guards were still in shock, thinking they were done for when Ye Qiu pointed at the supervisor.


    They hadn¡¯t expected Ye Qiu to let them off.


    What the security guards didn¡¯t know was that if it hadn¡¯t been for them getting dealt with by Ye Qiu, he naturally wouldn¡¯t have let them off.


    Just like the supervisor; as soon as Ye Qiu got the chance, he took his revenge immediately.


    Ye Qiu was quite vengeful, and the grudges of the day were never left for another!


    Uncle Liu escorted Ye Qiu to the elevator, and the female supervisor still hadn¡¯t snapped out of it, struggling to accept this abrupt turn of events.


    ¡°Who on earth is he?


    Why can he get me dismissed with just one word!¡± the supervisor said in a daze.


    She finally understood the true meaning of the saying ¡°don¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡± If she hadn¡¯t been so arrogant at first, chasing away that young man, perhaps her future would have turned for the better.


    Sadly, her worldly gaze cost her that opportunity, and even her job.

 Chapter 3 - 3 0003 Being a Bodyguard for a Beauty

    ?3: 0003 Being a Bodyguard for a Beauty 3: 0003 Being a Bodyguard for a Beauty ¡°Actually, you didn¡¯t have to fire her for me, I just thought she wasn¡¯t suited for that position,¡± Ye Qiu said awkwardly as they entered the elevator, feeling his earlier actions were somewhat petty.


    Why was he even squabbling with a woman?


    ¡°...¡± Liu Bo also looked embarrassed, and said, ¡°I understand what Young Master Ye means, I will inform her to work at another position.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ye Qiu rubbed his nose, feeling that his mental fortitude still needed work.


    Soon, the two of them reached the top floor, where under Liu Bo¡¯s lead, Ye Qiu was ushered into a spacious room.


    ¡°You must be Young Master Ye,¡± greeted an elderly man as soon as Ye Qiu entered the room.


    The old man had white, neatly combed-back hair and sparkling eyes that exuded vitality; judging by his presence, he must be Shen Tianlong!


    ¡°I am Ye Qiu.


    Who do you want to protect?¡± Ye Qiu didn¡¯t beat around the bush and stated his purpose directly.


    ¡°Haha, no rush, let¡¯s talk slowly,¡± Shen Tianlong laughed heartily and pulled Ye Qiu aside to sit down.


    Shen Tianlong brewed a pot of tea and handed a cup to Ye Qiu, asking, ¡°How is your master doing?¡±


    Seeing the respectful manner that Shen Tianlong mentioned the old lecher, Ye Qiu rubbed his temples, it seems the old lecher had left a strong impression back in the day, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have earned such deep respect from a company CEO.


    ¡°He...


    that old immortal...


    the old man is doing fine,¡± Ye Qiu quickly corrected himself.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± Shen Tianlong nodded.


    He had accidentally saved that man years ago and only later realized how terrifying that man was.


    If he weren¡¯t truly desperate, he wouldn¡¯t have resorted to seeking help.


    ¡°Young Master Ye, I¡¯ve already arranged everything for your venture from the mountains.


    Here is one million, take this for now and from now on, you¡¯ll get one million every month,¡± Shen Tianlong scanned Ye Qiu from head to toe discreetly, though his gaze did not escape Ye Qiu¡¯s notice.


    ¡°One million?¡± Ye Qiu was stunned for a moment, it felt unreal.


    One million, just like that for his expenses?


    ¡°Old Master Shen, you must have spent quite a bit to seek my master¡¯s help,¡± Ye Qiu didn¡¯t accept the bank card but instead directly asked.


    Shen Tianlong smiled and said, ¡°How could your master care about worldly money?


    I simply sent over ten million, hoping he would casually send someone.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to arrange for his disciple to come.¡±


    Ye Qiu touched the phone in his pocket, the very one the old lecher had given him, grumbling through gritted teeth, ¡°This old geezer, someone gave him ten million and he just buys me a phone.


    And the worst part is I¡¯m doing all the work, while he merely transmitted a message.¡±


    Internally, Ye Qiu cursed the old lecher countless times but kept a smile on his face, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know whom Old Master Shen wants to protect, but since the old master asked me to come, I will ensure your person¡¯s safety.¡±


    Shen Tianlong chuckled and said, ¡°I trust his disciple, of course, but the person you are to protect is not exactly easy to get along with; I hope you can bear with it, Master Ye.¡±


    ¡°Heh, a challenge, I like that.¡± Ye Qiu had seen all sorts, what were a few more in protecting an employer?


    ¡°The person I want you to protect is her,¡± Shen Tianlong handed over a photograph.


    Ye Qiu took it, glanced at it, and was instantly stunned.


    The photo was of a sweet-looking young girl with flowing long hair and a melon-seeded face, but what caught Ye Qiu¡¯s eye was her impressively prominent chest.


    Truly a baby-faced huge peak!


    Ye Qiu stared unblinkingly at the girl in the photo, those huge peaks seemed almost ready to burst forth, making one desperate to give them a firm squeeze.


    Seeing the extent Shen Tianlong valued this baby-faced beauty, even going to great lengths to hire a skilled protector for her, it must mean she holds a significant place in his heart.


    That old man, at his advanced age, keeping such a little temptress, could he even handle it?


    Ye Qiu glanced at Shen Tianlong and thought to himself that this beautiful girl had been snapped up by the old bull.


    Although he didn¡¯t like it, he didn¡¯t mind it either.


    In today¡¯s society, all the tycoons liked to keep mistresses, and which one wasn¡¯t young and beautiful?


    However, tycoons who hired someone to protect their mistresses were few, which showed that Shen Tianlong was really an old romantic!


    Just as Ye Qiu was thinking this, Shen Tianlong explained, ¡°Ye, my dear nephew, I must tell you, I¡¯ve offended quite a few people over the years.


    Mengchen lost her mother when she was just a little girl, so, I entrust her safety to you.¡±


    ¡°You...


    you mean...


    she is your daughter?¡± Ye Qiu suddenly widened his eyes, repeatedly comparing the photo of the youthful and beautiful girl with the old and feeble-looking Shen Tianlong, finding it hard to believe that Shen Tianlong could be the father of such a youthful beauty.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, nephew.


    Mengchen is indeed my daughter, which is why I asked you personally to come down from the mountain,¡± Shen Tianlong said with a smile.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you want me to protect your daughter and pay me a million a month?¡± Ye Qiu felt happiness come a bit suddenly, getting a million for free and being a bodyguard for a beautiful girl¡ªsuch a sweet deal felt like a huge pie falling right into his lap.


    ¡°Do you have any more questions, my nephew?


    If not, I¡¯ll have Uncle Liu take you back, and from now on, you will live with Mengchen,¡± Shen Tianlong said.


    ¡°No more, no more, we can start the protective work right now.¡± Ye Qiu said a bit impatiently.


    ...


    Goddess Villa.


    The white English-style structure rose from the ground, fronted by a huge swimming pool where a figure swam around like a fish.


    Swish swish swish!


    Soon, this figure surfaced from the pool, slowly walking out to reveal her enchanting, curvaceous figure.


    The pink bikini looked very cute, and as water droplets streamed down her long hair, Shen Mengchen picked up a white towel to dry off the water on her body.


    ¡°Guan Hong, your figure is really great.


    Mengchen can¡¯t help but drool over it,¡± Shen Mengchen said admiringly to Guan Hong, who was wearing sunglasses and lying on a beach chair.


    ¡°Of course, among the three of us, Sister Guan is number one in figure, even Niu Yinyin is very envious,¡± a girl around eleven or twelve years old laughed.


    ¡°Go away, you¡¯re the youngest, what are you buzzing about?¡± Shen Mengchen pinched Niu Yinyin¡¯s cheeks, almost making her cry from the pain.


    ¡°I am a goddess too, even though I¡¯m still young, you can¡¯t bully me,¡± Niu Yinyin protested softly.


    ¡°Alright, alright, stop bullying Yinyin.


    Mengchen, I heard your uncle is going to assign a personal bodyguard to protect you.


    What do you think?¡± Guan Hong asked.


    ¡°Hmm, if he dares to come, I dare make him cry and go back,¡± Shen Mengchen clenched her fists.


    Guan Hong frowned and said, ¡°Continuing like this might not be good.


    Your uncle is considering your safety, so don¡¯t oppose him.¡±


    ¡°Oh Guan, whose side are you on?


    Just look at the last bodyguard, so clumsy, not looking like a bodyguard at all, and also so ugly and dark.


    Miss here doesn¡¯t want to spend day and night with such a person.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t need a bodyguard.


    Whoever dares to come, I¡¯ll make him unlucky,¡± Shen Mengchen said, her eyes shimmering with a mischievous glint.


    Guan Hong sighed, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really a handful, you girl!¡±


    ¡°Guan, your breasts are so big, let me touch them, please,¡± Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes shifted, immediately focusing on Guan Hong¡¯s tempting figure.


    ¡°Guan, I want to touch too, Yinyin also wants to feel,¡± Niu Yinyin chimed in.


    ¡°You two, keep away from me.¡±

 Chapter 4 - 4 0004 First Encounter!

    ?4: 0004 First Encounter!


    (Collect, collect it!) 4: 0004 First Encounter!


    (Collect, collect it!) Throughout the journey, Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes swept over the row houses they passed by from time to time.


    Rich people sure are plentiful!


    Each villa looked impressive, truly befitting a wealthy neighborhood.


    ¡°Master Ye, the villa ahead is the young lady¡¯s,¡± said Butler Liu, leading the way and looking back at him.


    ¡°Mm,¡± Ye Qiu responded, obediently following behind.


    Before long, the two entered a detached villa.


    Shen Tianlong had good taste, Ye Qiu thought, admiring the villa¡¯s gothic architectural style.


    He had visited many countries, but it was his first time seeing such a style in China.


    ¡°Master Ye, I must warn you, our young lady has a bit of a temper.


    If she offends you later, I hope you will forgive her,¡± Butler Liu stopped and seriously offered a preemptive warning.


    Ye Qiu nodded nonchalantly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t take a woman¡¯s words to heart.¡±


    Butler Liu rolled his eyes, thinking to himself that you had just made a woman who offended you switch her job position, nearly losing her job, and here you are telling me you won¡¯t take offense with a woman, I¡¯ll believe that when pigs fly!


    ¡°Hehe, Butler Liu, let¡¯s go in,¡± Ye Qiu chuckled, knowing what Butler Liu was thinking, and hurriedly changed the subject.


    At the door, Butler Liu gently pressed down and the fingerprint recognition system announced that they could pass, then the door automatically opened.


    ¡°Young lady, for your safety, the master has especially invited Master Ye.¡±


    ¡°Young lady?¡±


    Butler Liu called out a couple of times, but there was no response in the empty hall.


    Ye Qiu surveyed the entire first-floor hall, with white sofas in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and a swing nearby.


    Suddenly, Ye Qiu¡¯s ears twitched; a dark shadow rushed forward and pounced at him.


    ¡°Watch out,¡± Butler Liu shouted, but by then his warning was too late.


    The wolfhound, as tall as a person, had already pounced in front of Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Ye Qiu did not move an inch.


    As he let out a cold snort, a domineering presence silently emanated from him.


    The previously fierce and intimidating wolfhound, just about to pounce on Ye Qiu, suddenly became subdued, as if realizing that its prey was a monster ten times more ferocious than itself.


    ¡°Whimper...¡± The wolfhound obediently lay at Ye Qiu¡¯s feet, motionless and very docile, instantly turning into a submissive little puppy.


    Witnessing this scene, Butler Liu¡¯s heart stirred slightly, his gaze toward Ye Qiu contained something different.


    In that moment just now, he felt an icy killing intent bursting from this young man beside him¡ªmore terrifying than any assassin he had encountered.


    Even when Ye Qiu exuded his killing intent, Butler Liu could not move a muscle.


    How terrifying!


    Butler Liu took a deep look at the seemingly harmless Ye Qiu.


    If he had not felt it personally, he would have found it hard to imagine that the recent outburst of murderous intent came from this young man.


    No wonder the master revered that person so much.


    It turned out his disciple was indeed this formidable.


    Well, that¡¯s good.


    The young lady¡¯s safety should be assured now.


    ¡°Ha, it seems Butler Liu is a martial artist too,¡± Ye Qiu observed Butler Liu¡¯s actions.


    Just now, he had clearly seen Butler Liu take a protective stance, a posture one couldn¡¯t adopt without years of training.


    Of course, Liu Bo¡¯s skills were child¡¯s play to Ye Qiu.


    At the very least, he had dozens of ways to instantly break through all of Liu Bo¡¯s defenses.


    ¡°Big Black, you coward!¡± At that moment, a light scold came through, as a young girl emerged from the room opposite, her face full of anger.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming over?¡± the girl said to the big black dog, but without Ye Qiu¡¯s command, the dog, no matter how much the girl called, simply wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Hmph, heartless Big Black, not even listening to me.


    I won¡¯t feed you tasty treats anymore, you useless thing,¡± the girl muttered to herself while her gaze sized up the man before her.


    Ye Qiu also sized up the girl from top to bottom.


    ¡°So young and already packing such heat?¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze swept up and down incessantly, making Shen Mengchen very uncomfortable.


    In her opinion, the man before her looked nothing like a bodyguard but rather like a rustic, cringe-worthy trend-chaser.


    That unkempt beard and clothes that at a glance seemed like they were picked up from a roadside stall were unbearable to her, but what she could tolerate least was his shoes, which were unbearably low-end, definitely not worth more than twenty yuan.


    Where on earth did her father find such a character?


    Could he really be a bodyguard?


    Before Ye Qiu could speak, Shen Mengchen had already mentally dismissed him.


    She would never want someone like him following her to protect her, not even if killed!


    ¡°Hehe, Miss Shen, hello,¡± Ye Qiu extended his hand.


    Seeing Ye Qiu reach out his hand, she turned her head away and walked straight to the sofa on the side and lay down, telling Liu Bo, ¡°Let him go.


    I don¡¯t need a bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°Cough cough.¡± Ye Qiu coughed awkwardly, sheepishly pulling back his ignored hand as if he hadn¡¯t heard Shen Mengchen¡¯s words, and muttered to himself, ¡°Where¡¯s my room?¡±


    Ye Qiu followed the stairs, heading straight up.


    ¡°Hey, you come back down,¡± Shen Mengchen said, startled by the way Ye Qiu acted like he owned the place.


    When she saw him heading for the second floor, she hurried to stop him, but quickly she withdrew her words, revealing a sly smile.


    Ye Qiu, quite forward, saw that there were many rooms on the second floor and directly pushed one open.


    A rush of steam hit his face, shocking Ye Qiu for a moment as he saw a scene he definitely shouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°Mengchen?


    Bring me the bath towel,¡± a faint voice came through.


    Ye Qiu glanced over and immediately saw the towel hanging on the rack in front of him, grabbed it, walked over, and handed it to the speaking woman.


    Just as Ye Qiu handed over the towel, a scream echoed from the bathroom: ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Um...


    sorry, I seem to have entered the wrong room!¡±


    Ye Qiu and the woman stood face to face, staring at each other.


    ¡°You...


    you...


    get out!¡± her anger was uncontainable, and she threw a slipper at him while holding the towel tightly with both hands.


    Ye Qiu was thrust out, his face tinged with embarrassment, muttering under his breath, ¡°You asked me to get you a bath towel.


    No need to hit me with a slipper.¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡± The woman grew even more enraged upon hearing this.


    Hearing the noise upstairs, Shen Mengchen, sitting on the sofa, let out a sneaky chuckle, thinking, ¡°Now that¡¯s settled.


    Even if we send this trend-follower packing, Sister Shangguan surely won¡¯t disagree.¡±


    With the support of Sister Shangguan, Ye Qiu surely couldn¡¯t stay.


    She didn¡¯t want someone like Ye Qiu as her bodyguard.


    Her father knew she was all about the looks, so why didn¡¯t he find a handsome bodyguard?


    That would have been a good look when going out.

 Chapter 5 - 5 0005 Resolving

    ?5: 0005 Resolving 5: 0005 Resolving ¡°From now on, you can only stay put, waiting for Sister Shangguan to come and deal with you.¡±


    Ye Qiu was ordered to stay where he was, and faced with Shen Mengchen, this tigress before him, he chose to obey, truly standing still.


    Of course, he appeared quite obedient, but his eyes would steal glances at Shen Mengchen now and then.


    ¡°Hmph, what are you looking at?


    Haven¡¯t you ever seen a beautiful woman before!¡± Shen Mengchen revealed a fierce look and glared at Ye Qiu, which was met with a chuckle from him as he quickly averted his gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s only because of the one million yuan protection fee your dad gave that I can¡¯t be bothered with you.¡± With a job that put a million yuan in cash in his hand each month, Ye Qiu really didn¡¯t want to lose it.


    Shen Mengchen sat on the sofa, applying nail polish and keeping an eye on Ye Qiu until Shangguan Hong came down from the second floor.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, she does look better with clothes on!¡± Ye Qiu muttered under his breath.


    Shangguan Hong in front of him was dressed in casual attire, donning a black-framed pair of glasses and her hair rolled up and tied behind, forming a bulge.


    If Shen Mengchen gave off a vibe of youth, vitality, and charming cuteness, then Shangguan Hong was the exact opposite.


    Whether it was Shangguan Hong¡¯s temperament or her attire, it all emitted her unique charm that conveyed a sense of stability, calmness, and maturity, something Shen Mengchen did not possess.


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, as though she had heard Ye Qiu¡¯s quiet murmur.


    Although she had come downstairs, she hadn¡¯t looked directly at Ye Qiu, but he knew that this mature beauty was quietly observing him.


    ¡°Sister Shangguan, he¡¯s the bodyguard Dad hired to protect me.


    He just saw something he shouldn¡¯t have, should we send him away?¡± Shen Mengchen giggled, tugging at Shangguan Hong¡¯s arm, seeking her opinion.


    Only then did Shangguan Hong raise her eyebrows, her deep black eyes turning to appraise Ye Qiu.


    Just by looking at Ye Qiu¡¯s attire, she really wasn¡¯t impressed, and most importantly, she hadn¡¯t expected Uncle Shen to hire such a young bodyguard.


    And from his appearance, he didn¡¯t seem like any expert!


    The aspects of Ye Qiu that Shangguan Hong paid attention to were naturally different from Shen Mengchen¡¯s, but it must be said, this time, Shangguan Hong really didn¡¯t see anything special about Ye Qiu.


    Logically, Uncle Shen couldn¡¯t be irresponsible with Mengchen¡¯s safety; then why would he hire such a bodyguard?


    Shangguan Hong was also wavering and felt that Ye Qiu was somewhat unreliable.


    ¡°Sister Shangguan, aren¡¯t you angry about his behavior just now?¡± Seeing that Shangguan Hong was silent, Shen Mengchen was puzzled and couldn¡¯t help bringing up the previous incident again.


    ¡°Mengchen, if Uncle hired him, he must have his reasons.


    It hasn¡¯t even been a day, and you¡¯re already thinking of sending him away, which might not be appropriate,¡± Shangguan Hong said.


    Of course, there was a flicker of anger in her heart, but unlike Shen Mengchen, Shangguan Hong was more rational.


    Besides, although Ye Qiu gave off a bit of a bad boy vibe, Shangguan Hong could sense that it might be just a fac?ade.


    Naturally, whether it was an act put on by Ye Qiu, she needed to observe further, so she wasn¡¯t hasty in dismissing Ding Ning.


    Upon hearing this, Ye Qiu felt relieved inside.


    A mature woman really does think about more than the thoughtless young lady, Shen Mengchen.


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s image climbed another step in his heart¡ªhe really saw her as a blend of beauty and wisdom!


    ¡°Ay, Sister Shang, how can you even think of keeping him.¡± As Shen Mengchen spoke, she pointed at Ye Qiu¡¯s attire and continued, ¡°Look at how shabby he dresses!


    I can¡¯t bear to spend another moment with someone like that.


    If I¡¯m followed by someone like him back to school, I¡¯ll surely be laughed to death by others.¡±


    ¡°Dad is so annoying, if you¡¯re hiring a bodyguard, at least get someone good-looking and fashionable.


    I don¡¯t want this tacky-looking reject!¡±


    Shen Mengchen still stood her ground on the matter, which was that Ye Qiu was not to stay on as her bodyguard, no matter what.


    Seeing Shen Mengchen shaking her head stubbornly, Shangguan Hong shifted her attention to Uncle Liu, her eyes twinkling as she said, ¡°Since you¡¯re not satisfied with this guy, you should also consider Uncle Liu¡¯s opinion.


    He¡¯s your dad¡¯s personal butler, and with him on your side, your father might reconsider your opinion.¡±


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes swirled with thought as she realized there was some truth to that and immediately turned to Uncle Liu beside her, ¡°Uncle Liu, please talk to dad and get rid of this unsophisticated bumpkin, won¡¯t you?¡± Shen Mengchen cooed, tugging at Uncle Liu¡¯s wrist with a hint of wheedling.


    Uncle Liu shook his head with a helpless smile and said, ¡°Miss, this was personally decided by the chairman.


    I don¡¯t have much say in it.


    Besides, Young Master Ye¡¯s abilities are absolutely superior to those previous bodyguards.


    I advise that you let him stay.¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Mengchen pouted and turned to think of convincing Shangguan Hong to join forces with her to get rid of Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Wow, do we have guests at our place?¡± Just then, a figure walked through the door.


    Niu Yinyin¡¯s eyes lit up as she observed Ye Qiu, showing quite an interest.


    Their villa had never had someone of his style before.


    ¡°Yinyin, you¡¯re back just in time.


    Tell me, our goddess villa shouldn¡¯t have this kind of bodyguard, right?¡± Seeing Niu Yinyin return, Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes sparkled as if she had found an ally.


    She eagerly pulled her over with a laugh, suggesting.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s idea was to petition her father together with Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin.


    Surely her father would take them seriously and might even take her advice to kick out the country-style bodyguard Ye Qiu, as it was impossible for her father to ignore the thoughts and opinions of these two.


    However, it seemed that teaming up with Shangguan Hong might have been a failure from the start, but the appearance of Niu Yinyin still gave Shen Mengchen a glimmer of hope.


    Niu Yinyin also sized up Ye Qiu, blinking with curiosity, finding this eleven or twelve-year-old cutie quite charming.


    Niu Yinyin was actually quite taken with the country-style Ye Qiu, finding him very intriguing.


    As Niu Yinyin was lost in thought, suddenly a bright light appeared, and Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes flashed as he shouted, ¡°Watch out.¡±


    As soon as Ye Qiu¡¯s words fell, a loud boom suddenly filled the room, and the glass shattered instantly.


    Ah!


    Ah!


    Ah!


    All three women screamed in unison, petrified by the abrupt turn of events.


    ¡°Miss,¡± Uncle Liu blurted out, his face filled with horror.


    ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡±


    The sudden sound of the explosion made Uncle Liu rush over without hesitation.


    Only when he saw that Ye Qiu had shielded the three women did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    Apart from Ye Qiu and Uncle Liu, who recovered quickly, Shen Mengchen, Niu Yinyin, and Shangguan Hong were still dazed by the sudden explosion, looking around in a daze.


    However, it didn¡¯t take long for everyone to snap back to reality, as an even louder scream suddenly erupted, its decibel level so high that it made everyone involuntarily cover their ears.

 Chapter 6 - 6 0006 Stay!

    ?6: 0006 Stay!


    6: 0006 Stay!


    ¡°Hehe, sorry, got a bit too urgent there.


    I¡¯m getting up, I¡¯m getting up.¡±


    Ye Qiu immediately withdrew his hands, chuckled awkwardly, and then got to his feet.


    When the glass shattered all of a sudden, Ye Qiu realized the danger and instinctively protected the three ladies with his arms.


    After standing up, Ye Qiu held his head high and stood straight in front of everyone, looking completely composed, like a transcendent being!


    There wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of embarrassment for his earlier indiscretion.


    Are you kidding, he had just saved lives.


    ¡°Haha, impressed by me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Seeing the three women staring straight at him, Ye Qiu¡¯s heart brimmed with pride and silent laughter; he had merely shown off a little.


    However, after what had just happened, Ye Qiu realized that protecting Miss Shen was no small trouble.


    The enemy had even used firearms, a tactic too extreme.


    He had to deal with it soon, eliminate the mastermind behind the assassination attempt, or else they might strike unexpectedly again, catching you off guard.


    Shen Mengchen was extremely annoyed by Lin Feng¡¯s smug look, and the thought of being protected by Ye Qiu moments earlier made her even more infuriated.


    Even if there had been danger, what had just occurred was unforgivable.


    Shangguan Hong was a bit more rational, recognizing the situation as exceptional and not blaming Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Miss, are you all right?¡± After checking Shen Mengchen for injuries and seeing none, Liu Bo finally relaxed, continuing to say, ¡°Miss, you must never be careless.


    We owe a lot to Young Master Ye this time.


    I can¡¯t even imagine what might have happened otherwise.¡±


    Liu Bo was still a bit shaken, appalled that someone would attempt an assassination.


    It was too brazen; he had to reinforce their security, ensuring that nothing like this would happen again.


    Liu Bo mentioned Ye Qiu¡¯s merit to naturally influence him to stay, to prevent Shen Mengchen from getting upset, and this incident provided a convenient opportunity.


    It would now be difficult for Shen Mengchen to keep pushing Ye Qiu away.


    Hearing Liu Bo¡¯s words, Shen Mengchen snapped back to reality, and seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s still lofty demeanor, she hmphed and said, ¡°I know, I know, I won¡¯t drive him away.¡±


    She indeed had been quite scared a moment ago and admitted to herself that Ye Qiu had played a role in their safety.


    At her words, Ye Qiu felt stirred, thinking they had finally recognized his abilities.


    But before he could gloat, Shen Mengchen added, ¡°Letting him stay is fine, but I want a one-month trial period.


    If he doesn¡¯t satisfy me within this month, I¡¯ll still find a way to send him off.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure, sure.¡± Liu Bo laughed complacently on Ye Qiu¡¯s behalf and gave him a meaningful look.


    In his heart, he was convinced that as long as Ye Qiu stayed, he wouldn¡¯t disappoint.


    After all, Ye Qiu was the disciple of that particular master.


    ¡°Wow, now our Goddess Apartment will have an extra man, someone to protect Yinyin!¡± Niu Yinyin cheered delightedly, welcoming Ye Qiu, the new member of their residence.


    Shen Mengchen pinched Yinyin¡¯s cheek hard, ¡°Look how happy you are!¡± she exclaimed, surprised at how quickly Yinyin had accepted Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Miss, such an incident won¡¯t happen again.


    I¡¯ll have guards be vigilant at all times,¡± Liu Bo said.


    He was worried; now that the enemy had been so bold, he feared the unseen foes might become even more outrageous.


    With that thought, he turned to Ye Qiu, saying, ¡°Young Master Ye, from now on, the miss¡¯s safety is in your hands.¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded with a smile.


    Since no excuse remained to send Ye Qiu away for the time being, Shen Mengchen agreed to let him stay, addressing him, ¡°Stubble Man, do you agree to a one-month trial period?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, no problem, at least I can guarantee that no one will be able to hurt you within this month,¡± Ye Qiu said indifferently, his eyes exuding a strong sense of confidence that left Shen Mengchen briefly stunned.


    She then turned her head away, displaying a touch of displeasure.


    ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t disturb the young ladies, Miss Shangguan, and Miss Yinyin from resting.¡± Liu Bo prepared to leave and whispered a few words into Ye Qiu¡¯s ear before smiling and exiting the villa.


    With Liu Bo gone, only Shen Mengchen, Shangguan Hong, Niu Yinyin, and Ye Qiu remained in the room.


    ¡°Ahem, Miss Shen, may I know where I will be staying?¡± Ye Qiu broke the brief silence.


    He was feeling somewhat tired, having not rested since sitting on the train.


    Even as a master, he couldn¡¯t withstand the lack of rest.


    Shen Mengchen pointed casually and said, ¡°There, that will be your room from now on.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze followed Shen Mengchen¡¯s delicate pointing finger to the room underneath the staircase on the first floor, and he was immediately taken aback, nearly bursting into a curse, ¡°You¡¯re seriously letting me stay there?


    Is this how you treat your lifesaver?¡±


    Seeing Ye Qiu about to shake his head, Shen Mengchen spoke first, ¡°During the probation period, that¡¯s what you get.


    If you pass the probation, I might consider giving you a better room.¡±


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue to argue with Shen Mengchen over this matter.


    After all, with a million to be had for a month, it didn¡¯t matter where he stayed.


    Back in the day, he had lived in places a thousand times worse than this and still survived; a bed would be enough.


    Considering the money, Ye Qiu chose to forgive this unreasonable and willful young lady.


    Ye Qiu waved to the three of them and, without looking back, headed to the storage room.


    With a ¡®snap,¡¯ the door closed tightly behind him, leaving only Shen Mengchen and the other two in the large hall on the first floor.


    He agreed?


    Shen Mengchen hadn¡¯t expected Ye Qiu to agree without protest and just move in.


    Didn¡¯t that room have been left uncleaned for such a long time?


    Wasn¡¯t he disgusted by how dirty it was?


    Never mind, what did it matter to her?


    Since he was willing to move in, she would just let him be.


    Shen Mengchen shook her head, feeling perhaps she was too kind.


    She turned to Shangguan Hong and said, ¡°Sister Shangguan, you saw it.


    It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to get rid of that guy.


    Who knew he would actually have some skill?


    How about we keep him for observation for a while?¡±


    Shangguan Hong gave Shen Mengchen a glance.


    With Shen Mengchen saying this to her, Shangguan Hong naturally understood that the girl was looking for a way to save face.


    After all, Shen Mengchen had been insistently calling for Ye Qiu¡¯s removal, yet in the end, he was allowed to stay for the time being.


    She didn¡¯t point out Shen Mengchen¡¯s scheme and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s keep him for observation for the time being.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, going upstairs to rest,¡± Shangguan Hong said, rubbing her shoulders and picking up the book in her hand before climbing the stairs.


    ¡°Um...


    Yinyin, about...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, Niu Bao is tired too.¡± Niu Yinyin had no interest in listening to Shen Mengchen¡¯s ramblings and scurried away, leaving Shen Mengchen stamping her feet in frustration.


    Ye Qiu entered the storage room and was instantly dumbfounded at first sight!


    So it turns out this place only had one big trunk.


    How was he supposed to sleep?

 Chapter 7 - 7 0007 The Hero and The Newcomer Across the River

    ?7: 0007 The Hero and The Newcomer Across the River 7: 0007 The Hero and The Newcomer Across the River ¡°Hey, why didn¡¯t you call me for the meal?¡±


    The next morning, when Ye Qiu stepped out of his room, he saw the three girls dining.


    He nonchalantly walked over and took a seat beside them, not considering himself an outsider.


    Before he could start eating, however, Shen Mengchen stopped him.


    ¡°The food on the table is for us.


    If you want to eat, you¡¯ll have to figure something out yourself,¡± Shen Mengchen said, protectively moving the breakfast on the table closer to her and not giving Ye Qiu any chance to eat.


    In contrast, Shangguan Hong was sitting quietly, picking up the food elegantly bite by bite, exuding an extraordinary aura even while eating.


    And Niu Yinyin was much more adorable, holding her bowl and shoveling food into her mouth with a spoon voraciously, not in the least bit like a lady but more like a mischievous boy.


    With the limited food on the table and nothing left for him, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t insist on staying.


    He went off to the kitchen by himself.


    Humph, I¡¯ll just cook for myself!


    Self-reliance brings prosperity, and soon, a faint fragrance wafted from the kitchen.


    Ye Qiu brought out a bowl of golden fried rice.


    The delicious smell instantly attracted the attention of the three girls.


    Niu Yinyin was the first to get restless, rushing over and gawping at the bowl in Ye Qiu¡¯s hand, obviously wanting to try it.


    Ye Qiu quite liked this cute girl and said, ¡°Want to eat?


    There¡¯s some more in the pan, help yourself...¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Niu Yinyin¡¯s eyes lit up, and without any hesitation, she took her own bowl and helped herself to some from Ye Qiu¡¯s kitchen.


    Then she started to eat in big mouthfuls, occasionally commenting as she did.


    ¡°Wow, this is so delicious, a hundred times better than Sister Mengchen¡¯s lovingly prepared breakfast,¡± Niu Yinyin didn¡¯t hold back in her review, and Shen Mengchen, who was sitting on a stool eating, wanted to smash a bowl onto Niu Yinyin¡¯s face in anger.


    But she couldn¡¯t deny that the aroma of Ye Qiu¡¯s egg fried rice was indeed strong.


    Even though Shen Mengchen wanted to try a bite, she felt too embarrassed to ask Ye Qiu, especially since she had just chased him away from the dining table.


    Ye Qiu ignored Shen Mengchen, sat down on the couch, and started eating.


    ¡°It¡¯s so yummy, I want more, can you give me some more?¡± Niu Yinyin held her bowl, looking pitifully at him.


    ¡°Eat until you¡¯re full,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    Niu Yinyin let out a cheer, ¡°Yay!¡± and quickly ran back to the kitchen.


    But this time, Niu Yinyin didn¡¯t finish everything; she brought a good half-bowl over to Shangguan Hong.


    Looking at the golden fried rice, Shangguan Hong couldn¡¯t resist trying a bite.


    As soon as it touched her mouth, she was conquered by Ye Qiu¡¯s dish.


    She had tasted many delicacies from land and sea but had never encountered egg fried rice with such a unique flavor.


    Scouring her mind for the right words, Shangguan Hong couldn¡¯t find an apt adjective.


    There was only one feeling: the fried rice was delicious, explosively delicious!


    Seeing Niu Yinyin and Shangguan Hong eating more and more deliciously, Shen Mengchen felt her own food taste like wax, longing to try Ye Qiu¡¯s cooking, yet feeling somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Dammit, Yinyin, purposely trying to make me drool, and Shangguan sister too, how could you just eat that guy¡¯s cooking.¡± Shen Mengchen pouted, slowly eating the food in front of her.


    Finally unable to sit still as Yinyin and Shangguan Hong continued to enjoy their meal, Shen Mengchen coughed to mask her embarrassment and said, ¡°Yinyin, Shangguan sister, you shouldn¡¯t eat just anything, it¡¯s not good if you get a stomachache.


    I should taste it too, to prevent you two from getting sick.¡± Shen Mengchen¡¯s words were full of holes, but Yinyin and Shangguan Hong were too enraptured by Ye Qiu¡¯s cooking to care.


    Ye Qiu saw Shen Mengchen¡¯s expression and said nothing more to avoid upsetting the girl.


    He let her help herself to a bowl in the kitchen.


    In fact, he had anticipated this outcome and had made plenty of egg fried rice, nearly half a pot full.


    The three girls devoured the egg fried rice, too busy eating to speak.


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    His cooking skills had been affirmed by an old epicure; that old man was much pickier than the three girls sitting here.


    Ye Qiu used to try various recipes for the old man, and it was under the epicure¡¯s discerning palate that he had honed his cooking skills, his egg fried rice being no less delicious than that made by a top chef.


    ¡°I¡¯m so full.¡±


    After a while, the three girls patted their bellies, which had noticeably bulged.


    Their bowls were clean, not a single grain of rice wasted.


    ¡°I want to eat this every morning from now on.


    With such a chef around, I never want to have Sister Mengchen¡¯s breakfast again,¡± Niu Yinyin said, looking at Ye Qiu, hoping to taste his cooking again the next day.


    Ye Qiu nodded.


    He was pleased to make friends with Yinyin.


    If he wanted to leave Shen Mengchen without a comeback, he might as well start with pleasing the youngest goddess.


    Since breakfast bribery worked, Ye Qiu naturally wouldn¡¯t miss out.


    ¡°Uh...


    who...


    Ye...¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu,¡± Ye Qiu added to Shen Mengchen¡¯s words, ¡°Right, Ye Qiu, that¡¯s you.


    I¡¯ve decided, from now on, you will be in charge of preparing our breakfast, lunch, and dinner,¡± said Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a bodyguard, not a nanny.¡±


    Holding her head high, Shen Mengchen said, ¡°I don¡¯t care, if you want to stay, then you have to cook for us, and keep changing it up.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± For the sake of money, Ye Qiu had to bow his head.


    After all, she was the wealthy daughter of a rich family, and if he lost this job, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find another.


    Although he¡¯d have to cook on top of protecting people, he thought of the one million dollars monthly bodyguard fee and it seemed worth it¡ªit was just cooking after all, and for three beauties, no less.


    Worth it!


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡± Shen Mengchen clapped her hands and continued, ¡°Ye Qiu, if you perform well, I might even grant you an early pass for your probation period.¡±


    Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders, showing indifference, which provoked a hum from Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°Miss Shen, I have to step out for a while.


    Before I return, you can¡¯t leave the villa,¡± Ye Qiu said without room for doubt.


    ¡°Humph!


    Where I go is none of your business,¡± Shen Mengchen turned her head away.


    ¡°Unless you want to be shattered like that glass yesterday, it¡¯s best you wait for my return before making plans to go out,¡± Ye Qiu warned when kind words failed to have an effect.


    Sure enough, upon hearing this, Shen Mengchen hesitated for a moment, her eyes shifting, clearly taking Ye Qiu¡¯s words to heart.


    ¡°Hehe, big brother Ye Qiu, don¡¯t worry.


    Yinyin will stay at home and keep an eye on sister Mengchen.


    I won¡¯t let her go,¡± Niu Yinyin said thoughtfully, taking the initiative to speak.


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you, pretty Yinyin,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    ......


    When Ye Qiu once again arrived at the Longjia Building, he saw someone¡ªthe woman who had ordered the security guards to send him away yesterday.


    But looking at this woman again, her attitude had clearly undergone a significant change since yesterday.


    Now, this former manager had become a front-desk staff member, while the woman who had been at the front desk had become the manager¡ªtheir professional hierarchy had completely reversed.


    Ye Qiu just cast a quick glance and didn¡¯t approach; he directly boarded the elevator and headed straight to the top floor.


    Upon entering Shen Tianlong¡¯s office and seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s sudden appearance, he was slightly surprised.


    ¡°Nephew Ye...


    shouldn¡¯t you be protecting Mengchen at this time?¡±


    ¡°Chairman Shen, I¡¯m not here for that,¡± Ye Qiu got straight to the point.


    Surprised, Shen Tianlong let out an ¡®oh¡¯, then said, ¡°Could it be because of yesterday¡¯s gunfire incident?¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded.


    ¡°In broad daylight, daring to use modern firearms, I want to know, Chairman Shen, who exactly have you offended?¡± Ye Qiu asked seriously.


    On hearing this, Shen Tianlong sighed, exhaling slowly, ¡°Over these years, my business empire has grown considerably, but I¡¯ve also offended many people.


    As for the person behind that gunshot, I¡¯m not sure who it is, but I have a few suspects.¡±


    ¡°Oh?


    I¡¯d like to hear more about these suspects,¡± said Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Nephew Ye, in fact, you... just need to ensure Mengchen¡¯s safety.


    As for those enemies lurking in the shadows, I will handle them,¡± Shen Tianlong said.


    ¡°Chairman Shen, you should understand that a plant can¡¯t live without roots.


    Since the enemy is already lurking in darkness, if we don¡¯t deal with them promptly, sooner or later they will mess things up.


    Taking care of business means removing the weeds at the root; otherwise, being constantly on guard, nobody can avoid occasional negligence.


    Waiting for the enemy to take their shot is not my style, Ye Qiu¡¯s style,¡± said Ye Qiu calmly.


    ¡°Furthermore, since the old man sent me here, I naturally want to do my best, so you don¡¯t need to have any concerns, Chairman Shen.


    I have my own way of handling it,¡± Ye Qiu stated coolly.


    ¡°But I¡¯m afraid...¡± Shen Tianlong was still indecisive, fearing Ye Qiu might stir up bigger troubles.


    ¡°If Chairman Shen doesn¡¯t even have the courage to eradicate hidden enemies, then my visit today is in vain.


    However, I must tell you that I can protect your daughter only for a while, not for a lifetime.


    This is something you surely understand,¡± Ye Qiu said.


    At this moment, he was a different man from the one who stood in front of Shen Mengchen and the other two women, now calm, serious, and without a hint of his usual joking and playful demeanor.


    Reflecting on what Ye Qiu said, Shen Tianlong realized the truth in his words.


    Even as a father, he couldn¡¯t protect his daughter forever.


    Thus, he stopped holding back and recounted all the enemies he had made over the years.


    ¡°Hehe, Chairman Shen, if you hadn¡¯t chosen the path of business but martial arts instead, you would surely be a formidable figure,¡± Ye Qiu remarked, then left the room.


    From Shen Tianlong¡¯s description from start to finish, Ye Qiu formed his own idea about who the hidden enemy might be.


    Watching Ye Qiu leave the room, the solemn aura that had filled the space dissipated as well.


    ¡°A formidable figure?


    Haha...¡± Shen Tianlong laughed heartily at Ye Qiu¡¯s comment.


    After a couple of laughs, the room quieted down, and Shen Tianlong¡¯s gaze flickered; he, too, had his own assessment of Ye Qiu.


    ¡°I may be a formidable figure in business, but you, you are a fierce dragon, one that¡¯s about to cross the river!¡±

 Chapter 8 - 8 0008 Take the Initiative

    ?8: 0008 Take the Initiative 8: 0008 Take the Initiative Shen Tianlong¡¯s road to a business empire was not as simple as one might imagine.


    Shen Tianlong began in the electronics business and, as it blossomed rapidly, quickly amassed a good deal of capital.


    He then invested this capital in the real estate industry, a sector he believed to hold great promise, embarking on a career in property development.


    At first, Shen Tianlong bought a piece of land and collaborated with others to build a building, making a tidy sum of money.


    However, Shen Tianlong was not satisfied because he wanted to go it alone to increase his share of the profits.


    For this purpose, he bought another piece of land.


    This time, his undertaking of building residential complexes laid a solid foundation for his rise, earning him a wide network of contacts and staff.


    He persisted and consecutively bought four or five plots of land.


    At this point, some financially weaker business owners approached Shen Tianlong, hoping to cooperate with him and get a share of the profits from the lucrative real estate market.


    But why would Shen Tianlong agree to share the profits with anyone else?


    He turned down those smaller business owners and, by leveraging these four or five plots of land, he made a big profit and became a multimillionaire.


    The more famous you are, the more exposed you are to envy.


    Shen Tianlong became a real estate tycoon, incensing those business owners he had rejected.


    As a result, when Shen Tianlong continued to buy land, he faced significant resistance.


    The other owners banded together, greatly increasing the capital Shen Tianlong had to invest.


    Yet, he went through with the purchases because he believed they wouldn¡¯t result in losses.


    Shen Tianlong, with his keen vision, indeed did not incur losses and continued to earn huge profits.


    Moreover, at this point, Shen Tianlong decided to construct a commercial street.


    This time, Shen Tianlong was planning something big.


    The plot he purchased was much larger than before, and the capital invested amounted to tens of millions.


    He found a partner and together they bought a large piece of land to develop into a commercial street.


    After two years of construction, the commercial street¡¯s floors sold out.


    However, due to an uneven distribution of profits, cracks developed in his relationship with his partner, and they stopped cooperating.


    By then, Shen Tianlong had become a real estate titan, and many people wanted to collaborate with him on various projects.


    But at that time, Shen Tianlong was young and quite prideful.


    Unless there were special circumstances, he rarely collaborated with others.


    In the process, he managed to offend quite a few people.


    As time passed, Shen Tianlong matured significantly, but his rivals also grew stronger.


    Business magnates from the coastal regions entered Zhongshan City, presenting Shen Tianlong with several formidable opponents.


    Shen Tianlong established Longjia Group, becoming one of the biggest business conglomerates in Zhongshan City.


    He had three main rivals.


    The first rival was from the same industry, the Hengye Group, headed by Wang Jiahao.


    However, according to Ye Qiu, although this person was a competitor, he had always been amiable and was unlikely to strike against Longjia Group in secret, especially not against Shen Tianlong¡¯s daughter.


    The second was Shen Tianlong¡¯s old friend and the partner he had fallen out with, Nie Guangsheng, who dealt in materials.


    Since their fallout, Shen Tianlong completely stopped procuring construction materials like gravel and sand from Nie Guangsheng, severing all ties with him.


    The third was the person Shen Tianlong most suspected and whom Ye Qiu thought most likely to act against him in secret.


    Rongda United Group, financed by the same small business owners who Shen Tianlong had previously spurned.


    By now, Rongda Group had grown quite substantial and was constantly eyeing Longjia Group with predatory intent.


    Ye Qiu inquired about the location of Rongda Group and went straight to the Rongda Group Building.


    The Rongda Group Building was located at the southeast corner of the Longjia Building, directly opposite it.


    Both buildings looked similar, with a spire at the top of each, as if neither wanted to give in to the other.


    Ye Qiu glanced at it and found it interesting, then he entered the building.


    Ye Qiu was, of course, looking for several key players in Rongda Group.


    Ordinarily, meeting the higher-ups of Rongda would require an appointment scheduled in advance, but Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t there to meet old friends, so he couldn¡¯t proceed in the usual way.


    He glanced at the security and the building¡¯s surveillance cameras, then slightly lowered the brim of his hat.


    Ye Qiu quickly slipped into the elevator.


    Anyone could enter the office area below the twenty-fifth floor, but above it, one needed a card to access the floors.


    Ye Qiu initially thought about following a Rongda employee to enter the floors above twenty-five, but he quickly dismissed that method.


    He watched inside the elevator for a while and saw very few people who had access to the twenty-sixth floor.


    The elevator went up and down, and Ye Qiu didn¡¯t see anyone going to the twenty-sixth floor.


    Feeling it was a waste of time, Ye Qiu first entered the twenty-fifth floor, then evaded the surveillance cameras and entered the restroom.


    Looking out the window, the twenty-fifth floor was already quite high, at least a hundred meters up.


    The restroom was empty at the time, so Ye Qiu opened the window, lightly jumped up, and landed on the windowsill.


    Immediately after, he secured his hand on the outside of the building, and his body hung freely, sticking to the side of the building.


    At this moment, Ye Qiu was like Spider-Man, his hands like iron hooks.


    Despite being in mid-air with no safety measures, he continued to climb upward calmly.


    Whoosh!


    Ye Qiu¡¯s speed was extremely fast as he scaled the building effortlessly; in the blink of an eye, he bypassed the 25th floor¡¯s restroom and eventually stopped at the rooftop.


    He touched the tightly closed window of the restroom with one hand, exerted a slight force, and with a clever tremor, he actually managed to open the window.


    With a swoosh, Ye Qiu jumped into the restroom.


    Fortunately, he had observed earlier that the restroom was unoccupied; otherwise, being seen jumping in from the outside of a 28-story building would certainly have scared someone to death.


    ¡°This floor must be where the top executives of Rongda Group have their offices,¡± Ye Qiu observed as he exited the restroom and found the corridor empty.


    Moreover, the de?cor here was distinctly different from that on floors below the 25th.


    The walls were all golden, painted with a special kind of paint that emitted a faint fragrance, and various rare green plants were placed in every corner, bringing life to the area.


    The absence of people in the corridor eased Ye Qiu¡¯s worries significantly and facilitated his movement.


    As for the surveillance cameras, Ye Qiu completely disregarded them, unabashedly exposing half of his face without fear of being recorded.


    As for the security guards, they were even easier to deal with.


    Ye Qiu stealthily approached one from behind and, with a simple touch, instantly froze the guard in place, motionless.


    After taking care of the potential threat the security might pose, Ye Qiu casually strolled through the corridor, and soon found the Chairman¡¯s office.


    Through the glass, he saw a middle-aged man reclining inside.


    Ye Qiu gently pushed the door without any resistance; it opened easily, obviously, the man inside never expected someone could so easily access this place.


    Ye Qiu stood quietly in front of the middle-aged man, glanced at the desk, and gently tapped it, immediately waking the man who had been sleeping in his chair.


    ¡°Who?¡± the middle-aged man, upon opening his eyes and seeing Ye Qiu, was momentarily stunned and asked in shock, ¡°Who are you?


    How did you get in?¡±


    Ye Qiu smiled and said, ¡°Who I am is not important.


    I¡¯m here to notify you about something.¡±


    The middle-aged man regained his composure; he didn¡¯t call for security but listened as Ye Qiu said, ¡°I¡¯ve come here to kindly ask you not to take action against Shen Mengchen, otherwise, you¡¯ll end up like this teacup!¡±


    As he spoke, the middle-aged man watched as Ye Qiu grasped the teacup in his hand.


    With a slight movement of his palm, he then opened his hand, revealing something shocking.


    The teacup...


    had turned into powder!


    The middle-aged man was truly startled; he had never seen someone with such crushing strength able to turn a teacup into powder¡ªan incredible feat.


    ¡°Did you understand what I said?¡± Ye Qiu asked calmly while picking up a napkin from the table to wipe the powder from his hands.


    The middle-aged man remained silent, but Ye Qiu smiled, turned around, and walked towards the door.


    Just before reaching the door, he looked back and said, ¡°If you doubt my strength, you can try to challenge me.¡±


    ¡°But let me warn you, if I find out it was you who took action against Shen Mengchen, I believe you will regret ever being born.¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s tone suddenly turned colder, dropping nearly ten degrees in the whole office, causing the middle-aged man to shiver.


    Seeing this, Ye Qiu smiled slightly, said nothing more, and strode confidently out of the office.


    It took a long while for the middle-aged man to recover from the imposing presence of Ye Qiu.


    The first thing he did was to make a phone call, shouting at the other end, ¡°Hurry up and check the surveillance.


    Damn it, someone entered my office without my knowledge, what are you guys doing in the surveillance room, go check it immediately!¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s tone was somewhat hysterical; now, he realized that if Ye Qiu had wanted to kill him, he likely wouldn¡¯t even have had a chance to wake up, possibly being finished off by Ye Qiu in his sleep.


    Such a feeling was very unpleasant!


    Having one¡¯s life completely out of one¡¯s own control was deeply unsettling.


    ¡°Shen Mengchen...


    Shen Mengchen...¡± The middle-aged man murmured the name, quickly coming to a realization, ¡°Well played, old man, bringing such a person to deal with me, well done...


    well done...¡±


    The middle-aged man made another call, saying, ¡°You have one hour.


    If you can¡¯t bring me the photo of the man who entered the 29th floor, you¡¯re all fired.¡±


    Then, with a slam, the middle-aged man hung up the phone.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s sudden appearance had dealt a hefty psychological blow to him, astonishing that someone could enter his office silently and unnoticed.


    Damn the security, they all should be fired.


    It must be said that Ye Qiu¡¯s proactive attack had caused substantial psychological pressure on the middle-aged man.


    That very day, Rongda hosted a large meeting, and many employees were dismissed, causing a significant stir in the business community; outsiders could not comprehend why Rongda Group had suddenly gone mad.


    Little did they know that such drastic actions by Rongda were all because of one man!

 Chapter 9 - 9 0009 Bodyguard Transfer Student

    ?9: 0009 Bodyguard Transfer Student 9: 0009 Bodyguard Transfer Student When Ye Qiu returned to the Goddess Villa, Shen Mengchen clamored to go shopping.


    ¡°Shangguan sister, please accompany me.¡± Shen Mengchen pulled on Shangguan Hong¡¯s arm, shaking it back and forth.


    Shangguan Hong lifted her black-framed glasses and, unable to resist Shen Mengchen¡¯s persistent pleading, put down the book she was holding and agreed to go shopping with her.


    ¡°I want to go too,¡± Niu Yinyin said, her eyes sparkling as she saw Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong about to go out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, together,¡± Shen Mengchen had no objections.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, we¡¯re going shopping.


    You¡¯ll be responsible for carrying the things,¡± Shen Mengchen delegated before they even left.


    When the three beauties were ready and stood in front of Ye Qiu, he was momentarily stunned.


    Niu Yinyin wore a white dress and fuzzy rabbit ears, looking extremely adorable.


    Shen Mengchen was dressed in a vibrant and energetic outfit, complete with sunglasses, looking cool and undeniably a beautiful sight.


    Compared to the other two, Shangguan Hong¡¯s attire was more casual, with black shorts, a stylish short-sleeved top, and a sunhat, exuding a mature vibe.


    ¡°Hey, be careful or your eyes might get stuck,¡± Shen Mengchen said, a hint of smugness in her eyes as she noticed Ye Qiu¡¯s dazed expression and issued a warning.


    The four of them went out the door and walked down the street, with Ye Qiu following behind the three, drawing frequent glances from passersby.


    Indeed, the passersby, like Ye Qiu, couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to the attire and looks of the three women as well.


    The three women, each with their unique style, became a dazzling sight on the street.


    Ye Qiu had never shopped with women before, and he had no idea just how terrifying it could be to accompany women on a shopping spree.


    The three women looked at various items in the stores, especially those that sparkled, which they particularly loved.


    ¡°Wow, this dress is so beautiful!¡± Niu Yinyin exclaimed upon seeing a dress, immediately dashing into the fitting room to try it on.


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong also tried on clothes they picked out, with price being no issue for them.


    They kept trying on clothes in every brand store they entered.


    Ye Qiu thought that women buying clothes would be a quick affair.


    He was entirely mistaken, as reality was not at all what he had thought.


    The three beauties seemed to transform once they entered the stores, unable to tire of trying on beautiful clothes.


    Half an hour later, the four of them came out of the store, Ye Qiu¡¯s body draped with numerous bags.


    Looking at the three women¡¯s enthusiasm for shopping, just stirring up, Ye Qiu had a bad feeling.


    He feared he would have a lot of items to carry back.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, just be content.


    You have three beautiful women accompanying you on a shopping trip.


    Many people can¡¯t even beg for this opportunity,¡± Shen Mengchen said slowly, noting Ye Qiu¡¯s lack of enthusiasm.


    Indeed, as Shen Mengchen mentioned, along the way, many youths turned to glance at the three beauties and also peeked at Ye Qiu trailing behind with bags.


    They appeared somewhat envious, unable to comprehend why this youth dressed in knock-off clothes was fortunate enough to accompany three beauties shopping, with many wishing to replace Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s main concern was not this, though.


    He was afraid that carrying bags might prevent him from ensuring the safety of the three women.


    Moreover, with the various people on the streets, it was inevitable to avoid mishaps that could compromise their safety.


    After a spree in the brand stores, the three women were a bit tired and decided to head back, with Ye Qiu still walking behind, covered in bags.


    If three women in a play are a spectacle, then three women shopping together are sheer horror.


    Ye Qiu resolved never to go shopping with women again in the future.


    When they returned to the villa with large and small bags, the three women were exhausted, lacking the energy they had in the stores.


    Ye Qiu set down all the bags and let out a long sigh, feeling that accompanying women on a shopping trip was more exhausting than battling it out with someone.


    Meanwhile, in the tallest building of Longjia, Liu Bo was discussing the day¡¯s events.


    Rong Da United Group had laid off over a hundred employees, and their general manager was also investigating someone.


    Hearing about Rong Da¡¯s actions, Shen Tianlong was puzzled whether Rong Da Group was gearing up for something big, else why would they lay off a large number of employees.


    ¡°According to internal reports, a high-ranking official at Rong Da was threatened today, which I believe is related to this,¡± Liu Bo deduced.


    ¡°Who has the audacity to threaten a director of Rongda?¡± Shen Tianlong could not fathom who it could be.


    ¡°Chairman, you seem to have forgotten someone who might dare to make a move.¡± After a moment of silence in the room, Liu Bo suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Who?¡± Shen Tianlong sharply lifted his gaze.


    ¡°Speaking of this person, I¡¯m afraid you are no stranger to him...¡± Hearing this, Shen Tianlong¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly thought of someone.


    ¡°Could it be him?¡± An image of Ye Qiu appeared in Shen Tianlong¡¯s mind because just that morning, he had discussed possible enemies with Ye Qiu.


    Among them was the Rongda United Group.


    No wonder Liu Bo would mention it, after all, Liu Bo was present at the time.


    ¡°Perhaps it really was him who made the move, otherwise, Rongda wouldn¡¯t be so out of sorts.¡± Shen Tianlong increasingly felt it was Ye Qiu¡¯s doing.


    ¡°Lao Liu, make a call to Ye Qiu and tell him I want to see him to discuss some important matters.¡± Shen Tianlong decided to meet Ye Qiu in person to find out if it really was him.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Liu Bo nodded and swiftly contacted Ye Qiu.


    Before long, Ye Qiu appeared again in the chairman¡¯s office area.


    ¡°The matter with Rongda Group, it was your doing, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Shen Tianlong looked at Ye Qiu, cutting straight to the chase, wanting to hear Ye Qiu¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Hehe, I really can¡¯t hide anything from you.¡± Ye Qiu laughed, his implication clear.


    ¡°You¡¯re thoughtful, my dear nephew Ye.¡± Seeing Ye Qiu admit it so freely, Shen Tianlong was slightly startled, shocked by Ye Qiu¡¯s audacity, but then he remembered that Ye Qiu had gone to Rongda for Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety, and for his daughter¡¯s sake, he felt grateful deep inside.


    Still, Ye Qiu was truly unconventional, paying no mind to the hierarchy of a major corporation.


    ¡°I just made a trip to Rongda Group and warned that senior executive, that¡¯s all.¡± Ye Qiu said calmly.


    ¡°Such courage, nephew Ye, to step into Rongda¡¯s high ranks, I¡¯m sure you gave that person quite a scare.¡± Shen Tianlong chuckled.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, the middle-aged man¡¯s demeanour really wasn¡¯t great at the time!


    ¡°By the way, nephew Ye, to better protect Mengchen, I¡¯ve discussed with the school authorities and arranged for you to be placed in Mengchen¡¯s class.


    This will also make it easier for you to protect her.


    You can go report there tomorrow.¡± Shen Tianlong handed over some enrollment materials to Ye Qiu.


    ¡°You want me to be a student?¡± Ye Qiu looked at his file folder, somewhat taken aback.


    ...


    ¡°Students, today our class is joined by a new student, his name is Ye Qiu.


    Come, let¡¯s all welcome Ye Qiu.¡± The professor pointed out Ye Qiu during the lecture.


    ¡°Hello everyone, I am Ye Qiu.¡± Ye Qiu briefly introduced himself.


    Sitting in the front row, Shen Mengchen watched Ye Qiu stand in front of the podium, she curled her lips and thought to herself, ¡°Father really, although it¡¯s fine to have a bodyguard for safety, sending one to the class is a bit much.¡±


    Shen Mengchen felt that her father had gone overboard, but since it was done, she couldn¡¯t change it, and she had to accept Ye Qiu as a ¡®new classmate.¡¯


    ¡°So, it¡¯s him!¡±


    Ye Qiu was unaware that at that moment, in another corner of the class, there was a gaze fixed on him.


    Chu Yao recognized Ye Qiu¡¯s face, she hadn¡¯t mistaken, the new student was indeed the man who had helped her drive away the harasser that day.


    Ye Qiu had not seen Chu Yao; he stood in front of the podium, feeling somewhat complex emotions.


    Ah, the campus, a place he had always wanted to visit.


    He never expected to become a student now in this way.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you can take that seat there.¡± The teacher assigned a seat to Ye Qiu, and following the teacher¡¯s direction, Ye Qiu moved to the third row.


    He gently sat down, now he was a student!


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Suddenly, his strong perception picked up on a different gaze staring at his back.


    Who was it?


    Ye Qiu felt he was being particularly watched by someone, a feeling that puzzled him.


    Then, he looked over, and his gaze instantly collided with that of the other person.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s her?¡± Ye Qiu saw a slightly familiar face, the owner of the face was a young girl, who blushed upon seeing Ye Qiu looking at her.


    Yet she didn¡¯t avert her gaze from his, holding it firmly.


    Looking at the girl¡¯s face, Ye Qiu quickly understood why he found her familiar, for she was the girl with bright, spiritual eyes he had met on the bus on his first day in Zhongshan City.


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Thinking this, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly.


    He smiled at the girl and nodded; the girl¡¯s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red.

 Chapter 10 - 10 Seed of Hatred 0010

    ?10: Seed of Hatred 0010 10: Seed of Hatred 0010 At the top floor of Rongda United Building, in the shareholder¡¯s office, the cigarette between Wang Chenghu¡¯s fingers had burned down to the stub, filling the room with white smoke.


    In just half a day¡¯s time, he had nearly smoked an entire box of cigarettes from the desk.


    ¡°Useless, absolutely useless!¡±


    On the desk lay a photo developed from a security camera, depicting a young man wearing a duckbill cap and dressed in ordinary clothes, who just happened to turn half his face towards the camera¡ªit was the only clear shot of the young man¡¯s face captured by the camera.


    Since yesterday, Rongda¡¯s security team had been busy, pulling footage from cameras on various floors and then filtering through to find information about the person their superiors were looking for.


    Unfortunately, it seemed that the young man had anticipated this, either showing only his back to the cameras or just half of his face, without a single clear and complete photo available.


    Wang Chenghu had not rested well these past two days; every time he closed his eyes, he saw the young man who had silently come into his office that day.


    After that day, Wang Chenghu paid extra attention to the building¡¯s security, especially those guards who had been slacking off, all of whom he had fired.


    Relying on the building¡¯s security was clearly hopeless, otherwise, he would not be cursing so much.


    Wang Chenghu could only place his hopes on the men he had sent out.


    He had sent them to investigate two days ago and was confident that information would soon come back to him.


    In fact, just as Wang Chenghu predicted, in less than half an hour, the man he had sent out stood before him.


    ¡°How did the investigation go?¡±


    ¡°Exactly as you instructed, sir.


    Recently, a young man has indeed been seen accompanying Shen Tianlong¡¯s daughter¡ªit¡¯s this person!¡± Having said this, the subordinate placed a clear photo of the young man in front of Wang Chenghu.


    At a glance, Wang Chenghu trembled; the person in the photo was indeed the young man from that day.


    ¡°Well done, take this photo and get someone to look into this guy¡¯s background as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir.¡±


    The very next day, Wang Chenghu was looking at the investigative file, his frown deepening.


    There was indeed information about the young man¡¯s identity, but he could not access it.


    The police had stated that they could not reveal the young man¡¯s identity information, and they gave no reason, even advising him not to provoke this individual.


    ¡°How can I let it go when someone dares to provoke me right at my doorstep?¡±


    Time passed before Wang Chenghu¡¯s eyes gleamed with madness, ¡°Shen Tianlong, do you think I will bow down just because you hired some mysterious expert?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you, it won¡¯t happen!


    I didn¡¯t yield twenty years ago, and I won¡¯t now, twenty years later!¡±


    ...


    Recently, Ye Qiu became famous!


    All because he constantly followed Shen Mengchen, a campus beauty, almost inciting the wrath of all the male students in the school!


    Who is Shen Mengchen?


    In the university campus of Zhongda, almost everyone knows her; she¡¯s the cherished daughter of the Longjia Group¡¯s Chairman Shen, a lady comparable to the daughter of a wealthy family in ancient times.


    Shen Tianlong controlled Longjia Group, tying his family¡¯s name to the economy of the entire Zhongshan City¡ªa splendid demonstration of economic strength.


    Yet here was a well-known lady, both rich and beautiful, being shadowed day in and day out by a man in counterfeit clothes and an unshaven face, a sore sight for any man who admired Shen Mengchen.


    Shen Mengchen left the library, with Ye Qiu trailing a step or two behind her.


    ¡°Can you not follow me every day?


    This is a campus; I won¡¯t be in danger here,¡± Shen Mengchen said.


    Ever since Ye Qiu entered the campus, she had become the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, as wherever she went, there was always a young man in a ¡®country style¡¯ following her.


    The surrounding students pointed and whispered, but Ye Qiu did not care.


    He continued in his own way, wearing his faded counterfeit Nike or Adidas t-shirt and flat shoes, forming a stark contrast to Shen Mengchen, no wonder Shen Mengchen was trying to get rid of him.


    ¡°This is my job,¡± Ye Qiu dismissed, not agreeing with Shen Mengchen¡¯s assertion.


    He knew that sometimes the places that seemed the safest were actually the most dangerous.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Seeing that her words had no effect, Shen Mengchen huffed and lifting her eyes, suddenly saw a group of male students walking toward her from the shady path ahead.


    ¡°Hey, Mengchen, what a coincidence,¡± said the boy leading the group of boys heading their way.


    His eyes lit up when he saw Shen Mengchen in front of him, and he hurried over to speak.


    The boy greeting her was Li Hao, from a very affluent family, although not quite at Shen Mengchen¡¯s level.


    Ever since Li Hao first saw Shen Mengchen, he had been charmed by the lively and cute girl in front of him; thus, he was always excited whenever he saw her.


    Li Hao took the initiative to greet her, but Shen Mengchen frowned, simply nodding politely without matching his enthusiasm.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s lukewarm response made Li Hao feel awkward as the other male students standing by couldn¡¯t help but snicker at his misfortune.


    ¡°Mengchen, are you free this Friday?


    I¡¯d like to take you out for dinner,¡± Li Hao continued with a smile, maintaining his gentlemanly composure.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m busy.


    Thanks for the invitation,¡± Shen Mengchen replied directly, not giving Li Hao any face.


    Li Hao was quite a figure on campus, tall and handsome, and also a talented basketball player, which made him popular among many female students.


    However, when facing Shen Mengchen, he was rather clueless.


    ¡°Bro Hao, I think it¡¯s not that Shen Mengchen doesn¡¯t want to go to dinner with you, but because there are others around, Miss Shen Mengchen is too embarrassed to agree,¡± one of the boys nearby interjected.


    Hearing this, Li Hao then shifted his gaze to Ye Qiu, who had been standing behind Shen Mengchen the whole time.


    ¡°Are you that kid who follows Mengchen around all the time?¡± Li Hao¡¯s gaze filled with disgust as he entirely scanned Ye Qiu, clearly judging his outfit before showing disdain.


    ¡°So with your standards, you want to chase after our Mengchen!¡± Ye Qiu could see the disdain in Li Hao¡¯s eyes; it was an open mockery.


    Li Hao stared back with a dismissive look, too indifferent to bother with him.


    Li Hao was looking to boost his own ego at his expense, but Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t going to give him the chance to belittle him.


    ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you hear me talking to you?¡± Li Hao, ignored by Ye Qiu, suddenly glared, seeing Ye Qiu as nothing more than a migrant worker.


    How dare such a lowly person ignore and even disdain him¡ªwhat gave him the courage!


    ¡°Were you talking to me?


    Oh, I thought some dog was barking at me,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    His words abruptly silenced the area, especially the group of boys standing by, who were stunned that someone would speak to Li Hao in such a manner.


    Shen Mengchen felt the same; she hadn¡¯t expected Ye Qiu to speak harsher words than even herself, completely disregarding him!


    ¡°You...


    you...¡± Li Hao didn¡¯t know whether to be angry or shocked; he was practically stuttering.


    ¡°What about me, you think because I¡¯m dressed simply, you need to find a way to feel superior, to show how high-end and grand you are?¡±


    ¡°Are you foolish?


    You think by putting me down, Shen Mengchen will like you?


    Pathetic!


    Trying to show off shouldn¡¯t be by comparing yourself to those lesser than you, but to those better!¡±


    ¡°You think just because your family is well off and you look good that you¡¯re better than everyone?


    Do you think you are the sun and that everyone should revolve around you?


    Without your parents, what right do you have to mock others, all to prove in front of Shen Mengchen how great you are?


    Haha, I actually think quite the opposite¡ªyou are definitely the most ridiculous one in her eyes.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s tirade flowed out rapidly, leaving Li Hao speechless.


    ¡°I...¡± Li Hao didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    Shen Mengchen watched Ye Qiu in shock; she¡¯d never seen such an unforgiving side to him, nor had she known he had such sharp-tongued talents.


    Was this even the man she knew?


    ¡°Mengchen, is what he said true?


    Am I really the most ridiculous in your eyes?¡± Li Hao directed his gaze towards Shen Mengchen and asked.


    Shen Mengchen didn¡¯t know what to say, opting to remain silent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ultimately, unable to avoid Li Hao¡¯s intense gaze, Shen Mengchen quickly excused herself and fled.


    Seeing this, Ye Qiu quickly followed her, leaving Li Hao hanging without a backward glance.


    Shen Mengchen and Ye Qiu were gone, leaving Li Hao mulling over Ye Qiu¡¯s words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a clown; I refuse to be the most laughable person!¡± When everyone had left, Li Hao¡¯s eyes darkened, filled with an insane fury.

 Chapter 11 - 11 Sudden Killing Intent Appears

    ?11: Sudden Killing Intent Appears 11: Sudden Killing Intent Appears In the classroom, the teacher was writing on the blackboard, while Ye Qiu rested his chin on his hands, his eyes lingering outside the window.


    Attending class was really boring for Ye Qiu, as he could understand everything with just a little listening, unlike other students who needed to focus intently.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t know that while he was gazing out the window, another pair of eyes occasionally stole glances at him.


    It was Chu Yao!


    The incident on the bus with Chu Yao, when Ye Qiu stepped in and drove away those people, had left a deep impression on her.


    After scaring off the three guys, she thought Ye Qiu would talk to her, but as soon as she opened her mouth, he suddenly got off the bus and hurried away.


    At that moment, Chu Yao felt an inexplicable sense of loss as she watched Ye Qiu disappear into the crowd, thinking she might never see him again.


    To her utter surprise, he later transferred into her class.


    Was this fate?


    From the moment Ye Qiu entered the class, Chu Yao found her mind irresistibly drawn to him.


    Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t particularly handsome, nor did he wear anything special, but even so, he still captivated her.


    Ye Qiu had a peculiar aura about him, a hard-to-describe charm, quite unique.


    Since Ye Qiu became her classmate, Chu Yao, like the other students, neither avoided nor approached him too closely, maintaining a certain distance and watching him silently.


    Looking at Ye Qiu¡¯s chiseled face and those deep eyes, Chu Yao¡¯s heart pounded relentlessly; she sneaked a quick look and then quickly looked away.


    He didn¡¯t notice, did he?


    Chu Yao patted her chest, her eyes on the blackboard, but her mind was not on the lesson at all.


    After stealing glances at Ye Qiu for a while, Chu Yao¡¯s gaze then shifted to Shen Mengchen in front of her, feeling a tinge of jealousy.


    Lately, Ye Qiu had been following Shen Mengchen around, and it was apparent to observant eyes that he was interested in her.


    More than one student had remarked that Ye Qiu was like a toad lusting after swan meat.


    ¡°Does he like Shen Mengchen?¡± Chu Yao¡¯s gaze moved from Ye Qiu to Shen Mengchen, feeling a faint sense of loss.


    In terms of looks, Shen Mengchen was undoubtedly much more beautiful than herself.


    Regarding background, Shen Mengchen¡¯s father was the chairman of Longjia Group, worth billions, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t compare.


    Regarding academics, Shen Mengchen always ranked at the top in exams.


    Realizing this, Chu Yao felt a twinge of inferiority; she simply couldn¡¯t compete with Shen Mengchen, and it was no wonder Ye Qiu liked to follow her around, just like the other male classmates who had a crush on her.


    Maybe they were more suited for each other.


    Chu Yao felt sad, looking at Ye Qiu, yet a sense of reluctance surged within her.


    Should she give up or muster the courage to try?


    With that thought, Chu Yao picked up her pen and began to write feverishly on the paper.


    The class ended quickly, and Ye Qiu returned to his senses.


    The other students had already left the room.


    As he was about to get up to look for Shen Mengchen, he suddenly noticed a small note on his desk that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but smile; this was the first time he had received a note from someone, and he found it quite amusing.


    He opened it immediately.


    It contained a line of elegant handwriting: Hello, classmate Ye Qiu, I¡¯m Chu Yao.


    I want to thank you for helping me get rid of those bad people that day.


    I¡¯ll be waiting at the forest outside the campus today at five o¡¯clock to thank you in person, and I hope you can come.


    ¡°Chu Yao...¡± Ye Qiu folded the note, repeating the name twice.


    Chu Yao¡¯s spiritual eyes emerged in his mind.


    Should he go meet her?


    The afternoon lessons ended faster than expected, and Shen Mengchen hurried out of the classroom as soon as the class was over.


    Seeing Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t caught up yet, Shen Mengchen giggled, relieved that she moved quickly; otherwise, that Assassin would be following her again, and she was tired of hearing what people said.


    When she was about to leave the school compound, her smile vanished, as she heard the very footsteps she didn¡¯t want to hear.


    ¡°Miss Shen, it¡¯s dangerous for you to leave the campus by yourself,¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s words casually reached her ears.


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve been doing this before you came along, so how come it¡¯s suddenly dangerous after you arrive?


    I think you¡¯re the one in danger,¡± Shen Mengchen snorted coldly, annoyed by Ye Qiu¡¯s recent shadowing.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, I don¡¯t need your protection today.


    Guan Hong is picking me up to go home.


    You might as well walk back alone,¡± Shen Mengchen stuck out her tongue at him and ran towards the school gates.


    Soon, Shen Mengchen waved her hand, and a sports car stopped, from which descended a woman with a mature allure¡ªnone other than Guan Hong.


    ¡°Guan Hong, let¡¯s go.


    We¡¯re not giving that guy a ride back,¡± Shen Mengchen climbed into the car and urged Guan Hong to drive.


    Shangguan Hong naturally saw Ye Qiu approaching and said, ¡°Mengchen, he¡¯s also concerned about your safety, you shouldn¡¯t go too far.¡±


    ¡°Hey, since when did Sister Shangguan become so naggy?


    I know, I know you¡¯re right, but I just don¡¯t want to see him right now,¡± Shen Mengchen retorted stubbornly.


    ¡°Alas...¡± Shangguan Hong sighed and then said to the approaching Ye Qiu, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mengchen will be safe with me.


    She¡¯s in a bad mood right now.


    I¡¯m going to take her for a drive to get some air, you should go back to the villa first.¡±


    After Shangguan Hong finished speaking, the car window quickly closed, giving Ye Qiu no chance to speak.


    Her foot pressed the accelerator, and with a buzz, the car disappeared into the street.


    ¡°...¡± Ye Qiu was silent for quite a while; he had not expected the usually mature and intellectual Shangguan Hong to drive so aggressively!


    Left with no choice, Ye Qiu had to go back by himself.


    With his hands in his pockets, Ye Qiu walked about a dozen meters away, then suddenly stopped; he had felt the note in his pocket.


    That¡¯s when he remembered the note Chu Yao had left him that day, asking him to meet in the forest at five in the afternoon.


    Looking at the poplar forest not far from the school, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t head back to the villa; instead, he walked towards the forest.


    He might as well keep the appointment.


    This poplar forest was to the west of the campus, rarely visited by students after school hours.


    Surveying the poplar forest, lush with branches and leaves, Ye Qiu swept the area with his gaze before entering.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A cry rang out just after Ye Qiu stepped into the poplar forest.


    What was that sound?


    Ye Qiu was momentarily taken aback, his gaze sweeping around; after a few steps, he stopped.


    At this point, the forest was filled with nothing but the sound of the wind, and no other noises were heard.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s face suddenly broke into a smile.


    At the same time, he rubbed his wrists; it seemed like he would have to get his hands dirty today!


    ¡°Come on out,¡± Ye Qiu locked onto that trace of murderous intent that had slipped out, his voice slowly spreading through the surroundings.


    ¡°45 degrees southeast, if you don¡¯t come out now, I¡¯ll have to come over and drag you out.¡±


    Just as Ye Qiu said these coordinates, a figure gradually approached from in front of him, accompanied by the sound of clapping.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be much stronger than I anticipated, sizzle, I like that!¡± The figure became clearer, staring at Ye Qiu with eyes filled with killing intent.


    ¡°An assassin?¡± Seeing the person¡¯s attire, Ye Qiu realized that this was indeed an assassin¡¯s garb.


    ¡°Are you here to kill me?¡± It was kind of superfluous for Ye Qiu to ask, but he asked anyway.


    ¡°Heh, someone wants you dead, naturally I come to kill,¡± the person said nonchalantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s someone sent by Longjia, right?¡± Ye Qiu spoke calmly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know, and even if you do, what difference does it make, because you¡¯re about to become a dead man,¡± the person asserted confidently.


    ¡°A dead man?¡± Ye Qiu fiddled with a leaf in front of him and said, ¡°You¡¯re the first person who dares to say they will kill me!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I can¡¯t be bothered to waste words on you.¡± With that, the person charged at him in an instant!


    Whoosh!


    Two figures crossed paths!


    The confrontation was over in an instant, yet in such a brief time, it was enough to determine the victor.


    The assassin¡¯s body stopped there, turning his head slowly, his eyes wide open: ¡°You are...


    ¡±


    Ye Qiu stood quietly, not even glancing at the assassin, and between his fingers was a green leaf coated with bright red blood.


    Nobody would have thought that Ye Qiu could use a leaf as a weapon, let alone to kill someone.


    ¡°To kill someone with a leaf, you must be...¡±


    ¡°What good is guessing when you¡¯re about to become a dead man?¡± Ye Qiu threw the assassin¡¯s own futile words back at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s just too bad, you should have never intervened!¡± Ye Qiu closed the assassin¡¯s eyes, shook his sleeves, and stood still, his gaze complex as he recalled many past events.


    An assassin¡¯s ultimate fate could never escape death by another¡¯s hand; it was an unchanging curse through the ages!


    ¡°A killer will ultimately not escape being killed by another,¡± Ye Qiu sighed, his voice carrying a hint of desolate acceptance.

 Chapter 12 - 12 0012 Kidnapping

    ?12: 0012 Kidnapping 12: 0012 Kidnapping Chu Yao was carried out from the woods by Ye Qiu.


    The girl had been knocked unconscious by an assassin just as Ye Qiu entered the woods.


    He checked Chu Yao¡¯s breathing¡ªit was steady, fortunately unharmed; otherwise, if she had been injured because of him, Ye Qiu would have felt profoundly guilty.


    ¡°It seems my warning had no effect at all!¡± Ye Qiu muttered to himself.


    It was a great surprise to find that someone had sent an assassin to kill him, and honestly, the only enemies he had made recently were those from Rong Group just a few days earlier.


    As for other old adversaries, they were unaware of his presence in the city, making their involvement highly unlikely.


    Thus, the conclusion was clear¡ªit must have been a high-ranking member from Rong Group who had acted.


    Unfortunately, they had greatly underestimated Ye Qiu¡¯s capabilities; the assassin they sent was merely mediocre.


    Suitable perhaps for killing ordinary folk, but when it came to assassinating Ye Qiu, the difficulty was exponentially higher.


    And as for the assassin¡¯s body, Ye Qiu did not bother to deal with it.


    He knew well that an assassin¡¯s background would be erased, or they might have an unregistered status, making an investigation challenging.


    Therefore, even if he had killed the assassin, without direct evidence from a third party, it would be difficult to trace it back to him.


    Moreover, having used merely a leaf, how many could achieve this?


    Based on common thinking, no one would even consider this possibility.


    Chu Yao lay there for about twenty minutes before she slowly regained consciousness, feeling a terrible headache and still a bit dizzy.


    However, as soon as she saw Ye Qiu, she pushed the matter aside and said, ¡°I knew you would come.¡±


    Ye Qiu smiled, saying nothing.


    ¡°I called you here just to thank you personally, thank you for your intervention that day,¡± Chu Yao said to Ye Qiu with a serious bow.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that.


    They were just a few thugs,¡± Ye Qiu quickly helped Chu Yao up, laughing as he spoke.


    ¡°Why does my head hurt so much...


    Just now, I thought I saw a figure, then I passed out.


    Ye Qiu, you didn¡¯t see anyone, did you?¡± Chu Yao, touching her head, felt that her passing out seemed deliberate.


    ¡°When I arrived, I found you lying here.


    Maybe you were just too tired and fell asleep,¡± Ye Qiu said nonchalantly.


    ¡°Since the thanks are given, you better head back,¡± Ye Qiu decided not to linger any longer, lest the assassin¡¯s accomplices notice him chatting happily with Chu Yao and get her involved.


    Honestly, the fact that Chu Yao was knocked out by the assassin was mostly due to Ye Qiu, which made him feel somewhat sorry for her.


    Ye Qiu turned around, waving his hand.


    Chu Yao looked dazed, wishing for Ye Qiu to stay a bit longer, yet not knowing quite what to say.


    ...


    Ye Qiu walked slowly towards the Goddess Villa.


    Entering the room, he found only Niu Yinyin there.


    ¡°Miss Shen and Shangguan Hong haven¡¯t come back yet?¡± Ye Qiu sat next to Niu Yinyin, who was watching TV and munching on chips, engrossed in the show.


    Upon hearing Ye Qiu mention Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong, Niu Yinyin¡¯s head bobbed like a rattle drum.


    ¡°No, Yinyin has been in the room all the time, and hasn¡¯t seen Sister Mengchen and Sister Shangguan,¡± Niu Yinyin licked her fingers, eating up the chip crumbs completely.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s heart sank.


    Oh no, something must have happened.


    Ye Qiu stood there, his face showing concern.


    Looking at the time, nearly two hours had passed without a sign of either Shen Mengchen or Shangguan Hong.


    Could it be they were out enjoying a ride for so long?


    ¡°The lady will be fine.


    With Miss Shangguan here, let¡¯s wait a bit longer,¡± Liu Bo also said anxiously.


    Although he was extremely worried, he remained calm and not panicked.


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong had been missing for two hours, and Liu Bo dared not tell Shen Tianlong, fearing it would only worry more people.


    So for now, they could only hope that the two had simply lost track of time while out having fun and forgotten to return early.


    This situation made Ye Qiu somewhat guilty; if he had insisted on following them earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have let them drive off alone.


    Liu Bo kept calling Shen Mengchen¡¯s phone, but it was unanswered.


    After many attempts, Liu Bo began calling Shangguan Hong.


    After about a dozen calls, the previously off phone finally turned on, and a pleasant ringtone sounded.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes suddenly moved, looking towards the villa¡¯s main gate, where the ringing was coming from the phone in Liu Bo¡¯s hand.


    Is Shangguan Hong outside?


    Ye Qiu strode to the main door, and as he opened it, a faint fragrance hit him, followed by a delicate body pressing against his chest.


    Shangguan Hong!


    Seeing Shangguan Hong faint in his arms, Ye Qiu immediately realized the gravity of the situation.


    Why had only Shangguan Hong returned, and where was Shen Mengchen?


    He hurriedly pinched Shangguan Hong¡¯s Renzhong acupoint, eliciting a soft moan from her lips.


    Without a moment to spare, Ye Qiu asked, ¡°Where is Shen Mengchen?¡±


    A look of urgency suddenly appeared in Shangguan Hong¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°Mengchen...


    Mengchen...


    she was taken away by a car!¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s heart turned cold, as things were indeed shifting in the worst possible direction.


    ¡°Who took her?


    Do you remember the license plate number of the car?¡±


    Straining to recall, Shangguan Hong spoke word by word, ¡°Middle, 2380...¡±


    Ye Qiu noted down the license plate number.


    Liu Bo immediately had someone look it up while Ye Qiu further inquired about the exact location of the incident.


    ¡°Liu Bo, the moment there¡¯s any movement from them, notify me immediately,¡± Ye Qiu instructed.


    He could wait no longer; he had to go and save Shen Mengchen himself.


    Liu Bo nodded, his face equally distressed, filled with worry that Miss Shen Mengchen might be harmed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let anything happen to her,¡± Ye Qiu comforted him with a pat on the shoulder and set off immediately.


    If anything really happened to Shen Mengchen, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of explaining to Old Master Shen how he had overlooked it.


    The consequences were unimaginable.


    ¡°A local car from Zhongshan City; seems like a local has made the move.


    Magnificent, Rong Da, luring the snake out of its hole,¡± Ye Qiu muttered to himself.


    Considering those who could target the Shen family and had been investigated by him recently, Rong Da came to mind first.


    Rong Da United Group, he undoubtedly had to visit again.


    ¡°Failed!¡±


    Wang Chenghu¡¯s phone received a message with just two words, yet his heart trembled.


    The assassin he had specifically hired to eliminate Ye Qiu had failed, unexpectedly.


    Why had it come to this?


    Wang Chenghu couldn¡¯t understand how strong Ye Qiu was.


    Could he be tougher than an assassin?


    Wang Chenghu wavered; he hadn¡¯t expected Ye Qiu to be so formidable.


    Had he known how difficult Ye Qiu was to deal with, he would have been more cautious.


    ¡°Could he think it was me who made the move?¡± Wang Chenghu displayed a trace of apprehension, fearing that Ye Qiu might recklessly come after him.


    Who then could stop him?


    As he pondered, a new security guard suddenly knocked on the door, delivering a message, ¡°Chairman, the person you were searching for the other day has appeared in our company again.


    Please come and have a look personally.¡±


    What!


    The lad actually came!


    Wang Chenghu realized things were turning sour, telling the guards below to thoroughly secure all the floors on the twenty-first floor, to absolutely prevent the young man from entering.


    ¡°Damn it, where does he get the gall to come after me again?


    This is absolutely intolerable!¡± Wang Chenghu roared, staring at the monitor, wishing he could eat his flesh and drink his blood.

 Chapter 13 - 13 0013 Youre not human!

    ?13: 0013 You¡¯re not human!


    (Please collect!) 13: 0013 You¡¯re not human!


    (Please collect!) Outside Zhongshan University!


    A row of police cars stopped beside the woods outside the academy, the presence of the police was necessitated by the discovery of a body.


    The appearance of the police also attracted many students to watch, and the incident involving the body caught the attention of the school authorities as well.


    ¡°Have you recorded the statements of the eyewitnesses, and have their contact information archived?¡±


    A female officer was commanding various personnel, those collecting evidence, protecting the scene, and performing autopsies were efficiently going about their tasks, all very orderly, displaying no sign that this female officer was a fresh graduate.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er, a graduate from the police academy, was assigned to the Zhongshan city police office right after graduating due to her outstanding grades, becoming a female criminal investigator, specializing in handling various cases.


    The name Lin Qiao¡¯er might sound like it belongs to a young girl, but if you really think so, you¡¯re greatly mistaken.


    She¡¯s an officer who attracts a lot of attention at the police station.


    Many male officers have tried to approach her but to no avail, leaving them sniffing around in defeat.


    As a result, Lin Qiao¡¯er earned a nickname at the police station, Fiery Lin!


    She has a fiery temper, a straightforward personality, more so than men, and yes, if you happen to size up her figure, you would definitely be drawn to her long legs, stretching over a meter long, without a single ounce of excess flesh, stunningly beautiful, earning her several surreptitious references as the ¡°long-legged lady.¡±


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er stood within the cordoned-off scene, glanced at the body, and spoke to the police performing the autopsy.


    ¡°Report, the identity of the deceased is unknown, other than a handgun and a knife, there was nothing else on him,¡± the reporting officer paused, and Lin Qiao¡¯er signaled him to continue.


    ¡°The way he died is very strange.


    There¡¯s only one trace on his body, but after a careful examination, it¡¯s certainly not from a knife, as the edge of the wound isn¡¯t smooth, and the tissue damage doesn¡¯t correspond.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s eyes narrowed: ¡°Then what weapon caused this?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell, the method the murderer used is very rare, but I¡¯m certain it¡¯s no ordinary sharp weapon.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re also unsure what weapon caused this?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s tone suddenly heightened, her voice filled with an air of not understanding.


    The policeman nodded; having worked as a coroner for many years, encountering a body like this was a first.


    He truly couldn¡¯t discern the type of weapon used to cause the death.


    ¡°Go over the events of the afternoon once more, find out who passed by here, or if they heard anything.


    Don¡¯t miss a single detail.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er ordered, shortly after, her phone rang.


    The caller ID on the phone prompted Lin Qiao¡¯er to pick up immediately, only to hear from the other end: ¡°Any findings?¡±


    ¡°Report, no accurate information has been discovered yet, I am investigating.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already had someone compare this person¡¯s features, there will be news soon.


    I¡¯m hoping entrusting this case to you won¡¯t disappoint me,¡± an expectant tone came from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°I definitely won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er clenched her fist, encouraging herself.


    ¡°Report, someone said they were in this woods this afternoon and strangely fainted,¡± a police officer suddenly spoke, at this news, Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s eyes brightened, sensing a breakthrough was near.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her myself!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s eyes sparkled as she hurriedly walked over.


    ...


    Shen Mengchen was taken away by strangers, which Ye Qiu found unsettling.


    He went straight to Rongda Tower, aiming to speak directly with the top management and demand them to release Shen Mengchen.


    Once Ye Qiu got serious, his aura made those who underestimated him step back.


    ¡°Sir, you don¡¯t have an appointment, you cannot go up,¡± a woman attempted to retain Ye Qiu, fearing he might cause trouble.


    Ye Qiu ignored her, not bothering to explain, he headed straight to the top floor.


    ¡°Sir, please turn back.


    If you insist on proceeding, we will have no choice but to physically assist you in leaving,¡± a security officer saw Ye Qiu walk as if he owned the place and felt compelled to stop him.


    Ye Qiu gave him a glance, and the man shivered, as if intimidated by Ye Qiu¡¯s demeanor.


    ¡°Trash!


    After getting rid of one batch of trash, another batch arrives,¡± watching the scene through a surveillance camera, Wang Chenghu was infuriated, even smashing the tea cup in his hand to the ground in rage.


    ¡°He¡¯s already...


    almost here!¡± Wang Chenghu muttered to himself, feeling uneasy, especially when he saw Ye Qiu¡¯s smile at the camera, which sent chills down his spine.


    Ye Qiu soon reached the 25th floor.


    Under the watchful eyes of many, he climbed the facade outside the restroom and in a few moves, flipped to the restroom on the 26th floor.


    The previously monitoring-eluded figure of Ye Qiu reappeared, and Wang Chenghu¡¯s heart filled with even greater unease and impatience.


    He remembered the warning that Ye Qiu had given him that day, and to his surprise, Ye Qiu really dared to come looking for him to settle the score.


    ¡°Block him, block him, all of you are fired if he gets up here,¡± Wang Chenghu roared, frustrated at his useless security guards who couldn¡¯t stop even one person.


    However, just as Wang Chenghu finished speaking into the walkie-talkie, a hand snatched it away before the security guards could understand the order and said, ¡°You sent someone to assassinate me, today I¡¯m here to return the favor.¡±


    After saying this, Ye Qiu abruptly hung up the walkie-talkie.


    Hearing this, Wang Chenghu realized the danger and rose to go downstairs.


    Within a few seconds, Ye Qiu appeared at the doorway, blocking his path.


    ¡°Seeing me come here, why do you want to run?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do, I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s daytime, and there are so many employees around, you can¡¯t do anything to me!¡± Wang Chenghu cried out, being terrified by the fierce Ye Qiu.


    He clearly saw on that day how Ye Qiu could crush a teacup into powder; if he were to be caught by Ye Qiu now, he might not live much longer.


    ¡°Are you scared?¡± Ye Qiu sneered, looking at Wang Chenghu, trembling with fear.


    In his heart, Ye Qiu sneered, people like him only ever stop troubling you if they¡¯re scared; otherwise, they would disgust you now and then without fail.


    ¡°Where is Shen Mengchen?¡± Ye Qiu, growing impatient, asked bluntly.


    ¡°Shen Mengchen?¡± Wang Chenghu was initially startled by the question and explained, ¡°How would I know?¡±


    ¡°You sent people to take her away; dare you say you don¡¯t know?¡± Ye Qiu pressed up against Wang Chenghu¡¯s face, his eyes emitting a murderous intent, making Wang Chenghu feel paralyzed.


    ¡°I...


    I really don¡¯t know...


    where the Shen Mengchen you are talking about is, I swear, I have no idea where she is!¡± Wang Chenghu stammered, he felt incredibly wronged as he genuinely hadn¡¯t sent anyone to take Shen Mengchen.


    That said, the assassin he had sent after Ye Qiu did have some connection to him.


    However, at this moment, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t want to dig into that matter; rescuing Shen Mengchen was his top priority.


    Looking at the discomposed Wang Chenghu, whose tone and attitude didn¡¯t seem deceptive, Ye Qiu saw a hint of truth in his eyes and silently questioned himself, ¡°Could it really not have been Cheng Hu¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not Cheng Hu, then who could it be?¡± Ye Qiu started to believe somewhat, as Wang Chenghu really didn¡¯t seem to be lying; however, if it wasn¡¯t Cheng Hu, then who was it.


    The disappearance of Shen Mengchen was shrouded in a mysterious veil.


    Beep beep beep beep!


    At that moment, Ye Qiu¡¯s phone vibrated with a ticking sound.


    Ye Qiu answered the phone, ¡°Young Master Ye, this is Liu Bo; Miss sent a message asking for you to personally come, the location is...¡±


    After the call, Ye Qiu pondered for a while, ¡°So the mastermind is here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back another day to settle accounts with you.¡± With that, Ye Qiu walked straight to the window.


    The murderous intent locked on Wang Chenghu suddenly dissipated, allowing Wang Chenghu to take several deep breaths.


    Ye Qiu gave Wang Chenghu a faint glance, stood at the window, and with a leap, he jumped down!


    Wang Chenghu¡¯s heart trembled, that was a building over a hundred meters tall!


    He hurriedly pursued, peering out the window, and his gaze was instantly drawn to a figure who, with hands like iron hooks, clung to the building¡¯s facade, continuously descending at a not so slow pace.


    Seeing this, Wang Chenghu was stunned.


    He finally understood why Ye Qiu could silently make his way to the 26th floor, because Ye Qiu was too abnormal, capable of climbing tall buildings alone, as if walking on flat ground without any hindrance.


    Was he even human?


    Simply inhuman!


    This was Wang Chenghu¡¯s inner voice at that time, no wonder he couldn¡¯t find any information about Ye Qiu at the police station.


    This guy was so formidable; skyscrapers were nothing in his eyes, easy to exit and enter as he pleased!


    ¡°Had I known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have sent that assassin,¡± Wang Chenghu¡¯s heart harbored a trace of regret, really shouldn¡¯t have provoked such a powerful opponent as Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Shen family...


    Shen Tianlong, you are ruthless...


    I, Wang Chenghu, admit defeat this time!¡±


    Wang Chenghu sighed, his heart still had a bit of unwillingness, but what was the use of that when Ye Qiu¡¯s power was like a huge rock pressing down on him, not allowing him to breathe.

 Chapter 14 - 14 0014 Clown Jumping Around

    ?14: 0014 Clown Jumping Around 14: 0014 Clown Jumping Around On the outskirts of Zhongshan city!


    An abandoned factory was situated ten kilometers outside the city.


    Originally a chemical factory, it had closed down due to poor management and had been left deserted ever since, becoming known as a haunted house nearby.


    ¡°This girl is quite beautiful.


    If I had known she looked like this, I would never have agreed to the original price,¡±


    Inside the rundown steel factory, a young man smoked a cigarette and exhaled comfortably as he spoke to the tattooed young man beside him.


    The tattooed young man nodded, ¡°Hehe, Brother Kui is joking.


    This job Brother Kui did was very neat; my elder brother surely won¡¯t skimp on Brother Kui¡¯s share.¡±


    The young man known as Brother Kui smiled, ¡°Taking one¡¯s money, to dispel their disasters is a rule I still adhere to, but...¡±


    While speaking, Brother Kui placed his hand on the girl tied up with ropes.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A sharp scream came out of Shen Mengchen¡¯s mouth.


    She was so frightened that she vibrated vigorously, trying to dodge the other¡¯s evil grasp.


    ¡°Brother Kui...


    this...


    this isn¡¯t right,¡± said the tattooed young man, hurrying to intervene, which made Shen Mengchen heave a sigh of relief.


    Ever since Shen Mengchen was intercepted and captured by this group of strangers on the roadway, she had been thoroughly frightened.


    Despite usually appearing youthful and feisty, almost queen-like, being kidnapped was a first for her.


    Especially when she saw her kidnappers dressed like hooligans, with shaved heads and tattoos, she had a very bad feeling.


    Who had kidnapped her?


    At that moment, Shen Mengchen really wondered whom she had offended!


    ¡°Haha, little brother, don¡¯t mind it, I was just curious about what this girl¡¯s skin is made of, it looks almost as if water could drip off it,¡± Brother Kui seeing his actions didn¡¯t prevail, chuckled and explained.


    ¡°Brother Kui is truly humorous.


    I believe Brother Kui is a man of principle.


    It was indeed just a little joke,¡± said the tattooed young man.


    ¡°Your boss really has a sense of humor, having me kidnap someone, then asking us to call another in front of this girl to rough them up,¡± Brother Kui said.


    ¡°Hehe, as long as Brother Kui achieves the effect our boss wants to see, money is not an issue,¡± the tattooed young man said lightly.


    ¡°Haha, well said,¡± Brother Kui laughed heartily, ¡°I¡¯ve already had that guy come over, and he isn¡¯t allowed to call the police.


    Once he arrives, I will certainly extend him a warm welcome.¡±


    The group waited in the factory for a while, while Shen Mengchen observed her surroundings, looking for a way to escape.


    ¡°Hey, I need to use the restroom!¡±


    Looking around, Shen Mengchen suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°Hmph, using the restroom?


    Hold it!¡± one of Brother Kui¡¯s underlings said coldly.


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t treat me this way.


    Do you know who I am?


    If my dad finds out you¡¯ve kidnapped me, he will definitely send all of you to the police station,¡± Shen Mengchen appeared somewhat casual and not too afraid.


    In reality, by speaking that way, she was also trying to bolster her own courage.


    She could see that there were two factions among them; one was the group that had kidnapped her, and the other was the group that had paid for the kidnapping, where some did not want her harmed.


    This was the main reason Shen Mengchen dared speak up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who your father is.


    Here, Brother Kui is the boss; his word is the law,¡± the underling didn¡¯t pay any heed to Shen Mengchen, clearly a hothead.


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Just as the underling finished speaking, a slap landed fiercely on his cheek, sending him flying.


    ¡°Big Brother...¡± The underling saw that the person who slapped him was Brother Kui, looking very aggrieved and confused as to why he had been hit.


    ¡°Hmph, you fool, don¡¯t you know what it means to cherish the fairer sex?


    Her father is no ordinary man!


    By not allowing her to use the restroom, aren¡¯t you showing neglect?


    Since we¡¯ve invited her here, we naturally have to treat her well,¡± Brother Kui withdrew his hand, suddenly shifting his tone, smiling cheerfully at Shen Mengchen, ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t know who your father is but if there¡¯s a chance, I would like to pay him a visit someday.¡±


    Brother Kui, like a smiling tiger, spoke in a gentle tone, but Shen Mengchen felt a hint of wariness in her heart, sensing that violent tendencies lay deep within this man, and he could erupt into violence at any wrong word.


    ¡°Hmph, this young lady needs to use the restroom.


    I don¡¯t want to talk anymore,¡± Shen Mengchen left Brother Kui hanging, turning her head away.


    Seeing that his goal wasn¡¯t achieved, Brother Kui sheepishly smiled, ¡°No matter, since the lady wants to use the restroom, go ahead.


    But let me declare in advance, you are not allowed to run, eh.


    If I find out...¡±


    ¡°With so many of you here, could I even run away?


    Relax, I¡¯m not looking for trouble,¡± Shen Mengchen huffed.


    After she finished speaking, Brother Kui¡¯s lackey swiftly untied the rope binded around Shen Mengchen¡¯s wrists.


    Shen Mengchen flexed her muscles, her graceful demeanor caught the attention of several men around who stared in unison.


    ¡°No wonder the boss is so obsessed with her.


    With such a figure, Even death would be worth it to have her once!¡± thought the tattooed young man.


    Brother Kui clicked his tongue, his eyes shining, but his gaze conveyed regret, regret that she hadn¡¯t been in his bed!


    Now free to move, Shen Mengchen swaggered to a corner of the warehouse, where some discarded boxes blocked Brother Kui and the tattooed youth¡¯s line of sight.


    Shen Mengchen quickly scanned the room for possible exits.


    The main door was evidently not an option as it was tightly shut, and the windows were too high for her to climb.


    Calculating the time in her head, Shen Mengchen kept searching for a potential escape route until she noticed, right in front of her, a small gap in the corner of the tin warehouse, about the size of a football.


    A flash of joy struck her heart as she quietly ran towards it.


    The gap wasn¡¯t big, she measured it briefly and immediately crawled through it.


    She had just escaped and was rising to her feet, still relishing her quiet victory, when suddenly, a figure stood in front of her.


    ¡°Beauty, that wasn¡¯t very sportsmanlike.


    You¡¯re making it hard for me, you know?¡± Brother Kui said, with a cigarette dangling from his lips and twirling a knife in his hand, spinning it over and over.


    She had failed!


    In an instant, Shen Mengchen was brought back into the warehouse, her hands tied once again.


    She sat without moving.


    ¡°I told you earlier, if you dared to run and I caught you, I would punish you.


    You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?¡± Brother Kui said, leaning close to Shen Mengchen¡¯s face.


    Shen Mengchen reluctantly turned her head away, unwilling to look at Brother Kui.


    ¡°This skin is really nice, so white and tender.


    How about I touch it?¡± Brother Kui teased Shen Mengchen, slowly dragging the tip of the knife across her cheek.


    His words were teasing, but the knife in his hand was a clear threat, as if a single ¡®no¡¯ from her would leave a deep cut on her face.


    ¡°Dare you!¡± Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t bear the coercion any longer and yelled at Brother Kui.


    ¡°Brother Kui, if you dare touch her, I will not let you off!¡± At that moment, a voice sounded from inside the warehouse, clearly coming through a speaker.


    Li Hao¡¯s voice suddenly filled the air, causing Brother Kui to halt his actions and turn to look at the tattooed youth, only then noticing the live video in his hands, showing everything happening inside the warehouse.


    ¡°Haha, since the boss has spoken, I¡¯ll let it go,¡± Brother Kui laughed heartily, his tone becoming somewhat polite, but then his tone shifted, ¡°If you want me to not lay a finger on her, fine, but only now do I realize this girl is no ordinary person.


    Although I don¡¯t know her background, I know she¡¯s worth an extra hundred thousand!¡±


    ¡°I believe, boss, you¡¯ll pay up, right?¡±


    There was silence on the other end of the video for a while before finally responding, ¡°You¡¯re tough, fine, a hundred thousand it is, make sure you take care of what I asked.


    You¡¯ll get the full hundred thousand, to the last penny.¡±


    As Brother Kui negotiated with the mysterious person behind the video, Shen Mengchen pondered who could be on the other side of it.


    Because the voice sounded familiar to her¡ªwho could it be?


    Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t recall for a moment, only feeling as though she had heard this voice somewhere before.


    ¡°What do they want to do?


    Why doesn¡¯t this person show themselves, and what is the purpose of kidnapping me?¡± Shen Mengchen began to consider the purpose of these people¡¯s actions, as it did not seem like a typical kidnapping for ransom.


    She felt that these people might have another agenda.


    ¡°Click!¡±


    Just as Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t figure out their ultimate intention, the warehouse door was flung open, and a figure stood in the doorway.


    ¡°Stubble...man...¡±


    Shen Mengchen rubbed her eyes, staring blankly at the figure.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Ye Qiu to show up here.


    ¡°Haha, now that he¡¯s here, the real show can finally begin,¡± Brother Kui said and burst out laughing as he went up to meet Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Teach him a harsh lesson,¡± the grinding voice on the other end of the video commanded.


    It was evident how detestable Ye Qiu was in his eyes, and now that he finally had the chance to deal with him, he wanted to watch every moment closely.

 Chapter 15 - 15 0015 Nightmare

    ?15: 0015 Nightmare 15: 0015 Nightmare ¡°Kid, you finally arrived; I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time!¡± Kuige picked up an iron rod and stopped paying attention to Shen Mengchen as he walked toward Ye Qiu.


    Kuige¡¯s face bore a cold grin as he steadily approached, a curve forming at the corner of Ye Qiu¡¯s mouth.


    Ill intentions indeed!


    ¡°Patron, would you like me to disable his leg or an arm?¡± Kuige asked, looking toward the tattooed youth.


    Ye Qiu also glanced over, only to hear from the other end, ¡°Teach him a lesson and let him understand that some people should not be provoked.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ye Qiu frowned, realizing that the person on the other end of the video was the mastermind, intending to teach him a lesson!


    ¡°Kid, you heard it¡ªsomeone wants to teach you a lesson; you won¡¯t escape today,¡± Kuige laughed.


    ¡°Hide?¡± Ye Qiu laughed and said, ¡°I won¡¯t hide.


    Since you are after me, let her go.


    Being so rough with a girl is really unseemly.¡±


    ¡°Ha, are you talking to me about what¡¯s refined and what¡¯s vulgar?¡± Kuige laughed as if looking at a joke, pointing at Ye Qiu and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Tying up this girl was indeed to lure you here, but how can I let go of a beauty that fell into my hands?¡± Kuige remained unmoved.


    His fingers slid across Shen Mengchen¡¯s cheek, reddening the delicate skin immediately.


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± Shen Mengchen yelled, continuously shaking her head to escape as she shouted, ¡°Ye Qiu, come save me quickly.¡±


    ¡°Save you?¡± Kuige sneered twice, ¡°He¡¯s hardly able to protect himself, let alone expect him to rescue you.¡±


    Ye Qiu stood still, his expression serene.


    Facing Kuige, who kidnapped Shen Mengchen, he seemed to be facing not a villain but an ordinary person, barely drawing any special attention from him.


    ¡°Scared, kid?


    If you behave, I¡¯ll make it quick today, disabling a leg and an arm in no time!¡± Kuige weighed the iron rod, with two henchmen standing behind him holding sharp machetes, glistening coldly.


    ¡°Patron, watch closely.


    I¡¯m going to disable him right in front of you,¡± Kuige said, alerting the person at the back end of the tattooed youth.


    Ye Qiu calmly stood at the doorway, not moving, letting Kuige approach him closely.


    The iron rod in Kuige¡¯s hand was as long as an adult¡¯s arm, silver-black and gleaming, exuding a metallic cold sheen.


    Kuige weighed it briefly, then he gave Ye Qiu a sinister smile and suddenly swung the iron rod at him.


    The iron rod whooshed down, creating a strong wind; the force Kuige used was so great that not only would it break arms or legs, but it could also knock a chunk off a brick-and-tile house.


    In an instant, the iron rod was about to hit Ye Qiu.


    A joyful expression appeared on Kuige¡¯s face as he anticipated hearing a scream of agony, expecting Ye Qiu to be rolling on the ground, sobbing in pain.


    ¡°Get down!¡± Kuige roared as he swung down.


    Whoosh!


    Just as the iron rod was about to strike Ye Qiu, his voice suddenly rang in Kuige¡¯s ear, ¡°You think you can disable me?¡±


    When Kuige heard this, he suddenly found he couldn¡¯t swing his arm further because two fingers had clamped onto his iron rod, no matter how hard he tried, those two fingers wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Kuige was shocked, having been in the underworld for many years and having seen all kinds of tough characters, he would never believe that someone could stop his iron rod with just two fingers.


    Yet, today he truly believed it was possible.


    ¡°You...


    you know martial arts!¡± Kuige¡¯s mouth dropped open, his eyes full of panic, knowing he had encountered a master this time.


    ¡°Martial arts?¡± Ye Qiu smiled and shook his head lightly, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need martial arts to deal with you!¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s fingers suddenly twisted, and Kuige felt the iron rod slipping from his grasp, overwhelmed by a strong force transmitted through the rod; he eventually couldn¡¯t hold on anymore, and the iron rod immediately slipped from his hand.


    Bang!


    Ye Qiu flicked his fingers, and the iron rod was violently thrown out, piercing straight into a can with a plop; the liquid inside splattered¡ªif one were to look closer, they would see that the can had been completely pierced by the iron rod.


    Seeing this, Kuige froze, feeling as if he had encountered a monster!


    ¡°Which leg did you want to disable?¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze challenged Kuige.


    ¡°Dare not...


    dare not...¡± Kuige hastily shook his head, retreating backward, regretting provoking Ye Qiu¡ªsuch a non-human being; how could he have boasted about disabling him?


    This wasn¡¯t the act of someone courting death; it was outright absurd!


    Kuige¡¯s two henchmen were even more terrified, collapsing there, their eyes filled with horror, viewing Ye Qiu as a demon.


    Ye Qiu ignored Kuige and his minions, simply passing by everyone to reach Shen Mengchen.


    At this moment, she looked at Ye Qiu with her eyes filled with stars.


    She witnessed Ye Qiu block Brother Kui¡¯s weapon single-handedly without any effort¡ªit was incredibly fierce!


    At that moment, Ye Qiu had greatly changed in Shen Mengchen¡¯s mind, no wonder her father had invited Ye Qiu; this guy was terrifyingly powerful.


    ¡°Ye Qiu...¡± Shen Mengchen murmured.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here.¡± Ye Qiu helped Shen Mengchen up, comforting her.


    Shen Mengchen was unusually docile at this moment, gently acknowledging with a sound, like a little kitten, she obediently stayed there, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Ye Qiu.


    ¡°You...


    come here!¡± Shen Mengchen was saved, and Ye Qiu beckoned to the tattooed man.


    The tattooed man, holding a phone pointed their way, didn¡¯t know what to say when he saw Ye Qiu signaling him.


    Compelled by how Ye Qiu had effortlessly blocked Brother Kui¡¯s attack earlier, the tattooed man had no choice but to walk toward Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Hand it over.¡± Ye Qiu extended his hand, his meaning clear.


    With the phone in his hand, Ye Qiu said to the person on the other end, ¡°You went through a lot of trouble to strike at me, and it seems you¡¯ve failed now.¡±


    The other party was silent.


    ¡°Such clownish roles, I advise you not to let them appear before me in the future, otherwise I have no desire even to make a move.¡±


    ¡°I know who you are, but I won¡¯t expose you.


    I¡¯ll give you another chance.


    If you fall into my hands again next time, you will end up like today¡¯s metal barrel.¡±


    With his last words filled with coldness, Ye Qiu made the person on the other end of the phone shiver uncontrollably, his fearlessness making him appear even more arrogant than him.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯ll definitely cripple you.¡± With those words, the video call suddenly ended.


    Ye Qiu returned the phone to the tattooed man, saying, ¡°Pass a message to your boss behind you.


    He can target me, but if he dares to hurt Shen Mengchen, I will make him regret being born in this world.¡±


    ¡°Understood, understood.¡± The tattooed man shivered and after hearing this, he ran away as fast as he could, not daring to stay a moment longer in front of Ye Qiu.


    ¡°That...


    master...


    can we leave now?¡± Brother Kui smiled ingratiatingly at Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Leave?


    Which hand did you touch her with?¡±


    Brother Kui extended his left hand.


    Ye Qiu glanced at it and said, ¡°Slap your own face, left hand to right cheek, keep going until I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Brother Kui was reluctant, but when Ye Qiu glared at him, he immediately began slapping himself.


    ¡°Hehe, well done.¡± Shen Mengchen clapped and cheered from the sideline, finally someone stood up for her.


    ...


    At the entrance of Rongda United Group, twenty-some cars stopped in a row.


    Wang Chenghu stood at the entrance, personally welcoming the people alighting from the cars.


    ¡°Third brother, I heard you¡¯ve been having some trouble lately?¡± At that moment, an elderly man stepped down from one of the cars and expressed his concern to Wang Chenghu.


    ¡°To not hide anything from you, second brother, I¡¯ve indeed encountered some troubles recently.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush with us, what exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Our old rival Shen Tianlong has somehow found a skilled person who has disturbed my office several times, so I was thinking...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of killing him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this person has tarnished my face several times, he cannot remain.¡± Wang Chenghu said.


    ¡°Since he is a skilled person...heh, it seems he has to make a move!¡± the middle-aged elder spoke blandly, his face full of confidence.


    Wang Chenghu, feeling uneasy, asked, ¡°Second brother, whom will you send to deal with him?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of this person, I¡¯ve only heard of his title.¡±


    ¡°The assassin world calls him...


    ¡®Nightmare¡¯!¡± The middle-aged elder¡¯s eyes carried a chilling presence, as if the mere title was enough to defeat any adversary.

 Chapter 16 - 16 The shackles!

    ?16: The shackles!


    16: The shackles!


    Ye Qiu brought Shen Mengchen back to the Goddess Villa, and Shangguan Hong, Niu Yinyin, and the others all breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Good to have you back.¡± Shangguan Hong hugged Shen Mengchen.


    During the time Shen Mengchen was kidnapped, she had been blaming herself, thinking that if she hadn¡¯t taken Shen Mengchen out for a drive, the accident wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    Seeming to notice Shangguan Hong¡¯s self-reproach, Shen Mengchen smiled nonchalantly and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sister Guan Hong.


    With Ye Qiu, such a great master, protecting me, nobody can hurt me.¡±


    Shangguan Hong looked at her with surprise, astonished at Shen Mengchen¡¯s sudden one hundred and eighty degree change in attitude towards Ye Qiu.


    Previously, the mere mention of Ye Qiu¡¯s name would have Shen Mengchen pouting, never like today¡ªmentioning his name now brought a smile to her face.


    Ye Qiu felt somewhat embarrassed by Shangguan Hong¡¯s gaze and chuckled sheepishly.


    ¡°Now that the young lady is safe, I can rest assured.


    Young Master Ye, we owe you a great deal this time.


    If it weren¡¯t for you, the young lady would have been in danger.


    Please, look after her safety from now on,¡± said Uncle Liu as he bowed sincerely to Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, you mustn¡¯t.¡± Ye Qiu quickly helped Uncle Liu up, feeling a profound respect in his heart for the old man who had devoted his life to the Shen family.


    Uncle Liu treated Shen Mengchen as his own granddaughter and had exhausted himself for most of his life for the sake of the Shen family.


    For such an elder, Ye Qiu had the utmost respect from the bottom of his heart; thus, he was always polite to Uncle Liu and never treated him as though he were merely a steward of the Shen family.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.


    I won¡¯t make any decisions rashly in the future.


    Ye Qiu will protect me, you can rest assured,¡± Shen Mengchen ran over and grabbed Uncle Liu¡¯s hand, speaking obediently.


    ¡°Ha ha, good, the young lady is getting more sensible,¡± Uncle Liu patted Shen Mengchen on the head, his face brimming with a kind smile, his heart finally at ease now that the young lady had acknowledged Ye Qiu¡¯s presence.


    The safe return of Shen Mengchen lifted the spirits of everyone.


    Niu Yinyin clamored for Ye Qiu to prepare a delicious meal to help Shen Mengchen recover from the shock, a request that immediately won unanimous approval from all the beauties present.


    Seeing this, Ye Qiu had no choice but to show off his cooking skills, and made dinner for everyone that evening.


    Although the meal was light, it conquered everyone¡¯s hearts because the food Ye Qiu prepared was unlike anything they had commonly eaten.


    In their eyes, Ye Qiu had already been crowned the title of kitchen god.


    Stomachs full, the three women gathered together, chattering and making merry until late, finally settling down to rest in their respective rooms.


    A gentle breeze wafted through, refreshing the air inside, and the bright moonlight shone through the window onto Ye Qiu¡¯s body.


    Ye Qiu did not lie down to rest but sat cross-legged with his eyes tightly closed, hands in the position for practicing his skills.


    Inside Ye Qiu¡¯s body, a surge of True Qi followed the meridians, continuously striking against blocking points.


    Each time it hit a blocked acupoint, Ye Qiu¡¯s body trembled slightly, and beads of sweat appeared on his cheeks.


    This state of striking continued for more than an hour, and the ground where Ye Qiu sat had become wet with sweat.


    After a while, Ye Qiu slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve managed to open many of the body¡¯s acupoints, but only the Yongquan acupoint remains undisturbed.


    Once it¡¯s opened, my strength will reach new heights,¡± Ye Qiu said calmly.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s current cultivation involved opening the body¡¯s major acupoints to enhance potential and lead to increased strength and longevity.


    ¡°The old man said that throughout the ages, very few could fully penetrate all one hundred acupoints of the body.


    The only known figures of modern times were Zhang Sanfeng, Dong Haichuan, and Yang Luchan, among a few others.


    I still have a long way to go to reach such heights,¡± Ye Qiu murmured to himself.


    While the old man claimed as much, upon closer scrutiny, those who could break through the majority of their acupoints before the age of thirty, might not even include the likes of Zhang Sanfeng.


    Ye Qiu had his own pride; he managed to break through a hundred acupoints in his early twenties, which signified how extraordinary his martial arts talent was.


    Even his master, the old lecher, couldn¡¯t help but praise him endlessly, calling him a martial arts prodigy.


    Ye Qiu had been learning martial arts with the old man since childhood.


    Already gifted, coupled with relentless training, he had condensed his True Qi before the age of ten.


    When the old man received this news, he was so excited that he danced around and shouted at the sky, thanking the heavens for not treating him poorly and bestowing upon him a disciple with such definitive talent.


    After that, life became even more miserable for Ye Qiu.


    The old man¡¯s demands became much stricter, subjecting him to almost unending training, and only when the old man could no longer offer guidance did Ye Qiu finally get some reprieve.


    ¡°My advantage lies in condensing True Qi earlier than the ancients.


    According to the old man, if I can penetrate all the acupoints in my body before the age of twenty-five, my future martial arts prowess will not be inferior to the modern Yang Luchan or the ancient Zhang Sanfeng!¡±


    As lovely as the aspiration was, Ye Qiu knew reaching that height was not an easy task.


    First and foremost, he had to break through the Yongquan acupoint; only by shattering this acupoint could he unify all subsequent ones and unlock the secrets of human life.


    The old man once said that if one could penetrate all the acupoints in the body, it would unveil the mysteries of the human physique, and then one could also unravel the enigma of the Perspective Eyes.


    Ye Qiu possessed the Perspective Eyes, a natural ability that even the old man couldn¡¯t explain the magic of.


    The most memorable moment for Ye Qiu was when the old man learned that his eyes could see through all obstacles; he clapped his hands in shock, his face twisted with heartfelt pain.


    He enviously said, ¡°If only I had this extraordinary gift, I would gladly live twenty years less.¡±


    At that time, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t understand why the old man behaved so uncharacteristically, thinking that the Perspective Eyes were merely capable of seeing through obstructions to the essence.


    It wasn¡¯t until much later that he realized the importance of the Perspective Eyes.


    No wonder the old man was so envious; it turns out this guy was actually...


    This sly old man was always thinking about the tranquil nun, even frequently encouraging Ye Qiu to help him with his illegal antics, or else Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t have been forced to leave the mountain.


    After half a day of cultivation, Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze passed through the limestone stairs above his head, piercing into the upper floor.


    He saw bodies sleeping in various positions.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s body sprawled out in a spreadeagled position on the bed, deep in sleep.


    Niu Yinyin was holding a teddy bear, looking very adorable.


    It was Shangguan Hong¡¯s sleeping posture that caused Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes to linger for a moment.


    After briefly glancing at the three women upstairs, Ye Qiu withdrew his gaze, the bright light in his eyes fading away as he turned off the function of the Perspective Eyes.


    ¡°The old man wanted to have Perspective Eyes like mine; what he wanted to see most must be a scene like this,¡± Ye Qiu chuckled, unable to stop a sneaky grin when he thought about how the old man envied him.


    After laughing twice, Ye Qiu put away his smile and showed a hint of melancholy, ¡°Old man, are you doing okay on the mountain without me to keep you company?¡±


    After talking to himself, Ye Qiu closed his eyes and began to rest, entering deep sleep.

 Chapter 17 - 17 0017 comes to the door

    ?17: 0017 comes to the door 17: 0017 comes to the door It wasn¡¯t fully bright yet when a figure slowly made her way into Ye Qiu¡¯s room.


    ¡°So this guy needs to sleep too!¡± The tiptoeing figure let out a breath and a sneaky smile appeared on her face.


    This person was none other than Shen Mengchen.


    As for why she was here?


    It was because Shen Mengchen had insomnia, all due to Ye Qiu.


    After frolicking around for most of the night, Shen Mengchen had fallen asleep for a bit but then couldn¡¯t sleep anymore, her head filled with images of Ye Qiu appearing in her most dangerous moment.


    They say every girl harbors a prince charming in her heart, and Shen Mengchen, as the future heir of the Longjia Group and Shen Tianlong¡¯s precious pearl, lived a life of luxury and had everything handed to her the minute she desired it.


    Such a princess-like Shen Mengchen had her own pride.


    However, a girl is still a girl, and she too had her ideal partner.


    She never believed that she would fall in love with anyone, yet Ye Qiu¡¯s appearance that day stirred something within her heart.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be falling for this guy, right?


    Impossible...


    impossible...¡± Shen Mengchen quickly shook her head, scared by the thought that had suddenly surfaced in her mind.


    How could she fancy the bearded man who didn¡¯t even like to shave?


    ¡°I should hate him!¡± The more she thought about how her attitude towards Ye Qiu had softened a lot since he rescued her from her kidnappers, the more Shen Mengchen felt she was changing too fast.


    How could she show such a favorable demeanor towards that man so quickly?


    ¡°This definitely isn¡¯t love, hmm...


    he¡¯s just a bodyguard, protecting me is his duty.¡±


    ¡°Deep down, I hate him.¡±


    To affirm this idea and to rid herself of the improved impression she had of Ye Qiu, Shen Mengchen felt she should do something bad to Ye Qiu, to lessen her fondness for him.


    That¡¯s why Shen Mengchen was in Ye Qiu¡¯s room, as she wanted to prank him, getting him hopping mad, thereby erasing the truth of her sudden change of attitude from the day before.


    Shen Mengchen held a lighter, silently pacing over to Ye Qiu¡¯s side, watching the man who lacked any proper sleeping posture, the image of a master instantly vanishing without a trace.


    The Ye Qiu before her, sprawled out with limbs akimbo, snoring away, clothes carelessly thrown on the floor¡ªif she didn¡¯t know he was the bodyguard her father had hired for her, based on his current posture alone, she wouldn¡¯t believe Ye Qiu could fulfill the duties of a bodyguard.


    A master should at least look the part, even in sleep they should stand out!


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s mind was filled with mischief, thinking about how to play her prank on Ye Qiu.


    Soon, an idea came to her, ¡°If I take all this guy¡¯s clothes away, hehe, let¡¯s see how he gets out of the house.¡± Shen Mengchen¡¯s gaze landed on those incredibly ugly clothes.


    She quietly picked up the pants from the floor.


    Yep, not leaving a single piece for him, then her eyes moved to the T-shirt covering Ye Qiu.


    Just as Shen Mengchen was about to remove the T-shirt from Ye Qiu, suddenly she froze.


    She felt her cheeks heat up and silently cursed, ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Turning her head away harshly, Shen Mengchen grabbed the clothes and was about to leave, muttering, ¡°Hmph, this is your punishment, all the rotten men in the world are the same!¡±


    But at that moment, Ye Qiu suddenly moved, his hand landed on Shen Mengchen, startling her into exclaiming aloud.


    ¡°Hey, why are you in my room?¡± Ye Qiu interrogated.


    Knowing she had no excuse, Shen Mengchen huffed, and retorted forcefully, ¡°This is my house, I can be wherever I want to be.¡± And with that, she quickly ran out.


    Er...


    Such a sound argument, Ye Qiu rolled his eyes helplessly and went back to sleep.


    The small interlude that occurred between them didn¡¯t disturb Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin.


    However, during breakfast, Shen Mengchen was extremely unfriendly towards Ye Qiu, leaving Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin stunned and wondering what kind of drama had unfolded between them.


    Wasn¡¯t everything fine yesterday?


    How had it turned into this by today?


    Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t explain her actions from yesterday and sulked on her own.


    After having a bit of congee, Shen Mengchen stormed off to school, and Ye Qiu crammed four buns into his mouth before quickly following her.


    ¡°Hehe, no worries, the girl¡¯s ¡®relative¡¯ has visited, so she¡¯s in a bad mood,¡± Ye Qiu explained to Shangguan Hong before leaving.


    After the two had disappeared, only Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin were left in the room.


    ¡°Sister Shangguan, I know what happened.


    When I got up this morning to go to the bathroom, I saw Mengchen slipping into Ye Qiu¡¯s room,¡± Niu Yinyin said with a mouthful of grease, revealing a different insight.


    ¡°You little kid, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Shangguan Hong glared at Niu Yinyin.


    Her brows furrowed slightly, she sighed, but said nothing.


    Not long after, Shangguan Hong¡¯s phone rang suddenly.


    Seeing the name displayed on the phone, her eyes showed a hint of disgust, but she still answered it.


    ...


    At school, Shen Mengchen ignored Ye Qiu all day.


    Knowing it was because of the incident that morning, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t approach her to invite further displeasure.


    In truth, the morning¡¯s incident wasn¡¯t entirely Ye Qiu¡¯s fault, although he had pretended to be asleep on purpose, just to scare Shen Mengchen a bit.


    He hadn¡¯t expected her reaction to be so extreme.


    ¡°Ah, the mind of a woman is deep and unfathomable like the ocean, erupting like a tigress when agitated, truly something not to mess with,¡± Ye Qiu sighed.


    He had thought that saving Shen Mengchen might have improved his image in her heart, but it seemed there wasn¡¯t much change at all.


    When it was nearly time to leave school, Ye Qiu noticed Chu Yao occasionally glancing his way, sensing she had something to say to him.


    However, considering he had to protect Shen Mengchen, he didn¡¯t approach her proactively.


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t come within ten meters of me,¡± Shen Mengchen pouted.


    Ye Qiu, speechless, could only slow down and accompany Shen Mengchen back home.


    The two, one in front of the other, had just left the school gate and hadn¡¯t gone far when suddenly a car blocked their way.


    Ye Qiu was slightly startled and thought, ¡°Huh, what does this beauty want?¡±


    The beauty who got out of the car was naturally Lin Qiao¡¯er, the investigator of the campus corpse case a few days earlier.


    She approached them, her gaze briefly skimming over Shen Mengchen before settling on Ye Qiu.


    ¡°You¡¯re Ye Qiu, right?


    Please come with me,¡± she said.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er took out her credentials, showed them briefly, and watched Ye Qiu with a serious expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for me?¡± Ye Qiu was taken aback before spreading his hands with a smile, ¡°May I know what the officer wants with me?


    I¡¯m a law-abiding citizen.


    You¡¯re not here to arrest me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ve got questions for you,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said, frowning slightly at the youth¡¯s carefree demeanor before her.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Ye Qiu being involved with the mysterious corpse case she was investigating, she wouldn¡¯t bother initiating a conversation with someone like him.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, they¡¯ve come to you, better just go with them obediently.


    You probably haven¡¯t done anything good, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t come looking for you,¡± Shen Mengchen said with a cold laugh, finding Ye Qiu¡¯s predicament quite satisfying.


    ¡°Miss, seems like I can¡¯t avoid it.


    But, for your safety, you¡¯ll have to come with me,¡± Ye Qiu said indifferently.


    ¡°Hmph, fine, let¡¯s go.


    I want to know what bad thing you¡¯ve done,¡± Shen Mengcheng snorted and got into the car first, leaving Lin Qiao¡¯er somewhat flustered.


    ¡°Officer, let¡¯s go,¡± Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders and then also got into the car.


    With a slam of the car door, the vehicle quickly vanished from the school¡¯s entrance, catching the attention of many, who were left wondering why the school beauty was getting into a government car.

 Chapter 18 - 18 Suspect 0018!

    ?18: Suspect 0018!


    18: Suspect 0018!


    After a drive of more than ten minutes, the group arrived at their destination.


    Inside a small room, with dim lighting, Ye Qiu was held for questioning alone.


    Glancing at the enclosed space, Ye Qiu sat in a chair, legs crossed, feeling utterly bored.


    Before long, the door opened, and Lin Qiao¡¯er walked in.


    ¡°Name!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er took out a notepad, sat across from Ye Qiu, and asked without looking up.


    ¡°Guess?¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er frowned and said, ¡°Be serious.


    Fill out this form yourself.¡±


    Lin Qiao¡¯er pushed the paper and pen on her hands towards Ye Qiu, signaling him to do it himself.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze returned, he picked up the pen and gave it a little twirl before carelessly writing down two characters, Ye Qiu!


    After waiting a while, Ye Qiu slid the form back to Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er scanned the form and burst into a rage, ¡°Ye Qiu, be serious.


    What do you mean by writing only a name?¡±


    Ye Qiu ignored Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s angry look and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I was brought here.


    You start by making me fill out a form; how would I know what you¡¯ll do after I¡¯ve completed it!¡±


    ¡°You...¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er, taken aback by such a question from Ye Qiu, was so angry she was at a loss for words, stuttering, ¡°Alright...


    alright...¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°May I ask the young lady¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Lin Qiao¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-two.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Huh?


    You...¡± Ye Qiu asked a series of questions, and Lin Qiao¡¯er answered two before suddenly realizing something was off.


    The guy in front of her wasn¡¯t behaving properly; he was actually teasing her, fishing for her information!


    Bang!


    Lin Qiao¡¯er, infuriated, slapped the table and said, ¡°Get serious.


    This isn¡¯t a place for you to mess around.


    Don¡¯t try your tricks on me.


    If you dare to act rashly again, I¡¯ll have you locked up here for a few days.¡±


    ¡°No, it was just a joke, calm down, please!¡± Ye Qiu immediately put on a smile, hurriedly apologizing, knowing he shouldn¡¯t push it too far.


    ¡°Fine then, back to the main point.


    Why exactly did you bring me here?¡± At this point, Ye Qiu became more serious, no longer grinning, and dropped his flippant demeanor.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er cleared her throat, her mood somewhat settled, glanced at Ye Qiu, and said, ¡°Two days ago, a dead body was found in the woods next to your school.


    You¡¯re aware of that, right?¡±


    Ye Qiu shook his head.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er frowned, ¡°Lying to me could lead to punishment depending on the situation.


    Someone said they saw you enter the woods that day.¡±


    ¡°Oh...


    oh, now I remember.¡± Ye Qiu slapped his thigh, pretending to recall something, and continued, ¡°I did go there that day.


    However, I went because I found a classmate unconscious in the woods and carried her out.


    You¡¯re not suspecting me of murder, are you?¡± Ye Qiu widened his eyes and dropped his jaw, a picture of innocence.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er stared intently at Ye Qiu¡¯s facial expression, scrutinizing for a while before saying, ¡°You committing murder?


    Definitely unlikely.


    A student like you couldn¡¯t pull off something like that.


    However, we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that it was you.


    As for your claim about entering the woods to carry out an unconscious classmate, I¡¯ll verify that.


    Alright, we¡¯ll stop here for today, but I¡¯ll be looking for you later on.¡±


    Lin Qiao¡¯er waved her hand, signaling Ye Qiu that he could leave.


    When Ye Qiu came out of the interrogation room, Shen Mengchen was already impatient.


    ¡°Why did it take so long?


    What were you doing in there?¡±


    ¡°Want to know?¡± Ye Qiu flashed his white teeth.


    Shen Mengchen nodded.


    ¡°Inside, of course we were interrogating...


    Of course, there was also...¡±


    ¡°Also what?¡± Shen Mengchen asked curiously.


    At this point, Ye Qiu looked around to see if anyone was listening, then whispered to Shen Mengchen, ¡°Also...


    you guess!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re teasing me!¡± Shen Mengchen huffed.


    ¡°You must have a record; otherwise, why would they let you come back for the investigation?¡±


    ¡°So you really hope I get locked up, huh?¡± Ye Qiu glared at Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°Miss, if I get detained here and you get kidnapped again on your way back, which situation do you think is best for you?¡±


    Shen Mengchen suddenly fell silent, unable to counter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t come here if it¡¯s not necessary; it¡¯s not a good place,¡± Ye Qiu didn¡¯t want to stay any longer, promptly taking Shen Mengchen with him to leave.


    During Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s interrogation, Ye Qiu had always played dumb, putting on a devil-may-care attitude, all to lull Lin Qiao¡¯er, trying to prevent her from suspecting him.


    On the way back, Ye Qiu was also pondering who might have mentioned that he went into the woods¡ªcould it be Chu Yao?


    Would that girl reveal he had been in the woods?


    If it wasn¡¯t Chu Yao, who else could it be?


    Remembering how Chu Yao looked hesitant to speak that afternoon, Ye Qiu wondered if she wanted to tell him that she had divulged his trip to the woods.


    Ye Qiu was now somewhat uncertain.


    After speculating for a while, he became too lazy to think about it anymore; after all, they had no evidence.


    His methods had been clean and neat, without leaving a trace, except for the unconscious Chu Yao at the time, which was a loophole, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Even if someone else had seen him enter the woods and figured out he was a bodyguard, it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    As long as there was no evidence, no one could do anything to him.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t take the matter to heart, letting Lin Qiao¡¯er investigate as much as she liked.


    If she could trace it back to him, then Lin Qiao¡¯er would indeed be impressive.


    ...


    ¡°Boss, all the recordings are here, should I hand them all over?¡± A disc was handed to Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°And, thoroughly investigate this Ye Qiu guy.


    I feel he¡¯s highly suspicious, at least until we find a second suspect; he is the most likely,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s gaze held a different expression.


    Of course, there was another point that could serve as evidence to verify whether Ye Qiu was the murderer, and that was to put his fighting skills to the test.


    If Ye Qiu¡¯s skills were exceptional, then the suspicion would undoubtedly be greater.


    Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t yet found a legitimate reason to suddenly test Ye Qiu¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I wonder if this guy¡¯s carefree performance is an act or his real side.


    If it¡¯s an act, that¡¯s just terrifying!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er was slightly lost in thought, always feeling Ye Qiu was somewhat elusive.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s behavior was much like a typical student, but Lin Qiao¡¯er had a feeling that this version might not be the real Ye Qiu.


    However, she had no proof.


    Still, Lin Qiao¡¯er was not discouraged.


    In her view, if he was a fox, he would eventually show his tail.


    If the incident was truly Ye Qiu¡¯s doing, she would eventually find evidence to prove it.


    ¡°I hope I don¡¯t find out it was you, otherwise, I¡¯ll definitely be the first to catch you!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er let out a breath, muttering to herself with a determined look in her eyes.

 Chapter 19 - 19 0019 Shocking Retreat!

    ?19: 0019 Shocking Retreat!


    19: 0019 Shocking Retreat!


    Ye Qiu and Shen Mengchen left the police station and walked down the street toward their residence.


    Along the way, Shen Mengchen kept indirectly probing into Ye Qiu¡¯s past, but Ye Qiu deflected all such inquiries, which made Shen Mengchen even more curious about him.


    As they approached the Goddess Villa, a trace of suspicion appeared in Ye Qiu¡¯s expression.


    Although he was walking behind Shen Mengchen, his keen senses told him that a pair of eyes was watching him from behind.


    Furthermore, ever since Ye Qiu and Shen Mengchen had left the police station, the owner of these eyes had been hiding in the shadows, observing them.


    What surprised Ye Qiu the most was that the observer in the shadows was extremely skilled at hiding; even though Ye Qiu was aware of their presence, he still couldn¡¯t pinpoint their exact location.


    An absolute master!


    Only such a figure could accomplish this, and Ye Qiu realized the gravity of the situation.


    ¡°Miss, keep smiling, don¡¯t turn around,¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s voice suddenly reached Shen Mengchen¡¯s ears.


    She was taken aback, almost ready to flare up, but she promptly noticed that there was something unusual about Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, did something happen, Ye Qiu?¡± Shen Mengchen obediently refrained from making any extraneous movements, yet she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, no one will harm you as long as I¡¯m here,¡± Ye Qiu smiled, which greatly eased the tense atmosphere.


    He patted Shen Mengchen¡¯s shoulder to keep her from getting too anxious.


    Ye Qiu stayed close by Shen Mengchen, and about twenty minutes later, they finally arrived at the Goddess Villa.


    Ye Qiu breathed a sigh of relief and seriously said, ¡°Don¡¯t go wandering outside the house, I¡¯m going out for a bit.¡±


    Shen Mengchen felt there was something off about Ye Qiu, as if something was happening.


    She asked, ¡°Ye Qiu, tell me the truth, is there a bad person around?¡±


    Seeing Shen Mengchen¡¯s anxious appearance, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but smile, his face exuding strong confidence, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if there are bad people, I will handle them.


    Just stay at home and don¡¯t go anywhere until I return.¡±


    As Shen Mengchen watched Ye Qiu walk out the door, she whispered, ¡°Be careful, and come back quickly.¡±


    Regrettably, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t hear any of her concerned words.


    After stepping out of the Goddess Villa, Ye Qiu knew that the master of the hidden eyes had not immediately retreated.


    Such a skilled master would not easily give up.


    To avoid putting Shen Mengchen in danger and to free himself from worry, Ye Qiu quickly escorted Shen Mengchen back to the Goddess Villa and made sure she was safe before he could confidently confront his opponent.


    The straight driveway was bustling with vehicles, the willow trees on either side casting unusual shadows under the light.


    From leaving school to entering the police station and then walking back to the villa, it was already late.


    And such darkness was the perfect opportunity for an assassin to strike.


    After scanning around, Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze suddenly shot towards a willow tree, and immediately, a dark figure burst out from it.


    ¡°Trying to escape?¡±


    Seeing the dark figure dash into the park by the side of the road, Ye Qiu immediately set off in pursuit.


    This significant threat could not be ignored; he couldn¡¯t let the person just leave.


    The figure moved swiftly, resembling a bat, disappearing into the night after a streak.


    When Ye Qiu arrived at a clump of bushes, he stopped because he knew the person was right there.


    ¡°Come out,¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s voice echoed through the bushes.


    This secluded area of the park was quite quiet, rarely visited by anyone.


    ¡°Who exactly are you, that you could detect me observing you?


    Throughout the years, no more than three people have managed to do so.¡± A faint voice came from all around the forest.


    Ye Qiu smiled from the corner of his mouth, ¡°An assassin who can be detected by me, yet whose real body cannot be located, also would not exceed three.¡±


    ¡°So, are we like the needle to the wheat?


    ¡± The voice suddenly let out a laugh, carrying a hint of retort.


    ¡°For masters like us, attempting to assassinate each other is almost bound to fail, so why not show yourself and battle it out face-to-face!¡± Ye Qiu replied mildly.


    The owner of the voice fell silent for a moment, because Ye Qiu¡¯s words were quite reasonable.


    Once an assassin could no longer hide their existence in front of their opponent, it meant that the assassination had already half failed.


    What follows then relies solely on their respective skills.


    ¡°Face you in direct combat?


    Heh, today I merely intended to observe you, I didn¡¯t expect to encounter a master.


    No wonder that person enlisted my services.¡±


    ¡°I know you are difficult to handle, and even possibly as strong as me, but I won¡¯t give up.


    The stronger you are, the more I want to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Next time we meet, I will certainly kill you with one strike.¡± The voice grew more and more distant and eventually faded away completely.


    Ye Qiu understood that the other party had left, silently withdrawing, causing Ye Qiu to furrow his brows even deeper.


    Although he had retired from the world of assassins for many years now, based on his instinct, this assassin who came to kill him was no ordinary character.


    ¡°Interesting, interesting.


    I haven¡¯t exercised my muscles in so many years, I feel like I¡¯m about to rust.


    It¡¯s rare to have something that excites me this much.¡± Ye Qiu turned around and slowly walked out of the forest, his laughter echoing through the woods until his figure had disappeared.


    A while later, a figure crawled out from behind a tree.


    This man was the concealed assassin.


    In fact, he had not truly left.


    ¡°Who exactly is he?


    Why haven¡¯t I ever heard of such a person in the assassin world!¡± pondered the hidden assassin.


    He had sensed that Ye Qiu was extraordinary, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so cautious.


    He could detect an assassin¡¯s aura on Ye Qiu, though it was faint and subtle¡ªnot something he could have discerned without years of experience.


    All in all, Ye Qiu gave him a very tough impression.


    Taking down this hard nut wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    The assassin¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.


    Encountering an unknown master excited and thrilled him.


    Nothing was more exhilarating than clashing with a strong opponent, a sensation of hovering on the edge of death that very few could make him experience again.


    If anyone knew the Grim Reaper of the assassin realm held such regard, even fear, for a person, many would be astonished.


    What kind of individual could make this lunatic so excited!


    This was a man who had made a name for himself by assassinating other assassins, a lunatic in his own right; anyone he targeted was in for a rough time.


    Yet here was this lunatic, taking the task of killing Ye Qiu as his most coveted goal.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t dwell on the assassin¡¯s matters any longer, knowing that the other would eventually reappear.


    Once he did, Ye Qiu certainly would not let him leave again.


    In fact, not many things could intrigue Ye Qiu these days, but this sudden appearance of a lurking assassin had rekindled the long-dormant blood in his veins.


    He was eagerly awaiting an opponent to help break his shackles and ascend to a new level.


    Ye Qiu strolled by the road, dismissing thoughts of the assassin from his mind, his eyes occasionally glancing at the beautiful women passing by.


    ¡°So many sleepless beauties in such a long night!¡± Watching the beautiful girls coming and going on the street, a unique expression reappeared on Ye Qiu¡¯s face, displaying his carefree demeanor.


    With the moonlight and beautiful women to admire, Ye Qiu felt this life was much more thrilling than life in the great mountains.


    For a moment, his mind wandered to the dull nights of the mountains.


    Just as Ye Qiu was walking, he suddenly paused, then took a few steps back.


    Staring at the face on the other side of the window, Ye Qiu exclaimed, ¡°Shangguan Hong?


    What is she doing here?¡±


    It was then that Ye Qiu noticed, Shangguan Hong was not alone; across from her sat a man who appeared somewhat effeminate, with narrow eyes half-closed, idly swirling his wine glass, looking content.


    In contrast, Shangguan Hong¡¯s expression seemed somewhat impatient, Ye Qiu observed for a while, feeling that she was not very enthusiastic about the man, as if merely putting up with him.


    Thinking this, Ye Qiu¡¯s interest was piqued, knowing that it was rare to see the mature and elegant Shangguan Hong reveal such an aspect in the villa.


    Without delay, Ye Qiu turned and entered the Western restaurant.

 Chapter 20 - 20 He is my boyfriend

    ?20: He is my boyfriend 20: He is my boyfriend The gentle music sprinkled in every corner of the western restaurant, each melodious note sounding so soothing to the ear.


    Yet, even the most melodious music couldn¡¯t change Shangguan Hong¡¯s desire to leave early.


    Sitting opposite Shangguan Hong was the blind date arranged by her family¡ªhis name was Yin Shaoxiong!


    Ever since their first arranged meeting, Shangguan Hong frequently received flowers and gifts from Yin Shaoxiong, his intentions unspoken yet clear.


    However, during their initial encounter, Shangguan Hong had made it clear that she had no feelings for Yin Shaoxiong, thinking that such a straightforward explanation would end things.


    To her surprise, Yin Shaoxiong never gave up and repeatedly called her, trying to ask her out.


    If it weren¡¯t for a call from home, Shangguan Hong would absolutely not have come out today.


    ¡°Shangguan, we¡¯ve known each other for so long now, I think you should understand my feelings for you.


    I, Yin Shaoxiong, have never been so persistent with any woman.


    Why won¡¯t you at least consider it!¡± Yin Shaoxiong spoke earnestly, and after he finished his eyes burned with passion as he anticipated a satisfying response from Shangguan Hong.


    ¡°Indeed, Young Master Yin is not lacking women.


    With your status and identity, if you want any beautiful woman, a mere wave of your hand is enough to have people throwing themselves at you,¡± Shangguan Hong said indifferently, to which Yin Shaoxiong hurriedly explained, ¡°But... I...


    now, the only person I want to marry is you.¡±


    ¡°If another woman were in my place, she might have accepted your proposal by now, but...


    Young Master Yin, I, Shangguan Hong, am not the kind of woman you think I am; we really are not suitable,¡± Shangguan Hong flatly refused.


    ¡°Shangguan, I, Yin Shaoxiong, can assure you that once I have you, I will never fool around outside again; I¡¯ll love only you,¡± Yin Shaoxiong immediately swore, his gaze still as fervent as before.


    Shangguan Hong still shook her head slightly, and Yin Shaoxiong¡¯s expression turned somewhat ugly.


    Changing his tone, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your family at all?¡±


    ¡°You should be aware that your Shangguan family is already facing a crisis.


    If our families were to unite in marriage, with the help of my Yin family, this crisis could be averted.


    If your Shangguan family continues to resist, I fear it won¡¯t hold on for long.


    You surely understand this logic,¡± he said.


    Yin Shaoxiong¡¯s words were clear: if they joined hands, it would benefit both; if not, one side would surely suffer!


    He subtly coerced Shangguan Hong, laying out the dire situation of her family and presenting their union as the only solution to the Shangguan family¡¯s troubles.


    It must be said that Yin Shaoxiong had laid out the pros and cons clearly, aiming to convince Shangguan Hong that a marriage between their two families was a relationship with all benefits and no drawbacks.


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised.


    What Yin Shaoxiong said wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªif the Yin and Shangguan families joined forces, they could definitely resolve the current crisis.


    Even her family seemed to implicitly suggest this, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have arranged for the two to meet for an arranged date.


    Only one thing, Shangguan Hong didn¡¯t like this kind of political marriage.


    A life together based only on powerful connections was not what Shangguan Hong sought.


    Shangguan Hong remained silent, while Yin Shaoxiong was full of confidence.


    He hadn¡¯t given up because he was captivated by Shangguan Hong¡¯s temperament, which other women did not possess, drawing him to her fiercely.


    Moreover, in front of him, Shangguan Hong was like a proud swan, always raising her graceful neck as if unattainable.


    However, the more she was like that, the stronger Yin Shaoxiong¡¯s desire to conquer her grew.


    The harder something is to obtain, the better it is!


    What Yin Shaoxiong was doing now was forcing this proud white swan to lower its head, to conquer it!


    After a long while, Shangguan Hong let out a sharp breath and said seriously, ¡°If this is your bargaining chip, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed, Young Master Yin.


    I won¡¯t marry you.¡±


    What!


    Yin Shaoxiong thought that after his earlier speech, Shangguan Hong would lower her head and acquiesce.


    But now she had given an unexpected answer.


    ¡°Why not?


    Do you not even care about the life or death of your family?


    Shangguan Hong, you need to think carefully.


    Your decision is not just about you personally; it¡¯s also about your family!¡± Yin Shaoxiong appeared somewhat hysterical, his eyes intently fixed on the calm face opposite him.


    ¡°In this world, nothing lasts forever, not even my Shangguan family standing unshaken for a hundred years.


    But who can say for sure about the next hundred years?


    The rise and fall are predestined, and I, a mere woman, cannot stop what is meant to be.


    Perhaps the Shangguan family will be reborn from the ashes after this crisis,¡± Shangguan Hong said indifferently.


    Her words baffled Yin Shaoxiong, who simply couldn¡¯t fathom what was going on in her mind.


    He couldn¡¯t understand why she remained so obstinate and refused to bow her head.


    At that moment, just to the left in front of Shangguan Hong, Ye Qiu was hiding his face behind a magazine, sitting there with his ears pricked up, straining to hear the conversation between the two, until Shangguan Hong¡¯s recent remarks, which slightly changed Ye Qiu¡¯s expression.


    The words surprisingly came from a woman.


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s image in Ye Qiu¡¯s mind was shattered once again.


    These insights didn¡¯t seem to come from a woman but rather from a hero, full of the true grit of a man.


    ¡°You...


    really are heartless.


    I don¡¯t believe it.


    If you don¡¯t give me a valid reason, I, Yin Shaoxiong, will not give up,¡± Yin Shaoxiong said, tired of hearing these pretentious excuses.


    He demanded a satisfactory reason from Shangguan Hong.


    Yin Shaoxiong was no longer as calm as he was at the beginning, even losing the gentle demeanor of a gentleman.


    He looked quite enraged and didn¡¯t believe a word of Shangguan Hong¡¯s seemingly righteous speech.


    ¡°Why must you press me so, Young Master Yin?¡± Shangguan Hong didn¡¯t want to offend Yin Shaoxiong too deeply, as it would only worsen the Shangguan family¡¯s situation if the Yin family started causing trouble as well.


    ¡°Shangguan Hong, we who are born into noble families will sooner or later serve our families, and none of us can escape.


    If you really want me to give up, then give me a reason to lose hope.


    Don¡¯t offer those trivial excuses,¡± Yin Shaoxiong insisted.


    ¡°Actually...¡± Shangguan Hong¡¯s eyes showed a trace of panic; she hadn¡¯t expected Yin Shaoxiong to corner her like this.


    Yin Shaoxiong was waiting for a real reason from Shangguan Hong.


    ¡°Actually...


    I...


    have a boyfriend!¡±


    Shangguan Hong declared dramatically.


    At these words, even Ye Qiu, who was eavesdropping from the side, was shocked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she single?


    How does she have a boyfriend now?¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡± Yin Shaoxiong¡¯s eyes immediately widened, wanting to know to whom he had lost.


    ¡°He...


    it¡¯s him!¡± After saying this, Shangguan Hong pointed her finger, and suddenly Ye Qiu felt the gaze of two pairs of eyes upon him.


    Ye Qiu put down the magazine that was covering his face and saw Yin Shaoxiong looking at him with a strong hostility in his eyes.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, why did you just get here?


    Didn¡¯t you see me?¡± Shangguan Hong got up from her chair and promptly ran over, latching onto Ye Qiu¡¯s arm and gently leaning into him.


    ¡°He is my boyfriend,¡± Shangguan Hong pointed at Ye Qiu and said.


    What¡¯s going on!


    Ye Qiu was baffled by Shangguan Hong¡¯s antics, feeling the warmth from her body against his shoulder, as well as the faint scent of her perfume, which sent his heart fluttering.


    Soon, Ye Qiu understood why Shangguan Hong was being so affectionate, sensing the hateful glare from Yin Shaoxiong, fierce as a starving wolf.


    He knew he had been used as a shield, and this guy must now despise him.


    There was a pleading look in Shangguan Hong¡¯s eyes, obviously wanting him to pretend to be her boyfriend and put on a show for Yin Shaoxiong.


    ¡°You...


    are good.


    We will definitely meet again,¡± Yin Shaoxiong stepped closer to Ye Qiu, examining his face as if to memorize it, then turned and walked out of the cafe?.


    Watching Yin Shaoxiong¡¯s cold demeanor as he left, Ye Qiu revealed a wry smile, feeling like he had just waded into muddy waters.


    Exhaling lightly, Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders, thinking it seemed he¡¯d have one more enemy.


    But he didn¡¯t mind too much; after all, having many enemies wasn¡¯t overwhelming for him!

 Chapter 21 - 21 0021 Provocation

    ?21: 0021 Provocation 21: 0021 Provocation ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s voice came from behind.


    She looked at Ye Qiu apologetically; she had used him as a shield without his permission to fend off Yin Shaoxiong¡¯s advances.


    Shangguan Hong believed her behavior was indeed over the top.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t pursue the matter, giving Shangguan Hong a smile without showing any blame.


    ¡°You heard my conversation with him just now, didn¡¯t you?¡± Shangguan Hong continued.


    ¡°Only part of it.¡± Ye Qiu didn¡¯t hide anything and stated the truth.


    ¡°Ah...¡± Upon hearing this, Shangguan Hong sighed, ¡°As you¡¯ve seen, this person wants to marry me.


    A union between our two families would be a win-win situation, but...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to sacrifice your happiness to resolve a familial crisis.¡± Ye Qiu finished Shangguan Hong¡¯s sentence for her.


    Shangguan Hong looked at Ye Qiu in surprise, suddenly feeling that this fellow really understood her.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I admit my family has been good to me.


    When the family is in trouble, as a member, I should contribute my strength, but if it means exchanging my life for the family¡¯s safety, I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Do descendants of large families have no say over their own future?


    Must they live only for the family?


    I just want to be an ordinary woman, why is such a simple life so hard to achieve?¡±


    ¡°To marry someone I don¡¯t love at all¡ªwhat meaning would there be in living then?¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu, do you understand what I¡¯m saying?


    Am I being very selfish?¡± After pouring out her thoughts, Shangguan Hong looked earnestly at Ye Qiu when she finished her last sentence.


    ¡°Human nature is selfish, and you¡¯re simply pursuing the life you desire in your heart, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.


    What¡¯s wrong is you...¡±


    ¡°I was born into the wrong family...¡± Shangguan Hong¡¯s face turned wistful.


    ¡°People like us from such families may seem pampered, but in reality, every one of us has to give our all for the sake of our family¡¯s prosperity.¡±


    Ye Qiu was silent.


    Although he was not aware of the specifics of Shangguan Hong¡¯s family, he could tell from her words that her life seemed carefree, but in truth, there were many things she couldn¡¯t control, known only to herself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk back.¡± Shangguan Hong suddenly raised her face and said to Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu nodded.


    The two shadows strolled along the sidewalk, with Ye Qiu handing his coat over to Shangguan Hong, bringing her a trace of warmth in the night air.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shangguan Hong¡¯s face showed a slight movement, and she sincerely thanked him.


    The sound of Shangguan Hong¡¯s heels clicking against the stones on the ground went ¡°tap tap tap¡± as Ye Qiu accompanied her, side by side, and the two chatted a great deal along the way.


    In their conversation, Shangguan Hong gradually realized that chatting with Ye Qiu was very enjoyable.


    He was different from other bodyguards; he wasn¡¯t rigid.


    This guy could be humorous at times, occasionally making teasing remarks or telling a few risque? jokes.


    Unknowingly, they arrived at the goddess¡¯ villa.


    On this journey, Shangguan Hong¡¯s impression of Ye Qiu had changed significantly.


    Coupled with Ye Qiu having fended off the persistent Yin Shaoxiong for her, their relationship wasn¡¯t as silent and lacking in conversation as it had been at the start.


    Seeing Ye Qiu and Shangguan Hong enter the villa together, Shen Mengchen and Niu Yinyin both looked over in unison.


    ¡°Sister Shangguan, how come you two came back together?¡± Niu Yinyin asked, quite astonished to see them.


    Shen Mengchen also had a face full of suspicion, her eyes sweeping back and forth between the two.


    ¡°Oh, we just happened to meet, so we came back together,¡± Shangguan Hong explained with a smile.


    Niu Yinyin, with her simple thoughts, acknowledged with an ¡°Oh¡± and no longer dwelled on the subject, while Shen Mengchen felt there was something amiss between the two, especially since Ye Qiu seemed to have been involved in some situation when he had left, yet he returned with Shangguan Hong.


    Although she really wanted to know whether their meeting was coincidental or staged, Shen Mengchen didn¡¯t press further, just shooting a narrowing-eyed look at Ye Qiu.


    Shangguan Hong went straight upstairs to sleep, and feeling the almost murderous gaze from Shen Mengchen, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t dare to stay downstairs to watch TV and quickly retreated to his own room.


    The next day, everything was as usual.


    Ye Qiu made breakfast, and after the three women ate, they each went about their busy day.


    Ye Qiu arrived at the campus with Shen Meng alongside, and the entrance was bustling.


    A row of tables lined both sides just inside the campus gate, with various flags hanging in front of the tables.


    ¡°Is this...


    a welcome ceremony for the new students?¡± It was Ye Qiu¡¯s first time seeing such a scene, and he found it quite interesting.


    ¡°Clubs are recruiting new members; you¡¯ve never seen this, have you?¡± Seeing Ye Qiu with the curious look of a country farmer entering the city, Shen Meng immediately teased him.


    Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders, oblivious to the offense Shen Mengchen had taken, and scanned the room with eyes shining.


    Shen Mengchen snorted coldly; that lecherous look couldn¡¯t escape her notice.


    Pervert, pervert, big pervert!


    Shen Mengchen repeated to herself three times in her heart.


    Ever since that day she was taken advantage of by Ye Qiu, she had branded him a pervert.


    Ye Qiu was scanning for beauty within the crowd, but Shen Mengchen¡¯s arrival drew the attention of other boys, especially those from male-dominated clubs.


    They swarmed around her, hoping she would join their club.


    Shen Mengchen, the campus belle, had not joined any clubs since entering the school.


    Once she joined any club, that club¡¯s membership would surely skyrocket.


    Not a single club leader failed to see the advantage in this, so the moment they saw Shen Mengchen, they didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to recruit her.


    ¡°Join our basketball club!


    Here, we can sweat it out and chase after our youth together.


    It¡¯s such an unforgettable experience!¡±


    ¡°Come join the calligraphy society!


    It¡¯s said that the style is the man.


    Practicing calligraphy is like training oneself, and a well-written piece can win a beautiful life.¡±


    ¡°Taekwondo club is recruiting!


    Want to protect your beloved girl?


    Join our Taekwondo club.


    Once you¡¯re a member, you won¡¯t fear losing in a fight or worry about others getting rough with you again.¡±


    Various clubs¡¯ slogans rang out one after another, drawing the attention of many.


    Of course, the most eye-catching was the Taekwondo club, attracting not only a host of boys but also some girls.


    The reason for drawing so many girls was simple: the president of the Taekwondo club was too handsome!


    Ma Tao, serving as the president of the Taekwondo club for three years, was not only tall and broad but also very handsome.


    At Zhongshan University, some students even called him a campus idol.


    He was quite admired by many female students.


    Ma Tao smiled at the freshman girls in front of him.


    Though he enjoyed the sensation of being pursued by girls, he was already used to it and found it hard to be interested in ordinary girls.


    That was until Shen Mengchen appeared.


    Ma Tao¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately leapt over the table in front of him and jumped in front of Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°Mengchen, have you considered our Taekwondo club?¡± Ma Tao flashed what he believed to be his most sunny smile.


    Shen Mengchen looked at the Ma Tao before her, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, feeling some distaste for such familiarity.


    Did he really think that just because he had a handsome face, he could win the affections of all girls?


    In fact, Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t stand people like that, flaunting whatever little assets they had.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in Taekwondo, and if you¡¯re looking for new members, you could ask him.¡± Shen Mengchen pointed behind her, directing the attention to Ye Qiu.


    Ma Tao was taken aback by Shen Mengchen, and he glanced at Ye Qiu subconsciously, wondering what use a guy like him would be to his club.


    ¡°Mengchen, it¡¯s not about needing people.


    Think about it, by joining our Taekwondo club, you can learn a lot of skills.


    Do you really want to remain an unarmed and defenseless girl?¡± Ma Tao poured effort into his persuasion, making it difficult for one to counter.


    However, Shen Mengchen shook her head, leaving Ma Tao disappointed.


    She laughed indifferently.


    ¡°Heh, if I wanted to learn, why would I have to join your Taekwondo club?


    This guy is very skilled.


    Wouldn¡¯t it be simpler for me to learn from him?¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Ma Tao looked at Ye Qiu, wondering if Shen Mengchen had pointed to the wrong person.


    ¡°Yes, him.


    How about this?


    If you can beat him, I¡¯ll join your club.¡± Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes twinkled, and a sly smile crossed her face; she was clearly looking to make trouble for Ye Qiu.


    Hearing her words, Ma Tao¡¯s gaze immediately shifted to Ye Qiu.


    Looking up at the taller Ma Tao, Ye Qiu rubbed his chin, realizing Shen Mengchen was trying to cause him trouble.


    Glancing at Ma Tao, he asked, ¡°You want to fight me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I challenge you.


    Do you dare accept?¡± Ma Tao¡¯s voice was loud, instantly drawing the attention of the majority.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a man, have a go with me.¡±


    ¡°Do we really need to fight?¡± Ye Qiu said calmly.


    By now, quite a crowd had gathered around, speculating on whether Ye Qiu would dare to accept.


    ¡°Do you dare accept the challenge?¡±


    ¡°Heh, since you¡¯ve asked for it, I wouldn¡¯t be much of a man if I didn¡¯t accept!¡±


    ¡°Good!


    Let¡¯s see how you fare.¡± Ye Qiu rubbed his hands and narrowed his eyes.


    Faced with someone like Ma Tao, who was asking for a beating, he decided to indulge this peculiar request.

 Chapter 22 - 22 0022 National Art!!!

    ?22: 0022 National Art!!!


    22: 0022 National Art!!!


    Ma Tao was about to fight someone!


    The news spread quickly across the campus, and many people rushed over just to catch a glimpse of the person daring to face off against the Taekwondo club president, Ma Tao.


    Over the years, the Taekwondo club had developed rapidly, producing several well-known members who had participated in professional Taekwondo competitions and even won awards, including Ma Tao himself.


    Blue belt ninth dan!


    Taekwondo is divided into nine ranks, each further divided into nine dans, where a blue belt signifies mastery of offensive techniques.


    Above this are the blue-red belt, red belt, and the highest level, the black belt.


    Ma Tao had been practicing Taekwondo since he was young.


    After entering university, he joined the Taekwondo club and, using his personal strength and the awards he had won, he became the president within a year, attracting much attention.


    Hearing that the Taekwondo club president was going to showcase his skills, many were interested.


    More and more students gathered, forming a circle.


    Ma Tao¡¯s face displayed a hint of a proud smile as he thought about how he should knock Ye Qiu down with one strike and win the surrounding girls¡¯ screams.


    On a normal day, Ma Tao would hardly have such an opportunity to show off himself.


    Especially today, in front of everyone, with the campus beauty Shen Mengchen here, he had to demonstrate his prowess or else it would be a disservice to himself.


    Girls were already shouting Ma Tao¡¯s name, cheering him on early.


    Ma Tao was thrilled; the more, the better.


    Let more people recognize his strength, elevate the club¡¯s reputation, and enhance his own charm.


    This was an excellent opportunity, hard to come by again!


    Ye Qiu¡¯s carefree demeanor, always following Shen Mengchen around like a tail, had long irked him.


    Today, having the chance to make a move, he definitely wouldn¡¯t miss it.


    Even the surrounding boys, seeing Ye Qiu was about to duel Ma Tao, started clapping their hands in delight, eager to see Ma Tao knock him down.


    It was clear Ye Qiu was not well-liked by some of the boys.


    Ye Qiu flashed a faint smile, ignoring the cold laughs and disparaging comments from the people around him.


    ¡°Is everyone here yet?


    Can we start now?¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes suddenly darted to Ma Tao.


    Ma Tao was momentarily startled, ¡°How does he know I was intentionally waiting for more students to gather?¡±


    Ye Qiu could easily guess Ma Tao¡¯s thought.


    The opponent just wanted to humiliate him in front of more people, especially in front of Shen Mengchen.


    If he severely thrashed him, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to state that Ma Tao was much stronger than Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Heh, since you¡¯ve guessed my thoughts, do you still want to fight me?¡± Ma Tao spoke confidently.


    He had never thought he would lose to Ye Qiu, as such a thing seemed like a sheer fantasy to him.


    ¡°Ma Tao, take that guy down.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve found him annoying for a long time, make him look like a pig.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, best to beat him so badly even his mother doesn¡¯t recognize him.¡±


    Some male students made cold remarks on the side, simply because they were annoyed by Ye Qiu following Shen Mengchen, and Shen Mengchen not rejecting him.


    To many students, Ye Qiu had unwittingly offended quite a few male students.


    The school gate was now packed with students; Ye Qiu and Ma Tao were finally going to face off.


    ¡°Ye Qiu...¡±


    A beautiful figure stood among the crowd, her clear, spiritual energy-focused eyes all gathered on one person.


    Chu Yao was also there.


    She wasn¡¯t initially interested in whom Ma Tao was going to strike, until she passed by and saw Ye Qiu, then she turned back and squeezed into the crowd.


    Chu Yao had some understanding of Ma Tao, as she had seen his performance on stage, which was quite impressive, overpowering two or three people in mere moments.


    She couldn¡¯t help but look concerned for Ye Qiu, murmuring, ¡°Ye Qiu, are you doing this because of Shen Mengchen again?¡±


    A touch of sadness flickered through Chu Yao¡¯s eyes, wishing that one day, Ye Qiu would stand up for her in the same way.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s about time now, remember, today you¡¯re defeated by someone named Ma Tao.¡±


    ¡°That name will follow you for the rest of your life.¡±


    Ma Tao pressed down on his legs, rubbed his fists, twisted his neck a couple of times, and spoke unabashedly to Ye Qiu.


    His words were exceedingly arrogant, clearly not taking Ye Qiu seriously at all.


    Ye Qiu, too lazy to respond to this overly confident guy, just shot him a challenging look.


    Ma Tao scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re asking for it!¡±


    Whoosh!


    Ma Tao charged in an instant, suddenly performing a large split, and then kicked out.


    Whoosh whoosh...


    This kick, whistling through the air, Ma Tao¡¯s speed was indeed very fast, and his leg swept down through the air as a white blur.


    However, to Ma Tao¡¯s surprise, when he kicked down, he felt as though he had missed his target.


    Indeed, he didn¡¯t hit Ye Qiu, his kick swept through empty air, and he almost stumbled.


    ¡°He actually dodged it?¡± Ma Tao was inwardly astonished as he watched Ye Qiu, then suspicion crept in, and he thought, ¡°This guy didn¡¯t even seem to move, how could I have missed?¡±


    Unable to understand why his first kick had failed, Ma Tao struck out again with a second kick.


    He simply attributed Ye Qiu not being kicked away to Ye Qiu¡¯s good luck.


    This time, he was certain of his angle, believing that Ye Qiu could not possibly be lucky enough to dodge again, so when this kick flew out, his face was already sporting a cold smirk, awaiting the miserable scene of Ye Qiu being kicked away.


    Ye Qiu still stood there, like a pole, eyes tightly fixed on him.


    ¡°Hmph, let¡¯s see if you can dodge it by luck again.¡±


    Ma Tao threw a high kick, the speed of which shocked the surrounding female students into a frenzy of screams and excitement.


    Many of the girls couldn¡¯t help shouting as they watched the handsome Ma Tao kicking, wishing they could hug and wildly kiss Ma Tao at that moment.


    ¡°This guy has some good moves!¡± Shen Mengchen also witnessed this scene and expressed slight surprise, especially with regard to Ma Tao¡¯s tall figure, which was surprisingly agile.


    No wonder this guy could become the club president; just this agile movement provided enough merit.


    The agility and speed of Ma Tao¡¯s flying kick won a lot of applause, and everyone widened their eyes, waiting to see Ye Qiu being kicked flying into the air.


    ¡°This guy is definitely done for now.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to kick the shit out of him, right?


    I think I¡¯d better stay back,¡± said one, who actually retreated a few steps, fearing he¡¯d be splashed.


    Just as everyone eagerly awaited, Ma Tao¡¯s foot kicked out, and the result...


    Ma Tao stumbled, suddenly flashing forward, nearly falling down.


    Ma Tao abruptly turned back to look at Ye Qiu, his eyes filled with shock: ¡°How could I not have hit him!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t believe that Ye Qiu could dodge his kick.


    Although it looked simple, it was actually the special move that had decided a victory and earned him an award in the past.


    Yet, this kick aimed at Ye Qiu had missed twice.


    Such an outcome naturally shocked him.


    Ye Qiu gestured with his fingers for Ma Tao to continue.


    Immediately, Ma Tao¡¯s spirits surged, his face flushed with anger, and he shouted as he charged again.


    This time, he learned his lesson and didn¡¯t kick but instead swung his fists.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Ma Tao threw his fists in succession, and Ye Qiu, with a smile on his face, still didn¡¯t move.


    This time Ma Tao clearly saw Ye Qiu¡¯s slight movement, because just as his fist was about to touch Ye Qiu, the latter suddenly moved slightly, shifting just enough distance to make his attack miss and waste his effort.


    ¡°You...


    if you have any ability, don¡¯t dodge!¡± Ma Tao shouted loudly.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes flashed, he lightly said, ¡°As you wish, I won¡¯t dodge.¡±


    Seeing that Ye Qiu really had no intention of dodging, Ma Tao sneered, thinking Ye Qiu was foolishly overconfident, and once Ye Qiu tasted his fist, he would surely regret it.


    Swish!


    This time Ye Qiu didn¡¯t stay still, he suddenly reached out one hand, which turned from an open palm to a fist, tilted his body, and promptly landed a punch on Ma Tao¡¯s shoulder.


    Before Ma Tao¡¯s fist could even reach him, Ye Qiu¡¯s punch had sent Ma Tao flying more than three meters away, instantly falling to the ground, struggling to stand up but without success.


    The many students watching were stunned by this scene and involuntarily rubbed their eyes.


    Why was it Ma Tao who was sent flying!


    It was supposed to be Ye Qiu who was easy to beat!


    At that moment, everyone¡¯s gaze once again focused on Ye Qiu, their minds filled with doubts, wondering how this guy¡¯s skills could be even better than Taekwondo!

 Chapter 23 - 23 0023 becomes a hot cake

    ?23: 0023 becomes a hot cake 23: 0023 becomes a hot cake (Cough cough...


    I¡¯ve changed the contract status, so you can tip me now, dear readers!


    Recommendation tickets are also welcome!)


    So fast!


    From the moment Ma Tao made his move to Ye Qiu sending Ma Tao flying with a blink of an eye, it was only a dozen or so breaths.


    Is it over just like that?


    Everyone was stunned by Ye Qiu¡¯s strength.


    They had thought Ma Tao would beautifully send Ye Qiu flying, but the style changed so quickly that it was Ma Tao who got sent flying instead!


    The outcome left people unable to react for a moment.


    ¡°Am I seeing things?¡± The surrounding students looked at each other, still unable to believe that the person who fell was Ma Tao.


    The president of the Taekwondo club!


    He could be said to be the most powerful person in the Taekwondo club, yet he got KO¡¯d in just a few moves.


    It seemed unbelievable.


    Ma Tao lay on the ground, his face conveying the pain that made it impossible for him to stand up, on full display before all the students of the school.


    The taste of humiliation in Ma Tao¡¯s heart was extremely uncomfortable.


    He had intended to use beating Ye Qiu to showcase himself, but the result was quite the opposite, with the embarrassment falling on him instead.


    Ma Tao was both angry and furious at that moment.


    ¡°I...¡± Ma Tao¡¯s eyes glared deathly at Ye Qiu, filled with a look of hatred.


    It was this person in front of him that had made him lose face in front of the whole school; how could he still stand in the Taekwondo club after this!


    It could be said that Ma Tao lost both his dignity and his standing; showing off didn¡¯t work and instead, he got KO¡¯d!


    The contrast in this turn of events made his hatred for Ye Qiu grow exponentially.


    ¡°Wow!


    So handsome!¡±


    At this moment, in the crowd, a girl looking at Ye Qiu had stars in her eyes and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.


    ¡°What club is he from, to be so skilled?


    My god, I want to join the club he¡¯s in.¡±


    Ma Tao¡¯s defeat had made Ye Qiu a hero, substantially altering his image in the eyes of everyone.


    Suddenly, some girls found Ye Qiu very handsome; even if his clothes were outdated and his stubble unkempt, the inherent aura hidden within and that indifferent gaze were simply too captivating!


    When Ma Tao saw this scene, witnessing the little school sisters who had supported and encouraged him instantly become fans of Ye Qiu, his emotions were more complex than if a bottle of mixed flavors had been spilled, grinding his teeth in rage.


    ¡°Boss, we...¡± One of the Taekwondo club members helped Ma Tao up, not knowing what comforting words to say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak...¡± Ma Tao clutched his shoulder, gave it a rub, pain shooting through him.


    He shot a fierce glance at Ye Qiu and left a harsh remark: ¡°Let¡¯s go; I will reclaim this place sooner or later.¡±


    The Taekwondo club members left in dejection due to Ma Tao¡¯s defeat, even taking the table with them.


    It was clear they had no face to stay there any longer.


    With even the president defeated, what face did they have to continue recruiting new members?


    It would only be more embarrassing.


    Watching Ye Qiu suddenly surrounded by many girls, Shen Mengchen pouted and huffed, silently cursing at Ma Tao¡¯s lack of fight.


    ¡°It¡¯s good nothing happened.¡± Standing at the back of the crowd, Chu Yao saw this scene and sighed in relief.


    The worry in her heart dissipated, and a smile crept onto her face as she watched Ye Qiu surrounded.


    Ye Qiu being surrounded by numerous girls, the feeling was fantastic.


    Er...


    there¡¯s no need to get that close, right?


    Ye Qiu could feel the girls¡¯ enthusiasm as they spoke to him, their chests almost pressing against him, and with so many people around, some girls¡¯ chests brushed against his arms from time to time.


    The soft feeling was admittedly enjoyable, but it shouldn¡¯t happen so repeatedly!


    This was too outrageous!


    This was outright taking advantage!


    ¡°Er, well...


    don¡¯t push,¡± Ye Qiu protested.


    ¡°Handsome guy, you¡¯re so awesome.


    What club did you join?¡± One of the girls pushed to the front and asked.


    ¡°Clubs?


    I haven¡¯t joined any clubs,¡± Ye Qiu replied.


    ¡°Really?


    Then would you like to join our Fitness Club?¡± the girl asked eagerly.


    ¡°Join our club.


    Although our club is all girls, we¡¯re just missing a strong guy like you.


    With you here, nobody would dare to bully our club,¡± another girl said unabashedly.


    ¡°This...¡± Seeing the presidents of various clubs rolling up their sleeves and stepping up in person, some of the club members were taken aback.


    At this moment, Ye Qiu had become a hot commodity.


    With someone as formidable as Ye Qiu on their side, no club would be bullied, and his presence would also boost their popularity.


    This was the reason some far-sighted presidents lowered their airs to actively recruit Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Let me think about it.¡± Faced with invitations from so many girls, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t directly refuse but left the door open.


    He was somewhat tempted, especially when he heard that a club had many girls, and particularly beautiful ones.


    Ye Qiu stroked his chin, considering them as the main candidates.


    The girls from the city were enthusiastic, not like those nuns living in the mountains, eating vegetarian meals all day and looking at him with stern faces.


    Ye Qiu was kicking himself for not coming down from the mountain sooner.


    Why had he spent those miserable days on the mountain where not a single beautiful girl was in sight?


    ¡°Big shot, why don¡¯t you start a club?


    I¡¯ll definitely join, how about that?¡± Ye Qiu heard a naive voice.


    He turned his head and saw a chubby guy.


    The guy¡¯s face was covered in acne, sweating, and he spoke earnestly.


    ¡°Start a club?¡± Ye Qiu blinked.


    Although the chubby guy wasn¡¯t appealing, what he suggested seemed like a good idea.


    But Ye Qiu had no clue about how to run a club.


    And Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t interested in guys; he was more interested in beauties.


    The chubby guy¡¯s proposal was quickly drowned out by the voices of the other girls.


    Despite his size, he was squeezed out of the crowd.


    Given today¡¯s situation, Ye Qiu felt that if he didn¡¯t join a club, he might have trouble extricating himself from this siege by the girls.


    He cleared his throat, signaling for silence, and when the girls surrounding him abruptly stopped talking, Ye Qiu said, ¡°Ladies, I will consider your kind invitations.


    But there are too many of you, and too many clubs.


    How about this ¨C each of you leave me a contact number, and if I make up my mind, I will call one of you.


    Is that okay?¡±


    Hearing what Ye Qiu said, the crowd felt it was not good to keep pushing him, so they each wrote down their phone number and stuffed it into Ye Qiu¡¯s pocket.


    Ye Qiu had a smile on his face, his eyes quickly scanning to see which girl was beautiful.


    The phone numbers of the beauties all went into a certain pocket.


    As for the ones he excluded, the clubs of the not-so-beautiful girls, well, they were definitely not to be considered!


    After leaving their phone numbers, the crowd gradually dispersed and Ye Qiu felt much more at ease.


    ¡°Huh?


    Where¡¯s Shen Mengchen?¡± Ye Qiu scanned the area and suddenly realized that Shen Mengchen was nowhere to be seen.


    However, Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t too worried ¨C after all, this was the campus, and Shen Mengchen should be fine.


    When he returned to class, many looked at him, all showing a friendly smile, a stark contrast to the treatment before.


    His gaze swept the room and landed on Shen Mengchen, who was leaning on her desk, pen in hand, jotting something down.


    She glanced at Ye Qiu and quickly averted her eyes, too lazy to bother with him.


    Ye Qiu chuckled sheepishly and got ready to return to his seat.


    But then he casually glanced at the paper Shen Mengchen was writing on.


    On it was a drawing of a turtle.


    It was quite a funny drawing!


    Ye Qiu smiled, finding the girl intriguing and her interest in turtle drawings amusing!


    ¡°Damn Ye Qiu!


    Stinky Ye Qiu, Turtle Ye Qiu!¡±


    While Shen Mengchen was drawing the turtle, she repeated the phrases to herself in her mind.

 Chapter 24 - 24 0024 The Beautiful Female Presidents Invitation

    ?24: 0024 The Beautiful Female President¡¯s Invitation 24: 0024 The Beautiful Female President¡¯s Invitation So many phone numbers!


    Ye Qiu sat on a stool, flipping out little sticky notes he had stuffed in his pockets, each bearing the name of a society along with a contact number.


    He picked one up at random and sniffed it near his nose, still detecting a faint scent of perfume.


    Well, a girl who uses this kind of perfume won¡¯t be bad-looking, something to consider.


    Having nothing better to do, Ye Qiu began to sort out the phone numbers, selecting the societies that interested him.


    ...


    The morning¡¯s classes quietly came and went, and after lunch in the cafeteria with Shen Mengchen, Ye Qiu trailed behind her, strolling aimlessly when a girl wearing glasses proactively stopped him.


    ¡°Hello, are you Ye Qiu?¡± the girl stood in front of him and asked politely.


    ¡°You looking for me?¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze lifted slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, our president would like to invite you over, do you have time?¡±


    ¡°The president?¡± Ye Qiu scratched his head.


    He had met too many presidents today; hadn¡¯t they all left their phone numbers?


    ¡°Hehe, follow me and you¡¯ll find out.¡±


    Ye Qiu pondered for a moment, it was midday and he had nothing else to do, so he decided to see what important matter the other person had.


    ¡°Alright, lead the way.¡± Ye Qiu stretched out a hand and made a welcoming gesture, the girl found Ye Qiu amusing and laughed as she led him toward the campus teaching building.


    Five minutes later, Ye Qiu was brought to the second floor.


    Looking at the sign hanging over the doorway, inscribed with the words ¡°martial arts,¡± Ye Qiu felt a stir of familiarity within him; he had already guessed what the other party intended to do.


    He pushed the door open to find, not a small classroom, but a large one, easily a hundred square meters.


    The leading girl entered the classroom and whispered something to an athletic looking girl dressed in martial arts attire.


    After hearing the message, the martial arts dressed girl shot her gaze onto Ye Qiu.¡±


    ¡°What a spirited and valiant woman!¡±


    Ye Qiu gave a silent appraisal; the girl¡¯s hair wasn¡¯t particularly long, tied into a ponytail, her eyes bright and lively, her whole presence exuded a compelling heroism.


    ¡°Hello, I am Lan Bing, the president of the martial arts society,¡± Lan Bing approached with a quick scrutinizing look at Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Oh?


    What¡¯s up, beautiful?


    What do you need me for?¡± Ye Qiu asked with a smile.


    Although the girl before him had an extraordinary bearing, her attitude was decent, not coming off as arrogant, so his own demeanor was pleasant as well.


    ¡°Hehe, since you are so straightforward, Mr.


    Ye, I won¡¯t beat around the bush.


    I invited you here today because I want to ask you to join our martial arts society.¡±


    ¡°Join your martial arts society?¡± Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t surprised, as he had anticipated this.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, considering your strength, I believe our society is the best choice for you.


    Here we can spar and exchange insights, far better than joining any other society.


    For someone like us, who practices martial arts, what could be more enjoyable than being with like-minded individuals?¡± Lan Bing¡¯s words carried a boldness not often heard from a woman.


    Ye Qiu could tell that Lan Bing did have some martial arts grounding.


    Even though she was a woman, he noticed that every step she took as she approached him, though seemingly ordinary, actually carried the shadow of martial arts in them.


    Moreover, Lan Bing¡¯s palms were not like those of other girls¡ªdelicate and petite; hers were like a man¡¯s, not bulky but strong and firm.


    From what Ye Qiu could glimpse in passing, Lan Bing¡¯s hands bore thick calluses.


    Such calluses only form on the hands of those who train frequently.


    Actually, Lan Bing hadn¡¯t seen Ye Qiu¡¯s strength for herself, and she had only just heard of his exploits.


    After all, the feat of Ye Qiu sending the Taekwondo society¡¯s president flying with a single palm-strike was key in attracting Lan Bing¡¯s interest.


    Thus, as soon as she heard that there was such an expert in the campus, she instantly couldn¡¯t resist wanting to recruit him into the society.


    Ye Qiu was silent for a while, not answering immediately, and after a long moment finally said, ¡°Although I know a bit of martial arts, I¡¯m really not interested in joining any societies, thank you for the invitation.¡±


    Ye Qiu declined.


    Although the president Lan Bing was a beautiful woman, he didn¡¯t really want to join the martial arts society.


    With his strength, frankly speaking, no martial arts society could spark his interest.


    As for the sparring and improving skills Lan Bing mentioned, in Ye Qiu¡¯s view, it was nothing but a joke; if he wanted to further his skills, it would be impossible to find anyone within the campus to spar with, let alone talk about improving his strength.


    Seeing Ye Qiu decline, with an evident lack of interest, Lan Bing was stunned.


    This guy was actually rejecting; could it be that he wasn¡¯t interested in martial arts?


    ¡°Ye, you might want to think it over.


    Our martial arts club might not be what you imagine,¡± Lan Bing didn¡¯t want to give up and tried to persuade him.


    Ye Qiu still shook his head.


    Though he practiced martial arts, he¡¯d only join a society he was interested in, and preferably one with many beauties.


    This so-called martial arts club, aside from the club president before him being a beauty, was filled with members who were either masculine tomboys resembling dinosaurs or robust pure men.


    Where was the appeal in that?


    How could such attraction hold onto Ye Qiu?


    He was now a hot commodity, after all, so he needed to be selective!


    Lan Bing really couldn¡¯t figure out what the man before her was thinking.


    With his skills, wasn¡¯t joining the martial arts club the best option?


    Or was he really not interested?


    ¡°Club President, the reason this guy could defeat Ma Tao today might just be a fluke.


    Since he doesn¡¯t want to join, let¡¯s not twist his arm,¡± came a voice from a male club member standing at the back, his words tinged with sarcasm toward Ye Qiu.


    Liu Hu, who could be considered an elder in the martial arts club and joined the same semester as Lan Bing, stepped forward.


    Firstly, because he took an instant dislike to Ye Qiu, and secondly because it bothered him to see the woman he liked pleading with another man to join their club¡ªespecially when that man was repeatedly refusing.


    ¡°Liu Hu, shut up,¡± Lan Bing glared at Liu Hu and turned back to Ye Qiu with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t mind his nonsense.


    Ye, I hope you¡¯ll seriously consider it.¡±


    Liu Hu stood behind, coldly observing Ye Qiu.


    Following Lan Bing¡¯s reprimand, he indeed remained silent.


    Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders and said, ¡°Since the beauty has spoken, how about I go back and think it over?¡±


    ¡°Good, the doors to the martial arts club are always open for you,¡± Lan Bing said.


    She could tell that Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t very interested, but she still held a sliver of hope.


    After all, having someone with Ye Qiu¡¯s talent join would only benefit the martial arts club.


    After leaving the martial arts club, Liu Hu stood there, a gleam in his eyes.


    He was very eager to test his strength against Ye Qiu, to show Lan Bing that such a person was not worth her effort to invite.


    ¡°Indeed, a warrior!¡± Observing Ye Qiu¡¯s retreating figure, Lan Bing seemed to perceive something, thoughts swirling in her deep brown eyes.


    ...


    Having left the martial arts club, Ye Qiu encountered Chu Yao on his way back.


    Upon seeing Ye Qiu, a blush immediately rose on the young girl¡¯s face.


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a coincidence.¡±


    They both remarked.


    Feeling quite positive about this girl with eyes full of Spiritual Energy, Ye Qiu took the initiative, ¡°Shall we walk together?¡±


    Chu Yao uttered a soft affirmation and sneakily glanced at Ye Qiu.


    The two walked through the campus, soon falling into silence.


    Just as Ye Qiu was feeling a bit awkward and about to strike up a conversation, Chu Yao beat him to it.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, that day, the police were investigating the mysterious body case at the school gate, and they questioned me.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s interest piqued, while the image of the policewoman Lin Qiao¡¯er, who had also brought him in for questioning, popped into his mind.


    ¡°Oh, what did you say?¡± Ye Qiu feigned surprise.


    Seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s astonished look, Chu Yao, thinking he had misunderstood, hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, I didn¡¯t mention that day you went into the woods to save me; the police know nothing about it.¡±


    Chu Yao looked at Ye Qiu earnestly, and concurrently, Ye Qiu was momentarily taken aback.


    She hadn¡¯t exposed him at all, but then... how did Lin Qiao¡¯er come to know he had been in the woods?


    Ye Qiu was puzzled.


    Chu Yao¡¯s demeanor didn¡¯t seem deceitful, ¡°Could it be...¡±


    He suddenly thought that perhaps someone had seen him in the woods next to the campus that day and had spoken about him.


    Of course, the possibility that someone intentionally slandered him wasn¡¯t ruled out either.


    ¡°Which could it be?¡± Ye Qiu stroked his chin, displaying a contemplative expression.

 Chapter 25 - 25 0025 sympathize with each other because of similar misfortunes

    ?25: 0025 sympathize with each other because of similar misfortunes 25: 0025 sympathize with each other because of similar misfortunes The swaying wine glass, lips stained as if with fresh blood, that unusual beauty, the unforgivable sin...


    In the bar, red lights flashed, and the subwoofers emitted a deafening sound, igniting everyone in the bar, swaying with the music.


    People of all sorts gathered in the bar, waving their arms, venting their own emotions.


    Li Hao sat at the bar, downing the drink in his glass in one gulp, his face written with intoxication.


    He was drowning his sorrows.


    Ever since he had been ignored by Shen Mengchen last time, he had undergone a significant change, and a gloominess overshadowed him.


    That day, he was rendered speechless by Ye Qiu¡¯s words and ignored by Shen Mengchen; since then, he had been secretly investigating Shen Mengchen and Ye Qiu.


    When he discovered that Ye Qiu was not only always by Shen Mengchen¡¯s side but was living with her in a villa,


    This discovery instantly caused Li Hao¡¯s face to turn ashen.


    He could accept that his beloved might not like him back, but he could not tolerate her living with another man.


    Li Hao had a sleepless night; he had a crazy idea!


    Thus, he contacted a thug that night, had him abduct Shen Mengchen, and then used them to beat up Ye Qiu ruthlessly.


    If the opportunity arose, he even planned to stage a dramatic hero-saving-the-beauty act to increase Shen Mengchen¡¯s fondness for him.


    However, he miscalculated!


    The abduction of Shen Mengchen was successful, and Ye Qiu did show up, but the beating of Ye Qiu failed.


    He had underestimated Ye Qiu¡¯s strength; a single man managed to overpower several of them without breaking a sweat, almost exposing him!


    Li Hao felt a twinge of anxiety and did not show his face at school for days, fearing that Ye Qiu would confront him.


    Later, when a mysterious death occurred near the campus of Zhongshan University, Li Hao had seen Ye Qiu enter that grove, so he disclosed this information to the officials.


    He thought Ye Qiu would be arrested soon, but after waiting so long, Ye Qiu was still fine and even caused a sensation on campus by sending the Taekwondo club president flying, to Li Hao¡¯s utter disappointment.


    This was completely contrary to his expectations.


    His resentment toward Ye Qiu did not diminish with time; on the contrary, his hatred grew.


    Even the mention of that name spurred a surge of murderous joy in his heart.


    Every time he thought of Ye Qiu accompanying Shen Mengchen back to the villa after school and living together, Li Hao couldn¡¯t help gnashing his teeth ¨C Shen Mengchen was his woman.


    From the day he first saw Shen Mengchen, he had privately deemed her his.


    He would never tolerate anyone else touching Shen Mengchen.


    Ye Qiu!


    Right before his eyes was Ye Qiu, the person he detested to the bone, yet Li Hao found himself powerless against him.


    That¡¯s why Li Hao was at the bar: he wanted to vent fiercely.


    ¡°Bro Hao, you¡¯re drinking too fast, I can¡¯t keep up,¡± said a heavily makeup woman sitting next to Li Hao.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s drink more.¡± Li Hao clinked glasses with the woman, once again downing his drink in one gulp.


    ¡°Bro Hao, how about we go out and drink?


    I¡¯ll keep you company!¡± Knowing Li Hao¡¯s financial capability, the woman started to insist invitingly.


    As for drinking, Li Hao didn¡¯t mind the company of this woman, but as for accompanying him, he felt she wasn¡¯t worthy.


    ¡°No need, I prefer being alone.


    You should go to another table,¡± Li Hao suddenly felt that this kind of casual woman was disgusting and immediately lost interest.


    The woman, hearing this, had no choice but to leave sullenly.


    Li Hao sat alone in a corner, continued drinking, and soon passed out, but not long after, he was woken up by someone.


    He opened his eyes and saw a man had taken a seat beside him.


    Li Hao sobered up quite a bit, and his gaze lingered on this man, feeling that he looked somewhat familiar.


    ¡°Ma Tao...¡±


    Li Hao finally remembered where he had seen this person before¡ªit was none other than Ma Tao, the president of the taekwondo club.


    Although Zhongshan University was not very large, it was not small either.


    As the president of a club, Ma Tao had a certain recognition within the school.


    After all, whenever there was an activity, all the clubs were busy, and since Li Hao was also a restless person, he naturally knew Ma Tao.


    ¡°Are you here alone drinking too?¡± Ma Tao asked.


    ¡°I came here naturally to drink,¡± Li Hao replied indifferently.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s have a couple of drinks!¡± Ma Tao called the waiter over to bring a dozen drinks and placed them directly on the table.


    Li Hao didn¡¯t refuse, and the two clinked glasses and drank heartily.


    Drinking was the best way to bond.


    Ma Tao and Li Hao chatted off and on.


    As they talked, they suddenly realized that the biggest reason they were both here today was related to the same person.


    ¡°You hate that guy too?¡± Ma Tao asked in surprise.


    He didn¡¯t know about the grudge between Li Hao and Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Hate?


    Haha...¡± Li Hao laughed softly, then his face turned cold, ¡°I want to kill him.¡±


    ¡°Brother, it seems we both hate the same person,¡± Ma Tao became interested.


    These past few days, due to Ye Qiu, his prestige in the taekwondo club had decreased, causing many to leave the club, which greatly angered Ma Tao.


    He blamed everything on Ye Qiu¡ªif it weren¡¯t for him, none of this would have happened.


    So, the two discussed their respective issues, talking more and more intensely.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just let this go, we definitely need to fix him properly!¡±


    ¡°Not dead, but crippled!¡±


    ¡°I have a plan¡ªhow about the two of us join forces?¡±


    ¡°Oh?


    What¡¯s the plan, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ...


    At the Goddess Villa.


    A brand new Bugatti Veyron was parked at the door, and Ye Qiu looked at the two stylish sports cars and said to Shen Mengchen, ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    Shen Mengchen snorted, lifted her chin aloft, and said dismissively, ¡°The previous sports car was trashed by me, this one is newly bought¡ªpretty, right?¡±


    The red lines delineated the entire car.


    The model was extremely imposing with an ultra-low chassis and a gorgeous appearance, almost like a rare treasure.


    This sports car, worth at least tens of millions, Shen Mengchen implied that she had trashed one before, Ye Qiu clicked his tongue, ¡°Madam is truly a madam, rich and willful indeed.¡±


    ¡°How about it, never seen one before, do you want to sit in and feel it for a bit?¡± Shen Mengchen fluttered her large eyes, saying to Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu smiled, loving the good car, ¡°Since the madam sincerely invites, I¡¯ll give it a feel!¡±


    Shen Mengchen showed a trace of cunning joy, quickly opened the car door, and sat in the front.


    Ye Qiu climbed into the car, sat on the leather seat, feeling very comfortable, no wonder the wealthy liked to drive luxury cars¡ªit was both luxurious and enjoyable.


    Ye Qiu sighed to himself.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, how about I take you for a spin?¡± Shen Mengchen said, as she had already started the engine and began to drive.


    Vroom!


    The sports car instantly started, and before Ye Qiu could even respond, it had sped a hundred meters away.


    Meanwhile, Shen Mengchen in the front felt a smug satisfaction, ¡°Hmph, today I¡¯ll let you taste my driving skills, making you lose face!¡±

 Chapter 26 - 26 Miss 0026s Other Side

    ?26: Miss 0026¡¯s Other Side 26: Miss 0026¡¯s Other Side Shen Mengchen drove a convertible, cruising down the lane, causing pedestrians to stop in their tracks.


    Many were attracted by the imposing car and looked on with envy.


    Shen Mengchen wore sunglasses, her hair tousled by the wind, yet she didn¡¯t ease up on the gas pedal for a second.


    Through the rearview mirror, Shen Mengchen saw Ye Qiu sitting in the back, thoroughly enjoying the ride, his lips curling into a sinister smile.


    Soon, the duo left the city and entered the mountain roads.


    Shen Mengchen casually reminded, ¡°Hold tight.¡±


    Suddenly, the sports car sped up again, the sound of the gas pedal growing louder, especially the sound of gasoline burning, like a prehistoric beast awakening.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s body leaned forward abruptly, then slammed back against the seat.


    Ye Qiu rubbed his head, ¡°Miss, that¡¯s no way to drive a car.¡±


    Shen Mengchen definitely noticed Ye Qiu slamming back into the seat and couldn¡¯t help but snicker, making Ye Qiu look foolish was her current favorite pastime.


    ¡°I did warn you,¡± Shen Mengchen feigned innocence.


    Ye Qiu glared at her, now understanding that this girl was just being mischievous.


    The scenery whizzed by as Shen Mengchen rapidly overtook the vehicles ahead, zipping past like lightning.


    The drivers who were overtaken were all surprised, especially since the driver was a girl, they exclaimed, ¡°Are young people all this crazy these days?


    And driving such a fancy sports car, must be a rich second generation!¡±


    Some drivers, seeing Ye Qiu in Shen Mengchen¡¯s car, were envious, ¡°So young and already keeping a pretty boy, what a world!


    Hey, I don¡¯t look worse than that guy, why doesn¡¯t someone keep me?¡±


    Of course, some drivers were not so good-tempered, directly cursing, ¡°Crazy, having a nice car doesn¡¯t make you something special, daring to drive like that on mountain roads, seeking death!¡±


    Shen Mengchen could no longer hear these grumblings from the overtaken drivers, as these people couldn¡¯t catch up even if they tried.


    Ye Qiu sat quietly in the back, while Shen Mengchen wore a triumphant expression.


    Finally, there was one thing that could handle him, so she wouldn¡¯t have to listen to him boast all the time.


    ¡°If you¡¯re scared, I can slow down,¡± Shen Mengchen thought Ye Qiu was sitting quietly because he was scared, so she smirked, purposely provoking him.


    Ye Qiu ignored her, well aware of the girl¡¯s intentions.


    Driving at such a speed was simply meant to intimidate him, and the best retaliation was silence.


    Seeing that Ye Qiu was not speaking, Shen Mengchen found it quite boring to talk by herself.


    Unknowingly, they had driven quite a distance, and night had fallen.


    Just as Shen Mengchen was about to turn around and head back, suddenly a Lamborghini sped past from the side.


    ¡°Beauty, dare to see whose car is faster?¡± The two cars drove side by side as a young man with green-dyed hair leaned out from the Lamborghini and grinned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s race,¡± Shen Mengchen saw that she was being challenged, and there was no way she wouldn¡¯t accept, that¡¯s definitely not Miss Shen¡¯s style.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s the spirit.


    Let¡¯s make Longmen Mountain ahead the finish line, whoever arrives last is the loser,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Shen Mengchen snorted, not one to turn away, and stepped on the gas pedal to speed up again.


    The owner of the Lamborghini saw Shen Mengchen¡¯s car suddenly take the lead and his eyes showed a hint of amusement; he too then sped up, chasing furiously.


    The road to Longmen Mountain was fairly ordinary in the first half, mostly straight with just a few major turns, which Shen Mengchen had just driven.


    But after the fifth major bend, the road became more challenging, with more frequent turns, especially at night, testing the drivers¡¯ skills even more.


    Shen Mengchen was always a bit reckless, having raced cars often.


    Now that someone challenged her to race, she naturally would not back down, especially with Ye Qiu in the car.


    Not daring to would just invite his mockery.


    Shen Mengchen not only wanted to race, but she also wanted to win, and win beautifully.


    Whish whish!


    The two sports cars, one behind the other, sped incredibly fast, leaving faint tire marks wherever they went.


    A bend!


    Shen Mengchen, familiar with this road, knew where the bends were, realized she needed to control her speed to safely make the turn, so she slowed down.


    Whirr!


    A loud sound of an engine burning fuel came from behind, Shen Mengchen felt a stir in her heart, and was suddenly shocked; the other party had not slowed down and was catching up directly.


    ¡°Hehe, beauty, are you scared now?¡± The lighthearted young man cocked an eyebrow.


    Shen Mengchen snorted, ¡°Just watch; it has only just begun.¡±


    ¡°Haha, alright then, I¡¯ll wait for you up ahead,¡± the young man whistled and without decreasing his speed, the car quickly turned and overtook Shen Mengchen.


    Shen Mengchen gritted her teeth, she rounded the first bend and then accelerated again.


    The second bend.


    The third bend.


    The fourth bend.


    ...


    Shen Mengchen tried her hardest, yet with each bend, she fell further behind the young man, until eventually, the gap grew larger and she couldn¡¯t even see his taillights.


    When Shen Mengchen¡¯s car reached the foot of Longmen Mountain, the flipant young man was standing by his car, ¡°Beauty, you lost.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I was careless today, we¡¯ll race again another day,¡± Shen Mengchen, unwilling to admit defeat, lifted her head and declared.


    ¡°Haha, forget it, racing with a woman isn¡¯t fun, I¡¯m off,¡± the flippant young man waved his hand and quickly disappeared into the night.


    After the man left, Shen Mengchen¡¯s mood was not as good as before, seeing Shen Mengchen¡¯s dejected look, the always silent Ye Qiu spoke up, ¡°Do you know why you lost to him?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Shen Mengchen asked.


    Ye Qiu pointed to Shen Mengchen¡¯s chest.


    Shen Mengchen startled for a moment then suddenly exclaimed in anger, ¡°Pervert, what are you trying to say, pointing at my chest like that.¡±


    Ye Qiu felt a headache coming on, how could this girl be so dirty-minded, rubbing his temples, he said, ¡°I meant your heart.¡±


    ¡°My heart?¡± Shen Mengchen finally let go of her guarded expression, puzzled.


    ¡°Your heart was scared, so you couldn¡¯t control your speed well, when to decrease it, when to increase it, that¡¯s why you were defeated by him,¡± Ye Qiu said indifferently.


    Shen Mengchen pondered for a while, trying to digest what Ye Qiu had said, but she still didn¡¯t grasp the meaning of his words.


    ¡°Eh, wait, it seems like you understand a lot, don¡¯t be so pretentious,¡± Shen Mengchen felt Ye Qiu was feigning depth, she was too lazy to believe him, what scared, she, Miss Shen, had never been scared.


    Seeing Shen Mengchen¡¯s expression, Ye Qiu realized that talking to her in this way, Shen Mengchen wouldn¡¯t understand, it was like playing the lute to a cow, simply put, he was too lazy to waste his words, it was just a lost race after all.


    Shen Mengchen drove the car to the top of the mountain, and the two stood on the slope, overlooking the scenery below and the brightly lit distant city; the view was quite enchanting.


    The breeze was gentle, Shen Mengchen sitting on a rock, swinging her legs, lost in her thoughts at that moment.


    Ye Qiu quietly stood to the side, such a scene also made him quite entranced.


    ¡°You know, when I was little, my mom often brought me here to watch the night scenery,¡± Shen Mengchen suddenly quieted down, her open conversation suddenly feeling different, she revealed a trace of faint nostalgia and sadness.


    This expression was never seen in ordinary times, what happened to this girl?


    Feeling Shen Mengchen suddenly seemed like another person, Ye Qiu was slightly taken aback.


    ¡°Nowadays, I come here, can you see me?¡± Shen Mengchen said to the sky, her eyes slightly teary.


    It was evident, this girl also had her own story, probably about her mother.


    After a long while, Shen Mengchen¡¯s emotions returned to normal, showing a warm smile.


    ¡°The night¡¯s scenery tonight is truly beautiful, the moon is so round, just as round as the moon from my childhood,¡± Shen Mengchen gazed at the night sky, the round moonlight hung high in the sky, with several beautiful stars twinkling beside it, the whole sky appeared like a tiara studded with gems, shimmering mesmerizingly.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, thank you.¡±


    Staring at the sky for a long while, Shen Mengchen suddenly thanked him, flashing Ye Qiu a sweet smile.


    ¡°That day, I originally planned to have Sister Shangguan bring me here, but then we encountered those bad people.


    It was lucky to have you, or I wouldn¡¯t have been unharmed.¡±


    ¡°And today you accompanied me here, so I want to thank you.¡±


    It was clear from her tone that Shen Mengchen¡¯s words were very sincere.


    At this moment, she was completely different from her usual giggly, spoiled lady demeanor.


    Now, she was very quiet, speaking softly and gently, especially with her white dress in the night, she looked like a fairy from the cold palace on the moon.


    ¡°No need to thank me, protecting you is my duty,¡± Ye Qiu said.


    Shen Mengchen slowly turned her head, glaring at Ye Qiu, irritated, ¡°Annoying, can you not say such a mood-killing phrase at this moment?¡±


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s tone changed so fast that Ye Qiu was somewhat unable to adjust, wondering in his heart how she had changed again so quickly.


    No wonder they always say women are fickle.


    Ye Qiu truly witnessed it today.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s late, let¡¯s go back,¡± Shen Mengchen shook off her reminiscing mood, returning to her usual demeanor, dusting off the dust on her hands.


    Ye Qiu nodded, having been at the mountaintop for an hour, it was time to go back.


    The two descended from the mountaintop and were just about to get into the car when a beeping car horn sounded.


    ¡°Haha, my defeated rival, you didn¡¯t leave?¡±


    Hearing that smug voice, Shen Mengchen immediately knew who it was.


    The Lamborghini owner, a frivolous green-haired young man poked his head out, swept a glance over Ye Qiu and Shen Mengchen, and finally, his gaze landed on Shen Mengchen, smiling, ¡°Are you practicing your speed, wanting to challenge me again?¡±


    This young man had such a foul mouth, hearing him got on Shen Mengchen¡¯s nerves, and her temper flared up, she snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t be too smug, I will defeat you.¡±


    ¡°Haha, practice for another ten years, I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± having said that, the young man was about to drive away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, not ten years, I want to race you now,¡± Shen Mengchen¡¯s dignity was insulted, and she stubbornly said.


    ¡°Forget it, you can¡¯t beat me,¡± the young man waved his hand, not bothering to race again.


    Shen Mengchen could not stand it, blocking his car, saying, ¡°We must race.¡±


    Feeling a bit of a headache, the young man reluctantly nodded agreement, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s race again.¡±


    After saying that, he went back into his car, drove it to the center of the road, and waited for Shen Mengchen¡¯s car to come over to compete.


    Shen Mengchen, puffing angrily, was about to open the car door and sit in the driver¡¯s seat, but just then, a hand stopped her.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Mengchen asked Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Let me do it,¡± Ye Qiu said lightly.


    ¡°You know how to drive?¡± Shen Mengchen looked skeptical.


    Without any fuss, Ye Qiu directly took the driver¡¯s seat, leaving Shen Mengchen confusedly tossed into the passenger seat.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, don¡¯t mess around, I want to reclaim this honor myself,¡± Shen Mengchen still didn¡¯t want Ye Qiu to drive.


    Ye Qiu might be good as a bodyguard, but racing was a different matter; she didn¡¯t know how well Ye Qiu could drive.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I not only can drive, but...¡± Ye Qiu gave Shen Mengchen a confident smile and continued, ¡°Moreover, I can also race!¡±


    With that, Ye Qiu immediately started the car and surged onto the road.

 Chapter 27 - 27 0027 Cool Car Stunts

    ?27: 0027 Cool Car Stunts 27: 0027 Cool Car Stunts Watching Ye Qiu expertly shift gears and step on the accelerator, his movements were very skilled.


    ¡°Has he also driven this type of car before?¡± Shen Mengchen noticed that Ye Qiu had no difficulty with the car, his actions even smoother and simpler than hers, looking like an old pro with a faint smile on his face, unshakable.


    ¡°As usual, beautiful,¡± the young man with green hair said.


    ¡°How about we end the race at the same spot we started before?¡±


    The green-haired young man glanced towards the Bugatti Veyron that had just stopped beside him.


    Suddenly, his expression changed in surprise.


    Why was there a different person?


    He saw that the man now sitting in the driver¡¯s seat was a man.


    Then, his gaze moved to the passenger¡¯s seat, and only then did he see Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°What, beautiful, are you bringing in some help?¡± the young man said undisturbed, even with Ye Qiu taking his place, he still maintained his casual demeanor.


    Shen Mengchen could detect the mockery in his words and challenged him with a glare, ¡°Stop the chatter.


    Do you dare to race or not?¡±


    The green-haired young man smiled and said confidently, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± His voice oozed confidence, and his smile turned serious as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, and then we go.¡±


    One!


    Two!


    Both cars¡¯ engines were revving up, emitting a low ¡®roar¡¯ like growling beasts ready to roar.


    When the word ¡°three¡± rang out, instantly, both cars burst forth!


    The roaring engines screamed, and the two cars sped through the lanes, neither yielding to the other.


    It was around nine o¡¯clock at night, and there were few, if any, other vehicles on the road, allowing the two cars to race wildly.


    With one hand on the steering wheel, the young man exerted a little more pressure with his foot; he was going to accelerate.


    Up ahead was a forty-five-degree bend, which he planned to navigate as he had before, overtaking his opponent and leaving them chasing his tail.


    Here it comes!


    The Lamborghini roared angrily as the young man increased its power.


    The vehicle seemed to ignite, its thunderous noise vibrating the eardrums, and with a quick movement of his arm, he turned the car, gaining even more speed.


    His car had now overtaken Ye Qiu¡¯s, instantly gaining a half-car length distance!


    A full car length distance!


    In less than two seconds, he was leading, leaving Ye Qiu behind.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, hurry up and overtake him!¡± Seeing the young man overtaking her car, Shen Mengchen became agitated and shouted.


    Ye Qiu remained as immovable as a mountain, his expression not changing in the slightest.


    Shen Meng watched anxiously.


    If she lost to that arrogant guy again, she would truly be disgraced.


    Shen Mengchen really wanted to pull Ye Qiu out of the driver¡¯s seat and take over herself.


    Why wasn¡¯t Ye Qiu worried at all?


    After the first bend, the young man had already pulled a two-car-length lead.


    By Shen Mengchen¡¯s estimation, she was likely going to lose this race, probably because she trusted Ye Qiu¡¯s driving skills too much.


    A bodyguard is a bodyguard; good in a fight maybe but driving is another story!


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s heart was already prepared to be mocked by the green-haired young man again, her hope in Ye Qiu¡¯s indifference fading fast.


    The Lamborghini ahead was still increasing its speed, while Ye Qiu remained leisurely slow.


    How could she have trusted Ye Qiu?


    If she had known, she would have driven herself, and not have allowed such a huge gap to form.


    Shen Mengchen bitterly regretted her poor judgment of character.


    Ye Qiu looked unfazed, as if he wasn¡¯t the one being overtaken.


    ¡°Hmph, you previously said I lost because I was scared.


    I see now it¡¯s all nonsense.


    If you¡¯re capable, win against him yourself!¡± Watching her car fall further behind, Shen Mengchen said angrily, hardly able to resist mocking Ye Qiu harshly.


    ¡°All talk, no action.


    From now on, I¡¯ll call you ¡®Bragging Wolf¡¯!¡± Shen Mengchen nagged like a relentless critic beside him, berating Ye Qiu thoroughly.


    Just after three bends, Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes slightly brightened.


    He exhaled sharply and muttered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m finally getting used to this car¡¯s performance.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Shen Mengchen, engrossed in her own world of mockery, hadn¡¯t heard Ye Qiu¡¯s mutterings clearly.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t explain, but soon she felt her body lean forward as the scenery before her sped up dramatically.


    Shen Mengchen noticed a difference in Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes; they were no longer furrowed, but completely relaxed.


    Another bend was approaching.


    Shen Mengchen saw that Ye Qiu did not lighten his foot but instead stamped down hard.


    Heavens!


    What was he doing, she wondered as her eyes widened and her mouth opened wide.


    That was a ninety-degree sharp turn, and although it wasn¡¯t explicitly mentioned how much more difficult it was compared to the previous forty-five-degree turns, the sheer fact that he wasn¡¯t slowing down but instead speeding up was terrifying.


    Had he gone mad?


    ¡°Ye Qiu, are you out of your mind?


    That¡¯s a right-angle turn, do you want to kill me?¡± Shen Mengchen yelled.


    Ye Qiu acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, his hands not even turning the steering wheel but speeding straight ahead.


    Crazy!


    Completely crazy!


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s heart was in her mouth, seeing her brand new car about to crash into the guardrails at the foot of the mountain.


    Her entire being was tensely alert, realizing that at such a speed, crashing into the mountain was a real possibility.


    This was a reckless way to drive!


    Just as he was about to get close to the guardrail at the turn, Ye Qiu¡¯s wrist suddenly moved.


    His slender fingers hooked slightly to the left, and the steering wheel immediately started to turn.


    The entire car body also followed with a sharp turn!


    Whirring...


    Shen Mengchen felt a sudden lurch, and a piercing roar filled her ears, louder than any noise before¡ªit was like the true awakening of an ancient beast, its roar thundering through the skies.


    Shen Mengchen tightly grasped the seatbelt, fearful that she would be thrown out of the car.


    The speed was too fast, especially since it made such a sharp turn at such a high speed, one could imagine the tremendous impact.


    After managing to sit back properly, Shen Mengchen finally had a clear view of what was ahead, and her heart hung in suspense once again.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    At that moment, the entire car was less than half an inch from the guardrail, and just beyond the guardrail was a cliff.


    Feeling the terrifying thrill of nearly plunging down, Shen Mengchen was almost scared stiff.


    Although she¡¯d driven wildly before, she had never experienced such insanity as today.


    This was simply playing with their lives!


    Only then did Shen Mengchen truly understand the implications of Ye Qiu¡¯s earlier words.


    Her gaze fixed on Ye Qiu, she saw his face, unflustered as the car sped along, barely brushing the guardrail.


    Madman, he¡¯s a madman!


    Shen Mengchen inwardly cursed Ye Qiu as crazy.


    Even in this life-or-death situation, he showed no signs of perturbation.


    Did he not worry that a minor mistake could send them plummeting off the cliff?


    Finally, they safely navigated the big turn, and Shen Mengchen¡¯s heart eased.


    However, the relief was short-lived, as within half a minute, another bend approached.


    By then, the car Ye Qiu was driving had reached one hundred horsepower, and the return of the bend didn¡¯t make him slow down in the slightest, causing Shen Mengchen¡¯s heart to rise yet again.


    Her hands clenched tightly on the car body, she closed her eyes, daring not to look at the scene of nearly dropping into the abyss again.


    Whir!


    A roaring sound once again erupted as Ye Qiu¡¯s car slid in a perfect arc, flying past the guardrail on the outside of the mountain road.


    If Shen Mengchen had opened her eyes at that moment and seen such a scene, she would have been wide-eyed.


    This sliding turn technique was exactly drifting!


    And Ye Qiu was using drifting to keep the car moving forward without slowing down¡ªthat was drifting.


    Many know about drifting, but few can truly master drifting; it could be described as rare.


    With more than ten bends past them, Shen Mengchen didn¡¯t keep quiet, her repeated screams alerted everyone, even though her eyes were shut, she could still feel the sensation of dangling off the cliff edge because her body still responded instinctively to danger.


    This thrilling experience would remain indelibly in Shen Mengchen¡¯s memory; she swore never to ride in a car driven by Ye Qiu again.


    The green-haired youth leading ahead thought that his followers could not catch up and was driving leisurely when suddenly he heard a terrifying roar from behind.


    Whoosh!


    In the same bend, the green-haired youth turned as a red Bugatti Veyron rapidly caught up and overtook him in the extended arch of the curve.


    The green-haired youth¡¯s eyes widened, the sports car that flashed by was indeed Shen Mengchen¡¯s.


    She had caught up and even passed him!


    Who was that guy!


    The green-haired youth¡¯s face was full of shock; as Ye Qiu passed by him, he saw Ye Qiu¡¯s stoic profile and those seemingly glowing eyes.


    What shocked him most was discovering that the opponent¡¯s car glided on the road like a fish in water, nothing could hinder its agile movements, sliding in perfect arcs, turning at will.


    ¡°Drifting!¡±


    The green-haired youth blurted out two words, his expression incredulously shocked.


    To race against such a master of drifting was the most shocking impact for the green-haired youth.


    At this point, he had forgotten he was racing with Ye Qiu.


    Even if he wanted to chase, he couldn¡¯t catch up; the opponent flashed like a ghost in the night, then hurriedly vanished.


    The green-haired youth stopped the car, looked in the direction where Ye Qiu¡¯s car had disappeared, took out his phone, and dialed a number.


    ¡°Bro, I met a master of drifting!¡±


    The voice on the other end of the line was silent for a long time, then came an excited and agitated voice, ¡°Who is it?


    What¡¯s his name?¡±


    The green-haired youth touched his head and said, ¡°Bro, I just ran into this guy by chance; I don¡¯t know anything about him.¡±


    ¡°You idiot, then why don¡¯t you hurry up and find out?!¡± the voice on the other end scolded, followed by a sigh, clearly calming down a lot, ¡°You must find out for me, let me know the moment you have any information.¡±


    ¡°Ah, got scolded again, I knew I shouldn¡¯t have told you.


    I only informed you first because I thought you were so bored and couldn¡¯t find an opponent,¡± the green-haired youth muttered to himself after hanging up.


    However, a smile soon appeared on his face, ¡°A car god versus a mysterious drifter, this topic will definitely explode the entire racing community.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, now there¡¯ll be a good show to watch.¡± The guy capable of drifting, this will be something...


    big brother has a rival now!¡±


    ¡°Right.


    The car probably belongs to that beauty; I¡¯ll start with her then.


    Luckily, I remember her license plate number!¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28 0028 Clue

    ?28: 0028 Clue 28: 0028 Clue ¡°Ye Qiu, if you don¡¯t stop the car now, I¡¯m going to jump out!¡± Shen Mengchen roared.


    She had been scared out of her wits in the car, her heart had not been in its place the whole ride, always suspended in her chest, fearing it would drop into the abyss at any moment.


    Crazy!


    Ye Qiu, you lunatic!


    Shen Mengchen cursed quietly to herself, thinking she was crazy enough, but she had underestimated how much crazier Ye Qiu, with his hands on the steering wheel, could be.


    Unable to endure this tense state any longer, Shen Mengchen finally protested and demanded Ye Qiu to stop the car.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s speed gradually slowed until he came to a complete stop.


    As soon as the car stopped, Shen Mengchen immediately opened the door and ran to the side to start retching, her face turning slightly green.


    Watching Shen Mengchen vomit, Ye Qiu was greatly puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t this girl crazy when she drives?


    How can she get carsick?¡±


    After vomiting for a while, Shen Mengchen wiped her mouth and walked over, pointing at Ye Qiu with resentment, ¡°I swear, I will never ride in a car you drive again.¡±


    Ye Qiu touched his chin awkwardly, observing the look in Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes, as if she held a deep grudge against him, just because she had been in the passenger seat.


    It surely shouldn¡¯t be to this extent.


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t understand Shen Mengchen¡¯s thoughts, and when it came to understanding women¡¯s thoughts, he rarely guessed right.


    He quietly retorted, ¡°I was just trying to help you win back a game, at least you should thank me.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Shen Mengchen snorted and hurried back to the driver¡¯s seat, not daring to let Ye Qiu touch the car again, as he drove even more crazily than she did.


    Shen Mengchen gripped the steering wheel and then looked back at Ye Qiu; she felt like everything that had happened prior was like a dream.


    Ye Qiu was sitting leisurely in the back, resting with his eyes closed, while Shen Mengchen¡¯s big eyes occasionally swept over Ye Qiu through the rearview mirror.


    This guy, on the surface, looked careless and had a semblance of a country metal fan, but whenever he got serious, he seemed like a completely different person.


    He was good at fighting, good at cooking, good at racing, what was he not good at?


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s mind wildly speculated, even considering Ye Qiu as being capable of doing anything and everything.


    Shen Mengchen drove the car, and no other incidents occurred along the way; it took half an hour to get back to the Goddess Villa.


    There was no sign of Niu Yinyin and Shangguan Hong in the first-floor hall, Niu Yinyin was probably already asleep; that girl did nothing all day but play and eat, she must have played until she was tired.


    The light was still on in Shangguan Hong¡¯s room on the second floor.


    When she saw Shen Mengchen and Ye Qiu come back, Shangguan Hong, wearing pajamas and holding a book, stepped out of her room and glanced at them, lifting her eyes.


    ¡°Shangguan sister, you haven¡¯t slept yet?¡± Shen Mengchen revealed a sweet smile.


    Shangguan Hong nodded, saying, ¡°Out having fun again, huh?¡±


    Shen Mengchen chuckled and did not explain.


    Shangguan Hong showed a hint of sleepiness, yawned, and said, ¡°It¡¯s late, go back to your rooms to sleep.¡± After speaking, she held her book, her gaze lingering on Ye Qiu for a moment, nodded in acknowledgment, and then turned back to her room.


    ¡°Goodnight, Shangguan sister.¡±


    Shen Mengchen said with a smile, tossing the car keys onto the coffee table and, feeling a wave of sleepiness wash over her, headed to her room.


    ...


    After returning to his room, Ye Qiu did not immediately go to sleep but sat down to meditate and continued trying to break through to the Spring Fountain point.


    About an hour later, unsuccessful in his breakthrough, Ye Qiu opened his eyes.


    He did not force it, knowing that one cannot force meditation.


    Ye Qiu was not too anxious, considering he had been stuck here not just for a day or two.


    He closed his eyes and directed a strand of True Qi to his eyes.


    Ye Qiu had not yet figured out how his X-ray vision had formed or why it could see through everything, which made him very curious.


    Although the X-ray vision only allowed him to see objects hidden in the dark and was not of much help in martial arts, Ye Qiu did not consider it useless.


    Ye Qiu had read in an ancient book that humans are born with spirituality and from birth have seven orifices.


    The eyes are one of these orifices, they are windows that let people experience all things outside, it can be said that it is with eyes that one appreciates the various scenes of the world.


    His X-ray vision could penetrate appearances and reveal the inner essence, according to the ancient book, this was akin to having opened the Heavenly Eye, and only with the Heavenly Eye could one possess this ability.


    Ye Qiu had possessed the X-ray vision since he could remember, one could say it was innate, because the ancient scriptures had recorded that martial artists could only open the Heavenly Eye and obtain abilities surpassing human limits after cultivating to a certain realm.


    The old lecher had once said he had seen someone reach this realm, and according to his description, that predecessor¡¯s eyes not only had the ability to see through things but also possessed a much more powerful force.


    ¡°My X-ray vision is still far from the power described by the old lecher,¡± Ye Qiu sighed.


    His X-ray vision currently could only see through external materials, right through to the inside, but to reach the level of that predecessor, he still had a long way to go.


    ¡°Dugu... This surname is too rare, where can I find that predecessor?¡± Ye Qiu mused to himself.


    Thinking about how vast the world was, and especially those hermit-like figures, although Ye Qiu wanted to find that predecessor and ask about the Heavenly Eye, it was clear that it wasn¡¯t something he could find clues to overnight, but with this trip down the mountain, he could just take the opportunity to look for some clues left by that predecessor.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, Ye Qiu had been acting as a student in the campus for over a month, although protecting Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety was his primary focus, through these days, Ye Qiu found that the campus was relatively safe.


    Shen Mengchen was an unapproachable white lotus in the campus, receiving a stack of love letters daily, but this girl would not even glance at the confessions she received, directly throwing them into the trash.


    Ye Qiu thought, how many young men must be disappointed daily, no wonder everyone in the university says Shen Mengchen is the hardest school beauty to pursue.


    Such days were easy and pleasant, watching the youthful and energetic girls every day, which made one feel quite good.


    Ye Qiu especially loved watching those girls sprinting across the volleyball court, wearing sporty tank tops and shorts, constantly sweating, their twin peaks also rising and falling, making one dwell on the sight; this was Ye Qiu¡¯s daily must-watch sport.


    ¡°Which guy has sent someone to watch me?¡± While Ye Qiu was watching the female volleyball players punching the ball, he faintly noticed someone observing him from the shadows; even though that person was well-disguised, they still couldn¡¯t escape his eyes.


    This clandestine observation had been going on for several days now, and it seemed that the other party was also afraid of being noticed by him, changing the person who watched him every day, yet, this was still caught by Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu knew someone harbored hatred towards him, but he didn¡¯t mind, allowing them to watch him.


    He believed that those with hidden motives against him would appear sooner or later, at which time, he would take care of them all.


    Even at times, he felt somewhat impatient waiting and wished those lurking figures would make their move sooner, to spare him from having flies buzzing around him all day.


    ¡°Let me guess which ones among you want to make a move on me, and who among you it could be?¡± Ye Qiu pretended not to see the person secretly watching him and continued standing there.


    However, his eyes kept scanning over the chests of the girls playing volleyball.


    ¡°This one is nice, big and round!¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t do, too small, just like small pigeons, an A at best.¡±


    ¡°That one¡¯s too big, I probably can¡¯t even grasp it all, must be at least a D.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 Battle 0029

    ?29: Battle 0029 29: Battle 0029 After nearly a week, the people secretly watching him could no longer hold back and made their move.


    Someone sent a message challenging him to a fight to settle their differences.


    The challenger¡¯s tone was arrogant, asserting that anyone who did not show up was a coward, and if Ye Qiu didn¡¯t show up, he should get out of Zhongda University and stay away from Shen Mengchen.


    At the heart of the matter was Shen Mengchen, Ye Qiu bitterly smiled, already guessing who it was that wanted him to come and fight.


    ¡°Indeed, beauty is a source of trouble,¡± Ye Qiu sighed, but he knew all too well that even though the challenger meant him no good, he would still respond and go to the fight.


    Putting aside how the other party planned to deal with him, if he didn¡¯t resolve this, other issues would arise; he also wanted to personally put an end to it all.


    ...


    In the classroom, the old pedant was speaking eloquently, talking about poetry and literature.


    Ye Qiu listened with great enthusiasm, his eyes shining.


    He had studied many ancient texts and had a bit of insight into poetry and literature, but rarely had he heard someone describe ancient scholars and their works in such a vivid, lively, and interesting way.


    Many listened with relish, particularly because each piece of poetry told a story and described a state of mind; coupled with the old scholar¡¯s humorous language, it was captivating.


    It was Shen Mengchen, however, who appeared to be upright with a book but was actually asleep, sitting still with her arms propped up.


    The morning classes passed quickly, and Shen Mengchen was still asleep after class ended.


    Ye Qiu figured that maybe last night¡¯s racing tired her out.


    After checking the time, Ye Qiu decided not to disturb Shen Mengchen¡¯s nap and left the classroom.


    He walked to the back of the campus, to an area covered in grass.


    The weeds grew densely, nearly as tall as a person, swaying with the wind.


    Rustle rustle!


    There was a sudden stirring in the weeds, and with a flash in his eyes, Ye Qiu saw more than twenty people gathering from all directions, surrounding him at the center.


    ¡°Smack smack!¡±


    A clapping sound was heard, followed by a smug voice, ¡°Ye Qiu, you¡¯ve got some guts to show up as promised.¡±


    Ma Tao walked over slowly, finally stopping at the edges, his gaze pityingly fixed on Ye Qiu, ¡°Last time, you made me look like a fool in front of the whole school, and because of you, many members of my club wanted to leave.


    Oh, Ye Qiu, Ye Qiu, how should I settle this account with you?¡±


    Ma Tao¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t a surprise to Ye Qiu.


    Ma Tao seemed a bit different from that day, with a sinister smirk on his face; clearly, he had no intention of letting Ye Qiu leave without a fight.


    ¡°Between men, how do you think we should settle it?¡± Ye Qiu said indifferently, completely ignoring the encirclement of more than twenty people, with an unflappable demeanor.


    He had seen all sorts of storms; to him, the current situation was just a minor event.


    Watching Ma Tao¡¯s overconfident expression, Ye Qiu thought he should play along a bit.


    Otherwise, ending it too quickly would be boring¡ªafter all, the man had gone to the trouble of arranging this challenge.


    ¡°Honestly, Ye Qiu, your skills surprised me.


    I admit I¡¯m not your match, but...¡± Ma Tao paused, his eyes conveying a piercing scrutiny, and continued, ¡°But in the end, you are just one person.


    How strong can one person be?


    Elephants are powerful but can still die from ant bites.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re the ant, and I¡¯m the elephant?¡± Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    Ma Tao realized he might have trapped himself, boosting Ye Qiu¡¯s morale and diminishing his own, and quickly retorted, ¡°Even if I am an ant, I¡¯m the strongest one that can bite you to death.


    Today is your doomsday.¡± The final words brought a ferocious look to Ma Tao¡¯s face.


    ¡°Bite me to death?¡± Ye Qiu laughed heartily.


    When his laughter faded, he stared at Ma Tao and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid your teeth are not hard enough to kill me; you might just get squashed instead.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, now that you¡¯re here, don¡¯t expect to walk away.


    Do you know why I chose this place?


    Because it¡¯s hidden away, no one comes here, so even if you die, nobody will know you¡¯re here.¡± Ma Tao stated viciously, enraged by Ye Qiu¡¯s demeanor, which was as if he was looking at a clown.


    He never took Ma Tao seriously, not even now when death was imminent, maintaining that indifferent composure.


    He firmly believed the last man standing would be him, not Ye Qiu.


    Damn it!


    Ma Tao signalled to the people around with a look, and those who had surrounded Ye Qiu seemed motivated and collectively charged at him.


    ¡°Hmph, did you think I came here for a one-on-one fight?¡± As Ye Qiu was attacked by the twenty-plus martial artists Ma Tao had brought, Ma Tao let out a cold smirk, seemingly foreseeing the scene where Ye Qiu would kneel and beg for mercy.


    He imagined Ye Qiu kneeling before him, begging for forgiveness; it was a very satisfying thought.


    These twenty or so Taekwondo experts were gathered by Ma Tao from society.


    He knew that Ye Qiu was not weak, so he specifically sought out a former Taekwondo coach he had learned from, and it was this Taekwondo coach who opened his mouth, which brought these twenty or so experts here.


    Each of these twenty or so Taekwondo experts surpassed him in rank.


    With so many experts, he didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t handle a single Ye Qiu.


    And in order to get these guys to show some real skill, he spent four thousand the night before planning against Ye Qiu, on baths and massages, taking good care of these fellows.


    Now, even if Ye Qiu had wings, he would have a hard time escaping!


    In an instant, Ye Qiu was swarmed by the numerous Taekwondo experts.


    Watching the familiar Taekwondo moves converging from all directions on one person like a torrential downpour, Ma Tao couldn¡¯t help but shudder, wondering how many could withstand such critical hits.


    Ma Tao stood at a leisurely distance, waiting for the moment when Ye Qiu would be brought before him, slumped over like a dead pig, awaiting his judgement.


    A minute passed, then three minutes, but the sound of battle did not stop.


    How could he be so resistant to being hit?


    Ma Tao didn¡¯t know what state Ye Qiu had been beaten into; he could only see that there were still people surrounding Ye Qiu, and from within came intermittent howls.


    ¡°Hehe, breaking your hands and legs is the least of what you deserve,¡± Ma Tao muttered to himself, then raised his voice and shouted, ¡°Beat him to a pulp, just leave him breathing.¡±


    The thuds of fists and feet continued unabated, along with the howling, and before long, ten minutes had passed.


    By now, it should have ended, right?


    Seeing that no one had brought Ye Qiu over, Ma Tao felt something was amiss.


    Twenty or so people attacking one person, even the strongest expert couldn¡¯t withstand such a siege.


    Unable to resist, Ma Tao approached closer.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you taken him down yet?¡± Ma Tao addressed several tall, brawny fellows standing on the perimeter.


    However, those few didn¡¯t respond to him.


    Upon closer inspection, Ma Tao realized that the few standing outside hadn¡¯t joined in the fray but were shaking in fear.


    What¡¯s going on?


    It wasn¡¯t until Ma Tao got up close and personal with these few that he got a clear view of the situation inside.


    Seeing what was before his eyes, he understood whose howls he had been hearing¡ªand why the pitch varied so much.


    It turned out that the ones being howled at were not Ye Qiu, but rather the Taekwondo experts he had gathered.


    In Ma Tao¡¯s eyes, he saw Ye Qiu as a lone wolf, knocking down each person who dared to approach with a single strike.


    Those standing on the periphery were too frightened to join in, but even more afraid to flee, because Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze was like a net, ensnaring anyone who had attacked him.


    That expression was as if anyone who dared to run would face a storm of attacks.


    Twenty or so people, and when Ma Tao got to the front, he found only five or six still standing.


    The rest were lying on the ground, either wailing or unconscious, with only Ye Qiu standing there, a cold smile curling his lips, exuding a terrifying aura that intimidated onlookers.


    ¡°This...¡± Ma Tao was stunned by the scene before him.


    He had never imagined that someone could remain unbeaten among twenty some Taekwondo experts.


    This wasn¡¯t a one-on-one fight, and even in a one-on-one match, Ma Tao was no match for any of them.


    Yet, this powerful group was quietly taken down by Ye Qiu, one by one.


    Ma Tao stood aside, dumbstruck.


    At that moment, Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze fell upon him, revealing a hint of a smile.


    That smile sent chills all over Ma Tao, causing his legs to tremble involuntarily.


    He felt an urge to walk away, but found himself as if rooted to the spot, unable to move despite how hard he tried.


    He now understood the plight of the six companions beside him: trembling with fear, yet utterly unable to escape.


    Devil!


    This guy must be a devil!


    Ma Tao now fully realized just how terrifying Ye Qiu was.


    If he had known that Ye Qiu was so strong, he would have never acted so rashly.


    He regretted not heeding Li Hao¡¯s advice to death.


    If he had known, he would have sought help at least five times the number he had now.


    He didn¡¯t believe that a hundred experts wouldn¡¯t be a match for Ye Qiu, but alas, Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t likely give him another chance!

 Chapter 30 - 30 Li Haos Calculation 0030

    ?30: Li Hao¡¯s Calculation 0030 30: Li Hao¡¯s Calculation 0030 Only six people remained, and Ma Tao was truly frightened; Ye Qiu¡¯s strength was beyond imagination.


    ¡°How can you possibly overcome so many people!


    It¡¯s impossible!¡± Ma Tao was beside himself, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze fell upon him indifferently, his smile devilish, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Attack me, all of you!¡± Ma Tao bellowed at the Taekwondo experts he had hired.


    However, those six Taekwondo experts couldn¡¯t hear Ma Tao¡¯s roars; their spirits were completely occupied by Ye Qiu, especially Ye Qiu¡¯s aura, which was a hundred times stronger than any Taekwondo expert they had ever seen.


    In their hearts, Ye Qiu¡¯s agile moves and his invincible presence made them falter from within.


    At that moment, it wasn¡¯t just attacking they dare not do¡ªthey didn¡¯t even dare to flee.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to be disappointed.


    These people you¡¯ve brought can¡¯t pose any threat to me,¡± Ye Qiu said as he brushed his shoulders, his footsteps slowly approaching Ma Tao.


    When he walked past the six Taekwondo experts, all six were simultaneously flicked away with a casual flick of Ye Qiu¡¯s hand, falling to the ground without even having a chance to resist.


    Ye Qiu was now within reach, and Ma Tao¡¯s heart trembled, his body instinctively retreating out of fear.


    His escape was clumsy, his steps unsteady, as if his spirit had been thoroughly crushed.


    ¡°You¡¯re not human, you cannot possibly be this powerful,¡± Ma Tao muttered, shaking his head repeatedly, denying Ye Qiu¡¯s strength as a tiny comfort to himself, trying to prove that his defeat wasn¡¯t so absolute.


    But this was just wishful thinking, a form of self-consolation.


    Ye Qiu shattered Ma Tao¡¯s self-consolation with his strength, leaving no room for doubt.


    More than twenty people had been taken down by Ye Qiu, a fact Ma Tao couldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s just you left.


    What are you going to do?


    Will you fight me yourself?¡± Ye Qiu said with a hint of sarcasm, because just a few days ago, Ma Tao had been at his mercy.


    Even if he were to take action himself, how would it change his fate of defeat?


    Perhaps it was Ye Qiu¡¯s words that provoked him, or maybe it was Ma Tao¡¯s unwillingness to accept defeat.


    At that moment, he actually made a move!


    He refused to concede, and so, he attacked.


    With a shout, Ma Tao exuded an unstoppable momentum.


    With that cry, he energized himself, feeling his strength surge, his fists like dragons, thundering towards Ye Qiu.


    At this moment, Ma Tao was clear-headed and powerful, more vital than ever before.


    It was perhaps the sensation of a breakthrough in adversity.


    This state greatly bolstered Ma Tao¡¯s confidence; he did not believe that after fighting with more than twenty experts, Ye Qiu would still have the energy to deal with him!


    This was Ma Tao¡¯s confidence; Ye Qiu might be formidable, but he couldn¡¯t possibly be expending no effort at all.


    The ease he displayed must surely be a fac?ade, Ma Tao thought.


    If he dared to try, he could certainly break through that pretense.


    So Ma Tao decided to stake everything on one last attempt.


    During the many years Ma Tao learned Taekwondo, he studied under numerous instructors, but only one had truly impressed him¡ªa Taekwondo master from Korea, who had ignited his passion for the martial art and even inspired him to take it to greater heights.


    The Korean Taekwondo master had taught him a move, one that remained Ma Tao¡¯s ace in the hole.


    Even in front of the entire school that day, he hadn¡¯t used it because it was a move he hadn¡¯t yet mastered, a move that could backfire if not properly executed.


    But now, Ma Tao felt he was in peak condition, so he decided to use that move to finish off Ye Qiu.


    Ma Tao formed a continuous attack with one fist trailing the other.


    Ye Qiu slightly shifted his body, dodging the first punch, but the next punch came swiftly.


    The angle of this punch was tricky, vastly different from the direction of the first punch.


    Ye Qiu furrowed his brow slightly.


    Ma Tao¡¯s move didn¡¯t quite resemble Taekwondo techniques; it was more akin to a martial arts move.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    ¡°Intercepting Fist!¡±


    Ma Tao¡¯s forehead bulged with veins as he put all his strength into his punch.


    The fist whirled up a nefarious wind, aiming with a cunning trajectory for the ribs of Ye Qiu.


    If one were to carefully observe Ma Tao¡¯s arms, they would notice his arms rotating, constantly turning, while his fist snapped at the opponent like a wolf¡¯s maw.


    Ye Qiu was momentarily taken aback.


    Seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s surprise, Ma Tao smirked inwardly, convinced of his victory.


    With this move unleashed, Ye Qiu had no reason to not be beaten.


    ¡°Die!¡± Ma Tao spat out the word, his entire being, along with his fist, slamming towards Ye Qiu.


    He wanted to hear the sound of his fist crushing Ye Qiu¡¯s bones; that way, even if Ye Qiu was still powerful, he would lose his fighting ability.


    However...


    Ma Tao¡¯s fist did not touch anything, not even a thread of Ye Qiu¡¯s clothes.


    To his shock, he found that his punch had missed completely!


    Ma Tao was utterly bewildered and felt a chill in his heart.


    He actually failed to bring down Ye Qiu, and he was very clear about what that meant.


    In fact, at the moment when Ma Tao¡¯s Intercepting Fist was about to hit Ye Qiu¡¯s left rib, Ye Qiu¡¯s body trembled slightly, evading Ma Tao¡¯s punch altogether.


    It was only a few millimeters away, and Ye Qiu would have been struck.


    Even Ye Qiu himself was taken aback; had he not detected something amiss the instant Ma Tao launched his punch and been prepared for it, another expert, using a more concealed approach, might have successfully hit him.


    This fist technique was truly insidious, using the first punch as a feint to attract attention, with the second punch being the real lethal move.


    Once thrown, few could respond in time to block it, and a slight misstep could indeed result in being wounded.


    ¡°Where did you learn this move?¡± Ye Qiu asked coldly.


    He did not make a move against Ma Tao but simply inquired indifferently.


    Ma Tao was initially startled, then burst into laughter: ¡°Ye Qiu, you¡¯re lucky to have survived.


    If my punch had connected, you wouldn¡¯t have to take care of yourself for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°You want to know where I learned this move?¡±


    ¡°Do you feel threatened?


    Haha, but I¡¯m just not going to tell you.¡± Ma Tao thought that his attack had frightened Ye Qiu and felt rather proud, no longer afraid.


    ¡°Are you trying to force me to take action and make you spill the beans?¡± Ye Qiu said, his tone dropping seven degrees colder as he observed Ma Tao¡¯s self-satisfied manner, thinking he had an edge.


    ¡°Even if you beat me to death, Ye Qiu, I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°And you might not dare to kill me.


    Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t plan ahead.


    Before I decided to deal with you, I had already arranged for someone to call the police and arrest you if I didn¡¯t return,¡± Ma Tao laughed heartily.


    ¡°Heh, who said I was going to kill you.¡± Ye Qiu chuckled, then his tone shifted abruptly, his eyes intently fixed on Ma Tao¡¯s, he said softly, ¡°You might not talk now, but I will slowly make you talk.


    You¡¯ve never experienced being tortured for information, have you?


    That feeling of wanting to die but being unable to¡ª It¡¯s unforgettable.¡± With these words, Ye Qiu¡¯s face showed a terrifying smile, causing Ma Tao¡¯s heart to tremble.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, don¡¯t think you¡¯re the winner yet, the real show has just begun!¡±


    Just as Ye Qiu was preparing to apply some pressure to make him divulge where he had learned that move, he suddenly felt an oppressive force bearing down on him.


    A light laugh came from not far away, causing a stunned Ma Tao to turn his head, only to widen his eyes in shock at the sight of the speaker.


    ¡°You...


    how did you get here...¡±


    Surprise filled Ma Tao¡¯s eyes as the other party chuckled, ¡°Brother Ma Tao, I knew you might not be able to handle him, so when you were preparing to make your move, I decided to keep a card up my sleeve.


    Unexpectedly, it really came in handy, so when I saw you had lost, I came.¡±


    The newcomer was none other than Li Hao, whom Ma Tao had encountered at the bar many days earlier.


    The two had hit it off well after realizing they shared a common enemy, leading to their collaboration to deal with Ye Qiu.


    Although they had initially planned to act together, Ma Tao couldn¡¯t wait and prematurely sought out Ye Qiu, hoping to salvage his pride.


    Li Hao had long been aware of Ye Qiu¡¯s abilities, which were apparent from his handling of the kidnapping of Shen Mengchen¡ªhe wasn¡¯t an ordinary person.


    Li Hao even suspected that Ye Qiu might be Shen Mengchen¡¯s bodyguard.


    So, when he learned that Ma Tao had acted impulsively and not according to his plan, although angry, it was too late.


    He could only have someone follow and send him updates about the fight covertly, stepping in only after learning of Ma Tao¡¯s defeat.


    Looking at the more than a hundred people beside him, while not quite reaching the goal he had in mind, Li Hao felt it was close enough.


    Standing in front of the multitude, his gaze icy, he had once declared that he would one day make Ye Qiu realize that he was not the laughingstock!


    He was not a clown!


    Basking in the gentle breeze, with a hundred men at his back ready to serve as his arms, Li Hao felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.


    Narrowing his eyes slightly, he uttered, ¡°Kill!¡±


    Following his command, the hundred men behind Li Hao charged forward like a wave, swarming towards Ye Qiu with the force of a flood.


    Li Hao had harbored murderous intent against Ye Qiu for a long time.


    He was a dark and vindictive man who couldn¡¯t tolerate his desires being touched by others.


    Though he guessed that Ye Qiu was just Shen Mengchen¡¯s bodyguard, the mere thought of that detestable man living in the same villa as Shen Meng made him lose his cool.


    So he decided to eliminate Ye Qiu, confident that even if he killed a man, he could smooth things over.


    Watching Li Hao leading the fierce onslaught of over a hundred men, Ma Tao¡¯s head buzzed with a mixture of elation and shock, standing there dumbfounded.


    In terms of ruthlessness, Li Hao was a hundred times more vicious than Ma Tao.


    Watching Ye Qiu stand unmoving in front of the oncoming horde, Ma Tao murmured incredulously, ¡°Now you¡¯re surely beaten!¡±

 Chapter 31 - 31 0031 Invincible Man

    ?31: 0031 Invincible Man 31: 0031 Invincible Man ¡°Kill me?¡± Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders and a rare shallow smile appeared on his face.


    Facing over a hundred people rushing towards him, Ye Qiu remained as unmoved as if Mount Tai were pressing down on him, leaving a deep impression with his silhouette to Ma Tao.


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯re definitely dead!¡±


    The first to charge over was a big man, about six feet tall, his body rippling with muscles, resembling a humanoid tyrannosaur.


    It was unknown where Li Hao had found this guy, but when he reached Ye Qiu, his face was all ferocity, planning to throw a heavy punch.


    The punch was harshly cold, and the mere force of it hinted at the immense power contained within¡ªenough to maim or kill anyone it struck.


    The others behind him were slightly slower, a few meters away from the first big man, forming an oppressive, dark momentum that was truly frightening.


    The corners of Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes slightly lifted, undisturbed by the first big man charging arrogantly towards him.


    His expression unchanging, he simply raised one hand, and the big man¡¯s body suddenly halted.


    In the big man¡¯s eyes, his fist was blocked by a slender palm.


    He let out a grunt, veins bulging on his face as he suddenly exerted more force, daring to match strength with him with just one hand.


    ¡°Die.¡± the big man shouted.


    His punch came straight forward, not taking Ye Qiu¡¯s blocking hand seriously.


    A guy not as tall or as strong as him¡ªit indeed didn¡¯t matter.¡¯


    In the big man¡¯s mind, he had already grumbled about Li Hao being overly cautious.


    After all, it was just about dealing with one person¡ªwas it necessary to gather over a hundred?


    Completely unnecessary.


    So when he saw that Ye Qiu was the man Li Hao was cautious about, he scoffed even more.


    Looking at Ye Qiu¡¯s physique, such a frail body didn¡¯t even need a hundred men; he alone was enough.


    Thus, when Li Hao shouted to kill, he was the first to charge over, just to prove that dominating Ye Qiu didn¡¯t require such a lavish display of force.


    ¡°Brute force!¡±


    Ye Qiu softly spoke as he suddenly twisted the power in his hands, gripping the big man¡¯s forearm and then swiftly disarming it and pulling.


    The big man, lost in the fantasy of blowing Ye Qiu away with a punch, suddenly felt lighter.


    By the time he realized what was happening, his face had already made intimate contact with the ground.


    Bang!


    The big man crashed into the ground, his huge body stirring up dust.


    By that moment, his face was already bloodied, and he had no consciousness left to attack Ye Qiu again.


    One!


    Ye Qiu muttered softly, as if keeping count.


    The fall of one big man did not scare the others behind him; more than a hundred were still attacking, one after another.


    Ye Qiu rubbed his hands together and suddenly looked up.


    He moved, not waiting in place.


    One step, two steps, three steps!


    Ye Qiu actively advanced towards the approaching crowd.


    Shouting filled the air.


    Over a hundred people were eager to kill Ye Qiu, driven by the generous reward promised by Li Hao, each of them with bloodshot eyes.


    In an instant, five surrounded him, all throwing punches and kicks.


    Bang bang bang!


    Ye Qiu moved like lightning, his palms hitting quickly on the wrists of the five men, followed by five screams of pain.


    The five immediately weakened, clutching their arms, unable to attack Ye Qiu.


    In an instant, Ye Qiu had disarmed all five, pulling fiercely.


    The piercing bone pain was unbearable for most, so the five immediately lost their will to fight, running to the side to cradle their arms and weep.


    However, this was just the beginning.


    A massive wave of attackers was still coming¡ªten, twenty, thirty, forty...


    No one backed down; as everyone advanced, they completely surrounded Ye Qiu, not giving him any chance to escape.


    The scene was oppressively dark, Ye Qiu¡¯s figure nowhere to be found.


    Seeing this, Ma Tao was shocked, while Li Hao wore a look of smug satisfaction.


    Today, even if Ye Qiu had wings, he couldn¡¯t escape!


    ¡°I admit you¡¯re formidable, but two fists can¡¯t defeat four hands.


    If twenty can¡¯t kill you, then thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred!¡±


    ¡°I want to see if you can still stand at the end,¡± Li Hao commented lightly, enjoying the scene before him.


    As for Ma Tao, aside from admiration, that was all he felt.


    Li Hao, though not a martial artist, had a much higher realm and was far more ruthless.


    For dealing with Ye Qiu, he really splurged, recruiting over a hundred people for support.


    Even Ma Tao had to admit he couldn¡¯t compare.


    ¡°Brother Ma Tao, what do you think, how long can he last?¡± Li Hao¡¯s gaze turned towards Ma Tao.


    Ma Tao pondered for a moment.


    He deeply respected Ye Qiu¡¯s strength, but Li Hao had enlisted over a hundred people, which made him waver; he didn¡¯t believe that Ye Qiu could walk out alive.


    As for how long he could last, he guessed no more than twenty minutes.


    ¡°Twenty minutes,¡± Ma Tao said.


    Before him, the hundred or so men, though untrained but vicious, each possessed blades that drew blood.


    Simply for dealing with one person, Ye Qiu, however formidable, surely couldn¡¯t handle so many ruthless attackers.


    ¡°See, my brothers here have tasted blood; they are brothers from the streets.


    To thoroughly deal with that guy, I didn¡¯t hesitate to spend heavily, even borrowing these brothers from several gang leaders,¡± Li Hao explained.


    Ma Tao forced a smile and said little.


    He knew of Li Hao¡¯s lavish ways and deep family connections, admitting he couldn¡¯t compare.


    However, bringing weapons to fight one person did feel dishonorable to him, whether in taekwondo or traditional martial arts.


    There was a certain disdain for using weapons, especially in an unequal situation¡ªit was dishonorable conduct.


    But the two shared a common enemy.


    Although Ma Tao found it distasteful, he didn¡¯t mind it too much, considering how detestable Ye Qiu indeed was.


    ¡°Still, Brother Li¡¯s methods are superior; I admire them,¡± Ma Tao squeezed out a smile and said.


    ¡°Ha-ha, let¡¯s enjoy slowly,¡± Li Hao laughed heartily, gesturing for Ma Tao to watch the scene of everyone attacking Ye Qiu.


    Surrounded by a wall of people, Ye Qiu faced a circle of attackers, his palms continuously moving.


    Bang bang bang!


    Every hit from Ye Qiu subdued his opponents, each person struck losing their ability to fight.


    However, the number of people besieging was large, and even if one person fell, others continuously surged forward, forcing Ye Qiu to frequently fight back.


    ¡°Damn it, how is this guy so tough to deal with?¡± the people on the perimeter muttered as they saw their companions continually falling.


    ¡°Go, I refuse to believe this kid is an indestructible cockroach.¡± Someone, disbelieving, pressed forward, determined to take down Ye Qiu.


    As time slowly passed, everyone realized that Ye Qiu was growing stronger in battle, while more and more of their own people were falling.


    In less than ten minutes, already fifty people had lost their fighting ability.


    Terror, this guy is too terrifying!


    Some realized the immense strength of Ye Qiu, perceiving him as more than human.


    Even these gangsters, who often roamed the underworld, began to feel fear.


    Noticing some people retreating, unwilling to rush to their deaths, Li Hao frowned.


    It had been over ten minutes, and more than a hundred people still hadn¡¯t dealt with Ye Qiu, which annoyed him greatly.


    ¡°What are you doing?


    Kill him, I¡¯ll give ten thousand to each of you,¡± Li Hao shouted.


    Hearing about the ten thousand yuan reward, people, as if injected with adrenaline, regained their motivation and rushed towards Ye Qiu.


    Punches flew chaotically, with Ye Qiu in the center of a hundred people, fighting alone, moving freely.


    No matter the attack in front, it was silently dissolved by his miraculous hands.


    Furthermore, from beginning to end, Ye Qiu¡¯s counterattacks never slowed.


    Every part of his body was a weapon.


    Even if the opponent used knives or axes, Ye Qiu would close in, then with a vigorous shake, and that person would be sent flying.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s hands were like a pair of magic wands; every attack that met his palms turned into nothingness.


    Endlessly, blades were swiftly snatched by Ye Qiu¡¯s hands, followed by a strike, and after each strike, he would change a number.


    Fifty people fell.


    Sixty people!


    Seventy people!


    Eighty people!


    By now, Li Hao, who had initially been relaxed, changed his complexion.


    ¡°Is he human?¡± Li Hao forced out as he watched Ye Qiu galloping through the battlefield, his movements continuously steady, while his own men kept falling, diminishing; it was clear his plan was doomed for failure.


    Ma Tao turned his head towards Li Hao, both of their faces filled with shock, their previous calmness gone.


    Although there were still dozens of people attacking Ye Qiu, both felt uncertain, feeling unable to overcome Ye Qiu.


    Now without his previous spectating attitude, Li Hao¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit.


    Watching Ye Qiu seemed like a deity, unassailable no matter how they fought, Ma Tao felt a sense of powerlessness at his core, making him reluctant to oppose such a person.


    ¡°We should run,¡± Ma Tao blurted out.


    Li Hao¡¯s expression changed repeatedly; he didn¡¯t want to just leave, his eyes hardened: ¡°We haven¡¯t lost yet, he must fall.¡±


    Seeing Li Hao¡¯s almost crazed expression, Ma Tao didn¡¯t want to gamble any longer.


    Having barely managed to have Li Hao as reinforcement, seeing that they still couldn¡¯t defeat Ye Qiu, he decided not to involve himself further in this messy situation.


    ¡°I advise you, while there are still people to hold him, you better leave.


    We¡¯re destined not to be his match,¡± Ma Tao dropped these words, and quickly departed.


    He had decided that once he returned to school, he would process a transfer and never see Ye Qiu again¡ªthat guy was simply a devil.


    Ma Tao ran.


    Li Hao¡¯s expression turned ugly, clearly having the upper hand but still no match for Ye Qiu.


    Over a hundred people!


    And yet unable to defeat one person!


    Li Hao was conflicted for a long time, while those still entangled with Ye Qiu numbered only about twenty.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you¡¯re ruthless, I admit defeat,¡± Finally, Li Hao chose to follow Ma Tao¡¯s advice and gave up on resisting.


    Once he harbored thoughts of escape, Li Hao didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately took off after Ma Tao.


    Suddenly seeing the people behind them running away, the twenty-some people still thinking of killing Ye Qiu instantly lost their will, especially as they had been unable to defeat Ye Qiu for a long time.


    They¡¯d already harbored fear, only blinded by their own interests to dare confront Ye Qiu.


    Now without their leader, what use was there in persisting?


    At that moment, the people dispersed and retreated, scattering in a frenzied run.


    This man in front of them was simply unbeatable, insurmountable, and with no leader left, who would still be willing to risk their lives?


    The injured ones also madly ran; in less than ten minutes, the entire battlefield was empty except for Ye Qiu.


    Watching as figures disappeared, Ye Qiu¡¯s unchanged expression revealed a hint of fatigue; he spread his hands and immediately lay down.


    He was too tired!


    Rustle, rustle...


    The breeze kept blowing, turning the vast land a monotonous yellow.


    If one didn¡¯t look towards the nearby campus, the area seemed like a desolate, uninhabited land.


    In a dense patch of weeds, a pair of eyes moved silently.


    The owner of these eyes had witnessed everything that had occurred here, camouflaged in the weeds, nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect if not for these eyes being exposed.


    No one knew he was hiding there.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to make a move,¡± the owner of the eyes murmured as he started moving silently closer to Ye Qiu.

 Chapter 32 - 32 0032 Nightmares Agony

    ?32: 0032 Nightmare¡¯s Agony 32: 0032 Nightmare¡¯s Agony Nearly a hundred people, and even as an expert, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t avoid expending some effort.


    After using up most of his True Qi, Ye Qiu just wanted to lie down for a rest and recover properly.


    After all, he had only spent some strength, and it hadn¡¯t caused him any harm.


    Ye Qiu closed his eyes, as if the whole world had nothing to do with him.


    At this moment, a figure approached stealthily.


    He was like a wolf waiting for the right moment to pounce, holding back before bursting out, and like a black venomous snake, moving so silently without making a single noise, hiding every movement, all to deliver a lethal blow to his opponent.


    He was the king of the assassins, known as Nightmare!


    Nightmare¡¯s background was very mysterious, unknown to outsiders.


    It was only known that he was belligerent, particularly seeking battles against other skilled assassins.


    Challenge after challenge, it¡¯s not to say all were successful, but he always managed to escape unscathed.


    As a result, the name Nightmare spread far and wide.


    Later, when Nightmare assassinated another reigning champion of the assassin¡¯s world, he delivered a Fatal Slash, thereby solidifying the name Nightmare.


    The birth of an Assassin King!


    Nightmare proved his might with his own abilities.


    Thereafter, many rich people sought him out to eliminate their rivals, and anyone targeted by Nightmare couldn¡¯t sleep at night, living every day as if in a nightmare.


    Perfectly completing over a hundred assassination missions without a single failure, he firmly established his title as the King of Assassins.


    And now, assassinating Ye Qiu was the one hundred and ninth mission Nightmare had taken on.


    Initially, he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in assassinations; they posed no challenge to him.


    However, when he heard from his client that the target was a formidable expert, his interest was piqued, wanting to see who it actually was.


    Ever since the day he first encountered Ye Qiu and witnessed his skills, Nightmare felt a surge of excitement.


    Because Ye Qiu was indeed a master.


    This thrill lingered with Nightmare for a long time.


    His withdrawal was a move to achieve the perfect assassination, especially the killing of a skilled fighter¡ªit was like a feast of fine dishes, which he wanted to savor slowly to fully appreciate its flavors.


    He had once told Ye Qiu that the next time they met would be the day of the Fatal Slash.


    To prepare for this day, he observed Ye Qiu every day in secret, waiting for the perfect moment.


    This was the best moment that Nightmare had been waiting for, the perfect opportunity to strike.


    He approached silently.


    A two-inch blade appeared in his hand, closing the distance from twenty meters to ten meters from Ye Qiu.


    Nightmare controlled his breathing extremely well, not even allowing the sound of his breath to escape.


    That is the highest realm of an assassin.


    ¡°To die by my Bloodthirst Knife, you can close your eyes now,¡± Nightmare thought to himself.


    He twisted the ¡°Bloodthirst¡± in his hand slightly, changing the angle of the blade to reveal its sharpest edge.


    It had also become Nightmare¡¯s murder weapon, his strongest backup.


    Nightmare lovingly stroked the back of the knife, concealing its gleam, and with a slight movement, he advanced five meters in an instant.


    Ye Qiu lay spread-eagled, motionless.


    A cold sneer appeared on Nightmare¡¯s face as the knife in his hand gradually neared Ye Qiu¡¯s throat.


    Ye Qiu lay there, completely unaware of the presence so close by.


    His eyes remained closed, and now, the Bloodthirst Knife was already close to his chest.


    At that moment, Nightmare decided to stop hiding.


    It was time to take down Ye Qiu in a single strike.


    In an instant, Nightmare¡¯s arm descended like the grim reaper¡¯s, swiping the Bloodthirst towards Ye Qiu¡¯s throat.


    The Bloodthirst Knife was incredibly fast, flashing with a cold glint in the air before swiftly descending, ready to claim Ye Qiu¡¯s life.


    ¡°Two hundred and thirty-seven,¡± Nightmare watched as the Bloodthirst was about to slash Ye Qiu¡¯s carotid artery, completing the Fatal Slash, and he uttered a number.


    It would be the two hundred and thirty-seventh person that his Bloodthirst Knife was about to kill.


    The blade was inches away, as if death itself was looming, stretching out its hands to draw out Ye Qiu¡¯s soul from his body, stripping away everything from him.


    Suddenly, just as Ye Qiu was moments away from the inevitable fatal attack, he burst his eyes open and suddenly raised his right hand, quickly tossing something.


    Just as Nightmare was about to retract the Bloodthirst, having thought he had succeeded, he was shocked to find Ye Qiu erupting into action and throwing something at him.


    Whoosh!


    Tiny objects entered his eyes.


    Nightmare¡¯s grip on the Bloodthirst Knife involuntarily altered its trajectory and in that moment, Ye Qiu leaped up, narrowly avoiding the knife that had come within a millimeter of his throat.


    ¡°Despicable,¡± Nightmare¡¯s vision blurred, and he cursed, finding Ye Qiu¡¯s action shameless, throwing sand!


    If not for the sand blinding him, he would have certainly taken Ye Qiu¡¯s life just now.


    Nightmare tried hard to open his eyes, but the stinging pain of sand in his eyes prevented him from continuing his assassination of Ye Qiu.


    Moreover, he had missed his window of opportunity, so Nightmare decided to withdraw.


    However, Ye Qiu was not about to give him the chance.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for his awareness of the unnatural silence around him, to the extent that not even the birds were chirping, he wouldn¡¯t have detected Nightmare¡¯s approach, and could have possibly been killed by the attack.


    As a former top-notch assassin who had stepped away from the scene for many years, his alertness had never faded.


    From the moment Ye Qiu sensed something was off, he suspected it might be Nightmare assassinating him.


    That chilly murderous aura shared among assassins, even if not fully unleashed, was faintly picked up by Ye Qiu.


    Therefore, as soon as Nightmare drew close, Ye Qiu was already planning how to counterattack.


    He kept his eyes closed to lure the attacker and held a handful of sand and dust, waiting for the right moment to throw it.


    When strong opponents meet, it comes down to who acts faster and whose tactics are superior.


    In comparison to Nightmare, Ye Qiu¡¯s methods were slightly superior.


    A handful of soil scattered, not only resolved the crisis but also turned Nightmare into the passive one, at a disadvantage.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s body flickered, and he blocked the fleeing Nightmare in a flash.


    Nightmare¡¯s eyes were half-open, filled with tears of pain, all thanks to Ye Qiu.


    It was the first time Nightmare had been in such a sorry state.


    Although he wasn¡¯t injured, the outcome before his eyes was even more embarrassing than being wounded: blinded by sand, a laughing stock if word got out in the assassin¡¯s world.


    Seeing Ye Qiu blocking his way, Nightmare knew he couldn¡¯t avoid a confrontation and immediately launched an attack.


    Ye Qiu had already set his mind on killing.


    Nightmare was a professional assassin and among the best of them.


    If he escaped this time, Ye Qiu would have to be on guard for sudden attacks from Nightmare, so he had to make sure Nightmare didn¡¯t leave alive.


    Swish swish.


    Their speed was tremendous, incessantly exchanging blows in mid-air; Ye Qiu fought barehanded, while Nightmare wielded the Bloodthirst Knife, constantly slashing at Ye Qiu¡¯s vital points.


    The weather grew overcast, dark clouds gathering, the wind blowing harder, swirling blades of grass into the sky.


    No one knew that behind the university in Zhongshan City, on that deserted grassland, two experts were dueling with their lives at stake.


    Their fight was brief, lasting less than a minute, before the outcome was decided.


    After the strike, they stood back-to-back, neither moving an inch.


    After a while, Nightmare spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°How did you find me?¡±


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t turn around and said, ¡°The moment you revealed your intent to kill, I knew you were there.¡±


    ¡°Just based on that?¡± Nightmare asked in astonishment.


    The reason seemed too simple; he didn¡¯t believe it.


    Yet, Ye Qiu nodded, countering, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s most important for an assassin?¡±


    Nightmare remained silent.


    Ye Qiu continued, ¡°For an assassin, the most crucial thing during an assassination is not to expose oneself.


    You concealed your killing intent quite well, but what you didn¡¯t realize is that from the moment you drew near, your heartbeat gave you away, especially when you swung your knife, your heart rate sped up from 90 to 120 beats per minute¡ªI knew then that you were not calm, but rather excited.¡±


    After hearing Ye Qiu¡¯s explanation, Nightmare chuckled bitterly, ¡°I see, my True Qi is still far inferior to yours.


    I¡¯ve learned something,¡± he said, bowing with his back to him.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to know?¡± Ye Qiu asked indifferently.


    Nightmare shook his head as his vision blurred even more.


    He looked up at the sky, struggling to keep his eyes open, only to find it so hard to even have one last glimpse of the world.


    Then, with a thud, Nightmare fell to the ground.


    Ye Qiu lingered there for a while, looking at the dead Nightmare, pondering something with an unknowable look in his eyes.


    After sighing twice, Ye Qiu slowly walked away from the scene.


    This assassination was doomed to fail from the moment Nightmare¡¯s intent to strike was perceived by Ye Qiu.


    A flock of geese flew across the sky, now in a V formation, now in a straight line, passing over Nightmare¡¯s corpse.


    As the fierce sun crossed overhead, the setting sun pressed against the mountains.


    Five police cars stopped in the field.


    Nightmare¡¯s body lay there, motionless; Lin Qiao¡¯er frowned while looking at the corpse.


    ¡°Report, boss, the victim died from a dagger through the heart, a fatal slash,¡± the forensic officer said.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, though, this dagger is clearly the victim¡¯s, and it was in his own hands, so why would it be plunged into his heart?


    If he wanted to commit suicide, it doesn¡¯t seem likely,¡± the forensic officer remarked.


    Soon after, another police officer saluted and reported to Lin Qiao¡¯er, ¡°We¡¯ve identified the victim through online checks.


    He¡¯s an international assassin, with no known name, known as Nightmare.


    He¡¯s a dangerous character who has assassinated numerous international political figures and business tycoons.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying the victim was an international assassin?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s face changed instantly when she heard this.


    ¡°Yes, and this Nightmare was formidable, having killed many high-profile individuals, still wanted by countries all over the world,¡± the reporting officer said timidly.


    ¡°An international assassin came to our city, and I¡¯m only finding out now!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er glared furiously at her subordinates, frustrated that an international assassin entered Zhongshan City unnoticed until his death; what if he hadn¡¯t died?


    She didn¡¯t dare contemplate the consequences.


    This was mainly why Lin Qiao¡¯er was angry: how had the assassin passed through checks?


    But at least he was dead now.


    Naturally, she didn¡¯t believe for a second that he had committed suicide; that would be a joke.


    How could a top international assassin kill himself?


    There must be another reason for his death.


    Who could have killed such a renowned hitman?


    Lin Qiao¡¯er bit her lower lip¡ªshe was determined to find out!

 Chapter 33 - 33 0033 Its about you again!

    ?33: 0033 It¡¯s about you again!


    (Please collect) 33: 0033 It¡¯s about you again!


    (Please collect) When the news of Nightmare¡¯s death reached the ears of several top executives at Rongda United Group, whether it was Wang Chenghu or the recently returned Vice Chairman Ruan Guotao, they all froze on the spot.


    Wang Chenghu was slightly less affected, but Ruan Guotao looked the most shocked, because he knew how formidable the top-tier assassin he had spared no expense to hire was.


    Ruan Guotao was not dealing with Nightmare for the first time; in every previous hiring, no matter how powerful the opponent, the mission was always perfectly accomplished.


    Only this time, he had failed!


    ¡°Youngest brother, go and send a generous gift to Longjia Group, consider it my welcome present,¡± Ruan Guotao said to Wang Chenghu, his expression stern.


    Wang Chenghu was puzzled, wondering why send a gift at this time.


    Silence would be the best response now, after all, the other side didn¡¯t know it was their doing.


    ¡°Youngest brother, you underestimate Old Shen Tianlong too much.


    Do you think that if this news could reach us here, he, a financial giant in Zhongshan City, wouldn¡¯t know about it?


    The gift I want you to send is meant to convey a message,¡± explained Ruan Guotao.


    ¡°Do you mean to reconcile with Old Shen?¡± Wang Chenghu exclaimed in surprise.


    Ruan Guotao shook his head.


    Complete reconciliation was impossible, but for the moment, the mysterious youth by their opponent¡¯s side was too formidable, leaving him without countermeasures.


    Sending a gift was just to signify to Rongda¡¯s side that for now, they did not wish to become too hostile with Longjia.


    Moreover, if that young man could take down Nightmare, it proved he could easily infiltrate the Rongda building and take their lives with as much ease.


    In such an unfavorable situation, Ruan Guotao¡¯s initiative to show weakness could at least ease the conflict between the two parties.


    ¡°Take care of this matter personally.


    As for the funding, don¡¯t be stingy,¡± Ruan Guotao instructed.


    ¡°But...


    that guy, how are we supposed to deal with him?¡± Wang Chenghu asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; I¡¯ll make the arrangements myself,¡± Ruan Guotao said as his eyes closed.


    How to deal with Ye Qiu gave him a headache, damn Shen Tianlong, who knew where he found such an expert that even Nightmare fell to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to get in touch with the eldest brother in Southeast Asia,¡± Ruan Guotao finally said, having no other solutions.


    He had to report the matter to the person who steered the course of Rongda Group from behind the scenes¡ªthe eldest director of Rongda.


    Nightmare¡¯s death not only caused a ripple in Zhongshan but also set off a tidal wave among the assassins.


    As a top-tier assassin, Nightmare had died in Hua Xia!


    This news made many assassins take note; Nightmare was an eminent figure¡ªonce the acknowledged king of the assassin world, feared by many.


    Even his fellow assassins kept a wary distance from him.


    Yet, such a nearly mythical figure had fallen in Hua Xia.


    Instantly, everyone wondered who could have killed the King of Assassins.


    Many assassins who idolized Nightmare, as well as younger assassins who saw him as their surpassing goal, turned their attention to Zhongshan City.


    They all wanted to find out the truth for themselves.


    If someone could kill the King of Assassins, people were curious to know what sort of person could achieve such a feat.


    Even retired veterans from the assassin world were exclaiming in astonishment, the person who killed Nightmare was definitely beyond a king, deserving of the title ¡°God of Assassination.¡±


    ¡°God of Assassination, huh?


    In the entire history of assassins, there have been fewer than five people who have earned this highest title.


    Could it be one of them who made a move?¡± someone whispered.


    Soon enough, some dismissed this guess, as those few who had been granted the title of God of Assassination had long since vanished from the limelight, unseen for many years.


    The chance of Nightmare encountering one of them and losing was extremely slim.


    Zhongshan became a hot topic in the assassin community.


    Some assassins, eager for the truth, even risked their lives to enter Hua Xia and head for the city called Zhongshan to find the existence that might very well be the God of Assassination.


    ...


    Zhongshan City.


    What was this situation?


    Why were these terrifying individuals entering Zhongshan?


    ¡°I want a thorough investigation, have your informants discreetly inquire for me.


    Everyone who went to the university that day must be checked out, down to distinguishing between male and female mosquitoes.¡±


    ¡°Who is it that killed a bad guy and attracted a bunch of other bad guys?


    Don¡¯t let me find out who it is, otherwise I¡¯ll skin you alive!¡±


    Lin Qiao¡¯er clenched her teeth in anger while processing the constant influx of information.


    Shortly after, a subordinate brought in a piece of news, claiming an informant had some very important clues.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er immediately called in the informant, who only left after being questioned for two hours.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er now knew the full story.


    According to the informant¡¯s description, that morning, two groups fought fiercely behind the campus, with no fewer than a hundred people involved.


    What angered and shocked Lin Qiao¡¯er the most was when the person produced a photo of Ye Qiu, stating with certainty that one of the groups was Ye Qiu¡¯s.


    Ye Qiu was a name Lin Qiao¡¯er was familiar with; he was a carefree and flashy person.


    In any case, she did not have a good impression of him.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er squeezed Ye Qiu¡¯s photo, nearly crumpling it to bits, her eyes flickering with resentment as she hissed, ¡°It¡¯s related to you again, isn¡¯t it!¡±


    ¡°If it really was you, just wait and see how I¡¯ll deal with you!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er stormed out of the office with a raging aura, heading straight for Zhongshan University.

 Chapter 34 - 34 0034 Excited Shen Tianlong

    ?34: 0034 Excited Shen Tianlong 34: 0034 Excited Shen Tianlong The death of Nightmare has put the entire Y City on edge, and many citizens are puzzled by the sudden increase in police presence on the streets.


    The news of a large number of assassins infiltrating Y City has been sealed off by the police, also to prevent public fear, which can easily lead to chaos.


    At every bustling intersection in Y City, four or five police cars are parked, with seven officers patrolling the streets fully armed, looking for suspicious individuals.


    Those with insight all know that there is some kind of issue in Y City, but due to the lack of internal information, many people are merely speculating, and it has even drawn considerable attention in Y City.


    The police quickly debunked the rumors, claiming they were conducting an exercise.


    The excuse, although appropriate, seemed far-fetched.


    While the police were incredibly busy, Ye Qiu was summoned by Shen Tianlong to the Longjia Building.


    Shen Tianlong sat by the window, brewing tea, occasionally taking small sips.


    ¡°Nephew Ye, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Ye Qiu was escorted by Uncle Liu to the top floor where Shen Tianlong stood up from his seat to greet Ye Qiu proactively.


    ¡°Chairman Shen is too courteous, you flatter me.¡± Seeing such a reception from Shen Tianlong, Ye Qiu was somewhat surprised and approached out of politeness.


    ¡°No need for formalities, no need, Nephew Ye, please sit down!¡± Shen Tianlong gestured for him to take a seat.


    Ye Qiu sat in the mahogany chair, unclear about why Shen Tianlong had called him.


    Shen Tianlong passed a cup of tea to Ye Qiu, then repeatedly scrutinized him with his eyes.


    Feeling confused by the old man Shen¡¯s stare, Ye Qiu asked, ¡°Chairman Shen, I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯ve asked to see me...¡±


    His voice trailed off, Shen Tianlong laughed heartily, seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s embarrassment, and cheerfully said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, Nephew Ye, I¡¯m simply very curious.


    Despite your youth, you are quite extraordinary; your master is indeed a divine figure, capable of teaching such an exceptional disciple as you.¡±


    Shen Tianlong¡¯s words were pure flattery, leaving Ye Qiu even more perplexed, ¡°I don¡¯t know why Chairman Shen would say such a thing?¡±


    Shen Tianlong gave a mysterious smile, stood up, and placed a box from the table in front of Ye Qiu, saying, ¡°Nephew Ye, guess what¡¯s inside?¡±


    Ye Qiu did not speak and simply shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Shen Tianlong laughed and said, ¡°Inside here is the ownership certificate for a villa.¡±


    Ye Qiu was still at a loss as to what Shen Tianlong was getting at.


    Shen Tianlong didn¡¯t keep him in suspense any longer, stating outright, ¡°Do you know who sent this?¡±


    Ye Qiu looked somewhat at a loss; how was he supposed to guess?


    Shen Tianlong coughed and said, ¡°This was sent over by the Rong Group¡¯s chairman, haha...


    Who would have thought that even Rong Group would take the initiative to appease me, it¡¯s truly a rare sight.¡±


    What did any of this have to do with him, Ye Qiu thought, not wanting to dampen Shen Tianlong¡¯s spirits.


    Shen Tianlong composed himself, staring seriously at Ye Qiu, and said, ¡°Nephew Ye, I know you are puzzled, but the main reason the Rong Group sent me a villa is because of you.¡±


    ¡°Because of me?¡± Ye Qiu was even more astonished; what did this have to do with him?


    ¡°Nephew Ye, the international top assassin called Nightmare, it was you who killed him, right?¡± Shen Tianlong suddenly spoke up, causing Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes to lock onto him instantly.


    Shen Tianlong hastily waved his hand, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t take it the wrong way, Nephew Ye, I, Shen Tianlong, am not one to stab people in the back.


    I just want to say that because of you, the Rong Group has bowed their heads to me.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s thoughts turned quickly, and he instantly understood everything.


    By eliminating Nightmare, he must have scared Nightmare¡¯s unknown employer, and since Rong Group had paid for Nightmare to come, naturally they would fear being suddenly targeted themselves.


    Thus, they approached Shen Tianlong first to show goodwill, hoping that Ye Qiu would not seek retaliation.


    Thinking of this, Ye Qiu no longer doubted and said, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, congratulations to Director Shen then.¡±


    ¡°Ye my dear nephew, you speak as if we are strangers.


    Rong Da has bent the knee entirely because of you.¡±


    ¡°For so many years, I thought Rong Da would be at odds with me until the bitter end, but I never expected that with the appearance of Ye my dear nephew, Rong Da would capitulate so swiftly, it¡¯s really refreshing.¡± Shen Tianlong was in a great mood; he had sparred with Rong Da for many years and now he had finally got his moment of glory, truly making the opponent yield.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t Shen Tianlong¡¯s own doing, since Ye Qiu was invited by him, Shen Tianlong naturally shared in the happiness.


    ¡°Since Rong Da has taken the initiative to apologize, I think I should give you this villa.¡± Shen Tianlong slid the property deed across to Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Ye my dear nephew, don¡¯t hesitate, I¡¯ve already changed the property deed into your name, from now on this villa is yours.¡± Shen Tianlong didn¡¯t give Ye Qiu the opportunity to speak.


    Looking at the deed in front of him, Ye Qiu was momentarily stunned, then after a brief silence, he smiled and said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll accept it.¡±


    ¡°This is what you deserve, my dear nephew.


    Please take extra care of my daughter¡¯s safety.


    The young girl is ignorant, please bear with her.¡±


    Ye Qiu smiled and chatted with Shen Tianlong for a while before leaving the Longjia Building.


    ...


    Upon returning to the Goddess Villa, Ye Qiu suddenly realized there was a visitor at home.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, there¡¯s a sister looking for you.¡± Niu Yinyin gnawed on a chicken claw, wiped her mouth of oil after rubbing it on her clothes, and said to Ye Qiu who had just entered.


    Following her gaze, Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes narrowed, it was her!


    Standing before him was Police Officer Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, Officer Lin is looking for you, you didn¡¯t commit any wrongdoing again, did you?¡± Shen Mengchen teased from the side, her legs resting on a table as she munched on potato chips.


    Ye Qiu ignored Shen Mengchen¡¯s words and hey hey¡¯d with a smile at Lin Qiao¡¯er, ¡°Yo, officer, what brings you to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been quite peaceful recently, haven¡¯t committed any misdeeds.¡± Ye Qiu appeared very familiar with Lin Qiao¡¯er, coming up to drape an arm over her shoulder.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er flung her arm, shaking off Ye Qiu¡¯s ¡°hand of evil¡±, and Ye Qiu rubbed his hands sheepishly, not teasing her anymore.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, come outside.


    This isn¡¯t the place to talk, let¡¯s go somewhere else,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said with an icy tone, her mood unable to improve at the sight of Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu promptly agreed twice and followed Lin Qiao¡¯er out of the villa.


    ¡°Get in the car.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er pointed at a red sedan and said.


    ¡°Get in the car?


    Officer, I think we should find a quieter place, preferably a bed to sit on to talk, that¡¯s much more sincere, rather than inside this car here.


    Of course, I¡¯m not completely opposed to a bit of car fun...¡± Ye Qiu said reluctantly, nearly driving Lin Qiao¡¯er to draw her gun.


    Seeing the fire in Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s eyes rise, Ye Qiu realized things were not going well and quickly shut up, getting into the car obediently.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er closed the car door forcefully with a snap, and the red sedan quickly drove away from the upscale villa area.


    Hearing the sound of the car outside, Niu Yinyin said naively, ¡°Wow, that sister took Ye Qiu away.


    What are they going to do?


    They aren¡¯t going on a date, are they?¡±


    Shen Mengchen snorted and thought of Ye Qiu¡¯s lecherous demeanor towards Lin Qiao¡¯er, feeling indignant as she said, ¡°With his looks, who could fancy him?


    He¡¯s probably being taken to the police station.


    It¡¯s not the first time he¡¯s been in there, they might as well lock him up for a few days, it would give me some peace and quiet.¡±


    ¡°But if Ye Qiu is locked up, how will you ensure your safety, sister Mengchen?¡± Niu Yinyin asked with wide eyes.


    ¡°Hmph, I can take care of myself,¡± Shen Mengchen snorted, suddenly cross for some reason, threw the chips onto the table, said she was tired, and returned to her room.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into sister Mengchen?¡± Niu Yinyin listened to the snap of Shen Mengchen¡¯s room door closing sternly, showing a puzzled expression.


    Then her eyes glinted and she was caught up once again in the television entertainment program.

 Chapter 35 - 35 0035 cant swim

    ?35: 0035 can¡¯t swim 35: 0035 can¡¯t swim Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s driving speed was not any slower than Shen Mengchen¡¯s; the red sedan sped along the road and, after a bit more than twenty minutes, came to a stop next to a pond.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said coldly.


    Ye Qiu looked around at the surrounding environment and couldn¡¯t help being surprised.


    He wondered why Lin Qiao¡¯er had brought him here.


    ¡°You¡¯ve dragged me all the way here, not to take advantage of me and then destroy the evidence, have you?¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s words could choke a person, angering Lin Qiao¡¯er to the point of wanting to kick him into the river.


    ¡°Hmph, I asked to see you today as an individual,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er declared.


    They got out of the car and stood on the earthen embankment by the edge of the pond.


    The summer nightfall had not come early, and the twilight afterglow was still in the sky, casting a reddish glow on the water¡¯s surface.


    ¡°I wonder what the honorable Lin wants to know, going to the trouble of bringing me here,¡± Ye Qiu said, straightening his expression to show a rare seriousness.


    ¡°Why are you living together with Shen Mengchen?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er suddenly asked.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes roamed over Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s figure and he said with a smile, ¡°If you¡¯re asking me this as a private individual, I¡¯d think you¡¯re harboring a crush on me or perhaps, you¡¯re jealous.¡±


    ¡°You...¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er was about to throw a punch right then.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er calmed down for a moment, exhaled, and then spoke somewhat more relaxedly, ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t have to answer that question.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a local, are you?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er shifted the topic, and Ye Qiu nodded.


    ¡°An outsider like you living in the same villa as the daughter of Longjia Group¡¯s bigwig in Zhongshan City, your identity must be no ordinary one, am I right?¡±


    Ye Qiu stayed silent, curious to see what else Lin Qiao¡¯er would say.


    ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll take it as you agree,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er continued.


    ¡°Then let me take a guess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve investigated you; you have no blood relation with the Shen family, and yet Shen Mengchen, who is Shen Tianlong¡¯s only daughter and whom he dotes on greatly, has you suddenly show up and move into her villa.


    No doubt, you must have gained Shen Tianlong¡¯s approval for this.¡±


    ¡°Since Shen Tianlong would dare to let a mysterious man stay in the same villa with his daughter, there can only be two explanations,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said, as if she transformed into Holmes himself, analyzing carefully.


    ¡°And what are those two explanations?¡± Ye Qiu replied, wanting to see what Lin Qiao¡¯er would come up with.


    ¡°First, you are Shen Tianlong¡¯s illegitimate son, only in that case would he feel at ease letting you stay with Shen Mengchen.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er raised a finger.


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed, greatly admiring Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s imagination.


    ¡°Second, you¡¯re someone hired by Shen Tianlong.


    As far as I know, Longjia Group has had quite an unsettled time on the business scene these past few years, with many competitors eying it covetously.


    Shen Tianlong cherishes his own reputation and regards his daughter¡¯s safety as paramount, so it¡¯s likely that you are a bodyguard hired by Shen Tianlong to protect his daughter,¡± she said.


    Having laid out her two guesses, Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s gaze lingered on Ye Qiu¡¯s face, ¡°I¡¯m not wrong, am I?¡±


    Ye Qiu clapped his hands in applause, saying, ¡°Miss Lin indeed has a rich imagination.


    I admire your deductive skills.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er snorted, ¡°I can rule out the first possibility; you are definitely not Shen Tianlong¡¯s son since you two don¡¯t share any resemblance.


    That leaves only the second possibility¡ªyou are a bodyguard hired by Shen Tianlong.


    On this point, I absolutely won¡¯t be wrong.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so sure I¡¯m a bodyguard?


    Why can¡¯t there be a third possibility?¡± Ye Qiu smiled, not saying too much.


    But he was also amazed at Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s deductive abilities¡ªshe had actually guessed correctly, although Ye Qiu would not admit it.


    ¡°A third possibility?


    Ha, fine, tell me then, what is this third possibility?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er replied.


    She really wanted to see what legitimate explanation Ye Qiu could offer.


    Ye Qiu kicked at the mud beneath his feet and withdrew his gaze from the lake, saying, ¡°Do you think, if I were Shen Tianlong¡¯s son-in-law, there might be a chance that I¡¯d live in the same villa as Shen Mengchen?¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er froze, having never considered such a possibility.


    If it were as Ye Qiu said, and he was the son-in-law chosen by Shen Tianlong, he could indeed live in the goddess¡¯s villa, which would bring him closer to Shen Mengchen.


    Watching Lin Qiao¡¯er stammer in shock at his suggestion, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but snicker secretly.


    After thinking hard for quite some time, Lin Qiao¡¯er finally saw the sly smile on Ye Qiu¡¯s face and instantly realized that she might have been duped by this guy.


    Right, this guy never speaks the truth, how could she believe what he says.


    ¡°You dare to trick me.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er, enraged, swung her fist at Ye Qiu.


    Seeing ¡°Mother Tigress¡± suddenly lash out, Ye Qiu immediately tried to flee, but Lin Qiao¡¯er, who was no slouch herself, grabbed his sleeve in a flash and demanded, ¡°Tell me, is the death of ¡®Nightmare¡¯ related to you?¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s heart chilled when Lin Qiao¡¯er abruptly changed the subject to ¡°Nightmare,¡± and he put on a perplexed face, ¡°Nightmare?


    Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know him?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er could not spot any flaw on Ye Qiu¡¯s face.


    She even began to doubt her own suspicions.


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know him.


    Is that the name of the dead person you¡¯re investigating?


    Why would they be named ¡®Nightmare¡¯?


    That¡¯s a rather strange name.¡±


    ¡°It seems, you really don¡¯t know.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er nodded.


    ¡°Exactly, how could I possibly be involved in a murder case?


    I¡¯m nothing but a weak scholar,¡± Ye Qiu claimed shamelessly.


    However, no sooner had Ye Qiu finished speaking than Lin Qiao¡¯er suddenly threw a punch at him.


    Ye Qiu dodged instinctively; Lin Qiao¡¯er had not anticipated his speed, completely missed her target, and stumbled forward.


    Right in front of her was a pond, and thus...


    Gurgle, gurgle!


    Ye Qiu suddenly realized Lin Qiao¡¯er couldn¡¯t swim.


    Watching Lin Qiao¡¯er floundering in the water, sinking deeper and deeper, Ye Qiu immediately jumped in and dragged her to the shore.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said, feeling she had just escaped from the jaws of death.


    She had always feared water and stayed away from ponds, but today, in her attempt to test Ye Qiu, she had found herself in a dangerous predicament.


    If Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t saved her, Lin Qiao¡¯er knew very well what the consequence would have been.


    ¡°No need to be polite,¡± Ye Qiu said indifferently.


    ¡°Ye Qiu.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?


    What is it?¡±


    ¡°Could you not tell anyone about what happened today?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er asked, not wanting others to know that she couldn¡¯t swim.


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± After saying that, Lin Qiao¡¯er got up, dusted off the mud on her clothes, and walked towards her car.


    She then said to Ye Qiu, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll give you a ride back.¡±

 Chapter 36 - 36 0036 Lan Bings Perseverance

    ?36: 0036 Lan Bing¡¯s Perseverance 36: 0036 Lan Bing¡¯s Perseverance Ye Qiu returned to the villa almost at ten o¡¯clock.


    He didn¡¯t let Lin Qiao¡¯er drive him back to the villa.


    He got off near Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s neighborhood, took a taxi, and returned to the goddess¡¯s villa.


    By that time, all the lights in the villa had been extinguished.


    It was pitch dark, and the street light at the entrance cast a dim yellow glow.


    After greeting the security guard at the gate, Ye Qiu entered the villa complex.


    Ye Qiu had the key to the front door, so he didn¡¯t need to disturb anyone.


    With one insert of the key and a gentle push, the door opened.


    The room was pitch-black, and he could only make out the furnishings through the vague moonlight.


    Suddenly, he spotted a figure and was startled.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Ye Qiu asked, on alert.


    Clap!


    Instantly, the lights in the room turned on, and Ye Qiu could finally see who was sitting on the sofa.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?


    What are you doing sitting here in the dark?¡± Ye Qiu looked at Shen Mengchen with her hair draped loose, sitting motionless.


    If not for his strong nerves, he might have been scared out of his wits just now.


    ¡°Mind your own business.


    So you remembered to come back?


    Why don¡¯t you spend the night with the beautiful policewoman outside?¡± Shen Mengchen¡¯s attitude was cold, and her tone laced with a hint of admonishment.


    Ye Qiu gave an awkward laugh and explained, ¡°I¡¯m not that sort of person.


    How could I casually spend the night with another woman?¡±


    Watching Shen Mengchen¡¯s displeased expression, Ye Qiu suddenly realized that this girl probably wouldn¡¯t be up in the middle of the night for no reason¡ªshe must have been waiting for him.


    Thinking of this, Ye Qiu felt a bit smug.


    He chuckled to himself, wondering how she had started to care about him.


    Could it be that she had been attracted by his charm?


    Listening to Ye Qiu¡¯s boastful words, Shen Mengchen pursed her lips in irony and retorted, ¡°I think anyone could see you¡¯re not just any man.¡± Then she stood up, stretched, and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.


    I couldn¡¯t care less about when you come back.¡±


    With those words, Shen Mengchen, wearing her cute bunny pajamas, walked back to her room.


    Ye Qiu gave a wry smile and sighed that women indeed were the world¡¯s most unfathomable creatures!


    ...


    The next day, after breakfast, the three of them prepared to head to the university.


    Shen Mengchen was currently a sophomore, while Shangguan Hong was a Ph.D.


    student.


    She had been studying a medical field and had been at the school for six or seven years.


    Two sleek sports cars pulled out of the garage.


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong each headed towards one.


    Ye Qiu stood in the middle, eyeing the two beauties next to their respective cars, and was dazzled for a moment.


    Shen Mengchen exuded a youthful vitality, and her lively nature combined with the red sports car gave off an invincible youthful vibe.


    Shangguan Hong was mature and sexy, and the distinct ripe charm and ladylike reserve made her allure skyrocket.


    Both women got into their cars and took the driver¡¯s seat.


    Ye Qiu lingered over the sight before him, not sure which car to choose.


    As both women started their engines, he hesitated for a moment, then finally got into Shen Mengchen¡¯s car.


    Shen Mengchen glanced at Ye Qiu and said, ¡°Lucky you, always getting to ride in Missy¡¯s car.¡± Her words still carried a tone of hostility.


    Ye Qiu touched his nose awkwardly, not responding to avoid angering this girl and getting into more trouble.


    Shangguan Hong, seeing Shen Mengchen¡¯s huffy demeanor, revealed a charming smile.


    She glanced again at Shen Mengchen¡¯s car rear, missing Ye Qiu¡¯s expression, and then quickly averted her gaze, leading the way out of the villa complex.


    Beauties with sports cars¡ªthat¡¯s a highly attractive topic.


    So, when Ye Qiu, Shen Mengchen, and Shangguan Hong drove their sports cars into the university, they attracted many onlookers¡¯ attention.


    In Zhongshan University, the majority of students knew of Shen Mengchen.


    After all, she was the darling jewel of one of the largest groups in Zhongshan, a ¡®White, Rich, and Beautiful¡¯ in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Thus, there was never a shortage of people pursuing Shen Mengchen, whose hands grew tired from receiving love letters.


    Everyone knew that campus beauty Shen Mengchen and the youngest Ph.D., Shangguan Hong, were good friends who always hung out together.


    When these two great beauties appeared together, they made everyone¡¯s eyes light up, their gazes shining brightly.


    The only sight some found less pleasing was Ye Qiu, accompanying the two standard bearers of beauty.


    A man dressed in a way that utterly mismatched the school flowers and a doctoral student, his presence completely killed the mood, especially for those male students who lusted after Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong.


    Seeing this scene, they clenched their fists in frustration, wishing they could immediately send Ye Qiu flying and take his place by the sides of Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong.


    However, it seemed that this wish could no longer be fulfilled, as it was rumored that Ye Qiu was very skilled in martial arts, and had defeated the president of the Taekwondo club, Ma Tao, in one move.


    Moreover, with Ma Tao¡¯s sudden transfer to another school, more people speculated that it was most likely due to Ye Qiu.


    As the two beauties walked by, many female classmates felt envious, while the male students hated Ye Qiu to death, cursing the guy who was friends with the two beauties in their hearts.


    After Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong split up and returned to their respective teaching buildings, Ye Qiu followed behind Shen Mengchen, heading towards the class together.


    Just as they arrived at the class entrance, Ye Qiu noticed many glances being directed at a striking figure gathered at the door.


    As the two were about to enter the class, Ye Qiu was called by this beautiful figure.


    ¡°Ye Qiu,¡± a crisp voice came through, sounding very pleasant.


    Ye Qiu turned around, and when he saw the face clearly, he was startled for a moment, wondering what she was doing there.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, could I talk to you alone for a moment?¡± Lan Bing looked at Ye Qiu with a very sincere gaze.


    Before Ye Qiu could reply, Shen Mengchen, who was just about to step into the classroom, spoke first.


    She drew back half of her body, her words a mix of sarcasm and mockery, ¡°Ye Qiu, it seems you¡¯re quite popular with the girls, huh?


    Not only the female officer wants to talk to you, but also the president of the Martial Arts Club, Lan Bing, is here looking for you.


    You¡¯re really a busy man!¡±


    Blushing slightly at Shen Mengchen¡¯s comment, Lan Bing¡¯s face colored, while Ye Qiu gave an awkward smile, sensing a heavy hint of jealousy in her words.


    He didn¡¯t know what to say, after all, Shen Mengchen was right¡ªwhy were so many beauties seeking him out for talks recently?


    His luck in romance seemed too good to be true.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I just want to talk to Ye Qiu about joining the club.


    There¡¯s nothing else.¡± Lan Bing quickly clarified.


    Shen Mengchen snorted, ¡°What¡¯s so good about him that you, the president, come personally asking?¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Lan Bing didn¡¯t know how to continue.


    It was at this point that Ye Qiu took over the conversation, ¡°President Lan, let¡¯s talk outside.¡± He didn¡¯t want to block the classroom doorway and become a spectacle for the whole class, so he gestured for Lan Bing to follow him outside.


    Looking at the two heading towards the sports field, Shen Mengchen huffed coldly and turned to enter the classroom.


    On the sports field, Ye Qiu was the first to speak, ¡°President Lan, I understand why you¡¯re here, but I really don¡¯t want to join any clubs.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s refusal didn¡¯t surprise Lan Bing.


    She earnestly said, ¡°Could you please reconsider?


    Joining the Martial Arts Club isn¡¯t like you think it is; there aren¡¯t many obligations to keep you busy.¡±


    Ye Qiu still shook his head, not because he didn¡¯t want to join, but because he feared joining the Martial Arts Club would bring more complications.


    After all, his purpose in attending the school was to ensure Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety, and it would be best to avoid other entanglements.


    Seeing the continued refusal in Ye Qiu¡¯s words and expression, Lan Bing didn¡¯t give up, continuing to persuade, ¡°Ye Qiu, I sincerely want you to join the Martial Arts Club.


    ¡±


    ¡°In today¡¯s world, Taekwondo is widespread; more and more of our countrymen are learning this foreign martial art, casting aside our own cultural martial arts to chase after those of lesser nations.¡± Lan Bing¡¯s expression was very serious.


    ¡°Many people spend money to learn Taekwondo, even training their children from a young age.


    To some, this is seen as character building, but to me, it is a sadness.¡±


    ¡°Taekwondo is part of their culture, and yet our countrymen spend money to learn it, oblivious to the fact that Taekwondo is but a category derived from our own martial arts.


    Seeing our countrymen, especially the younger generation, promote Taekwondo while neglecting the essence of our cultural heritage, fills me with sorrow.¡± As she spoke, a hint of pain appeared on Lan Bing¡¯s face.


    ¡°That¡¯s why, one of the first things I did when I came to university was to start a Martial Arts Club, to let more of our countrymen realize the value of martial arts, to understand that our ancestral legacy must not be lost in pursuit of foreign novelties.¡± Lan Bing¡¯s eyes grew brighter, particularly when she spoke of her desire to promote martial arts and let more people understand the art of our nation, her gaze filled with determination and passion.


    Ye Qiu was moved by the girl in front of him, not expecting a girl to have such a deep understanding of our national martial arts.


    ¡°Would you consider it again?


    The Martial Arts Club really needs someone like you,¡± Lan Bing said.


    Ye Qiu pondered for a moment.


    This time, he didn¡¯t shake his head, ¡°I¡¯m willing to join the Martial Arts Club, but I have one condition.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lan Bing¡¯s eyes brightened with joy when she heard Ye Qiu relenting; she eagerly inquired.

 Chapter 37 - 37 Master Legend 0037

    ?37: Master Legend 0037 37: Master Legend 0037 Ye Qiu agreed to Lan Bing¡¯s invitation and officially joined the martial arts club.


    Lan Bing¡¯s mood instantly became much better.


    She waved at Ye Qiu and turned to leave.


    Ye Qiu stood there, watching Lan Bing disappear.


    Originally, he had no interest in any martial arts club.


    With his skills, there was no need for him to join a club.


    Moreover, even if he did join, there was no one who could teach him anything.


    The reason he agreed was entirely because he was moved by Lan Bing¡¯s persistence and her words.


    Martial arts are the soul of Huaxia, originating from ancient times and passed down for thousands of years.


    However, with the development of technology, martial arts have gradually drifted away from the masses.


    Life has been completely overtaken by technology, and those looking to strengthen their bodies either go to the gym or run.


    For most people, their understanding of martial arts remains at a superficial level.


    The most famous tagline for martial arts is none other than Tai Chi, which is well-known by modern people.


    However, aside from that, other martial arts carry a mysterious aura in people¡¯s hearts.


    Because of the distance, it becomes mysterious, and with the interruption in the transmission of martial arts, along with factors such as the practice of teaching daughters instead of sons, people¡¯s understanding of martial arts remains limited.


    This girl named Lan Bing actually has the grand desire to change people¡¯s perceptions of martial arts.


    That¡¯s what touched Ye Qiu the most.


    ¡°The idea of promoting martial arts is good, but...¡± Ye Qiu murmured to himself, ¡°actually reigniting people¡¯s understanding of martial arts is not so simple!¡± The thought of promoting martial arts was fleeting in his mind; this wasn¡¯t something that could be achieved with simple propaganda.


    There was much to be done, and although he wasn¡¯t particularly interested, he could offer a minimal amount of help.


    After returning to his class, Ye Qiu noticed that Shen Mengchen was completely ignoring him, not even giving him a glance.


    Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t one to seek further humiliation.


    He took his seat, and his gaze happened to meet Chu Yao¡¯s.


    The two shared a smile but didn¡¯t speak much more.


    After class, Shen Mengchen went to the library to study, and Ye Qiu followed her.


    He browsed through some books about the surname Dugu, but after searching for a long time, he still came up empty-handed.


    Meanwhile, at the Zhongshan City Police Department.


    Ever since the day she parted with Ye Qiu and returned to the police station, Lin Qiao¡¯er began a serious investigation into Ye Qiu.


    Past investigations were limited to tracking and gathering information from others¡¯ descriptions.


    Today, Lin Qiao¡¯er specifically requested to dig deeper into Ye Qiu¡¯s background.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er had considered countless possibilities for Ye Qiu¡¯s background.


    Maybe he was a low-profile rich heir, or perhaps he was a child from an ordinary family, or maybe he was just a well-doing hooligan.


    However, when the investigation report was laid out in front of her, Lin Qiao¡¯er couldn¡¯t comprehend the result.


    Unable to investigate this person!


    Insufficient clearance!


    This result left Lin Qiao¡¯er somewhat stunned, as such warnings from the system usually signified that the individual had an extraordinary identity.


    In the end, Lin Qiao¡¯er checked the minimum clearance level required to view the information; it had to be at least a senior level officer.


    This meant that aside from the chief of the entire police station, no one else had access.


    Just what is this guy¡¯s identity?


    Lin Qiao¡¯er realized that Ye Qiu was not simple, but the more she encountered such a mystery, the more she wanted to know what kind of identity this rogue-like, dubious guy was hiding.


    Did he have some kind of unspeakable secret?


    After hesitating for a moment, she took the initiative to knock on the door of her supervisor, the head of the police bureau.


    ¡°Little Lin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± The bureau chief was quite amiable and treated his subordinates well.


    He looked at Li Qiao¡¯er and said.


    ¡°Chief, I want to know the real identity of this person,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said as she placed a photo of Ye Qiu on the desk.


    Chief Wang glanced at the photo, his expression changing slightly, then he smiled and said, ¡°Little Lin, haven¡¯t I told you?


    From now on, you don¡¯t need to deal with these two cases anymore.


    This person, you don¡¯t need to investigate him, someone else will be in charge of this case entirely.¡±


    ¡°But Chief...


    I suspect he might very well be the murderer!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er still expressed her thoughts.


    She had noticed that Ye Qiu had formidable skills and could likely be the perpetrator in both cases.


    Upon hearing this, Chief Wang¡¯s face became more serious, and he said earnestly, ¡°Regarding this person, Ye Qiu, you are not allowed to investigate anymore, this is an order from me.¡±


    Unsatisfied in her heart, Lin Qiao¡¯er was a straightforward person, who never beat around the bush, and she also had a stubborn streak.


    Seeing that Chief Wang still refused to divulge any information about Ye Qiu, she couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Chief, this person is dangerous.


    If we don¡¯t keep an eye on him, I fear...¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Chief Wang¡¯s face darkened suddenly, startling Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    His expressions then softened somewhat as he said, ¡°Little Lin, I understand your concerns, but I can assure you, there¡¯s no issue with Ye Qiu.


    You also don¡¯t need to investigate him.


    How about this, from now on, you handle some other cases.


    As for anything related to Ye Qiu, you must not get involved.¡±


    Lin Qiao¡¯er realized she couldn¡¯t continue to dig into Ye Qiu¡¯s information and had no choice but to give up.


    The fact that Chief Wang got so angry was unexpected.


    Could it be that Ye Qiu¡¯s identity was something even the Chief was wary of?


    Lin Qiao¡¯er left the office, outwardly complying with the leader¡¯s arrangements, but inwardly, she didn¡¯t feel the same way.


    Regarding Ye Qiu, she was determined to investigate thoroughly.


    Since her superiors wouldn¡¯t let her access Ye Qiu¡¯s records, she would find out herself!


    Zhongshan City hadn¡¯t relaxed its vigilance over the city in the slightest.


    This was unquestionably bad news for those who loved playing with midnight street racing.


    Because the city was on alert, patrol cars appeared on every road, which was unfavorable for racing.


    ¡°Who knows what these cops are searching for, they¡¯ve been on high alert for so many days.¡±


    ¡°Right?


    It¡¯s been no less than three days.


    Now I get restless when I¡¯m not holding a steering wheel.¡±


    The two midnight racers muttered to each other, especially when they saw the passing police cars, neither of them looking pleased.


    After chit-chatting for a while about this and that, they started talking about a rumor circulating in the racing community about a new expert.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard too, right?


    Recently, in our area, a drifting expert has appeared who even beat Huang Xiaohu.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard about it too.


    Huang Xiaohu was the one who mumbled about it when he was drunk.


    It¡¯s said that this young man has already told his brother about the arrival of this expert.


    It seems we¡¯ll have the fortune to witness the prowess of the King of Racing!¡±


    ¡°The King of Racing hasn¡¯t made a move in a long time, and I¡¯m indeed itching to see him in action.


    Too bad my own racing skills aren¡¯t up to the challenge, or I¡¯d just make a fool of myself.


    I still don¡¯t know who this drifting expert is.


    I¡¯d so love to see a showdown between this expert and the King of Racing!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that Huang Xiaohu has already found out where the drifting expert lives.


    I believe this showdown won¡¯t be too long in coming!¡±


    ...

 Chapter 38 - 38 0038 Huo Qian

    ?38: 0038 Huo Qian 38: 0038 Huo Qian The days of Ye Qiu had quieted down a lot.


    After that battle, Ma Tao transferred to another school, and Li Hao hadn¡¯t been seen for many days.


    Even if Ye Qiu encountered him, he¡¯d probably avoid him.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t plan to settle scores with the two anymore.


    Even if they were given the courage, they wouldn¡¯t dare to be his enemy again.


    In fact, it was indeed the case.


    After that day, Ma Tao hurriedly handled his transfer procedures and didn¡¯t dare to show his face at school.


    He even gave up managing his Taekwondo club completely.


    Li Hao wasn¡¯t doing any better; he locked himself in his room, causing his parents to worry about him at all times.


    Evidently, Ye Qiu had had a significant impact on him that day.


    It was hot and stuffy in summer.


    Ye Qiu walked on the playground, watching many boys playing basketball, and beside them, girls were staring unblinkingly at the handsome guys shooting hoops.


    After glancing a few times at this simple and straightforward sport, Ye Qiu found it boring and strolled to the entrance of the martial arts club.


    He paused at the door, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly walked inside.


    The members of the martial arts club were training vigorously.


    Ye Qiu stood at the entrance, looking at the group of students with a fondness for martial arts, and a smile appeared on the corners of his mouth.


    Lan Bing was instructing the members¡¯ martial arts movements very seriously, completely unaware of Ye Qiu¡¯s arrival.


    Ye Qiu entered the martial arts club soundlessly, unnoticed by anyone.


    He was happy to enjoy the tranquillity, sitting on a bench, his gaze finally settling on Lan Bing.


    Although Lan Bing practiced martial arts, she wasn¡¯t tall and burly.


    Instead, her figure was very well proportioned.


    Dressed in a white training outfit and earnestly instructing, her attractiveness was indeed not low.


    After admiring Lan Bing¡¯s beauty for a while, Ye Qiu suddenly felt a gaze fixed on him, carrying a hint of hostility.


    He instantly swept his gaze over, intent on seeing who it was.


    It was him!


    Ye Qiu saw a rather rugged face, the kind that didn¡¯t look like a college student but more like a societal thug.


    Liu Hu!


    Ye Qiu had a slight impression of this person.


    When Lan Bing had invited him to join the martial arts club before, this person had spoken ill of him.


    Thus, Ye Qiu remembered Liu Hu.


    ¡°Who let you in?¡± Liu Hu¡¯s voice was loud; when he spoke up, many people stopped what they were doing.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a place where just anyone can enter.


    We are training, so please leave,¡± Liu Hu said coolly, standing there with crossed arms, exuding an air of superiority.


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak to him or even explain.


    His gaze skipped over Liu Hu and looked elsewhere.


    Liu Hu had disliked Ye Qiu from the start.


    Since the day he saw Ye Qiu, he had developed an aversion, especially when he saw the way Lan Bing looked at Ye Qiu and the words she had used to persuade him to join the martial arts club.


    Listening to it made Liu Hu extraordinarily angry.


    Why did this guy get such good treatment from Lan Bing?


    What kind of capability did he have to deserve such treatment?


    Was it just because he had beaten the Taekwondo Club President Ma Tao?


    To be honest, Liu Hu didn¡¯t accept it!


    He had never taken even the Taekwondo Club President Ma Tao seriously and had always wanted to spar with Ma Tao but never got the chance.


    However, the emergence of Ye Qiu who defeated Ma Tao, becoming famous throughout the school in an instant, sparked jealousy in Liu Hu.


    If he had acted earlier, the one who would have defeated Ma Tao wouldn¡¯t have been Ye Qiu but Liu Hu himself.


    Liu Hu should have been the one to enjoy the admiration from all the school¡¯s girls; unfortunately...


    reality was the opposite!


    So Liu Hu harbored resentment, particularly towards Ye Qiu, because, in his mind, it was Ye Qiu who had stolen his thunder.


    When he suddenly saw Ye Qiu in this place, Liu Hu quickly walked over.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s nonchalant appearance only angered Liu Hu even more, and he was very tempted to teach this guy a lesson.


    ¡°Liu Hu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lan Bing¡¯s voice sounded, approaching without noticing the person blocked by Liu Hu.


    Seeing Lan Bing arrive, Liu Hu knew he couldn¡¯t drive the guy away immediately.


    He turned slightly to reveal Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you¡¯re here!¡± Lan Bing saw Ye Qiu in the martial arts club and her face instantly lit up with joy.


    She said repeatedly, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    Her attitude was completely observed by Liu Hu.


    Why was this woman, whom he liked, always so good to Ye Qiu?


    Was it simply because of his impressive skills and having defeated Ma Tao?


    ¡°Come on, everyone, stop for a moment; I have something to say to you all,¡± Lan Bing suddenly gestured to the members behind her, beckoning the crowd to gather.


    ¡°President, this guy isn¡¯t part of our martial arts club; we should send him away,¡± Liu Hu wanted Ye Qiu to leave and advised Lan Bing.


    ¡°Liu Hu, I¡¯ll talk to you about this in a bit,¡± Lan Bing signaled Liu Hu not to speak, making a gesture indicating she would explain later.


    When about twenty to thirty people had all gathered, Lan Bing cleared his throat and invited Ye Qiu into the center of the crowd, saying, ¡°Hello, everyone, this is Ye Qiu, and from today onward, he will be a member of our martial arts society.


    Let¡¯s welcome him with applause.¡±


    After Lan Bing finished speaking, the others began clapping their hands.


    Only Liu Hu had a grim look on his face.


    Although he was clapping, his eyes betrayed his feelings¡ªhe didn¡¯t want Ye Qiu to join the martial arts society at all.


    ¡°The stories of Ye Qiu¡¯s exploits, I believe everyone has heard recently.


    Therefore, I¡¯ve brought him here to strengthen our martial arts society.


    Show some enthusiasm and let¡¯s welcome our new member, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Amidst the thunderous applause, Ye Qiu appeared slightly restrained, smiling at everyone in turn.


    Then Lan Bing introduced each person in the club by name.


    After everyone got to know each other, they went their separate ways to practice.


    Liu Hu watched Lan Bing and Ye Qiu standing to one side, talking and laughing.


    His expression grew even darker as he gritted his teeth and muttered, ¡°Ye Qiu, I won¡¯t let you stay here for long.¡±


    ...


    After leaving the martial arts society, Ye Qiu attended two more classes in the afternoon and then escorted Shen Mengchen home.


    Once Shen Mengchen received a call, she ran to Ye Qiu and said, ¡°Someone is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Looking for me?¡± Ye Qiu was startled.


    Why would a call for him go to Shen Mengchen?


    Ye Qiu hesitated before picking up the phone and heard a man¡¯s voice on the other end, ¡°Hello, my name is Huo Qian.


    I¡¯ve witnessed your driving skills, and I would like to race with you this Sunday.


    The place is halfway up Longmen Mountain, be there at nine o¡¯clock sharp.¡±


    As the call ended, Shen Mengchen, this girl, leaned closer with a serious face and asked, ¡°Who was it?¡±


    ¡°Someone I don¡¯t know, some guy named Huo Qian wants to race me.¡± Ye Qiu shook his head, uninterested in what the other person had said, so he had no intention of going.


    ¡°Huo Qian!¡± Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes suddenly shone with a gleam of either excitement or shock¡ªreally, she was almost dancing with glee.


    What on earth is this girl doing!


    Ye Qiu watched Shen Mengchen¡¯s bizarre antics, not understanding what had gotten into the girl.


    After immersing herself in her own world for a few seconds, Shen Mengchen suddenly put her face close to Ye Qiu¡¯s and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, it really was Huo Qian?¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded.


    Indeed, the man had said his name was Huo Qian.


    ¡°Oh yeah!


    Huo Qian!


    He actually called me personally.¡± Shen Mengchen was beside herself with excitement, hopping up and down on the spot.


    ¡°Is he famous or something?¡± Ye Qiu, not understanding Shen Mengchen¡¯s excitement, asked indifferently.


    Hearing Ye Qiu belittle her idol, Shen Mengchen stopped her dance, snorted, and said, ¡°What do you know, Huo Qian is the king of the racing world.


    No one has ever surpassed him; he¡¯s a legend in the history of midnight racing.¡±


    As Shen Mengchen spoke of Huo Qian, her eyes lit up.


    Seeing her like this, Ye Qiu wondered just what Huo Qian looked like to mesmerize Shen Mengchen so completely.


    ¡°Right, what did you say he wants from you?¡± It seemed that only then did Shen Mengchen come back to her senses, and she leaned in again and asked.


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond, but seeing Shen Mengchen¡¯s fierce look, he simply replied, ¡°Racing!¡±


    ¡°Racing?


    He wants to race you?


    My goodness, agree to it quickly!¡± Shen Mengchen grabbed Ye Qiu¡¯s arm, clearly equally shocked by the news.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s hobbies were few, and racing was her main one.


    She had once been fortunate enough to witness Huo Qian¡¯s rise to fame.


    That night was the craziest in the history of Zhongshan City, with countless girls going wild, later requiring the police to maintain order.


    Naturally, Shen Mengchen also became one of Huo Qian¡¯s racing fans.


    Therefore, when Ye Qiu mentioned Huo Qian had called, she became so excited.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to it!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Not interested.¡± Ye Qiu stood up, not wanting to discuss the matter any further with Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, I don¡¯t care.


    I want to see Huo Qian race.


    If you don¡¯t let me see him, you and I will never be done,¡± Shen Mengchen threw the doll in her hand at the door Ye Qiu had just closed and said resentfully.

 Chapter 39 - 39 0039 Ye Qiu you money-grubber!

    ?39: 0039 Ye Qiu, you money-grubber!


    39: 0039 Ye Qiu, you money-grubber!


    Racing, Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t interested.


    So what if he won against the opponent?


    That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t take it to heart, nor did the title ¡°Racing King¡± mean anything to him.


    Ye Qiu completely disregarded Huo Qian¡¯s challenge, but Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t let it go.


    She held her phone, staring at the number, and pressed the callback button.


    ...


    That week, Ye Qiu¡¯s days on the campus were unusually leisurely; he was oblivious to the news circulating in the outside world, especially the talk in the racing circles about Racing King Huo Qian against the mysterious drifting master, which stirred quite a storm.


    Many people came out of admiration, making the road, often used for racing, crowded with people.


    Numerous sports cars parked by the mountain road, and some people were racing.


    Although this racing drew many girls¡¯ screams, compared to a top racer like Huo Qian, the current racers were not much to look at.


    ¡°Xiaohu, did that mysterious expert agree or not?¡±


    Huang Xiaohu, surrounded by a group, became the center of attention.


    He extinguished his cigarette, blew out a large ring of smoke, and said, ¡°My elder brother has already spoken to that expert over the phone.


    As to the specifics...


    it¡¯s a secret.¡± After saying this, Huang Xiaohu giggled.


    ¡°Hey, Xiaohu, stop beating around the bush, bro.


    I just want to see what drifting really is like.


    Moreover, it¡¯s been so long, and Huo, the Racing King, hasn¡¯t made a move.


    It¡¯s really boring,¡± a young man with a funky haircut said.


    Huang Xiaohu, nose in the air, decided not to answer, eventually annoying many girls who clung to him, yet the boy remained tight-lipped.


    ¡°Stop asking me, I really don¡¯t know what that person is thinking,¡± said Huang Xiaohu.


    ¡°Xiaohu, can you tell us the details about the day you raced with that expert?¡± As soon as someone asked this, many girls became interested, clinging to Huang Xiaohu¡¯s arm, trying to get him to talk.


    Seeing everyone¡¯s expectant eyes, Huang Xiaohu cleared his throat and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re so interested, I¡¯ll talk about this mysterious expert¡¯s driving skills.


    Let me tell you, his skills are truly exceptional.


    Besides my elder brother, I haven¡¯t seen anyone able to drive to that extent.¡±


    Then, Huang Xiaohu went on in great detail about a car race, making it vivid and lively.


    Hearing about Ye Qiu¡¯s drifting, everyone showed an enchanted look, very envious of Huang Xiaohu.


    Meanwhile, the main character, Ye Qiu, was at home enjoying the beauty.


    Shangguan Hong sat quietly on the sofa, deeply engrossed in a book.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze lingered on Shangguan Hong¡¯s legs, those long legs stretched out on the sofa, exuding an irresistibly enchanting charm.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze was caught red-handed by Shen Mengchen, who puffed her cheeks and spat, ¡°Pervert, big pervert.¡± Yet she couldn¡¯t do anything about Ye Qiu, who didn¡¯t flinch at her fiery gaze, acting totally immune, which was really annoying.


    Niu Yinyin cuddled a fluffy toy, happily playing by herself.


    Watching Shen Mengchen¡¯s fuming look, Shangguan Hong quietly reading, and the adorable Niu Yinyin, Ye Qiu felt incredibly happy.


    Shen Mengchen fiddled with her phone, having an enthusiastic chat with someone, for reasons Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t fathom.


    ¡°Why does this girl keep stealing glances and smiling at me?¡± Ye Qiu felt Shen Mengchen occasionally looking over and smiling mysteriously, which made him suspect she was up to something.


    The carefree days lasted for three days, until one evening, Shen Mengchen clamored to go for a drive.


    Shangguan Hong tried to dissuade Shen Mengchen from going out so late, but the girl was stubborn as a mule.


    In the end, Shangguan Hong had no choice but to enlist Ye Qiu¡¯s help to ensure Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety outside.


    Ye Qiu, noticing her restless spirit, reluctantly agreed to accompany her for an hour¡¯s outing.


    Shen Mengchen drove out her sports car, and Ye Qiu, scratching his chin, said, ¡°Where do you want to go?


    You don¡¯t need to drive.¡±


    Shen Mengchen, chin up, said, ¡°For a drive, of course I need a car.


    As for the destination, I decide.


    Your job is just to protect me.


    Stick with me, and don¡¯t worry about bad guys.


    I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded.


    Oh well, let¡¯s just go crazy with this girl for a while.


    Staying cooped up at home every night might drive her mad; Shen Mengchen is always restless.


    ¡°Oh, off we go to have fun,¡± Shen Mengchen cheered, driving out of the housing estate.


    Ye Qiu sat in the back, watching the scenery flash by through the car window.


    Why is this girl heading to that mountain road again?


    Shortly after, Ye Qiu realized she had driven to the same mountain road as that day.


    Could it be she was heading to the mountaintop?


    Ye Qiu remembered the rare expression that Shen Mengchen had shown sitting at the top of Longmen Mountain.


    She was probably thinking of her mother, Ye Qiu recalled that Shen Mengchen had mentioned her mother that day at the top of Longmen Mountain.


    However, after driving for half an hour, he realized he might have been mistaken.


    Why are there so many people here?


    Ye Qiu noticed the mountain road was exceptionally crowded, with many people gathered along the roadside.


    And there were plenty of luxury cars parked around, all worth several hundreds of thousands or even tens of millions.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve arrived,¡± Shen Mengchen made a call, speaking to the other end of the phone.


    Shen Mengchen parked the car by the roadside where numerous young men and women stood, dressed in various styles.


    The men were flashy, and the women were heavily made-up.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes occasionally skimmed over the short skirts of the young girls and briefly across their faces, prompting him to sigh inwardly at how open young girls were at such a young age¡ªit was crazy.


    He could tell these youths were all fairly young, mostly around eighteen or nineteen years of age.


    Perhaps to look cool, some of them even sported a number of tattoos, which were quite conspicuous.


    Some of the girls tried their best to dress maturely, making them look older than they actually were.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    A call came from outside the car window, and Ye Qiu saw a green-haired youth approaching, who seemed very familiar with Shen Mengchen, and then waved at him.


    A thought flashed through Ye Qiu¡¯s mind, and he instantly recognized the man; he was the youth from the race day.


    Seeing this, Ye Qiu seemed to understand why Shen Mengchen had brought him here¡ªto race with these people.


    No wonder she had been so secretive, displaying that kind of smile; her intentions were clear now.


    Probably, the talk of a drive was a plan all along, with her intention to deceive Ye Qiu out here to collaborate with this green-haired lad and make Ye Qiu take action.


    ¡°Master, I brought him.


    Where¡¯s your big brother Huo Qian?¡± Shen Mengchen looked around Huang Xiaohu¡¯s side and didn¡¯t see the person she wanted to see.


    ¡°Hehe, since the master is here, my big brother will naturally come.


    I¡¯ll call him right now.¡± Huang Xiaohu chuckled and immediately made a phone call.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you mustn¡¯t leave, you have to protect me today.¡± Shen Mengchen, afraid that Ye Qiu would leave the car, immediately clung to Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu really discovered he had been played by Shen Mengchen, this girl just crazily wanted to see Huo Qian, and had tricked him into coming here.


    Soon, a tall man walked over, immediately causing an uproar among the girls.


    ¡°King of Cars!¡± Many people cast surprised looks at the man.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡± The man walked towards the car, saw Ye Qiu, and spoke faintly.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes brightened seeing Huo Qian appear; she was very excited.


    With things as they were, Ye Qiu could not possibly leave Shen Mengchen and depart alone.


    He looked at Huo Qian and answered, ¡°So you really want to race against me?¡±


    Huo Qian smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve come across an opponent that interests me.


    Xiaohu mentioned you can drift, such a master; naturally, I wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡±


    Seeing Huo Qian initiating conversation with Ye Qiu, lots of eyes turned toward them; some people realized that perhaps this very ordinary-looking person was the legendary drifting master, otherwise Huo Qian wouldn¡¯t have come in person.


    Thinking of this possibility, lots of people pushed forward, eager to see for themselves.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, the King of Cars wants to race with you, please agree,¡± Shen Mengchen said from the side.


    Ye Qiu ignored the spellbound Shen Mengchen and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in racing.¡±


    Huo Qian chuckled and asked, ¡°Are you afraid of losing to me?¡±


    Ye Qiu did not respond and still shook his head, then said to Shen Mengchen, ¡°Let¡¯s go, you¡¯ve seen the person, it¡¯s time to go back.¡±


    Shen Mengchen naturally disagreed, she bickered, ¡°Ye Qiu, show off your driving skills like that day.


    I want to see who is better between you and the King of Cars.¡±


    Ye Qiu still shook his head, making Shen Mengchen stomp her feet in frustration.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you really interested in racing?¡± Huo Qian didn¡¯t want to let go of an opponent like Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu directly said, ¡°Sorry, I really am not interested.¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu!¡± Shen Mengchen huffed, she was angry that Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t agree to the King of Cars¡¯ request to race.


    ¡°We should go back.¡± Ye Qiu waved his hand.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you truly aren¡¯t afraid, are you?


    You don¡¯t know how many people are betting on today¡¯s race; if you win against the King of Cars, you¡¯ll also get a lot of money,¡± Shen Mengchen said.


    ¡°Money if I win?¡± Ye Qiu suddenly looked interested.


    Huo Qian thought Ye Qiu was about to leave but suddenly noticed the shift in Ye Qiu¡¯s demeanor; he was a bit stunned.


    ¡°That...


    that person, is it true that if I win, I get money?¡± Ye Qiu asked Huo Qian.


    Huo Qian nodded in surprise; he hadn¡¯t anticipated that this was what attracted Ye Qiu, keeping him from being eager to leave.


    ¡°If you win against me, in principle, you indeed get quite a lot of money,¡± Huo Qian said.


    He felt Ye Qiu was an odd person, too fond of money.


    ¡°Since there¡¯s money to be gotten, fine, I agree to a race,¡± Ye Qiu declared decisively.


    His earnest severity made Huo Qian rather speechless, internally remarking how much this person had changed.


    Even Huang Xiaohu was at a loss for words¡ªthe master was too much of a money-lover.


    Seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes light up at the mention of money, Shen Mengchen knew she had found Ye Qiu¡¯s weak spot.


    Although she was somewhat thrilled, she also thought Ye Qiu shifted too quickly, inwardly cursing him as a money slave.


    It was only at the sight of money that he became willing, how could he be like this!

 Chapter 40 - 40 Fast amp; Furious 1

    ?40: Fast & Furious (1) 40: Fast & Furious (1) When Ye Qiu got out of the car and appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes, all gazes converged on him.


    The king of cars, Huo Qian, had personally shown up and invited him to the race, and nobody wanted to miss the chance to see if this guy had three heads and six arms.


    Huo Qian hadn¡¯t raced against anyone in about a year, but now that he was about to compete with a mysterious drifting expert, the anticipation set the crowd ablaze.


    King of cars!


    King of cars!


    King of cars!


    Huo Qian!


    Huo Qian!


    Huo Qian!


    Shouts erupted from the crowd, and it was clear that everyone held Huo Qian in high regard, securing the admiration of many.


    Standing next to Ye Qiu, Shen Mengchen was stunned by the scene, the cheers reverberating around her.


    Even though she was the wealthy heiress of Longjia Group, she couldn¡¯t help but be lost in the fervent atmosphere.


    This was the influence of the king of cars, Huo Qian!


    Ye Qiu looked at everything before him indifferently, as if he hadn¡¯t heard the surrounding people idolizing Huo Qian.


    ¡°Your car is also a Bugatti Veyron?¡± Ye Qiu asked in surprise, watching Huo Qian approaching a blue sports car.


    With a slight smile, Huo Qian said, ¡°For fairness, I decided to take this old friend out for some fresh air today.¡±


    It was obvious that Huo Qian was very wealthy, owning multiple sports cars, but of course, this was not important to Ye Qiu; he was more concerned about how much money he could win tonight.


    ¡°Look, over there someone has already started placing bets,¡± Huo Qian pointed to a group of people not too far away, where Huang Xiaohu was running a betting pool, and many had already begun to eagerly place their bets.


    Ye Qiu turned his gaze away and patted Shen Mengchen¡¯s arm, ¡°How much money do you have on you?¡±


    Shen Mengchen was taken aback, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Place a bet, of course,¡± Ye Qiu declared confidently.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make the bet,¡± Shen Mengchen said as she pulled out a bank card from her LV bag, holding it between her glittering nails, about to head over to Huang Xiaohu.


    ¡°Who are you betting on to win?¡± Ye Qiu grabbed the impatient young lady and asked.


    ¡°Huo Qian, of course!¡± Shen Mengchen exclaimed with wide eyes, as if it were the most obvious choice.


    Upon hearing this, Ye Qiu almost fumed, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you think you should bet on me?¡±


    Shen Mengchen hesitated, saying, ¡°Although I know you are good at racing, martial arts too, but your opponent is the king of cars, Huo Qian.


    The race isn¡¯t about fighting skills, so just to be safe, I think it¡¯s more secure to bet on Huo Qian.¡±


    ¡°Miss, I came here to race for you.


    The least you could do is support me,¡± Ye Qiu straightened up, appearing serious, ¡°Lend me all the money you¡¯ve got on you, bet on me to win.¡±


    The commanding tone in Ye Qiu¡¯s voice made Shen Mengchen feel a bit uncomfortable, but she nodded her head anyway, then placed her bet on Ye Qiu, wagering on his victory.


    ¡°The battle of the masters is about to start, if you haven¡¯t placed your bets, hurry up,¡± Huang Xiaohu shouted like a ticket scalper, goading the crowd incessantly.


    Many had already placed their bets, putting down considerable sums of money, most betting on Huo Qian¡¯s victory, with only a few venturing to place several hundred yuan on Ye Qiu.


    The largest bet of all was the one hundred thousand yuan Ye Qiu had borrowed from Shen Meng and placed on himself.


    The betting odds for Ye Qiu and Huo Qian were soaring, eventually reaching a staggering twenty to one ratio.


    As the number of people placing bets grew, Ye Qiu and Huo Qian exchanged glances before both men walked towards their respective cars, ready to start.


    ¡°Hey, Ye Qiu, what are you doing pulling me along?¡± Shen Mengchen asked, having not yet managed to walk away before being yanked back by Ye Qiu.


    ¡°If you want to win this race, you¡¯ll sit beside me,¡± he asserted.


    As soon as Shen Mengchen thought about getting into a car driven by Ye Qiu, her head shook like a rattle drum, and she quickly said, ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t want to get into your car.


    I¡¯ve sworn never to ride in your car again.¡±


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s reaction was all because of that **** time sitting in the passenger seat when Ye Qiu raced with Huang Xiaohu.


    She was scared to death by Ye Qiu¡¯s driving, so she vowed never to get into a car driven by Ye Qiu again.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t give Shen Mengchen a chance to argue.


    Too lazy to say more, he directly dragged her to the passenger seat.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you big bully, let me go, I want to get out of the car,¡± Shen Mengchen tried to flee.


    Ye Qiu pressed down on the passenger door lock, causing Shen Mengchen¡¯s lips to pout instantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see with your own eyes how I beat him?¡± Ye Qiu said.


    Hearing his words, Shen Mengchen knew he meant Huo Qian.


    She hesitated for a moment, but looking into his direct gaze, she compromised, biting her teeth and saying, ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t get out.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s face broke into a smile.


    He turned to Huo Qian and said, ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I bring her along, do you?¡±


    Huo Qian shook his head lightly and got into his car.


    Two Bugatti Veyrons, lined up neatly at the starting line, waiting to begin.


    After everyone placed their bets, their gazes once again converged on the two sports cars, one red and one blue; the red like fire and the blue like the sky, both strikingly conspicuous in the night.


    The competition was about to start, and everyone held their breath in anticipation, their hearts filled with excitement.


    Finally, they had the fortune to see Huo Qian race against someone.


    Such a race of champions was rare, so even before the start, people¡¯s passions were already ignited.


    With a bang of the starter pistol, both cars roared to life, crossing the starting line together.


    Humming...


    Both cars started at once, leaving behind only two streams of bluish-gray exhaust in the heavy roar of engines.


    All eyes followed the two rapidly speeding cars, with many people standing on tiptoe, trying to see who was pulling ahead.


    The race between Huo Qian and Ye Qiu had begun, and many young people made calls, spreading the word about this rare match between masters.


    Seconds later, Huang Xiaohu¡¯s update on the real-time status of the two racing cars came back.


    ¡°Neck and neck, neither giving way, they¡¯ve already passed the first curve.¡±


    Listening to the live updates, many people were surprised, quietly marveling that Ye Qiu could actually keep up with Huo Qian.


    ¡°Brother Huang, who do you think will win between the mysterious expert and Car King Huo?¡± someone asked Huang Xiaohu a tough question.


    Huang Xiaohu pondered for a while, then shook his head.


    He also couldn¡¯t be sure who would win in the end.


    Ye Qiu, with Shen Mengchen in tow, had already driven out of everyone¡¯s sight.


    Shen Mengchen let out continuous cries of alarm.


    Ever since she got into Ye Qiu¡¯s car, Shen Mengchen felt she was skirting the edge of death, like dancing on the blade of a knife ¨C a dangerously thrilling illusion.


    Unfortunately, now that the race had started, even if she wanted to get out of the car, she would have to wait until the end.


    Shen Mengchen, with a heart full of trepidation, watched Ye Qiu, who seemed to have become another person.


    His focused expression, his adept movements, all astonished Shen Mengchen.


    How on earth did this guy train his agility?


    He just breezed past that deadly sharp turn.


    Before she could even wipe the sweat from her brow, that intense feeling came over her again.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, I hate you.¡± Shen Mengchen screamed.


    She had been overwhelmed by the speed of Ye Qiu¡¯s car and the feeling of almost falling off a cliff.


    She couldn¡¯t help but cry out, hoping the race would end sooner.

 Chapter 41 - 41 Fast and Furious II Thanks to the user with the last digits 2376 for the tip!

    ?41: Fast and Furious (II) (Thanks to the user with the last digits 2376 for the tip!) 41: Fast and Furious (II) (Thanks to the user with the last digits 2376 for the tip!) (ps: Cough, first of all, thank you to the supporter with the last digits 2376 for your patronage from the start of this book till now, this chapter is added for you!)


    In the suburban area of Zhongshan City, Longmen Mountain Road usually saw sparse traffic, and even street racing was never as lively as it was today.


    Following the asphalt road up the mountain, numerous vehicles could still be seen arriving, all to witness the driving skills of the racing king, Huo Qian.


    Longmen Mountain Road stretches for five thousand meters, of which less than two thousand meters are straight sections, the remainder being curves.


    One could imagine how many curves this mountain road had, and it was precisely this terrain that attracted many racers here, where midnight races occurred every other day.


    The two Bugatti Veyrons, like beasts of the night, raced ferociously down the road, neither yielding to the other.


    The two cars sped fast, with clusters of spectators on the roadside, intently watching the duel between the two.


    The race commentator, through an aerial camera drone, captured the movement of the two cars, continually reporting the battle situation.


    The deep and robust sound of the car engines could be heard from afar, sending chills down one¡¯s spine, raising goosebumps all over one¡¯s body at the mere sound.


    One could imagine how fast they were going!


    The red and blue Bugatti Veyrons raced through the night, and after rounding the seventh curve, the blue Bugatti Veyron finally pulled ahead in speed, overtaking the red sports car.


    ¡°I¡¯m the commentator Xiao Wei Ge for this battle, and after seven corners, our race king Huo Qian has finally overtaken the drifting expert, pulling half a car length ahead,¡± he announced.


    As the battle unfolded through the speakers, the many racing fans at the starting point burst into cheers, especially those who had bet on Huo Qian to win, all applauding enthusiastically.


    Race king Huo Qian certainly didn¡¯t disappoint them, finally exerting himself and overtaking the drifting expert.


    ¡°The race king will surely maintain his royal status; even this drifting expert isn¡¯t a match for him,¡± someone exclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s been just three minutes, I believe the race king will increase his lead even more.¡±


    Huo Qian¡¯s overtaking boosted the confidence of those who had bet on him, this expert, who hadn¡¯t competed with anyone in over a year, was still as dazzling, striking his name as the race king from the start.


    Sitting in the car, Shen Mengchen felt a mix of emotions watching Huo Qian overtake her own vehicle, experiencing a surprising sense of joy.


    But soon, she felt somewhat guilty for not siding with Ye Qiu, especially since she had bet a hundred thousand on Ye Qiu to win, even if it was borrowed money, it shouldn¡¯t just go to waste like that.


    Shen Mengchen guiltily glanced at Ye Qiu beside her, noticing his bright eyes fixed ahead, his expression unchanging even after being overtaken.


    ¡°What is this guy thinking?¡±


    Shen Mengchen speculated wildly, her gaze landing on Ye Qiu¡¯s profile, watching this focused man.


    Whoosh!


    Another curve, and Ye Qiu had been pulled a car length behind by Huo Qian, with the gap seemingly increasing.


    Seeing this, Shen Mengchen urged anxiously, ¡°Ye Qiu, show your drifting skills, or we will lose.¡±


    Ye Qiu did not reply; his eyes shone like stars in the sky, emitting a silvery light.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you.


    If you don¡¯t step it up, our bet of a hundred thousand is completely gone,¡± she said.


    Ye Qiu suddenly turned his head and smiled, ¡°Do you hope I win?¡±


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s face flushed under Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze.


    His look was so piercing, as if he could see right through her.


    Unable to withstand his direct stare, she pouted and turned her head away, ¡°Not at all.


    Racing King Huo Qian is very powerful.


    I wouldn¡¯t mind if you lost to him, but what if you lose the 100,000 yuan bet and can¡¯t pay it back?¡±


    Ye Qiu chuckled to himself, ¡°This young lady is worried about me.


    Just say it outright; your mouth is really hard.¡±


    As for losing?


    Would he lose?


    Ye Qiu chuckled.


    Buzz-buzz...


    Ye Qiu maintained the same speed and was not anxious or agitated even though Huo Qian had pulled ahead.


    Shen Mengchen saw this, and it made her anxious, but there was nothing she could do to help.


    Although Ye Qiu was behind, he was still driving fast¡ªmuch faster than she could, especially when taking the mountain road turns.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s heart was in her mouth the entire time, terrified that he might not manage to control the car and either crash into the mountain or fall off a cliff.


    The race commentator¡¯s voice, Xiao Weige, rang in everyone¡¯s ears once again.


    Huo Qian had already surpassed his opponent by three car lengths and was still speeding up.


    This live update once again incited cheers from the audience.


    The title ¡°Racing King¡± was shouted again by the crowd and carried far and wide.


    Huang Xiaohu was relatively calm, even though his elder brother Huo Qian was leading.


    He remained rational because when he had raced against Ye Qiu initially, it seemed to have been the same scenario¡ªYe Qiu had started like he was just now, playing by the rules, but only started overtaking later.


    Most importantly, Xiao Weige hadn¡¯t mentioned drifting yet, suggesting that Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t used his trump card.


    ¡°Big brother should win,¡± Huang Xiaohu secretly thought.


    Although he knew Ye Qiu was strong, he still hoped his elder brother would win the final victory.


    With everyone¡¯s emotions ignited by Huo Qian¡¯s lead, they couldn¡¯t wait for Xiao Weige to bring more good news.


    ¡°Hey, why are there raindrops?¡± Just then, a young race car enthusiast on the periphery touched the cold spot on his face and couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.


    Soon after, others also began to look up.


    The raindrops became more numerous and larger as if a sudden heavy rain had appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s starting to rain.


    I hope it won¡¯t affect the race,¡± a voice of concern rose from the crowd.


    Others also showed signs of worry.


    Racing fears facing such weather the most, especially this sudden downpour¡ªif the cars were driving too fast, it could lead to bad results.


    Huang Xiaohu wiped the raindrops from his face.


    He didn¡¯t seek shelter in his car but stood still, watching the night engulfed by heavy rain.


    ¡°The race has already started.


    No matter the weather, this race will not be halted.


    Let¡¯s cheer for both racers,¡± Xiao Weige¡¯s voice came again, relieving the crowd while also tightening their nerves again.


    This heavy rain required a clear winner; it was truly a life-threatening race.


    Many girls had already started to pray with folded hands and closed eyes, hoping for the race to end smoothly.


    ¡°Such harsh weather is a test of a true racing master¡¯s skills; it¡¯s also the time to witness their strength,¡± said a seasoned racing fan.


    His words also garnered nods of agreement from many around him.


    Indeed, a true racing master should not choose what kind of track or weather; those are greenhouse conditions that produce masters, and those aren¡¯t the qualities a real master should have.


    Only by facing anything and still managing to stand last, that is the real winner, the true Racing King, the Racing God!¡±


    ¡°May the heavy rain lessen, may this race end perfectly.¡±


    The prayers of the crowd, whether Ye Qiu or Huo Qian, were unheard.


    At this moment, both were slightly shocked by the sudden heavy downpour.


    Under such weather, if one wanted to judge who was superior, it would only depend on whose driving skills were better.


    The faces of Ye Qiu and Huo Qian showed different expressions, but their eyes conveyed a resolve, a determination not to lose!


    Buzz-buzz...


    Suddenly, louder engine noises pierced through the night and cut through the rainy night.

 Chapter 42 - 42 Fast and Furious 3

    ?42: Fast and Furious (3) 42: Fast and Furious (3) Rain pattered against the car windows, blurring the darkness ahead into a formless mass.


    Ye Qiu gently tapped his pinky on the steering wheel.


    When he reached a turn, his wrist would slightly twitch, swiftly turning the wheel.


    ¡°A turn, a meter¡¯s distance, he should be about thirty meters ahead of me.¡±


    Although he couldn¡¯t see Huo Qian¡¯s car, Ye Qiu was sure of everything, with everything under his control.


    However, Shen Mengchen was unaware of Ye Qiu¡¯s thoughts.


    What she saw was Huo Qian already far ahead, especially with the heavy rain shaking her confidence in Ye Qiu.


    Huo Qian was far ahead, yet he did not let his guard down.


    The sudden rain shower made him even more cautious.


    Rainwater greatly increased the wetness of the ground, causing the tires to slip and making the difficulty of turning exponentially greater.


    Luckily, he was leading, an advantage that significantly reduced the pressure of turning.


    Twenty more bends to go, the key to victory lay in the last ten bends.


    Huo Qian knew the race was about to reach its most intense stage.


    ¡°Bring out your drifting, or you won¡¯t catch up,¡± Huo Qian glanced at his rearview mirror, still without a sign of Ye Qiu.


    Huo Qian also understood that drifting in the rain was a completely different concept from drifting in clear weather, with the difficulty doubled, testing a driver¡¯s familiarity with their car and their driving skills.


    He was waiting, waiting for Ye Qiu to make a move.


    He looked forward to Ye Qiu catching up; that would be the moment to really test their mettle against each other.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, though the rain is heavy, the two masters are still competing, and our car king has already outdistanced his opponent by more than thirty meters.


    Unless something unexpected happens, the car king will continue to defend his throne,¡± said Xiao Weige.


    People gathered together to take shelter from the rain, some ducking into their cars, others under big trees, but everywhere, Xiao Weige¡¯s updates could be clearly heard.


    ¡°The car king will win!¡±


    ¡°It looks like the drifting master is going to be defeated.¡±


    Many people felt good because the car king was ahead, far surpassing Ye Qiu.


    With the heavy rain, it was difficult for Ye Qiu to catch up and even drifting involved significant risk.


    Only a few people sighed, presumably because they were about to lose a few hundred bucks.


    Although it wasn¡¯t much, it was still money.


    Some even regretted not betting on the car king from the start, wondering why they gambled on such a long shot.


    Fifteen bends left!


    Five thousand meters of mountain road, and the two competitors had already covered most of it¡ªthe finish line getting closer.


    Seemingly familiar with the track, Ye Qiu¡¯s movements finally changed.


    ¡°Hold tight!¡±


    Ye Qiu spoke to Shen Mengchen, and right after, he pressed hard on the accelerator.


    A loud roar of the engine blasted, and the car shot forward!


    Shen Mengchen didn¡¯t even have time to speak when she was slammed hard against the back of her seat.


    The sudden acceleration was intense, and Shen Mengchen felt sore all over.


    She wanted to scream at Ye Qiu, but just as she was about to start yelling, she froze.


    She saw a smirk on Ye Qiu¡¯s lips, just as they approached a bend, with his arm moving like a shadow.


    Immediately after, Shen Mengchen felt as if she was gliding.


    They were drifting!


    This visceral feeling overwhelmed Shen Mengchen¡¯s senses; she felt the car was not racing on a mountain road but swimming through water.


    ¡°This...¡± Shen Mengchen was at a loss for words, her eyes tightly fixed on Ye Qiu¡¯s distinctly defined face.


    Especially the smile on Ye Qiu¡¯s face, exuding confidence, calmness, and a seeming disregard for everything!


    Shen Mengchen stayed frozen, completely unaware that the car she was in was gliding on the mountain path.


    More precisely, it was drifting smoothly over the water-drenched track.


    Drifting!


    Ye Qiu finally pulled out his trump card.


    It had been a long time since he had enjoyed a drive, and his eyes sparkled with a sudden burst of excitement after a long suppression.


    Whoosh!


    The whole car slid through the curve in a smooth arc, splashing droplets of water.


    Anyone standing there would be amazed to find that, even in such harsh rainy conditions, Ye Qiu¡¯s drifting exhibited a terrifying precision in grasping the roadside situations.


    The distance between the car and the fence was just a finger¡¯s breadth.


    With just a slight bit more, the entire car could have crashed into the fence or even plunged off a cliff.


    Such precise judgment it was; the pressure on the accelerator and the angle of the steering had to be perfectly synchronized, otherwise, there was a great likelihood of an accident.


    Corners!


    Corners!


    More corners!


    Ye Qiu¡¯s hands were like the feet of a mantis, quick and accurate, using just 0.01 seconds in a single movement.


    Ever since there was a shift in his gaze, he exuded an aura of being as swift as a rabbit and as fierce as a tiger.


    His movements were sharp and decisive, with no dragging!


    Too fast!


    Ye Qiu¡¯s reaction time reached inconceivable speeds, and in each corner, the car not only did not slow down, but its speed actually tripled abruptly!


    The red Bugatti Veyron shot out a streak of red light in the night, fleeting past each mountain path like a startling beauty.


    Heavy rain pattered down, even accompanied by the sound of thunder, but the roar of the revving engine was not drowned out by anything outside.


    Seeing that there were only seven more corners left, Huo Qian could almost see the finish line, when suddenly a thunderous roar of a motorcycle burst into his ears.


    Here it comes!


    His heart skipped a beat, knowing that Ye Qiu was catching up.


    He had been waiting for a long time, thinking about deciding the victory against Ye Qiu in the final stretch.


    Huo Qian showed an unprecedented seriousness, maintaining his composure even as a fierce tiger charged from behind.


    His years of racing experience made him extremely calm, and deep inside, he was eagerly waiting to see if he could outdo Ye Qiu, who was utilizing drifting.


    Swoosh, swoosh...


    The red lightning zigzagged through every corner like the tongue of a chameleon, too fast for anyone to clearly see its movements as it attacked.


    ¡°The mysterious drifting master has made his move, his speed is too fast!¡± Xiao Wei Ge suddenly shouted, instantly drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?


    Has he caught up with the car king?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°My friends, this race is too spectacular.


    The mysterious master actually caught up after several turns; he¡¯s amazing.¡± Xiao Wei Ge was admiring Ye Qiu¡¯s speed.


    Because he was watching the scene captured by the drone, his eyes were full of shock.


    A thirty-meter gap, and this person actually used high-speed drifting on the turns to massively increase the car¡¯s speed.


    An absolute racing master!


    And also a master of stunning judgment.


    What most impressed Xiao Wei Ge was the ease of the mysterious master¡¯s drifting, even with the cliffside right there, he remained as calm as a mountain, letting the car¡¯s speed do the talking.


    He caught up!


    In the blink of an eye, Ye Qiu¡¯s red Bugatti Veyron appeared right behind Huo Qian, the distance less than three meters.


    Only four more corners left, the most intense moment had arrived.


    ¡°Too exciting,¡± Xiao Wei Ge¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°This is a feast of the racing world, my friends.


    I truly want to sit in the cars of these two racing masters to experience it firsthand.


    This is a collision of speed and passion.


    Those who want to see the latest updates can stand still; our big screen setup has arrived.


    Although it arrived late, fortunately, we can all witness this most thrilling moment.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see, who will be tonight¡¯s king of racing!¡±

 Chapter 43 - 43 0043 The New King

    ?43: 0043 The New King 43: 0043 The New King Every turn in sight, about eight hundred meters long, was finally about to decide the winner!


    Xiao Weige¡¯s aerial filming team had set up a large screen at the starting point and, using technological means, projected the filmed images onto the screen, realistically presenting the driving situations of the racing king, Huo Qian, and Ye Qiu to everyone present.


    All eyes were focused on this large screen, where two cars, one blue and one red, followed each other less than a meter apart.


    The image wasn¡¯t especially clear due to the rain obstructing the filming, but it didn¡¯t affect the audience¡¯s viewing experience.


    To ensure that this crucial moment of the race was continuously presented to the audience, Xiao Weige¡¯s team had carefully wrapped the equipment in waterproof cloth to prevent rain from entering, which took a lot of effort.


    In the footage, the two cars sped incredibly fast.


    If it had not been filmed from above, the footage would have just flashed by, leaving nothing but a shadow.


    Only from a high vantage point could one appreciate how breathtaking the cars were when taking turns.


    The road wound around the mountain, resembling a long snake coiled around the entire peak.


    Compared to the height and size of Longmen Mountain, the two cars seemed very small, but in the eyes of the audience, these two cars were the focal point.


    Everyone¡¯s heartbeat fluctuated with the speed of the cars in the footage.


    The red Bugatti transformed into a red mamba, delivering its fatal strike in the rainy night.


    With this momentum, tense and alert, Huo Qian was determined not to let Ye Qiu overtake him.


    He pressed the accelerator harder, sprinting towards the first turn.


    Whoosh, whoosh...


    Rainwater splashed up as the tires rolled over it.


    The first turn, a sixty-degree angle.


    After stepping on the accelerator, Huo Qian fiercely turned the steering wheel.


    The entire car abruptly tilted and, with a swoosh, sped along the turn.


    However, due to the high speed and the car¡¯s heavy weight, there was a strong relative impact force, causing the car to slightly skid as it moved.


    But this did not cause any adverse effects; on the contrary, this maneuver demonstrated Huo Qian¡¯s strong judgment and seasoned experience.


    This driving technique was almost akin to drifting.


    This wasn¡¯t drifting; it lacked the agility and continuity of drifting.


    But if it had been anyone else turning at such a high speed on a wet road, they would have instantly veered off the road and plummeted down the cliff.


    Only a skilled driver like Huo Qian, with his precise judgment and familiarity with the terrain, could turn swiftly and safely.


    This was the result of many years of accumulated experience and skills, not a driving technique that could be mastered overnight.


    Such a beautiful turn won continuous applause from the audience in front of the screen.


    ¡°Beautiful!¡±


    ¡°So cool!¡±


    ¡°The racing king strikes again, defending his champion status.¡±


    Huo Qian¡¯s perfect turn earned the admiration of many racing fans and drivers present.


    Even those drivers who had never seen Huo Qian race and had doubted him were thoroughly convinced after witnessing this scene.


    Ye Qiu was familiar with the last four turns, after all, he had come here once before with Shen Mengchen.


    The sixty-degree turn that Huo Qian had sped through perfectly made Ye Qiu nod his head in agreement, and he really wanted to say ¡°beautiful.¡±


    Huo Qian was a racer worthy of attention.


    Huo Qian was formidable, revealing his skills at the last moment with a speed comparable to drifting, proving to be a strong opponent.


    Far from being daunted by such an opponent, Ye Qiu felt a surge of fighting spirit for his respected rival.


    To fully honor a worthy opponent, he had to give his all.


    Ye Qiu gently pressed down with his foot, flooring the accelerator.


    Listening to the sound of the engine coming through the big screen, people were amazed to find that the Bugatti Veyron driven by Ye Qiu was still accelerating¡ªunbelievable!


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened, holding their breath in anticipation.


    Shen Mengchen had her eyes tightly shut, terrified by Ye Qiu¡¯s crazy driving skills.


    She felt her soul could leave her body at any moment, as this reckless man began his mad racing again.


    Two hundred meters!


    The red Bugatti Veyron, turning into a streak of red light, slashed across the road, its body as precise as ever, just a fingertip away from the barrier.


    ¡°Fifteen seconds!¡± an audience member, who had been monitoring his stopwatch, exclaimed in surprise.


    Since Ye Qiu began his turn, he had been timing him.


    The result was astonishing¡ªYe Qiu had navigated the first bend in merely fifteen seconds with the red Bugatti Veyron.


    What incredible speed!


    To navigate such a long bend in fifteen seconds was simply unimaginable.


    However, at the next bend, Ye Qiu once again shattered everyone¡¯s expectations¡ªthirteen seconds!


    With one drift, he slid the car over a hundred meters without any hesitation, achieving it in one fluid motion.


    ¡°He¡¯s even faster than the king of racing by zero point zero five seconds.


    My God!


    To think someone could achieve this.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s drifting showcased what a super-perfect turn was.


    If Huo Qian¡¯s turning is classic, then Ye Qiu¡¯s drifting around the bend is beyond classic.


    Huo Qian took a deep breath.


    His opponent¡¯s car was catching up; the gap was now reduced to half a car¡¯s length, about to become minimal.


    Four hundred meters left, two bends to go.


    Huo Qian¡¯s expression was very serious.


    His movements were not much affected by Ye Qiu.


    What really shook him was Ye Qiu¡¯s craziness during driving; during those sixty-degree turns, this guy would push the accelerator to the floor.


    As a fellow Bugatti Veyron driver, Huo Qian knew well.


    He had not expected that Ye Qiu, when racing, did not worry about the consequences of a failed drift; he seemed fearless.


    ¡°If I lose to you, I won¡¯t feel unjustly defeated,¡± he said.


    Despite saying this, Huo Qian didn¡¯t give up.


    Nobody had ruled that drifting was supreme¡ªrelying on his skilled driving, he believed he was not inferior.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, let us decide the final victor,¡± Huo Qian said with utmost seriousness to himself.


    The last two bends were even more challenging with angles less than fifty degrees, arguably the most difficult bends and consecutive too.


    This was the final challenge and the decider of victory.


    It was uncertain who could reach the finish line first.


    Viewers in front of the screen were glued to it, some were even indifferent to the pouring rain, choosing to stand and let themselves get drenched in order to keep watching the screen.


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian both sported a hint of a smile, as if they had agreed on something, and then both exuded seriousness, competing for the ultimate victory.


    On the bend, the two cars were neck and neck, reminiscent of the start, turning the steering wheels in the same way, pressing the accelerator¡ªboth performed almost identically, but soon, one car began to pull ahead of the other.


    ¡°Has the victor been decided?¡±


    The audience focused intently on the screen, muttering under their breath, rain obscuring this critical moment, making it hard to tell who had won or lost.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Xiao Weige¡¯s voice subtly emerged, being the only sound present.


    He stared intently at the screen, trying to discern who had clinched the victory.


    ¡°That overtaking car is...¡± Xiao Weige led the spectators¡¯ hearts.


    Everyone held their breath and pricked up their ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming, it¡¯s coming, it is...¡±


    ¡°It is...red...


    Drift Master!¡±


    As Xiao Weige announced that the car crossing the finish line first was red, a hush fell over the surrounding crowd.


    Facial expressions of astonishment filled with a shocked demeanor.


    The victor was the mysterious Drift Master!


    This was sensational; more so, it was like a thunderclap.


    Because from today, a new king of racing was born.


    The crowd fell silent for a moment; soon, someone was the first to shout out ¡®king of racing,¡¯ and others followed, chanting the same.


    A round of applause echoed around; it had been a spectacular race.


    Although it was the Drift Master¡¯s first appearance, he had earned everyone¡¯s recognition.


    A true king of racing.


    All eyes turned once again to the red Bugatti Veyron, waiting for Ye Qiu to get out.

 Chapter 44 - 44 0044 Making Friends

    ?44: 0044 Making Friends 44: 0044 Making Friends ¡°Defeated...¡±


    Huo Qian stared at the red sports car stopped in front, his mind wandering.


    It had been a long time since he had tasted defeat.


    In everything he did, Huo Qian was the best, and although racing was just for fun, he aimed to be number one.


    It was hard to tell what color Huo Qian¡¯s face was, he remained silent for a while, then suddenly, a smile appeared.


    He walked over to Ye Qiu on his own initiative.


    Shen Mengchen was still there, chiding Ye Qiu for his reckless driving.


    Ye Qiu simply smiled lightly without a word of explanation, infuriating Shen Mengchen even more.


    ¡°You won, and I admit defeat wholeheartedly,¡± Huo Qian said, approaching the calm Ye Qiu, who did not show any signs of smugness despite his victory.


    ¡°It was just luck, and good fortune, nothing more.


    You¡¯re also very strong, I admire that,¡± Ye Qiu replied earnestly.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s luck or good fortune, that too is a form of strength,¡± Huo Qian shook his head.


    Looking at the calm Ye Qiu, he thought even more highly of him.


    Had anyone else won against the racing king, they would be arrogant, with their heads held high in the air.


    But Ye Qiu was nothing like that; he was still casual and laid-back, hardly resembling someone who could have executed those dangerous turns.


    Even after the race was over, Huo Qian¡¯s mind was still replaying the last moments of the scene.


    The drifting turn of Ye Qiu was something only a madman would do.


    At the first curve, forty degrees, this fellow accelerated to the maximum, the entire car completely sliding on the road.


    Throughout the process, there was no panic at all, smooth as flowing water, flawlessly natural.


    Any extra movement in that race would have been unnecessary, but Ye Qiu achieved perfection.


    The second curve, thirty degrees, gave Huo Qian another reason to call Ye Qiu mad for maintaining the highest speed in a must-slow-down segment, completely disregarding the risks of crashing into a mountain or shooting off the road.


    This thirty-degree curve was also a major reason for Huo Qian¡¯s defeat, as he was not as ruthless as Ye Qiu.


    He slightly eased up at a critical moment, not going full throttle because if he pushed to the max, he wasn¡¯t sure he could control the car properly, risking a fatal accident.


    Lacking total confidence, he didn¡¯t dare gamble with his life, which gave Ye Qiu the chance to overtake him.


    Defeated was defeated, even if the man in front of him looked ordinary and carefree now, he had won Huo Qian¡¯s acknowledgment.


    Seeing Huo Qian approaching, Shen Mengchen¡¯s muddled mind began to clear quickly, and she looked curiously at Huo Qian.


    Huo Qian smiled lightly, ¡°His driving skills are even better than mine; you should be focusing on him instead.¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Mengchen glanced at Ye Qiu, then quickly looked away with a huff.


    She was too lazy to watch him.


    ¡°My name is Huo Qian.


    How about we become friends?¡± Huo Qian¡¯s gaze returned to Ye Qiu, extending his hand.


    Ye Qiu smiled and nodded, ¡°Ye Qiu.¡±


    Their hands gently clasped.


    The men looked at each other and laughed, sharing a moment that seemed to acknowledge each other¡¯s mettle, which puzzled Shen Mengchen standing aside, unsure of what was happening between them.


    ¡°Brother Ye Qiu, I, Huo Qian, have decided we are friends.


    The winnings from the bet will be delivered to you by Xiaohu.


    I have other things to attend to now.


    We¡¯ll have long days ahead; next time I¡¯ll be the host, and you must come,¡± Huo Qian said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ye Qiu nodded, finding Huo Qian to be quite generous.


    Despite losing the race, he didn¡¯t sulk, proving to be a broad-minded man.


    Ye Qiu was more than willing to make friends with such a person.


    Huo Qian got into his car, waved at Ye Qiu and Shen Mengchen, and quickly disappeared into the rainy night.


    After a short wait, Huang Xiaohu indeed brought both the betting money Shen Mengchen had staked and the winnings.


    ¡°Godlike, here¡¯s the 100,000 yuan you originally staked, and the 700,000 yuan you won,¡± Huang Xiaohu handed over two large bags of money to Ye Qiu and his companion.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Ye Qiu.


    Huang Xiaohu scratched his head and chuckled, ¡°Godlike, from now on, you can call me Xiaohu, and then there¡¯s...


    Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    After saying that, Huang Xiaohu too drove away.


    ¡°Sister-in-law...


    What sister-in-law?¡± Shen Mengchen looked around, wondering who this green-haired guy was calling sister-in-law!


    It took Shen Mengchen a while to realize, and she clenched her teeth¡ªthis damned Huang Xiaohu was calling her sister-in-law, when did she become Ye Qiu¡¯s woman!


    Ye Qiu kept silent, secretly chuckling inside.


    ¡°Stop dallying, let¡¯s get going, or we might get caught by those racing fans again, and they¡¯ll keep us here a while longer.¡± Ye Qiu felt several cars were approaching.


    Clearly, they were the same drivers and fans from before.


    Shen Mengchen took the two bags of money, and they got into their car, started the engine, and the red Bugatti Veyron quickly sped away.


    Between seventy and eighty thousand yuan sitting on the seat made no difference to Shen Mengchen¡¯s expression, whereas Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but look back from time to time.


    I just won seven hundred thousand!


    Sizzling, it feels so awesome!


    ¡°Including this seven hundred thousand, plus the one million given by Chairman Shen, now I¡¯m also worth over a million.¡± Ye Qiu felt rich for the first time, although his previous earnings were substantial, they were all taken by the old lecher, and he didn¡¯t even get a single dime.


    But this time it was completely different, not only was his monthly salary millions, but he also got a mansion, instantly turning him into a minor tycoon.


    Shen Mengchen rolled her eyes at Ye Qiu, who was starry-eyed, and despised him deeply.


    It was just a few hundred thousand yuan.


    At this moment, Ye Qiu somewhat regretted and said, ¡°If I had known earlier, I would have bet my one million.


    What a pity, what a pity, with the odds of seven to one, that would have been seven million if I had won!¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s expression of deep regret, as if he had lost seven million, pained Shen Mengchen beyond tolerance.


    What infuriated her the most was recalling that the reason Ye Qiu could win seven hundred thousand was also because she had lent him one hundred thousand to win it, and this guy, carrying one million himself, still borrowed from her without spending his own money, which was utterly shameless!


    Shen Mengchen glared at him with wide eyes, just staring at Ye Qiu, despising him intensely!


    Feeling uncomfortable under Shen Mengchen¡¯s intense gaze, Ye Qiu awkwardly coughed and changed the subject, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you want to know how I won?¡±


    Indeed, upon hearing this topic, Shen Mengchen¡¯s expression changed instantly, curiously asking, ¡°How did you win, even surpassing the racing king Huo Qian?¡±


    Ye Qiu smiled and said, ¡°A very important reason I was able to win was your help.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Shen Mengchen was startled, she didn¡¯t do anything, merely sat in the passenger seat, how could she have possibly helped Ye Qiu surpass Huo Qian?


    Ye Qiu had guessed that Shen Mengchen wouldn¡¯t understand and explained, ¡°Actually, in racing, the Bugatti Veyron isn¡¯t the most suitable model, although its engine is powerful, its cornering performance is poor.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why I pulled you into the car?¡± asked Ye Qiu.


    Shen Mengchen shook her head blankly; indeed, she didn¡¯t know.


    If she had to give a reason, it was probably that Ye Qiu wanted to embarrass her, which was the only reason Shen Mengchen could think of.


    ¡°The Bugatti Veyron¡¯s tires lack strong gripping power, sports cars focus on cool appearances, while racing cars focus on the tires, especially for real race cars, good tires are like a second engine.¡±


    ¡°I had you sit in the passenger seat, first, to slightly reduce the tilting during drifting, stabilize the car body, and keep it from going off the track.¡±


    ¡°Also, you should know that I didn¡¯t start at the fastest speed and didn¡¯t drift initially.


    Do you know why?¡± Ye Qiu asked again.


    Shen Mengchen still shook her head, unaware that a simple car race, a competition of speed, could have so much depth?


    Ye Qiu continued, ¡°Initially, I deliberately slowed down, and every time I turned, my speed was different.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Shen Mengchen asked proactively.


    ¡°Because I was conditioning the tires, to make them grip better for me in the final stages.


    I intentionally changed speeds frequently at turns to increase the friction of the tires.


    Thus, even when I started drifting, I could precisely control the car body from flying off.¡±


    After Ye Qiu¡¯s explanation, Shen Mengchen finally understood.


    So there were so many tricks in a race, especially as a racer, one needed to know much more.


    Comparing to her previous understanding of racing and speed contests, Shen Mengchen realized how shallow and ignorant she was after hearing Ye Qiu¡¯s explanation.


    This guy actually knew so much!


    In Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes, Ye Qiu gradually became more mysterious, like a Doraemon, always pulling out a gadget or displaying a skill that left people wide-eyed in amazement.


    She was eager to know what else Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t do or wasn¡¯t good at.


    Being about the same age as her, how could he know so much?


    He was truly puzzling.


    Shen Mengchen was deep in thought when suddenly, she noticed that Ye Qiu had stopped the car after taking a turn.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Shen Mengchen asked in bewilderment as she saw Ye Qiu suddenly get out of the car.


    ¡°You stay in the car and absolutely do not get out,¡± Ye Qiu instructed with a serious look, making Shen Mengchen¡¯s heart tighten.


    Could there be bad guys?


    She sat in the car, her gaze fixed on Ye Qiu, wanting to see what was actually happening.


    Not far away, a car stopped slowly as it saw Ye Qiu stepping out.


    Shortly after Ye Qiu had driven a distance, he had noticed this car following him and stopped for safety¡¯s sake.


    The car door slowly opened.


    Then a figure jumped out of the car, their footsteps ¡®tic toc¡¯ as the heels hit the asphalt road.


    The figure gradually approached, revealing a clear face, and as Ye Qiu saw this face, he suddenly froze.


    The smiling face gently uttered six words: ¡°Brother Ye Qiu, I¡¯m here!¡±


    Immediately, Ye Qiu was tightly embraced by the figure in front of him!

 Chapter 45 - 45 0045 Be your woman!

    ?45: 0045 Be your woman!


    45: 0045 Be your woman!


    A sense of warmth and softness instantly spread to every cell in Ye Qiu¡¯s body.


    The sudden embrace from the unfamiliar girl stunned Ye Qiu on the spot.


    At first, Ye Qiu thought she was following him with some other motive, but when he got out of the car and saw the girl showed no intention of harm, instead showing excitement and delight upon seeing him, Ye Qiu was puzzled, especially by the excitement and enthusiasm in her eyes that was confusing.


    So, Ye Qiu did not act, but before he could say a word, he was hugged by the girl in front of him.


    The girl was clearly very excited, holding Ye Qiu tightly in her arms as if she was holding some treasure, fearing that Ye Qiu might disappear in an instant.


    While having a beautiful woman in his arms was what Ye Qiu desired, this was not what he wanted; the girl before him felt familiar, yet he couldn¡¯t find any trace of her in his memory.


    ¡°Let go first, I think we might have some misunderstandings,¡± Ye Qiu said as he freed himself from the girl and stepped back a couple of steps.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, brother, don¡¯t you remember me?¡±


    The girl¡¯s round eyes widened, and suddenly a layer of moisture formed in them.


    The person she wanted to see was finally in front of her, but he couldn¡¯t recognize her.


    Hearing this unique address, suddenly, a light flashed in Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes, and he stared intently at the girl.


    ¡°You are...


    Ye Zi?¡± Ye Qiu asked excitedly.


    The girl nodded slightly and smiled, ¡°Ye Qiu, brother, you really didn¡¯t disappoint me.


    I thought you had completely forgotten me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much, much taller,¡± Ye Qiu said, patting Ye Zi¡¯s shoulder.


    In the blink of an eye, the tomboy from back then had turned into a young lady.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, brother, after so many years, you haven¡¯t changed at all.


    You are still so lazy, you didn¡¯t even shave,¡± Ye Zi said, grabbing Ye Qiu¡¯s arm and running a hand over his chin with a big smile on her face.


    At that moment, Ye Zi was like a child nestled next to Ye Qiu.


    This man had given her a profound sense of security in the past, and after so many years, that feeling still existed.


    He was still someone who inspired a sense of calm.


    Shen Mengchen witnessed all of this, not missing a single detail.


    She gritted her teeth, thinking that Ye Qiu had gotten out of the car to ensure her safety; instead, he ended up being overly affectionate with another woman.


    No, not a woman but a girl who looked even younger than her, just a girl.


    Shen Mengchen felt turmoil rising within her.


    Damn Ye Qiu, not even sparing such a young girl.


    ¡°Pervert, I am done with you,¡± Shen Mengchen fumed as she got out of the car and stormed towards Ye Qiu and Ye Zi.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, what are you doing?


    Have you forgotten what you are supposed to be doing?¡± Shen Mengchen yelled even before she reached them.


    ¡°Humph, you¡¯re still underage; how could you get into puppy love so early?


    This guy is a big pervert.


    I advise you to stay away from him; otherwise, you are the one who will get hurt,¡± Shen Mengchen said in a scolding tone to Ye Zi.


    Ye Zi¡¯s gaze suddenly turned cold, sharp as a blade suddenly unsheathed.


    The atmosphere, which had been relatively relaxed, instantly froze as Ye Zi¡¯s expression changed.


    Shen Mengchen felt like she was being enveloped by ice and snow; her heart was pounding almost breathlessly.


    ¡°You can say whatever about me, I don¡¯t care, but I absolutely won¡¯t allow you to insult my Ye Qiu, brother,¡± Ye Zi¡¯s gaze immobilized Shen Mengchen, and even though Ye Zi seemed just a little girl to Shen Mengchen, her sudden transformation into a fierce protector was disconcerting.


    ¡°If you dare to disrespect my Ye Qiu, brother, again, I will kill you!¡± Ye Zi¡¯s words were like a blast of cold air, leaving Shen Mengchen unsure of what to say next, as it was evident from her expression that she was deadly serious.


    ¡°Ye Zi, enough, she is my friend, don¡¯t go too far,¡± Ye Qiu said, waving his arm to dissipate the hostile aura emanating from Ye Zi, immediately lightening the pressure on Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°She¡¯s really just a friend of yours, not your girlfriend?¡± Ye Zi asked seriously, her gaze still wandering over Shen Mengchen, but this time, there was no trace of murderous intent.


    ¡°She really is just a friend, not my girlfriend,¡± Ye Qiu knew Ye Zi¡¯s stubborn nature; if he didn¡¯t clarify things, she wouldn¡¯t let it go.


    However, from Ye Zi¡¯s behavior just now, her rate of growth was astonishing.


    That kind of murderous aura, even he had to take it seriously.


    This girl had grown so much during the times he was away, it even surprised him.


    Ye Qiu also furrowed his brows; that murderous intent wasn¡¯t just for show, it was real murderous intent, the kind only someone who had killed could possess.


    And to reach the level of deterring others, it was not just about killing one or two people.


    What on earth had happened to this girl for her murderous aura to be so intense?


    Ye Qiu wanted to understand too many things.


    ¡°As long as she¡¯s not your girlfriend, that¡¯s good,¡± Ye Zi suddenly smiled, and her face reverted to that of a naive and cheerful young girl.


    ¡°You girl, still so stubborn, always needing to get to the bottom of everything,¡± Ye Qiu flicked Ye Zi¡¯s nose, his gesture filled with affection, like an older brother doting on a younger sister.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you understand me.


    Ye Zi has grown up now, and since you don¡¯t have a girlfriend, how about I marry you?¡±


    ¡°Ye Zi wants to be your woman!¡± Ye Zi declared dramatically.


    These words not only made Ye Qiu freeze, but Shen Mengchen was also stunned.


    Ye Zi stared seriously at Ye Qiu; she didn¡¯t seem to be joking.


    Ye Qiu reached out, stopping his hand in front of Ye Zi¡¯s forehead, then flicked her forehead and chuckled, ¡°Little girl, you dare joke with your Ye Qiu, thinking you¡¯re grown up, huh?¡±


    That instantly broke the awkwardness, Ye Zi pouted, not hearing the answer she wanted to hear.


    Shen Mengchen exhaled, not knowing why, but she had been somewhat afraid to hear Ye Qiu¡¯s response.


    ¡°Ye Zi, how did you find me?¡± Ye Qiu didn¡¯t want this girl to blurt out anything more shocking that might embarrass him, so he quickly changed the subject.


    Ye Qiu was indeed surprised by Ye Zi suddenly showing up in Zhongshan City and precisely finding him.


    Ye Zi laughed, ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t know you were here at first, but when the news of Nightmare¡¯s death spread everywhere, I had a hunch it must have been your doing, so I came, and to my surprise, I found you.¡±


    Ye Zi smiled proudly; finding someone in the vast city of Zhongshan was no small feat.


    She spoke lightly, but in reality, the effort and time she spent finding Ye Qiu was significant.


    ¡°Nightmare?


    What nightmare?¡± Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t help but interject, unaware of what Ye Zi was talking about.


    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing, the girl just had a nightmare,¡± Ye Qiu quickly covered up, not wanting Shen Mengchen to know too much.


    Ye Zi gave Ye Qiu a puzzled look, while also eyeing Shen Mengchen, her eyebrows furrowing.


    She felt threatened, always feeling like this woman in front of her could snatch her Ye Qiu away.


    And given Ye Qiu¡¯s attitude, it was clear he was protecting Shen Mengchen.


    ¡°Should I kill her?¡± Ye Zi¡¯s gaze flickered; she would not allow another woman to take her Ye Qiu away, the thoughts of murder rising again.


    A rule of the assassin community was to nip any threats in the bud.


    This principle had also seeped deep into Ye Zi¡¯s bones; she could act like a child in front of Ye Qiu, but towards anyone else besides Ye Qiu, she was indifferent.


    A wave of murderous intent, once again, enveloped Shen Mengchen.

 Chapter 46 - 46 Banquet at Hongmen

    ?46: Banquet at Hongmen 46: Banquet at Hongmen ¡°Ye Zi, if you keep being so willful, I¡¯m going to get angry,¡± Ye Qiu blocked Shen Mengchen, afraid that the Ye Zi before him would act completely on her whims.


    Over the years, this girl had changed a lot.


    Although she was obedient and charming in front of him, she was like a completely different person when dealing with others.


    Seeing that Ye Qiu was serious, Ye Zi pouted and said, ¡°Alright, since Brother Ye Qiu cares so much about her, I won¡¯t make a move.¡±


    Ye Qiu turned to Shen Mengchen and said, ¡°Miss, I have a few words to say to Ye Zi, please wait for me in the car now.¡±


    Fearful after feeling that chilly murderous intent twice, Shen Mengchen dared not stay any longer.


    Hearing Ye Qiu¡¯s words, she quickly nodded and hurried back into the car.


    ¡°Hmph, Brother Ye Qiu, why do you care so much about her safety?¡± Ye Zi asked, full of jealousy.


    Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders, didn¡¯t explain much, and asked, ¡°When did you start walking that path?¡±


    Unsurprisingly, Ye Zi nodded, ¡°I wanted to follow in the footsteps you had taken, ever since you left that day, I figured out how to become an assassin.¡±


    ¡°Every country you talked about, every unique building, I¡¯ve kept them all in my heart.


    So many years have passed, and I¡¯ve visited every place you went to,¡± she continued.


    Ye Qiu fell silent.


    After a long pause, he said, ¡°Ye Zi, when I first rescued you, I hoped that you wouldn¡¯t be blinded by hatred.


    It seems I still failed.


    You still think about revenge deep down, so you chose to become an assassin, right?¡±


    Yinyin remained silent, but her emotions clearly fluctuated at the mention of revenge.


    The first time Ye Qiu met Ye Zi was ten years ago.


    To complete an old rogue¡¯s task, he ventured alone to Vietnam, where war was rampant.


    When he first saw Ye Zi, she was trembling, hiding under a tree, while a few mercenaries were approaching her location.


    Ye Zi, with a look of terror in her eyes, was about six years old.


    Her comrades and her village were destroyed, her parents also perished at the hands of unknown enemies.


    Everything was destroyed in a sudden disaster, fundamentally changing Ye Zi¡¯s life.


    Back then, Ye Zi was helpless.


    She was like a wounded little lamb, homeless yet stuck on a battlefield.


    When the mercenaries discovered Ye Zi hiding under the tree and were about to kill this escapee, Ye Qiu made his move!


    At the most desperate moment, with tears streaking her face, Ye Qiu burst forth.


    He didn¡¯t give the mercenaries a chance to shoot.


    He struck first, and within half a minute, all three mercenaries were dead.


    That was the first time Ye Qiu met Ye Zi.


    Unable to leave the little one behind, he took on a tenfold increase in danger, brought her out of the jungle, dodging countless bullets.


    That period was also the most unforgettable time for Ye Zi.


    With Ye Qiu¡¯s company, Ye Zi saw a glimmer of hope for life, especially as Ye Qiu often shared his own stories, which utterly fascinated Ye Zi.


    However, all good things must come to an end.


    Ye Qiu had completed the task assigned by the old rogue and had to return home.


    Ye Qiu wanted to take Ye Zi with him, but she refused.


    She wanted to return to her homeland where she had lived before.


    She said she would find him in the future.


    Ye Qiu told her his name.


    Ye Zi, smiling at Ye Qiu, said, ¡°Your name is Ye Qiu, so I will call myself Ye Zi from now on.¡±


    ¡°Ye Zi will always accompany autumn.¡± Ye Zi smiled sweetly.


    Ye Qiu smiled, nodded, patted Ye Zi¡¯s head, waved his hand, and turned to leave.


    ¡°A single leaf suggests the coming of autumn.¡±


    ¡°Brother Ye Qiu, I will definitely find you,¡± Ye Zi declared as she watched Ye Qiu disappear, a determined expression crossing her face thereafter.


    Being by Ye Qiu¡¯s side for so many days made her realize one truth: to be strong, or else in this bloody world, you can only be slaughtered mercilessly by others.


    From that day on, Ye Zi commenced her journey as an assassin, gradually becoming a real assassin.


    She wanted to be as strong as Ye Qiu, strong enough to make enemies tremble!


    ¡°Brother Ye Qiu, after so many years, are you happy to see Ye Zi again?¡± Ye Zi suddenly asked.


    She did not answer how she embarked on the path of being an assassin, yet she had that chilling murderous aura about her.


    Ye Qiu said nothing, just stroked Ye Zi¡¯s short hair.


    Those resolute eyes were the same as ten years ago, still flashing with compelling brilliance.


    Ye Zi enjoyed Ye Qiu¡¯s gentle touch as it gave her a great sense of security, though she indulged in it only briefly before opening her eyes and said, ¡°Brother, you killed Nightmare, causing a large influx of assassins into Zhongshan city, all looking for the expert who killed Nightmare.¡±


    ¡°I also secretly entered Zhongshan city with these guys.


    However, there¡¯s something puzzling; these assassins didn¡¯t act alone like others, searching everywhere.


    Instead, they gathered together.


    I then discovered that these people were summoned by a large consortium.


    I feel there will be a major incident in Zhongshan city, but I don¡¯t know who the group intends to assassinate.¡±


    Hearing this made Ye Qiu¡¯s mind tighten.


    It was not uncommon for corporations to hire assassins, but the fact that this was happening in Zhongshan City made Ye Qiu particularly cautious, as the corporations in Zhongshan City were prominent.


    That the adversaries had hired an international assassin surely meant they intended to eliminate some rivals.


    What made Ye Qiu most suspicious was whether the Rongda Group was behind this.


    Although the Rongda Group had been quiet for a while recently, and no information had come from Shen Tianlong¡¯s side, Ye Qiu did not believe they would just let things go.


    They were definitely planning something.


    After the calm, only a storm could follow, never lasting peace.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that merely taking down a nightmare would cause a billion-dollar corporation to settle down and refrain from any excessive actions.


    The opposition was definitely holding back, waiting for the right moment, plotting their strategy.


    ¡°Thank you, Ye Zi,¡± Ye Qiu said lovingly as he flicked Ye Zi¡¯s forehead.


    Soon after, the two of them got into the car together, and Shen Mengchen was startled when Ye Zi suddenly got in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t strike at you,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile as he observed Shen Mengchen¡¯s cautious expression.


    Ye Zi, other than Ye Qiu, didn¡¯t bother associating with anyone else.


    So, after getting in the car, she just sat quietly in the back, saying nothing.


    Soon, the three of them returned to the Goddess Villa.


    The arrival of Ye Zi, the new visitor, surprised both Niu Yinyin and Shangguan Hong.


    Seeing Shen Mengchen¡¯s expression, which wasn¡¯t particularly happy, they couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on.


    Ye Qiu smiled and smoothed things over, explaining to Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin, ¡°This is my little sister Ye Zi, please take good care of her.¡±


    Ye Zi glanced at Niu Yinyin and felt indifferent about this little kid because in her eyes, only beautiful women posed a threat to her.


    The next second, her gaze landed on the distinctive Shangguan Hong, causing Ye Zi to show great wariness.


    Because this woman exuded a mature charm that she, a mere girl, could not match; furthermore, thinking about Ye Qiu being about the same age as her...


    Suddenly, Shangguan Hong felt a chill run down her spine as the young girl eyed her.


    As for the sudden drop in temperature in the room, Shen Mengchen was already used to it.


    She knew that this girl must be harboring hostility, even murderous intent toward Shangguan Hong.


    Crazy!


    Ye Qiu was crazy, and so were those familiar with him!


    Ye Qiu quickly pulled Ye Zi aside and gave her a look, signaling her not to cause trouble.


    Ye Zi then dispersed her murderous intent.


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s face still bore a smile, and she showed no displeasure.


    She smilingly reached out her hand, ¡°You are Ye Qiu¡¯s sister; welcome.¡±


    Ye Zi turned her head away, not extending her hand in return.


    She wouldn¡¯t befriend a rival in love.


    Niu Yinyin, on the other hand, found this teenager, who was only two or three years older than herself, very intriguing and kept pestering Ye Zi to play with her.


    Toward Niu Yinyin, a cute and adorable creature, Ye Zi unusually didn¡¯t show any hostility.


    She maintained an aloof demeanor, but Niu Yinyin wouldn¡¯t give up, constantly chattering beside her ear and occasionally offering her snacks.


    That evening, Ye Zi wanted to squeeze into a room with Ye Qiu.


    Even though Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong said nothing about it, they looked somewhat puzzled.


    Ye Qiu also didn¡¯t want Ye Zi to squeeze into a room with him.


    Shen Mengchen intended to have a room cleaned up, but Ye Zi shook her head; she wanted to sleep on the first floor¡¯s sofa, as it was closest to Ye Qiu.


    That night passed peacefully, and Ye Qiu slept well.


    However, he was woken up by a phone call.


    ¡°Ye Xian nephew, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need your company for a trip tonight.¡± The voice on the other end was Shen Tianlong, the chairman of Longjia Group.


    He rarely made calls, and if he did, it certainly wasn¡¯t for a trivial matter.


    ¡°Who is the other party?¡± Ye Qiu asked directly, knowing that Chairman Shen must have sensed trouble to seek him out, especially for something serious.


    Shen Tianlong only uttered two faint words, ¡°Rongda!¡±


    Ye Qiu instantly understood¡ªthe Rongda chairperson wanted to invite Shen Tianlong for dinner.


    ¡°So it¡¯s a trap!¡± Ye Qiu murmured.


    The gleam in his eyes flickered; he just wanted to confirm a suspicion deep in his heart, and the opportunity had now presented itself right in front of him.

 Chapter 47 - 47 0047 Game

    ?47: 0047 Game 47: 0047 Game That evening.


    Meadow Tavern.


    This was the most famous and expensive restaurant in Zhongshan City, frequented by the city¡¯s elites.


    Meadow Tavern was well known for its Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine, beloved by many customers.


    Today, Meadow Tavern was somewhat different from usual because the entire first, second, and third floors were empty without a single table occupied.


    However, the lights were on, and it didn¡¯t look like it was closed.


    ¡°Is everything arranged?¡± a man in a suit and leather shoes asked the restaurant manager.


    The manager nodded.


    ¡°We have posted a notice saying the entire restaurant has been booked, and today we won¡¯t accommodate anyone other than those specified.¡±


    The man in the suit nodded in satisfaction.


    He was a middle manager from Rongda Group, and today, the entire Rongda board was attending to host a banquet for a business tycoon from Zhongshan City¡ªit was a significant event, and he was responsible for coordinating with the restaurant to prevent any mishaps.


    Rongda Group and Longjia Group were well-known rivals, and today marked a meeting between two business giants of Zhongshan City, surely for some important matters.


    After receiving instructions from his boss, the man began making arrangements in the restaurant to ensure everything was in order.


    Around eight in the evening, Shen Tianlong arrived at Meadow Tavern with Ye Qiu.


    With its lavish exterior and a touch of rural charm, Ye Qiu followed Shen Tianlong into a private room on the second floor.


    ¡°Mr.


    Shen.¡±


    ¡°Mr.


    Ge.¡±


    As Shen Tianlong entered the private room, he saw three men sitting across from him, around his age, one of whom appeared somewhat older but was very spirited, with piercing eyes that gave off a sense of sharp acumen.


    The eldest among them was Ge Yusheng, the major director of Rongda Group, and also the elder brother of Ruan Guotao and Wang Chenghu.


    Usually, Wang Chenghu handled the company¡¯s affairs, turning to Ruan Guotao only if he couldn¡¯t resolve them.


    And if Ruan Guotao also failed, then Ge Yusheng had to step in.


    This significant and mysterious director from Rongda, Ge Yusheng, had finally made an appearance.


    Ge Yusheng and Shen Tianlong were old acquaintances who had shared many past interactions.


    This meeting was their first face-to-face in five years.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr.


    Shen, for gracing us with your presence and giving me, Ge Yusheng, this honor,¡± said Ge Yusheng as he clasped his fists.


    Butler Liu quickly pulled out a chair for Shen Tianlong to sit.


    Ge¡¯s gaze briefly swept over Ye Qiu, then quickly returned to Shen Tianlong.


    ¡°When Mr.


    Ge invites, I, Shen Tianlong, must make time no matter how busy I am.


    It has been many years, Mr.


    Ge, and you look very well.


    It seems life abroad has been pleasing!


    Unlike me, always having to handle various matters personally, I¡¯m so busy that my hair has gone white,¡± Shen Tianlong sighed.


    ¡°If Mr.


    Shen were not so hands-on, there wouldn¡¯t be a Longjia Group today.


    I really admire that, please have a seat,¡± Ge Yusheng extended his hand and then signalled to a waiter standing by the door, who immediately understood that Mr.


    Ge wanted them to start serving the dishes.


    Ye Qiu was seated to the right of Shen Tianlong, facing Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao, who were sitting to either side of Ge Yusheng.


    Their eyes were fixed on each other.


    A smile hung on Ye Qiu¡¯s face, while Wang Chenghu had a dark expression.


    He and Ye Qiu had had several conflicts, particularly during their first encounter when Ye Qiu unexpectedly showed up in his office, which not only startled Wang but also infuriated him when Ye boldly told him not to target Shen Meng.


    Though Wang Chenghu later hired an assassin to kill Ye Qiu and ended up failing miserably, he had to call on his older brother, Ruan Guotao.


    The nightmare failed again and repeatedly so with Ye Qiu, indicating Wang Chenghu¡¯s deep animosity towards him.


    In contrast to Wang Chenghu, Ruan Guotao¡¯s demeanor was much more composed.


    He didn¡¯t seem to have as much animosity towards Ye Qiu, but his gaze contained deep wariness, probably due to the assassin¡¯s failures, which made him somewhat fearful of Ye Qiu¡¯s capabilities.


    Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao were unable to handle Ye Qiu, so they had to ask their elder brother, Ge Yusheng, who was overseas, to come back.


    Here it was, when Ruan Guotao and Wang Chenghu had narrated everything about Ye Qiu from beginning to end, Ge Yusheng considered for a while and decided to invite Shen Tianlong to dinner.


    That¡¯s how today¡¯s dinner came about.


    At that time, Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao were still doubting whether Shen Tianlong would dare to come, because it was clear that this was a trap, but just as the elder brother had predicted, Shen Tianlong did come, and Ye Qiu followed.


    ¡°Mr.


    Shen, you and I have competed in business for so many years, honestly, I really admire your courage,¡±


    ¡°Mr.


    Ge, you flatter me.


    If my business has achieved its current success, half of the credit still goes to you,¡± Shen Tianlong said with a hint of sarcasm.


    ¡°Haha, Mr.


    Shen, you really love to joke,¡± laughed Ge Yusheng.


    Their open and secret struggles had long been known in the business world, not just overnight, so when Shen Tianlong mentioned relying on him, it was actually the reverse, especially since the development of Longjia Group only began to grow gradually after resolving the troubles caused by Rongda Manufacturing.


    The two of them laughed it off without delving into these issues, as they both knew that these were just pleasantries, not the main topic for today.


    Soon, the drinks and dishes were served.


    As the waiter filled the glasses for everyone, Ge Yusheng raised his glass and said, ¡°Mr.


    Shen, this first drink is for you.


    I hope you won¡¯t blame these two useless brothers of mine; their actions weren¡¯t intentional.¡±


    Ge Yusheng drank his glass in one gulp, putting on an apologetic face for Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao toward Shen Tianlong.


    ¡°Oh?


    I wonder what wrongs your younger brothers have done?


    Forgive me, my memory is poor, I really don¡¯t recall,¡± Shen Tianlong said, smiling and shaking his head, without drinking.


    ¡°Hehe, Mr.


    Shen, you are a person who forgets things of the past.


    Perhaps in your eyes, it was a minor issue.


    It seems Mr.


    Shen didn¡¯t take it to heart, I truly admire your magnanimity,¡± Ge Yusheng said, drinking another glass.


    ¡°In business, I, Shen Tianlong, only believe in harmony, harmony brings wealth, and wealth should be earned together by everyone.¡±


    ¡°I, Shen Tianlong, don¡¯t care about the losses in business, but there is one thing, my daughter.


    If anyone dares to target my loved ones, I, Shen Tianlong, would stake the whole Longjia Group to personally bury those with ill intentions,¡± Shen Tianlong¡¯s tone turned colder, especially his bold statement about sacrificing his entire business empire for Shen Mengchen, not blinking an eye.


    His daughter, Shen Mengchen, was his Achilles¡¯ heel; no one could touch her, or he would stake all his wealth to fight to the death.


    Hearing this, Ge Yusheng inwardly sighed at how boldly and fiercely Shen Tianlong spoke, while also contemplating another idea.


    ¡°Hehe, Mr.


    Shen, you jest.


    There are rules in business, and lowly acts like targeting someone¡¯s loved ones are not acceptable to reputable people like us,¡± Ge Yusheng laughed.


    ¡°I believe Mr.


    Ge isn¡¯t that kind of person, but I worry about some dogs that don¡¯t understand human speech.


    If they don¡¯t act according to their master¡¯s will and mess things up, it always ends up with the master having to clean up after them, which is really unfortunate,¡± Shen Tianlong turned his words around, and with that statement, Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao¡¯s faces immediately changed, clearly being referred to.


    ¡°Mr.


    Ge, I believe you don¡¯t have such dogs around, right,¡± Shen Tianlong continued, ¡°By the way, what was that you were telling me earlier about what your two brothers had done?¡± He pretended not to understand what Ge Yusheng had been saying earlier.


    As Ye Qiu listened to Shen Tianlong¡¯s last statement, he secretly gave a thumbs up.


    The old man¡¯s words were sharper than he expected, berating others without using a single curse word, yet leaving them speechless.


    Ge Yusheng smiled faintly without speaking.


    In this game of chess, it seemed Shen Tianlong had the upper hand.


    However, Ye Qiu had another concern: that if Shen Tianlong completely infuriated the other party, the two of them might find it difficult to leave the restaurant today.


    Ye Qiu had already noticed that there were quite a few people hiding on the third floor and the first floor of the restaurant.


    That murderous aura was definitely that of assassins.


    With so many assassins gathered here, Ye Qiu had confirmed his suspicion that the mercenary group Ye Zi mentioned, the one that hired assassins, had to be the Rongda Group.


    Moreover, from the current situation, it was clear that the other party hired assassins, specifically for him, Ye Qiu.

 Chapter 48 - 48 Hidden needles in cotton

    ?48: Hidden needles in cotton 48: Hidden needles in cotton Because of a single comment from Shen Tianlong, the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.


    Veins popped on Wang Chenghu¡¯s forehead, and his gaze was wolf-like.


    If Ge Yusheng hadn¡¯t been sitting there to keep things calm, he might have already exploded with rage and fought Shen Tianlong to the death.


    ¡°Haha, Mr.


    Shen really knows how to joke, I personally don¡¯t have the habit of raising dogs,¡± Ge Yusheng chuckled, while his hand also pressed down on the shoulders of Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao, signaling them not to act rashly.


    Shen Tianlong remained composed, as if he hadn¡¯t seen the darkened faces of Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao.


    Ye Qiu reevaluated Shen Tianlong, no wonder he could establish such a business empire; with such calmness in the face of troubles, he was indeed no ordinary person.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss what these two brothers of mine did, but the talents Mr.


    Shen has recently recruited have truly impressed Mr.


    Ge,¡± Ge Yusheng said.


    ¡°Oh?


    Mr.


    Ge, whom are you referring to?¡± Shen Tianlong feigned ignorance.


    ¡°Hehe, Mr.


    Shen, don¡¯t play coy with me.


    I¡¯m talking about this young brother sitting beside you,¡± Ge Yusheng¡¯s gaze settled on Ye Qiu.


    ¡°May I ask the young brother¡¯s surname?¡± Ge Yusheng asked with a smile.


    His face wrinkled up in amusement, a smile that made Ye Qiu frown slightly.


    ¡°Ye Qiu,¡± Ye Qiu said, knowing that Ge Yusheng was about to state his purpose for today.


    ¡°Young Mr.


    Ye, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so highly regarded by Mr.


    Ge,¡± Shen Tianlong chuckled.


    ¡°Young Brother Ye is indeed a promising individual.


    Mr.


    Shen must have gone to great lengths to keep Brother Ye by his side,¡± Ge Yusheng remarked, his eyes squinted like a lion eyeing its prey, especially when keenly observing before making an attack.


    ¡°Young Brother Ye, I don¡¯t know what Mr.


    Shen offered you to stay by his side, how about this, I¡¯ll double the price for you to join me at Rong Da?¡± Ge Yusheng suddenly said.


    At this remark, Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao both glanced at Ge Yusheng with confusion and quickly interjected, ¡°Big brother...¡±


    Ge Yusheng waved his hand and chastised in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m talking to Young Brother Ye, don¡¯t interrupt.¡±


    Although the two intended to say more, seeing Ge Yusheng¡¯s expression, they immediately swallowed back the words they were about to say.


    ¡°Mr.


    Shen, you wouldn¡¯t mind if I poach from you in your presence, would you?¡± Ge Yusheng chuckled, his gaze lingering on Shen Tianlong.


    Shen Tianlong responded indifferently, ¡°Mr.


    Ge may find himself disappointed if he wishes to poach my people.¡±


    Ge Yusheng did not respond; his eyes intently focused on Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Young Brother Ye, what do you think?


    Whatever Mr.


    Shen is paying, I will offer double.¡±


    Seeing that Ye Qiu did not speak, Ge Yusheng continued, ¡°Just name your price, as long as it is reasonable.


    How about coming to Rong Da with me?¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes flickered, seemingly deep in thought, as everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward him.


    After a moment, Ye Qiu smiled, ¡°They say a good bird chooses a tree to perch on.


    Mr.


    Ge, your generous offer is indeed very tempting.¡±


    Ge Yusheng continued to smile, waiting for Ye Qiu¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Does that mean you agree?¡±


    Ye Qiu shook his head, ¡°Mr.


    Ge thinks too highly of me; your offer is indeed very good.¡± Ye Qiu paused, his gaze sweeping across everyone¡¯s faces, and continued, ¡°But...


    I am just a complacent layman, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint Mr.


    Ge.


    I prefer to stay in one place; changing locations might cause me insomnia.¡±


    Ge Yusheng was momentarily stunned before bursting into loud laughter, ¡°It seems Young Brother Ye is truly a loyal person.


    Well then, let¡¯s disregard what I said earlier.


    Mr.


    Shen, you have found a good brother indeed.


    Even I cannot sway Young Brother Ye.¡±


    Shen Tianlong had known all along that Ye Qiu would not agree and simply smiled faintly.


    ¡°Hmph, unappreciative,¡± Wang Chenghu muttered under his breath and fiercely glanced at Ye Qiu.


    The attention soon shifted from Ye Qiu as Ge Yusheng and Shen Tianlong began discussing business matters.


    The atmosphere eased significantly.


    Using the excuse of needing to use the restroom, Ye Qiu temporarily left the dinner table.


    Exiting the private room, he surveyed the corridor, where four or five men in black stood, monitoring the situation.


    He had come out to scout the layout in case something unexpected happened later; this way, he could be prepared and not be thrown off.


    At the same time, he wanted to confirm how many assassins were hidden throughout the hotel.


    Ye Qiu reached the restroom, which was empty, ¡°Well hidden indeed.


    If it were not for their aura giving them away, it would be really hard to notice them just by sight.¡±


    Ye Qiu indifferently urinated, sensing that at least two assassins were hiding outside the restroom window.


    He didn¡¯t act rashly, after all, it wasn¡¯t yet time to completely fall out with Ge Yusheng, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have left Shen Tianlong and the butler alone in the private room while he stepped out by himself.


    After relieving himself, Ye Qiu pulled up his trousers and stood in front of the mirror to wash his hands when a voice rang out, ¡°Young brother Ye Qiu, what a coincidence, you¡¯re here too.¡±


    Ge Yusheng, smiling, approached without entering the restroom and turned on the tap to wash his hands.


    As they each washed their hands, their reflections appeared in the mirror; flicking the water off his hands, Ge Yusheng wiped his eyes and said, ¡°Young brother Ye Qiu, are you really not considering the offer I mentioned before?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one here.


    Like I said at the table just now, just name your price, and I can agree to it.


    How about you come and join me at Rongda?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about following that old guy?


    Whatever he can give you, I can provide too.


    I have all the money.¡±


    Ye Qiu, with a moist palm, lightly stroked his hair, looking at Ge Yusheng: ¡°Boss Ge, do you know what aspect of businessmen most people can¡¯t stand?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, tell me, young brother Ye Qiu,¡± Ge Yusheng replied.


    ¡°Businessmen worship profit, and they chase profit single-mindedly.


    Some people, once they attain some net worth, think money can buy everything.


    I¡¯m not wrong, am I, Boss Ge?¡± Ye Qiu paused.


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong¡ªmoney is omnipotent in this world,¡± Ge Yusheng replied.


    ¡°Though I like money too, I have my principles, and I am afraid I must decline, as our paths don¡¯t align, Boss Ge,¡± said Ye Qiu, turning and walking towards the door.


    ¡°Young brother Ye Qiu, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s hard to decline a generous offer?


    As long as you follow me, I, Ge Yusheng, will not treat you poorly,¡± Ge Yusheng insisted.


    ¡°Boss Ge, do you think I¡¯m following Shen Tianlong just because he can give me a lot of money?¡± Ye Qiu laughed and turned back, ¡°The things I, Ye Qiu, want can¡¯t be provided by others.


    Save your breath, Boss Ge.¡±


    ¡°Being young and zealous is good, but it seems you¡¯re a bit too overconfident, Ye Qiu!¡±


    Watching Ye Qiu walk away, Ge Yusheng¡¯s face, full of smiles, flickered with a cold light, now that the soft approach had failed, a harder one was necessary.


    ...


    By the time Shen Tianlong and Ye Qiu left the rural guest house, it was nearly ten o¡¯clock.


    Ge Yusheng didn¡¯t make a move, simply letting his old rival Shen Tianlong leave.


    In the car, Shen Tianlong suddenly asked, ¡°You ran into Ge Yusheng in the bathroom, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t agree to him?¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded again, then asked, ¡°Do you believe I didn¡¯t secretly agree to him?¡±


    Shen Tianlong laughed: ¡°I know Ge Yusheng too well.


    He thinks that by meeting you in the restroom, he can make me suspicious, but he doesn¡¯t know that no matter what, I would never doubt you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Ye Qiu, puzzled by Shen Tianlong¡¯s strong confidence.


    ¡°Hehe, you are his disciple after all, so of course I trust you, and that¡¯s why I would never fall for his scheme,¡± Shen Tianlong said.


    ¡°Thank you for your trust, Director Shen,¡± Ye Qiu sincerely replied, feeling the trust Shen Tianlong had in him.


    It seemed he blindly trusted the old enthusiast, or he wouldn¡¯t have treated him with such sincerity.


    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to safely get through this tricky banquet,¡± Shen Tianlong said, sitting in the car and letting out a breath of relief.


    Competing with cunning old fox like Ge Yusheng required multiple preparations.


    Fortunately, the other party hadn¡¯t gone mad enough to force them to stay in the private room.


    However, Ye Qiu¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t as relaxed as Shen Tianlong¡¯s; he carefully sensed the changes around him, suddenly his expression changed.


    ¡°As expected, they made a move!¡±


    Ye Qiu sensed the ever-closing presence of an assassin, just as he had predicted¡ªGe Yusheng had indeed hired these assassins to target him.


    In the restaurant, Ge Yusheng hadn¡¯t made a move, and that was when Ye Qiu had started to suspect when Ge Yusheng would act, and indeed, they struck on their way home.


    ¡°Finally couldn¡¯t resist making a move, huh!¡± A smile formed on the corner of Ye Qiu¡¯s mouth.

 Chapter 49 - 49 0049 Bloody Night

    ?49: 0049 Bloody Night 49: 0049 Bloody Night Shen Tianlong¡¯s face showed urgency, for there were only him and Butler Liu, who could hardly be of help.


    ¡°Butler Liu, I¡¯ll drive,¡± Ye Qiu suddenly said.


    Butler Liu nodded, and they quickly switched seats.


    ¡°Director Shen, Butler Liu, both of you, sit tight,¡± reminded Ye Qiu.


    Since he had to protect two people and face several assassins, he couldn¡¯t take risks.


    If they were surrounded, Director Shen and Butler Liu would be in danger.


    When Ye Qiu started driving, he immediately sped up, scaring Shen Tianlong and Butler Liu, who were grabbing onto any fixtures inside the car.


    The rural homestay was not in the city center but in the suburbs, so there weren¡¯t many cars on the road back.


    Some drivers cursed loudly at Ye Qiu¡¯s reckless driving¡ªracing that fast in the dead of night, were they looking for death!


    However, these irate drivers soon shut up because a large number of motorcycles were following at high speeds, their engines roaring frightfully, especially terrifying when more than a dozen rode together.


    ¡°Ge Yusheng...¡± Shen Tianlong seethed with anger.


    The other party actually sent someone to kill him after the dinner, which was audaciously bold.


    ¡°Chairman, I haven¡¯t seen a single patrol officer tonight,¡± commented Butler Liu as he looked around.


    The car had been speeding for quite a while, yet not a shadow of a police car was seen.


    Normally, there should be a patrolling vehicle checking this area.


    Especially since Zhongshan city had been particularly strict recently, it made no sense for there to be no police patrolling.


    ¡°Butler Liu, don¡¯t forget who is coming after us.


    Removing a group of patrol police wouldn¡¯t be hard for him,¡± said Ye Qiu.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, nephew Ye.


    Ge Yusheng, that madman, really wants to put us to death,¡± Shen Tianlong said.


    ¡°Even if he kills us all, it won¡¯t lead back to Ge Yusheng.


    That old fellow is indeed cunning,¡± regretted Shen Tianlong for attending the dinner.


    Knowing the other party had ill-intentions, he had still insisted on coming.


    Was it just to let out some steam, to see Ge Yusheng¡¯s otherwise defiant face show submission?


    Noticing Shen Tianlong¡¯s regret, Butler Liu tried to comfort him, ¡°Chairman, your coming shows you¡¯re not afraid of him.


    But his move against you after the event shows he is afraid.


    He wouldn¡¯t have done this if he had any other way to deal with you.


    From this perspective, Chairman, you are more powerful than Ge Yusheng.¡±


    ¡°I just hope to get through tonight safely,¡± Shen Tianlong said with a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chairman.


    With Young Master Ye here, no one can touch the old master,¡± Butler Liu said.


    ¡°Young Master Ye, the lives of the Chairman and me are in your hands.¡±


    Ye Qiu remained silent.


    Although he was skilled, protecting two people while facing assassins was still challenging.


    Moreover, Ge Yusheng was no simple opponent, and Ye Qiu worried what other methods he had yet to employ.


    As he worried, Ye Qiu¡¯s car was approaching the city¡¯s outskirts when suddenly, a row of yellow lights shot towards them from ahead.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    A premonition hit Ye Qiu, and sure enough, just ten meters ahead, a line of motorcycles stood blocking the way.


    The other drivers accompanying them immediately turned their cars around.


    But could Ye Qiu turn around?


    The large yellow lights behind them began to flash, signaling that they were being pursued.


    They were surrounded!


    The worst-case scenario had happened, and Ye Qiu felt a headache coming on.


    It seemed Ge Yusheng had planned to strike on the road back, or else why would there be people waiting to intercept them?


    Ye Qiu got out of the car, nowhere to hide, ready for a fight.


    Hum...


    The motorcycles ahead advanced in unison.


    Several motorcyclists dismounted and took off their helmets.


    With a smack, the helmets were tossed aside, and Ye Qiu focused on the newcomers.


    ¡°Wearing these things is really suffocating,¡± said a man walking in front, who then looked at Ye Qiu and said, ¡°Ye Qiu, we¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time.¡±


    With no fewer than thirty people before and behind them, both Shen Tianlong and Butler Liu showed concern, but they were helpless, placing their hopes on Ye Qiu.


    ¡°How do you know my name?¡± Ye Qiu asked the man calmly.


    The man spoke in heavily accented Mandarin, not seeming like someone from Huaxia, having more of a Vietnamese or Myanmar look about him.


    But it was without doubt that he was of Asian descent, radiating an aura of wolfishness, especially the blood-thirsty look in his eyes revealing him as a veteran of the battlefield.


    ¡°Nightmare was the one you killed, wasn¡¯t he, sss...


    Because of you, the entire world of assassins has boiled over.


    Heaven has favored me by giving me this opportunity,¡± the man said indifferently.


    Without having to think about it, the man¡¯s familiarity with him meant that Ge Yusheng must have let his information slip out, even going so far as to hire several top assassins at a high price to join forces in taking him down.


    ¡°Heh, I didn¡¯t expect Mr.


    Ge to think so highly of me as to have several people join forces against me,¡± Ye Qiu remarked.


    The man remained unmoved, his expression giving a flicker: ¡°Ye Qiu, you won¡¯t die in vain, your death will be very significant.¡±


    ¡°Killing you, I not only get a hefty sum of money, but I can also ascend to the pinnacle of the assassin world.


    How could I possibly miss such a hard-earned opportunity?¡± The man said as he withdrew a short dagger and used it to groom his nails.


    ¡°This trip to Huaxia was not in vain for me, unlike some other unlucky folks.


    Going after a little girl, haha.¡±


    The man¡¯s laughter roared to the heavens, his expression as if a great fortune had befallen him.


    Shen Tianlong was shocked.


    Hearing the man¡¯s words, he suddenly shouted, ¡°Mengchen, Ye Xian nephew, they¡¯ve made a move on Mengchen.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so the girl is called Mengchen, sss, old man, by the look on your face, she must be your daughter, huh?


    Heh heh, too bad.


    A blooming flower might wither away.¡± The man said with a smile, but his attitude, treating human life as nothing, sent chills down the spine.


    A chill went through Ye Qiu¡¯s heart¡ªGe Yusheng had made arrangements for two fronts: one group of assassins to pursue him, Shen Tianlong, and Housekeeper Liu; the other had been dispatched to capture Shen Mengchen.


    If anything were to happen to Shen Mengchen, how could he explain it to the lascivious old man?


    Even if Shen Mengchen¡¯s constant head-shaking or any other imperfections weren¡¯t ideal, there must be no harm befalling her!


    Ye Qiu¡¯s seemingly calm visage belied the fiery rage blazing within him.


    ¡°You may go to die now,¡± Ye Qiu stated matter-of-factly, as he flashed forward in an instant, appearing right in front of the man.


    ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s you who should die!


    Killing you, I will become the king of assassins!¡±


    Shua shua...


    Dozens of figures rushed towards Ye Qiu, instantly surrounding him.


    A bloody battle spread out, making tonight an unending night of vigilance!


    Meanwhile, at the Goddess Villa!


    Five figures clad in black scaled the wall, infiltrating the premises, one of them swiftly making his way to the security booth and swiftly dispatching the security guard.


    The other four each stealthily approached their designated villas, and suddenly the entire villa complex was enveloped in darkness as one of the assassins cut off all the electricity.


    ¡°Ah, why did the power go out!¡± Niu Yinyin was engrossed in a television program when there was a click, and the entire room plunged into darkness.


    Shangguan Hong, too, who had been reading quietly, removed her glasses and furrowed her brows slightly.


    Shen Mengchen, the girl, lay asleep on the sofa, blissfully unaware of the turmoil outside.


    A subtle, dangerous aura enveloped the whole villa.


    Ye Zi, who was resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them, stood up sharply.


    She had sensed the presence of fellow assassins locking onto this location.


    ¡°So, they¡¯ve come for Brother Ye Qiu.


    All of you deserve to die!¡± Ye Zi instantly thought of the assassins sought by the consortium, remembering the aura of one of them and, considering Nightmare¡¯s death, she was sure they were after Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wander around, or if you lose your lives, don¡¯t blame me for not warning you.¡± Having dropped this sentence, Ye Zi immediately drifted out the door.


    Niu Yinyin stared with big eyes, filled with confusion, while Shangguan Hong sensed that something was amiss and quickly went beside Niu Yinyin, signaling her not to move.


    ¡°Today, none of you will leave here alive!¡± Ye Zi¡¯s eyes were icy cold, and like a black specter, she instantly closed the gap on an unsuspecting assassin.


    Thump...


    A spray of crimson burst forth into the night as a swiftly rising assassin hadn¡¯t time to react before his life was taken.


    His eyes widened, and until his last moments, he never detected Ye Zi¡¯s approach.


    Even in death, he pondered how this person came to be by his side.


    Ye Zi moved rapidly, continuing to draw near to another assassin!


    ¡°Four more to go!¡± A deadly intent filled Ye Zi¡¯s gaze, her eyes radiating a chill that seemed impossible to emanate from such a young girl.


    The stark contrast made her, in the darkness, akin to a blood-red rose; wherever she went, she claimed a life.

 Chapter 50 - 50 Severely injured 0050

    ?50: Severely injured 0050 50: Severely injured 0050 Tick tock tick tock...


    Bright red blood dripped onto the ground, forming a puddle, as yet another assassin fell dead!


    Ye Qiu¡¯s arms were numb.


    Having just snatched the blade from his opponent¡¯s grip, even though he managed to deliver a fatal strike, he too suffered.


    The leading man opposite him stared with a cold sneer, licking his lips like a bloodthirsty reaper, his eyes filled with malice.


    ¡°Your skills indeed didn¡¯t disappoint me; you truly have the capability to kill a nightmare,¡± the man clucked, his body tensed as if ready to pounce at any moment.


    Ye Qiu watched the man coldly.


    His lips were dry, and his gaze swept over the other assassins encircling him, the heaviness in Ye Qiu¡¯s heart was unspeakable.


    The thugs before him were nothing like the ones Li Hao and Ma Tao had dealt with; those were mere riff-raffs of society, apt for intimidation but far from capable of actual murder.


    But the assassins standing before him were not to be underestimated, for they were trained, had blood on their hands, and each was a ruthless killer, blinking not an eye in murder.


    If it was one or two opponents, Ye Qiu believed it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult, but facing over twenty such skilled fighters, even Ye Qiu felt uncertain.


    Especially the leading man whose strength obviously surpassed the others, or the other assassins wouldn¡¯t be so obedient to him.


    This was a pack of fierce and hungry wolves, each flashing blood-red eyes, eager to tear Ye Qiu apart.


    ¡°Had enough rest?


    Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you with one strike; I want to kill you slowly,¡± the leader said indifferently, his excited mood driven by Ye Qiu¡¯s wary gaze, as hunting skilled prey was what he enjoyed most.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Ye Qiu took a deep breath and made his move.


    Assassins are formidable, but they excel in stealthy killings; Ye Qiu was well aware of this.


    Once an assassin loses the element of surprise and exposes themselves, their lethal power is greatly reduced, at least by half.


    In terms of killing skills, Ye Qiu¡¯s methods were certainly no worse than those of his opponents.


    The biggest challenge was to reduce the number of assassins he faced; otherwise, it would be difficult to handle later on.


    Ye Qiu was no god; while making his moves, he was already considering how to deal with the worst-case scenario if he was exhausted.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s legs lifted off the ground, tracing a shadow on the floor, his dagger drawing a sharp gleam in the air as his body leapt instantly.


    The opposing assassins had seen Ye Qiu charging and drew their blades.


    Daggers, the assassin¡¯s favored weapon, allowing them to relish the thrill of killing up close, especially the rush of personally ending a life, the blade slicing through a throat, the blood splattering ¡ª it was exhilarating.


    Clank clank...


    In close combat, the daggers collided, producing a grating noise, as if chirping birds tearing through the long night.


    After a brief friction of blades, a figure passed between two people, and the scene quieted down again.


    The two black-clad assassins felt their necks, sensing a warm flow surging up; blood stained their hands.


    In less than two breaths, the daggers in their hands clinked as they fell to the ground, followed by the bodies of the two assassins.


    Once again, a double kill with one strike.


    Ye Qiu licked his dry lips; the gloom in his heart did not dissipate.


    Killing two assassins was not the end, for he still had many more to face.


    Ye Qiu remained tense, as merely killing a few assassins was not enough to get through this ordeal.


    Only by eliminating all the assassins would he be able to truly relax.


    The leader watched this unfold, slightly stunned.


    From Ye Qiu¡¯s attack to killing two fellow assassins, the whole process took less than thirty seconds, achieving a perfect kill.


    Impressive, how powerful!


    The leader¡¯s expression turned more excited; the stronger Ye Qiu was, the more thrilled he felt.


    ¡°I must kill you,¡± the leader¡¯s gaze flickered, and with a shift in his eyes, the other assassins moved, realizing that Ye Qiu was tough to handle, and could not be given further opportunities to kill.


    The assassins understood they were outmatched by Ye Qiu, and if they wanted to kill him, they had to unite.


    ¡°What are you waiting for, waiting for him to pick you off one by one?¡± the leader shouted.


    With that, many assassins jointly set upon Ye Qiu.


    The leader did not join the fray, standing alone outside the circle formed by the assassins, watching Ye Qiu surrounded in the center.


    Dozens of figures swarmed like midnight shadows, engulfing Ye Qiu.


    In the chaotic fight, sounds of punches and kicks exploded, mixed with the piercing cries of daggers.


    Ye Qiu became the prey surrounded by many foes, enemies on all sides; the sight seen by Shen Tianlong and the butler caused them to break out in nervous sweat.


    ¡°Is today the day I, Shen Tianlong, die?¡± Shen Tianlong watched Ye Qiu¡¯s lone figure battling against dozens, his mood plummeting.


    Faced with such desperate assassins, who could escape?


    The butler couldn¡¯t bear to watch the bloody battle, clutching his fists, helpless to intervene as he could not let Shen Tianlong be left alone in the car.


    The killing continued, filled with cruelty and bloodshed.


    Ye Qiu stood there, his body slightly stooping, gasping heavily, his eyes vigilantly watching the multitude of assassins still aiming to hunt him down.

 Chapter 51 - 51 Severely injured 0050

    ?51: Severely injured 0050 51: Severely injured 0050 In the midst of the fight, time seemed like sand in a choked hourglass, trickling exceptionally slowly.


    Ten minutes had passed, and Ye Qiu¡¯s forehead was covered with beads of sweat.


    Despite his energy being strong as an ox, he now showed faint signs of exhaustion.


    Having expended such a vast amount of energy, Ye Qiu¡¯s combat achievements were also significant; from the siege of more than twenty assassins, the number had sharply dropped to less than ten.


    The remaining eight assassins, seeing that Ye Qiu had not fallen yet, all showed intense wariness in their eyes.


    They had never encountered such a tough nut to crack¡ªthese were more than twenty assassins.


    Though not the top tier, they were all honed among the dead, and any one of them would be a formidable figure in any army.


    Yet, even such powerful individuals were mostly eliminated by Ye Qiu.


    At this moment, it wasn¡¯t only the remaining assassins who were filled with wariness; even the leading man who was observing from a distance had his eyes wide open.


    The extent of Ye Qiu¡¯s strength had surpassed his imagination.


    It was his first time seeing someone so terrifying persist under the attack of so many assassins and not fall.


    If he had joined the fight from the start, would he have settled this person earlier?


    The leading man regretted joining the battle too late and blamed himself a little, but moments later, his thoughts changed; he couldn¡¯t take action yet; the timing wasn¡¯t optimal.


    With a shift in his gaze, the leading man said to the remaining eight assassins, ¡°He¡¯s almost out of energy.


    Don¡¯t be frightened by his bluff; perhaps in the next moment, he¡¯ll collapse.¡±


    ¡°Defeat him, and you¡¯ll not only receive a large sum of money, but your assassin rank will also increase.


    Money and fame are right before you; you just need to compete for it, cut off his head, and all the benefits will be yours.¡±


    The words of the leading man instantly swept away the doubts and fears in the hearts of the eight assassins, reigniting their will to fight.


    At this moment, Ye Qiu indeed looked like he was at the end of his strength, gasping heavily, with numerous wounds on his body and several tears in his clothes.


    The eight assassins launched a deadly assault on Ye Qiu once again.


    The leading man¡¯s lips curved into a smile, thinking to himself, ¡°Kill, fight to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    What he wanted was to exhaust Ye Qiu¡¯s strength completely¡ªthen it would be the perfect time for him to strike.


    This was also the main reason he had not taken action from the start.


    In his eyes, the assassins were merely tools to deplete Ye Qiu¡¯s energy.


    When the moment was right, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to discard them and finish off Ye Qiu himself; hence, he didn¡¯t care about the life or death of these assassins at all.


    The smile on the leading man¡¯s lips did not last long, as it quickly disappeared because Ye Qiu had just killed another four assassins, leaving only four.


    Realizing that even a seemingly drained Ye Qiu was not someone they could match, the remaining four assassins panicked and thought about retreating.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes flickered rapidly; the opportunity had come.


    He had been waiting for this moment, and suddenly he burst forth again.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    An assassin intent on retreating turned around only to have his throat slit by a dagger, instantly collapsing, leaving the other three no longer daring to fight and attempting to scatter.


    However, Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t give them a chance.


    Having fought to this point, letting them escape would leave problems for the future.


    Ye Qiu was resolute in eliminating them all.


    An assassin filled with fear was no longer a qualified assassin.


    Such assassins were easier for Ye Qiu to kill.


    In less than three minutes, not a single assassin escaped.


    After finishing off the last assassin, Ye Qiu finally exhaled deeply, now too weary to stand.


    Sitting on the ground and gasping for air, he had counterattacked and killed nearly thirty assassins.


    Such a feat could truly be considered glorious, and if word of it spread back to the world of assassins, it would become legendary.


    Checking the True Qi inside his body, Ye Qiu¡¯s heart suddenly chilled¡ªit was less than one layer!


    Damn, there was still one more powerful foe yet to be dealt with!


    Ye Qiu abruptly stood up from the ground, swaying as he steadied himself.


    Where is he?


    Ye Qiu suddenly realized that the leading man had disappeared!


    ¡°Haha...


    are you looking for me?¡± The voice of the leading man was extremely arrogant as it came through.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes shifted quickly, and his heart skipped a beat; he saw that the leading man was holding a dagger to Shen Tianlong¡¯s throat.


    Damned!


    When had he taken Shen Tianlong hostage!


    The situation suddenly turned for the worst.


    ¡°Master...¡± The butler lay on the ground and tried to rise, but he was stomped back down by the leading man, who spat out contemptuously, ¡°Humph, a butler dares to confront me?


    Ignorant of death.¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyebrows slowly raised.


    The opponent was too despicable, using Shen Tianlong as leverage, undoubtedly to coerce him.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, bet you didn¡¯t expect this.


    I should actually thank you for handing me such a great gift; otherwise, how could I make you kneel obediently before me?¡± The leading man said indifferently, as his dagger pressed tightly against Shen Tianlong¡¯s throat, leaving visible marks.


    ¡°You surprise me.


    No wonder even Nightmare died by your hand; I¡¯m tempted to give you a thumbs up,¡± the leading man said lightly.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re frighteningly powerful...


    right now, it seems I have the upper hand.


    This old man must be special to you, isn¡¯t he?


    If I remember correctly, he¡¯s the chairman of the Longjia Group...


    sizzle...


    What will you do now, Ye Qiu?


    Come and kill me?¡± The leading man laughed triumphantly.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t make a move.


    He knew that his actions were tied to Shen Tianlong¡¯s safety, and a single misstep could lead the man to take Shen Tianlong¡¯s life.

 Chapter 52 - 52 0050 Serious Injury_3

    ?52: 0050 Serious Injury_3 52: 0050 Serious Injury_3 ¡°What do you want me to do before you will release him?¡± Ye Qiu stared at the leading man and said.


    The leading man¡¯s eyes shifted, and he spoke indifferently, ¡°If you want me to release him, stab yourself three times, and I¡¯ll let him go.¡±


    Shua!


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze flashed like lightning across the leader¡¯s face, who remained calm and unafraid, wearing a sinister smile.


    Time stood still for a moment.


    ¡°Fine, I agree,¡± Ye Qiu broke the silence.


    After speaking, he picked up the dagger in his hand...


    ¡°Ye Qiu, don¡¯t!¡± Shen Tianlong shouted.


    Putong!


    Ye Qiu raised his hand, and the dagger plunged fiercely into his thigh!


    The leading man watched the blood spurting from Ye Qiu¡¯s leg with an admiring gaze.


    His laughter grew louder, ¡°Ha ha...¡± Suddenly, the laughter stopped, and he continued, ¡°I did say to stab yourself three times, but I don¡¯t recall mentioning the thigh.¡±


    ¡°Fine, where do you suggest I stab?¡± Ye Qiu asked, his gaze icy, showing no emotion.


    ¡°Let me think, where would be good?


    Hmm, I can¡¯t let you kill yourself, that wouldn¡¯t be fun.¡±


    ¡°Oh, in that case, stick to the thigh,¡± the leader said, his words irritatingly playful, clearly toying with Ye Qiu.


    ¡°But, the first stab goes to the other thigh, and the other two stabs go to your arms.¡±


    Ye Qiu stared coldly at the leader.


    He remained silent, his dagger swinging down once more.


    Putong putong putong...


    Three sounds of blood spraying.


    After stabbing himself three times, Ye Qiu collapsed.


    Seeing this, the leader pushed Shen Tianlong aside, certain of his victory.


    Approaching the severely injured Ye Qiu, he swaggered forward.


    ¡°Sizzle.


    .


    .


    you¡¯re bleeding quite a lot, but how are you going to deal with me right now?¡± the leader said indifferently, looking down at Ye Qiu who struggled to rise, ¡°It¡¯s hard even to stand up; you might as well finish yourself with one strike.¡±


    At that moment, Ye Qiu suddenly lifted his head, his eyes emitting a cold light.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s seemingly powerless body suddenly surged.


    Shua!


    A spray of blood jetted towards the sky, the leader clutched at his neck, eyes filled with disbelief.


    ¡°How could...


    how could this be...¡± The man¡¯s face was filled with incredulity, never anticipating that Ye Qiu, who appeared to have no fighting strength, would launch a deadly strike.


    He was careless!


    This carelessness cost him his life instantly.


    If he had not underestimated his opponent and had killed Ye Qiu outright, he would not have met such an end.


    At that moment, the man truly regretted, but it was too late; his strength drained away with the blood he lost, and finally, his eyes darkened, and he fell to the ground, dead.


    ¡°It¡¯s over...¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s vision blurred darkly, feeling faint.


    The wounds on his body, although not fatal, had bled quite a bit.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, are you alright?¡± At that moment, Shen Tianlong ran over, trying to help Ye Qiu up.


    ¡°I¡¯m...


    okay...¡± As soon as Ye Qiu spoke, his expression suddenly changed again.


    Bang!


    A gunshot shattered the seemingly ended battlefield!


    ¡°Get down,¡± Ye Qiu shouted, pushing Shen Tianlong to the side.


    At the same time, Ye Qiu flung his arm, targeting the aura in the bushes, and a dagger shot out rapidly.


    Whiz whiz...


    The bullet and the dagger flew toward their respective targets at high speed.


    Putong putong...


    Ye Qiu¡¯s body stiffened as the bullet burrowed into his body, blood pouring out immediately!


    As soon as the hidden gun fired, Ye Qiu activated his x-ray vision and located the Assassin who shot the bullet.


    Putong!


    In the bushes, blood gushed out.


    Using the last of his strength, Ye Qiu, through his x-ray vision, saw the Assassin struck dead by his dagger, finally letting go of his anxiety, and his entire body lost consciousness, his vision covered by darkness.

 Chapter 53 - 53 0051 Dark Night Rose

    ?53: 0051 Dark Night Rose 53: 0051 Dark Night Rose In a rural household, Ge Yusheng, Ruan Guotao, and Wang Chenghu, three directors of the Rongda Group, sat in a meeting room.


    Ge Yusheng¡¯s fingers gently tapped the table, seemingly counting something.


    ¡°Now is the time to make a move, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ge Yusheng slowly said.


    ¡°Shen Tianlong, that old fool¡¯s car route is completely within the plan.


    I¡¯ve confirmed that they¡¯ve already given chase, and today, come what may, he won¡¯t return safely to Longjia Building,¡± Ruan Guotao declared emphatically.


    Wang Chenghu¡¯s face was filled with a look of triumph; they had set a trap since they invited Shen Tianlong to dine.


    Now, everything was under control, just waiting for half an hour before they brought Shen Tianlong¡¯s head, ultimately ending this decades-long unresolved struggle.


    To ensure nothing went wrong this time, the three directors reviewed the plan repeatedly, striving to overlook no detail, especially in dealing with Ye Qiu, where they had invested heavily.


    Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao knew how extraordinary Ye Qiu was.


    They suggested that most of the assassins hired should surround and attack Ye Qiu, leaving a few to capture Shen Mengchen as a backup plan.


    If their attempt to kill Ye Qiu failed, they could use Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety to threaten Shen Tianlong.


    It was an extremely meticulous plan.


    Everything appeared so perfect that the three of them had been convinced of their victory the moment Shen Tianlong showed up for the meeting¡ªthey believed they had won, and the Longjia Group would be shattered the next day.


    ¡°Almost thirty international assassins, I refuse to believe that Ye Qiu could survive,¡± Wang Chenghu said bitterly, harboring resentment from the many defeats at Ye Qiu¡¯s hands, but today he would finally get his revenge.


    He was eager for the assassins to beat Ye Qiu to a pulp and then bring him before him like carrying a dog¡ªthat would truly be satisfying.


    For this reason, he had specifically suggested not killing Ye Qiu but sparing his life and simply bringing him back.


    ¡°Cheng Hu, I always felt you shouldn¡¯t have let the assassins spare that kid¡¯s life.


    Even the nightmares died at his hands; there¡¯s something sinisterly tough about that kid,¡± Ruan Guotao voiced his concern.


    He had felt the plan was questionable from the start, but Wang Chenghu had insisted on punishing Ye Qiu severely to recover his lost pride.


    Unfortunately, it was too late to change the plan; they could only hope the international assassins would complete their mission successfully.


    Ge Yusheng stood up and walked in front of an altar dedicated to Lord Guan, where he lit three sticks of incense, inserted them, and bowed three times before turning around and saying, ¡°After tonight, Zhongshan will be under Rongda¡¯s reign.¡±


    ¡°Rongda will rise.¡±


    ¡°Rongda will prevail!¡±


    Ruan Guotao and Wang Chenghu echoed the sentiment, their gazes converging as if they were back in the days when Rongda Group was founded.


    Now, having become a business behemoth, obliterating Longjia Group would solidify their status as business tycoons.


    Drip, drip, drip, drip...


    Suddenly, a ringing sound erupted, and Wang Chenghu showed a look of joy: ¡°It seems our good news has arrived.¡±


    Ge Yusheng smiled calmly, settled into his chair, and waved his fan, while Ruan Guotao cursed joyfully, ¡°Pick it up quickly, I can¡¯t wait to see Shen Tianlong¡¯s defeated face.¡±


    Wang Chenghu chuckled twice, held the phone to his ear, and heard an anxious voice from the other end, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s bad, really bad, they¡¯re all dead, all dead!¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Wang Chenghu¡¯s smiling face froze; he abruptly stood up, his complexion drastically changed.


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Wang Chenghu roared uncontrollably, ¡°Tell me clearly, who is dead!¡±


    ¡°Those...


    those assassins we sent...¡± The person on the other end stammered, his voice trembling as if he had witnessed something horrifying.


    ¡°Impossible, how could they be dead.¡± Wang Chenghu refused to believe it, pressing for more details about what had happened.


    The person on the other end swiftly recounted the events, and suddenly Wang Chenghu¡¯s arm drooped, and his cellphone dropped to the ground with a clatter.


    ¡°Third brother, what happened, what happened?¡± Ruan Guotao hastily asked.


    ¡°Big brother, second brother, our plan has failed!¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu killed all the assassins, and Shen Tianlong is back at his Longjia Group.¡±


    As soon as Wang Chenghu said this, the always composed Ge Yusheng suddenly froze in his actions, his expression darkened.


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Ruan Guotao showed an incredulous expression.


    Such a meticulous plan had failed, and again it was Ye Qiu ...


    was this guy unkillable, endowed with nine lives?


    So many international assassins against him, yet he managed to kill them instead¡ªdamn it!


    Neither Wang Chenghu nor Ruan Guotao could remain calm; they couldn¡¯t accept that an end they thought was certain had taken such a turn.


    ¡°Guotao, Cheng Hu, both of you leave here quickly, no, leave China,¡± Ge Yusheng, the calmest among them, suddenly made a decision and spoke.


    ¡°Big brother, if we leave, what about you?¡±


    ¡°Someone must stay behind to handle this.


    Don¡¯t worry, even if Shen Tianlong survived this murder attempt, he can¡¯t do anything to me,¡± Ge Yusheng said indifferently, sitting there, his facial expression obscured by shadows, unclear in hue.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    ...


    Shen Tianlong¡¯s car did not head straight back to Longjia Building, nor did it go to the hospital; instead, it swiftly made its way to the Goddess Villa.


    ¡°Master, should we really not take Young Master Ye to the hospital?¡± Butler Liu was worried about Ye Qiu, who looked in terrible shape, deathly pale with blood all over, barely clinging to life.


    ¡°Ye Qiu had already said there¡¯s no need for the hospital; I believe he will be alright,¡± Shen Tianlong said.


    Seeing Ye Qiu so grievously wounded, he couldn¡¯t help but want to rush him to the hospital immediately, as Ye Qiu was injured while saving him.


    Even if the wound was not fatal, the lost blood could still cause death from excessive bleeding.


    However, Ye Qiu had just regained consciousness and insisted not to go to the hospital, claiming that he would recover after some rest.


    Coupled with Shen Tianlong¡¯s constant worry for Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety, he gritted his teeth and instructed Butler Liu to drive directly to the Goddess Villa.


    Goddess Villa.


    It was pitch black, and the entire villa area was plunged into darkness.


    After Ye Zi killed the first assassin, just as she was about to finish off the second, her location was exposed.


    ¡°Not good!¡±


    The gravel under Ye Zi¡¯s feet fell, in the darkness like a bomb being ignited, so vivid.


    Missing the chance, the assassin who narrowly escaped death had a look of terror as he stared at Ye Zi.


    Hearing the noise, the other three assassins quickly gathered around.


    Ye Zi¡¯s slender eyebrows tightened slightly; instead of retreating, she advanced, attacking the assassin who had escaped death once more.


    Ye Zi moved as swiftly as a civet, like a piece of paper being tossed in the air, making an arc with her body, elusive and unpredictable.


    Under the astonished gaze of the assassin, a sharp blade mysteriously penetrated his chest.


    ¡°Ah...¡± The assassin barely cried out before his life was completely extinguished.


    At that moment, the remaining three assassins arrived only to find the body of their dead companion.


    Ye Zi¡¯s expression remained unchanged.


    After killing, she showed no emotional fluctuation, as if what she casually wiped away was not a life but a grass, a flower, utterly devoid of compassion.


    ¡°You all deserve to die!¡±


    Ye Zi spoke coldly, the remaining three assassins feeling the chilling sensation emanating from her, which made them shudder.


    At this moment, who appeared more like an assassin?


    Compared to the expressions of the remaining three assassins, Ye Zi seemed even more terrifying.


    Swish...


    Ye Zi raised her hand of death once again, like a scythe, fiercely stabbing at the hearts of the three, intending to carve out their hearts and let the blood slowly flow in front of them, feeling the despair of death drawing near.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of her, she¡¯s just one woman.


    Together, let¡¯s kill her!¡±


    One of the assassins suddenly shouted loudly.


    The other two exchanged glances, and all three acted simultaneously, attacking Ye Zi from three different directions.


    ¡°Dare to come and kill Ye Qiu, none of you will live to go back,¡± Ye Zi¡¯s killing intent was overwhelming.


    She acted recklessly, and for Ye Qiu, she now fully unleashed her fangs, showing her cold side, like a blood-stained rose silently blooming in the darkness.


    Swish, swish, swish...


    Figures interwove, blades clashing countless times in the blink of an eye.


    Meanwhile, blossoms of blood suddenly rose in the night, slowly blooming, exuding a seductive fragrance.


    That was the scent of life!


    After a brief confrontation.


    Ye Zi stood in place, the blade in her hand dripping with fresh blood, beating against the ground.


    The tied-up hair also drooped down a bit, covering half of Ye Zi¡¯s face.


    The moonlight was bright and white, casting a long shadow of Ye Zi¡¯s figure, as if she were a human-shaped statue pinned to the ground, immovable, with only her eyes emitting a terrifying blood-red glow.


    A smile slowly rose on this face, the incoming moonlight coating the cold smile with a silvery white hue, making it strikingly piercing and profoundly memorable in the darkness.

 Chapter 54 - 54 The Confrontation of Two Women 0052

    ?54: The Confrontation of Two Women 0052 54: The Confrontation of Two Women 0052 Ever since the ambiguous incident of ¡®falling into the pond¡¯, Ye Qiu had become increasingly mysterious in Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s heart.


    This Ye Qiu, even the chief wouldn¡¯t disclose any information about him and even forbade her from continuing her investigation, redirecting her to other cases.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er was utterly unwilling in her heart.


    ¡°Humph, even if I take over other cases, I will dig out your real identity.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s unyielding spirit surged again.


    Ever since she was young, she had been stubborn, never seeing herself as a girl.


    Sometimes in school when there were sports events, although they were mostly participated in by boys, she wouldn¡¯t accept defeat and would participate too, striving for first place, proving she was no less than any boy.


    After work, as she left the police station, Lin Qiao¡¯er had just walked a few steps towards home when she stopped.


    After pondering for a while, she drove her car in another direction.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give up until I find out the truth.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s eyes were filled with fighting spirit, and then she fiercely pressed on the accelerator, her car quickly disappearing at the street corner.


    About twenty minutes later, Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s car stopped in a high-end villa area.


    ¡°Eh, why are there no lights?


    Could there be a power outage?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er got out of her car, her eyes scanning around, and suddenly noticed that the whole villa area was pitch black, not a single light was visible.


    She didn¡¯t leave immediately but walked over to the guardhouse.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er thought there would be someone there; she peeked inside the guardhouse, but still, no one!


    Lin Qiao¡¯er turned around intending to climb over the railing, jump over...


    Wait!


    Suddenly feeling something was off, her ears pricked up, listening carefully, she heard a continuous ticking sound coming from inside the guardhouse.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er hesitated for a moment, then once again walked over, slowly opening the door, and instantly a strong smell of blood hit her, making her instantly alert.


    A corpse!


    The ticking sound was exactly coming from the corpse in front of her, looking at the pool of blood accumulated under the body, it was obvious that the previous ticking sound was the sound of blood flowing and dripping onto the ground.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er checked the breath of the dead guard; the blood was still warm, and the body wasn¡¯t stiff yet, he must have died not long ago.


    She then quickly checked the guard¡¯s wound; the throat had been cut, surely a fatal blow, and from the wound, it was evident that the handiwork was very clean and swift.


    Professional assassin!


    This technique made Lin Qiao¡¯er immediately think of the recent flood of assassins in Zhongshan City.


    Even the guard was killed silently, there must be something major happening inside the villa area.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er realized the seriousness of the situation, quickly made a phone call, briefly explained the situation, and then swiftly entered the villa area.


    The air still carried a scent of blood; Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s sensitive nose immediately picked up this unique smell, following the scent of blood, she didn¡¯t walk far before she saw four motionless figures in black lying ahead and nearby stood a silhouette.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er didn¡¯t pay attention to the four bodies on the ground; her gaze was entirely captured by the standing figure.


    Under the moonlight, that figure wasn¡¯t tall or robust, but rather thin and somewhat slender.


    Whiz!


    That person immediately turned around to look over, and their gazes collided instantly.


    ¡°Put down the weapon, don¡¯t move,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er immediately commanded, her reaction extremely swift.


    The moment the person opposite turned around, she had already drawn her gun.


    That person stood still, though the face couldn¡¯t be clearly seen, the eyes were very bright, shining as bright as the moonlight.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er felt a chill from the stare, as if being targeted by a wild beast.


    All her hair stood on end; she couldn¡¯t help but grip her gun tighter.


    ¡°Put your knife down, hands behind your back and kneel, or I will shoot.¡±


    The situation in front of her made it clear, those four people that were down had definitely been killed by this individual, even the guard was likely handiwork of this person.


    This must be an assassin!


    Lin Qiao¡¯er could feel the murderous aura emanating from this person, an aura no ordinary person could possess.


    Ye Zi was quietly observing Lin Qiao¡¯er in her police uniform, her smile not fading.


    Police!


    Ye Zi didn¡¯t have a good impression of the police; in her world, aside from Ye Qiu, there was no one else who mattered to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, surrender now, or I will shoot, I assure you!¡± The person opposite didn¡¯t move, acting stubborn, which stirred a rage in Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s heart.


    These damned assassins had come to Zhongshan City to cause trouble, and what was more despicable was that they dared to attack people so boldly.


    She must capture this person and bring them back to the police station to face trial.


    ¡°Do you think your gun is faster, or my knife is?¡± Ye Zi¡¯s eyes suddenly changed, emitting a strange light, completely ignoring Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s warning, and twirled the dagger in her hand, pinching the blade between two fingers.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s index finger slowly moved, observing the fearless demeanor of the opponent, sending chills down her spine.


    Because there were no bullets in her gun, having a gun after work was already a bit excessive.


    According to regulations, even if carrying a gun after work, you were not allowed to carry bullets.


    Threatening with an empty gun, beads of sweat formed on Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s forehead.


    Facing the indifferent Ye Zi, she was gambling with her own life.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you one more time, if you don¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll really shoot.¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er pretended to be calm, her hands gripping the gun tighter as she stared intently at Ye Zi.


    At the same time, she also got a clear view of the opponent¡¯s face¡ªa woman¡¯s face.


    However, unexpectedly, what should have been the face of a girl in the bloom of youth now looked like the Grim Reaper, emanating a dangerous aura all over.


    ¡°Go ahead and shoot, but I think my knife will pierce your heart first.¡± Ye Zi¡¯s arm slightly lifted, ready to launch a deadly strike at any moment.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er was stunned; the other party was not afraid at all, which immediately made her unable to make her next move.


    Whoosh...


    Just as Lin Qiao¡¯er was unable to advance or retreat, a bright yellow light shone over, covering both of them.


    A car slowly stopped, and a figure staggered out from it.


    Ye Zi¡¯s expression suddenly changed as she saw the person she was most familiar with, but his face was pale, and his body was covered in blood.


    ¡°Ye Zi, don¡¯t mess around,¡± the person who got out was Ye Qiu, his condition very poor, the loss of too much blood leaving him weak.


    ¡°Ye Qiu!¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Ye Qiu.


    Suddenly, she thought of another possibility and quickly exclaimed, ¡°Ye Qiu, are you two together?¡±


    Ye Qiu was in no mood to deal with the troublesome Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    Seeing Lin Qiao¡¯er point the gun at Ye Qiu, Ye Zi suddenly burst with murderous intent, ready to strike.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill him,¡± Ye Qiu bellowed.


    The knife in Ye Zi¡¯s hand, initially aimed to pierce through Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s heart, suddenly changed its force and direction.


    In an instant, the blade¡¯s tip turned to the handle, and with a smack, it struck Lin Qiao¡¯er on the head.


    Just as Lin Qiao¡¯er was about to say something, she felt a pain in her head and lost consciousness.


    Seeing this, Ye Qiu sighed in relief, his body almost collapsing again, but Ye Zi quickly supported him.


    ¡°Brother, you won¡¯t be in trouble,¡± Ye Zi said, touching Ye Qiu¡¯s forehead, tears streaming down her eyes.


    Shen Tianlong and Manager Liu now closed the car door and walked down, seeing Ye Zi holding Ye Qiu, who had fainted again.


    Manager Liu anxiously said, ¡°Carry him to his room, there¡¯s emergency medicine there.¡±


    Ye Zi looked at Manager Liu, who quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are Ye Qiu¡¯s friends, we won¡¯t harm him, he saved my life.¡±


    Ye Zi took a serious look at Manager Liu and Shen Tianlong, then at the car Ye Qiu had come from.


    After quickly thinking it over, she nodded and followed Shen Tianlong and Manager Liu into the villa.


    ¡°Mengchen.¡±


    Shen Tianlong was eager to see his daughter, worried about Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety.


    With a snap, he opened the door and saw Niu Yinyin and Shangguan Hong looking over.


    ¡°How is Mengchen?¡± Shen Tianlong asked anxiously.


    Niu Yinyin and Shangguan Hong glanced at Shen Mengchen, still sound asleep on the couch.


    Seeing this, Shen Tianlong¡¯s anxious heart finally settled.


    The tense expression quickly faded from Shen Tianlong¡¯s face as he murmured with relief, ¡°It¡¯s good that she¡¯s fine, it¡¯s good that she¡¯s fine.¡±


    Suddenly, his expression changed, and he anxiously asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the assassin?


    Why don¡¯t I see the assassin?¡±


    The assassin?


    Niu Yinyin and Shangguan Hong looked bewildered.


    Wasn¡¯t it just a power outage?


    Why did he bring up an assassin?


    ¡°They are dead; I killed them,¡± Ye Zi suddenly spoke up from behind, holding Ye Qiu.


    ¡°You...¡± Shen Tianlong looked at Ye Zi in surprise, unable to believe that this girl, younger than Shen Mengchen, had killed the lurking assassin.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± Shen Tianlong said sincerely.


    No matter the identity of the other party, as long as his daughter was safe, he was grateful to the person who had killed the assassin.


    ¡°How is Ye Qiu?¡± At that moment, Shangguan Hong noticed the Ye Qiu Ye Zi was holding and quickly stood up.


    ¡°Yes, yes, quickly help Ye Qiu with his wounds and stop the bleeding,¡± Shen Tianlong suddenly realized, as the person who had done the most on their journey, Ye Qiu, was still unconscious and urgently said, ¡°Go get the first aid kit.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, what happened, how did Ye Qiu get injured?¡±


    Shangguan Hong saw Ye Qiu covered in blood, and her face instantly darkened.


    She really wanted to know who had done this to Ye Qiu.


    ¡°It was Rong Da; on our way back, we were attacked by assassins hired by Rong Da.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Young Master Ye, if not for him, I and the old master might have had difficulty making it back here alive,¡± Manager Liu volunteered.


    Ye Zi¡¯s heart was focused on Ye Qiu, but when she heard that Ye Qiu¡¯s injuries were related to Rong Da Corporation, a murderous intent flashed in her eyes.


    ¡°Rong Da!


    Damn!¡± Ye Zi¡¯s mouth emitted an intense killing intent.

 Chapter 55 - 55 0053 Shen Tianlongs Counterattack

    ?55: 0053 Shen Tianlong¡¯s Counterattack 55: 0053 Shen Tianlong¡¯s Counterattack On the top floor of the Longjia Building.


    Ge Yusheng sat alone in his office, his expression flickering uncertainly as he pondered the worst-case scenario.


    He was waiting for the final news.


    He just hoped that the other group of assassins who had gone to capture Shen Mengchen would not fail.


    Ruan Guotao and Wang Chenghu had already boarded a plane; he did not believe that Shen Tianlong would strike back so quickly, so he had sent them away in advance.


    To avoid the police finding something on them later.


    About Ruan Guotao and Wang Chenghu, Ge Yusheng knew them too well¡ªbrave but lacking in strategy and not calm enough; he feared they would spoil things if they stayed, so he sent them away for the time being, leaving himself to handle the aftermath.


    Having battled with Shen Tianlong for so many years, Longjia and Rongda could also be considered archenemies, yet there had never been a clear winner or loser.


    Sitting in the chair for a long time, the awaited news had still not arrived; it was already approaching midnight, and Ge Yusheng faintly guessed that perhaps those assassins who had been gone for a long time had also failed.


    Ge Yusheng quickly strategized in his mind; since Shen Tianlong was not dead, he would definitely strike back.


    ¡°What will you do?¡± Ge Yusheng¡¯s eyes emitted a playful expression, his suggestive gaze seemingly revealing anticipation and a fighting spirit.


    No matter what Shen Tianlong did, what Ge Yusheng needed to do was to protect Rongda.


    He was waiting for Shen Tianlong to make a move.


    ...


    In the end, Ye Qiu was taken to the hospital.


    Personally arranged by Shen Tianlong, Ye Qiu was placed in the most advanced ward; after the doctors removed the bullet from Ye Qiu¡¯s body, they were sweating profusely.


    ¡°Incredible, if his heart wasn¡¯t situated on the opposite side, he might have lost his life,¡± the doctor said in awe, removing his mask.


    In all his years, it was the first time he encountered someone whose heart was on the opposite side.


    Shen Tianlong, Butler Liu, Shen Mengchen, Ye Zi, Shangguan Hong, and Niu Yinyin all arrived at the hospital.


    When the nurses wheeled Ye Qiu back to his room, everyone stood up.


    ¡°How is the doctor?¡± Seeing the doctor and nurse coming together, people like Shen Tianlong eagerly asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing major, other than the gunshot wound which nearly took his life, the other wounds aren¡¯t fatal.¡±


    Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°This young man escaped this catastrophe entirely because his body is different from the ordinary; his heart is exactly at the opposite position from where it usually is.


    It¡¯s fortunate; this guy is very lucky.


    The surgery was very successful, and he will recover in a month,¡± prevailed the doctor.


    Upon hearing this, everyone looked toward Ye Qiu, who was lying there, with amazed expressions.


    ¡°Director Shen, I¡¯ve dealt with the gunshot wound, but the hospital must file a report; what do you think...¡± the doctor hesitated to ask.


    After all, Shen Tianlong, being the chairman of Longjia, was a person of great influence and wealth.


    The doctor was apprehensive in his presence.


    ¡°No problem, just follow procedure.


    I¡¯ll personally communicate with the police,¡± Shen Tianlong said.


    ¡°Alright, since Director Shen says so, I¡¯m reassured,¡± the doctor smiled and left the room.


    ¡°I owe Ye Qiu a great deal this time; he saved my life; Mengchen, you take care of Ye Qiu here,¡± Shen Tianlong saw that Ye Qiu was not in serious danger, he felt he should return and prepare for a fierce counterattack.


    Everyone could feel that Shen Tianlong¡¯s expression was still somewhat grim, indicating he was suppressing his rage.


    Shen Mengchen surprisingly nodded obediently, although she didn¡¯t understand why so much had happened after she woke up.


    Seeing her father¡¯s face and Ye Qiu lying there unconscious, she didn¡¯t make a scene.


    Shen Tianlong nodded to Ye Zi, gave a few instructions to everyone, and left the room with Butler Liu.


    After Shen Tianlong had left, only the women remained in the room.


    Ye Zi sat in front of the bed, holding Ye Qiu¡¯s hand tightly, and wiped the sweat from his forehead: ¡°Ye Qiu, I¡¯ll take care of him; you all go, I¡¯ll stay with him.¡±


    When Ye Zi said this, Shen Mengchen, Shangguan Hong, and Niu Yinyin did not leave; they stood by, each with a different expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, Father asked me to stay here and take care of Ye Qiu.


    Although this guy is annoying, he saved my father¡¯s life, so I must stay,¡± Shen Mengchen said firmly, her demeanor clearly indicating her intent to stay put.


    Ye Zi¡¯s gaze lingered on Shen Mengchen, then moved to Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving either.


    Ye Qiu once helped me, and now that he¡¯s seriously injured, I need to wait until he wakes up before I can feel at ease to leave,¡± Shangguan Hong said lightly.


    Although it was a flimsy reason, coming from her serene face, it was hard to refuse.


    After Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong spoke, Niu Yinyin, with flushed cheeks, said to Ye Zi while tilting her head, ¡°If the other sisters aren¡¯t leaving, I¡¯m not leaving either.¡± Her reason was even simpler, making it hard not to chuckle.


    Ye Zi¡¯s gaze wandered over the three of them, eventually saying nothing, her expression showing concern as it settled on the unconscious Ye Qiu.


    The three women remained silent, standing to the side watching Ye Zi hold Ye Qiu¡¯s hand.


    The intimate gesture, especially in the eyes of Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong, stirred different feelings in their hearts.


    Both of them were still worried about Ye Qiu, but due to their own restraint, they did not show affection like Ye Zi did; moreover, with Ye Zi sitting there, they could not let go of their pride and sit by his side.


    Niu Yinyin watched the expressions of her two older sisters, a sly look flashing through her eyes as she thought to herself, ¡°Fools, if you love someone, you should shout it out loud.


    Look, someone is about to steal Big Brother Ye Qiu away.¡±


    ¡°Two cowards.¡±


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong had no idea that they were being scorned by Niu Yinyin, otherwise they would definitely grab the girl and give her a good spanking.


    ...


    Shen Tianlong did not return to the office but went straight to the police station.


    It was very rare for an economic giant from Zhongshan City to visit the police station personally; usually, such events were handled by servants.


    Shen Tianlong¡¯s appearance meant the situation was not simple.


    Because Lin Qiao¡¯er had called the police immediately after finding the gatekeeper of the villa dead, it took less than twenty minutes for the police cars to arrive at the villa area.


    At that time, hindered by Ye Qiu¡¯s injuries, Shen Tianlong and the others personally arranged for him to be taken to the hospital.


    Only after all this was sorted did he find time to return to the police station to recount in detail the day¡¯s events.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er had woken up by then.


    She initially intended to detain Ye Qiu and Ye Zi, but her colleagues stopped her.


    Only after Shen Tianlong explained everything at the police station did Lin Qiao¡¯er realize she had misunderstood.


    ¡°I have told you everything.


    I hope the police will take this incident seriously and bring the mastermind to justice,¡± Shen Tianlong said solemnly.


    ¡°Rest assured, we will not let any deserving criminal escape,¡± the chief nodded and promised personally.


    ¡°I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll be leaving now,¡± said Shen Tianlong as he and Housekeeper Liu left the police station.


    After they left, Lin Qiao¡¯er sat in front of the chief and said, ¡°Should we perhaps detain them...¡±


    Lin Qiao¡¯er meant that they should bring the two men back for further inquiry, given that a life-threatening matter was involved.


    However, the chief shook his head and said earnestly, ¡°Lin, things are not as simple as you think.


    You saw just now, the chairman of Longjia Group came to me and recounted the incident himself.


    Making arrests is not an option,¡± the chief spoke very firmly.


    ¡°Why?


    Does that mean Ye Qiu is innocent?¡± Baseline righteousness compelled Lin Qiao¡¯er to speak out.


    ¡°Not only is Ye Qiu innocent, but on the contrary, I want to commend him.


    He solved a hidden danger in Zhongshan City.


    Don¡¯t forget that,¡± the chief said lightly.


    ¡°But...¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er wanted to argue further, but the chief waved his hand, ¡°No need to say more.


    Ye Qiu is innocent.


    What we need to do now is to catch the mastermind and give Director Shen an explanation.¡±


    Lin Qiao¡¯er sat there, lost in thought.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll assign this case to someone else.


    Since Director Shen mentioned Rongda, it must be related to them.


    Start the investigation from there,¡± the chief directed another detective, handing him the files.


    ...


    Upon returning to the office, Shen Tianlong appeared somewhat weary; he coughed twice.


    Housekeeper Liu hurriedly handed him medicine, and after taking it, Shen Tianlong¡¯s complexion improved significantly.


    ¡°Master, your health is important,¡± Housekeeper Liu expressed concern.


    Shen Tianlong shook his head: ¡°No matter, dealing with Rongda is more important.¡±


    It was already two o¡¯clock in the early morning.


    To deal with Rongda, Shen Tianlong had no plans to rest, which kept Housekeeper Liu worried as he witnessed Shen Tianlong¡¯s ill health while staying up late to retaliate.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not dying yet; King Yan hasn¡¯t called for me,¡± Shen Tianlong quipped sarcastically, his expression growing serious.


    ¡°Master, how shall we deal with Rongda?¡± Liu Guanjian asked.


    Shen Tianlong¡¯s expression was grave; he said lightly, ¡°We can¡¯t rely on the police to resolve this, since it involves the boss of a large group and Ge Yusheng, that wily old man.


    He took such a risky move precisely to eliminate me and prevent future troubles.¡±


    ¡°But I survived the great peril and will not let him off easily.¡± As he spoke, Shen Tianlong¡¯s tone grew colder.


    He had almost been killed by his adversary; if it weren¡¯t for Ye Qiu, he might not have survived last night.


    He was determined to settle this vendetta.


    ¡°This is the plan; I¡¯ll write it down, and as soon as it¡¯s daylight, we¡¯ll start implementing it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll stay with you, Master,¡± Liu Guanjian said as he turned to make coffee, while Shen Tianlong picked up a pen and began outlining his plan to counter Ge Yusheng.


    Ge Yusheng¡¯s ruthless tactics only made Shen Tianlong more resolved that when he struck, it had to be deadly enough to leave his opponent severely wounded, if not dead.


    ¡°Rongda, if I, Shen Tianlong, do not die, then it¡¯s your time to repay me.


    I will slowly reclaim everything,¡± Shen Tianlong¡¯s eyes flashed ominously, his killer instinct as a businessman making one¡¯s heart tremble.

 Chapter 56 - 56 0054 alarmed the director

    ?56: 0054 alarmed the director 56: 0054 alarmed the director ¡°Early this morning, citizens reported that Rongda Group¡¯s subsidiary, Vicehua Food Company Limited, has food manufacturing safety hazards, and people have fallen ill after eating their products.


    Our reporters have investigated and are tracking this incident,¡± a journalist from People¡¯s News reported.


    ¡°Rongda Group¡¯s subsidiary, Wangsheng Liquor Industry, has been found to contain additives in their liquor, tainting the conscience of the industry,¡± the front-page headline of Limin Newspaper stated.


    ¡°Rongda¡¯s production projects have all ceased operations today for unknown reasons, suspectedly due to the boss defaulting on final payments,¡± Entertainment Headlines reported.


    Early this morning, news about Rongda Group swept across Zhongshan City like a storm.


    Upon hearing such news, many citizens showed suspicion toward Rongda; even more went to Rongda Group¡¯s building in person, demanding clear explanations.


    Rongda Group was besieged, with no way in or out.


    Rongda Group¡¯s employees were startled by the sudden news, especially after seeing many people gathered outside in a menacing manner, they all rushed back to their offices to report the situation.


    At this moment, Ge Yusheng sat in his top-floor office, listening to calls from various departments, his face expressionless.


    ¡°Shen Tianlong, is this your counterattack?¡± Ge Yusheng remained very calm, even as his building was surrounded by people, his demeanor was still composed.


    ¡°If you think that you can topple me, Ge Yusheng, merely with this news, you seem to be oversimplifying me,¡± Ge Yusheng said indifferently.


    ¡°Chairman, there are police officers looking for you outside, and they¡¯re on their way up,¡± at this moment, the phone rang, and a receptionist hurriedly reported.


    ¡°Police...¡± Ge Yusheng thought for a moment, he immediately guessed that Shen Tianlong must have talked to the police about the assassin incident, this must be one of Shen Tianlong¡¯s countermeasures.


    Ge Yusheng stood up calmly, straightened his clothes, then sat down again, waiting for the police to arrive.


    At one end of Longjia Tower, all employees were paying attention to the movement at Rongda, sensing that the leadership was acting differently today; everyone was notified in advance to arrive at the company one hour earlier.


    All the negative news about Rongda was passed to the major media by Longjia Group¡¯s logistics department, the move wasn¡¯t kept secret, and it quickly spread throughout the company.


    Everyone knew that a battle against Rongda was about to begin.


    However, this was just the beginning.


    Soon Rongda Group also responded, releasing various pieces of news to smear Longjia, with even harsher headlines.


    The business giants of Zhongshan City all smelled the gunpowder in the air.


    At the same time, all the entities cooperating with Longjia Group united to issue a statement, refusing any project cooperation with Rongda.


    Rongda, unwilling to show weakness, did the same; all their partners also declared a ban on dealings with any companies related to Longjia.


    The clash between the two conglomerates caused economic turbulence in Zhongshan City.


    Many related industries, frightened by the actions of these two giants, were forced to halt their operations.


    As the saying goes, when gods go to war, mortals suffer.


    Due to the struggle between the two behemoths, prices in all business transactions in the city saw significant fluctuations that day.


    Even the mayor of Zhongshan City was alarmed.


    Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Ge Yusheng was taken to the police station for investigation.


    Soon after, Longjia exploded with the news that Ge Yusheng, Chairman of Rongda¡ªthe ultimate chairperson¡ªhad, for personal gain, hired an assassin to commit murder.


    Upon release, this news caused an uproar.


    What was more shocking was that Shen Tianlong personally appeared, recounting the harrowing course of events, which led many to sigh in astonishment at the ruthless tactics of the business tycoon Ge Yusheng.


    With Ge Yusheng taken away, Rongda was without a leader and unable to make a swift and strong counterattack.


    Subsidiaries of the company suffered one after another.


    Even a number of citizens, carrying banners, marched on the streets, chanting slogans calling for Rongda to leave Zhongshan City.


    If Ge Yusheng had known that just a few pieces of news released by Shen Tianlong would cause such a stir, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have remained so composed.


    Shen Tianlong¡¯s counterattack wasn¡¯t particularly ingenious, he merely combined the news with himself, told his story in person, and on top of that, the police had indeed taken Ge Yusheng away, which naturally made the public more inclined to believe Shen Tianlong.


    Longjia Group also had a good reputation ordinarily, often donating materials to mountainous areas and winning considerable public favor, plus Shen Tianlong frequently appearing at various charity foundations, had long won him the title of charity ambassador.


    As for Ge Yusheng, he rarely appeared in public; after all, it was Wang Chenghu who handled things at Rongda usually, and with Ge Yusheng spending years abroad, he wouldn¡¯t have expected the news released by Shen Tianlong to cause such a significant reaction.


    Rongda Group was suddenly thrust into the eye of the storm, condemned by many.


    Seeing the intense reaction from the public, many companies also declared they would stop all collaboration with Rongda, fearing being implicated.


    ¡°Shen Tianlong, this old fox, seems to have been truly infuriated by Ge Yusheng, with this momentum, he clearly wants to have a showdown.¡± Wang Jiahao, the head of Hengye Group, said indifferently.


    Some entrepreneurs also gathered together, as the battle between Longjia and Rongda also affected their interests.


    ¡°He has always been ruthless, but over the years, we¡¯ve only seen his most amiable side.


    Everyone thought he had gotten old and was no longer the man he used to be.


    Now it seems, we were all wrong,¡± Nie Guangsheng, the material mogul, commented.


    The other business leaders nodded in agreement.


    Many were shocked by Shen Tianlong¡¯s move; his action made many realize the power of Longjia.


    Almost all the major media gave face to Shen Tianlong and blasted out all the news.


    This was something many people present there would find difficult to achieve.


    ¡°If he¡¯s not aged, I¡¯m afraid there are few in Zhongshan City¡¯s business world who could rival him.


    Truly a generation¡¯s business tycoon,¡± someone else sighed.


    ¡°With only Ge Yusheng left at Rongda, without the figures of Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao, it seems Ge Yusheng has made a misstep.¡±


    ¡°This time, even if Rongda doesn¡¯t go bankrupt, it¡¯s bound to be severely weakened, with losses immeasurable.¡±


    ...


    After Ge Yusheng came back from the police station, he became completely enraged because things were not going as he had imagined, ¡°Damn it, this old guy is going all out, even intent on putting me to death?


    Fine...


    Shen Tianlong, you really haven¡¯t changed, still that unpredictable person from back then.¡±


    ¡°Director, the various enterprises we¡¯ve collaborated with have all declared they¡¯re suspending all cooperation,¡± someone reported.


    ¡°Director, our subsidiaries are sending messages that they can¡¯t continue to operate, there are disturbances from the public.¡±


    ¡°Director, the heads of the projects we previously invested in have all vanished, taking a large sum of money with them,¡± another reported.


    A series of bad news came pouring in, and Ge Yusheng¡¯s face darkened.


    By sending an assassin to attack Shen Tianlong, he had enraged him completely, and in return, Shen Tianlong was determined to take his revenge, regardless of the cost.


    Ge Yusheng was at his wits¡¯ end, and even if he could remain calm, he could not find a better solution right now because the force Shen Tianlong had mobilized was too great, and after being sensationalized by the media, it shattered Rongda Group¡¯s years of corporate image building.


    ¡°Shen Tianlong, you are driving me to death, fine, fine, fine...¡± a cold look in Ge Yusheng¡¯s eyes hinted at something, he realized after all these years, he still had underestimated Shen Tianlong, this old fox, once unleashed, was more terrifying than imagined.


    The economic turbulence in Zhongshan City shook the mayor and astounded the officials, and even the mayor of Zhongshan City paid a visit to the police station to inquire what was going on.


    Police Chief Wang was troubled by this.


    He told the truth, explaining that the main issue was Shen Tianlong wanting to avenge the assassination attempt on his life.


    Furious, the Zhongshan mayor slammed his fist on the table; commercial affairs had escalated to contract killings.


    But he couldn¡¯t vent his anger, after all, it wouldn¡¯t be the best solution simply to arrest Ge Yusheng since if Ge Yusheng were detained, Rongda might be headless dragons for a time, but it would not stop Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao, who had escaped, from manipulating from behind the scenes, causing a bigger stir.


    This was what the Zhongshan mayor did not wish to see.


    ¡°Summon Ge Yusheng and Shen Tianlong to me; I will personally inquire into this matter, arrest the guilty, or put an end to this pointless farce if they are innocent.¡±


    Upon the Zhongshan mayor¡¯s declaration, Police Chief Wang urgently nodded, hurrying to carry it out.


    Soon, Ge Yusheng and Shen Tianlong were summoned to the mayor of Zhongshan City¡¯s office.

 Chapter 57 - 57 Cold War

    ?57: Cold War 57: Cold War Zhongshan City Hospital.


    Sophisticated nursing ward.


    Three women had been surrounding Ye Qiu for two days, but Ye Qiu had not yet awakened.


    Fortunately, the chief physician had assured them that Ye Qiu was not in serious danger, which completely relieved them.


    Shen Mengchen had intended to hire a caregiver to look after Ye Qiu¡¯s daily life, but was stopped by Ye Zi, who insisted on taking care of Ye Qiu herself.


    Unable to overcome Ye Zi¡¯s determination, Shen Mengchen had to give up.


    Shangguan Hong had been receiving mysterious phone calls these past days.


    After each call, her mood turned sour, but she still stayed in the ward waiting for Ye Qiu to wake up.


    The main reason Ye Qiu had not awakened was that the energy in his body was rapidly healing his wounds.


    In Ye Qiu¡¯s subconscious, True Qi was slowly recovering and quickly mending his wounds, his vitality silently growing stronger.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that Ye Qiu did not want to awaken, but the series of fierce battles had left him extremely exhausted.


    The excessive consumption of True Qi had forced him to need time for recovery.


    Especially at the last moment, he had used his X-ray vision to deliver a fatal blow to the gun-wielding assassin.


    By that point, he had already been at the end of his strength.


    If not for that final burst, he might have been more seriously injured, or even shot in the head by his opponent.


    What Ye Qiu did not know was that the gun-wielding assassin and the leader he had eliminated were actually powerful partners.


    They were emerging talents in the world of assassins, and while not extremely famous, they were fierce like tigers descending a mountain.


    Unfortunately for them, they were complacent, which allowed Ye Qiu to take them down.


    If the leading man had not resorted to threats against Ye Qiu, but had struck normally, Ye Qiu could very well have been killed by the two of them working together.


    After all, based on the gun-wielder¡¯s skill in concealing his presence, Ye Qiu had not even noticed him, which certainly made him a formidable figure.


    It was a pity that he was ultimately exposed under the X-ray vision and fatally hit by Ye Qiu.


    After resolving all crises, Ye Qiu had forced himself to return to the villa area.


    Only after seeing Ye Zi eliminate several assassins did he completely let go of his worries and fell into a coma again.


    Inside Ye Qiu¡¯s body, it was like a damaged clay pot was being repaired with fresh clay to fill the cracks, re-fired to restore it to wholeness.


    True Qi spread from the Dantian throughout his limbs and bones, the powerful energy slowly washing away all wounds.


    If a doctor had checked on Ye Qiu¡¯s body at that time, they would have been astonished to find that his wounds were healing at an incredibly fast rate.


    Of course, even though the physical injuries on Ye Qiu¡¯s body were nearly fully recovered, he had suffered damage to his vitality, which was also why he had not awakened for so long.


    True Qi is just a kind of advanced energy, whereas vitality is the basis of life.


    The blood Ye Qiu had lost was based on vitality, so what he was mainly doing in his coma was recovering his vitality.


    During the period of Ye Qiu¡¯s coma, Lin Qiao¡¯er had also visited once.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er was slightly taken aback to see the three women guarding Ye Qiu.


    Seeing Ye Qiu motionless on the hospital bed, she placed the fruit she had bought beside the bed and then left.


    In the moment before she left, she gave Ye Zi a special look.


    This woman, who had once made her feel as if she had fallen into a glacier, had left a deep impression on her.


    Thinking that she might have been knocked unconscious by Ye Zi, Lin Qiao¡¯er felt an urge to settle the score, but seeing that Ye Zi¡¯s entire mind was focused on Ye Qiu, she thought better of it and decided to let it go.


    After Lin Qiao¡¯er left, Shen Mengchen scoffed, quietly cursing Ye Qiu for being a Casanova.


    One man had fallen into a coma, yet four or five beauties had come to visit him.


    ...


    The chief of Zhongshan City had invited the chairmen of Rongda and Longjia together.


    If Zhongshan City continued to be troubled, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him as the chief to get promoted again.


    The chairmen of the two large corporations met without a word.


    Shen Tianlong was seething with anger, and Ge Yusheng also had a dark expression on his face; his Rongda Group had lost at least tens of millions over the past two days.


    In front of the chief, both expressed their attitudes.


    Shen Tianlong was not willing to let things go, and Ge Yusheng completely denied sending assassins to kill Shen Tianlong, causing the chief a great headache.


    Originally, the chief was rather partial to Shen Tianlong, for after all, Ge Yusheng¡¯s despicable tactics disgusted him.


    However, he was unable to convict Ge Yusheng.


    Firstly, there was no concrete evidence to prove that the assassins sent to kill Shen Tianlong were sent by Ge Yusheng, and Ge Yusheng was not foolish enough to openly admit to such a serious matter.


    Secondly, Ge Yusheng holds American citizenship, not a Huaxia citizen, therefore even if we were to sentence him, we would not have that right.


    It should be left to the American side to adjudicate, which is a rather troublesome issue.


    Thirdly, all the major events of Zhongshan City are converging.


    A massive influx of assassins had occurred before, and suddenly yesterday, an assassination of important figures in Zhongshan by a large number of assassins took place.


    If such matters were reported higher up, they would be blamed on him, leaving an indelible stain on his political career.


    Fourthly, Ge Yusheng controls the Rongda Group, which is one of Zhongshan¡¯s main taxation entities and a pillar of its economy.


    Rongda has many subsidiary companies; if its chairman were to be detained, Rongda would definitely collapse and disintegrate.


    Hence, the city¡¯s economy would surely face even greater turmoil.


    Therefore, after comprehensive consideration, he did not directly detain Ge Yusheng, but instead invited both parties over, hoping to reach a settlement agreement.


    The Bureau Chief personally mediated, and though Shen Tianlong was obliged to give face, Ge Yusheng pretended to be innocent.


    Half an hour later, the two left the Bureau Chief¡¯s office.


    Nobody knew what they had talked about, but after Shen Tianlong returned and retracted some news, people realized that the business conflict seemed unviable.


    Several business tycoons watching from the sidelines discerned the situation and knew that both sides looked set to stop the fight.


    But everyone knew that the fight wouldn¡¯t completely vanish; it was merely paused for the time being.


    Although the mutually destructive business skirmish was forcibly halted, a cold war silently began to spread.


    Shen Tianlong gave face to the Bureau Chief, but he had no intention of letting it go at that.


    Ye Qiu had almost lost his life for him, and his daughter was also nearly killed by an assassin; this matter could not just be dropped.


    A tense cold war, akin to ice and snow, was initiated by Longjia.


    Two days later, Ye Qiu woke up.


    This news made several women show joy, even Shen Tianlong put aside all his work to visit Ye Qiu upon hearing it.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s complexion was somewhat pale, as he had not yet fully recovered from the blood loss, but his wound was healing quite fast.


    Even the doctors were astonished at his extraordinary recovery ability.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you¡¯re finally awake.


    Everyone¡¯s been worried about you, staying here all this time.


    Now that you¡¯re awake, we can finally get some good sleep,¡± Shen Mengchen complained as soon as Ye Qiu opened his eyes.


    Ye Zi gave Shen Mengchen a cold glance, causing her to shiver.


    Though she felt a chill run through her body, her stubborn head remained raised, unwilling to bow.


    ¡°You¡¯re all here,¡± Ye Qiu exclaimed in surprise, realizing that not only Ye Zi and Shen Mengchen were present, but Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin were also there.


    ¡°Big Brother Ye Qiu, you¡¯re finally awake.


    The three beautiful sisters have been really worried about you,¡± Niu Yinyin said innocently.


    Her words instantly caused the three women¡¯s faces to change.


    ¡°Yinyin, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Shangguan Hong pinched Niu Yinyin hard.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s face also turned red as she glared at Niu Yinyin.


    ...


    ...


    Just as the atmosphere turned somewhat awkward, someone knocked on the room door.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s Uncle Shen, I¡¯ll go open it,¡± Niu Yinyin said hastily.


    The young girl briskly opened the door, only to freeze with a smile on her face, as the person entering was a stranger with a peculiar attire, somewhat resembling ancient clothes but with a modern twist.


    At the same time, the unfamiliar man who entered, upon facing everyone, immediately fixed his gaze on Shangguan Hong¡¯s face, revealing a trace of a smile, and said, ¡°So you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Is this person the reason you¡¯ve been delaying your return?¡±


    Suddenly, Ye Qiu felt the man¡¯s eyes pierce him like knives.


    As their gazes collided, Ye Qiu frowned slightly, sensing that the man had ill intentions.


    Shangguan Hong, on the other hand, showed a flicker of panic, a detail that Ye Qiu caught.


    He was secretly alarmed; just who was this person who could make the usually calm and mature Shangguan Hong display such an expression?

 Chapter 58 - 58 0056 Shangguan Dao

    ?58: 0056 Shangguan Dao 58: 0056 Shangguan Dao The room fell quiet due to the arrival of the unfamiliar man.


    It was clear that the stranger had come for Shangguan Hong, and everyone¡¯s gaze turned to her all at once.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± Shangguan Hong said, her complexion back to normal, her words icy cold as if the man in front of her was a complete stranger.


    ¡°You won¡¯t leave because of him?¡± the man pointed at Ye Qiu lying on the hospital bed.


    Shangguan Hong didn¡¯t speak, her face not looking very good.


    The mysterious man walked up to Ye Qiu, took a glance, and said indifferently, ¡°I see nothing special about him.


    If you¡¯re refusing because of him, you¡¯ve disappointed me greatly.¡±


    ¡°He told you everything, huh?


    Heh, tell him to give up,¡± Shangguan Hong replied coldly.


    ¡°Is it worth it?¡± the man said flatly.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± Shangguan Hong responded coldly.


    The man¡¯s expression darkened a bit, Shangguan Hong¡¯s steadfastness making him somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± the man suddenly sighed, ¡°But, I¡¯d like to talk to him.¡±


    He indicated Ye Qiu, showing his intent to speak with him.


    ¡°He¡¯s injured, just go back, there¡¯s nothing for you two to talk about,¡± Shangguan Hong refused.


    Yet, the stranger¡¯s gaze fell on Ye Qiu, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.


    ¡°Everyone, please leave.


    I¡¯d like to hear what he has to say to me,¡± Ye Qiu suddenly told everyone, smiling at Ye Zi and the others.


    Ever since the stranger had entered the room, there had been something off about Shangguan Hong¡¯s expression.


    After carefully considering the dialogue between the two, Ye Qiu had a hunch about who the man could be¡ªhe had a vague idea about the identity of the person before him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving!¡± Ye Zi immediately refused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t lay a hand on me,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile, withdrawing his hand from Ye Zi¡¯s grasp and assuring her, ¡°Don¡¯t you trust your brother¡¯s judgment?¡±


    Ye Zi was silent for a while, scanning the stranger with her eyes before nodding her head and saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to what you say.¡±


    After saying this, Ye Zi slowly walked out of the room, and upon seeing this, Shen Mengchen and Niu Yinyin quickly followed suit.


    ¡°You should go out as well, I think this is a conversation between two men,¡± Ye Qiu said to Shangguan Hong, who stood aside with a troubled expression.


    Shangguan Hong looked into Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes and, without a word, turned and left the room.


    When the women had left, only the two men remained in the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Shangguan Hong?¡± Ye Qiu was the first to break the silence.


    Upon hearing this question, the stranger smiled, but then his smile faded, and his tone took on a bit of arrogance: ¡°Shangguan Dao!¡±


    Upon hearing this name, Ye Qiu knew his guess was right; the guy really was Shangguan Hong¡¯s brother.


    Because that day, after Shangguan Hong used him as a shield at the coffee shop blind date, on their way back to the Goddess Villa, he heard Shangguan Hong mention she had a brother.


    ¡°Yin Shaoxiong wasn¡¯t lying, it seems you are indeed Hong¡¯s ¡®boyfriend¡¯!¡± Shangguan Dao emphasized the word ¡°boyfriend¡± with a particular stress.


    Ye Qiu was taken aback by this label; his role as her boyfriend was purely fake, only meant to help Shangguan Hong get rid of that man at the time.


    Who would have thought Shangguan Hong¡¯s brother truly believed he was her boyfriend.


    However, he took note of the name Shangguan Dao mentioned, which must have been the man who had the blind date with Shangguan Hong.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be with her.


    Leave her while you can,¡± Shangguan Dao said, staring at Ye Qiu with a very serious expression, his tone forceful and insistent, quite domineering.


    Ye Qiu remained silent, only listening as Shangguan Dao continued, ¡°Do you even know who Hong is?


    What makes you think you have the right to be with her, you two are not compatible at all.¡±


    ¡°Look at you, dressed in nothing but street stall clothes, with such plain looks.


    Could it be your family background is anything but ordinary?


    I doubt it.


    I¡¯ve seen all the famous families in China, and the young members of those families.


    You must be the kind that doesn¡¯t make it to the stage, so I advise you to give up on being with her.¡±


    ¡°Because, your relationship is doomed to not last long, and our Shangguan family will never consent to Hong marrying a man like you.¡±


    Shangguan Dao¡¯s words were undeniably harsh, a blatant display of disdain and contempt¡ªimplying he simply didn¡¯t care about Ye Qiu at all.


    Ye Qiu listened calmly as the other party finished, feeling an urge to laugh at their arrogance, assertiveness, and domineering attitude.


    ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± Ye Qiu suddenly said.


    ¡°Speak,¡± Shangguan Dao replied indifferently.


    ¡°Your Shangguan family sounds very powerful, but I want to know, does such a powerful family also need to sacrifice the happiness of their children for stability?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re saying that the safety of the family is indeed exchanged for a moment¡¯s stability at the cost of a child¡¯s lifetime of happiness, do you think, as a member of such a family, you could still say what you just did?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that Shangguan Hong is part of the Shangguan family, and she¡¯s rarely gone back over the years, striving on her own outside, such a strong woman.


    To choose to sacrifice her happiness for the family, do you think that¡¯s fair?


    Or is it that all large families are just as cold-blooded?¡±


    ¡°As her brother, do you also think it¡¯s natural to sacrifice your sister¡¯s happiness for the family¡¯s sake?


    If you really think so, I understand why Shangguan Hong doesn¡¯t want to go back.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why?¡± Ye Qiu sneered, ¡°Because of cold-heartedness, because of heartlessness, because there¡¯s no warmth!¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s words, swift and incisive like bullets, struck heavily against Shangguan Dao.


    In fact, these truths were known to everybody.


    Shangguan Dao, a clever man himself, certainly understood this, but subconsciously, he still hoped that Shangguan Hong would marry into the Yin family, which would secure a stronger position for their clan.


    ¡°Such a cold and distant family and kin, better not to see them at all.


    Is Shangguan Hong wrong in doing what she does?¡± Ye Qiu added another sentence.


    What he was saying now were largely the words that Shangguan Hong had spat out to him that day, the true feelings in her heart.


    Shangguan Dao¡¯s face quickly turned ugly.


    Every sentence from Ye Qiu made him feel a twinge of shame: he indeed owed Shangguan Hong an apology, but the sense of family honor swiftly suppressed that budding feeling of regret.


    Suddenly, Shangguan Dao reached out a hand, grabbed the collar around Ye Qiu¡¯s neck, glared with terrifying eyes, and said coldly, ¡°Family honor is above all, the existence of the family is above all.


    If sacrificing one person¡¯s happiness can ensure the safety of the family, so what!¡± He nearly shouted this.


    Ye Qiu faced the nearly enraged Shangguan Dao calmly and countered coolly, ¡°Every person has the right to make their own choice.


    You¡¯re not doing this for the family, but for yourselves, sacrificing others for your own loftiness.


    It¡¯s cruel!¡±


    ¡°You brat, it¡¯s not your place to comment on matters of my Shangguan family!¡± Instantly, this addition from Ye Qiu thoroughly infuriated Shangguan Dao.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s words had belittled the Shangguan family as if it were a cold, unfeeling machine.


    Furious, he couldn¡¯t help but lash out with a punch.


    Ye Qiu effortlessly blocked, his True Qi gathering in his palm, preventing his body from being blown away at first contact.


    Shangguan Dao was momentarily stunned, blocked?


    He suddenly felt he might have underestimated Ye Qiu.


    Not just anyone could casually fend off his enraged punch.


    This punch had at least seventy percent of his strength, yet Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t moved an inch.


    Shangguan Dao prepared to continue the attack, but at that moment, the door burst open, and four women rushed in.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Having already heard noises in the room, the women had rushed in; upon seeing Shangguan Dao about to strike, they all stood in defense.


    Knowing they could no longer fight, Shangguan Dao lowered his hand.


    He gave Ye Qiu a cold stare and said, ¡°Consider yourself lucky.


    If it weren¡¯t for these women protecting you, today, I would have put you back on a hospital bed.¡±


    With that, Shangguan Dao cast a severe glance at Ye Qiu and left.


    ¡°Shangguan sister, who is he?¡± Niu Yinyin asked, addressing the strange man.


    ¡°He is my brother, Shangguan Dao!¡± Shangguan Hong said, at which Shen Mengchen and Niu Yinyin showed their astonishment.


    Ye Zi checked Ye Qiu for injuries, relieved to find him unharmed.


    She got up, ready to leave.


    Ye Qiu grabbed hold of Ye Zi, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him,¡± Ye Zi said flatly.


    Ye Qiu would not allow Ye Zi to take action, especially to kill Shangguan Hong¡¯s brother.


    That was even more impossible.


    He felt a headache coming on; how could Ye Zi harbor such strong murderous intentions, always ready to kill at a moment¡¯s notice?


    Ye Qiu silently resolved to curb Ye Zi¡¯s impulsiveness, to prevent her from acting recklessly.

 Chapter 59 - 59 0057s Advance Request

    ?59: 0057¡¯s Advance Request 59: 0057¡¯s Advance Request The situation with Shangguan Dao was quickly overshadowed by the arrival of Shen Tianlong.


    Seeing that Ye Qiu¡¯s complexion had improved significantly, Shen Tianlong revealed a relieved smile, glanced at the people around, and indicated that he had some words to discuss privately with Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu was momentarily stunned; Shangguan Dao had just had a private conversation with him, and now Shen Tianlong was doing the same.


    Since Ye Qiu had already awakened, Shen Mengchen, Shangguan Hong, and Niu Yinyin decided to return to the Goddess Villa for a while.


    Having spent several days at the hospital, the three hadn¡¯t had the chance to properly bathe, and they felt almost moldy.


    Ye Zi did not follow the three but chose firmly to stay at the hospital, continuously guarding Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Nephew Ye, this time I, Shen Tianlong, narrowly escaped death, all thanks to you.


    Seeing you better now, my heart has finally settled down,¡± sighed Shen Tianlong, his eyes filled with remorse.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Ye Qiu pushing him away at that moment, he would have become a cold corpse, but Ye Qiu had paid a price for it, nearly losing his life.


    Shen Tianlong would never forget this debt of gratitude.


    Ye Qiu shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do; a little wound can¡¯t kill me.¡± Ye Qiu laughed, signaling that he was not seriously injured.


    Actually, the armed assassin had intended to kill Ye Qiu initially, but because the two were close to each other, Shen Tianlong thought the target was himself; in reality, it was Ye Qiu, but he had blocked the assassin¡¯s line of sight.


    Of course, even Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t realized this, let alone Shen Tianlong.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look very well,¡± observed Ye Qiu, as his eyes roved over Shen Tianlong¡¯s figure and finally settled on his face, speaking earnestly.


    Shen Tianlong chuckled unconsciously, touched his face, and said, ¡°It might be due to staying up late these past two days.¡±


    While speaking, he coughed twice involuntarily, covering his mouth with his palm, then casually dropped his hand afterward.


    ¡°Nephew Ye, what do you think about my daughter Mengchen?¡± Shen Tianlong took out a tissue, wiped his hands, then tossed it into the garbage bin before returning to the front of the hospital bed, asking seriously.


    ¡°Does Director Shen want to hear the good or the bad?¡± Ye Qiu did not know why Shen Tianlong would say this and asked in response.


    ¡°Just say whatever you want, I¡¯ll take it seriously,¡± Shen Tianlong smiled, his face gathering wrinkles, his eyes gleaming brightly.


    Disposing of a serious demeanor, Ye Qiu earnestly said, ¡°Shen Mengchen is still impressionable, but she is a very kind and attentive girl.


    Although she has been pampered since childhood, she also possesses her own sincerity.¡±


    Shen Tianlong remained silent, adopting an attentive demeanor, signaling Ye Qiu to continue.


    Ye Qiu continued, ¡°Her strengths?


    She¡¯s smart and kind.


    Her faults?


    She sometimes has a bit of a princess temperament, but that¡¯s understandable since she grew up under your indulgence.


    Besides that, there¡¯s nothing negative to say.¡±


    After listening to Ye Qiu¡¯s evaluation, Shen Tianlong nodded, pondered for a while, and finally sighed, ¡°Still not mature enough, when will this girl grow up?¡±


    Shen Tianlong showed a melancholic expression which left Ye Qiu somewhat puzzled, giving the impression of a hero facing his twilight years.


    Could it be...


    His gaze suddenly shifted, and he quickly jumped down from the hospital bed, picking up the tissue that Shen Tianlong had previously thrown away.


    A small patch of red had soaked through the tissue.


    Ye Qiu sharply turned around, and Shen Tianlong¡¯s face bore a smile as he casually said, ¡°You saw it, so you must have guessed my intention.¡±


    ¡°Your health...¡± Ye Qiu grabbed Shen Tianlong¡¯s arm, and his pulse transmitted instantly to his ears.


    After a long pause, Ye Qiu regained his composure and earnestly said, ¡°You want Shen Mengchen to take over Longjia Group?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you should have guessed, my health is very poor, I fear...¡± Shen Tianlong¡¯s tone paused slightly, causing Ye Qiu to frown.


    Shen Tianlong¡¯s health was worse than he had imagined; his pulse was incredibly erratic, the flow of his vital energy irregular, and his entire body seemed in disarray.


    Moreover, he felt Shen Tianlong¡¯s heart was in particularly bad condition, even showing signs of failing¡ªa harbinger of impending death.


    Looking at Shen Tianlong still smiling in front of him, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but feel admiration.


    It seemed that Shen Tianlong had long known about his deteriorating health, but his calmness wasn¡¯t something ordinary people could maintain, with very few able to calmly face approaching death, feeling its encroach closer.


    ¡°You must be wondering why I didn¡¯t seek treatment earlier?¡± Shen Tianlong said calmly to Ye Qiu, who nodded, indeed thinking along those lines.


    After all, with Shen Tianlong¡¯s wealth, even severe illnesses could be addressed if discovered early.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late, I¡¯m terminally ill, not even the top doctors worldwide could save me.


    I¡¯m not afraid of death...


    it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t let go of Mengchen...¡±


    ¡°Although I always wanted a son, ever since Mengchen was born, my affection for her has not changed because of this; she is my little princess, everything she wants, I provide.


    She resembles her mother¡ªher eyes, her nose, her eyebrows, she looks a lot like her.¡±


    ¡°But my body doesn¡¯t give me much time to wait for Mengchen to mature, so, I hope if one day I suddenly pass away, you will stay by her side and help her.¡± These last words resonated deeply with Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu gently asked, ¡°How long?¡±


    ¡°The doctor says, not more than three months,¡± Shen Tianlong stated flatly.


    Ye Qiu fell silent for a while, observing Shen Tianlong¡¯s hopeful expression and ultimately nodded, ¡°I promise you, I¡¯ll help her uphold the entire Longjia Group, ensuring she faces no peril.¡±


    Hearing Ye Qiu¡¯s words, Shen Tianlong immediately showed a happy smile, and the furrowed brows also relaxed instantaneously.


    After a long pause, Shen Tianlong steadied his emotions and looked at Ye Qiu earnestly and sincerely, saying, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Shen Tianlong walked away, and his retreating figure left a deep impression on Ye Qiu.


    He seemed to see the young Shen Tianlong who once dominated the business world.


    Back then, he must have been full of vigor, standing tall, aiming to make a name for himself in Zhongshan City.


    Unfortunately...


    Now, what Ye Qiu saw was just a father¡¯s deepest love for his daughter, and his reluctance to part, so he could not refuse and agreed to Shen Tianlong¡¯s request.


    ...


    Ye Zi returned to the ward, and Ye Qiu, seeing Ye Zi¡¯s red eyes from obvious lack of rest, forcibly made her lie down on the bed to rest.


    Unable to resist Ye Qiu, Ye Zi quietly rested for a while.


    Ye Qiu touched Ye Zi¡¯s forehead, and the corners of the sleeping Ye Zi¡¯s mouth curved into a cute arc.


    Having been in a coma at the hospital for several days, Ye Qiu glanced outside the window then shook his rusty body.


    He turned and left the ward, going up to the hospital¡¯s rooftop to overlook the scenery below.


    The wind was somewhat cool, blowing over his hair tips, enough to make one a lot more clear-headed.


    Ye Qiu had stood there for a long time; no one knew what he was thinking.


    Perhaps it was the conversation with Shen Tianlong just now that made him suddenly melancholic and contemplative.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you¡¯re here.¡±


    It was unclear how much time had passed when a pleasant voice echoed from behind Ye Qiu.


    It was Shangguan Hong.


    After Shangguan Hong and Shen Mengchen returned to the villa for a shower, Shangguan Hong was the first to come to the hospital.


    After entering the ward and discovering that Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t there, she asked a nurse and finally found him here.


    ¡°What are you doing here?


    Others can¡¯t find you, and they will worry,¡± Shangguan Hong said, mildly chiding Ye Qiu.


    The guy stood motionless in front, and Shangguan Hong walked over to him.


    ¡°Life is so short, what are we really living for?¡± Ye Qiu said faintly, his face expressionless.


    Shangguan Hong had never seen such a side of Ye Qiu.


    She was surprised for a moment, then responded lightly, ¡°People live to prove that they existed, to leave footprints, regardless of whether others remember them or not.¡±


    ¡°Hehe...¡± Ye Qiu smiled, his eyes returning from the distance, and turned to look at the elegant figure beside him, saying, ¡°How did you find this place?¡±


    ¡°To find you, I wandered around the hospital for a while,¡± Shangguan Hong pouted, her expression one of mild complaint.


    ¡°You must have something you want to talk to me about,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    It was the first time he had seen the usually mature Shangguan Hong showing such childlike traits, and he was quite surprised.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Shangguan Hong¡¯s face showed surprise, then she asked seriously, ¡°What did he tell you?¡±


    The ¡®he¡¯ Shangguan Hong referred to was naturally Shangguan Dao, her brother.


    Ye Qiu had guessed that Shangguan Hong would ask this and smiled, ¡°Do you want to hear the truth?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Actually...


    your brother wants you to marry me.


    I didn¡¯t agree, and he was ready to take action.


    Yes, that¡¯s the true story,¡± Ye Qiu said, his expression calm.


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s face was quite a picture, caught off guard by Ye Qiu¡¯s shamelessness and not knowing what to say.


    In the end, she was so angry that she fiercely pinched Ye Qiu¡¯s waist.


    Ah...


    a wolf howl erupted from the hospital¡¯s rooftop.


    If even the serene and steady Shangguan Hong could be angered into pinching someone, Ye Qiu could also be considered the first.


    ¡°If I had agreed to your brother¡¯s coercion into marriage, this would be plotting against your own husband!¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you are still talking nonsense...¡± Shangguan Hong¡¯s hands tightened again, her face red with anger, nowhere near her usual composure.

 Chapter 60 - 60 0058 attended the banquet

    ?60: 0058 attended the banquet 60: 0058 attended the banquet After some frolicking, the two returned to the hospital room.


    Ye Zi woke up and saw Guan Hong and Ye Qiu enter the room together; her eyes swept over them twice, but surprisingly, she didn¡¯t ask anything.


    Not long after, Shen Mengchen and Niu Yinyin came by, and they brought someone with them who surprised Ye Qiu.


    Chu Yao!


    Chu Yao, holding a bag of fruit, handed it to Ye Qiu and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you at school for several days and learned you were sick, so I came to visit you.¡±


    With a slight blush on her face, Ye Zi frowned but didn¡¯t refuse the fruits from Chu Yao.


    However, in her heart, she probably regarded Chu Yao as a romantic rival again.


    There were now many girls around Ye Qiu, each as beautiful as her.


    Thus, Ye Zi felt that everyone was a rival in love, and even though she said nothing, the hostility she bore against everyone did not lessen at all.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile, holding the fruits.


    He was surprised Chu Yao had come to see him.


    Before he could speak, Shen Mengchen took the initiative to explain, ¡°I just went back to school and mentioned why you hadn¡¯t been at school.


    Chu Yao asked me about you, so I told her, and she came along.¡±


    So that was it.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I feel I can be discharged today,¡± Ye Qiu said as he stretched and rocked side to side, seemingly unhurt.


    He did not want to stay in the hospital all day.


    ¡°But the doctor said you need to recuperate for a month before you can be discharged,¡± Shen Mengchen interjected.


    ¡°Look at me, walking and jumping around.


    Do I still need to lay in bed?¡± Ye Qiu laughed, demonstrating his mobility on the floor.


    The women watched and indeed, Ye Qiu moved with ease as if all his injuries had healed overnight.


    ¡°We should still have the doctor confirm it,¡± Shangguan Hong suggested cautiously.


    ¡°Sure, sure, if big brother gets discharged, Yinyin doesn¡¯t have to smell the hospital¡¯s medicines anymore,¡± Niu Yinyin said, jumping and laughing with joy.


    It seemed she felt confined here these past days and was eager to escape.


    A moment later, the doctor who had treated Ye Qiu was called over.


    He used his stethoscope to examine Ye Qiu, looking both astonished and shocked.


    ¡°Strange, the wounds have vanished and the healing speed was incredibly fast,¡± the doctor expressed his puzzlement.


    After pondering for a while, he spoke again, ¡°Congratulations, Mr.


    Ye, from the current condition of your body, you indeed seem fine.


    You are completely fit for discharge.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ye Qiu thanked him with a bow.


    ¡°However, I am puzzled, your body¡¯s self-healing capability is several times higher than a normal person¡¯s.


    It¡¯s almost a miracle.


    If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed that you were the same young man lying here a few days ago,¡± the doctor shared his confusion and disbelief.


    Ye Qiu just smiled, while the women around him all cast their eyes on this man proclaimed miraculous by the doctor, observing his smug expression and collectively rolling their eyes.


    The discharge procedures were quickly completed, and Ye Qiu left the hospital with the women, attracting many gazes.


    This was indeed a verdant spot amidst a sea of blossoms.


    Especially when passing by some male patients, many cast envious glances, wishing they could be in Ye Qiu¡¯s place, surrounded by women.


    Upon leaving the hospital, Ye Qiu got into Shen Mengchen¡¯s sports car, with Ye Zi following closely behind and also getting into the car.


    The other girls got into Shangguan Hong¡¯s car and left the hospital.


    Back at the Goddess Villa, Chu Yao got out of the car, greeted Ye Qiu, and left in front of the villa.


    Ye Qiu took a deep breath of the surrounding air, feeling a great relief in his lungs, having been cooped up in the hospital for days, though mostly unconscious, had still been stifling.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed to discharge himself, almost as if he was fleeing.


    Once back in his own turf, Shen Mengchen didn¡¯t impose any demanding requests like asking Ye Qiu to cook or anything else.


    She decided to let him off the hook for a few days.


    Ye Qiu returned to his room and instead of lying on the bed, he sat down to meditate immediately.


    He closed his eyes and checked his Dantian.


    In his Dantian, True Qi had not recovered much, because he had been unconscious all the while and hadn¡¯t deliberately cultivated, so the recovery was slow.


    Moreover, the little True Qi that had recovered was used to heal his wounds, so till now, his strength had not returned to its former level.


    Ye Qiu looked fine on the surface, without any wounds, but only he knew that his current strength was merely two or three-tenths of what it had been before.


    While there were no superficial flesh wounds, the internal injuries hadn¡¯t vanished either.


    He began to exercise his powers, circulating True Qi, and this cultivation lasted until the next day.


    When morning came, Ye Qiu expelled the murky air from his belly, and his complexion grew a bit rosier, his spirit much improved.


    After a night of cultivation, his True Qi had recovered by fifty percent.


    Ye Qiu was not in a hurry, the rest would recover slowly.


    Upon leaving his room, Ye Qiu saw a figure bustling in the kitchen.


    He rubbed his eyes; it was actually Shen Mengchen.


    What was this girl up to?


    She couldn¡¯t be planning to cook some food to poison him, could she?


    Seeming to notice Ye Qiu watching her, Shen Mengchen turned around and brought a large pot of something to the dining table.


    ¡°Consider yourself lucky, today is the first time this lady is cooking, and you are fortunate enough to taste it,¡± Shen Mengchen pointed at the pot of something indefinably black in front of her, her face full of pride.


    ¡°This is...¡± Ye Qiu tapped the pot with his finger.


    Judging by its appearance, it was really hard to tell what it was, he seriously doubted whether it was edible.


    ¡°This is rice porridge, how about that?¡± Shen Mengchen still felt proud of her ¡®maiden creation¡¯.


    ¡°Rice porridge?¡± Ye Qiu was stunned for two seconds, pointing at the substance in the pot, puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t rice porridge supposed to be white?


    Why is yours so black?¡±


    At this, Shen Mengchen laughed awkwardly, ¡°It seems a bit overcooked.


    It was white before, but I didn¡¯t keep an eye on it, and it turned into this.¡±


    ¡°But, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s edible.


    Give it a try,¡± Shen Mengchen served a big bowl to Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu pinched his nose and took a sip, then his expression changed, and using the poor excuse of needing to go to the bathroom, he immediately fled.


    Shen Mengchen stood there alone, muttering to herself, ¡°Is it really that bad?¡±


    Then, she took a sip and immediately spit it out.


    It was way too salty, she had added too much salt.


    Making porridge but adding salt, Ye Qiu was shocked by the first bite, afraid that eating more would poison him with this strange porridge.


    Around eight o¡¯clock, Butler Liu arrived at the villa.


    He also brought a piece of news.


    ¡°What, attend a banquet?¡± Shen Mengchen looked at Butler Liu in surprise, she hadn¡¯t expected her father to ask her to participate in today¡¯s banquet.


    ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t run away this time.


    The master has repeatedly instructed that you must attend,¡± Butler Liu explained.


    ¡°This is a rare business gathering, not only with top executives from Zhongshan city but also bosses from other provinces.¡±


    ¡°Humph, I couldn¡¯t care less about attending such a boring banquet,¡± Shen Mengchen obviously wasn¡¯t enthusiastic about attending the banquet.


    ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t make things difficult for me.


    It¡¯s not just you attending; the master also instructed that Young Master Ye needs to be there too,¡± Butler Liu added.


    ¡°I have to attend the banquet too?¡± Upon hearing this news, Ye Qiu suddenly froze.

 Chapter 61 - 61 0059 little white face

    ?61: 0059 little white face?


    61: 0059 little white face?


    Participating in this business banquet myself?


    Ye Qiu quickly understood the reason behind it.


    Shen Tianlong¡¯s days were numbered, and by doing this, he wanted to push Shen Mengchen to the forefront.


    Shen Mengchen was his only successor, and he was taking advantage of the banquet to let many business tycoons become aware of his daughter.


    As for why he invited Ye Qiu, aside from protecting Shen Mengchen¡¯s safety, Shen Tianlong had other plans in mind.


    Knowing that she had to attend the banquet tonight, Shen Mengchen wasn¡¯t in a great mood.


    She hated this type of business gathering, which was far less enjoyable than shopping.


    ¡°Mengchen, let¡¯s accompany you,¡± Shangguan Hong suddenly said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Upon hearing Shangguan Hong¡¯s words, Shen Mengchen¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, no longer dreadfully bored with her friends by her side.


    ¡°Oh, Yinyin is going to the banquet too.


    I¡¯m going to wear a floral dress,¡± Niu Yinyin said, dancing with excitement.


    She was quite interested in the business banquet, as it was a new event for her.


    Speaking of attire, Shen Mengchen glanced at Ye Qiu and asked, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re wearing that to the banquet tonight?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?


    Can¡¯t I?¡± Ye Qiu felt looked down upon by the girl, despite his casual dress, no one could stop him from entering, could they?


    As if she already knew the answer, Shen Mengchen rolled her eyes at Ye Qiu and said, ¡°If you wear that, you¡¯ll definitely be the center of attention at the event.¡±


    There was no helping it.


    With a high face value, good temperament, and a handsome image, it was normal to draw attention.


    Ye Qiu, a bit embarrassed by Shen Mengchen¡¯s words, arrogantly raised his head, putting on a cool demeanor.


    This act left the girls speechless, Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t stand Ye Qiu¡¯s shameless narcissism; he definitely hadn¡¯t understood her point.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re representing my Longjia Group by attending, and that outfit just won¡¯t do,¡± Shen Mengchen felt it was better to be direct, as Ye Qiu¡¯s emotional intelligence was rather low.


    ¡°But this is the only suit I have.


    If not this, what should I wear?¡± Ye Qiu said indifferently.


    ¡°Are you stupid?


    Can¡¯t you just buy one if you don¡¯t have it?¡± Shen Mengchen was frustrated.


    Ye Qiu nodded, certainly agreeing with Shen Mengchen¡¯s idea.


    But his next sentence almost made Shen Mengchen flip the table: ¡°But buying clothes costs money.¡±


    Black lines appeared on Shen Mengchen¡¯s forehead as she yelled, ¡°Would it kill you if I bought them for you?¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded, ¡°That would work.¡±


    ...


    Shopping is a woman¡¯s nature, especially when there¡¯s an excuse to buy Ye Qiu a set of appropriate clothes, it gave a bigger excuse to shop.


    Shopping was Ye Qiu¡¯s least favorite activity.


    He couldn¡¯t understand why, upon seeing those shiny, glittering things, both Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong would always go forward to admire them.


    Now, as soon as Ye Qiu had mentioned not having clothes and Shen Mengchen insisted on buying some, he had been dragged out by the women.


    To undergo this inhumane ¡®shopping¡¯ torture.


    The sun outside was blazing hot, as if it had set the world on fire.


    On the street, many people were holding umbrellas or wearing pretty hats to block the sun.


    Ye Qiu disliked shopping but enjoyed admiring the beauties on the street, especially during summer when women liked to show off their white, shapely legs to showcase their beauty and attract more attention.


    Of course, it attracted a lot of stares, most of them admiring, while some were lecherous, their eyes darting around.


    Ye Qiu considered himself one who admired legs in a purely appreciative manner.


    Especially during such a boring pastime as shopping, Ye Qiu could only motivate himself to move forward by admiring beautiful women.


    ¡°Hey, Ye Qiu, when you have three beauties by your side, you don¡¯t look at them but at others.


    Don¡¯t you know other men are jealous of you?¡± Shen Mengchen had noticed Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze wandering over many women on the street and immediately knew he was up to no good.


    ¡°Hehe, the young lady is right, but as the saying goes, ¡®a rabbit doesn¡¯t eat the grass by its burrow.''¡± Ye Qiu replied with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°You...¡± Shen Mengchen was speechless, wanting to reprimand Ye Qiu, but seeing how crowded the street was, refrained from doing so as it would damage her image, and instead glared at him before angrily turning her head away, ignoring him.


    Shangguan Hong smiled, while Niu Yinyin, full of energy, hopped ahead.


    As for Ye Zi, she hadn¡¯t come.


    She didn¡¯t like shopping and certainly wasn¡¯t as keen on it as Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong.


    She stayed at the villa, perhaps because being an assassin for so long, entering the bustling streets made her uncomfortable.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s pleasant time admiring long legs didn¡¯t last long before the three women dragged him into an upscale men¡¯s clothing store.


    The store was decorated with a luxurious atmosphere, exuding a rich and imposing vibe, very different from an ordinary clothing shop.


    Seeing two beautiful ladies with a cute child appearing at the store entrance, the waiting staff took the initiative to walk over.


    ¡°Hello, are you here to shop for men¡¯s wear?


    Are you picking something out for your boyfriends?


    We have a variety of styles here.¡±


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong had browsed through plenty of women¡¯s clothing stores but it was their first time in a men¡¯s store.


    Looking at the various men¡¯s clothes on display, they showed an interested expression.


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong were dressed simply, yet exuded an extraordinary aura.


    This staff member did not look down upon the three women.


    She often dealt with society¡¯s elite and had seen many luxury goods.


    When she noticed the bracelets on the wrists of the two ladies, she immediately concluded that their net worth was far from ordinary.


    Ye Qiu followed the three women into the store and when the employee saw Ye Qiu¡¯s appearance, she was taken aback.


    How did he get in?


    At first glance, the female employee found Ye Qiu¡¯s attire to be rather plain.


    Such a person was shopping in their store?


    Although there were a few wealthy people who were low-key and dressed plainly when they shopped, they were the minority.


    Most rich people preferred to be more conspicuous.


    Who would bother putting on ragged clothes to go out for a stroll?


    Anyway, she couldn¡¯t understand such people.


    She ignored Ye Qiu, thinking it best to overlook such a customer.


    He obviously couldn¡¯t afford anything anyway, so to spend time on him would just be a waste.


    Moreover, such a customer probably hadn¡¯t been to many stores and certainly didn¡¯t know the prices of the clothes in her store.


    She guessed he would skulk away soon enough.


    The female employee focused all her energy on Shen Mengchen and the other two ladies, who were the ones likely able to make a purchase, so she was very enthusiastic, her face full of smiles.


    The three women picked and chose, holding up various suits for comparison.


    The employee helped tirelessly, even forgetting to see if Ye Qiu had left.


    ¡°You two are picking and choosing, why not just let Ye Qiu brother try some on?


    It seems so exhausting to watch you guys like this,¡± Niu Baobao hit the nail on the head, prompting the two women to realize what they should do.


    Right, they were there to buy clothes for Ye Qiu, not for themselves.


    It would be better to have him try them on to see if they fit.


    The two women subconsciously treated shopping for men¡¯s clothes as if they were shopping for themselves, enjoying the selection despite it being men¡¯s fashion.


    Pointed out by Niu Yinyin¡¯s sharp observation, Shen Mengchen gestured for Ye Qiu to come over.


    He was sitting there, chin propped on his hand, looking through the glass at the passing crowd.


    ¡°This big pervert must be ogling the beauties again,¡± muttered Shen Mengchen when she saw how intently Ye Qiu was staring.


    She marched over to him with her sleeves rolled up, grabbed hold of Ye Qiu, and dragged him over.


    ¡°Hey hey... Be gentle, Miss, it hurts!¡± Ye Qiu complained as his ear was tugged painfully.


    When would this girl¡¯s violent tendencies decrease a bit?


    ¡°Take this and try it on,¡± said Shen Mengchen as she tossed the clothes into Ye Qiu¡¯s hands.


    After speaking, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, showing her disapproval of him.


    He was too infuriating¡ªignoring a beauty right in front of him, and instead looking at others, unforgivable!


    The employee witnessed this scene and was immediately stunned.


    He hasn¡¯t left yet?


    The employee thought Ye Qiu had gone, given his stall-bought clothes it was obvious he couldn¡¯t afford the store¡¯s apparel.


    However, at this moment, she saw the great beauty Shen Mengchen acting playful and scolding with Ye Qiu, which shocked her.


    And it didn¡¯t end there.


    Shangguan Hong also approached and whispered something in Ye Qiu¡¯s ear, her every smile and frown betraying an intimate familiarity.


    Both beautiful women were laughing and chatting with this man.


    Who on earth was he?


    Could it be that she had misjudged again?


    Was he a wealthy tycoon?


    The female employee stared at Ye Qiu, but somehow, he didn¡¯t seem to fit the image of a tycoon.


    He had a playful grin, and his eyes occasionally showed a lecherous sparkle, obviously resembling a small-time thug.


    However, this explanation did not seem to fit with the two women¡¯s attitude towards Ye Qiu.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into her head.


    ¡°Gigolo!


    This guy must be a gigolo,¡± she thought.


    The employee found this explanation convincing, that Ye Qiu was a pretty boy kept by the women.


    However, upon closer examination of Ye Qiu, she realized he was not particularly handsome; in fact, he looked quite ordinary.


    Considering the two beauties¡¯ clothing and demeanor, they wouldn¡¯t keep someone like that even if they were into keeping gigolos.


    Could it be...


    The employee suddenly blushed, wracking her brain until she could only think of one possible explanation.


    Her gaze involuntarily shifted toward the lower half of Ye Qiu¡¯s body.

 Chapter 62 - 62 0060 Focus

    ?62: 0060 Focus 62: 0060 Focus When Ye Qiu walked out of the fitting room, all the women¡¯s eyes simultaneously focused on him.


    With his purple shirt, black suit, and black and blue checkered tie, Ye Qiu underwent a dramatic transformation.


    Dressed in what could be described as a perfect outfit, Ye Qiu emitted a special aura.


    Especially his deep eyes and the faint smile on his face, which didn¡¯t come off as sleazy but as a warm, heartening smile.


    Warm man!


    Style man!


    These two phrases floated up in the minds of the women present.


    ¡°How do I look?¡± Ye Qiu asked as he adjusted his collar and checked himself in the mirror.


    ¡°Big brother Ye Qiu, you look so handsome,¡± Niu Yinyin was the first to compliment him before anyone else could speak.


    ¡°Haha, you sure have a sweet mouth, girl,¡± Ye Qiu responded, ruffling Niu Yinyin¡¯s fluffy hair.


    Shen Mengchen snapped back to reality, and upon locking eyes with Ye Qiu, her gaze flickered before meeting his again.


    The change in Ye Qiu, now dressed in a suit, was indeed significant.


    Shen Mengchen was used to seeing him dressed casually, especially in that white half-sleeve shirt with a washed-out pattern that he always wore.


    Suddenly changing into a suit created a drastic shift in imagery, delivering a substantial impact.


    This was like seeing a beggar who always begs at your door suddenly dress up in imperial robes and become an emperor one day when you step outside, immersing one in the surprise of such a contrast.


    Shangguan Hong also revealed a different expression in her beautiful eyes, looking over Ye Qiu again and again.


    She was taken aback that this guy, once neatened up, gave off a stunning impression, completely exuding a celebrity¡¯s charisma.


    As the saying goes, ¡°Clothes make the man, saddle makes the horse.¡± Ye Qiu changed his outfit and transformed into a style man.


    Ye Qiu, looking at his reflection in the mirror, wore a proud expression that continuously lifted in self-admiration.


    Shen Mengchen couldn¡¯t stand seeing Ye Qiu so pleased with himself, especially that narcissistic demeanor, which made her want to take him down a peg.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s average.


    Try on some other clothes,¡± Shen Mengchen said indifferently, holding back her words of admiration and criticizing Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu shrugged his shoulders and picked up another piece of clothing before going back into the fitting room.


    Only then did the female store clerk quickly come to her senses, realizing that Ye Qiu was the focus among the group.


    She didn¡¯t bother guessing whether the something special about Ye Qiu made the two women so fond of him; she immediately plastered a smile on her face and waited by the fitting room door.


    After leaving the upscale men¡¯s shop, the three women took Ye Qiu to a barbershop to style his hair and shave his beard, which was nearly as prickly as a hedgehog.


    His medium-length hair quickly became a clean, tidy short cut.


    Standing up now, dressed in his newly bought clothes, Ye Qiu completely left behind his former image.


    Even Shen Mengchen, who had seen plenty of handsome men, couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra glances, not immediately wanting to criticize Ye Qiu.


    After a trip around the town, Ye Qiu could be said to have changed from head to toe, dressed very stylishly, a transformation that could definitely be described as earth-shattering compared to before.


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong each bought a set of exquisite clothes, while Niu Yinyin happily changed into a brand-new floral dress.


    The three women returned to the villa, ready to attend the evening¡¯s party.


    Except for Niu Yinyin, Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong immediately went back to their own rooms upon entering the villa, it was clear they were going to dress up exquisitely.


    ¡°Where is Ye Zi?¡±


    Ye Qiu noticed that Ye Zi was nowhere to be found in the villa, and he pondered where the girl had run off to, feeling a bit worried.


    After searching around without success, Ye Qiu gave up, thinking maybe the girl had gone out for some fresh air, he did not dwell on it since Ye Zi was very capable, and anyone who dared to mess with her would end up miserably.


    Ye Qiu sat on the sofa, waiting for Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong to finish dressing up.


    It took nearly an hour before the two women finally came out of the room.


    ¡°You ladies took so long to get ready...¡± Ye Qiu turned around, complaining, when his eyes suddenly fixed on the two, and he abruptly stopped talking.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes widened.


    He had never seen Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong all dressed up like this.


    Upon seeing them now, his eyes were instantly captivated.


    So beautiful!


    In front of him, the two women seemed like two clouds, one white as a slipping rabbit, and the other red as a peony, each magnificent in their own right.


    Shen Mengchen was wearing a white dress, with a black blazer on top and a pink bow tie, looking a bit playful yet ladylike, breaking the past image in Ye Qiu¡¯s mind.


    Shen Mengchen could indeed be so girlish.


    On the other side, Shangguan Hong wore a red long dress with a trumpet-shaped hem embroidered with extremely exquisite patterns, which looked not at all vulgar but rather highlighted a high-end atmosphere.


    Especially, Shangguan Hong¡¯s figure was strikingly highlighted by this long dress.


    Her slim waist, just enough to be grasped with one hand, seemed incredibly delicate.


    The most eye-catching was her chest, those proud peaks, tall and beautiful, corresponding remotely with her slender waist, forming a stunning visual.


    Ye Qiu was dumbstruck.


    Seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s infatuated look, both women chuckled and said simultaneously, ¡°Astonished by our beauty, huh?¡±


    Ye Qiu wiped the corner of his mouth, thankful no drool had escaped, and immediately laughed, ¡°I never knew you two could be this beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Humph.¡± Both turned their heads away in unison, very synchronously.


    Niu Yinyin bounced over, joining the excitement, and the group waited in the villa.


    At seven in the evening, Butler Liu came in a car.


    ¡°Miss, Miss Shangguan, Young Master Ye, the party is about to start, let¡¯s head over,¡± Butler Liu hurriedly ushered them into the car.


    In less than twenty minutes, the car stopped in front of a five-star hotel.


    At that moment, quite a few people were parking; clearly, today¡¯s party was large, evident from the surrounding parked cars and their high values.


    Looking at the cars parked here, Ye Qiu realized none were worth less than a million.


    This also indirectly reflected a fact, those who could attend tonight¡¯s party were either wealthy or influential, definitely not ordinary people who could just mix in.


    The greeters at the door, seeing Butler Liu, nodded their heads without needing an invitation, and Ye Qiu followed the two women inside.


    ¡°Miss, the master is inside,¡± said Butler Liu as he led the way, quickly enveloped by a bright light ahead.


    Ye Qiu, walking between the two women, entered the bustling hall.


    The attendees of tonight¡¯s party were mostly older people, with not many young faces until Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong appeared, instantly drawing many gazes their way.


    Especially after everyone saw the two women¡¯s appearances, they were amazed.


    Even the several business leaders discussing deals with Shen Tianlong ceased their conversation and turned their attention to the women.


    Suddenly, the two women became the center of attention, instantly becoming the most conspicuous people there.


    Ye Qiu scanned the people around him and awkwardly realized that it seemed all the gazes were fixed on Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong, and he was being ignored!


    He felt like a mere vase there only to set off Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong, filling Ye Qiu¡¯s heart with frustration.

 Chapter 63 - 63 0061 Fiancé

    ?63: 0061 Fiance??


    63: 0061 Fiance??


    Men¡¯s handsomeness can never attract as much attention as women¡¯s beauty.


    Such was the scene before them.


    ¡°Oh...


    two beautiful unfamiliar ladies have arrived.¡± Someone said intently, their gaze repeatedly sizing up Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s pure white attire and Shangguan Hong¡¯s mature, elegant scent of a woman were utterly heart-stirring.


    Already considered beauties, the two were rendered indescribably gorgeous with the touch of exquisite makeup.


    ¡°Father.¡± As soon as Shen Mengchen entered the hall, she quickly spotted her father and, with a joyous smile on her face, hurried over.


    Shen Tianlong had been listening to the people around him praising his daughter, especially when they complimented Shen Mengchen¡¯s appearance.


    Shen Tianlong felt a deep pride in his heart; his daughter, just like her mother in her youth, was the center of attention wherever she went, an inviolable goddess.


    Shen Mengchen gave Shen Tianlong a gentle hug, drawing sidelong glances from the surrounding tycoons.


    ¡°When did Shen Tianlong have such a beautiful daughter?¡± Some people wondered in amazement to themselves.


    ¡°Uncle.¡± Shangguan Hong also approached, nodded to Shen Tianlong, and then quietly stood aside.


    ¡°Miss Shangguan is here too, thank you for accompanying our Mengchen,¡± Shen Tianlong said to Shangguan Hong with a smile.


    Ye Qiu was quite frustrated to be ignored by Shen Tianlong; he was dressed so handsomely, didn¡¯t Shen Tianlong see him?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Ye Qiu come with you?¡± Shen Tianlong scanned the crowd behind, but when he didn¡¯t see Ye Qiu, he asked in confusion.


    Niu Yinyin wouldn¡¯t have it, upset that Shen Tianlong had not complimented her, she pouted and said, ¡°Uncle Shen, Ye Qiu is right here; you didn¡¯t even notice me and Big Brother Ye Qiu.¡±


    Shen Tianlong looked startled, then shifted his gaze, and it landed on Ye Qiu.


    His pupils dilated, and he exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°Are you really Ye Qiu?¡±


    No wonder Shen Tianlong did not recognize Ye Qiu, for he looked entirely different today from usual, whether in dress or the subtle aura he exuded, it was a world apart from before.


    ¡°Genuine as they come,¡± Ye Qiu replied, and only then did Shen Tianlong confirm that the person before him was indeed Ye Qiu.


    At this moment, Ye Qiu resembled a member of high society.


    Every move he made surprised Shen Tianlong; there was no sign Ye Qiu felt the slightest bit out of place at this kind of upscale gathering.


    ¡°Good that you¡¯ve come, yes, looking very handsome today,¡± Shen Tianlong complimented.


    Niu Yinyin, not knowing when, had run up to Shen Tianlong, tugging at his sleeve and saying plaintively, ¡°Uncle Shen hasn¡¯t said Yinyin is pretty yet,¡± looking rather pitiful.


    Shen Tianlong couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Yinyin, you are also very beautiful today.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Now Niu Yinyin was happy and no longer clung to Shen Tianlong.


    The arrival of the group interrupted Shen Tianlong¡¯s conversation with the others.


    At that moment, someone took the initiative to approach Shen Tianlong and said, ¡°Brother Shen, please introduce us to these beauties and the handsome gentleman here, we¡¯ve never seen them before.¡±


    Shen Tianlong scratched his head and laughed, ¡°Haha, my apologies, this is my daughter, Shen Mengchen.¡±


    So she was Shen Tianlong¡¯s own daughter, it¡¯s no wonder she hugged Shen Tianlong upon arrival.


    Without clarification, some might have grown envious.


    ¡°This is Miss Shangguan and Miss Niu Yinyin.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted from Shen Mengchen onto Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin.


    Shen Tianlong merely introduced them by name without explaining their status, leaving an air of mystery around them.


    After all, being such a prominent boss and director of the Longjia Group, the respect he showed for Shangguan Hong and Niu Yinyin indicated that these two women must also hold no ordinary positions.


    Yet none had seen the two women before, and speculations about their identity swirled quietly among the crowd.


    Shen Tianlong deliberately withheld details, preferring to stir curiosity.


    Most of the attention fell on Shangguan Hong; some were eager to strike up a conversation, but she deftly and politely rebuffed them.


    She revealed little, yet left no one with a bad impression.


    It was evident that Shangguan Hong was no ordinary figure; she handled social interactions with adept ease, earning an approving thumbs-up from Ye Qiu, who stood by.


    Ye Qiu knew somewhat of Shangguan Hong¡¯s family background, whether from their conversation that day or from Shangguan Dao¡¯s domineering arrogance.


    It was apparent that Shangguan Hong¡¯s family background surpassed most of those present, perhaps even the wealth of Shen Tianlong himself.


    After the attention had turned over the few women, it finally landed on Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Shen brother, you haven¡¯t introduced this handsome guy yet.¡±


    Shen Tianlong gave a cryptic smile which, to Ye Qiu, seemed rather inscrutable.


    After a light cough, Shen Tianlong cleared his throat and said, ¡°This is Ye Qiu.


    For the collaborations with our Longjia Group in the future, I fear most will have to go through this distinguished nephew of mine.


    I hope no one makes things difficult for him.¡±


    Hearing this, many were taken aback, parsing the deeper meaning behind Shen Tianlong¡¯s words.


    This was far from a simple introduction.


    Whether from Shen Tianlong¡¯s expression, his tone, or the way he looked at Ye Qiu, there emanated an unspoken significance.


    Shen Tianlong today didn¡¯t present his daughter to the crowd for no mere display.


    Each towering business figure present was shrewd, able to infer countless possibilities from a few words.


    There was something unusual about this old fox¡¯s behavior; could it be...


    Some recalled that at several previous business banquets, Shen Tianlong had not brought his daughter, not to mention the sudden appearance of Ye Qiu.


    Yet today, whether it was Shen Mengchen, Shangguan Hong, or Ye Qiu, although Shen Tianlong¡¯s intentions were unclear, it inevitably led to conjecture, especially given the way he introduced Ye Qiu.


    That was not something said of just anyone¡ªit had the scent of naming a successor.


    To say that Shen Tianlong would entrust the entire Longjia Tower to Ye Qiu seemed improbable to the crowd, given there had been no rumors or scandals about him having a secret son.


    So then...


    The crowd guessed a possibility: Shen Tianlong let his daughter be seen at the banquet and put forward Ye Qiu for a reason¡ªYe Qiu would likely assist Shen Mengchen.


    If Shen Mengchen were to take over Longjia Group, Ye Qiu would be her right-hand man.


    Handing over such a vast corporation to an outsider was not something the cunning Shen Tianlong would do.


    The only plausible and stable approach was that Ye Qiu might very well become Shen Tianlong¡¯s designated son-in-law.


    If the future of Longjia Group were to be in Shen Mengchen¡¯s hands, no one would be surprised.


    After all, Shen Tianlong had only one daughter.


    But a woman is a woman; no matter how strong a woman could be, she would still tire without a man¡¯s support, not to mention Shen Mengchen still looked so youthful, let alone taking over such a large company.


    Was Shen Tianlong revealing his daughter so early a bit premature?


    Or did he want to train his daughter, allowing her to adapt to such settings sooner for future adaptability?


    The hidden implications were left to the conjecture of the crowd.

 Chapter 64 - 64 0062 Cherish each others understanding

    ?64: 0062 Cherish each other¡¯s understanding 64: 0062 Cherish each other¡¯s understanding 0062 Mutual Admiration


    In another part of the banquet hall, the scions of various corporate leaders gathered.


    These young men were all poised to inherit their family businesses, epitomizing the wealthy second generation with ample funds at a young age.


    The arrival of Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong undoubtedly captured the attention of all the gathered scions, drawing their gazes entirely to them.


    It was as if still waters had been disturbed.


    Though these young men had seen their fair share of beauties, the stunning appearances of Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong still managed to dazzle them.


    ¡°This tall beauty is mine, and no one else is allowed to compete with me,¡± a proud-looking man said indifferently, his eyes revealing a determined look.


    Naturally, he was referring to Shangguan Hong, who wore a long red dress that did little to conceal her slender, beautiful legs.


    Her alluring gaze firmly captured the hearts of those around her.


    ¡°Kun, you claimed her the moment you spoke.


    What about the rest of us brothers?¡± said a slender man dressed in a black shirt.


    ¡°Exactly, there are more wolves than sheep here, and the beauties who can come here are of no ordinary status, far from those cunning women who are only wanting to marry into wealth.


    If you don¡¯t let us compete, it seems too oppressive.¡±


    Several scions protested, expressing their dissatisfaction.


    Kun was indeed too domineering, simply reserving her outright.


    ¡°Haha, you guys should stop arguing.


    Kun loves beauties, and it¡¯s no secret.


    It¡¯s just one woman.


    Besides, Kun is usually very generous.


    Let¡¯s not make a move then,¡± someone immediately tried to smooth things over.


    Upon hearing this, Kun¡¯s stern face softened with a smile.


    ¡°Exactly, exactly, we are all good brothers here.


    It¡¯s just one woman.


    After Kun gets her, why not celebrate in style?¡± another scion said.


    The people speaking on behalf of Kun were not few.


    Clearly, Kun¡¯s influence among them was not minor.


    Those scions with designs on the beauties reluctantly withdrew their gazes and sighed, deciding to give up.


    While everyone was discussing whether Shen Mengchen or Shangguan Hong was more beautiful, one man did not join in.


    He sat to the side, slowly sipping red wine.


    ¡°Huo, why are you drinking alone?


    Look over there, they are happily discussing those two beauties.


    Why don¡¯t you join in?


    You might just end up with a beauty,¡± a scion said as he suddenly sat down, placing his hand on Huo¡¯s shoulder with a grin.


    Huo frowned slightly and glanced at the hand on his shoulder.


    Noticing this, the scion who had just sat down chuckled and quickly removed his hand.


    Huo remained silent.


    Seeing that Huo was ignoring him, the scion gave an awkward laugh, stood up, and left.


    Huo¡¯s gaze had only briefly swept over Shangguan Hong before returning.


    It wasn¡¯t until he saw Ye Qiu that his gaze showed any fluctuation.


    If Ye Qiu noticed Huo, he would surely recognize him too.


    Huo was none other than Huo Qian, known as the king of racers, who once competed in a race with him.


    Huo Qian would not forget the guy who surpassed him that night.


    Compared to what was happening with the beauties, he was more concerned about Ye Qiu.


    He had experienced Ye Qiu¡¯s racing abilities firsthand.


    Despite Ye Qiu appearing easygoing and lackadaisical, when he really got moving, he was sure to astonish everyone.


    Huo Qian had little interest in Shen Mengchen.


    He had met her before, albeit briefly.


    As for Shangguan Hong, she was undoubtedly strikingly beautiful, but he did not want to get involved because he had noticed that since Ye Qiu entered the banquet hall, his relationship with Shangguan Hong seemed to be special.


    A woman entangled with a crazy guy like Ye Qiu was someone Huo Qian preferred not to meddle with, especially since he, Huo Qian, could have any woman he wanted without causing offense to Ye Qiu.


    He still wanted to interact more with Ye Qiu and become friends.


    Huo Qian deeply admired Ye Qiu¡¯s driving skills.


    The two could be described as ¡®comrades in arms,¡¯ and perhaps out of a spirit of mutual admiration, Huo Qian subconsciously did not want to disrupt this relationship by opposing Ye Qiu.


    Leaving aside the chatting scions for a moment, it was nearly seven o¡¯clock, and the banquet was about to start counting down.


    Tonight, business owners big and small from Zhongshan City had arrived at the venue, marking it a major business gathering.


    Wine glasses formed a tower a meter high, and long tables were neatly placed on either side, laden with various delicacies and desserts.


    The dazzling lights washed away the night, making it luminous everywhere.


    More and more people arrived, and although there were many beautiful women, few caught the eye.


    ¡°Okay, welcome all the bosses to tonight¡¯s dinner.


    The banquet is about to begin.¡±


    As the host¡¯s voice rang out, the lights in the entire hall suddenly went out, leaving only a beam of light directly shining on the front stage, enveloping the host within.


    ¡°Today is the annual Business Celebration Day, and all the bosses present can discuss their cooperation projects here.


    I hope every boss has a satisfying outcome.


    I wish you all to have fun and enjoy yourselves.


    The banquet is just starting.¡± As soon as the host finished speaking, the lights turned on all at once.


    One by one, bottles of red wine popped and poured onto a tower of stacked glasses, instantly spreading a lively atmosphere.


    The formal business dinner had begun, and suddenly some bosses gathered together, discussing their companies¡¯ projects, trying to find partners.


    Business gatherings inevitably had a metallic smell, especially with so many business leaders coming together, it was a rare opportunity.


    As one of the economic giants of Zhongshan City, Shen Tianlong naturally had many people around him immediately, busy and delighted.


    ¡°Hmph, these guys, aside from flattering and sycophancy, do not even seem like company bosses.¡±


    Shen Mengchen despised the various company bosses surrounding her father.


    She had attended such a business gathering when she was very young, though it was a small one, not as big as today¡¯s, but it had made her find business gatherings very boring, so since then she never wanted to participate again.


    Shen Mengchen idled by, although she was the heiress of Longjia Group, no boss approached her, and even if they did, she would turn away.


    Niu Yinyin, this little glutton, was thrilled at the moment.


    She had been waiting by the table, ready for the banquet to begin so she could feast.


    This little one was like a foodie, loving to eat everything and never having enough.


    Seeing Niu Yinyin¡¯s shameless behavior, Shen Mengchen chuckled and walked over, casually snatching a cherry in front of Niu Yinyin.


    ¡°Yikes!¡± Just as Niu Yinyin was about to lose her temper, she turned around and saw it was Shen Mengchen.


    She chuckled twice and pulled Shen Mengchen to join her in sweeping through the food.


    Shen Mengchen ate much more elegantly than Niu Yinyin, taking small bites.


    Shen Mengchen and Niu Yinyin were having a great time eating.


    Shangguan Hong did not join in.


    She held a glass of red wine and sat aside, quietly observing the figures constantly walking past.


    ¡°Beautiful lady, may I sit here?¡±


    Just as Shangguan Hong was spacing out, a voice sounded close by.


    She looked up to see a tall man smiling gently at her.


    Shangguan Hong¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; she did not like strangers sitting beside her.


    Without a reply from Shangguan Hong, the tall man sat down beside her.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Wang Kun,¡± the tall young man extended his hand to Shangguan Hong, unbeknown to her whether she was paying attention.


    Shangguan Hong nodded slightly, saying indifferently, ¡°Hello, Shangguan Hong,¡± as a polite response.


    ¡°What a beautiful name, as charming as you are.


    This rose is for you.¡± The tall man spoke and magically produced a rose, offering it to Shangguan Hong.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shangguan Hong said unimpressed.


    The tall man looked surprised for a moment; his invariably successful tactics did not work on Shangguan Hong, which provoked a strong urge to conquer her within him.


    He smiled, maintaining a gentlemanly demeanor, seemingly not upset by Shangguan Hong¡¯s aloofness.


    Across from Shangguan Hong, those young masters were all watching how Wang Kun would win her over, even placing bets.


    ¡°Wang Kun has seen many women.


    Guess how long it will take him to get this woman?¡± one of the young masters said to the crowd.


    ¡°With Wang Kun¡¯s methods, I guess just twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°I think otherwise; this woman has a unique aura, not like those from humble households.


    Wang Kun¡¯s methods might not work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, makes sense.¡±


    Huo Qian watched all this with a cold eye and did not join in, for he had seen Ye Qiu¡¯s glance; the two exchanged smiles as Ye Qiu approached slowly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be here too,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile as he came up to Huo Qian.


    ¡°Quite a coincidence.¡± Huo Qian smiled and made room for him.

 Chapter 65 - 65 0063 Professional Fake Boyfriend

    ?65: 0063 Professional Fake Boyfriend 65: 0063 Professional Fake Boyfriend 0063 Professional Fake Boyfriend


    The other wealthy young men, upon noticing Huo Qian chatting with Ye Qiu, were surprised for a moment, but then didn¡¯t pay much attention to it and continued discussing how long it would take Wang Kun to win over the beauty.


    ¡°Your friend?¡± Ye Qiu glanced at the young men and said to Huo Qian.


    Their discussion didn¡¯t escape Ye Qiu¡¯s ears at all.


    To their eyes, Shangguan Hong had become a tool for their amusement, and Ye Qiu¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold.


    Huo Qian laughed awkwardly and explained, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with them, we¡¯ve just met a few times.


    Some of them are children of business owners who have cooperative projects with my family.


    That¡¯s the connection we have.¡±


    Ye Qiu scrutinized Huo Qian¡¯s eyes carefully.


    It was clear that Huo Qian wasn¡¯t lying.


    After examining him for a while, Ye Qiu chose to trust Huo Qian.


    ¡°You¡¯re not one of them,¡± Ye Qiu commented indifferently.


    Huo Qian smiled and said sadly, ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve noticed.


    They are too playful.


    If it weren¡¯t out of necessity, I wouldn¡¯t sit with them.¡±


    ¡°I know you have a special relationship with those two women, so I won¡¯t get involved.


    Of course, I also can¡¯t be bothered to warn these guys.


    Letting them suffer a bit to knock off some of their sharpness is good too.¡±


    ¡°Do you have friends among them?¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t be considered close friends, just people whose nature isn¡¯t bad, as for the others...¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Ye Qiu nodded, not continuing on the subject.


    He memorized the faces of this group of wealthy young men as Huo Qian explained each of their family backgrounds, which fascinated Ye Qiu.


    No wonder these rich heirs were so arrogant; they grew up coddled with golden keys in their mouths, pampered and provided for in every possible way, never needing to worry about food or clothing.


    Their only pastime was to spend lavish amounts of money and chase girls.


    ¡°Each of their families has a fortune of no less than ten million.


    They wouldn¡¯t associate with anyone with less,¡± Huo Qian said.


    Business owners have their own circles, mixing with peers of the same level or various business magnates, not with street vendors or breakfast stall sellers in society.


    It¡¯s an unspoken rule: the kind of people you associate with reflects who you are.


    This principle also applies to these rich heirs.


    As offspring of the rich, their horizon is naturally high, their pride great.


    It¡¯s unrealistic to expect them to befriend the child of a pig butcher as their best friend.


    Because these young men have known from a young age that it¡¯s best to befriend people who can be of help, even if it means flattering them, rather than wasting time on a poor soul who can offer them nothing.


    This might sound cruel, but it is a stark reality.


    Listening to Huo Qian talk about the lifestyle of these heirs, Ye Qiu¡¯s face maintained a smile throughout.


    ¡°So, Wang Kun is the soul of this crowd?¡± Ye Qiu asked.


    Huo Qian nodded, ¡°All I can say is, his family¡¯s background and strength are the strongest among them, naturally people gravitate towards him.¡±


    Huo Qian paused, then continued, ¡°He loves women, has a violent nature, hates evil as his enemy, and doesn¡¯t really have any magnanimity.


    If it wasn¡¯t for his family¡¯s strong background, I believe not many people would want to make connections with him.¡±


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re angry with him, but his background is complicated.


    A word of advice¡ªif it¡¯s not absolutely necessary, it¡¯s best not to make an enemy of him.¡± Huo Qian warned kindly; he had long noticed Ye Qiu suppressing his anger while watching Wang Kun approaching Shangguan Hong with ill intentions from afar.


    Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t approached because he wanted to get the low-down from Huo Qian first.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ye Qiu patted Huo Qian¡¯s shoulder, and Huo Qian laughed, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Although they didn¡¯t say much, their friendship deepened.


    For the first time, Ye Qiu treated Huo Qian as a friend.


    Shangguan Hong was stuck and unable to leave because of the tall man annoying her.


    She frowned frequently, constantly entangled by the man.


    From the moment Wang Kun laid eyes on Shangguan Hong, he was dazzled by her beauty.


    He had been paying attention to her until he saw her sitting alone, and that¡¯s when he made his move.


    Shangguan Hong was unlike any ordinary woman, possessing a special demeanor characteristic of a noble lady, a kind that left a deep impression on anyone who saw her.


    Wang Kun had seen his fair share of beauties, even slept with a few actresses, but his fervor never lasted more than three days before he discarded them without a second thought.


    However, the appearance of Shangguan Hong had completely ensnared Wang Kun.


    This woman was the one he wanted, and in that moment when Wang Kun declared she was his, his whole being was filled with excitement, his heart brimming with an intense desire to possess her.


    Even sitting beside Shangguan Hong, he still felt an impulse to hold the woman tightly in his arms and ravage her, but he resisted, struggling to maintain a smile and show his most sunny side.


    He pulled out all the tricks to charm a woman¡¯s heart to please Shangguan Hong, but they all broke against her defense like waves against a cliff.


    She was not taken in by his tactics, even when Wang Kun subtly hinted at his worth of hundreds of millions and his family¡¯s influential background, none of it had any effect on Shangguan Hong.


    What kind of woman was this!


    Wang Kun had never encountered such a difficult chase.


    In the past, the superior conditions he boasted would have women throwing themselves into his arms, eager to give themselves to him, but Shangguan Hong did not.


    Sitting there, she was like Chang E in her lunar palace, distant and cold, not swayed by any conditions.


    The more unattainable Shangguan Hong seemed, the stronger Wang Kun¡¯s desire to have her grew.


    He swore he would have this woman.


    As Wang Kun drew closer to Shangguan Hong, she swiftly moved to maintain a certain distance.


    However, Wang Kun wasn¡¯t disheartened, he exercised his greatest patience, intent on winning the woman before him.


    ¡°Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom,¡± Shangguan Hong finally could not stand Wang Kun¡¯s pestering and attempted to get away under the pretext of using the bathroom.


    ¡°Sure, then let me play the knight guarding the flower for a moment and escort Miss Shangguan there.


    You wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡± Wang Kun also stood up, eagerly smiling as he said it.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that...¡± Shangguan Hong instantly refused, but Wang Kun didn¡¯t give up, quickly flashing a smile and prepared to follow.


    Just then, a figure stepped in and took Shangguan Hong¡¯s arm, also conveniently placing himself in front of Wang Kun.


    ¡°Thank you for amusing our Shangguan Hong.


    I¡¯m here now, so your services are no longer required.¡±


    The speaker was naturally Ye Qiu.


    He gave Shangguan Hong a meaningful glance, which she understood at once, not withdrawing from Ye Qiu¡¯s arm draped across hers.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Wang Kun¡¯s expression instantly chilled.


    He could be patient with Shangguan Hong, but this man who suddenly appeared and ruined his plan instantly changed his demeanor.


    ¡°Haha, Shangguan, he¡¯s asking who I am.¡± Ye Qiu let out a laugh, intentionally holding Shangguan Hong¡¯s hand in his, linking them together affectionately right under Wang Kun¡¯s watchful eye.


    Feeling the warmth of Ye Qiu¡¯s body, a flicker of panic crossed Shangguan Hong¡¯s eyes before quickly disappearing.


    She steadied her mind and cooperated, saying, ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend.¡±


    The word ¡°boyfriend¡± hit Wang Kun like a bolt of lightning, darkening his expression in an instant.


    She actually had a boyfriend.


    What did this kid have that qualified him to possess her?


    A surge of jealousy and resentment shot through Wang Kun, especially seeing Shangguan Hong leaning against Ye Qiu, a sight that made his hatred spread even more.


    She is mine, and no one can take her away!


    Wang Kun¡¯s gaze bore into Ye Qiu¡¯s face.


    Even if Shangguan Hong had a boyfriend, it did not matter; he would not give up.


    He would win her over.


    Since childhood, anything that Wang Kun wanted had never slipped through his fingers, and women were no exception.


    Watching Ye Qiu leave with Shangguan Hong, Wang Kun emanated a chilling aura, his eyes filled with jealousy.


    ¡°No matter who you are, I will take her from you.


    No one can stop me, no one...¡±

 Chapter 66 - 66 Sudden changes occurred in 0064

    ?66: Sudden changes occurred in 0064 66: Sudden changes occurred in 0064 After Wang Kun returned to where the young masters were gathered, his expression was unsettled.


    He failed?


    The others exchanged glances, sensing something was off with Wang Kun.


    His face was clearly darkened.


    Had the usually successful Young Master Kun finally met a woman he couldn¡¯t conquer, returning with his tail between his legs?


    Some found it hard to believe, while others snickered in secret, relishing the rare sight of Wang Kun¡¯s defeat.


    Someone approached and asked, ¡°Young Master Kun, how is it going with that beauty?


    You don¡¯t seem very happy.¡±


    Wang Kun snorted coldly; he didn¡¯t want to reveal the reasons for his unsuccessful pursuit of Shangguan Hong to everyone.


    ¡°Young Master Kun has encountered a difficulty?


    I think that woman simply doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her.


    No idea where that country bumpkin comes from, but she actually dares to not give a damn about our Young Master Kun, truly a case of a dog that can¡¯t recognize a lion,¡± one of the young masters said, demeaning Shangguan Hong to flatter Wang Kun, completely embodying a sycophantic attitude.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, why should Young Master Kun spoil his mood over a woman?


    How about we brothers go out tonight to relax?


    I guarantee it¡¯ll satisfy you, Young Master Kun,¡± another person suggested.


    ¡°Get lost.¡± Wang Kun suddenly changed his expression, glaring fiercely at the man who had demeaned Shangguan Hong.


    However, he seemed much more amiable toward the one who had suggested they go out to relax that night.


    ¡°Which one of you knows that guy?¡± Wang Kun suddenly pointed at Ye Qiu, who was standing not far from Shangguan Hong and Shen Mengchen.


    Him?


    Upon looking in that direction, everyone started to understand why Wang Kun returned with a dark look on his face, as that man was standing right next to Shangguan Hong, and they were even chatting and laughing.


    Wang Kun had met a love rival!


    Some of the young masters secretly wanted to laugh, but out of fear of Wang Kun, they forcibly held it back.


    They observed Ye Qiu, feeling that he looked familiar.


    He seemed to have just arrived there, prompting everyone to turn their curious gaze toward Huo Qian, who had been silently drinking alone all this time.


    Wang Kun looked over as well, interpreting something from everyone¡¯s gaze¡ªit seemed that Huo Qian knew this detestable guy.


    ¡°Huo Qian, do you know that guy?¡± Wang Kun abruptly asked.


    ¡°I do,¡± Huo Qian replied succinctly, taking a sip of red wine before setting down the glass slowly.


    ¡°What¡¯s his name, and what¡¯s his background?¡± Wang Kun was eager to learn everything about Ye Qiu to prepare for his move.


    ¡°His name is Ye Qiu.


    As for the rest, I¡¯m not aware,¡± Huo Qian responded indifferently.


    Is that it?


    The rest?


    Wang Kun was all ears, waiting to hear more, but Huo Qian offered just that.


    ¡°Huo Qian, you had better tell me everything you know.


    Don¡¯t play dumb with me,¡± Wang Kun¡¯s tone chilled slightly.


    Huo Qian¡¯s gaze was unyielding as he replied calmly, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check for yourself.¡±


    Seeing Huo Qian¡¯s defiant attitude, Wang Kun was taken aback.


    It was his first time witnessing Huo Qian so adamant, openly challenging him in front of everyone.


    ¡°Haha, fine, I¡¯ll check it out myself,¡± Wang Kun said without going into detail.


    His eyes lingered on Huo Qian for a moment before he left with a cold air.


    Though Huo Qian¡¯s background couldn¡¯t compare to the Wang family, he was not to be underestimated in the business arena.


    Especially in recent years, the Huo family had risen abruptly, becoming like fish in water in the commercial world and taking a substantial market share in Zhongshan City.


    It was then that Wang Kun became aware of the Huo family and Huo Qian.


    Ever since Huo Qian joined their circle, Wang Kun always felt that Huo Qian was somewhat aloof, not indulging in pleasures like the others.


    Often going his own way, he didn¡¯t quite fit in.


    But since they had some cooperation with the Huo family, Wang Kun couldn¡¯t be bothered to care.


    Huo Qian, unlike others, never fawned over him, which was bearable, but today, his face had been openly snubbed by Huo Qian while asking about Ye Qiu.


    And with that, Wang Kun was thoroughly enraged.


    Repeating ¡®fine¡¯ several times, he stormed off, bitterly resenting both Huo Qian and Ye Qiu in his heart.


    Watching Wang Kun angrily walk away, Huo Qian remained motionless, still sitting and drinking his red wine.


    He had little regard for such spoiled brats like Wang Kun; if it wasn¡¯t for his privileged background, how could he be so arrogant today?


    Such people, Huo Qian was too lazy to associate with, and had no desire to do so.


    Seeing Wang Kun leave in anger, a couple of the young masters tried to persuade Huo Qian to not antagonize Young Master Kun and to catch up with him to apologize as soon as possible.


    ¡°Hey, why can¡¯t you just go along with him, and think about your family¡¯s business a bit?


    Is it worth offending Young Master Kun over that guy?¡± someone questioned Huo Qian¡¯s recklessness, unable to understand his reasoning.


    Huo Qian just smiled and offered no explanation.


    Is he a fool?


    Huo Qian was not foolish at all, but compared to Wang Kun, he preferred to befriend Ye Qiu.


    After Ye Qiu helped Shangguan Hong get rid of Wang Kun¡¯s entanglement, they did not actually enter the restroom, but stopped right at the door.


    They were still holding hands, and neither of them had noticed until Shangguan Hong suddenly remembered and called out in embarrassment, her face instantly flushing with red.


    She hurriedly withdrew her hand from Ye Qiu¡¯s, her cheeks slightly tinged with red.


    ¡°Hehe, sorry, I forgot for a moment,¡± Ye Qiu said awkwardly, rubbing his palm, feeling the residual warmth from Shangguan Hong, and laughed shyly.


    Shangguan Hong shook her head: ¡°It¡¯s okay.


    If it weren¡¯t for you just now, I might still be tangled up with that man.¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯m almost becoming your professional stand-in boyfriend.


    It¡¯s quite a coincidence,¡± Ye Qiu smiled, feeling astonished that this wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d become Shangguan Hong¡¯s fake boyfriend.


    ¡°So I should thank you even more, for every time you¡¯ve helped me escape from embarrassment and awkwardness,¡± said Shangguan Hong with wide, earnest eyes.


    Ye Qiu thought it over seriously and indeed it was so; each time he had passively become Shangguan Hong¡¯s fake boyfriend, serving as a shield.


    ¡°Next time there¡¯s a service for a pretend boyfriend, I might have to start charging,¡± Ye Qiu joked, revealing a hint of humor.


    The blush on Shangguan Hong¡¯s face hadn¡¯t faded as she smiled faintly, actually nodding her head, revealing a bit of a young girl¡¯s charm.


    Ye Qiu was stunned for a moment by the sight of Shangguan Hong displaying such a demeanor, there was a unique flavor and allure to it.


    ¡°Ahem...¡± Ye Qiu coughed awkwardly, averting his gaze, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Shen Mengchen and Yinyin.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Shangguan Hong also immediately reverted to a calm demeanor, nodding slowly.


    Soon, the two of them arrived at the spot where Shen Mengchen and Niu Yinyin were.


    By then, Niu Yinyin was already full, burping contentedly and lying on the couch with the air of someone who had eaten and drunk her fill.


    Shen Meng sat to one side, her gaze fixated somewhere, lost in thought.


    Only when Ye Qiu and Shangguan Hong approached did Shen Meng snap out of her daze.


    ¡°Where have you two been?


    I was just looking for you,¡± said Shen Meng to Shangguan Hong.


    ¡°Oh, we went to the restroom,¡± Ye Qiu said.


    Shen Meng looked suspiciously at Ye Qiu, saying, ¡°Since when do you need a man and a woman to go to the restroom together?¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu, I think you just wanted to sneak a peek at our sister Shangguan going to the restroom,¡± said Shen Meng with a wolf-guarding look, eying Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with this girl; reasoning was futile.


    Instead, he lay down on the sofa to rest, following Niu Yinyin¡¯s lead, utterly at ease.


    With her best friend Shangguan Hong by her side, Shen Meng no longer felt bored.


    It wasn¡¯t until an hour into the banquet that the sound of police sirens suddenly broke the lively atmosphere.


    ¡°Huh, why are the police here?¡± many people exclaimed in surprise, wondering how a proper business banquet had attracted the police.


    Ye Qiu also stood up abruptly, looking toward the arriving officers, frowning as if wondering if something major had happened again.


    He saw Lin Qiao¡¯er leading a group of officers to the many business giants, taking out her police badge and saying to the crowd, ¡°Ge Yusheng, the largest director of Rongda Group, has unfortunately passed away.


    Since he died on his way here, for the sake of investigation, we¡¯ll have to trouble you all to come back to the police station with me.¡±


    ¡°Business owners, this order comes directly from the Mayor of Zhongshan City, I hope you all cooperate,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er added, and with that, those who were initially reluctant to comply completely abandoned any thoughts of causing trouble.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s words at first didn¡¯t make clear sense to the crowd, but soon enough, people began to react.


    Ge Yusheng of Rongda is dead?


    Someone murmured, not loudly, but in the quiet hall, it seemed much louder, enough that everyone heard it and took it to heart.


    Rongda without its leader!


    This sudden piece of news instantly gave the many bosses present a complex set of thoughts.


    Some people showed a cunning eagerness in their eyes.


    With Ge Yusheng¡¯s death, a bigger market would open up, so who would capture the largest share of the market?


    In an instant, countless thoughts permeated the hall.


    The scent of a commercial battlefield was spreading, even before the fight had started.

 Chapter 67 - 67 0065 leaves

    ?67: 0065 leaves 67: 0065 leaves Lin Qiao¡¯er saw Ye Qiu, her gaze lingered for a few seconds on Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong, who stood beside him, then she pretended not to know them and walked past the three.


    ¡°Don¡¯t recognize me anymore?¡± Ye Qiu murmured under his breath, his face wearing a bitter smile.


    Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong, on the other hand, furrowed their brows, feeling intuitively that the policewoman seemed to treat Ye Qiu slightly differently.


    A large number of policemen poured in, and Lin Qiao¡¯er forcefully gathered all the business leaders present into the vehicles, not even Shen Tianlong could escape and was squeezed into a car with everyone else, heading back to the police station.


    Over ten police cars were used, and if the citizens knew that those sitting inside were business leaders from various sectors in Zhongshan City, they would probably be shocked.


    When the numerous business leaders got out of the police cars and reluctantly entered the police station, many of their police colleagues were in a daze, wondering why there were so many important figures, some of whom were well-known business magnates.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er was quickly summoned by the Director.


    As soon as she entered the room, Director Wang slammed his hand on the table, the sound painfully ringing in their ears, and angrily exclaimed, ¡°Lin Qiao¡¯er, have you lost your mind?


    Look at what you¡¯ve done...¡±


    Director Wang was furious, Lin Qiao¡¯er had actually managed to round up all the big and small business owners of Zhongshan City and brought them to the station, which made him extremely angry.


    This was the first time in the history of Zhongshan City that someone dared to do such a thing.


    ¡°Director Wang, Ge Yusheng suddenly died on the street, I had reasons to suspect his death was related to the people attending this banquet, so I brought them all back for investigation, I believe I was not wrong,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er argued defiantly.


    ¡°You still dare to talk...¡± Director Wang was so infuriated by Lin Qiao¡¯er that he was nearly steaming from his forehead.


    Director Wang now deeply regretted promoting this young woman, who had now caused such a huge mess.


    ¡°I order you to properly settle these business leaders and let them out of the police station.


    The case involving Ge Yusheng, you are no longer in charge of it.¡±


    ¡°Director Wang...


    I haven¡¯t even started my investigation, and to let them go just like that, where is the dignity of our police station?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er stubbornly argued.


    Talking about dignity...


    Director Wang almost choked on his own blood¡ªsitting in the interrogation room were figures who were the lifeline of Zhongshan City¡¯s economy.


    If something happened to all of them at once, what would become of Zhongshan City?


    Director Wang didn¡¯t dare to imagine, once the higher authorities got wind of this, they would be irate, and he knew that sending these business tycoons away was now imperative.


    Who knew if any of these people had acute medical conditions that could escalate the situation even further, potentially leading to the worst scenario imaginable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say another word, just go and do it,¡± Director Wang commanded coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.


    Seeing the defiance in Lin Qiao¡¯er, Director Wang massaged his forehead with great vexation, wondering how this young woman could be so relentless.


    If Lin Qiao¡¯er hadn¡¯t shown such integrity and indomitable spirit, he would have already considered demoting her.


    Although he appreciated Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s courage, green as she was, she shouldn¡¯t have brought all these business magnates into the station all at once.


    After thinking it over, Director Wang sighed, admitting to himself that he had no choice but to tolerate Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    The numerous business leaders sitting in the interrogation room were in a very bad mood, most of them entering the police station in person for the first time.


    Even in the usual course of their disputes, it was their subordinates who dealt with the police, never needing to make an appearance themselves; now, for the first time in their lives, they entered the police station, marking a significant yet disgraceful note in the annals of their careers.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er appeared in the interrogation room, drawing all eyes to her.


    ¡°Alright, you all may leave now.


    About the death of Ge Yusheng, each of you will be investigated in due time.


    I hope everyone will cooperate when the time comes.¡±


    What?


    Did we hear wrong?


    To bring us here and just let us go?


    The interrogation room erupted into chaos, feeling like a plaything in her hands, as everyone was shuffled around until their old bones nearly went numb from sitting.


    The many business leaders present showed strong disapproval.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯m sorry, Officer Lin is new here, and I hope you won¡¯t take it too personally.


    To make it up to you, let me offer my apologies; tonight was a misunderstanding, and it wasn¡¯t my intention to hassle everyone like this.


    But it¡¯s good in a way because now you all know where the entrance to our police station is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Director Wang hurried out at this moment to smooth things over, knowing full well that Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s nature was not one to amicably resolve conflicts.


    As he had anticipated, if he hadn¡¯t intervened, the business owners might have become even angrier.


    Although they wouldn¡¯t dare confront the police, they could easily withdraw all their capital from Zhongshan City, and that would not be difficult at all.


    Seeing the chief of police personally come out to apologize, everyone, though still resentful, felt it inappropriate to express anger, and out of respect for the chief, they eventually got up and left.


    Ye Qiu glanced at Lin Qiao¡¯er standing behind Director Wang and sighed heavily.


    What had upset this girl so much that she had caused such a mess?


    Ye Qiu and the others quickly exited the police station as well.


    All of them vanished quickly, hurrying back to their companies, eager to put the troublesome police station incident behind them because there were far more important concerns preoccupying the minds of these business owners.


    Shen Tianlong didn¡¯t leave with Ye Qiu and the others.


    Ye Qiu knew what Shen Tianlong was plotting.


    With Ge Yusheng¡¯s death, the market in Zhongshan City would undergo drastic changes.


    Moreover, with the other two directors of Rongda not in China and unable to return promptly, it provided an opportunity for many who were watching keenly to make their move.


    The moment was an optimal one to seize the initiative,


    Being an old and cunning man, Shen Tianlong had foreseen this and hurried back to his company to prepare for action.


    Now, it was about who could act fastest; the one to make the first move would reap the most benefits.


    Ye Qiu returned to the Goddess Villa with the three women, leaving the business matters to others for the time being.


    Today¡¯s banquet had really been full of unexpected turns¡ªa straightforward business gathering ending up at the police station.


    Even though it was all a farce, it was still rather absurd.


    Shen Mengchen was too tired to care about how much property Rongda might lose or who would seize the business opportunity.


    As soon as she arrived at the villa, she dove into her room and fell into a deep sleep.


    Shangguan Hong said a soft ¡°Goodnight,¡± and Ye Qiu nodded, understanding that Shangguan Hong was also ready to rest.


    The three women each went to their rooms.


    Ye Qiu turned off the lights in the hall, and the house was plunged into darkness.


    He felt he should rest too.


    Just as he was about to open his room door, suddenly, he stopped.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ye Zi?¡± Ye Qiu immediately remembered that he hadn¡¯t seen Ye Zi since entering the villa.


    That wasn¡¯t right.


    Ye Qiu searched around but couldn¡¯t find Ye Zi.


    Afterwards, Ye Qiu sat on the sofa waiting; he couldn¡¯t believe that Ye Zi would disappear without explanation.


    Almost four hours passed, and Ye Zi still hadn¡¯t come back.


    ¡°Where exactly are you?¡± Ye Qiu said despondently, imagining Ye Zi¡¯s face smiling at him.


    She wouldn¡¯t just disappear for no reason.


    Ye Qiu got up and circled the villa again.


    It was nearly midnight now, the night outside was very dark and slightly chilly, but still no sign of Ye Zi.


    Ye Qiu returned to his room disappointed.


    He sat at the edge of the bed, his mind racing with thoughts of where Ye Zi could have gone.


    Just when he looked up unintentionally, he saw a piece of white paper stuck on the back of his door, facing the bed he was sleeping in.


    Ye Qiu leaped up and stared at the words left on the white paper in small, neat handwriting.


    Brother Qiu, I have gone.


    I¡¯ve been happy these days with you.


    Don¡¯t worry about me.


    Ye Zi left.


    A simple sentence, yet it made Ye Qiu stand there for a long while.

 Chapter 68 - 68 0066 The Death of Ge Yusheng

    ?68: 0066 The Death of Ge Yusheng 68: 0066 The Death of Ge Yusheng Time rewound to five hours ago.


    Ye Qiu, Shen Mengchen, and Shangguan Hong, accompanied by Niu Yinyin, went out shopping, while Ye Zi chose to stay at the villa.


    After watching the others disappear around the corner of the street, Ye Zi stood there for a while, her expression revealing traces of reluctance, but then, her eyes filled with a resolute hue, she turned and walked in another direction, leaving the villa area.


    In the depths of Ye Zi¡¯s heart, a thought had been brewing, and only now did she decide to act upon it.


    A murderous intent flickered in her eyes, as her figure swiftly crossed the streets, racing towards her destination.


    Before long, the characters for ¡°Rongda¡± appeared overhead, and by merely looking up, one could see the golden words ¡°Rongda Group¡± hanging high on the facade of the skyscraper ahead.


    This was the company of the man responsible for Ye Qiu¡¯s serious injury!


    Ye Zi¡¯s eyes were cold; she was here for one person only, and that was Ge Yusheng, the chairman of Rongda.


    Ever since the day Ye Qiu was injured and hospitalized, Ye Zi had been suppressing the fury in her heart.


    She would never forget the moment Ye Qiu, covered in blood, stepped out of the car and appeared before her.


    Ye Qiu fainted before her eyes.


    In that second, Ye Zi felt utterly mindless, and it was only later that she understood the reason behind Ye Qiu¡¯s injuries, and why there had been an assassin in the villa.


    The root cause of it all was due to one man, Ge Yusheng, the chairman of Rongda!


    It was Ge Yusheng who had secretly sent men to attack, leading to Ye Qiu¡¯s bloody battle with numerous assassins and nearly losing his life.


    Upon understanding the cause of events, Ye Zi did not immediately go to settle scores with Ge Yusheng.


    She forcefully suppressed her rage because Ye Qiu was still unconscious, his life hanging in the balance.


    Even if she were to take action, she wanted to wait until Ye Qiu had awakened; she wanted to see with her own eyes that Ye Qiu was safe and sound.


    Only then could she truly be at ease before turning to deal with Ge Yusheng once and for all.


    Ye Qiu was the most important person to her; she would not allow anyone to harm him.


    If anyone threatened Ye Qiu¡¯s safety, she would defend him with her life.


    The importance of this man to her was akin to her own sky, and she, a hawk, unable to soar without the sky, akin to being wingless, thus rendering the entire world meaningless.


    In Ye Zi¡¯s heart, one image was forever etched.


    A young and small her, crying in the forest, isolated with despair and helplessness filling her heart.


    When she was most desperate, Ye Qiu appeared, rescued her from fire and water, survived through numerous crises with her, and had it not been for Ye Qiu then, she would not be alive today.


    Therefore, since that day, Ye Zi had regarded Ye Qiu as the most important man in her life: this man, not broad-shouldered but steadfast and upright, who had given her a new lease on life¡ªshe would not permit anyone to harm him.


    It was also from the moment of escaping death, a seed was planted in Ye Zi¡¯s heart.


    When she grew up, she too wanted to protect Ye Qiu.


    Afterward, she joined an assassin organization, learning survival skills, assassination methods, and how to conceal herself.


    After numerous trials and tribulations, she emerged at the forefront, becoming the most outstanding assassin of her generation.


    The reason she could persist all the way was that an image continuously appeared in her mind, and that was the face of Ye Qiu.


    The man who, upon seeing her, would gently tap her nose and use his smile to warm her increasingly cold heart, providing her with the strongest motivation to grit her teeth and endure.


    Now, she finally had the power to protect this man.


    Looking at Ye Qiu¡¯s pale face lying unconscious on the hospital bed, Ye Zi¡¯s heart ached.


    She stayed by the bedside, not leaving for a moment, hoping for Ye Qiu¡¯s safe recovery.


    Heaven favored her, and after not too long, Ye Qiu regained consciousness, and the doctor also brought good news¡ªthere were no fatal injuries.


    It was then she finally breathed a deep sigh of relief.


    Seeing Ye Qiu discharged and unharmed, Ye Zi¡¯s long-suppressed murderous intent erupted, which is why she did not join them for shopping.


    Standing in front of the towering Rongda building, Ye Zi calmed her emotions before putting on a sunny smile and then boldly entered the building.


    She was there to eliminate Ge Yusheng, to kill the man behind the scenes who had harmed Ye Qiu.


    Taking Ge Yusheng¡¯s life wasn¡¯t easy.


    The security in the building was very tight, with frequent checks on strangers.


    If Ye Zi hadn¡¯t confused the security staff with her girl-next-door appearance, she would have been expelled much sooner.


    Even so, she still couldn¡¯t make her way to the top floor to find Ge Yusheng.


    Ye Zi was not in a hurry.


    Good assassins possess plenty of patience, and she was waiting for her chance.


    There was an important business banquet that day, and someone of Ge Yusheng¡¯s status would never be absent.


    Clinging to this conviction, Ye Zi just needed to wait secretly for the right moment.


    After guarding inside the building for an hour, Ye Zi finally spotted a trace of Ge Yusheng.


    She saw an unfamiliar old man being hurriedly escorted into a luxury car, and Ye Zi moved impulsively.


    She realized that this person might be Ge Yusheng, and the respectful expressions of those around him made her even more certain of the identity of the man before her.


    Ye Zi didn¡¯t strike immediately.


    She quickly squeezed into a car and ordered the driver to follow Ge Yusheng¡¯s vehicle.


    She would wait for the right moment to act.


    Ge Yusheng had to attend the annual grand business banquet, and having had a recent falling out with Longjia, he would not let Shen Tianlong find any business opportunities again.


    Ge Yusheng¡¯s reason for attending tonight¡¯s banquet was simple, and singular: to sabotage any corporation that might consider cooperating with Shen Tianlong.


    Thinking about spoiling Shen Tianlong¡¯s plans, Ge Yusheng felt a rush of excited impatience and urged the driver to go faster.


    Suddenly, after Ge Yusheng¡¯s car had driven some distance, a taxi aggressively cut in front of it.


    The car was blocked!


    Startled, Ge Yusheng sensed danger and shouted loudly for the driver to turn quickly.


    At that moment, Ye Zi floated down from the car and quickly closed in.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Seeing a woman suddenly appear and block the way, Ge Yusheng was shocked.


    ¡°The one who¡¯s going to kill you,¡± Ye Zi said succinctly, her words dense with murderous intent as she swiftly swung out her arm.


    A dagger instantly shattered the glass, and with a twist of the blade, Ye Zi nonchalantly ended the driver¡¯s life, blood spraying from his neck.


    Ge Yusheng had never expected anyone would come to kill him, but given that he had previously sent assassins after others, he was now even more convinced that his own life was the target.


    Seeing the driver dispatched in an instant, Ge Yusheng panicked briefly, then came to his senses and hurriedly pushed open the car door, attempting to run away.


    Unfortunately for him, his reactions were too late and too slow.


    None of his movements were faster than the flying dagger.


    Just as Ge Yusheng made it five steps away, he felt a sharp pain in his back.


    Turning his head, he saw a dagger that had accurately targeted his heart, piercing straight through from his back.


    There was a wet, piercing sound as blood sprayed out.


    He wanted to say something, but his throat wouldn¡¯t make a sound; blood gushed forth, uncontainably.


    Ge Yusheng¡¯s expression gradually faded, his pupils filled with unwillingness.


    And a strong sense of longing.


    After doing all this, Ye Zi glanced indifferently at Ge Yusheng, who lay in a pool of blood, and quickly returned to the goddess villa.


    She was aware of whom she had killed today, and she could predict the kind of storm that his death would cause tomorrow.


    So she only stayed in the villa for five minutes; after leaving a note behind, she walked out of the villa.


    ¡°Brother Qiu, I¡¯ve killed the one who hurt you, so you don¡¯t have to tire yourself anymore.¡±


    ¡°I should go now.


    Staying here will only drag you down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done it.


    I can finally do something for you.


    I¡¯m not the crying girl I used to be; I can protect you now.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could have spent more time with you, but...


    I can¡¯t stay...¡± Ye Zi¡¯s eyes reddened as she looked back at the villa, feeling reluctant to leave it behind.


    Finally.


    Ye Zi stepped onto a black boat and swiftly plunged into the darkness.


    As the dock slowly disappeared from sight, she kept her gaze fixed, unblinking, as if she could see the person she yearned for standing there, watching her leave.


    ¡°Brother Qiu, take care.¡±

 Chapter 69 - 69 0067 Business Turmoil

    ?69: 0067 Business Turmoil 69: 0067 Business Turmoil (The ending of the previous chapter felt inappropriate, so I made some slight alterations and deleted a few paragraphs, which won¡¯t affect the plot.)


    The death of Ge Yusheng had not long passed before it reached the ears of the Director of Zhongshan City.


    With a stern face, the Director sat as officials of all ranks tread cautiously around him, fearful that their rage might explode and turn towards themselves.


    ¡°At such a critical moment, to have such a major incident occur, is someone trying to ruin my political career?¡± The Director felt his future prospects dimming, which speaks volumes of his mood at the moment.


    ¡°Get to the bottom of this, find the murderer at all costs.


    I want to see who dared to cause such a big problem for me,¡± the Director ordered, and the entire Zhongshan City felt as if it had been hit by an earthquake.


    Officials from all departments warned their subordinates to avoid causing any more trouble, lest they face the wrath of the furious Director.


    The police department was the unluckiest of all; the Chief of Zhongshan City¡¯s police was summoned by the Director to his office and severely reprimanded.


    After all, public security falls within the purview of the police, and the murder of a business tycoon in Zhongshan City naturally had the biggest impact on the city¡¯s market.


    Previously, had it not been to prevent this incident, why else would the Director have intervened to mediate the grudge between Ge Yusheng and Shen Tianlong?


    Yet now, it had happened anyway.


    Could it have been Shen Tianlong¡¯s doing?


    While discussing this possibility with Chief Wang, the Director then dismissed it, believing Shen Tianlong, an old fox of the business world, would not disregard the respect due to the Director and act against Ge Yusheng so swiftly.


    They had made peace less than a week ago, and nobody would be foolish enough to court disaster so blatantly.


    Of course, this possibility could not be completely ruled out.


    ¡°Director, I have an idea that may or may not be correct.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± the Director said with a look of surprise.


    Half an hour later, Chief Wang left the Director¡¯s office, and the two had come to a consensus.


    Chief Wang hurried back to the police station to commence a thorough investigation into the death of Ge Yusheng.


    At the top floor of the Longjia Building!


    Shen Tianlong quietly looked at various messages before him, hesitating to act.


    Steward Liu prepared a kettle of hot water and gently placed a cup of boiling water on the table.


    ¡°Master, now that Rongda is headless, various enterprises have already begun to eat away at Rongda¡¯s business.


    When shall we make our move?¡±


    In response to Steward Liu¡¯s question, Shen Tianlong pondered for a while before slowly saying, ¡°It¡¯s true we are mortal enemies with Rongda, but right now, we are the ones who should least afford to make a move.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Steward Liu showed confusion.


    It seemed like a prime opportunity, yet the chairman didn¡¯t want to make a move.


    ¡°Although the current situation is in our favor, have you considered, after this business devouring, who will step forward to clean up the battlefield?¡± Shen Tianlong voiced his thoughts, which were also a heavy weight on his mind.


    Steward Liu didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Zhongshan City cannot be thrown into chaos, especially at this critical moment.


    Even if Rongda put benefits right in front of me, I couldn¡¯t just take them,¡± Shen Tianlong mused with a sigh.


    ¡°Why does the master say so?¡± Steward Liu truly couldn¡¯t see through the implications, but he could see a look of apprehension on Shen Tianlong¡¯s face, although he couldn¡¯t understand why the master would exhibit such an expression.


    ¡°Who do you think is most likely behind the killing of Ge Yusheng?¡± Shen Tianlong suddenly asked.


    ¡°Naturally, it would be our master, you,¡± Steward Liu blurted out in response.


    ¡°Hehe, yes, a clear-minded person would think of that,¡± Shen Tianlong chuckled.


    The butler Liu seemed to realize something, his eyes suddenly twinkled as he continued, ¡°Could it be, my lord, you¡¯re afraid that people will start suspecting you?¡±


    Shen Tianlong revealed a bitter smile, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid, it¡¯s that people have already started suspecting that I was behind it, even though I really wanted Ge Yusheng dead, just not now!¡±


    ¡°The one who killed Ge Yusheng has put our Longjia Group in front of the furnace to be roasted.


    Although they have helped me eliminate Ge Yusheng, they have also harmed us.


    Once we make a move to take over Rongda¡¯s market, the murderer¡¯s name will be conclusively pinned on us,¡± Shen Tianlong sighed with a complicated look in his eyes.


    Faced with a huge cake in front of him, yet unable to partake, Shen Tianlong was also frustrated, but he truly didn¡¯t dare make a move.


    ¡°So it seems, we can only watch as others share this piece of cake,¡± the butler Liu echoed Shen Tianlong¡¯s sentiments, his tone filled with regret.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a temporary gain or loss, let them fight over it, we¡¯ll just stand aside and watch,¡± Shen Tianlong spoke lightly, standing up, picking up a glass of plain water, and gazed towards the brightly lit distant streets.


    Rongda was paralyzed, whether it was the employees or the leadership, faced with the sudden multitude of changes, they were completely panicked.


    At this moment, Rongda could be said to be a loose sack of sand, with Ge Yusheng suddenly killed, the second and third directors not in the country and temporarily unable to return to take charge, faced with the outreach of various groups, Rongda was powerless to resist.


    With no one at the helm, Rongda¡¯s markets were being swiftly overtaken, all partnerships came to an abrupt end.


    Now, it was chaos, as all the major groups made their moves, each wanting to swallow a bigger piece of the cake.


    Be it Hengye Group or Yagong Materials, they all rushed to seize the market, taking what had belonged to Rongda into their own hands.


    Although this process was violent, it unfolded rapidly, Rongda¡¯s subsidiaries were forced to shut down due to various issues, and the companies that had partnered with them promptly terminated cooperation.


    Rongda¡¯s headquarters were in a flurry, too preoccupied to care, as the market was divided up and taken away piece by piece.


    During this period, there were very few enterprises that didn¡¯t make a move; not everyone could ignore the tremendous benefits before their eyes.


    Longjia Group was operating as usual, aside from the employees feeling a sense of regret that their company wasn¡¯t participating in this market scramble, all that was left for them was the excitement of watching from the sidelines.


    As the chairman of the board, Shen Tianlong, hearing the news of Rongda¡¯s market being divided, had composure and calmness on his face, showing no signs of regret.


    It was as if the fierce battle of the commercial arena had nothing to do with him.


    A powerful enemy was being divided on all fronts, Shen Tianlong only felt even better, no feelings of regret stirred within him.


    Without Rongda as a competitor, even without expanding and seizing the market, Longjia Group still possessed the momentum of becoming the leading force in business.


    Shen Tianlong stood in front of the window, watching the rapidly changing situation, as unmovable as a mountain, an embodiment of steadfastness and grandeur!


    After today, who else could compete with Longjia...


    ¡°If I were younger, with a little more time, Longjia¡¯s strides wouldn¡¯t stop at Zhongshan City, it has a much better future,¡± Shen Tianlong spoke with the momentum of soaring on a dragon, his tone full of ambition, yet tinged with a hint of helplessness.


    Thinking about his own health, which wouldn¡¯t give him much more time to help Longjia Group continue to grow.


    If he were gone, whether Jingjing could take control of the vast Longjia Group well enough, to lead it to set sail from Zhongshan City, towards the nation, or even out into the world.


    Shen Tianlong felt a hint of hope, yet also a hint of concern.


    But right now, this was all he could do; the future of Longjia was left for Jingjing to figure out.


    He was tired!


    Shen Tianlong stood at the window for a long time, like a giant cast from steel, standing there motionless.


    Until the dawn light appeared, and the morning¡¯s radiance filled the sky, covering Shen Tianlong¡¯s form in the early light completely.

 Chapter 70 - 70 0068 Gambling Stone

    ?70: 0068 Gambling Stone 70: 0068 Gambling Stone After a week of market grappling, eighty percent of projects in collaboration with Longjia were intercepted and fell into the hands of others.


    Various enterprises that moved quickly were now tidying up their acquired markets, to prevent any instability.


    Hengye Group ranked among the top three economic powerhouses in Zhongshan City, right behind Longjia Group.


    But that was in the past, since they had just digested Longjia¡¯s market, Hengye Group had reached a level almost parallel to Longjia¡¯s, of course, it wasn¡¯t stable yet, one could only say it appeared similar, but there were still slight differences in reality.


    As a director of Hengye Group, Wang Jiahao was younger than Shen Tianlong, looking just over fifty years old.


    Wang Jiahao was genial, always presenting the image of a benevolent elder, even the staff beneath him expressed admiration for this company president.


    Wang Jiahao handled himself with a spring-like ease.


    In this takeover battle for Longjia¡¯s market, it could be said he caught everyone¡¯s attention, nobody expected Wang Jiahao to employ such sharp tactics, quickly gaining the upper hand and outstripping all others¡ªotherwise, his gains wouldn¡¯t have been the greatest.


    That incident once again changed everyone¡¯s perception of Wang Jiahao; they thought he was gentle like the spring rain, but once he got serious, he could turn into a violent storm.


    Wang Kun was different from his father.


    He was relatively famous throughout the company, albeit not for good reasons, yet the employees still had to greet him with a smile whenever they saw him.


    Relief washed over numerous female employees when they saw Wang Kun enter Wang Jiahao¡¯s office.


    Luckily, this son of the boss wasn¡¯t there for them.


    Privately, Wang Kun was called a playboy, changing girlfriends more frequently than his clothes.


    Initially, when people didn¡¯t understand him, some female employees, upon learning he was the chairman¡¯s son, even took the initiative to flirt with him, only to be dumped within two days, followed by three similar incidents.


    After that, the company¡¯s female employees dared not continue to flirt for fear of being played by Wang Kun and harshly dumped, with nothing more than a settlement fee to show for it.


    Wang Kun left Wang Jiahao¡¯s office with a darker expression and was in a bad mood.


    Just because he had just been scolded by his father.


    He had revealed his interest in pursuing Shangguan Hong and even bragged about teaching Ye Qiu a lesson, but he didn¡¯t expect to be chastised by his father.


    Wang Jiahao was very serious, sternly warning him that he couldn¡¯t make a move without his permission.


    Wang Jiahao had explained that a major part of the reason Longjia Group had gotten to where it was today was because of Ye Qiu.


    Naturally, Wang Kun didn¡¯t believe Ye Qiu had that much influence.


    From the moment he met Ye Qiu, he disliked the guy, so hearing his father value Ye Qiu made him disdainful and even more resentful.


    Storming out of the office, Wang Kun wasn¡¯t in the mood to notice the company¡¯s beauties; his mind was filled only with Shangguan Hong, and aside from her, Wang Kun had no interest in other women.


    Soon, Wang Kun gathered a group of wealthy playboys, and they all drove their luxurious cars to the city¡¯s top entertainment venue.


    He was intent on having a good drink today¡ªto get thoroughly drunk.


    Many wealthy playboys flattered Wang Kun as they squeezed out smiles, incessantly belittling Ye Qiu and devising strategies to snatch Shangguan Hong away.


    ¡°What about Huo Qian?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Kun, the brothers didn¡¯t invite him.


    That day Huo Qian confronted you, so we¡¯ve decided to expel him from our group of princelings starting today,¡± one of the playboys said.


    Hearing this, Wang Kun felt much better.


    Just thinking about Huo Qian¡¯s confrontation that day infuriated him.


    ¡°Hmph, to fall out with me over a Ye Qiu, Huo Qian, I¡¯ll make you understand how wrong your choice was,¡± Wang Kun harshly downed a gulp of beer, his eyes flashing fiercely; he then shifted his expression, wrapped an arm around a hostess, and continued his wild drinking.


    ...


    Ye Zi quietly departed, amidst the upheaval at Longjia and numerous enterprises vying for the market, Zhongshan City was indeed bustling recently.


    Whether Longjia Group swallowed Longjia¡¯s market or not, Ye Qiu didn¡¯t care; he was just saddened by Ye Zi¡¯s departure.


    Her leaving without saying goodbye reminded him painfully of when he himself had left her years ago.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s emotions were somewhat unstable, he quickly recognized the shift in his mindset, and was alert to correct it immediately.


    Ye Qiu left a few words of caution, advising Shen Mengchen not to go out recklessly and then he left the mansion himself.


    He wanted to go out for a walk, change his mood, and dilute the sadness brought about by Ye Zi¡¯s disappearance.


    Ye Qiu wandered aimlessly on the streets, and before long, he found himself in an antique market without any clear purpose.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze was attracted by weird and unusual items, finding the things before him quite interesting.


    What he found most amusing was watching a buyer and a seller, unable to agree on a price, haggling back and forth.


    Ye Qiu even took a special look at the antique, which wasn¡¯t genuine, but seeing the buyer walk away with it at his psychological price, and the smug look on his face, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    This place really is interesting.


    The ground was littered with antiques, whether they were high imitations or genuine items, everyone who came here had to touch whatever object they saw.


    After passing a few stalls, Ye Qiu was quickly drawn to a crowd that was gathering around.


    He squeezed through.


    It was a small stall with a sign standing above it, and various stones laid out beneath.


    Stone gambling!


    With one glance, Ye Qiu understood what kind of business this was¡ªit turned out to be the highly speculative stone gambling.


    Currently, stone gambling was underway, and a person was bent over selecting stones, Ye Qiu observed the calm seller, and then looked again at the youth getting ready to gamble on stones.


    Oh...


    Ye Qiu suddenly recognized that the youth selecting stones was none other than Huo Qian; he was surprised to see him here.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t call out to him but watched as Huo Qian paid a thousand yuan, then started having someone cut the stone.


    Whir whir...


    The stone was quickly ground down to a corner, then deeper and deeper, a sigh emanated from the crowd, Huo Qian¡¯s eyes showed a moment of disappointment, then he smiled again.


    The gamble on stones, he had failed again!


    Huo Qian liked this stuff, just as he liked racing, so he came here every morning to stroll around and casually buy a stone to play with.


    As Huo Qian was preparing to leave, he suddenly paused.


    ¡°Boss, this stone, I¡¯ll take it,¡± Huo Qian stared blankly as Ye Qiu picked up a stone and smiled at him.


    ¡°Sure thing, that one¡¯s cheap, one hundred yuan.¡± The boss laughed, watching Ye Qiu pick a stone from a pile of discarded rocks, he couldn¡¯t help but smirk inwardly¡ªsomeone actually picked from there?


    Those were leftover rejects he had meant to throw away but always forgot.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Heh, aren¡¯t you here too?


    How do you like this stone?¡± Ye Qiu asked, smiling.


    Huo Qian took a look and asked, ¡°Do you play stone gambling?¡±


    Ye Qiu shook his head.


    Huo Qian had already seen that the stone Ye Qiu had picked showed no signs of greening; it was completely a waste stone, not even worth a yuan.


    ¡°Boss, when cutting, cut from both sides, take off five centimeters, and leave the middle untouched,¡± Ye Qiu said calmly.


    Huo Qian watched Ye Qiu¡¯s confident appearance, wanting to laugh but not managing to, his gaze followed Ye Qiu¡¯s instructions towards the stone that had been deemed useless.


    Someone was going to cut a waste stone, everyone widened their eyes, and some even watched with a bored attitude, curious to see which fool was cutting a waste stone.


    However, very soon, after the first cut was made, everyone who was waiting to see a joke, the second cut suddenly fell, and a flash of green abruptly appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes, those who were ready to burst into laughter suddenly held it back.


    It had turned green!

 Chapter 71 - 71 0069 invitation

    ?71: 0069 invitation 71: 0069 invitation A stone that almost everyone deemed worthless had been cut to reveal green, a probability so rare here that it was hardly seen once in several years.


    First of all, a stone must be appraised by the seller, who would filter out a large portion.


    Sellers who had been through the wringer in the world of gemstone betting were not exactly stone spirits, but they rarely misjudged.


    The stall owner cutting the stone looked at the remaining piece, about the size of a fist, with the green in its center like the grass of spring, radiating a strong essence of life.


    ¡°This green, it even has a hint of the aura of imperial green, sizzle...¡± said a regular who had been playing with stone cutting for years.


    At that moment, someone else interjected, ¡°That¡¯s not quite right, the greenness has yet to reach the truest color, and the hues it radiates aren¡¯t blue yet, it¡¯s still lacking a bit before it can be genuine imperial green.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, this young fellow is quite lucky, buying it for a hundred bucks, now flipping it for tens or even hundreds of times more poses no problem.¡±


    Hearing this, Ye Qiu was also slightly astonished.


    Could this thing¡¯s value really increase by that much?


    However, using his special ability to scrutinize the stone felt somewhat like overkill.


    Let it be, after all, it was just this one time for fun.


    Ye Qiu shook his head, not particularly interested in betting on stones.


    Ye Qiu wrapped up the cut stone, leaving the seller¡¯s face a picture of brilliance.


    Because such an event had happened right before his eyes, a stone he himself had disregarded turned out to harbor a hue close to imperial green.


    That feeling of having misjudged a treasure was almost harder to bear than losing a loved one.


    A fist-sized piece of jade rough could fetch hundreds of thousands of yuan if slightly processed, no problem.


    However, he had misjudged and placed it among the worthless stones, only to be picked up by someone else.


    Naturally, his mood wasn¡¯t good.


    It was supposed to be his, yet someone had bought it for a mere hundred yuan.


    The seller¡¯s face darkened with envy, seemingly reluctant to let Ye Qiu walk away with it.


    The feeling was like having thrown away hundreds of thousands of yuan, quite a painful loss.


    He couldn¡¯t just let him leave like that.


    The seller¡¯s eyes darted about, and an idea popped into his head.


    He quickly stopped Ye Qiu and said with a smile, ¡°Young fellow, look, you¡¯re in luck, having cut out green.


    How about this, since you bought it from me, I¡¯ll give you one thousand yuan for it?


    How about that?¡±


    ¡°A hundred yuan flipped tenfold to one thousand, you¡¯re also making a profit,¡± the seller said as he pulled out a thousand yuan, ready to thrust it into Ye Qiu¡¯s hand with apparent eagerness.


    Ye Qiu frowned slightly.


    He wasn¡¯t planning on selling this rough stone for even two thousand yuan, let alone one thousand.


    He hadn¡¯t used his special ability for the first time just to find the best piece to sell it back to the seller.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not selling,¡± Ye Qiu refused.


    ¡°You...


    Young fellow, that¡¯s not very sportsmanlike,¡± the seller said with a splash of tantrum in his tone, which seemed a bit like throwing a fit.


    Whispers swirled among the surrounding crowd, many thinking the seller was too narrow-minded and his behavior somewhat shameful.


    Yet, with an attitude of avoiding trouble, although people looked down on the seller inwardly, not a single one stepped forward to offer help.


    Just then, a figure standing to the side stepped forward and said indifferently, ¡°If they don¡¯t want to sell, do you intend to force the purchase?¡±


    This person was none other than Huo Qian.


    ¡°Young man, I appreciate your frequent patronage of my business, so please don¡¯t interfere in this matter,¡± the seller said, recognizing Huo Qian.


    Knowing that he had visited several times and cut a few stones, and although he had been generous with his spending, it still involved an emerald raw stone worth hundreds of thousands.


    The seller had decided, even at the cost of offending Huo Qian, a great customer, that he had to get the raw stone back from Ye Qiu¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Hmph, doing business requires maintaining credibility,¡± Huo Qian said harshly, showing no mercy to the man.


    ¡°Seeing someone pay a small price for a premium raw stone from you and then coveting it is not only an insult to all merchants but also a disgrace to the business community.¡± His words came out like knives, stabbing into the opponent relentlessly.


    ¡°You little thing, how dare you lecture me, what gives you the right!¡± the seller roared in anger.


    Huo Qian sneered and said, ¡°Heh, on what basis?


    On the basis that I am Huo Qian.


    You might want to try testing the status of the Huo family in Zhongshan City.¡±


    Huo Qian spoke arrogantly, displaying a fearlessness that disturbed the seller when he heard about the Huo family.


    Having done business in Zhongshan City for years, he was well aware of the commercial giants, and it was clear to him that Huo Qian was committed to helping to the end.


    The seller hesitated for a while and then decided not to insist any further.


    He immediately put on a sycophantic smile and apologised, ¡°So, you are the young master of the Huo family.


    No wonder I failed to recognize the great man before me.


    I hope you¡¯ll forgive my ignorance.


    Since we are friends in the business world, let¡¯s drop the matter today.


    I hope Young Master Huo won¡¯t take it to heart and will continue to support my business in the future.¡±


    Huo Qian nodded, since the other party was sensible, he didn¡¯t care to pursue the matter any further.


    He believed one shouldn¡¯t push someone to their ultimate demise, leaving a way out was better, a lesson deeply ingrained in him by his father¡¯s teachings.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Ye Qiu with a smile to Huo Qian.


    Huo Qian shook his head and said, ¡°Brother Ye is really lucky.


    I¡¯ve been buying for so many days, and the best green-bearing raw stone I got isn¡¯t even a quarter as large as yours, and the capital I spent is tens of thousands of times more than yours.¡±


    There was a hint of envy and friendliness in Huo Qian¡¯s voice.


    Ye Qiu had a good impression of Huo Qian; he hadn¡¯t expected that when his own finished raw stone was about to be forcibly bought back, Huo Qian had stepped in to block the move.


    He increasingly felt that Huo Qian was someone worth befriending.


    ¡°If Brother Huo likes it, I¡¯ll give it to you,¡± Ye Qiu said nonchalantly as he tossed the raw stone into Huo Qian¡¯s arms, surprising him.


    ¡°Brother Ye, no matter what, this is a stone worth hundreds of thousands.


    Are you sure you don¡¯t want it?¡± Huo Qian said with a mix of laughter and disbelief.


    Ye Qiu was being too generous; he remembered that this guy was supposed to be a miser, but today he was acting so magnanimously.


    ¡°Brother Huo has helped me a lot.


    It¡¯s not a big deal to give you this stone,¡± Ye Qiu said lightly.


    Huo Qian was taken aback for a moment, then said earnestly, ¡°With a friend like you, I, Huo Qian, am truly committed.¡±


    ¡°However, I can¡¯t just take this stone for nothing.


    Here¡¯s a card with half a million in it, consider it payment for the purchase,¡± Huo Qian said, tossing a bank card into Ye Qiu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I can¡¯t accept it...¡± Ye Qiu was about to refuse, but Huo Qian interrupted him, continuing, ¡°Brother Ye, this money isn¡¯t for nothing, heh, I have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Ye Qiu responded in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite fond of stone gambling, but I¡¯m not great at judging stones.


    In a couple of days, there¡¯s a big stone gambling event that I want to attend, so I¡¯d like to ask Brother Ye to assist me in making choices.


    It would be a great loss if I misjudge,¡± Huo Qian shared his thoughts and then stared at Ye Qiu, awaiting his response.


    Ye Qiu pondered for a while and didn¡¯t keep Huo Qian waiting too long before taking the initiative, ¡°Since Brother Huo holds me in such regard, I, Ye Qiu, will serve as your Think Tank this time.¡±


    The two men looked at each other and laughed heartily, displaying a perfect understanding of each other, like old friends of many years.

 Chapter 72 - 72 One stroke makes you poor another makes you rich

    ?72: One stroke makes you poor, another makes you rich.


    72: One stroke makes you poor, another makes you rich.


    Ye Qiu returned to the Goddess Villa, gave a few instructions, and the next day he went to the agreed location.


    The two men took a car out of Zhongshan City and arrived at a jade stone gambling market located next to Zhongshan City, Linzhou.


    Linzhou is a gambling stone market that has emerged in recent years.


    Its prototype mainly focused on processing, but after several years of booming development, it has become the gambling stone market of today.


    Every day, stone gambling enthusiasts from all over the country come here to buy a few stones they have set their eyes on and try their luck.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t know much about stone gambling.


    Had it not been for his ¡°perspective eye¡±, he would not have been able to tell which pieces were any good.


    Although Huo Qian was not very skilled at evaluating stones, he was clear about the ins and outs of the stone gambling scene.


    In the world of stone gambling, there is a saying.


    One cut to poverty, one cut to riches, one cut to wearing burlap.


    A piece of raw stone, once cut, may reveal very little green, emerging as something worth far less than the price paid for it, which means a loss.


    Some people, enamored with a raw stone, even go as far as borrowing money to buy it, only to end up with a worthless stone, misjudging it and losing everything.


    This is what is meant by one cut to poverty.


    Every coin has two sides.


    Some people have bad luck or poor judgement and cut stones that turn out to be of little value.


    But there are also those with a deep understanding of raw stones, who can tell at a glance the depth and the likelihood of finding green within.


    Such events often occur at a certain stall in the Linzhou market, where bystanders witness a raw stone bought for several hundred thousand suddenly skyrocket to a value of several million or even tens of millions once cut.


    That¡¯s one cut to riches.


    Stone gambling has a very strong element of risk.


    It can make someone rich overnight, or leave them with nothing.


    Listening to Huo Qian recount various incidents from the stone gambling world, Ye Qiu began to get an idea of what stone gambling involved.


    In essence, stone gambling is like any other form of gambling, with luck playing a significant part.


    It¡¯s all about one person being willing to gamble and another willing to bear the consequence.


    ¡°You¡¯re not worried that I¡¯ll get hooked on gambling and end up broke, are you?¡± Huo Qian asked with a laugh, looking at Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu indeed had considered this possibility, since gambling can be very addictive, just like smoking.


    Once you get used to it, it¡¯s hard to quit.


    Huo Qian said with a laugh, ¡°I know the waters are deep here, and every time I gamble on stones, I set a limit for myself.


    I won¡¯t make a move if it¡¯s over a certain amount of money.¡±


    ¡°Does your father know you gamble on stones?¡±


    ¡°He knows, but I have self-control.


    I won¡¯t gamble too much,¡± Huo Qian said.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring me here thinking I would gamble on stones, did you?¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never gambled on stones before, I can tell.


    But it¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re new to this that you might have exceptionally good luck.


    Otherwise, how could you have cut a stone that¡¯s nearly the quality of imperial green?¡± Huo Qian mused thoughtfully, as if he had everything under control.


    Ye Qiu just smiled; he certainly wasn¡¯t going to tell Huo Qian that his success in gambling was not due to luck, but rather because he could see through the essence of the stones.


    ¡°You have this mysterious aura about you that makes you inscrutable, so by having you here, maybe my luck will skyrocket,¡± Huo Qian said.


    The two chatted for a while, then arrived at a stall.


    There were many people around, and at each stall, groups of stone appreciators gathered, their eyes reflecting thoughts on whether the stones were worth cutting.


    Ye Qiu advised Huo Qian not to make a move immediately.


    Being newcomers, they didn¡¯t need to rush and could take their time to look around first.


    Huo Qian shared the sentiment.


    Although he could be considered a second-generation rich kid in Zhongshan City, he would have to be more restrained in other cities.


    The stall was quite large, with raw stones of various sizes on display.


    The largest, about the height of a person, bore a price tag of ten million, while the smallest, about the size of a fist, ranged from several dozen to several thousand yuan in price.


    Essentially, no matter your wealth, there was a raw stone for you to gamble on, which Ye Qiu found rather formidable.


    At this time, the market was just opening and the crowd had only just begun to flow in, but already, some people couldn¡¯t resist making the first move.


    A football-sized piece of rough jade shaped like a sphere was bought for eight thousand yuan, and the stall owner was responsible for cutting the stone.


    Everyone gathered around, forming a half-circle.


    After the first cut, there was nothing, just white.


    The majority of the crowd let out sighs of pity, lamenting a gambling collapse, which meant a loss.


    As for the buyer, his expression remained unchanged, not showing the slightest ripple despite the cut, as though he had expected this.


    Upon the second cut, a hint of green appeared.


    Astonishment spread among the crowd¡ªthey had actually cut green.


    The buyer smiled and then did not allow the stall owner to continue cutting.


    The stall owner nodded, saying, ¡°Do you want to sell it now?¡±


    The buyer replied, ¡°Starting at four hundred thousand.¡±


    The eyes of the crowd were glued to the piece of rough jade with its newly exposed green, analyzing its value.


    If they continued to cut and the area of green became larger, if there were more hints of green, its value would certainly exceed four hundred thousand.


    But, if the next cut turned out white again, it would be ruined, and the four hundred thousand would go down the drain.


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian watched for a while, and ultimately, someone else bought the stone for three hundred fifty thousand.


    After it was completely cut open, plenty of green was revealed, its total value far exceeding three hundred fifty thousand.


    ¡°Zzz...


    No wonder people flock to this.


    In just a moment¡¯s time, tens of thousands were made¡ªit¡¯s such quick money,¡± Ye Qiu said indifferently.


    Huo Qian agreed.


    He had seen several people bet successfully, and even though his family was not short of money, the thrill of winning a bet left him anticipating.


    With someone setting a good example, among the crowd of onlookers, others began to make their moves too.


    For a time, the number of people having stones cut increased.


    Huo Qian also prepared to pick a piece, but Ye Qiu stopped him.


    He had just scanned the area with his X-ray vision and saw that not many stones here were revealing green.


    There were several rough stones marked with five million or ten million that contained quite a bit of green, but Ye Qiu felt that spending so much money on them was not worthwhile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else,¡± Ye Qiu suggested.


    Huo Qian was taken aback, unsure why Ye Qiu had stopped him.


    After hesitating slightly, he followed Ye Qiu to another stall.


    Walking from one end to the other, Huo Qian wanted to buy a piece several times but was stopped by Ye Qiu every time, leaving him very puzzled by Ye Qiu¡¯s actions.


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t offer any explanations and simply glanced over a stall before moving on, appearing to just take a cursory look.


    After virtually covering the entire Gambling Stone Street, Huo Qian couldn¡¯t help but voice the question that had been lingering in his mind.


    ¡°Brother Ye, why have you repeatedly stopped me from making a move?


    Just let me buy one for fun,¡± said Huo Qian.


    Ye Qiu shook his head and said earnestly, ¡°Brother Huo, do you want to take a big gamble?¡±


    A big gamble?


    Upon hearing this, Huo Qian¡¯s eyes flashed with excitement as he asked, ¡°How big?¡±


    ¡°Close to ten million.¡±


    Huo Qian inhaled sharply.


    Ten million might not be much for the Huo family, but it was not an amount he could easily produce on his own.


    After all, it was a large sum of money.


    Huo Qian hesitated and then said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have that much money on me.¡± He showed a look of embarrassment.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s buy a few small ones first, make some capital, and then that should be enough,¡± Ye Qiu said casually.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Huo Qian looked at Ye Qiu with surprise, wondering where his confidence came from, or if Ye Qiu could really see through the stones.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re here, we can¡¯t leave empty-handed,¡± Ye Qiu said, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.


    After a long walk around, it was not just a casual glance for him.


    He already knew clearly which stall had which pieces of rough jade that would turn out green.


    The challenge now was to buy as many rough stones as possible before anyone else, which would likely keep both of them busy.

 Chapter 73 - 73 0071 What a green scene!

    ?73: 0071 What a green scene!


    73: 0071 What a green scene!


    Such a green!


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian started from a street-side stall, where Ye Qiu pointed, Huo Qian promptly paid.


    In no time, nearly five million was squandered by the two, exchanged for a pile of stones.


    Looking at the pile of stones before him, even Huo Qian was momentarily uncertain, feeling that they had acted impulsively, especially himself, buying so much in one go.


    Could they all turn out green?


    That would require incredibly good luck, to have each and every piece turn out green!


    But the money was already spent, with no turning back, Huo Qian could only trust Ye Qiu completely.


    He spent over three million, and Ye Qiu also put in all his worth, over a million.


    Together, they managed nearly five million.


    If these stones were all duds, then all the money would be as good as thrown away.


    Huo Qian decided in his heart that if he went bankrupt in this gamble, he would take a three-month break from stone gambling.


    The two men, carrying a bunch of stones, arrived at a stall, ready to cut the stones.


    While they roamed the various stalls, buying aggressively, some people had already noticed these two odd fellows.


    Seeing that the two wanted to spend money on cutting stone, the stall owner swiftly agreed, after all, this could also attract more customers to watch, which would generate extra income for his stall.


    ¡°Haha, young fellows, you two bought quite a lot of rough stone.¡± The stall owner was slightly surprised, looking at Ye Qiu and Huo Qian before him.


    These two young men had bought so much rough stone, probably on a whim.


    Moreover, most of these rough stones looked like waste, with some having too large margins that were indistinguishable, but the size seemed to also hold significant value.


    A naive rich guy if ever there was one!


    The stall owner¡¯s eyes glittered with greed, for who wouldn¡¯t like such deep-pocketed customers?


    ¡°Young fellows, take a look, I also have some top-quality rough materials here; consider it?¡± the stall owner asked, probing for an opportunity to make a sale.


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian shook their heads.


    The two had hurriedly bought all the rough materials in the market that were believed to turn out green, even leaving some bystanders completely bewildered, barely believing these two impulsive buyers who just glanced at stones before buying, as if they had money to burn.


    Ignoring the complex gazes of the crowd, the two spent all their money and then stopped.


    As for those they hadn¡¯t managed to buy, Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t particularly regretful, as he still left some opportunities for others to find a bargain.


    ¡°Boss, cut it directly; we¡¯ll talk about these stones here later,¡± Huo Qian urged, eager to see if these stones would all turn out green.


    ¡°Alright.¡± The stall owner didn¡¯t dilly-dally and shouted out, grinding his knife eagerly at the raw stone.


    ¡°Boss, make two cuts, just directly down the width of a finger,¡± Ye Qiu said first, not letting the stall owner cut on his own.


    The stall owner nodded and slowly made a cut.


    ¡°Hey, look, those are the two fools who just bought without bargaining, just grabbed and paid, thinking green is so easy to cut.


    I want to see what kind of jadeite they can cut from their rough material,¡± someone recognized Ye Qiu and Huo Qian and immediately crowded around, ready to watch them become a laughing stock.


    Smack!


    Two cuts, one after the other, the trimmed edges fell to the ground, making a smacking sound.


    The crowd¡¯s gaze then fell on the raw stone that endured the two cuts.


    ¡°Quick look...¡±


    ¡°Green!¡±


    ¡°It really turned out green!¡±


    The onlookers began to heat up with discussion; the very first stone had cut to reveal decently appearing green jadeite, marking a good start.


    Huo Qian¡¯s eyes flashed, and he couldn¡¯t help but look towards Ye Qiu, ¡°Brother Ye, how much did this stone cost?¡±


    ¡°500.¡± Ye Qiu stated simply.


    Huo Qian¡¯s eyes sparkled as he, although not good at evaluating stones, knew that this just-cut raw stone could now be valued several times higher.


    ¡°Now it could be sold for at least 5,000 to 10,000,¡± Huo Qian said, a bit excited.


    He had rarely flipped his money so many times before in stone gambling.


    ¡°It turned out.¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes flickered, suggesting, and Huo Qian understood Ye Qiu¡¯s idea.


    He wanted to resell it immediately, and although he didn¡¯t know what Ye Qiu was up to, he decided to gamble along with him.


    Suddenly, Huo Qian started to set the price, and when the people around saw that the two young men were selling for not much, someone immediately bought it and paid by direct transfer.


    After the first piece was sold, the two asked the stall owner to cut the second piece.


    Ye Qiu was very composed.


    Having verified with the first piece, he was fully confident that the uncut raw stones in front of him were definitely green.


    Huo Qian, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t be composed because the piece in front of him was quite expensive, costing a whopping five hundred thousand.


    If this gamble fell through, it would really be money down the drain.


    Even though he was wealthy, he couldn¡¯t just throw away money like this.


    The nearly forty-kilogram large raw stone was once again cut open in front of a crowd.


    For this cut, Ye Qiu requested a straight cut at a specific corner he pointed out, and the blade went down.


    Green again?


    The crowd was once again stunned because the second piece, with the first cut, revealed green again.


    Although it was just a shallow cut, the shade of the green suggested that its potential value could be very large.


    If they continued cutting, it was very likely that imperial jade would appear.


    ¡°Is this piece for sale?¡± realizing the two might still want to sell, someone from the crowd immediately asked.


    Huo Qian looked towards Ye Qiu, and after a brief exchange of glances, Huo Qian said, ¡°Two million, that¡¯s the final offer.¡±


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s a deal.¡± The person didn¡¯t dawdle and settled it immediately.


    In a blink of an eye, they had recovered over two million from an initial five hundred thousand, and Huo Qian¡¯s confidence surged.


    No longer anxious, he could now comfortably let the stall owner continue cutting.


    Green!


    Another piece was cut, and it was green again!


    Green!


    Green!


    Green!


    They cut seven or eight pieces in a row, all of which were green, including one piece that contained a fist-sized imperial jade.


    Instantly, this scene impacted the entire jadeite gambling market¡¯s participants.


    Because Ye Qiu and Huo Qian had consistently extracted over a dozen jadeite pieces with significant value¡ªprices ranged from about one hundred thousand for the lowest to several million for the highest.


    In less than half an hour, not only had they recouped their initial investment, but they also made an additional three million plus¡ªand they still had half of the uncut stones yet to be sliced.


    ¡°My goodness, go and see, it¡¯s incredibly lively over there.


    Every piece they cut is green; it¡¯s simply divine.¡±


    ¡°This is unprecedented in Lin Ping, who are these gemstone experts with such accurate judgment?¡± some people were very interested in Ye Qiu and Huo Qian¡¯s sudden appearance.


    A large crowd gathered around, forming layers both inside and out around Ye Qiu and Huo Qian, making it nearly impossible for them to leave.


    ¡°Green, green, green!¡±


    As the crowd¡¯s anticipatory eyes watched, many began shouting along, hoping the raw stones of the two men would continue to pop with green.


    Swipe!


    Another piece turned out green, and a burst of applause erupted from the crowd; they had never before witnessed anyone with such a profound ability to discern stone quality, seeing through the raw materials so thoroughly¡ªit was almost terrifying.


    At that moment, this place buzzed continuously with voices as jadeite appeared one after another.


    It could be said, Ye Qiu and Huo Qian were making so much money that their hands were going numb, yet they persisted, their pockets having ballooned beyond five million and still earning more.


    The two were overjoyed, while the stone-cutting stall owner showed a bitter expression, feeling that Ye Qiu and Huo Qian were using his effort, as his own stones hadn¡¯t sold, but Ye Qiu and Huo Qian¡¯s were selling much more.


    Seeing Ye Qiu and Huo Qian continuously cut green, some people recognized that perhaps these two were truly exceptional.


    In less than an hour, the two had sold out all the raw stones in front of them, collecting a total of fifteen million, earning a net ten million after deducting the initial capital.


    The emergence of one green piece after another made it difficult for the onlookers to remain calm, especially as they saw the amount of money in the pockets of the two men continuously increase, many onlookers showed envious expressions, watching the two non-stop.


    As they saw the two tidy up a bit and prepare to continue purchasing raw gemstones, many people followed.


    Many were already convinced that once the two picked any stone, they would immediately snatch it up and pay, because it would definitely reveal green!


    Watching the young figures of Ye Qiu and Huo Qian, many seasoned players in the stone-cutting field planned to trap the two men once, also hoping to make a sweet profit.

 Chapter 74 - 74 007 The young old fox

    ?74: 007 The young ¡®old fox 74: 007 The young ¡®old fox All turned out green, not a single miss.


    Huo Qian looked at Ye Qiu, feeling him to be even more mysterious.


    How did he do it, to be able to tell at a glance whether a stone would turn out green?


    It was almost supernatural.


    Huo Qian really wanted to ask, but he swallowed his question, feeling immense admiration for Ye Qiu.


    At the same time, a tinge of envy twirled in his heart.


    Where did this guy come from?


    Not only was he better than himself at racing, but he was also a master at gambling on stones.


    In less than an hour, the two of them had made a clean profit of ten million.


    If it weren¡¯t for his rule of not taking out too much money for gambling on stones, he would have gone back to withdraw money and gamble big.


    Yet, Huo Qian still managed to restrain his desire for money.


    Compared to how much money was earned, Huo Qian was more interested in the process of gambling on stones; the moment of revealing green brought an unparalleled satisfaction.


    After selling all their raw stones, the two wandered to another stall¡¯s location, followed by a large crowd curious to see how Ye Qiu and his friend selected stones and if they could continue their streak of finding green.


    Of course, there were also those with different motives, hoping to pick up any missed opportunities; such people were not in the minority, harboring schemes and following alongside, waiting for their chance.


    Ye Qiu was completely unconcerned, as if unaware of the wolves around him, eyeing him like prey.


    ¡°Heh, do they want to gamble on bigger stones?¡± Some were surprised when they saw Ye Qiu and Huo Qian stop at the only largest stall in this area of the market.


    Everyone who gambled on stones here started at millions; the prices were too high for ordinary people to bear.


    Considering the raw stones the two had sold just before, fetching millions each, it seemed they could afford the prices here.


    ¡°Interesting, daring to gamble on large stones means you can¡¯t make a judgment without showing your hand.


    I¡¯d like to see how you guys select stones,¡± someone said with an amused smile.


    Some newcomers attracted to the scene, who had just entered the world of stone gambling, did not know the ins and outs and thus asked someone nearby, ¡°Is there a difference between gambling on big stones and small ones?¡±


    The person nearby laughed and couldn¡¯t help but explain, ¡°Of course there is, and the difference is quite significant.¡±


    Whether it¡¯s a large or small raw stone, its outer layer is covered with a weathered skin.


    If it¡¯s not cut open, no one can see whether it¡¯s good or bad, but insiders all know that another important factor is the size of the raw stone.


    For small raw stones, whether they turn out green or not, generally, their weathered skin isn¡¯t as thick as that of the larger stones.


    The thinness of the skin on small raw stone materials allows a certain degree of mystery to be pried open under intense external light.


    Therefore, most gamblers prefer not to play with large stones; besides, small stones are relatively cheaper.


    Even if one makes a bad purchase, it wouldn¡¯t bankrupt them.


    Large stones, however, are different due to their large surface area.


    Usually, the weathered skin is thicker, and due to years of geological changes, its surface is mixed with impurities, making it harder to discern.


    It is often said, even gods find it hard to judge a piece of jade; this appears to refer to small stones but actually pertains to large stones.


    The arrival of Ye Qiu and Huo Qian made the stall instantly overcrowded.


    Those who were unaware of the situation even thought that some big stone gambling bosses had arrived, given the grand spectacle with so many people following them.


    ¡°Gentlemen, which one have you taken a fancy to?


    Let¡¯s look at the stones first, then talk price,¡± said the stall owner, seasoned in the ways of the world and adept at sizing up people.


    From the first glance at Ye Qiu and Huo Qian, he sensed they were not ordinary people; judging people wasn¡¯t just about their youth, but also their temperament.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze swept over each piece, eventually settling on a large raw stone nearly as tall as a person.


    ¡°Selected this piece?¡± the stall owner said with a smile, ¡°You both have good eyes.


    This rough stone was specially brought from Myanmar by me.


    It took a lot of effort, and look at this shape.


    Once it turns green, the value will absolutely skyrocket by a hundredfold.¡±


    Ye Qiu pinched his chin, deep in thought without a word.


    The people around him, seeing his uncertain expression, thought the price tagged was too high.


    Immediately, someone¡¯s eyes flashed, and they quickly spoke up, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll take this piece of rough stone.¡±


    Whoosh!


    A middle-aged man squeezed out from the crowd, and everyone looked at him with surprised eyes, all wondering at his showy demeanor.


    The stall owner was surprised by this Cheng Yaojin who came out of nowhere.


    His gaze collided with Ye Qiu¡¯s for a moment.


    Ye Qiu smiled and said, ¡°Then give it to him,¡± but he didn¡¯t continue to speak, and his face was a picture of icy indifference.


    The stall owner nodded and asked eagerly with a smile, ¡°Shall we cut it now?¡±


    ¡°Cut.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s face was full of smugness.


    Despite spending two million, if he could cut some green, it would be totally worth it.


    And considering the size of the stone, if green appeared, it would not be small.


    The presence of so many spectators around them instantly satisfied the middle-aged man¡¯s desire to show off.


    After receiving the money, the stall owner began to cut the stone.


    The first cut revealed white stone flesh.


    The second cut, still white stone flesh.


    The third cut, the fourth cut, the fifth cut...


    After more than twenty cuts, not a hint of green had appeared, leaving the middle-aged man dumbfounded.


    It was clear that he had lost the gamble.


    Not a trace of green came out!


    ¡°Impossible, how could there be no green.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes widened, wishing to question Ye Qiu why this was happening.


    ¡°Ye, what¡¯s going on?


    You were also interested in this stone just now, weren¡¯t you?¡± Huo Qian asked.


    He too wanted to know why the stone they had just selected yielded no trace of green.


    Earlier, he had been annoyed that the middle-aged man had bought it first, but now he watched with a hint of schadenfreude, though still curious, and wanted to get to the bottom of it.


    The middle-aged man also looked over, eager to hear what Ye Qiu would say.


    Ye Qiu said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s true that I was looking at this stone just now, but what I was wondering wasn¡¯t about whether it would turn green or not, but rather...¡±


    Ye Qiu purposely paused to whet everyone¡¯s curiosity, gaining their attention, before continuing, ¡°but rather I was curious how such a large piece of rough stone could contain not even a hint of green, being a mere piece of waste stone.


    Having it displayed here is clearly a scam.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you seem so regretful afterward?¡± Huo Qian pressed.


    Ye Qiu chuckled and replied, ¡°Such a large piece of rough stone, not yielding any green, and yet this middle-aged uncle bought it for a high price.


    Two million, just gone like that.


    Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a pity?¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s rhetorical question made everyone feel an urge to hit someone.


    Dammit, it¡¯s utterly a piece of waste stone, and you still have a regretful expression; isn¡¯t that misleading people?


    Many around them had been deceived by Ye Qiu¡¯s expression, thinking he was upset because someone else got it first, when in fact, he wasn¡¯t annoyed at all but feeling pity for the buyer.


    The middle-aged man nearly choked with rage upon hearing this, but it was entirely his own doing, taking the initiative to buy this rough stone.


    Now, no one else could be blamed; it was his own greed at fault.


    The middle-aged man was too aggrieved to speak.


    He glared at Ye Qiu with indignation and felt too embarrassed to stay any longer, afraid of becoming the laughingstock of everyone.


    The stone betting did not end with the middle-aged man¡¯s resentful departure.


    Because Ye Qiu made another move.


    Ye Qiu took interest in a raw stone that was placed at an angle.


    It was one meter tall, slender, and unlike the other large, rounded stones, it stood out conspicuously.


    ¡°How much for this one?¡±


    The stall owner stretched out ten fingers, the message clear.


    Ye Qiu nodded.


    The onlookers around him clicked their tongues in shock¡ªa whole ten million!


    Ye Qiu seemed particularly fond of this stone, scrutinizing it repeatedly and starting to haggle with the stall owner.


    ¡°Young chap, this stone has been with me for seven or eight years; it¡¯s never moved, practically the treasure of my shop.


    I can¡¯t let it go for less than ten million,¡± the stall owner declared, his words resolute.


    Ye Qiu pondered, tapped the stone with his hand, peered closely at it, and scratched his head, as if he were undecided because of the price.


    Some astute onlookers carefully watched Ye Qiu¡¯s expressions, almost certain that the raw stone was of good quality.


    They couldn¡¯t let him buy it¡ªthis fellow had bought so many stones that turned out to have jade, this one couldn¡¯t possibly be wrong.


    In the end, someone couldn¡¯t resist and jumped in front of Ye Qiu, throwing down a bank card and handing it to the stall owner.


    ¡°Young chap, look, someone beat you to it.


    I¡¯m sorry, but since you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll sell it to him,¡± the stall owner¡¯s face bloomed into a chrysanthemum smile.


    Today, Ye Qiu truly was his lucky star.


    He had sold two raw stones in succession and for good prices at that.


    Could it be that he was a wealth-bringing child sent by the heavens?


    With his imagination in overdrive, the stall owner smiled as he transferred the money, including the bank¡¯s take, into his account.


    This was also a young man, though smaller and shorter in stature, with a thin face and eyes that shone with shrewdness.


    One¡¯s first impression was that this guy was slippery.


    The man asked the stall owner to start cutting the stone, and the stall owner promptly began, as all eyes once again gathered.


    The first cut.


    White stone flesh¡ªcould it be another dud?


    Everyone¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Even the man who bought the stone looked uneasy, feeling he had acted impulsively.


    But the second cut changed everything.


    His complexion immediately improved as jade appeared, and a sizable area at that.


    ¡°Wow, such a large piece of green,¡± came the exclamations from the crowd.


    Many envied the man, believing he had made a smart move by snatching the stone away from Ye Qiu¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°Continue cutting?¡±


    The man nodded proudly: ¡°Keep going.¡± At this moment, being the center of attention, he felt extremely smug.


    He wanted to see just how much his stone could multiply in value.


    The second cut expanded the green area; it seemed the stone would make him a fortune.


    When the third cut was made, everyone¡¯s expression froze¡ªwhite flesh again...


    How could white suddenly appear where there was green?


    To everyone¡¯s astonishment, it turned out the green they saw before was just a small patch, and a fault had appeared right after it, blocking the path of any further green with plain stone flesh.


    Even the stall owner paused, dumbfounded.


    Although this situation is rare, it¡¯s not unheard of.


    He had thought this stone was certain to appreciate in value, yet due to the next two or three cuts, its worth plunged drastically, becoming nearly worthless.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you¡¯re not going to tell me that you foresaw this scenario, that¡¯s why you hesitated and didn¡¯t make a move?¡± Huo Qian asked.


    It was the second time this happened; the raw stones Ye Qiu was interested in both had issues¡ªfirst, no jade at all, a complete dud, and then jade with a fault appeared, a stark contrast to his previous streak of perfect outcomes.


    Could it be that Ye Qiu¡¯s luck had run out?


    Huo Qian felt compelled to come to this conclusion.


    ¡°I expected the appearance of jade, which was exactly as I had predicted.


    That¡¯s why I was conflicted and lamenting that a great piece of raw stone should meet such a rare occurrence,¡± Ye Qiu said calmly.


    The man who bought the stone was looking rather upset.


    It goes without saying that anyone who casually wasted ten million wouldn¡¯t be in a good mood.


    After Ye Qiu¡¯s two missteps, the people around began to see through him; they thought he was just a shill for the stall owner, his hesitations and changing expressions merely a show for them.


    The stall owner was unaware that most people had come to regard Ye Qiu as his plant.


    If he were to grasp what they were thinking, he would feel profoundly wronged¡ªit had nothing to do with him.


    Just as the crowd was treating Ye Qiu as if he was in cahoots with the stall owner, Ye Qiu¡¯s voice rang out again.


    ¡°Boss, how much for this one?¡±


    ¡°Twelve million!¡±


    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s too expensive; you¡¯re not being fair.


    If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to sell those two stones just now,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    If the person who had previously bought the raw stones heard this, they would surely be spitting blood in fury.


    ¡°Hehe, fine, since you¡¯ve been so good for my business, young chap, the lowest I can go is eight million, not a cent less,¡± the stall owner said.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Ye Qiu replied with a smile, paying the owner, to the astonishment of everyone present.


    Bought it?


    Since no one had the courage to try their luck after Ye Qiu¡¯s previous blunders for fear of being duped, no one was quick to jump in this time.


    Thus, Ye Qiu smoothly acquired the large raw stone.

 Chapter 75 - 75 Intercept 0073

    ?75: Intercept 0073 75: Intercept 0073 Eight million!


    What Huo Qian didn¡¯t expect was that Ye Qiu directly bought it without hesitation.


    Originally, he had wanted to advise Ye Qiu against such rashness, especially since the previous two pieces of raw stone hadn¡¯t been very promising, leaving Huo Qian unsure.


    Just as he was about to speak, he stopped himself, thinking about the spree of raw stones they had just bought, all of which had turned out green, earning them a fortune of tens of millions.


    It could be said that it was all thanks to Ye Qiu.


    At this time, for Ye Qiu to make the purchase without consulting him didn¡¯t seem to matter much.


    Ye Qiu noticed the look in Huo Qian¡¯s eyes and, without rushing to cut the raw stone, smiled at Huo Qian and said, ¡°Brother Huo, you don¡¯t blame me for deciding to buy it without consulting you, do you?¡±


    Huo Qian shook his head, ¡°Since Brother Ye wants to buy it, you must have your reasons.


    I¡¯m not much help anyway; it¡¯s fine for you to make the decision yourself.¡±


    Ye Qiu said, ¡°It¡¯s good that Brother Huo trusts me.¡±


    As Ye Qiu spoke with Huo Qian, the stall owner, as well as the many onlookers behind them, were all eager for Ye Qiu to cut the piece he had bought.


    After waiting a long time without Ye Qiu speaking up, they couldn¡¯t help but become anxious.


    ¡°Young man, are you cutting this piece now?¡± asked the stall owner with a smile.


    He too was someone who loved the gamble of stone cutting; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have taken up this business.


    However, sometimes he was afraid of gambling away everything, as that would mean a significant loss of money.


    Hence, he preferred not to cut certain uncertain raw stones himself but to sell them instead.


    Having just sold a valuable piece of raw stone, the stall owner naturally also wanted to know if it could yield truly exceptional jade.


    To the stall owner¡¯s inquiry, Ye Qiu responded with a shake of his head and said, ¡°No, I¡¯ll take this stone with me.¡±


    Not cutting it?


    Everyone looked at Ye Qiu with confusion, not understanding what he was up to.


    Eight million was no small sum; did he not want to know what was inside the raw stone?


    Everyone¡¯s curiosity piqued as they watched Ye Qiu, failing to understand why he wouldn¡¯t cut the stone immediately.


    Noticing Ye Qiu¡¯s calm and unhurried demeanor, Huo Qian caught on to his intentions and quickly made a phone call.


    Soon, a vehicle arrived to transport the raw stone, weighing over a hundred pounds, to the car.


    As Ye Qiu and Huo Qian drove away, many were still in a daze, puzzled by Ye Qiu¡¯s thought process.


    The crowd had yet to disperse when someone slowly remarked, ¡°This young gambler is no simple character.


    He was putting on a show for everyone from the very start, what a sly old fox!¡±


    Some were perplexed, not understanding the meaning behind his words and sought further clarification.


    The man continued, ¡°Haven¡¯t you understood yet?


    From the beginning, the young gambler was actually aiming for that piece of stone he just bought.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he choose that piece from the start?¡± someone followed up.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly where his cleverness lies.


    He anticipated early on that someone would snatch the raw stone from him, so he feigned his first move.


    Sure enough, someone couldn¡¯t resist and fell right into his trap,¡± explained the man.


    Among the crowd, some began to understand and their expressions turned to one of shock.


    If not for this explanation, they would never have considered this angle, realizing that every move the young man had made had been a performance for them to see.


    ¡°I get it now,¡± someone chimed in, drawing the attention of many.


    He said, ¡°That guy pretended to be interested in a stone as a ploy to mask his ultimate goal.


    Then he feigned interest in another piece, and someone took the bait, deceived by his facade.


    After both cuts turned out without green, naturally, if he showed interest in any other piece, no one would dare snatch it away from him, right?¡±


    All eyes revealed a dawning comprehension, and at the same time, their impressions of Ye Qiu turned to one of begrudging admiration, cursing him for being such a cunning old fox.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, he used this method to deter anyone from making a move easily, so he obtained the best material,¡± the person who first understood Ye Qiu¡¯s approach spoke up again.


    ¡°The best material?¡± A doubtful voice arose once more from the crowd.


    The raw stone hadn¡¯t been cut open; how could it be called the best material?


    This question actually didn¡¯t need any explanation; from the moment Ye Qiu purchased the raw stone until he left with it, it was enough to attest to the material¡¯s extraordinariness.


    Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t he have it cut on site?


    Because he was afraid.


    Afraid that cutting out a top-quality jadeite would bring trouble.


    Any smart person could figure this out.


    This naturally included the man who had spent ten million and got nothing in return.


    He made a quick phone call, during which he demanded to ascertain the identities of Ye Qiu and Huo Qian, as well as their current location.


    He had suffered a ten million loss all because of that person; it was all their fault, and he wanted to seek revenge on Ye Qiu.


    The two who rapidly left the jade market were now fast driving on the road to Zhongshan City.


    ¡°Brother Ye, why didn¡¯t we cut it open on the spot?


    Why did we have to take it back with us?¡± Huo Qian couldn¡¯t comprehend Ye Qiu¡¯s actions.


    He hadn¡¯t thought deeply about it, so he couldn¡¯t unravel why Ye Qiu was in such a rush to return to Zhongshan City.


    ¡°Brother Huo, this material, it¡¯s not your ordinary material.


    Its value far exceeds your imagination, at least much better than what we had cut before.


    Cutting it there would easily attract unwanted attention, so it¡¯s better to go back,¡± Ye Qiu explained.


    With that hint, Huo Qian understood.


    So, Ye Qiu was trying to avoid trouble, but how could Ye Qiu be so certain that this material would yield high-quality jade?


    This was something Huo Qian just couldn¡¯t see through.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call my father right away, have him send someone to meet us.


    Otherwise, if we get stopped, we¡¯ll be in danger.¡± Suddenly realizing that the raw stone they were carrying might be worth tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions, Huo Qian couldn¡¯t stay calm.


    For safety, he decided to call his father first to prevent any accidents.


    Ye Qiu, however, seemed unconcerned about potential accidents.


    Of course, having less trouble was good.


    If they could avoid fighting, they would, so Ye Qiu was quite happy to have Huo Qian¡¯s father intervene.


    As they were about to reach Zhongshan City, an accident did occur.


    Five black commercial vehicles appeared out of nowhere and blocked their path.


    ¡°Hand over the stone,¡± a strange man alighted from a vehicle and spoke indifferently.


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian looked at the man, taken aback for a moment.


    The man before them seemed somewhat familiar.


    In an instant, they recalled that he resembled the man who had spent ten million earlier, except this one had more of a societal air about him and appeared younger.


    Huo Qian wasn¡¯t afraid of such people; he had encountered many underworld figures before.


    However, this wasn¡¯t Zhongshan City, and the men in front of him were strangers who wouldn¡¯t show him, Huo Qian, any respect.


    Moreover, looking at his own side, it was just him and Ye Qiu, plus the driver¡ªthat¡¯s three against more than ten tall and muscular men, who would not be easy to fight hand to hand.


    Despite this, Huo Qian was not frightened and said, ¡°The stone is ours.


    Are you intending to rob us openly?¡±


    ¡°Humph, what if it is open robbery?


    You caused my big brother to lose ten million for nothing, and you¡¯ll have to compensate for that loss.


    Hand it over quickly if you know what¡¯s good for you, or don¡¯t blame us for getting rough,¡± the young man said, a gleaming machete now in his hand.


    A fierce aura instantly surged at them, and Huo Qian hadn¡¯t expected the other side to be so outrageous.


    During this tense moment, the sound of an engine came from ahead.


    Seeing four or five black sedans approach from straight ahead, Huo Qian revealed a slight smile, and his tense nerves suddenly relaxed.

 Chapter 76 - 76 Mysterious Youth 0074

    ?76: Mysterious Youth 0074 76: Mysterious Youth 0074 A man in his fifties, dressed in a suit, stepped out of the car and made his way through the crowd to stand directly in front of Huo Qian.


    ¡°Young Master, having received the master¡¯s instructions, I hurried over here.


    Seeing that you are unharmed puts my mind at ease,¡± the man sighed with relief.


    Acquaintance?


    Ye Qiu watched the man.


    Despite his age, he was full of vigor, his hair glossy, and his eyes bright and piercing, indicative of a keen mind.


    Huo Qian quickly went up to him, smiling as he said, ¡°Uncle Hua Ying, I didn¡¯t expect you to come yourself.


    Let me introduce you to someone.


    This is Brother Ye, a good friend I¡¯ve just made.¡±


    Ye Qiu nodded to Uncle Hua Ying as a greeting.


    Uncle Hua Ying sized up Ye Qiu, found nothing particular about him, and returned the nod indifferently.


    ¡°Hey, hey...


    Now isn¡¯t the time for catching up.


    Are you treating us like air?¡± said a man standing nearby, clearly impatient.


    ¡°Uncle Hua Ying, I haven¡¯t explained everything to you.


    The reason I called my father was because...¡± Huo Qian tried to explain, but Uncle Hua Ying interrupted him, saying, ¡°No need to explain now, let¡¯s deal with the immediate situation first.¡±


    Having said this, Uncle Hua Ying stepped forward alone.


    Ye Qiu showed a hint of surprise, and even Huo Qian looked astonished.


    ¡°Young man, someone must have sent you here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Old man, who are you?


    Don¡¯t meddle in things that don¡¯t concern you or it might be said that we¡¯re bullying the elderly,¡± the youth retorted rudely.


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m an old bag of bones now, not fit to fight with you young people,¡± Uncle Hua Ying chuckled.


    ¡°However, if you mention the name Hua Ying to the person behind you, they should show some respect for me.¡±


    ¡°Haha, old fool, all this Hua Ying, pee Ying nonsense.


    I don¡¯t care who you are, I advise you not to throw your weight around here, or I¡¯ll beat you up as well,¡± the youth threatened menacingly.


    Uncle Hua Ying¡¯s eyes suddenly shifted, and an aura of authority spread out in an instant.


    Ye Qiu felt a tremor¡ªUncle Hua Ying was not a simple man!


    At that moment, a subordinate poked the brash young man and whispered something to him.


    Skeptically, the young man made a phone call.


    Uncle Hua Ying stood alone up front, waiting for the other party¡¯s reaction.


    After a while, the young man hung up the phone with an odd look in his eyes.


    It seems that on the other end of the phone, someone had indeed backed off because of the name mentioned.


    ¡°Lucky for you, old man, we¡¯re leaving,¡± the youth snapped, throwing his hand up to gesture for his followers to get into the car, and just like that, the tension quickly dissipated.


    As he watched their car drive away, Uncle Hua Ying turned and said with a smile, ¡°Young Master, let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Huo Qian stayed rooted to the spot.


    Today he had witnessed a different side of Uncle Hua Ying; the ordinarily gentle man had exuded an aura that truly shocked him.


    ¡°Young Master...¡± Uncle Hua Ying called out again, and only then did Huo Qian lead Ye Qiu into the car.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze remained on Uncle Hua Ying; he had sensed an aura of a strong man about him.


    Although it was fleeting, it was quite surprising.


    Now, however, Uncle Hua Ying seemed just like any ordinary old man, his aura gone as if a great dragon had gone back to sleep.


    ¡°Young Master, you should tell me what you did to provoke the Li family!¡±


    ¡°The Li family?¡± Huo Qian was taken aback, genuinely unaware of this fact.


    Uncle Hua Ying smiled, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that person just now was Li family¡¯s youngest son.


    He looks as if he was carved from the same mold as his father.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I understand now.


    The man who spent ten million on a worthless stone is from the Li family.¡±


    ¡°In Suzhou, the Li family¡¯s enterprises are a force to be reckoned with, nearly dominating half of the city¡¯s market, and this year they have started expanding to other provinces and cities.


    They¡¯re not to be underestimated.¡±


    ¡°How did you guys end up angering someone from the Li family?¡± Uncle Hua Ying asked, puzzled.


    Following that, after Huo Qian recounted his secret trip to Su City to gamble on stones with Ye Qiu, Uncle Hua¡¯s gaze fell on Ye Qiu for the second time.


    ¡°You¡¯re very accurate in assessing stones, how do you do it?¡± The first time he saw Ye Qiu, he just thought Ye Qiu was ordinary, nothing special.


    But from what Huo Qian had just described, he realized that Ye Qiu was a very intelligent person, playing everyone round and round, whether in evaluating stones or purchasing the last raw stone.


    Quite enchanting!


    Ye Qiu smiled and said, ¡°You flatter me, Uncle Hua, it¡¯s just luck.¡± He didn¡¯t explain too much, and his eyes met Uncle Hua¡¯s, revealing a smile.


    Huo Qian looked at the two of them with their strange demeanors and interrupted, ¡°Brother Ye, how about we go back to my place and cut the last piece of the raw stone?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I too am curious to find out how much we can make from this trip,¡± Ye Qiu casually replied.


    Before long, the car carrying Ye Qiu, Huo Qian, and Uncle Hua entered a villa complex.


    This was a private villa, very lavish, with its own security personnel.


    When Huo Qian and Uncle Hua got out of the car, several security guards immediately came over to ask what needed to be done.


    Then, with the combined efforts of a few guards, the raw stone was carried into the room.


    After summoning the specialized stone-cutting tools, the cutting began.


    The raw stone, weighing over a hundred jin, had part of its surface cut away, and as the dust settled, everyone¡¯s gaze fixed on the cut surface of the stone.


    The stone cutter wiped the cut section with his hand, and it instantly shone like a mirror.


    This.


    Such beautiful green.


    The stone cutter was stunned, forgetting even to withdraw his hand.


    Even Huo Qian, who was used to seeing a lot of the world, couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth wide and muttered, ¡°Emerald...


    top-quality emerald...


    no, there are other colors, purple...


    my God, auspicious purple-green!¡±


    ¡°An extraordinary jade!¡± Uncle Hua commented calmly, his heaving chest indicating that even he was taken aback by the raw stone they had just cut.


    ¡°Worth at least a billion yuan, Brother Ye, we¡¯ve hit it big,¡± Huo Qian said excitedly.


    He had been in the stone gambling business for a decent stretch, normally cutting out jades worth just several hundred thousand yuan.


    To hit over a million was a rarity, just occurring once before.


    However, today, on the very first occasion he partnered with Ye Qiu, they had cut a priceless top-grade jade, an incredible stroke of luck.


    Ye Qiu had no real concept of the amount of a billion, but he knew it was a considerable figure.


    After the initial surge of excitement, he quickly regained his calm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call my father.


    This jade, if we auction it, will definitely fetch a big price.


    Heh, now my father can¡¯t say that I¡¯m always irresponsible,¡± Huo Qian declared proudly.


    Uncle Hua¡¯s look towards Ye Qiu was one that seemed to want to see right through him.


    Unfortunately, he was disappointed.


    No matter how he looked, Ye Qiu¡¯s casual demeanor appeared to be that of an ordinary person.


    But could an ordinary person casually cut out a jade worth tens of millions, and even more this time, creating such a masterpiece out of thin air?


    What was the background of this young man?


    He was so elusive!


    Uncle Hua shook his head; there weren¡¯t many people he couldn¡¯t see through, but Ye Qiu was one of them.


    Just as Ye Qiu had cut out an extraordinary jade on his end, in a luxurious room in Su City, Li Jinglong relayed the news brought by his brother to their father.


    His father was silent for a while and said nothing, only instructing not to entangle with that matter anymore; it was then that Li Jinglong relaxed.


    ¡°Forget it, in the end, it was just an uncut stone.


    But this matter can¡¯t just be left unresolved.


    I must find out who you are, causing me a loss of ten million.


    Okay, let¡¯s start with the Huo family; I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find out your identity soon!¡± Li Jinglong¡¯s face carried a faint smile, the emergence of Ye Qiu making him feel that his life had gained some interest.

 Chapter 77 - 77 After the 0075 incident

    ?77: After the 0075 incident 77: After the 0075 incident Huo Qian¡¯s father exuded a scholarly elegance and lacked the mercenary air commonly associated with businessmen.


    As Ye Qiu observed Mr.


    Huo, the elder Huo was likewise appraising him.


    He wanted to see why his son, Huo Qian, spoke of this Ye Qiu with such respect in his voice.


    Knowing his son¡¯s temperament better than anyone else, he was aware that Huo Qian was not one to make friends easily, and it was hard for an ordinary person to catch his eye.


    However, this time, Huo Qian had taken the initiative to introduce this new friend to him, which was more than enough to demonstrate that Ye Qiu was no ordinary person.


    Of course, the main reason he came out to meet Ye Qiu was due to that piece of fine jade.


    Huo Qian had a passion for stone gambling, and his father had been aware of this hobby for more than a day or two.


    He never discouraged his son from pursuing this interest but did caution him not to become obsessed with it.


    Small stakes create a pleasant diversion, but high stakes could lead to harm¡ªthat was a principle he had reiterated to Huo Qian more than once.


    However, what he had never anticipated was that, after Huo Qian¡¯s recent outing, he came back and told him that he had uncovered a piece of jade worth hundreds of millions.


    Even Mr.


    Huo, a man of substantial wealth, was intrigued, prompting him to step out of his study and into the hall.


    After his gaze lingered on Ye Qiu for a moment, Mr.


    Huo nodded and said, ¡°Indeed, a person of impressive appearance.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me,¡± Ye Qiu replied modestly, bowing slightly.


    Respect was due, after all, considering it was Huo Qian¡¯s father.


    Mr.


    Huo¡¯s gaze drifted away from Ye Qiu and quickly shifted to the raw jade stone.


    He looked at the stone, where green and purple hues intermingled without fully merging, creating a stunning mix of colors that resembled a storm of green and purple raging inside the jade, with ripples swirling around, exceedingly beautiful.


    After carefully admiring the piece for a while, Mr.


    Huo sighed in appreciation.


    As a person from high society, he had seen his fair share of diamonds and jades, but a unique piece like the one he saw today was a first for him.


    By his estimate, the value of this jade was beyond measure.


    ¡°Brother Ye, what do you plan to do with this piece of jade?¡± Huo Qian asked.


    ¡°What do you think would be the best course of action, Brother Huo?¡± Ye Qiu replied.


    ¡°Are you thinking of keeping it as a collectible, or do you wish to auction it off for a hefty sum?¡± Huo Qian inquired.


    Ye Qiu shook his head, disinterested in collecting jade, and said, ¡°Whatever you prefer, Brother Huo, I¡¯ll leave the handling to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll make a decision on your behalf.


    I¡¯ll have someone refine this raw stone later on and then send it to the auction.


    After the auction ends, I¡¯ll send the money to you,¡± Huo Qian offered.


    Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t too concerned; his foray into stone gambling was just a whim.


    If he really wanted to make money using his x-ray vision, not a single stone could escape his scrutiny.


    ¡°If you like it, Brother Huo, you could also keep it for your collection.


    I¡¯m not interested in whether it sells for money.


    After all, we bought this stone together, and you should rightfully have half the ownership,¡± Ye Qiu suggested.


    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question, Brother Ye.


    If it weren¡¯t for you, I would never have been able to acquire this stone.


    Even if it is auctioned off, I can¡¯t take a penny of that money; it¡¯s all rightfully yours,¡± Huo Qian hastily declined.


    As both men expressed their disinterest in the potential funds from the auctioned jade stone, Mr.


    Huo couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, stating they would discuss it after the successful auction, and he invited Ye Qiu to stay for dinner.


    After dinner that evening, Ye Qiu left the Huo residence.


    He thanked the Huos for their hospitable treatment before returning to the Goddess Villa.


    As Ye Qiu disappeared from view, Mr.


    Huo remarked coolly, ¡°Throughout, this young man was composed and serene.


    Even when discussing this valuable piece of jade, there was not a hint of greed.


    The friend Qian¡¯er has made is truly extraordinary.¡±


    Hearing his father¡¯s high praise for Ye Qiu, Huo Qian hung his head slightly.


    Compared to Ye Qiu, he felt somewhat inferior, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly where he fell short.


    ¡°Still can¡¯t figure out where you fall short?¡± Mr.


    Huo asked, gazing at Huo Qian¡¯s demeanor.


    Huo Qian nodded.


    ¡°You lack the realm because his inner world is much vaster than yours...¡± Mr.


    Huo uttered a remark that seemed hard to grasp, leaving Huo Qian with a perplexed expression, failing to comprehend the true meaning of those words.


    After returning to the Goddess Villa, Ye Qiu saw the three ladies sitting quietly in the living room watching TV.


    Having vanished for an entire day, when the ladies saw him appear, they all looked up and asked, ¡°Ye Qiu, where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Just went out for a stroll somewhere else,¡± Ye Qiu said with a smile.


    He made up an excuse, which, of course, was also true¡ªto look for stones in Suzhou was indeed a stroll.


    Suddenly, Shen Mengchen sprung up from the sofa, approached Ye Qiu, and started to sniff around him, poking her head inquisitively.


    ¡°What are you smelling?¡± asked Ye Qiu.


    Shen Mengchen glanced at Ye Qiu¡¯s collar, chest, and so on, her furrowed brow slowly easing as she said, ¡°There¡¯s not a single hair or scent of perfume on you, which means you probably haven¡¯t been with a woman today.¡±


    Ye Qiu was left somewhat speechless by Shen Mengchen¡¯s actions; he hadn¡¯t gone on a date with any other women, so of course, he wouldn¡¯t have any traces she mentioned.


    Wait, that¡¯s not right; even if he had been on a date with another woman, what business was it of this girl¡¯s?


    Shen Mengchen suddenly lost interest in Ye Qiu and settled back down on the sofa.


    He took out his mobile phone, which he had never really played with since getting a new one.


    Ye Qiu casually opened a webpage and immediately noticed several news articles.


    Hmm?


    Ye Qiu quickly spotted a major headline concerning the current state of the business market.


    The news described how, after Ge Yusheng¡¯s death, the various projects of Rongda had suddenly been suspended.


    Several major corporations seized the opportunity to strike, especially at this critical juncture when two other Rongda directors couldn¡¯t immediately return, resulting in ongoing issues that hadn¡¯t been resolved.


    Among them, Ye Qiu saw the involvement of a familiar enterprise¡ªHuo¡¯s family had also taken a slice of the cake.


    Thinking of Mr.


    Huo he had seen today, Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t expected that the Huo family would become the biggest beneficiary in this division of the cake, the man exuding an air of elegance.


    After browsing through a few news stories, Ye Qiu was surprised to find no mention of Longjia Group.


    Could it be that Shen Tianlong had been biding his time, untempted by such an attractive opportunity?


    Ye Qiu felt a slight shock.


    To think that Shen Tianlong, a man who had held sway in the business world for most of his life, had held back from making a move.


    Such self-restraint was extraordinary.


    At this time, the most troubled had to be Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao, who were abroad.


    The sudden death of Ge Yusheng had thrown Rongda into chaos.


    Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao wanted to stabilize the company, but being away meant they couldn¡¯t take control of Rongda.


    They were rushing back, hoping the losses would not be too severe.


    Upon their return, they found Rongda in complete disarray¡ªthe employees who wanted to leave had left; the place was a complete mess, as if it had been ransacked.


    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Wang Chenghu and Ruan Guotao looked around, seeing no staff in sight.


    Presently, they saw a few security guards who hadn¡¯t left.


    Upon seeing the two directors suddenly arriving, the five guards immediately stepped forward to explain the situation.


    It took a while, but they finally understood why the company was so empty and the employees were gone¡ªsomeone had spread rumors within Rongda, claiming it was about to collapse, and that if they didn¡¯t take what they could and leave now, they¡¯d end up with nothing, not even their salaries.


    This was the cause of the scene they witnessed today.


    ¡°Damn it, it must have been that old fox Shen Tianlong¡¯s doing.


    My brother¡¯s death must also be connected to him.


    Shen Tianlong, this means war,¡± Wang Chenghu swore.


    ¡°We will slowly seek revenge for this.


    I will also find the murderer who killed my brother.


    Seeing Rongda brought to this state, we have no other choice but to fight back,¡± Ruan Guotao said with a gloomy face, his inner rage reaching a boiling point, ready to explode at any moment.

 Chapter 78 - 78 0076 be careful or Ill spank your butt

    ?78: 0076 be careful or I¡¯ll spank your butt 78: 0076 be careful or I¡¯ll spank your butt Ruan Guotao and Wang Chenghu returned to Zhongshan City, and the news quickly spread among the bosses.


    However, at this point, no one felt threatened by the two, as most corporate bosses didn¡¯t take them seriously.


    What they truly feared was Ge Yusheng alone.


    Now that Ge Yusheng had died and the markets of Rongda had been divided up cleanly, getting them to relinquish their gains was a difficult task, and few would show any respect towards Ruan Guotao and Wang Chenghu.


    In fact, on the second day of their arrival in Zhongshan City, they began restructuring the company.


    Although their business acumen wasn¡¯t on par with Ge Yusheng¡¯s, they had controlled Rongda for many years and had an authoritative presence.


    Hence, Rongda was only chaotic for a few days before it began to function orderly again; even the employees who had previously taken away the company¡¯s equipment dutifully returned them and shamelessly stayed on to continue working.


    Ruan Guotao had no time to deal with these issues.


    His most pressing problem was how to reclaim the lost markets.


    To this end, Ruan Guotao personally visited various company bosses, ultimately achieving absolutely no success and enduring much humiliation.


    What angered Ruan Guotao the most was that even those who had nodded and bowed to him before now glared at him disdainfully and completely disregarded him.


    Ruan Guotao angrily cursed that they were looking down on him and returned to the Rongda building.


    He attributed all the humiliations he suffered to one person, Shen Tianlong!


    He hated Shen Tianlong to death and speculated that the death of his older brother, Ge Yusheng, was very likely Shen Tianlong¡¯s doing, as he had the strongest motive to kill.


    Wang Chenghu was impulsive and, although ruthless, wasn¡¯t as quick-thinking as Ruan Guotao.


    Hearing Ruan Guotao¡¯s analysis, he immediately wanted to confront Shen Tianlong.


    Ruan Guotao stopped him, noting that it was not yet time for revenge.


    They had just arrived in Zhongshan City, and the suspicion that they had attempted to assassinate Shen Tianlong previously had not been cleared.


    If they went to confront Shen Tianlong now, their situation would worsen.


    Now, Ruan Guotao had become the backbone of Rongda, and Wang Chenghu also looked to Ruan Guotao for leadership.


    Rongda had once been a prominent group, and as the saying goes, a lean camel is bigger than a horse.


    Ruan Guotao was confident he could restore Rongda to its former glory.


    ...


    The death of Ge Yusheng had a significant impact, causing notable unrest in Zhongshan City¡¯s market.


    The mayor also ordered a thorough investigation into Ge Yusheng¡¯s death, arguing that such an entrepreneur could not die in obscurity.


    Regardless, the Rongda Group under Ge Yusheng¡¯s control had generated considerable tax revenue for Zhongshan City.


    Officially, the mayor still needed to posthumously honor Ge Yusheng¡¯s reputation.


    For this reason, finding Ge Yusheng¡¯s killer became a top priority.


    This responsibility naturally fell on the Zhongshan City Police.


    The police acted overnight, securing the scene, collecting evidence, and searching for any clues left behind.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er had previously made a blunder by dragging every corporate boss to the police station, which greatly irritated Director Wang.


    Now that the mayor had emphasized the importance of capturing the real culprit, the police paid extreme attention to the matter.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er voluntarily offered to be involved in the investigation again.


    After much consideration, Director Wang entrusted this critical task to Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    Facing this urgent mission, Lin Qiao¡¯er was full of fighting spirit, vowing to catch the killer.


    Of course, Lin Qiao¡¯er wasn¡¯t the only one responsible for the case; she worked alongside several other officers.


    The body of Ge Yusheng was returned to the police station, where it was given high importance due to the valuable clues it provided.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er listened to the clear clues from her subordinates and personally examined Ge Yusheng¡¯s wounds, furrowing her brows.


    ¡°The cause of death was a fatal strike to the heart that happened instantly,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er commented.


    ¡°Looking at this wound, it¡¯s no more than three centimeters, smooth, and clearly made by a sharp weapon.¡±


    ¡°Captain Lin is right, the victim was stabbed in the back with a sharp weapon that directly pierced his heart, causing instant cardiac arrest,¡± added the subordinate.


    ¡°Such precision could not have been the work of an ordinary person, of that we can be certain,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er mused to herself as she paced back and forth, analyzing all possible aspects of the killer.


    ¡°Compare this wound with the one on that mysterious corpse from before, see if there are any discoveries,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er ordered.


    Her subordinates, somewhat intimidated by her, nodded quickly and complied.


    Soon, a comparison report was placed in front of Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    She carefully scrutinized the differences between the two wounds.


    Although slightly different, both were fatal from a single strike, yet the wounds were not the same.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er pondered for a while, guessing what the killer might look like, killing as if it were merely a game.


    The knife wounds showed no signs of fear or trembling that might have altered the wound.


    This also suggested that the murderer was an experienced individual who could coldly face everything, even taking human lives as easily as slaughtering chickens.


    Suddenly, an idea flashed through Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s mind; a dagger swept before her eyes.


    Was it her?


    Lin Qiao¡¯er remembered the night she encountered a girl in that villa, holding a dagger, showing no fear of her gun.


    Could it be her?


    At that time, Lin Qiao¡¯er had suspected that the deeds of those suspicious individuals might be the work of that girl.


    However, later, she had felt a pain in her head and fainted, waking up with no memory of what had occurred before.


    But now, Lin Qiao¡¯er faintly remembered.


    She hurried out of her office, determined to find those five corpses from that night.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Lin Qiao¡¯er arrived at the morgue, and with the help of several comrades, they opened the bag wrapping the corpse.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er, holding a flashlight, examined the wounds on it, comparing them to those on Ge Yusheng.


    Those knife wounds...


    Lin Qiao¡¯er drove away quickly.


    She already knew who the murderer was, but instead of telling the chief, she drove alone to that villa.


    She wanted to meet that man.


    Goddess Villa.


    The doorbell rang and Niu Yinyin bounced over to open the door.


    Seeing it was police officer Lin Qiao¡¯er, Niu Yinyin exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Oh, who are you looking for?¡± her eyes wide open, feeling the person in front of her looked familiar.


    ¡°Ye Qiu,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said flatly.


    As soon as they heard a woman was looking for Ye Qiu, both Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong turned their attention towards her.


    Seeing it was Lin Qiao¡¯er, they both frowned ¡ª why had she come again?


    They were both puzzled.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, the police officer has come to see you again.


    You haven¡¯t gotten yourself into trouble again, have you?


    Otherwise, why would she keep coming here?¡± Shen Mengchen said sarcastically, glancing towards Ye Qiu¡¯s room.


    Ye Qiu emerged from his room and was also stunned to see Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    What did she want?


    ¡°Is it convenient?


    I¡¯d like to talk to you,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said.


    Seeing the serious look on Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s face Ye Qiu lost all other thoughts and nodded, walking out of the villa with Lin Qiao¡¯er.


    This time, instead of driving to the pond above, they stopped at the roadside.


    ¡°Speak up, what do you want to talk about?¡± Ye Qiu was the first to speak.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er turned around and fixed her gaze on Ye Qiu, ¡°I know who killed Ge Yusheng.¡±


    ¡°Oh!


    Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Ye Qiu responded indifferently.


    ¡°Where is that girl of yours?


    I didn¡¯t see her,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er replied, not answering directly but instead showing concern for Ye Zi¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°Are you looking for her?¡± Ye Qiu asked.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you are a smart man, and I, Lin Qiao¡¯er, am no fool.


    I remember what happened that day.


    Those five assassins were killed by that girl, weren¡¯t they?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said flatly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything, because when I say this, I must have my evidence.


    I¡¯m just curious why a girl would kill someone.¡±


    ¡°Your injury previously was related to Ge Yusheng, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°In the end, she did it all for you, regardless of the law.¡±


    ¡°Ye Qiu, what kind of spell have you cast on that girl to make her risk everything to seek revenge for you?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er speculated.


    ¡°Or did she act on your instructions?¡±


    Ye Qiu listened quietly to Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s words and smiled faintly, ¡°Officer Lin, even if you dislike me, you don¡¯t have to slander me.


    Murder is illegal; why would I instruct someone to do such things?


    Am I insane?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Ye Qiu, stop pretending.


    You are no ordinary person, although I haven¡¯t found out yet.


    But I believe you are not simple, and you also have some skills.


    You are the mastermind behind this, right?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er wildly speculated, causing Ye Qiu to be caught between laughter and tears.


    ¡°Officer Lin, if you keep framing me like this, I am going to get angry,¡± Ye Qiu warned.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, you are such a pervert, and now you are getting angry?


    Show me how angry you can get,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said arrogantly, provoking him.


    ¡°Officer Lin, if you provoke me further, don¡¯t blame me for being rude,¡± Ye Qiu warned.


    ¡°What could you possibly do to me?


    Molest me?


    Heh...¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er scoffed coldly, not believing Ye Qiu would dare to go to such lengths.


    ¡°I won¡¯t molest you, I just...¡± Ye Qiu suddenly moved, swiftly grabbing Lin Qiao¡¯er by the waist.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er exclaimed in shock, ¡°Ye Qiu, you pervert, what are you trying to do?¡±


    Ye Qiu sneered, ¡°What am I trying to do... heh, I¡¯m not doing anything, nor will I molest you.


    I¡¯m merely going to spank you.¡±


    With that, he smacked her hard on the buttocks.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er was stunned, her expression frozen for a moment.


    Then, the outraged voice of Lin Qiao¡¯er erupted.


    ¡°You scoundrel...¡±


    Unfortunately, all that met her were more slaps, harshly smacking her buttocks, the painful and humiliating sensation making Lin Qiao¡¯er roar in anger, the damnable Ye Qiu, so impolite, she must kill this ruthless jerk.

 Chapter 79 - 79 0077 Shen Tianlong is sick

    ?79: 0077 Shen Tianlong is sick?


    79: 0077 Shen Tianlong is sick?


    0077 Shen Tianlong sick?


    Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s face flushed red, and her eyes glared angrily as she stared intently at Ye Qiu, like a little wild cat baring a fierce, resentful glare.


    Watching Lin Qiao¡¯er hold back her fury, not pouncing for revenge, Ye Qiu somewhat relaxed.


    However, given Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s fiery temper, it seemed they had forged an enmity today.


    She looked at Ye Qiu as if he were her archenemy.


    ¡°You say Ye Zi is the murderer¡ªdo you have any evidence?¡± Ye Qiu shifted to the main topic, trying to prevent Lin Qiao¡¯er from suddenly lashing out.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er produced a set of photos showing the pattern of the wounds and tossed them to Ye Qiu to see.


    Ye Qiu glanced at them and, with an unchanged expression, said indifferently, ¡°Just based on this, it could be a bit far-fetched.


    Accusing someone of murder without solid evidence is a bit too hasty, don¡¯t you think, Officer Lin?¡±


    Ye Qiu¡¯s smiling expression made Lin Qiao¡¯er seethe with hatred; she really wanted to draw a gun and kill this detestable person once and for all.


    ¡°Hmph, there¡¯s naturally evidence.


    Tell me where she is,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er said with some strain, her eyes revealing an urgent desire to learn Ye Zi¡¯s whereabouts.


    Ye Qiu shook his head and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed, Officer Lin.


    Ye Zi left Zhongshan City many days ago; it¡¯d be difficult for you to meet her.¡±


    ¡°Where did she go?¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er asked urgently.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know where she went,¡± Ye Qiu said, spreading his hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.


    You can¡¯t not know where she¡¯s gone,¡± Lin Qiao¡¯er naturally didn¡¯t believe Ye Qiu and continued to question him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, that can¡¯t be helped.


    I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Ye Qiu said with a helpless look, while Lin Qiao¡¯er really wanted to handcuff Ye Qiu and take him back to the police station.


    In her eyes, he was just being stubborn.


    If taken to an interrogation room, it wouldn¡¯t take an hour before everything was confessed.


    Unable to do anything about Ye Qiu, Lin Qiao¡¯er trembled with anger.


    Unable to get any good news from Ye Qiu, her trip seemed to be in vain.


    However, Lin Qiao¡¯er was certain of her suspicion that Ge Yusheng¡¯s death was 90 percent related to Ye Zi; otherwise, why would she suddenly leave?


    There must be something wrong.


    Thinking this way, the trip wasn¡¯t entirely in vain, but it annoyed Lin Qiao¡¯er that Ye Qiu had gotten the better of her.


    Lin Qiao¡¯er left; she didn¡¯t want to spend another minute with Ye Qiu.


    Casting one last resentful glance at him, Lin Qiao¡¯er drove her car out of sight.


    Ye Qiu watched as Lin Qiao¡¯er¡¯s car disappeared into the distance, his previously light smile gradually fading into a serious expression.


    He thought about why Ye Zi had left, disappearing without a sound.


    The night Ye Zi left, Ye Qiu had figured out the reason for her departure, just not expecting the police to trace it to Ye Zi so quickly.


    That foolish girl, she had killed Ge Yusheng for his sake.


    What could Ye Qiu do but bitterly smile?


    He knew that Ye Zi had done it for him, so he had no reason to blame her.


    Thinking of how they had been separated for so many years, and had been reunited for only a few days before parting again, this sudden sense of separation made Ye Qiu rather disturbed.


    About Ye Zi¡¯s safety, Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t too worried.


    That girl could¡¯ve left Hua Xia by now, and with her skills, anyone who underestimated her would suffer.


    The next day, Huo Qian took the initiative to find the goddess villa by car.


    Upon seeing Huo Qian, Shen Mengche, the former racing champion, was somewhat excited.


    But when she heard that he was looking for Ye Qiu, Shen Mengchen pouted her lips and called Ye Qiu out.


    ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡± Ye Qiu asked in surprise.


    Huo Qian smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s an auction tomorrow, and I want you to come with me.¡±


    Ye Qiu was somewhat puzzled.


    Why would he be needed at an auction?


    Huo Qian felt a bit awkward and said, ¡°I would like to ask for Brother Ye¡¯s forgiveness for taking the liberty of sending that piece of jadeite rough to the auction house on my own initiative.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to auction it off?¡± Ye Qiu asked, looking intently at Huo Qian.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.


    The price of jadeite is soaring right now; we can¡¯t miss this opportunity.


    If you seize it, you can become a billionaire in an instant,¡± replied Huo Qian.


    After some contemplation, Ye Qiu took the invitation over.


    Seeing that Ye Qiu accepted it, Huo Qian smiled and said, ¡°Brother Ye, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then.¡±


    Huo Qian came quickly and left just as quickly.


    Shen Mengchen had barely turned to go back to her room when Huo Qian had already departed.


    After breakfast, the three went to school.


    Although the school was like a mini society, it wasn¡¯t the real society, devoid of its complexities.


    Returning to school, Ye Qiu saw faces full of youthful cheer.


    Suddenly, Ye Qiu found that he liked this atmosphere in the campus¡ªno complicated human hearts, no dark evils, just positivity and a group of young people striving for their dreams.


    The school had not changed because of Ye Qiu¡¯s days of absence.


    However, there were two girls who were delighted because Ye Qiu had returned to school.


    The president of the martial arts club, Lan Bing, made a visit.


    She did not talk much with Ye Qiu, only chatting briefly and suggesting that Ye Qiu drop by the martial arts club when he had time to give guidance to some new members.


    Ye Qiu nodded in agreement, not refusing Lan Bing¡¯s request.


    As for the other girl, it was Chu Yao.


    When Ye Qiu was injured and hospitalized, Chu Yao had learned of this and ran to visit him first thing.


    It was only after seeing Ye Qiu safe and sound that she thoroughly let go of her worried heart.


    He had returned.


    Chu Yao¡¯s gaze lingered on Ye Qiu.


    Just seeing this man, with a hint of a rascal¡¯s air about him, safe and well was enough for her.


    For some reason, her heartbeat would race and her cheeks would flush whenever she saw his face.


    Days seemed to echo half a month prior, repeating the almost unchanging routine and classes of the campus.


    After school, Ye Qiu escorted Shen Mengchen and Shangguan Hong, the two beauties, back home.


    Midway, a phone rang.


    After Shen Mengchen answered, her expression turned extremely grim.


    She immediately turned the car around and headed in a different direction.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ye Qiu didn¡¯t know what Shen Mengchen was up to, driving so fast and seemingly unconcerned about hitting someone.


    ¡°My father is ill.


    Butler Liu personally called and asked me to visit my father,¡± Shen Mengchen said, her eyes reddening.


    Clearly, the news of her father¡¯s illness had hit her hard, and she had no idea about the severity of his condition.


    They arrived at the hospital and entered the VIP ward, seeing Butler Liu waiting there with a look of sorrow.


    ¡°How is my father¡¯s condition?¡± Shen Mengchen asked anxiously, her face filled with worry.


    Butler Liu reassured her with a statement of ¡®no need to worry, it¡¯s nothing serious¡¯ and then gave Ye Qiu a knowing look.


    Ye Qiu nodded, understanding Butler Liu¡¯s message.


    Later, Ye Qiu and Butler Liu stepped aside, where Butler Liu revealed the true state of Shen Tianlong¡¯s health.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s expression grew stern; it seemed Shen Tianlong¡¯s illness was not promising, or Butler Liu would not have suggested that Shen Mengchen become involved with the company affairs, given how much she would loathe taking over the company responsibilities.


    Imagining the carefree young lady handling the company¡¯s matters, one could sense her reluctance.


    But it was a task only Shen Mengchen could undertake; nobody else could help.


    It seemed Miss Shen Mengchen could no longer afford to play around aimlessly.


    Ye Qiu sighed softly.

 Chapter 80 - 80 0078 Auction

    ?80: 0078 Auction 80: 0078 Auction {In the previous chapter, Chu Yao actually visited Ye Qiu, and I corrected it.}


    Shen Tianlong lay on the hospital bed, having just awakened not long before sinking back into sleep.


    Shen Mengchen sat beside the bed with a pained expression, refusing to rest.


    Shen Mengchen had always seen her father as someone who never tired.


    No matter how busy the company was, she had never seen fatigue on her father¡¯s face.


    However, today, seeing Shen Tianlong lying on the bed made her realize that even her father could fall ill, that even an iron man could collapse.


    Shen Mengchen¡¯s mood plummeted, wishing only for her father to get better.


    ¡°Miss, the master is ill, and you cannot fall ill as well.


    The future of Longjia relies on you to operate it.


    If you fall ill, the master¡¯s efforts will have been in vain,¡± Butler Liu said as he and Ye Qiu returned to the ward.


    He urged Shen Mengchen to rest a while, but she stubbornly refused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just sit here and watch my father get better; then we can leave the hospital together,¡± Shen Mengchen insisted, her eyes unwaveringly firm, as if she could only rest once she saw her father was unharmed.


    Butler Liu turned his gaze to Ye Qiu, hoping he could persuade her.


    Ye Qiu shrugged and said, ¡°Mengchen, do you know why your uncle became so sick?¡±


    Shen Mengchen said nothing but looked at Ye Qiu, eager for the answer.


    ¡°Your uncle has devoted half of his life¡¯s energy to Longjia Group, hoping to make it stronger and more successful.¡±


    ¡°The other half of his thoughts has been on you.


    In his heart, you are even more important than Longjia Group, which he created with his own hands.


    You¡¯ve grown up without perhaps noticing that his temples have turned gray.¡±


    ¡°To ensure you could inherit Longjia Group more easily, Uncle Shen focused all his efforts on removing any obstacles in your way, hence his tireless work,¡± said Ye Qiu.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t take care of your own health, all of Uncle Shen¡¯s efforts will become meaningless.


    Do you understand?¡± Ye Qiu added.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s words made Shen Mengchen sit there, her body trembling slightly, especially her shoulders, which shook from her silent sobs.


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Shen Mengchen said with tearful eyes to Ye Qiu.


    Seeing this, Butler Liu wore a relieved smile, knowing he could take over caring for Shen Tianlong.


    As for how Shen Mengchen would take over Longjia Group, Butler Liu was already handling the affairs, and the company was still operating according to Shen Tianlong¡¯s previous plans, so there was no need for excessive worry.


    After sending Shen Mengchen back to the Goddess Villa and soothing her, Ye Qiu set off for the auction house that Huo Qian had mentioned.


    He was also curious about the price at which the jadeite raw stone would sell.


    This auction house, named Ancient Rhyme Pavilion, was located in the downtown area of Zhongshan, in the best building in the center.


    The parking lot downstairs was filled with various luxury cars, mostly limited edition sports cars valued in the millions, even tens of millions.


    Clearly, tonight¡¯s auction had attracted many wealthy people.


    Ye Qiu glanced at the parking lot and understood that this auction was likely just a game for the rich, and it would be hard for those without money to even get inside.


    Ye Qiu, at the entrance, took out his invitation in front of the greeter who looked at him in surprise before Ye Qiu slowly walked inside.


    The auction had not yet started, and the crowd, not too many or few, sat quietly in their seats without much whispering or loud talking.


    Everyone who entered was well-mannered; no one spoke loudly as that would draw disdain from all present.


    Ye Qiu scanned the room, and soon, he saw Huo Qian searching for something until they saw each other.


    Huo Qian smiled and waved at Ye Qiu.


    Ye Qiu walked over, as Huo Qian had already saved a seat for him.


    ¡°It starts in half an hour,¡± Ye Qiu said as he sat down, Huo Qian whispered in his ear.


    ¡°Does Brother Huo know about this auction house?¡± Ye Qiu asked, looking at the banner in front that read ¡°Gu Yun Xuan.¡±


    Huo Qian cleared his throat, leaned closer to Ye Qiu, and said, ¡°Brother Ye might not be familiar with Gu Yun Xuan, but I know a bit.


    My father is acquainted with the owner of this auction house, a longtime friend.


    So, you don¡¯t have to worry about safety.


    Moreover, if it were someone else, they would charge a ten percent fee for auctioning raw gems.


    We are exempt from this hefty fee, Gu Yun Xuan is giving face to my father.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yun Xuan has branches all over the country.


    Among the many auction houses, Gu Yun Xuan is definitely among the top three.


    According to my father, the backer of this auction house is a very tough character, terrifying in terms of both wealth and power.


    Even my father highly respects that person.¡±


    Hearing Huo Qian describe Gu Yun Xuan as quite mysterious, Ye Qiu became intrigued.


    It seemed that Gu Yun Xuan¡¯s background was not trivial, definitely ranking among the top three nationwide, truly prominent.


    ¡°I wonder what items will be auctioned today?¡± Hearing about the strength of Gu Yun Xuan, the items up for auction must also be of high quality, which further peaked Ye Qiu¡¯s interest.


    ¡°That, I cannot know.


    I only know that today we have brought top-grade jadeite raw stones.


    Although I can¡¯t guarantee they¡¯ll be the finale, they are certainly treasures, top-quality, and should start at least second or third from last,¡± Huo Qian said.


    After whispering for a few moments, with ten minutes left until the auction began, people began to occupy the seats next to Ye Qiu and Huo Qian.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze fell on each entering person.


    It was evident that these individuals were all wealthy, mostly middle-aged, with an aura of high rank, likely CEOs or business owners.


    While Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze aimlessly wandered, he suddenly saw a face that seemed both familiar and strange.


    Hmm?


    As Ye Qiu looked over, the man also looked toward him.


    Who is he?


    I can¡¯t seem to remember.


    Ye Qiu felt that the man nearby looked very familiar but couldn¡¯t recall who he was, though he felt he had seen him somewhere.


    ¡°Eh?


    Why is Wang Kun here too?¡± Huo Qian spoke indifferently, and Ye Qiu immediately remembered who the person was, none other than the guy who had tried to pursue Shangguan Hong the other day, only to be driven away by Ye Qiu posing as her fake boyfriend.


    Wang Kun hadn¡¯t expected Ye Qiu to be there; his gaze shifted to Huo Qian next to Ye Qiu, and his face grew even more unpleasant.


    So it¡¯s these two guys¡ªHuo Qian, whom Wang Kun had disliked for a long time, and Ye Qiu, whose identity as Shangguan Hong¡¯s boyfriend that day, made Wang Kun feel even more frustrated.


    He felt humiliated, so from that day on, Wang Kun harbored animosity toward Ye Qiu.


    ¡°Young Master Kun, what¡¯s wrong?¡± asked a fellow wealthy second-generation friend sitting next to him, patting Wang Kun on the shoulder and questioning him.


    Wang Kun looked at Ye Qiu and Huo Qian¡¯s seats and spoke indifferently, ¡°Later, if those two want to bid on something, let¡¯s raise the price, and not let them get it.


    Will you help me with this?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, no problem helping, but I just want to know, how did those two offend you?¡± the wealthy second generation asked.


    Wang Kun snorted coldly: ¡°One is a nouveau riche¡¯s son, and the other is some country bumpkin.


    I dislike people like them who don¡¯t know their place yet possess the finest treasures.


    I feel that¡¯s a waste.


    Therefore, I will not let them profit from this auction, getting any item.¡±


    The auction hadn¡¯t started yet, but Wang Kun had already begun plotting against Ye Qiu and Huo Qian, preparing to intercept the items they were interested in.

 Chapter 81 - 81 0079 A Genealogy Book

    ?81: 0079 A Genealogy Book 81: 0079 A Genealogy Book ¡°Welcome, friends, to the Ancient Charm Auction House.


    Today, each and every business owner or entrepreneur present will not leave disappointed, for our auction items today are anything but ordinary¡ªindeed, they can even be described as unique treasures rarely seen across the world.¡±


    ¡°Do not miss this opportunity.


    Now, without further ado, let us introduce the first item up for bid.¡±


    Following the host¡¯s words, a beautiful emcee walked up from one side, her hands holding a tray, upon which lay a pair of walnuts.


    ¡°First, let me introduce these lion¡¯s head walnuts, which are no ordinary objects.


    Reportedly, they originated from the hands of a powerful chief eunuch in China, Li Qiansui.¡±


    Upon hearing the host mention the chief eunuch Li, the attendees expressed considerable surprise.


    The tales of Eunuch Li were known to those present, and even if some were not familiar with them, they had heard of him to some extent.


    ¡°These lion¡¯s head walnuts have been in existence for over a hundred years, presenting a clear red color, feeling extremely hard to the touch, of uniform size, with exceedingly similar patterns, and can be deemed of the highest quality, a pair personally played by Li Qiansui himself.¡±


    ¡°According to the owner of these lion¡¯s head walnuts, they possess strong health benefits; for men, handling them can enhance vitality and spirit, and for women, they can beautify and nourish the complexion.


    It¡¯s fair to say they are among the most cost-effective in cultural playthings.¡±


    ¡°The starting price is 1 million!


    With each bid raised by 100,000.¡±


    Once the host had finished speaking, someone showed great interest in the lion¡¯s head walnuts, especially the middle-aged and older business owners, who began to raise their bidding signs one after another.


    Huo Qian sat quietly, showing a lack of interest in the first auction item.


    Ye Qiu asked in surprise, ¡°Brother Huo, don¡¯t you want to bid on them for your enjoyment?¡±


    Huo Qian replied indifferently, ¡°Something that a eunuch played with doesn¡¯t interest me.


    I always feel that getting that thing would feel weird, especially knowing that it was colored by a man who is neither male nor female.


    No matter what, I wouldn¡¯t want it.¡±


    Ye Qiu smiled.


    Although Huo Qian was fond of cultural hobbies and gambling on stones, there were also things he rejected, and this pair of high-quality lion¡¯s head walnuts was among them.


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian were not interested in the first auction item, watching others compete, while Wang Kun, on the other side, seeing no movement from Ye Qiu¡¯s direction, naturally didn¡¯t bother to bid.


    In the end, the lion¡¯s head walnuts were sold at a price of 2 million to a man in his sixties.


    The first auction item was only enough to pique many people¡¯s interest, but not enough to excite everyone.


    The second auction item was a landscape painting, with ink and wash colors, flowing clouds and mist, captivating many viewers and drawing them into its scene, igniting the crowd¡¯s emotions.


    Many painting enthusiasts began bidding, and the auction concluded at a price of 12 million.


    The third auction item was a porcelain vase, vibrant in color, with lively and lifelike figures depicted on it¡ª a rare Tang tri-color ceramic.


    Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t interested in these items; in his eyes, watching these things every day was far less substantial than appreciating the beauty of long-legged women walking past his window on the street below.


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian became spectators, indifferent as their main purpose for attending was to sell the jade they had previously cut.


    Watching the others compete was quite entertaining.


    Wang Kun, on the other side, felt frustrated for not having had the chance to snatch up any of the items Ye Qiu was interested in.


    ¡°Could these two be here for the final highlight of today¡¯s auction?¡± Wang Kun mused thoughtfully.


    If that was the case, he was determined to make both Ye Qiu and Huo Qian pay dearly.


    With this thought in mind, Wang Kun revealed a sly smile, having thought it would be a dull auction but finding instead an opportunity for revenge.


    The fourth and fifth items up for auction failed to pique Ye Qiu¡¯s or Huo Qian¡¯s interest and went to other bidders.


    During this time, Wang Kun also held back from bidding, waiting for an opportunity like a cobra poised to strike without a sound.


    ¡°Alright, the next item is the penultimate lot of today,¡±


    The gaze of those below the stage was collectively drawn to the front as the auction item was displayed on the screen, providing everyone a clearer view.


    The Dugu Family Genealogy!


    ¡°As you have seen, indeed, this is a family genealogy.


    But why does it appear as the penultimate lot?


    Firstly, because this surname is rarely seen in China, and this genealogy records many generations of the Dugu family, even tracing back to modern times.¡±


    ¡°Due to its excellent preservation and the rarity of the surname, we have placed it second last, as its significance is extraordinary.


    It represents the heritage of a family, and the testament of a bloodline¡¯s legacy.


    Its starting price is not high, at a price of 10,000.¡±


    As the host finished speaking, most people weren¡¯t very interested in this genealogy.


    If it were the genealogy of a famous historical figure, that might be different, but this Dugu family genealogy probably didn¡¯t hold much collectible value, which is what many seated there believed.


    Only one person¡¯s eyes were fixed intensely on the genealogy¡ªit was Ye Qiu¡¯s gaze.


    From the moment the host announced the Dugu name, his nerves instantly tensed.


    Wasn¡¯t this the surname he had been searching for?


    Up till now, there had been no news, but today, he unexpectedly encountered an item from the Dugu family at the auction.


    Ye Qiu was determined to win, to find the people of the Dugu family, since it was crucial to Ye Qiu himself, extremely important.


    This genealogy would certainly provide numerous clues, greatly reducing the difficulty of finding the Dugu family members.


    ¡°10,000, for the first time, 10,000 for the second time!¡±


    The host looked at the many business owners in front of him, seeing no one raising a sign, he smiled awkwardly.


    If by the third call there were still no bids, the genealogy would pass unsold.


    ¡°10,000, for the thi¡ª¡± Just as the host was about to call the third time, Ye Qiu suddenly raised his bidding sign.


    ¡°20,000 for the first time.¡± The host¡¯s eyes brightened, his spirit lifted by this unexpected bid.


    A passed lot meant less money for him.


    Ye Qiu was the first and only one to raise his sign.


    The other attendees¡¯ attention converged on Ye Qiu.


    Many were puzzled why the young man would spend 200,000 to buy a family genealogy book.


    Could he be a member of the Dugu family?


    Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t answer, nor would anyone else.


    Just as Ye Qiu was about to acquire the Dugu family genealogy, suddenly, a voice interrupted the auctioneer¡¯s almost-finished hammer stroke.


    ¡°300,000!¡±


    Was someone else interested in this genealogy book?


    Attention shifted once more, settling on the figure who had unexpectedly made a bid.


    Ye Qiu frowned as he saw Wang Kun sneering at him.


    It seemed Wang Kun was not going to let him obtain the genealogy book without a fight.


    Ye Qiu should have guessed that Wang Kun¡¯s presence meant he would find a way to avenge the humiliation he had suffered that day.


    This genealogy book of the Dugu family, Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t relinquish it to anyone¡ªhe raised his bidding paddle once again.


    The auctioneer¡¯s eyes lit up, not expecting the genealogy book to attract such interest.


    Wang Kun followed right after Ye Qiu, outbidding him directly.


    The two of them kept raising the price.


    What was initially a genealogy book worth 100,000 quickly escalated to over 3 million, essentially a thirty-fold increase.


    Others looked on as Ye Qiu and Wang Kun fought fiercely over the book, neither willing to relent.


    Some were perplexed¡ªis this genealogy some sort of treasure?


    Some people were tempted and considered joining in to try their hand at winning the bid, but they couldn¡¯t withstand the fierce price hikes from Ye Qiu and Wang Kun.


    Both were determined to win the genealogy book.


    ¡°Brother Ye, it¡¯s just a genealogy book, and the price is already quite high,¡± Huo Qian advised.


    He couldn¡¯t understand why Ye Qiu was so obstinately fixated on this book.


    ¡°I must win it.


    Brother Huo, if my money isn¡¯t enough, could you possibly use a portion of the money from the jade auction later to support me?¡± Ye Qiu asked.


    Huo Qian laughed, saying that of course he could.


    The money from the jade auction¡ªhe didn¡¯t want it anyway, and had planned to give it all to Ye Qiu.


    Before long, the bidding for the genealogy book had soared to 8 million.


    Seeing this, the man sitting next to Wang Kun spoke, ¡°Young Master Kun, is it worth it to do this?¡±


    Craziness filled Wang Kun¡¯s eyes, dominated by a desire for revenge.


    ¡°Hmph, I just don¡¯t want him to have it.


    It doesn¡¯t matter how much money I spend,¡± Wang Kun had lost his sanity, acting as if he had lost all reason.


    Apart from seething with hatred, Ye Qiu was helpless against Wang Kun.


    He should have foreseen that this guy would certainly seek revenge.


    Once he set his sights on something, the other party would also vehemently oppose him.


    The auction price had risen to 10 million.


    A genealogy book, especially for an obscure family, reaching this price was exceedingly high.


    The others around watched the bidding war over a family genealogy between Ye Qiu and Wang Kun¡ªwith nothing but amusement and confusion filling their minds.


    ¡°Fifteen million!¡±


    A voice rang out from the last row of seats at that moment.


    Ye Qiu stopped bidding because the voice was somewhat familiar.


    ¡°Father?¡± Huo Qian also looked towards the one who had offered 15 million, incredulously it was his own father.


    ¡°Brother Ye, my father has made a move, so you can stop bidding.


    If you want it, I will get it for you privately,¡± Huo Qian suddenly said, grabbing hold of Ye Qiu, who was about to speak, to prevent him from driving the price up again.


    Ye Qiu ceased his bidding, and at that moment, Wang Kun also stopped raising his paddle, seemingly giving Huo¡¯s father a deliberate glance, deciding it was best not to continue bidding.


    ¡°Ye Qiu, even if I let you have it, I want you to pay a price, hmph, this genealogy book is just a scratch to you,¡± Wang Kun fought with Ye Qiu, he could contest with Huo Qian, but against Huo¡¯s father, he would not persist.


    After all, this was someone his own father esteemed highly.


    ¡°Congratulations to this gentleman, the genealogy book is now yours.¡±


    The money hadn¡¯t yet changed hands, but Ye Qiu was somewhat excited about the genealogy book he was about to receive.


    Although he had spent a bit more money, he was determined to get it back from Wang Kun.


    Watching Wang Kun¡¯s arrogant and triumphant demeanor, Ye Qiu, not bothering to retaliate, politely nodded at Huo¡¯s father.


    Huo¡¯s father¡¯s sudden bid had halted the continuation between him and Wang Kun and saved him a fair amount of money.


    This favor, he needed to remember.


    ¡°Alright, coming up next is the last item of the day.


    What could it be?¡±


    The final item was brought in by a wooden cart, covered by a layer of red cloth.


    As the red cloth was slowly unveiled, a piece of exquisitely beautiful jade rough stone was revealed to everyone.


    The dazzling light, on a clear day, would certainly penetrate the jade.


    The emerald¡¯s lush and dripping green, intertwined with purple, resembled a royal crown of green and purple, lying quietly on the wooden cart, displaying its majesty and glory.


    The jade rough stone had become the final bid of the day?


    Ye Qiu and Huo Qian froze, neither of them expected their jade rough stone to become the final and most anticipated item.


    Looking at the large piece of jade rough stone, Ye Qiu¡¯s lips formed a sinister curve.


    He had thought of a way to severely trick Wang Kun.

 Chapter 996 - 0996 Reshaping the Rules of Ice! (5th Update)

    Chapter 996: 0996 Reshaping the Rules of Ice! (5th Update)


    Ye Qiu didn¡¯t rush towards the safety passage but embarked on the way back.


    After battling with five mythical figures, he had expended a considerable amount of strength, and Ye Qiu planned to recover a bit before moving forward.


    Finding a relatively secretive spot, Ye Qiu began to restore his depleted energy.


    Little did he know, Elders Tang Hai and Tang Yun were secretly watching his every move.


    Ye Qiu was focused on regaining his strength, presenting a perfect opportunity to strike, but Elder Tang Hai firmly disagreed. In his view, Ye Qiu was very cunning and might be feigning this state to lure out those spying on him from the shadows.


    Elder Tang Yun could only restrain himself from taking action.


    After a day had passed, Ye Qiu had nearly fully recovered his strength, thanks to being in the Barbaric Wilderness Forest. If he were elsewhere, he wouldn¡¯t have been this fast.


    Feeling the surging power throughout his body, he knew that with just a thought, he could release energy.


    After stretching his limbs, he felt quite decent, not far from his optimal state.


    "Luckily, these five mythical beings weren¡¯t from the three ancient clans, otherwise they would have been much harder to deal with."


    The mythical experts from the three ancient clans were noticeably stronger than those from other clans. The previous five myths only mastered one type of Rule Power, which made them easier for Ye Qiu to handle. Otherwise, even with spiritual power and the Eye of Illusion to aid him, he would have struggled more.


    This highlighted the disparity in the heritage among ancient clans¡ªthe stronger the clan, the mightier its experts. This is the main reason the three ancient clans have remained at the pinnacle of the ancient lands. Meanwhile, other clans not only have fewer experts but also lack in quality compared to the three ancient clans.


    Thus, for other clans to rival the three ancient clans is as difficult as ascending to the heavens.


    Ye Qiu organized his gains from the battle, apart from the experience of fighting with mythical figures, he also obtained a few cultivation techniques. Ye Qiu casually flipped through them; although the techniques offered some assistance to him, they didn¡¯t have much impact. After all, having reached the mythical state, he already had his own martial path, and others¡¯ paths could at most provide different inspirations for him.


    After half a day of research, Ye Qiu put the cultivation techniques away again, thinking they would be useful for his five maids¡ªJin¡¯er and Shui¡¯er¡ªto train.


    Then, rummaging through his Sumeru Bag, he took out the wooden box containing the Ice Fruit.


    Upon gently opening it, a chill burst forth, and Ye Qiu saw the Rule Power of Ice flowing on the Ice Fruit¡¯s surface, crystalline and beautiful.


    Hmm!


    From a distance, Elder Tang Yun, who had been watching Ye Qiu¡¯s actions closely, couldn¡¯t help but reveal a look of possessive desire upon witnessing this scene.


    Rule Power of Ice!


    It was a rule initially only possessed by Elder Tang Feng, and Elder Tang Yun felt fervent desire, unable to resist acting.


    "Elder Tang Hai, won¡¯t you let me act?" Elder Tang Yun saw Elder Tang Hai grabbing his arm, who shook his head: "Tang Yun, don¡¯t forget, he took down five mythical figures before. You can¡¯t be blinded by treasures, or you¡¯ll be walking to your death. Besides, this is no longer the best time; we¡¯ve let him recover, and if we proceed, we might share the same fate as the previous five."


    Hesitant, Elder Tang Yun agreed. The Ice Fruit in Ye Qiu¡¯s hand was indeed tempting. If he could obtain it, he would master the Rule of Ice, significantly boosting his power. However, Tang Hai was right; no matter how great the treasure, it must be taken alive.


    "Alright, I understand." Elder Tang Yun had to give up, hoping Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t consume the entire Ice Fruit, leaving some for him to seize later.


    Unaware of Elder Tang Yun¡¯s thoughts, Ye Qiu wasn¡¯t a stranger to herbs containing Rule Power. He had obtained the Rule Power of Wind through a lotus root containing it.


    Currently, although Ye Qiu had partially mastered the Rule Power of Ice, he felt it lacking. Back then, his ability to comprehend the Rule of Ice was due to Elder Tang Feng, who infused Rule Power into him. Otherwise, Ye Qiu wouldn¡¯t have mastered it. Now, the Ice Fruit made Ye Qiu believe that consuming it would enhance his mastery and understanding of the Rule of Ice.


    Without hesitation, recalling his previous experience of directly consuming the lotus root for the Rule of Wind, Ye Qiu replicated the method, biting down on the Ice Fruit and sending it into his Dantian.


    Instantly, a soul-piercing chill surged through him, causing his limbs to tingle, and frost to form on his face.


    The power of the Rule of Ice rapidly spread throughout his body.


    If Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t already mastered part of the Rule Power of Ice, this experience would undoubtedly be excruciating and unforgettable. However, at this moment, Ye Qiu focused his mind to channel the Rule Power of Ice, simultaneously compressing the Rule Power from the Ice Fruit into the remaining eyeball.


    Swish, swish, swish...


    The Rule Power began to be condensed by the remaining eyeball into a rhombus crystal essence. Ye Qiu observed the process, uncovering the mysteries of the Rule Power of Ice.


    From afar, Elder Tang Yun watched with a heart-aching expression as this damned Ye Qiu consumed the Ice Fruit. At this moment, Tang Yun felt as if the treasure he had fought for was snatched away by Ye Qiu, leaving him both furious and envious.


    He didn¡¯t even possess such a treasure imbued with Rule Power.


    Elder Tang Hai felt the same, watching powerlessly as Ye Qiu consumed the Ice Fruit, unable to act. His mood was no better, but there was nothing to be done. Ye Qiu¡¯s displayed strength had been too astounding before, leaving the two elders with the desire but not the courage to act, too afraid to take the risk.


    Tang Hai and Tang Yun didn¡¯t realize they had missed an immensely important opportunity. In fact, Ye Qiu¡¯s current state wasn¡¯t good. He had assumed that the crystalline structure of the Ice Rule within his body would merely grow after eating the Ice Fruit. But it turned out differently. As Ye Qiu thought things would proceed as expected, a change occurred.


    The Rule Power from the Ice Fruit was much purer than the Ice Rule Power he had within. It was then Ye Qiu realized how crude his previous grasp of the Ice Rule had been.


    He had no choice but to bear the intense pain, deconstructing his former Ice Rule and reconstructing its essence anew.


    In doing so, Ye Qiu suffered tremendously. He felt a splitting headache as the Ice Rule disintegrated, its power ricocheting chaotically within his body.


    On the other hand, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t divert his focus to resist because the essence of the new Ice Rule was forming, the rhombus crystal gradually taking shape.


    Ye Qiu could only grit his teeth and endure, unsure how long had passed, and felt himself in a semi-conscious state, on the verge of collapse.


    Meanwhile, in the distance, Tang Yun and Tang Hai thought Ye Qiu was comprehending the Rule Power of Ice, oblivious to his dire situation.


    "This kid¡¯s really gotten lucky," Tang Yun said enviously.


    Tang Hai comforted from the side, "He probably has more than just this treasure. When the opportunity arises to take him down, they¡¯ll all be ours."


    "Yes," Tang Yun nodded fiercely, eager to rip Ye Qiu apart, yet deep down, he dared not; the youth was just too formidable.


    One false move, and it would be a descent into hell!

 Chapter 997 - 0997 Twists and Turns! (6th update)

    Chapter 997: 0997 Twists and Turns! (6th update)


    Not knowing how much time had passed, when his body temperature returned to normal, Ye Qiu felt completely revitalized.


    Immediately checking his Dantian, he discovered that the re-constructed crystal of Ice Rule had been completed, floating alongside the crystal of Wind Rule.


    Ye Qiu tried to harness the power of Ice Rule, and instantly, in his palm, the power to form frost and transform ice began to emerge.


    Indeed, this time activating the Ice Rule felt even easier and more natural, without any signs of imbalance.


    Integrating his spirit into the ice crystal, he could personally sense the formation of Ice Rule power, and his understanding of this Rule Power multiplied severalfold in an instant.


    After a while, Ye Qiu opened his eyes, initially planning to recover some of his strength but ended up reorganizing the Ice Rule once more.


    However, Ye Qiu only consumed one ice fruit, leaving four more, enough to refine four Ice Yuan Dan.


    "I¡¯ve been staying here for the past two days; it¡¯s time to leave the Barbaric Wilderness Forest." Ye Qiu decided to return, got up and adjusted his clothes, glanced around, and seeing no ancient beasts, headed towards the safety passage.


    Tang Yun and Tang Feng, the two elders, immediately followed. At this point, both had set their minds on Ye Qiu, because killing him would accomplish two goals: settling their inner displeasure and acquiring treasures, far better than spending more time adventuring deeper into the Barbaric Wilderness Forest.


    Reaching the location in his memory didn¡¯t take Ye Qiu long. He had arrived at the safety passage.


    This safety passage, like a tunnel, was hidden within the jungle of the Barbaric Wilderness Forest, and if one was not careful, it would be difficult to discover.


    Reappearing in the safety passage, Ye Qiu often glanced at the trees on both sides, contemplating whether these people could enter the Barbaric Wilderness Forest through the safety passage, and whether those ancient beasts could also use this route to enter the ancient land?


    If both sides could freely access each other¡¯s territory, wouldn¡¯t the ancient land become even more dangerous?


    However, based on his understanding of the ancient land, for many years, ancient beasts had never appeared in the land to wreak havoc.


    "Could it be that even if ancient beasts set foot on this passage, they cannot enter the ancient land?" Ye Qiu wondered, as only this explanation seemed feasible.


    But if this fact were true, it would be good news for the Martial Artists living in the ancient land, as it implies they can freely explore the Barbaric Wilderness Forest without worrying about ancient beasts attacking the ancient land.


    Thinking for a long time, without any leads and no place to find answers, Ye Qiu stopped bothering about these issues and focused on traveling, aiming to return to the ancient land as early as possible.


    After all these days, Jin Shanshun and Jin¡¯er, among other five maids, were probably worried about him.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Ye Qiu sped along the passageway, while Tang Hai and Tang Yun, maintaining a certain distance from Ye Qiu, followed behind, ensuring they weren¡¯t detected by him.


    "He¡¯s leaving here. If he really returns to the ancient land, I wonder if we¡¯ll have a better chance to strike at him." Elder Tang Yun regretted, knowing that he should have acted earlier. Now that Ye Qiu was heading back home, once he reached the ancient land, with the backing of Yun Shang Palace, they would have even fewer opportunities to make a move, especially since even the three great ancient clans couldn¡¯t do anything, let alone the two of them.


    "It¡¯s indeed tough. Even if we spread news that he took down five legends, it would likely create a buzz for this kid, boosting his fame. As for whether the ancient clans behind those five legends would take action, it¡¯s really hard to say." Elder Tang Hai sighed in difficulty.


    "Should we act now?" Tang Yun suggested.


    "Are you a match for him?" Tang Hai responded helplessly.


    Tang Yun angrily flung his sleeves: "If this doesn¡¯t work, and that doesn¡¯t work, should we just let this kid safely return to the ancient land? I¡¯m really not reconciled; spending several days and ending up with nothing gained before going back, what will Tang Heshan think of us?"


    Talking about this topic, Tang Hai fell silent as well.


    As the two faced a dilemma, unsure whether to take action or continue following, Tang Hai noticed Ye Qiu ahead had suddenly stopped.


    "Something¡¯s up; that kid stopped moving," Tang Hai remarked.


    Both immediately slowed down and stopped, Tang Yun made a surprised sound, and they quietly watched ahead.


    Ye Qiu initially didn¡¯t sense anything wrong, but as he kept walking, he realized the passage was unusually quiet, alerting him that something was amiss. Judging by logic, Martial Artists from the ancient land should frequently pass through this passage to enter the Barbaric Wilderness Forest. Even if no one entered later, someone should be returning, yet Ye Qiu didn¡¯t see a single figure along the way.


    Whether going in or out, no one appeared, which was too peculiar.


    With Ye Qiu¡¯s careful observation, he noticed that after walking a distance, he found patches of dried bloodstains.


    Could it be the work of ancient beasts?


    Or mutual slaughter among the Martial Artists?


    Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t figure out either possibility. He grew cautious, constantly aware of his surroundings, and his pace began to slow down.


    After proceeding for over twenty kilometers, a lineup of figures appeared ahead, all dressed in black, with only their eyes exposed.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes grew intense, his heart skipped a beat; what unsettled him was that all these people were extraordinary, the weakest being at the legendary realm, and there were over twenty of them.


    Even with Ye Qiu¡¯s self-confidence, he dared not battle twenty-plus legendary realm fighters.


    This lineup was terrifying; he hadn¡¯t reached the level to fight dozens in one sweep.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...


    As soon as these people in black saw Ye Qiu appear, they advanced. Ye Qiu hesitated not; he could handle four or five, but facing twenty-odd legends would definitely be overwhelming.


    Without much thought, Ye Qiu turned to flee. Facing so many aggressive legendary Martial Artists and escaping wasn¡¯t shameful.


    Ye Qiu realized that these people, like the previous five legends, all engaged in bandit-like behavior, waiting at the safety passage to rob returning Martial Artists, sometimes even killing them.


    Ye Qiu hadn¡¯t anticipated these people to be even more ruthless than he imagined, as their motive was genuine slaughter, not allowing any Martial Artist venturing into the Barbaric Wilderness Forest to return alive.


    "Why did that kid suddenly retreat?" Tang Hai exclaimed.


    "No, what¡¯s that... those are people rather than a group of legendary realm fighters..." Tang Yun scrutinized ahead, suddenly witnessing a group of legendary realm Martial Artists, promptly breaking a cold sweat; no wonder Ye Qiu was retreating. With twenty-odd legends furiously chasing him, who wouldn¡¯t run?


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    Both sensed trouble and knew they couldn¡¯t stay, or shortly, those black-clad legendary Martial Artists would chase them too. If they raised their blades against the two, it would be certain death.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...


    Tang Hai and Tang Yun fled wildly, and at this moment, they couldn¡¯t care less about Ye Qiu, focusing solely on saving their own lives.


    "Hmm?" Ye Qiu activated the power of Wind Rule, speeding away, suddenly noticing the figures of Tang Hai and Tang Yun ahead, feeling a sense of familiarity.


    "It¡¯s the two elders of the Tang clan!" Ye Qiu immediately recalled their identities, realizing they had been secretly following him all along.


    "Hmph, have you been scheming against me in secret?" Ye Qiu had no good opinion of the Tang clan elders, except for Elder Tang Yu; he turned his gaze, instantly forming an idea, pursuing in the direction of the two while drawing the black-clad figures along.

 Chapter 1030 Suppression! (3rd Update)

    Chapter 1030: 1030 Suppression! (3rd Update)


    Feeling the intense battle intent from Ye Qiu, the elder of the Ji Clan said indifferently, "So it seems you¡¯re ready to fight me?"


    "Ignorant of your own mortality," Ji Changyu immediately responded.


    Ye Qiu glanced at him and said nothing, suddenly concealing himself within the formation, while the Ji Clan elder blocked Ji Changyu.


    He struck thrice into the void, causing Ye Qiu to stagger and reveal himself.


    He patted his chest, realizing that this Ji Clan elder could actually see through his hiding place; his formation skills were quite strong.


    "Boy, you tried to ambush me just now, didn¡¯t you? Go ahead, why did you stop?" Seeing Ye Qiu¡¯s displeased face, Ji Changyu continued to taunt him. Ye Qiu had indeed intended to take out Ji Changyu first, but the elder had intervened, preventing him from getting close.


    Although this formation was under his control, to Ye Qiu, the Ji Clan elder seemed like a flame that he dared not approach easily, lest he get burned.


    Ignoring Ji Changyu¡¯s taunts, Ye Qiu thought that without the elder, he could have taken out Ji Changyu long ago.


    "As long as I¡¯m here, you won¡¯t harm him," the Ji Clan elder said, looking at Ye Qiu.


    "Come then, show me where you, the young man who defeated our clan¡¯s prodigy, are truly strong?"


    The Ji Clan elder gestured for Ye Qiu to continue attacking, while he stood there calmly, as if he could handle any of Ye Qiu¡¯s moves, unfazed by any changes.


    This strong mentality indicated he was very confident in his own power.


    Ye Qiu directly channeled the intent of Tai Chi, stepping onto the Tai Chi symbol in an instant.


    The Ji Clan elder¡¯s eyes brightened, "Interesting, your Tai Chi skills are quite refined."


    He praised briefly, only slightly surprised and not completely shocked.


    Both fists came forward, two fish swam towards him, intertwining and merging into a black and white light ring, enveloping the Ji Clan elder.


    Swish.


    Ji Changyu hurried to the elder¡¯s side, as the light ring rapidly shrank, seemingly to draw the two together.


    The Ji Clan elder remained expressionless, raised his hand, and flicked his fingers. Ye Qiu felt a mental jolt as he saw the Tai Chi light ring instantly dispelled.


    "Haha, nothing to it," Ji Changyu laughed heartily upon seeing this.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes shifted, suddenly, from within the formation, a large hand emerged from behind Ji Changyu, grabbing his shoulder.


    "Huh?" The Ji Clan elder didn¡¯t expect Ye Qiu¡¯s move to be so sudden, swinging his arm like an axe in an attempt to sever the massive arm.


    The giant hand lifted Ji Changyu into the air, startling him with the sudden attack. He never imagined Ye Qiu¡¯s counterattack would be so swift, immediately crying out, "Ancestor, save me."


    Ji Changyu struggled continuously, his strength being at the mid-mythical realm, yet he couldn¡¯t break free from the hand generated by the formation.


    "Break," as the Ji Clan elder¡¯s hand nearly reached, Ye Qiu instantly tossed Ji Changyu towards himself.


    The Ji Clan elder¡¯s arm missed its mark, and Ye Qiu smiled menacingly at Ji Changyu.


    Swish.


    Ye Qiu rose swiftly into the air. As Ji Changyu rushed forward, Ye Qiu dodged to his side, delivering a fierce slap.


    Smack.


    The slap landed on Ji Changyu¡¯s mouth corner, making him howl in pain.


    An important figure of the Ji Clan, slapped twice in succession by Ye Qiu, would certainly bring disgrace to Ji Changyu if this were known.


    Ah!


    Growing increasingly furious, Ji Changyu, despite his mythical realm status, channeled his grief into rage, determined to tear Ye Qiu apart.


    Ye Qiu had defeated many mythical realm martial artists in the past, even half-stepping into a higher realm. Ji Changyu, possessing only a mythical power without significant combat prowess, was by comparison ordinary.


    Ji Changyu rolled and launched another attack, his fist pounding forward, shouting, "Madman, take my punch!"


    Ye Qiu had no intention of dodging, as his fist gleamed, colliding directly with Ji Changyu¡¯s punch.


    Boom!


    Within the formation, a massive surge of energy welled up. Ji Changyu gasped, his arm drooping, fist battered and bleeding, gritting his teeth in pain.


    His strength was overpowered by Ye Qiu in an instant, injuring his own arm.


    Only now did Ji Changyu stop underestimating Ye Qiu, as the arrogance in his bones turned to irony due to the physical pain.


    The Ji Clan elder appeared beside Ji Changyu as Ye Qiu retreated slightly, ceasing his attack. This was a severe lesson for Ji Changyu.


    Ji Changyu glared at Ye Qiu, no longer yelling, but his cold gaze was unmistakable.


    "I injured him, even with you around," Ye Qiu remarked blandly.


    These words were a direct slap to the face of the Ji Clan elder, as moments ago he vowed to prevent Ye Qiu from harming Ji Changyu, yet now Ji Changyu¡¯s arm was crippled by Ye Qiu.


    This was undeniably a great irony.


    The Ji Clan elder¡¯s expression turned sour, as his negligence gave Ye Qiu an opportunity. Luckily, Ji Changyu sustained only flesh wounds, not life-threatening injuries. Otherwise, if he died by Ye Qiu¡¯s hand, the Ji Clan elder would have no face to face Ji Changtian.


    "You successfully angered me," the Ji Clan elder said coolly.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s heart tightened, feeling as though death had its eyes on him, akin to facing a Windhorn Beast in the Barbaric Wilderness Forest.


    Powerful and invincible.


    Ye Qiu retreated rapidly, attempting to conceal himself within the formation again. However, this time, the Ji Clan elder no longer stood still, taking the initiative to attack.


    "So fast."


    Ye Qiu had barely retreated a distance of three meters before he saw the Ji Clan elder vanish, and then promptly stand before him.


    "Your understanding of Tai Chi is quite deep. It may work against other martial artists, but against me, it¡¯s far from enough."


    "Today, let me show you the Tai Chi of my martial path."


    With those words, Ye Qiu watched the Ji Clan elder spread his arms, sweeping them in an upward and downward arc, transforming into a Yin-Yang fish that swam into the air. Ye Qiu squinted as the elder not only became a fish but the Yin-Yang fish turned into a Yin-Yang dragon.


    At once, the Yin-Yang dragon, with dual heads, each spat out an attack.


    One black, one white.


    Ye Qiu¡¯s heart raced; he dared not use his mortal body to resist this attack. With a wave of his arm, a golden light flashed, and the Yata Mirror appeared in his hand.


    Clang clang clang...


    The Yata Mirror blocked the black and white forces.


    Yet it sent Ye Qiu flying.


    "Oh? What treasure is this, to withstand my attack?" The Ji Clan elder expressed surprise, eyeing the Yata Mirror in Ye Qiu¡¯s hand.


    Ye Qiu stored the Yata Mirror away, knowing from the elder¡¯s gaze that he was interested in the Yata Mirror.


    These ancient people, when they saw a remarkable treasure, all wanted to claim it as their own.


    Ye Qiu straightened his clothes, impressed by the elder¡¯s insight into Tai Chi; from that one move, he could see the elder¡¯s profound Tai Chi skill.


    "Quite troublesome!" Ye Qiu clicked his tongue, drumming in his heart, as the elder¡¯s strength surpassed any opponent he had faced before.


    This battle was truly fraught with danger!