Logically speaking, their vision, perspective, mindset, and intelligence should be far superior to those of ordinary people.
Yet why were they all wrapped around Lu Chengwen's little finger?!
It was infuriating!
Especially Leng Qingqiu. Frankly speaking, Leng Qingqiu used to be the idol of every single girl in Snow City.
She was the quintessential "someone else's child."
Wasn't she completely at odds with Lu Chengwen, disgusted with him to the point of absolute explosion? What on earth had gotten into her today? She had gotten involved too, and even gone out of her way to testify that Lu Chengwen had been wronged.
In short, the crime scene had long since been tampered with and evidence was missing; solving this case would probably take a very long time.
And under the presumption of innocence, they could do nothing to Lu Chengwen or Hu Shuhui.
Lu Chengwen had spent the night in a holding cell; his hair was messy, his clothes wrinkled, and he walked out without even washing his face.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Leng Qingqiu, Xu Xuejiao, and Jiang Shihhan all waiting there.
Jiang Shihhan hurried over, and her support team immediately took Lu Chengwen's jacket, draping a brand-new coat over his shoulders.
Jiang Shihhan asked with concern, "President Lu, are you alright?"
"Oh, I'm fine." Lu Chengwen looked at Leng Qingqiu and Xu Xuejiao. "Why are you all here?"
Xu Xuejiao said with a smile, "To vouch for you, of course! You have no idea how great your character is—it took me half a ton of spit just to prove you're a good guy!"
"Thank you."
Lu Chengwen looked at Leng Qingqiu. "Sorry for putting you through a whole night of trouble."
"It's fine." Leng Qingqiu remained as calm as ever. She looked at Zhang Shen'er. "Can we leave now?"
Zhang Shen'er put on a stern face. "Of course. But you, Lu Chengwen."
"Yes."
Holding up a restraining order, Zhang Shen'er said, "Until this case is solved, you are not allowed to leave Snow City. If you need to leave the jurisdiction for any reason, you must obtain our approval. Furthermore, during this period, you must ensure that you can be summoned at any time."
Lu Chengwen was startled.
[Isn't this completely fucked? I was just planning to escape this city!]
[Damn it, now I'm forced to stay in Snow City and fight Long Aotian for women?]
Xu Xuejiao snorted with laughter.
Leng Qingqiu narrowed her eyes: Could this guy also hear Lu Chengwen's inner voice?
Zhang Shen'er, however, completely misunderstood the situation.
Believing that Lu Chengwen was the mastermind behind the case and was now trying to flee to escape legal punishment, she smiled and said, "Lu Chengwen, were you thinking of running? You can't escape. I will definitely find the evidence and officially arrest you to put you in jail."
Lu Chengwen nodded.
[Go for it, you silly bint.]
[You don't arrest actual criminals, but you pick a fight with me day in and day out. Still, it's fine—the more you hate me, the safer I am.]
Zhang Shen'er thought to herself: What is wrong with this guy? Why is he safer the more I hate him?
And who was this Long Aotian person he kept mentioning in his thoughts?
He seemed dead-set on the idea that I would know Long Aotian.
This was a clue; I had to write it down!
Xu Xuejiao smiled and said, "Let's go, big hero. You must be starving, I'll treat you to a meal!"
Lu Chengwen smiled faintly.
Leng Qingqiu said, "I have things to do, I'm leaving first."
"Qingqiu."
Lu Chengwen called out to her.
"What is it?"
"Thank you." Lu Chengwen smiled. "Thank you for believing in me."
Leng Qingqiu looked at him. "You owe me one."
"Yes, yes, yes, I owe you one, I'll treat you to a meal another day. No, wait, I can't treat you to a meal. I... I'll buy you a gift. What do you want? A car? A gold watch? A designer coat?"
Leng Qingqiu said, "If you want to repay me, become engaged to me."
"Oh, no problem, I'll just—what did you say?!"
Lu Chengwen then shouted out loud.
Chapter 23: A Day in the Life of Long Aotian
Leng Qingqiu said, "I need you to get engaged to me."
Xu Xuejiao already disliked Leng Qingqiu, and at this, jealousy flared up within her, and she let out a humph.
"Hilarious. Brother Chengwen chased you for three whole years, and you played the pure and innocent maiden for three whole years. Heh, now that Brother Chengwen is in high demand, you're throwing yourself at him."
Leng Qingqiu looked coldly at Xu Xuejiao. "I seem to remember that you used to be too lazy to even say a single word to Lu Chengwen. What's gotten into you these past two days? Have you stopped studying pharmacology and started thinking about fighting other people for a man?"
Hearing that, Xu Xuejiao was fired up.
She stepped close to Leng Qingqiu, showing not the slightest bit of fear: "If I want to fight for someone, others are only fit to stand and watch."
Leng Qingqiu smiled. "Give your chest a rest for a while, and use your spare time to develop your brain."
"Same goes for you. Dressing so sexily today—don't tell me you've always had this style? Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Do you think flashing your thighs is going to attract Brother Chengwen?"
Leng Qingqiu's face flushed slightly. "What clothes I wear and what style I go with do not require an explanation to anyone."
"Indeed," Xu Xuejiao said. "And I have no inclination to listen to your explanation; I'm currently busy developing my brain, and with a brain, I can tell what you're up to!"
Lu Chengwen hurried over. "Hey, alright, alright, alright, both of you say a little less. Let's hurry up and leave, don't delay Officer Zhang's work."
Walking outside, the sun was blazing bright.
A line of luxury cars was parked at the entrance.
A Bentley drove up, and the door opened.
While Lu Chengwen was wondering what was going on, Xu Xuejiao hooked her arm through his and said, "Let's go, Brother Chengwen. Sister Mengyun is waiting for you in the car."
Leng Qingqiu's face turned pale, and she couldn't help but clench her fists, her fingertips pressing until they turned white.
She only looked at Lu Chengwen, deeply hoping that Lu Chengwen would say he was leaving with her and tell them to go home on their own.
But Lu Chengwen let her down.
"Well then, Qingqiu, take your time on the way back. Thanks again." With that, he gave her a polite, faint smile.
Leng Qingqiu watched Lu Chengwen, a surge of bitterness welling up in her heart.
If it were in the past, Lu Chengwen would have abandoned the whole world at this moment and followed her away.
But now, Lu Chengwen was no longer his former self.
His state had completely changed; it was as if he had turned into a completely different person.
So polite to her.
He would never pester her again, never speak sweet words to her again, never obey her commands one hundred percent again, never treat her like his sun, revolving around her tirelessly and without a single complaint...
His gaze had also become clear and lucid, yet firm and composed.
His past craftiness, vulgarity, impetuosity, and flippancy had vanished without a trace.
Now the impression he gave was one of clear thinking and methodical action; he understood completely what he needed to do.
With a heavy heart, Leng Qingqiu realized that Lu Chengwen would never be completely at her beck and call again, would never fuss over her or ask how she was doing, would never send morning and evening greetings, would never send gifts every day...
The special treatment she had once taken for granted—and the one-sided adoration and pursuit she had even found incomparably annoying—was gone forever.
Yet for some reason, she suddenly seemed to rely on him a great deal.
A tremendous sense of emptiness and sadness suddenly rose up inside her.
How could this be?
Didn't you always like me? Didn't you say you were willing to do anything for me?
Why did you humiliate me in public today?
What did the past three years even amount to? In the span of a single night, did I become so unimportant in your heart?
Stubbornly, Leng Qingqiu stood there unmoving, simply staring at Lu Chengwen.
Lu Chengwen felt a bit creeped out by her complicated gaze.
Scratching his head, he forced a smile.
"Well, you go home first. I'll check on Mengyun's condition, and I'll come look for you later, alright?"
Only then did Leng Qingqiu take a deep breath, pouting slightly as she felt her pride had finally been somewhat salvaged.
"Don't rush when you get back, get some rest first—you definitely slept terribly last night. Get your energy back first, and call me when you wake up."
Lu Chengwen was utterly dumbfounded.
What the hell? In the past three years, you, Leng Qingqiu, never had an attitude like this!
What's gotten into you today? You're even caring about me and telling me to get some rest first.
Did the sun rise from the west today?
Lu Chengwen stood there with his mouth half open, unable to reply, and could only awkwardly nod. "Oh, r-right."
Then Leng Qingqiu beamed with a radiant smile. "I'll wait for your call."
Her voice discarded its past indifference and chilliness, unexpectedly carrying a hint of tenderness, softness, anticipation, and a trace of reluctance to part...
Xu Xuejiao beside him rolled her eyes fiercely, wishing she could tell the whole world that she was so disgusted she was about to throw up.
Leng Qingqiu shot her a cold look, then turned and walked over to her own car.
Han Yue opened the car door. Leng Qingqiu turned back, smiled at Lu Chengwen, and then got inside.
Lu Chengwen stood in place and gave a direct shudder.
[What is wrong with this woman? Why is she suddenly... so terrifying?!]
[Could it be that she's fallen for me? Can that even happen?]
[What did I do? How could she... suddenly change her tune like this?]
Xu Xuejiao said coldly from the side, "Are you still thinking of going back to play the dog for her? Have some backbone, will you?"
Lu Chengwen hurriedly said, "What are you talking about! Let's go, let's go."
Getting into the car, Chen Mengyun saw Lu Chengwen, burst into tears immediately, threw herself into his arms, and wept uncontrollably.
Lu Chengwen immediately spread his arms and held them high above his head to indicate he hadn't done anything, frowning tightly as he looked at this woman in confusion.
[Everything is a mess. Yesterday she wanted me dead, today this... what a disaster!]
[Why is this woman still crying endlessly? Do... do I need to comfort her?]
Xu Xuejiao chuckled from the side. "Aren't you going to comfort her quickly?"
Lu Chengwen gently patted her back. "It's... it's fine, it's all in the past."
"I'm sorry."
Chen Mengyun finally pulled away from Lu Chengwen.
Lu Chengwen breathed a sigh of relief. In the entire world, only he knew that getting this intimate with the female protagonist was like slamming the gas pedal down on the road to courting death.
Chen Mengyun looked at Lu Chengwen. "Brother Chengwen, I'm sorry, I was too emotional yesterday."
"No, the fault is entirely mine," Lu Chengwen said. "I just have a bad mouth and shouldn't have said those supposedly witty things that hurt your heart. From now on, I will definitely watch my words and actions."
Chen Mengyun broke into laughter through her tears. "You know it, do you? Which girl wouldn't lose her temper if she found out you were talking about her like that behind her back? But Xuejiao said you tossed and turned for half the night to save me, and then got arrested by the police and spent the night in a cell, so I feel pretty bad about it."
Lu Chengwen felt the direction of this chat was rather off.
It wasn't very safe for him!
[Wait, what am I doing? Why am I getting along so harmoniously with them?]
[How did I end up in someone else's car?]
[Now I've seen her, everything's fine, I can rest easy.]
[Long Aotian, you saw it all—I took good care of your woman, nobody took advantage of her, so don't blame me if something happens in the future.]
Chen Mengyun felt quite bewildered.
Who was this Long Aotian? She didn't know him at all; how did she become his wife?
"Brother Chengwen, actually... I don't have a boyfriend."
"Ah, I know."
"I'm serious, I never have."
"Mm-hm, got it."
Lu Chengwen said, "Alright, since your body is fine, I won't worry anymore. You guys go do whatever you need to do, I'm heading home too."
"Hey, you... leaving just like that?"
"Leaving, leaving, I've got things to do, goodbye."
Lu Chengwen got out of the car and walked away.
Chen Mengyun felt a bit dazed. From last night until today, so many things had happened—it felt just like a dream.
Lu Chengwen had appeared in her life once again and taken the leading role, making the sea of her heart churn with ripples anew.
Scene after scene from childhood replayed before her eyes: the innocent Lu Chengwen who used to take her to catch loaches, dig mud pits, play hide-and-seek, and share snacks came back to life deep within her heart.
The Lu Chengwen who fought other boys for her, who found her first to share his snacks, and who—after middle school—hid from her out of shyness, fleeing in disarray when she chased him, had now grown into a true man of backbone.
They were no longer children; they had loved, hated, tasted sweetness, and felt sorrow...
After all these twists and turns, was it still you? That's actually pretty nice.
Xu Xuejiao looked at Chen Mengyun. "Sister Mengyun, you haven't fallen for him again, have you?"
"Ah? Of course not," Chen Mengyun said hurriedly. "I have so much work to do, I need to get back to the company."
"Oh. Really not?"
"No, how could that be."
"Mm, good then."
...
Long Aotian felt something was wrong.
He squatted on the toilet bowl, his stomach cramping with pain.
From yesterday morning until this morning, he had spent almost most of his time in the company of the toilet.
He hadn't even eaten anything weird, so why was he suddenly having the runs?
They say a real man can't withstand three bouts of diarrhea.
He was a real man, true, but these bouts were definitely way more than three.
Long Aotian considered his medical talent to be peerless in the world, yet he was completely at a loss and had no solution whatsoever for this twenty-four-hour nightmare of explosive diarrhea.
Acupuncture, hot compresses, elixirs, internal energy... everything was utterly useless.
The toilet! Only the toilet!
Only the toilet was his friend; only the toilet shared thick and thin with him at a time like this, never abandoning him.
Long Aotian was practically getting dehydrated.
O Heavens! I still have so many things to do, so many girls to hit on—you aren't going to let a great hero and peerless figure like me die of pure diarrhea on a toilet, are you?
At that moment, outside the restroom door, a gorgeous female assassin knelt on one knee:
"Young Master! It's time to hit the road."
Long Aotian felt like crying without tears: "Yeah, I'm fucking about to hit the road alright."
"May I ask, Young Master, are you still having diarrhea?"
Covered in sweat, Long Aotian muttered, "Spare the fancy language at a time like this, just talk business."
"The Sect Master has issued an order for the Young Master to unify the Four Major Families of Snow City as soon as possible."
"No problem! Everything is under my control!" Long Aotian said with difficulty. "Although I've hit a slight setback with Leng Qingqiu, and things are a bit tricky with Xu Xuejiao, today I'm going to make a comeback. Help me arrange my itinerary."
"Yes."
"First, I'll go cure Jiang Shihhan's mother. Her illness cannot be dragged out any longer; if it drags on, something could go wrong at any moment."
"Yes."
"Then today should be the day Leng Qingqiu and Jiao Shiheng sign their contract, I must go expose his hypocrisy and save Leng Qingqiu's company!"
"Understood!"
"Tonight, I must stop Hu Shuhui's conspiracy and save Chen Mengyun."
"Alright."
"As long as I handle these three things, things will be back on track."
"Young Master is mighty! Shall I bring a portable toilet for you to carry along, or adult diapers?"
Long Aotian raised his head and glared at the toilet door panel. "Do you think you're being humorous?"
"Young Master, calm your anger. Your subordinate does not understand humor, I only act according to logic. You know how I am."
Long Aotian rolled his eyes. "In short, coordinate things in secret. Today is going to be... my day..."
"Young Master? Today is what? I didn't hear you."
"W-Wait..."
"Today is going to be the day you have explosive diarrhea?"
"Scram."
Chapter 24: Completely Different Encounters
Strangely enough, past twelve noon, Long Aotian recovered right on schedule.
Suddenly his stomach stopped hurting; though his body still lacked strength, at least the diarrhea had temporarily stopped.
Walking out of the suburban villa, a brand-new Audi RS7 was parked in front of him.
Vanguard Hua Xuening held her sword in a fist salute: "Young Master, everything is arranged."
Standing straight as a board, Long Aotian glanced at the car. "This young master is coming out of seclusion keeping a low profile. To maximize the effect of slapping faces, I need to lower my status and disguise myself as an ordinary loser. Only then can the subsequent face-slapping effect be fully realized. Change the car, the lower profile the better."
Hua Xuening was stunned. "Yes."
A few minutes later.
Long Aotian stared at the vehicle before him, rubbing his chin as he fell into deep thought.
"Xuening."
"Young Master."
"Is this the car you found for this young master?"
"Yes."
Long Aotian was so depressed he wanted to spit blood.
Was the thing in front of him even a car? It was a tractor!
And it was even a dilapidated diesel tractor.
"This piece of junk..."
Hua Xuening said, "Young Master, this is a Harvest-brand tractor, diesel-powered, full of dynamic spirit. Low-profile, crude, tacky, and lacking in taste—it fits the Young Master's requirements perfectly."
Long Aotian glared at Hua Xuening. "You really have no brains. Change it."
"There are no others."
"No others? Young Master, there's no time left. Your itinerary today is quite full, if we delay any further, there won't be enough time."
Long Aotian was furious to death. "Fine, just use this thing. Anyway... it's just a means of transportation."
"Please, Young Master, start this vehicle yourself!"
"H-How do you start it?"
"The crank handle is hanging right here. Insert the crank into the starting hole and crank the handle with all your might until this tractor goes 'bang bang bang' and feels like it's about to jump into the air."
With a gloomy face, Long Aotian began attempting to start this hand-cranked tractor.
Long Aotian had never cranked such a thing before and only knew how to use brute force. Hua Xuening stood on the sidelines to give live instructions:
"Young Master needs to apply continuous force, do not stop!"
"Young Master, hold on just a bit longer, it's about to catch!"
"Young Master's arms need to swing vigorously, at this point you must give it your all and make sure not to hold back anymore!"
"Young Master truly is a celestial being descending to the mortal realm—Young Master, perhaps I should do it."
Sitting on the tractor, Long Aotian was bounced about so violently that his internal organs felt like they were about to leap out of his mouth.
"Where did you find this piece of junk?"
The engine noise was too loud, so the two of them had to shout to talk.
Hua Xuening shouted at the top of her lungs, "Purchased from a farmer at the low price of ninety thousand yuan!"
Long Aotian yelled, "This piece of junk cost ninety thousand?"
Hua Xuening shouted, "Young Master, calm your anger, it's about to rain."
Long Aotian yelled, "Where is the soft-top switch?"
Hua Xuening shouted, "Young Master is overthinking it, this is a tractor, it has no top—neither hard nor soft."
Long Aotian completely lost his temper. "Then what do we do now that it's going to rain?!"
Hua Xuening yelled, "Young Master, your subordinate has a plan."
"Speak!"
"Endure it."
Long Aotian was about to die of anger. "Damn it, thank goodness it's only drizzling a bit. How much further is it to the city center? If it's just these few scattered raindrops, it's no big deal."
No sooner had Long Aotian finished speaking than a thunderclap cracked across the sky, and a torrential downpour came pelting down, instantly turning the two of them into drowned rats.