Han Shangwen grumbled under his breath, but it still didn't sate his anger.
He stopped, turning to face Zhu Xiaotian and Yang Qianqian who were keeping pace with him. Zhu Xiaotian, with a dejected expression, said, "I'm sorry, Young Master Han, I truly had no idea he had such a formidable background. I apologize for causing you so much trouble. I'll kneel to you."
"Fuck you!"
Han Shangwen kicked Zhu Xiaotian in the abdomen, causing him to stumble backward and fall onto the ground.
As if that weren't enough, Han Shangwen walked up and began to punch and kick Zhu Xiaotian.
If Zhu Xiaotian hadn't been blind to the situation, would he have been slapped in the face by Chen Jinzhao in public? What made him even more infuriated was his inability to stand up to Chen Jinzhao, leaving the resentment bottled up inside him unable to be released.
"I'm sorry?"
"Does your saying sorry make it all right?! You almost got me killed! How do you propose we resolve this?" Han Shangwen's face contorted into a ferocious expression, startling Zhu Xiaotian and Yang Qianqian.
Zhu Xiaotian was at a loss. Yang Qianqian quickly interjected, "Young Master Han, President Zhu didn't mean for this to happen. Who could have known his background was so significant!"
Han Shangwen glared fiercely at the two, then took two deep breaths to calm himself. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, get up. Since Chen Jinzhao isn't pursuing this further, it should be over. However, you did something so foolish, you ought to pay a price."
"The matter I instructed you to handle, have you given it proper consideration?"
Han Shangwen was referring to Yang Qianqian's situation.
Zhu Xiaotian's expression faltered. He instinctively looked at Yang Qianqian beside him, then nodded with a bitter smile, "Reporting to you, Young Master Han, I have considered it carefully."
Seeing this, Yang Qianqian pursed her lips, not daring to say anything more.
Han Shangwen nodded and then patted Zhu Xiaotian's shoulder. "This is your chance to redeem yourself. I will reward you handsomely once it's accomplished."
"Thank you, Young Master Han!"
Han Shangwen grunted and then led his men away.
Zhu Xiaotian and Yang Qianqian watched him leave, both privately breathing a sigh of relief. At least they weren't being pursued further; otherwise, they would have been in deep trouble.
"Qianqian, let's go back too," Zhu Xiaotian said bitterly. There was no point in staying any longer; it would only invite more ridicule.
Yang Qianqian remained standing in place.
Zhu Xiaotian looked at her with confusion. "Qianqian, what's wrong?"
"President Zhu..."
"Is the matter that Young Master Han instructed you about related to me?" Yang Qianqian asked.
Zhu Xiaotian's eyes darted nervously, but he quickly suppressed it. He forced a smile and said, "No, you're overthinking it."
Yang Qianqian felt a pang of sadness and shook her head. "President Zhu, you don't need to lie to me. I could see it in your eyes; during your conversation, you both kept glancing at me, intentionally or unintentionally. If I didn't realize this matter concerned me, then I've lived my life in vain."
"Just tell me directly, so I don't have to spend my days overthinking."
Zhu Xiaotian was rendered speechless.
After a long silence, he finally sighed, "Do you really want to know?"
"Yes."
Yang Qianqian nodded vigorously.
Zhu Xiaotian sighed repeatedly and then recounted the matter Han Shangwen had instructed him to do to Yang Qianqian, detail by detail. Upon hearing it, Yang Qianqian's face turned pale. She truly could not escape the fate of becoming a plaything.
They fell silent.
Eventually, it was Yang Qianqian who broke the quiet, forcing a strained smile. "President Zhu, this might not be a bad thing for me. Why the long face?"
"Qianqian, you don't need to deceive yourself in front of me. It's pointless," Zhu Xiaotian said, his mind in turmoil. Hearing Yang Qianqian's docile words made him feel like an even more pathetic man.
He scratched his head in frustration, making it look like a bird's nest.
Yang Qianqian kept trying to comfort him. Zhu Xiaotian's eyes welled up with tears. "No, I can't just watch you walk into a wolf's den. If I do, my conscience will plague me for the rest of my life. You might not know, but those old men are incredibly debauched. Several celebrities you know have also met their end because of them. The news media reported it as various accidents, but the truth is far deeper than that."
Upon hearing this.
Yang Qianqian's scalp tingled, and she trembled uncontrollably. She could no longer force a smile and said with a hint of fear, "Perhaps this is my destiny."
"What kind of bullshit destiny is that? I don't believe in such things. I will defy fate for you," Zhu Xiaotian gritted his teeth.
"President Zhu, you don't need to go against Young Master Han for me. That would be foolish. Moreover, I'm not worth you doing that. Your intention alone is more than enough for me," Yang Qianqian said sincerely.
Zhu Xiaotian shook his head repeatedly.
Just now, a figure flashed through his mind—
Chen Jinzhao!
Perhaps only he could help Yang Qianqian.
"Qianqian, I've thought of a way. Just wait for my good news," a look of determination flashed in Zhu Xiaotian's eyes. He knew that if Han Shangwen discovered his plan, he would spare no effort to kill him.
However.
Zhu Xiaotian was willing to risk it all.
He felt he had never done anything meaningful in his life, so he wanted to do something crazy.
Yang Qianqian seemed to sense Zhu Xiaotian's resolve. She threw herself into his arms and sobbed softly.
Meanwhile.
The four armed police officers had learned of Chen Jinzhao's identity, and their gazes towards him were now filled with respect and fervor. They saluted and shouted, "General Chen!"
Chen Jinzhao returned their salute. "You've worked hard!"
The captain said with emotion, "It's no trouble at all. Protecting the people is our duty."
"You did very well. Now, please return to your respective posts and continue your missions," Chen Jinzhao instructed. The four saluted again, then formed a line and returned to their posts.
After they left, only two people remained.
Shangguan Yu'an looked at Chen Jinzhao. Before he could speak, Chen Jinzhao asked, "Why are you here too? You didn't say anything to me beforehand."
"I was invited by them as well. I thought you, Instructor, wouldn't be coming," Shangguan Yu'an replied truthfully.
Chen Jinzhao chuckled. "Originally, I wasn't planning to attend, but my girlfriend is participating in the economic summit these few days, so I'm accompanying her."
Shangguan Yu'an nodded, then lowered his voice. "Instructor, I have a feeling that this conference is brewing trouble. Could it be a trap?"
Everyone knew that Qin Fengwu and Chen Jinzhao were at odds. Why would Qin Fengwu kindly invite Chen Jinzhao to such a meeting?
It was possible he had ulterior motives.
"Instructor, you need to be careful. Don't let Qin Fengwu set a trap for you."
Chen Jinzhao's smile faded, and his gaze turned profound. "It would be strange if Qin Fengwu didn't try to set a trap for me. As the saying goes, a weasel paying a New Year's visit to a chicken is never well-intentioned."
"Then why did you agree to it?" Shangguan Yu'an asked, puzzled.
"You still don't understand Qin Fengwu. If I refused his invitation, he would surely cause trouble for me in other ways. But I want to maintain control of the overall situation and not have any unstable factors outside my purview. Qin Fengwu knows me very well," Chen Jinzhao narrowed his eyes, a cold glint appearing.
"I also want to see what he's up to."