"Do you know me?" Su Yu had already noticed the man standing nearby, absently toying with an oversized ashtray. Having worked in the same place, they often encountered each other while going up and down the stairs, so he was familiar enough, though she had rarely seen a stranger, and this man was clearly one. She wondered if he was a newly hired employee at the company.
"I've seen you on television," Xiang Ri felt a conflict within himself. On one hand, he wanted to witness Su Yu's astonishment upon realizing he was the mastermind behind the scenes; on the other hand, he preferred to maintain his mysterious identity, lurking in the shadows, ready to strike unexpectedly.
"Hmm!" Su Yu nodded at him. Given her frequent appearances in the media, it was no surprise that he had seen her. However, for some reason, as she looked at the young man's calm demeanor and heard his voice, a sense of familiarity washed over her, particularly due to his attire, which stirred a vague memory in her mind. Yet, she couldn't recall where she had seen him before. Puzzled, she asked, "Have we met before?"
"No!" Xiang Ri replied emphatically.
Su Yu wanted to say more, but at that moment, the elevator dinged and its doors opened, revealing they had arrived at the ground floor.
Xiang Ri shot a complicated glance at the shapely Su Yu before striding out of the elevator.
Su Yu watched his retreating figure, certain her instincts could not be wrong. But why? She decided not to dwell on it; her priority was to meet the person she had heard had found someone who matched her description of the boss. Wait a minute—boss? The dark gray attire, the old black-rimmed glasses, the somewhat aloof expression, and that eerily familiar voice—oh dear, that must be the boss! How could I be so foolish!
"Boss!" Su Yu hurriedly pursued him, only to be met with a torrent of traffic, with no sign of the person she sought. Frustrated, she stamped her foot.
"Darling, I'm home!" Xiang Ri announced with a teasing tone as he pushed open the door, fully expecting Su Yu to leap into his arms in surprise. Instead, he was disappointed to find her fixated on the television screen. Curiosity piqued, he slowed his steps to approach her quietly, only to be taken aback. "Why aren't you watching your usual soap operas? Switched to a crime show?"
"Ah!" Su Yu jumped at the sudden voice, turning to see Xiang Ri and complaining, "Are you a cat? You came in without making a sound."
"I clearly called out 'darling.' Perhaps someone was too engrossed to hear me. Why is it my fault?" Xiang Ri said, rubbing his nose in frustration.
"It is your fault! I'm ignoring you; I'm watching TV." She turned her attention back to the screen.
Xiang Ri placed the large ashtray down and sat beside her. "When did you change your taste? Didn't you used to dislike violent shows?"
"Idiot, this is the news!" Su Yu shot him an exasperated glance.
"News? They broadcast reality too?" Xiang Ri exclaimed in surprise, noticing the news station's logo in the corner of the screen.
"There's a robbery at a bank, and many hostages have been taken," Su Yu said, her face a mask of concern.
"That's truly terrifying!" Yet, Xiang Ri's expression revealed no trace of fear; instead, he appeared intensely intrigued. "What's happening now? Did anyone get hurt? Were there any casualties?" He was eager to know if any beautiful women had been taken so he could lend a hand.
"Hey, how can you lack any sympathy? Look!" Su Yu pointed to the screen, where a man and a woman lay bleeding at the bank's entrance. "The man wanted to trade himself for his girlfriend, but the criminals shot him. When the woman saw him fall, she bit the hand of the man holding her and ran out, only to see her boyfriend down on the ground. They're so pitiful!"
"They are indeed unfortunate! Oh, sweetheart, don't cry; come here." Xiang Ri said, attempting to pull her into his embrace.
"Go away! You just want to take advantage of me! Tell me, if one day I were captured, would you trade yourself for me like that man did?" Su Yu stared at him with swollen, tear-filled eyes.
"What kind of situation are you referring to?" Xiang Ri feigned ignorance, as such questions were difficult to answer. Typically, when a woman watches a heart-wrenching love story, she tends to project herself into the scenario, questioning her boyfriend about his willingness to act heroically.
"Stop pretending!" Su Yu angrily pinched his side. "If I were taken, would you be brave enough to trade yourself for me?"
"I'll need to consider that," Xiang Ri said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"I knew it," Su Yu said, her tears cascading anew. "You don't care about me at all. If I were really taken, you'd probably be glad, wouldn't you?"
"Fool!" Xiang Ri held her tightly. "I would never let anyone take you away, unless they passed over my dead body. Do you understand? That kind of situation will never happen."
"What if something were to happen?" Chu Chu's expression softened, as the man's words indirectly conveyed that he would protect her with his life. Yet, she still felt a twinge of dissatisfaction, sensing a lack of romantic flair.
"There will be no 'if'!" Xiang Ri replied solemnly.
"How infuriating! Can't you indulge me just a little?" Chu Chu pouted, employing her charm.
"Indulging you is not the issue!" Xiang Ri retorted, struggling to maintain his composure.
"Ah, I really forgot! I'll go right away!" Chu Chu broke free from his embrace and hurried toward the kitchen, only to pop her head back out moments later. "I remembered! You didn't come home for lunch today. Where did you eat? With whom? Male or female? Don't you dare lie to me!"
"I had lunch with Xiao Qing." Xiang Ri intentionally omitted mentioning the female officer.
"Xiao Qing? Oh, it's Sister Qing. How annoying! Can you not call her that? It's misleading," she complained.
"There's no choice; she is my apprentice! I can't very well call her the same name as you, or that would create confusion."
"I suppose you have a point! I'll go cook now, it won't take long. Just wait a moment!" Pleased with his response, Chu Chu cheerfully retreated to the kitchen.
In the Zhenlong villa district, any mansion with an address ending in "8" belonged to affluent families. Purchasing such a residence required not only wealth but also a commensurate social standing. Therefore, if you were merely a nouveau riche individual, you might want to consider a different address.
Among the many "8" numbered houses, "88" was the most esteemed, followed by "68." The former was owned by the entire Zhenlong villa district's master, Chu A, while the latter belonged to Wu Heyan, chairman of the Wu Group, the largest conglomerate in the city, involved in dining, entertainment, and real estate, second only to the Zhenlong Group.
As night fell, the underground parking garage of the "68" mansion had been transformed into a makeshift dining room. A round table stood in the center, laden with a variety of dishes and an abundance of meat and white wine.
Seven or eight people gathered around the table, with Wu Heyan and his brother Wu Qianyun prominently seated.
"Brother, I've returned for a major business deal," a young man who bore a striking resemblance to Wu Heyan, approximately thirty years old, declared.
"Don't tell me you're planning to rob a bank! This could be done in any city. Why here? If so many banks fail, it will impact my business too, do you understand?" Wu Heyan chastised.
"Impossible! How much can one earn from robbing a bank? Such petty schemes are beneath us," the young man scoffed, while several robust men with apparent Nordic ancestry beside him voiced their discontent, clearly insulted by the implication.
"Then who was responsible for today's incident? Where were the rest of you? Don't dare tell me you had nothing to do with it. My eyes are not blind!"
"Of course, that was our doing; I admit it! But it was merely a distraction for the police. We have something much bigger planned in a few days!" The young man suddenly spoke with an air of mystery.
"A few days? Are you referring to that thing?" Wu Heyan's heart raced at the thought.
"Oh? So, brother has caught wind of it?"
"Damn it! Do you realize how dangerous that thing is? If it goes wrong, an entire city might pay the price!" Wu Heyan stood, spilling his drink as he roared.
"Rest assured, brother! We're not that foolish. With the core control program in hand, do you really think there will be a problem?"
"You have someone on the inside?" Wu Heyan could hardly believe it; how could they infiltrate such a secret department?
"I don't want to keep this from you, brother. Yes, we do have someone, and not just one," the young man replied with a hint of pride.
Wu Heyan shook his head. "I still think it's too risky! No one has ever seen that thing firsthand; we can't guarantee complete safety. What if we fail?"
"Brother, you can trust me. That thing isn't as easily problematic as you think. If you're really concerned, send Qianyun away tomorrow."
"No, Uncle, I trust you, so I won't leave." Wu Qianyun seized the moment to flatter him.
"Good! That's my nephew, a real man who dares to take responsibility! Don't worry, as long as I'm here, I'll make sure you're safe!" The young man clapped him on the shoulder, an oddity given their age difference, yet their banter felt strangely natural.
"You little rascal, do you even understand what you're getting into? This isn't a game!"
"Brother, you're not trying to rain on my parade, are you?" The young man interrupted him, turning to his nephew. "Qianyun, since you seem to respect your uncle so much, tell me, what do you want?"
"Well, I'll just say it then." Wu Qianyun had been waiting for this opportunity.
"Haha, go ahead, don't be shy!"
"Uncle, that item is right on you!" Wu Qianyun's gaze fixed intently on the large handgun at his waist.
"Well, well, you're after my Desert Eagle, huh? Here, take it!" The young man removed the gleaming silver handgun and handed it over. "Do you know how to use it?"
"I've used it in games before!"
"Not quite the same! Come, let me teach you. When firing for the first time, be aware that this thing has quite a kick; don't injure yourself. When you grip the gun, keep your wrist firm, extend your elbow, and use your shoulder to absorb the recoil. Don't support the magazine from below."