Translator – Ink Hub 

Editor – Ms. B

Qi Dengxian had Li Yunwan drive him back. Since Qiao Qiumeng had already left, he had no car of his own once the banquet ended.

“I worked so hard to drop you off at home, the least you could do is buy me a cup of coffee!” Li Yunwan said, sounding quite huffy.

Qi Dengxian’s current behavior was the textbook definition of burning the bridge after crossing it. He looked ready to just let her leave like that, which left her incredibly frustrated.

“Fine.” Qi Dengxian thought about it for a moment before inviting Li Yunwan inside and brewing her a cup of coffee.

Just as Li Yunwan was preparing to strike up a conversation, Qi Dengxian announced he was going to take a shower.

That straight steel man! 

Li Yunwan was nearly driven to madness. She clenched her fists tightly, feeling a sudden urge to bash Qi Dengxian’s head in.

By the time Qi Dengxian finished his shower and came back out, he saw that Li Yunwan had finished her coffee. He frowned. “You haven’t left yet?”

Li Yunwan’s nose nearly twitched with rage at those words. She replied in a muffled voice, “There’s someone at the door.”

“Who?” Qi Dengxian leaned over to check the security monitor and curled his lip.

As expected, it was Yu Xiaolong again.

“She’s right outside, I don’t dare leave.” Li Yunwan finally found a high-sounding reason to stay.

“Suit yourself, then.” Qi Dengxian didn’t say much else. He turned off the monitor and sprawled out on the sofa with total indifference.

Li Yunwan suggested, “Wouldn’t it be better if you just went out and met her? Once she knows the person living in this villa isn’t who she’s looking for, she’ll naturally stop coming.”

Qi Dengxian countered, “Why would I do something so redundant? Isn’t it better to let her run here a few more times and suffer a bit more frustration?”

Li Yunwan was completely speechless.

“Mr. Chu, a person cannot always live in the shadows of the past. I believe your fallen comrades would not want to see you wallowing in self-pity like this!”

“Please, grant me an audience. I can give you an opportunity to shine even brighter!”

Yu Xiaolong’s voice drifted in faintly from outside. She clearly believed the person inside this villa was Chu Wudao himself.

“That kid Chu Wudao has no interest in doing those things again. He just wants to live out the rest of his life in peace.” Qi Dengxian let out a cold laugh after hearing her words.

Li Yunwan couldn’t help but ask, “Just who is this Chu Wudao? To think General Yu would personally come to seek him out… and multiple times at that…”

“Chu Wudao? Just a guy with some mental issues. Back in the prison, he used to go crazy all the time. Naturally, I hung him from a telephone pole and whipped him more than a few times,” Qi Dengxian said after a moment’s thought.

“…”

Li Yunwan was left utterly speechless. She had no idea if Qi Dengxian was telling the truth or just talking nonsense.

“Wait…” Li Yunwan called out to Qi Dengxian as he prepared to return to his room.

“What is it?” Qi Dengxian asked.

“Come look at this.” Li Yunwan held up her phone, her expression grave.

Qi Dengxian sat down beside her and glanced at the screen. He couldn’t help but frown.

It was a news report stating that several celebrities associated with the Qiao Group had terminated their contracts at the same time. Furthermore, Lin Wanqiu had posted a long article dissing the Qiao Group’s CEO, Qiao Qiumeng. The post essentially accused Qiao Qiumeng of trying to freeload off her by demanding a free endorsement and threw quite a bit of mud at her character.

The comment section was filled with vitriol, with everyone cursing the Qiao Group to go bankrupt as soon as possible.

“Having so many celebrities terminate their contracts at once is extremely bad for the Qiao Group!” Li Yunwan said seriously, looking at Qi Dengxian.

The two were sitting very close. Li Yunwan was still wearing her evening gown, which left her fair thighs exposed. At this moment, her leg was lightly pressed against Qi Dengxian’s, sending a warm, soft sensation through him.

“This must be Lin Wanqiu’s doing,” Qi Dengxian said thoughtfully, looking up.

As he looked up, his eyes inadvertently landed on Li Yunwan’s chest. The front of her gown had a crossover design. While it didn’t show much, it was undeniably sexy.

Li Yunwan continued, “I expect the Qiao Group will move against Mengmeng tomorrow. You need to find a way to handle this.”

Qi Dengxian withdrew his gaze and cleared his throat. “I know. I’ll handle it tomorrow.”

Li Yunwan frowned. “What are you coughing for all of a sudden? Do you have a cold? Do you want me to boil some ginger soup for you?”

“I’m fine. It’s late, let’s get some rest.” Qi Dengxian shook his head, stood up, and headed upstairs.

Is he crazy?

 Li Yunwan was a bit confused. She then returned to the room she had stayed in previously.

Lying once again on the comfortable bed of Genting Heaven Palace, Li Yunwan was filled with complex emotions. Who would have thought the person living in the most luxurious villa in all of Zhonghai was actually Qi Dengxian, a little prison guard from the middle of nowhere?

Perhaps he’ll only truly stun the world once the struggle between the Humen Group and the Xiang Group reaches its conclusion? Li Yunwan thought silently to herself and soon fell asleep.

Qi Dengxian, however, was tossing and turning, unable to sleep. His legs were full of brains… no, his brain was full of legs…

No wonder those bastards in prison always liked to gather and talk about women. It seems there’s a reason for it. Qi Dengxian cursed inwardly. He eventually gave up on sleep and got up to practice his martial arts.

He stood in a pillar-holding stance in the courtyard for half the night until he was utterly exhausted. Only then did he return to his room and fall into a peaceful sleep.

“Officer Qi, did you not sleep well last night?” Li Yunwan couldn’t help but ask the next morning when she saw Qi Dengxian looking a bit drained.

“My brain was full of legs, how could I sleep well?” Qi Dengxian grumbled. He decided he needed to stay away from Li Yunwan. Women would only slow down the speed at which he drew his blade.

“???” Li Yunwan looked at him with a face full of bewilderment, not understanding what that sentence was supposed to mean.

After urging Li Yunwan to pack up and leave Genting Villa, Qi Dengxian headed straight for the Qiao Group.

“What did you do yesterday? After I left, you actually hit Lin Wanqiu? Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused me!” The moment Qiao Qiumeng saw Qi Dengxian, her rage boiled over. She swung her hand to slap him across the face.

Qi Dengxian was not the type to take things lying down. He reached out and caught Qiao Qiumeng’s wrist. “She was bullying you. What’s wrong with me hitting her?”

Qiao Qiumeng felt a flicker of touched emotion, but it was quickly overwhelmed by anger. She gritted her teeth. “Can’t you be a bit more mature? Why must you always resort to violence? You’re always so impulsive. Do you know how much trouble this brings to me and the family?”

“Why talk nonsense when you can just use your hands?” Qi Dengxian released her wrist, his voice filled with a mix of disdain and confusion.

Qiao Qiumeng shouted angrily, “Lin Wanqiu posted a long article last night accusing the Qiao Group! She used her connections to make every artist partnered with us terminate their contracts! Now, the Qiao Group’s reputation has hit rock bottom. We’re being condemned by everyone online!”

“I likely won’t be able to keep my position as CEO anymore!”

“Are you satisfied now?!”

As they were speaking, the high-level executives of the Qiao Group appeared. The first to jump out was Qiao Qingyu.

“Qiao Qiumeng, Qi Dengxian, look at the mess you two have made! You actually dared to threaten Miss Lin at the Xiang Group’s banquet and offended her!”

“Now the company is in total chaos. Furthermore, Miss Lin has the Black Dragon Chamber of Commerce backing her! Once they make their move, bankruptcy is the only path left for us!”

Footnotes: 

TN1: “Straight steel man” (直男) is Chinese slang for a man who is blunt, insensitive to romantic cues, or lacks “emotional intelligence” in social situations. 

TN2: “Freeload” (白嫖) is internet slang that originally referred to using services without paying, often used here to mean taking advantage of a celebrity’s fame without proper compensation.

Translator’s Note: Qi Dengxian is really struggling with the “distractions” of living with Li Yunwan, huh? “My brain was full of legs” is a mood. Meanwhile, Yu Xiaolong is outside shouting at a wall while the man she’s looking for is inside complaining about his sleep quality. Talk about a missed connection! But things are getting heated at the Qiao Group. Qiao Qiumeng is ready to swing, and the rest of the family is already circling like vultures. Do you think Qi’s “handy” way of solving problems is going to work against a PR nightmare and the Black Dragon Chamber of Commerce? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s team Qi and who’s team “He needs to chill.”

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