The atmosphere at the scene changed in an instant. A palpable air of romantic tension, which Su Chen had once longed for, now filled the space, evoking an immense fear within him. "By the way, are all the people you called trustworthy? We can't let any information leak, especially since the other side is no pushover," Su Chen gravely remarked. "Of course, these are our family's most loyal subordinates, and I've taken away all their communication devices," came the response. When it came to passing on messages covertly, one could never be too cautious, particularly after Fang Han had looked into Qin Yu's identity, becoming even more wary of unforeseen mishaps.
In the midst of their conversation, Fang Han's gaze settled on Zhao Menghan, as if assuring Su Chen of her thorough investigation and her trustworthiness. Su Chen nodded slightly, his heart bursting with silent laughter. What a joke! Who did they think they were dealing with? One of the world's greatest assassins, and they believed they could deceive her? In reality, Su Chen had purposely orchestrated it this way, arranging the ambush on Qin Yu hours in advance to allow Zhao Menghan time to pass on a covert message.
Why give her hours? Not that Su Chen doubted Zhao Menghan's professional integrity as a top-tier assassin, but he had been burned by other women's ploys before. If Zhao Menghan didn't tip off Qin Yu, how would the story progress? How would Qin Yu make his move against him in advance? As time passed, the grand event at the auction house came to an end, with many beginning to depart. Su Chen and his group, hiding in the shadows, were all set, waiting for the opportune moment to strike as soon as Qin Yu appeared. When Qin Yu finally made his appearance, delighted by his newly acquired valuable antiques, he seemed entirely unaware of the impending danger. At this moment, he had lowered all his guards.
Su Chen sneered internally. True to a protagonist's nature, even though Qin Yu knew about the impending ambush, he feigned nonchalance, trying to catch Su Chen off guard. Indeed, he thought rightly so. Su Chen stole a glance at Zhao Menghan, hoping she hadn't messed up. "Let's go! Time to teach this young master a lesson," Fang Han ordered with a sweeping gesture. "Wait!" Su Chen, sensing something was amiss, immediately halted everyone. He had been scanning the surroundings and noticed the absence of any protectors near Qin Yu. In the story of Su Chen's previous life, upon discovering the truth, Qin Yu had enlisted the protection of Wang Bingbing and her subordinates. But now, Wang's guards were nowhere to be seen, which struck Su Chen as peculiar.
Given Qin Yu's unsuspecting demeanor and the lack of Wang's presence, a daring idea emerged in Su Chen's mind. He then shifted his attention to an eager-looking Zhao Menghan, especially her furious eyes that seemed itching to take Qin Yu down. Had she encountered an issue, leading her not to notify Wang Bingbing? Su Chen felt on the brink of a meltdown. Was this really the behavior of a top-tier assassin? Is the world of assassins empty now? Have they all gone to shoot movies? Could they not even handle such a simple task? Su Chen was at a loss.
"What's the hold-up? This is a golden opportunity!" Fang Han exclaimed, looking frustrated. "If you're in, let's give him a thrashing; if not, let's leave. Stop dawdling!" Su Chen was absolutely livid. What was going on? Was every female lead this erratic now? He had truly had enough. Zhao Menghan noticed Su Chen's gaze on her and mistook it for trust. Feeling guilty, she thought back to how she had once betrayed Su Chen's trust in her previous life by warning Qin Yu. This time she was determined to make amends. "When can we make our move, Su Chen? I promise I won't let you down this time," she earnestly inquired, eager to help Su Chen get his revenge.
But Su Chen was left dumbfounded. Wasn't she supposed to delay their actions and tip off Qin Yu? Overwhelmed by her genuine expression, Su Chen's heart seemed to melt – in frustration. "If we keep discussing, our target will escape," he mused. "Let's get him!" Fang Han, choosing to ignore Su Chen's hesitations, ordered a sudden assault, and a swarm of thugs swiftly surrounded Qin Yu.
One after another, they looked fearsome, seemingly eager to take Qin Yu's life. Now, Su Chen was completely dumbfounded, having never expected such a situation. But it didn't matter to him. He never really counted on Wang Bingbing coming out to defend him. Thankfully, he still had Qin Yu, the male lead by his side. With Qin Yu's martial prowess, teaching these guys a lesson would be a piece of cake. Gritting his teeth, Su Chen made up his mind.
Even if it meant sacrificing himself, he wanted Qin Yu to give them a good beating. Energized by this thought, Su Chen stepped forward, declaring boldly, "Kid, you're asking for death, daring to offend me. I'll teach you a lesson today, and if I ever see you again, you'll know the consequences."
Qin Yu immediately emerged from his joy, scanning the surroundings and spotting Zhao Menghan in the crowd, causing him to frown. It seemed Zhao Menghan had become Su Chen's close confidant, and he had never doubted her abilities. But why was he now surrounded, and Zhao Menghan had not informed him? Was there some secret at play here? The idea of Zhao Menghan betraying him like Qin Luoyi had never crossed Qin Yu's mind. He knew all too well how infatuated this woman was with him.
However, Qin Yu quickly steadied his emotions, and the iconic smirk of a protagonist reappeared on his face. It didn't matter if Zhao Menghan didn't inform him, or even if she used all her strength against him. He was confident because he had unparalleled power. In the face of this power, all else seemed in vain. He just couldn't plan further against Su Chen, but that was fine. He wanted to give Su Chen a good thrashing, preferably debilitating him in some way to settle the score.
With these thoughts in mind, Qin Yu disdainfully glanced at Su Chen, displaying a contemptuous expression that perfectly showcased the kind of hostility reserved for a male lead. "Get him and show no mercy. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility," Su Chen commanded with a wave of his hand. The street thugs around him surged forward, their attacks ruthless, showing no signs of restraint. Su Chen, on the other hand, was ecstatic. He had been waiting for an opportunity like this. "If you want to make a move, then don't expect any courtesy from me."
Noticing that Zhao Menghan showed no signs of intervening, he sighed in relief. Perhaps she was just putting on an act. He had probably overthought things. After all, Zhao Menghan had been with Qin Yu for nearly a decade. There was no way she could be as unreliable as the female leads like Lin Qingyan, Qin Luoyi, or Wang Bingbing. A troubling thought suddenly struck Su Chen. Wang Bingbing might have been his protective shield. Qin Yu didn't act against him only because Wang Bingbing was present. But now, with no sign of Wang Bingbing and given Qin Yu's recent gaze, it seemed like Qin Yu might seriously harm him! Doubts filled Su Chen's mind.
If Qin Yu really turned against him, should he fight back? If he did retaliate, he could probably only withstand three of Qin Yu's moves. But doing so would go against his character. For a moment, Su Chen felt lost. He looked at Zhao Menghan with admiration. Her acting skills were impeccable; she had even fooled him. It wasn't that she hadn't informed Qin Yu; she just wanted to make him look even worse.