"Brother, why did Sister-in-law leave?" Monkey emerged from somewhere, a suggestive smile plastered on his face. Just moments ago, he had seen the two of them in deep conversation, exchanging intimate gestures, yet now, in the blink of an eye, she had hurriedly left. This sudden departure left him wondering if some unseen, tantalizing rift had developed between them.
"She had a relative come by," Xiang Ri replied nonchalantly, his tone as if describing an insignificant matter.
Monkey scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward, and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Brother, what about those people?"
"Keep an eye on them. Don't let them slip away; you know the consequences if they do," Xiang Ri's voice carried a warning. He was not exaggerating—those terrorists were capable of anything.
"Brother, how about we...?" Monkey made a slicing gesture across his throat, his intent clear. The recent bank robbery coverage on the news had left no one unaware of their dangerous nature. Monkey, fully aware of the threat they posed, had become increasingly desperate to ensure his own safety.
"Not now!" Xiang Ri immediately stopped him, cutting off his dark thoughts. If killing would solve the problem, he would not hesitate. However, at this stage, with the enemy's movements still unclear, keeping those individuals alive might serve a purpose. Especially the second-generation heir, who might make others think twice before acting rashly.
Monkey hesitated and stepped back, feeling a chill as he realized he had entertained such violent thoughts.
Meanwhile, in the study of the luxurious Mansion No. 68 in Zhenlong Villa, Wu Heyan paced anxiously.
"Second Brother, Xiao Yun hasn't come back yet, and his phone is off."
"Don't worry, Big Brother. Perhaps something delayed him. Besides, my men are following him; Xiao Yun is safe," Wu Heyan replied confidently, assured of his subordinates' capabilities.
"It's precisely because your men are following him that I'm worried," Wu Heyan stopped pacing, his face darkening. "Think about it, your men are too noticeable. Perhaps it's because of them that Xiao Yun is in danger."
Wu Heyan, the only son of the Wu family, was beginning to lose his composure.
"Are you blaming me now, Big Brother?" Wu Heyan's tone hardened, a hint of anger rising. "Don't forget, it was you who told me to send two men to follow Xiao Yun."
"But Xiao Yun..." Wu Heyan faltered as he met his younger brother's sharp gaze.
"It's fine, Big Brother. The two men following Xiao Yun haven't made any moves yet. Even if they are discovered, it won't be a big deal. And besides, they are armed, so keeping them detained won't be easy," Wu Heyan reassured.
"No, I feel we should send someone to find him. Things are too chaotic right now!" Wu Heyan's worry deepened as he thought about his son's tendency to stir trouble, especially now that he was surrounded by powerful bodyguards. With this thought, he quickly left the study.
At home, Xiang Ri found that both Chu Chu and his apprentice had already gone to school. With no one around to stop him, he had planned to spend the afternoon lounging at home. However, Chu Chu, ever prepared, had left a note on the coffee table, warning him in no uncertain terms that skipping class would have severe consequences. The note, laced with a hint of playful threat, also promised a "special reward" if he attended class. With that, Xiang Ri, almost without a second thought, decided to head to school.
However, his day quickly took a turn for the worse. Upon entering the school, he was immediately confronted by a group of tall, imposing boys who blocked his path.
"Xiang Ri, come with us," one of them ordered, a predatory gleam in his eye.
"Give me a reason first," Xiang Ri pushed his glasses up on his nose, his expression calm and unassuming. Though he didn't recognize all their faces, he knew a few, particularly those who had cast unfriendly glares his way in the past.
"You'll find out when you come," the tallest of the group, a burly boy who looked as though he might be related to a bear, moved forward to grab him. Xiang Ri deftly sidestepped, "I'm not interested in finding out just yet."
"Xiang Ri, don't play tough!" another boy, his hair streaked with white, threatened, clearly trying to channel some dramatic line from a martial arts movie.
"Sorry, but I actually love a good challenge," Xiang Ri smiled coldly, clearly showing his disdain.
"You—" The white-haired boy, unable to tolerate the humiliation of being sneered at by someone he considered weaker, lunged at Xiang Ri. But the bear-like boy blocked his path, speaking in a low voice, "Don't be impulsive, there are too many people here."
He gestured to the passing students who had noticed the situation, as it was still before class and the school gates were busy with people coming and going.
"This is about Teacher Song. You'd better come with us," the bear-like boy said, his tone serious.
"Teacher Song? Fine. But don't regret it," Xiang Ri replied, sensing the situation might require some resolution.
The group led him to a quiet grove on campus, where they found a secluded spot. Once there, the bear-like boy gave a signal, and the others closed in, encircling Xiang Ri.
Xiang Ri surveyed the group disdainfully. These brutes, relying on their size and strength, didn't even warrant a second thought.
"Out of respect for our shared status as classmates, Xiang Ri, you should just drop out on your own," the bear-like boy cracked his knuckles ominously, clearly ready to make his move.
"Reason?" Xiang Ri asked, his expression impassive as an unsettling suspicion stirred within him—something beyond her issue seemed to be at play.
"My fist is bigger than yours." The burly boy, known as "Bear," flexed his arm, proudly displaying his well-developed biceps.
"So what?" Xiang Ri's face curled into an amused smile, unphased. A large fist didn't equate to real strength.
Seeing Xiang Ri's nonchalance, Bear hesitated. He had expected a more nervous reaction, even fear, upon confronting so many of them. But to his surprise, Xiang Ri remained calm—this forced him to reassess the situation more carefully.
"You're asking for it!" White Hair, the more impulsive of the group, clearly irked by Xiang Ri's indifference, sneered, "We'll knock you around, and you'll be lucky to be in bed for a few months."
"Wait!" Bear quickly intervened, grabbing White Hair and turning his attention back to Xiang Ri with a conspiratorial gleam in his eyes. "You don't have to drop out, but you better stop pestering Shi Qing—that's our deal."
"Brother Xiong!" White Hair and the others were taken aback, clearly thrown off by Bear's sudden change of direction. This was not the violent confrontation they had planned, and it caught them completely off guard.
Ignoring his companions' confusion, Bear focused on Xiang Ri, unwavering. "Agree, and you can leave now."
"Do you like Xiao Qing?" Xiang Ri chuckled softly, bemused. The sight of this bear-like man, willing to risk everything over his violent, "stone woman" of an apprentice, struck him as almost comical.
"Don't call her Xiao Qing!" Bear, visibly irked, clenched his fists, his frustration bubbling over at Xiang Ri's familiarity with the woman he harbored feelings for.
"You might not know this, but she's already my woman," Xiang Ri said coldly, his words deliberately intended to provoke.
Bear's eyes went bloodshot with rage, his fist tightening as he lunged forward without a second thought.
"Stop!" A cold, commanding voice rang out from a distance. Shi Qing, her face a mask of fury, strode toward them.
Bear froze, halting his fist mid-air. He turned to her, his voice faltering. "Shi Qing, what are you doing here?"
"Isn't the lesson from last time enough for you?" Shi Qing's gaze was icy, her eyes gleaming with a deadly intent.
"I—"
"Get lost!" Before Bear could finish, Shi Qing barked the command, fully embodying the ruthless nature of her violent persona.
After a moment of tense struggle, calculating the disparity in their strength, and recalling the excruciating memory of lying in a hospital bed for a month and eight days, Bear shot a venomous glare at Xiang Ri before, grudgingly, retreating.
"Xiao Qing, what are you doing here?" Xiang Ri naturally pulled his apprentice closer, wrapping his arm around her slender waist, whispering in her ear. Since that incident, he had taken a particular liking to teasing the "Ice Queen" who could metaphorically sink the Titanic with her icy demeanor.
"Teacher..." Shi Qing shuddered, her voice betraying a slight, uncontrollable quiver. "I saw you with them, so I followed to see what was going on." In truth, she had been waiting near the school entrance, uncertain if she had been prompted by Chu Chu's suggestion that the teacher often skipped class, thus volunteering to check if he would attend today.
"Is that so?" Xiang Ri, eyeing his apprentice's flushed face, was about to tease her further when, damn it, his phone rang.
This time, it wasn't a call, but a text message, the sender listed as Monkey, with only a string of "99999999" flashing across the screen.
Something's gone wrong!
The message sent a chill through Xiang Ri's spine. Without a moment's hesitation, he muttered, "Wait for me to return," before turning and rushing off.