Su Momo was so distracted by the folder that she didn’t even notice two more hands on her chest.
"Where did he escape from?"
"The window. There’s a small window in the men’s locker room."
"And you didn’t stop him?"
Lin Chudong looked innocent. "He had a knife in his hand, and I’m not part of your Law Enforcement Team. Why would I risk my life?"
Su Momo looked at him, frustrated and disappointed. She gritted her teeth, wishing she could slap him dead on the spot. How did she end up working with such a coward?
Still, she eagerly tore open the folder. Her eyes lit up as she scanned the contents. Although they hadn’t managed to catch Langya, this document contained vital intelligence. At least the mission wasn't a total failure.
She looked down and realized Lin Chudong’s paws were touching places they shouldn’t be. He had even given her a squeeze just a moment ago!
"You bastard, are you looking to die?" Su Momo shoved him away.
Lin Chudong said helplessly, "Captain Su, you can’t blame me. You were pressing down on my neck, and I couldn't breathe. It was just a natural physical reaction to push you off."
"Your body... well, that area is the most prominent target. I just pushed wherever my hand landed. I really didn't mean to."
"I was terrified just now!"
Su Momo gritted her teeth in fury. "Bullshit! You even squeezed!"
"I couldn't help myself..."
"Get out!"
"You're the one sitting on my lap."
Su Momo’s face turned bright red as she pushed open the car door and got out. She treated the folder like a precious treasure, carefully tucking it under her seat to ensure it would stay safe.
Lin Chudong watched the folder being pressed beneath Su Momo’s beautiful backside and patted his own thigh, seemingly savoring the lingering sensation.
Su Momo slammed on the gas, venting her anger by speeding away. The trouble was, it wasn't just Lin Chudong reliving those moments—Su Momo found herself recalling them too, over and over again.
Especially that last time she had sat on his lap; she hadn't thought much of it then, but afterward, she found herself subconsciously replaying the scene. The more she thought about it, the more vivid those feelings became. Sometimes, she would even blush just thinking about it, as if she were experiencing it all over again.
And just now, seeing the way Lin Chudong had tried to tease her, she was reminded of what had happened back in the room at the bathhouse.
How could this bastard be so rough..."Captain Su, why is your blush so heavy? Could you have a fever?"
"Mind your own business."
Like a child whose secret has been exposed, Su Momo grew defensive out of embarrassment.
Lin Chudong shrugged helplessly. This woman had a truly awful temper; by comparison, Qin Wei actually seemed quite gentle.
"Captain Su, I risked my life to help you complete your mission. I won't end up targeted for revenge, will I?"
Su Momo rolled her eyes speechlessly. "Don't worry. If you face any danger, just call me. I'll come whenever you need."
"Alright then, with your word, I can rest easy."
Though he had no need for Su Momo to protect him, there might come a time when he needed her to protect Qin Wei.
Since he had such a Law Enforcement Team captain available as backup, it would be a waste not to use her.
After dropping Lin Chudong off at Qin Wei's place, Su Momo drove away immediately, not wanting to spend a single extra minute with him.
Spending time with him always made Su Momo feel insulted.
The person she dreamed about actually turned out to be a guy like this!
Sometimes she even caught herself letting her imagination run wild in broad daylight. If anyone ever found out, she would have no face to show in public.
Daydreaming about a hero would at least be a pleasant dream.
Yet every single time, her fantasies featured Lin Chudong—this coward was nothing short of a nightmare.
Liu Huimin let out a soft laugh. "He was admitted to the hospital, and you're his attending physician. How can you treat human life so carelessly? Aren't you afraid of damaging the reputation of Traditional Medicine?"
Qiao Xi tensed her body and replied, "You signed a liability waiver."
The smile on Liu Huimin's face grew even brighter. Looking at Qiao Xi with a pitiful gaze, she said, "Little girl, my judgment of people is rarely wrong. You are kind-hearted and could never bear to joke with someone's life. I heard the Second Brother's condition is improving. Thank you."
In truth, Liu Huimin quite appreciated Qiao Xi—if only she weren't Huo Xingzhou's wife.
Thinking of how her daughter wept day and night, she was determined to force Qiao Xi and Huo Xingzhou to divorce and set everything back on track.
Qiao Xi's eyes reddened, and her fingers trembled.
So kindness and morality could also become a knife piercing straight into her body.
Liu Huimin stopped while she was ahead. "Contact me once you've thought it through. You have no idea how wealthy people handle trouble. Go back to where you belong."Qiao Xi took a deep breath and suddenly let out a laugh.
She looked deeply at Liu Huimin, wanting to be willful just this once.
"I resign! I'm done!"
Liu Huimin's expression changed instantly.
Qiao Xi's eyes were red with laughter, and moisture welled up in them as she said, "You used hospital protocol to force me to take in a patient, so I won't stay at this hospital anymore. Find someone else more capable!"
Hardening her heart and gambling with her career, she looked defiantly at Liu Huimin.
"You..." Liu Huimin's face turned pale.
"Mrs. Xu, I haven't witnessed the methods of you rich people. But I am not someone who returns enmity with kindness. You think too highly of me."
Usually, she looked gentle and easy to bully, but once someone crossed her bottom line, she would fight back fiercely.
Such a direct and reckless rebellion sometimes dealt her enemies a heavy blow.
Her vulnerability was also her barbed armor.
"You shouldn't have touched my grandmother."
Qiao Xi turned and walked into the ward, slamming the door shut with a bang.
Leaving Liu Huimin outside in a flurry, her face flushing and turning pale by turns.
Inside the ward.
"Grandmother."
Qiao Xi walked up to the old woman's bed, saw the blood in the IV tube on the back of her hand, and said, "Why are you moving around so much!"
Grandmother Qiao pursed her lips and shook her head: "I didn't move, I didn't move."
Looking at her emaciated appearance, Qiao Xi said, "You've lost weight again. I tell you to eat properly, but you never listen."
With red-rimmed eyes, she hugged the old woman with a heartache and burst into tears. "You really are disobedient. I would have come back to see you whenever I had free time. Why on earth did you run all the way to Haicheng?"
If she hadn't come, she wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Grandmother Qiao's throat ached with emotion, and she said, "I wanted to bring you some fruits and vegetables from home, but unfortunately they were all crushed by a car."
"I'm not short of that bit of food. Dragging it all the way here, what a hassle." The more Qiao Xi thought about it, the more her heart ached, and she wept uncontrollably.
Grandmother Qiao gently patted her back: "I'm old, I can't farm many more times anyway."
Her days were running out.
She tentatively asked, "Where is Xingzhou?"
"He's at work. He's been very busy lately."
"Oh, how are you two getting along?"
Qiao Xi nodded and said they were doing well.
"Mr. Huo is especially good to me. He protects me and pampers me," Qiao Xi emphasized again. "Extremely good."
Grandmother Qiao nodded, and secretly sighed to herself. She would need to find an opportunity later to ask that Mr. Huo about things.
Qiao Xi sniffled, thinking of her earlier bold declaration, and said, "Grandmother, I'm going out for a bit. I'll be right back, just lie here and rest easy."
Chapter 35
Lin Chudong was momentarily stunned.
It seemed he still underestimated Qin Wei's connections.
An entrepreneur of Qin Wei's caliber had friends in all sorts of fields.
Could it be that someone from the anti-vice squad had told her about this?
"Weiwei, when I went out just now, I was helping Captain Su with a mission. Being arrested was just a misunderstanding."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have come back so quickly."
"If you don't believe me, you can go ask."
Qin Wei said coldly, "Since I knew you were arrested, of course I've already asked and cleared things up."
"I'm just curious, why are you walking so close to Captain Su? Just because she has big breasts and a pretty face?"
Lin Chudong said hurriedly,
"No, I ran into some trouble a few days ago, and Captain Su helped me out at the Law Enforcement Team. I was just returning a favor."
"How could she possibly be as pretty as you!"
"Besides, you're not small yourself."
As he spoke, Lin Chudong even picked up her undergarment and held it up for comparison.
Indeed, it wasn't small.
Qin Wei's expression didn't soften at all. "Put that down right now, you pervert!"
"Get out!"
Running wild with Su Momo already made her angry enough.
And yet this bastard actually dared to...
A beast in human skin!
Recalling that night, this bastard was indeed no good.
A few minutes later, Qin Wei had already dressed and was sitting upright in the living room.
After Lin Chudong came out, she said with a stern expression,
"Since you are now my contract boyfriend, during this period, I hope you will abide by the contract rules."
"Even if you like other women, you'd better not have any intimate contact with them."
"My family all know about our relationship now. If they were to see something, how could I show my face in the future?"
Lin Chudong said,
"Don't worry, Captain Su and I really have nothing going on. Since you mind so much, I'll see less of her from now on."
A faint smile hung on Lin Chudong's face, looking for all the world like a man appreciating a girlfriend who had grown jealous.Qin Wei quickly offered an explanation.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not jealous."
"It's simply because you're still within the contract period."
"After three months, whoever you choose to date has nothing to do with me."
"Alright, I still have work to do."
"Thank you for what happened today."
"I'll give you a bonus at the end of the month."
With that, Qin Wei stood up and walked out.
Lin Chudong let out a helpless sigh.
This woman had been quite emotional earlier, yet suddenly she had turned so cold again.
All because he had been caught once by the anti-prostitution unit?
It seemed Qin Wei was quite the jealous type after all.
The relationship between the two of them certainly couldn't be measured by normal standards.
After all, Lin Chudong had taken her first time, which must hold extraordinary meaning for Qin Wei.
As for Lin Chudong, while he had slept with quite a few women, none of those encounters involved real feelings—they were purely physical needs.
Yet interacting with Qin Wei this time really did give him a faint sense of being in a relationship.
It was just a pity he had never been in love before and had no experience in that department.
The closest he had ever come to the feeling of romance was with Li Yueyao.
After Qin Wei left, Lin Chudong went back to her walk-in closet and picked out a blue dress.
Returning to the garage, he opened the trunk and untied Chen Jiayu.
He tossed the blue dress right at her.
"Put it on."
Chen Jiayu curled her lips in annoyance.
"What kind of taste is this? It's way too mature, it doesn't suit me at all."
Lin Chudong said, "Cut the crap. What kind of situation are you in to be so picky?"
Lin Chudong hadn't intended to let Chen Jiayu walk out of here alive in the first place, yet this woman had nerve enough to be unfazed.
Chen Jiayu stood up. Though her body felt weak all over, she could still barely manage to change clothes by herself.
"Hey, turn around."
Lin Chudong said, "Hurry up and change, don't waste my time!"
Chapter 36
Ask him to turn around? Turn his back on an assassin?
Even if this assassin had no strength left in her body, he still had to be on his guard against her.
Chen Jiayu let out a humph.
"Pervert!"
Hesitating for a moment, she turned around herself and took off her clothes.
Looking at her back was still better than looking at the front.
She moved quickly, shedding her T-shirt and pants until only her undergarments remained.
Her fair, flawless skin made it hard for him not to steal a few extra glances.
Women truly were strange creatures.
If they wore bikinis at the beach, anyone could look all they wanted.
Yet wearing undergarments was a completely different story.
What was the real difference anyway?
Lin Chudong swept a glance over her figure. Her skin was remarkably white, but it was a shame she was about to meet her end soon.
She put on Qin Wei's dress and stepped into the high heels.
With her long hair covering half her face, at a quick glance, she really did look a lot like Qin Wei.
"Get in the car."
He took Chen Jiayu into the car and drove straight to the pier.
Lin Chudong had also applied some simple makeup, changing into an outfit similar to the one Black Eagle wore—the very boss of Chen Jiayu whom he had killed.
Chen Jiayu leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed, showing no sense of the terror of impending death.
Lin Chudong really didn't know what to say.
As an assassin, she couldn't possibly not know what was waiting for her next, could she?
There was no way Lin Chudong was going to spare her life.
How could Chen Jiayu still remain so calm?
Perhaps this woman was just remarkably thick-skinned; he only hoped she would choose a legitimate profession in her next life.
They arrived at the pier, near the Number 35 fishing boat.
Chen Jiayu found a secluded corner and made a call to confirm that the employer was indeed aboard the Number 35 fishing boat.
After hanging up, Lin Chudong stretched his wrists, looking for a spot to dispose of Chen Jiayu.
Right at that moment, a middle-aged man suddenly walked down from the Number 35 fishing boat.
The hand Lin Chudong had just wrapped around Chen Jiayu's neck instantly loosened.
Why did this man look so familiar?
The middle-aged man walked rapidly toward them.
As he drew close, Lin Chudong's expression shifted slightly.
"Director Song?"
This person actually turned out to be an old acquaintance of Lin Chudong's—Director Song from the State Security Bureau!
Back when Lin Chudong used to carry out missions, he had crossed paths with Director Song quite a few times.
Director Song stepped up and shook hands with Lin Chudong.
"Long time no see!"
"I heard you took on a big mission?"
Lin Chudong offered a bitter smile.
"What big mission? I'm just running around women all day, eating, drinking, and bickering."
Director Song burst into hearty laughter.
"Ha ha, nice, it suits you well."
"After being on edge for so many years, it's about time you relaxed."
Lin Chudong glanced at his watch and said, "Director Song, I still have business to attend to."
"What's the situation with the Number 35 boat?"
Director Song patted Lin Chudong on the shoulder.
"I know what you're looking for."
"Leave this matter alone. The Bureau is taking over officially."
"Hand this woman over to me as well."
Lin Chudong frowned deeply, never expecting Director Song to intervene halfway through.
He couldn't simply trust Director Song blindly, so he said, "Director Song, hold on a moment, I need to make a phone call."
Director Song nodded, signaling that Lin Chudong should feel free.
Meanwhile, Chen Jiayu looked at him with a smiling expression, as if she had anticipated this all along.
Chapter 37
Lin Chudong placed a call to a superior at the State Security Bureau.
A few minutes later, he hung up with a heavy frown.
"Director Song, since that's how it is, I'll hand her over to you."
"However, there is some information I want to know."
Director Song said with a smile, "You want to know about Qin Wei's grandfather, right?"
"Don't worry, I'll send you a detailed file later containing everything you want to know."
With that, Director Song looked at Chen Jiayu and said, "Come with me."
Chen Jiayu nodded, a trace of smugness on her face as she shot Lin Chudong a provocative look.
It seemed she had long been certain she wouldn't die—even with someone as ruthless as Lin Chudong, someone would still step in to save her at the final critical moment.
Back home, Lin Chudong received the file sent by Director Song.
It contained detailed information on Qin Wei's grandfather, Qin Zhengrong.
Qin Zhengrong, the former Director of the Intelligence Agency.
A month ago, he was suspected of major treason and is currently wanted nationwide.
The specific act of treason listed was the theft of state secrets.
However, what those secrets actually were was not specified in the document.
Lin Chudong suspected that these stolen secrets might very well be in Qin Wei's possession.
Otherwise, why would assassins be targeting Qin Wei?
Returning home, the night passed without incident.
The next morning, when Lin Chudong woke up, Qin Wei had already left early for work.
The company seemed unusually busy lately; she had worked late into the night yesterday and was heading out early again today.
It seemed being a company CEO wasn't an easy job either.
Lin Chudong quickly changed his clothes and rushed to the company.
After all, his primary responsibility right now was to protect Qin Wei, and staying on guard at the company during his free time was the best way to prevent anyone from harming her.
Upon arriving at the company, Lin Chudong tactfully refrained from going upstairs and stayed in the security room for a while.
The place suited him quite well—the work was leisurely, and he could chat idly with the security guards when nothing was going on.
Near noon, everyone headed up to the cafeteria on the top floor.
Lin Chudong took the elevator toward the top-floor cafeteria, stopping on the floor where Qin Wei's office was located.
The elevator doors opened.
Qin Wei stepped in with a blank expression.
She glanced at Lin Chudong and acted as if she didn't know him at all.
She was still harboring resentment over yesterday's anti-prostitution incident.
Although she had already checked with a friend and confirmed that he was indeed executing a mission with Captain Su yesterday, she had heard the two of them were engaged in intimate behavior, which was why they were flagged.
Otherwise, if a man and a woman were simply in a room fully dressed, such a mistaken raid wouldn't have happened.
Besides, even if Captain Su needed someone to help, why had she specifically chosen him?
It meant the two of them must have a close relationship.
Qin Wei had already checked up on it—this guy really had been set up and dragged into the police station a while ago.
Later, Captain Huang, the one who had set him up, was taken down, and Su Momo was promoted from deputy captain to chief.
They must have met around that time.
Just from meeting once, she would ask him for such a huge favor?
They must be keeping in touch behind her back.
Qin Wei couldn't bring herself to search Lin Chudong's phone anyway; after all, they weren't a real couple, and whoever he liked was none of her business.
She just felt a bit annoyed inside.
Lin Chudong had already prepared himself mentally for Qin Wei's attitude.
Yesterday was purely an emergency situation—to cover Langya's escape, he had called the anti-prostitution unit himself.
Then he staged a scene of getting cozy with Su Momo, letting them catch sight of things they shouldn't have when they burst in, which created the misunderstanding.
He knew it was a misunderstanding that would eventually be cleared up, but he hadn't expected Qin Wei to find out about it.
These were all minor issues.
However, at this very moment, there was a major issue!
It was the woman standing right beside Qin Wei.