Chapter 51: Sudden Incident

Chapter 51: Sudden Incident

A cough escaped from someone in the small hall.

Shen Tingyu's gaze was steady and silent.

In those few seconds, his mind must have raced through countless thoughts.

Xu Qingran stood up nonchalantly, brushing off his clothes.

As long as he wasn’t embarrassed, the embarrassment fell on everyone else.

Xu Qingran hadn’t expected Xu Yan to trail him all the way, trying to leverage his fatherly authority to pressure and strike him.

In a fit of rage, he retaliated without hesitation.

Who could’ve guessed the banquet hall door would swing open right then, with Shen Tingyu standing there? Was this some kind of setup?

When Shen Tingyu glanced up, he caught the reproachful glare in Xu Qingran’s eyes.

Finally, a low chuckle escaped him.

Equal parts annoyed and amused.

You’re something else, Xu Qingran.

Xu Qingran glanced down at Xu Yan, who looked just as stunned and even more mortified. In front of everyone, he delivered another kick to his so-called father, his voice icy, "If you’re not out of the Bishui Villa house in three days, I’ll tear it apart and throw you out myself."

With that, he strode into the banquet hall.

The room fell silent, all eyes on him.

He acted oblivious to their stunned expressions, coolly stating, "Apologies, I got held up by some personal business on the way."

The Shen family exchanged glances.

Definitely personal.

Outside, Xu Yan clambered to his feet. His eyes widened when he realized the room was filled with Shen family members.

The Shen and Xu families were prominent but entirely unrelated. Ever since the high compatibility between Xu Qingran and their youngest grandson came to light, the Shen family had ignored the Xu family entirely.

So he’d always assumed the Shen family looked down on Xu Qingran, given his less-than-stellar reputation and their modest family standing.

To his shock, the brat had been invited to the Shen family’s private banquet? Getting in with the Shen family was a huge deal, and the brat hadn’t even mentioned it!

Just then, a few Yuntian Tower waiters passed by the banquet hall.

They were still complaining, "Damn, it's really a pity not to have eaten that kind of wealthy family gossip."

"Absolutely amazing, Young Master Xu's temper is really tough. He just caused a scene at the birthday banquet, making the Xu family feel utterly ashamed!"

"Missing Young Master Xu's famous scene is really painful! Can anyone tell me if Young Master Xu beat someone today? Did he smash the table?"

They seemed to have been temporarily called to help clean up Xu Qingan's birthday banquet hall, chatting happily.

But the atmosphere in the Shen family's banquet hall seemed even quieter.

Xu Qingran turned around with a calm face, considerately helping Shen Tingyu close the banquet hall door. Besides blocking out the outside noise, he also conveniently kept Xu Yan, who was eagerly waiting to enter and make an impression in front of his future in-laws, outside the door.

Xu Yan, who had just put on a polite smile, was at a loss for words: "..."

Meanwhile, the members of the Shen family in the banquet hall were either lost in deeper thought or subconsciously tightened their hold on their utensils or cups.

It seemed that their future son-in-law was indeed not someone to be messed with.

Xu Qingran, led by Shen Tingyu, made his way to the main table.

He wasn't sure how the relatives at the other tables were reacting, but the atmosphere at the main table was particularly quiet.

The head of the Shen family—Shen Tingyu's father, Shen Zhuanghao—though advanced in age, still had a commanding presence, making him stand out even in a crowd.

Xu Qingran didn't show any sign of nervousness and took the initiative to greet him: "Mr. Shen, thank you for inviting me tonight."

Shen Zhuanghao wasn't one to show his emotions.

So Xu Qingran couldn't read his thoughts, but Shen Zhuanghao glanced at him, nodded, and said, "Please, have a seat."

The people at the main table were all older, probably Shen Tianyi's uncles and aunts.

Everyone seemed quite serious, except for the somewhat clueless Shen Tianyi, who asked cheerfully, "Brother Qingran, why did you hit that uncle? Did he bully you?"

Xu Qingran nodded seriously: "Yes."

Shen Tianyi: "Yay! He had it coming!"

The gazes of everyone at the table instinctively turned to Shen Tingyu.

Before Xu Qingran entered, General Shen, who had been trying hard to portray him as a well-behaved young master, rested his clasped hands on his mouth, staring at the table, refusing to engage.

...He had given up, no longer bothered.

Whether they accepted him or not, he had already warned the Shen family before.

However, another young man next to Shen Tingyu chuckled softly and said, "Mr. Xu is indeed as interesting as I imagined."

Xu Qingran turned to look and saw a young man with gold-rimmed glasses, scholarly, with an air of academic brilliance.

He had inherited the Shen family's good genes and was quite handsome.

He introduced himself: "I'm Tianyi's cousin, Shen Tianheng."

Xu Qingran: "Hello."

Notably, he didn't use the familial honorifics the other had used.

Shen Tianheng seemed young but carried himself maturely.

It was he who took the initiative to say, "Since everyone is here, let's eat first, or the food will get cold."

Shen Zhuanghao finally picked up his chopsticks.

Only then did the others at the table follow suit.

People from prominent families were more mindful of etiquette, so the meal proceeded in relative silence.

Xu Qingran didn't force himself to blend into their world and interacted with Shen Tianyi much like he would at home. Shen Tianyi rarely interacted with the main family, and without Xu Qingran, he would have been nervous, but now he gradually relaxed.

Boldly asking Xu Qingran to serve him the dishes he wanted to eat, if any dishes required peeling shells or removing bones, Xu Qingran would handle that too.

While assisting Shen Tianyi, he casually placed a bowl of fresh shrimp in front of Shen Tingyu: "Peel these for me."

Shen Tingyu paused and looked at him.

Xu Qingran met his gaze and asked with a straight face: "I’m helping with your little nephew, so you can help me as your guest. Fair deal, right?"

Shen Tingyu stared at him and suddenly laughed.

He nodded and replied, "No problem."

Then, to everyone’s surprise, he got to work, using his long fingers—usually reserved for handling knives and guns—to peel shrimp for Xu Qingran.

The people at the main table watched with mixed reactions, some even visibly surprised.

...So who’s the obedient one here?

After the meal, the other Shen family relatives couldn’t help but glance at Xu Qingran, their eyes filled with curiosity.

Only the younger generation, glued to their phones, were furiously typing and chatting.

They were all children or grandchildren of the Shen family head’s siblings.

The chat group was flooded with messages about Xu Qingran.

"OMG, it’s really Xu Qingran in the flesh!"

"Just as I expected from my favorite little lunatic—his entrance was one for the books."

"Hahaha, you had to be there! When the door opened, I was dying to laugh!"

"I need to sneak a few photos later to brag to the other families."

"Even with today’s advanced photography, he’s even more stunning in person than in pictures or videos!"

"Did they just say the eldest son caused another scene at the Xu family? What a pity, the scene was so close to us but we didn’t see it!"

"Mr. Xu just graduated from Grandis Military Academy, right? Any thoughts on which faction you’ll join?"

At the main table, Xu Qingran had already fielded a round of basic questions.

Not wanting to trouble Shen Tingyu or Shen Tianyi, he answered with uncharacteristic patience.

Now it was Shen Tianheng asking the questions.

He gave a diplomatic reply: "I haven’t decided yet."

At the table, only the two of them were close in age.

Shen Tianheng seemed to be making small talk, and after Xu Qingran’s reply, he didn’t press further, handing over his phone and saying, "Want to exchange contacts?"

"I heard you hold shares in Silver Dragon’s industries. Maybe we can collaborate someday."

During the conversation, Xu Qingran learned that although Shen Tianheng was only about twenty years old, he already held great control over the commercial sector of the Shen family. At the same time, he was also a 3S Type I intellectual, just like the male protagonist in a novel, having completed his doctoral degree at the age of 18, and even held dual degrees in finance and law.

Xu Qingran could feel that Shen Tianheng had no hostility, and even had a good relationship with Shen Tingyu, so he added him.

Unbeknownst to him, Shen Tianheng quickly screenshotted his profile picture and shared it in a group chat for the Shen family’s younger generation, created by one of his cousins.

Bragging shamelessly: "Sorry, I was the first to add him to my contacts."

"..."

"Being close to the water gets you the moon first. Using your status to get ahead isn't heroic!"

"It doesn't count if it's not you!"

Shen Tianheng typed without changing his expression: "Being born into the right family is a strength in itself."

Xu Qingran picked up his glass and took a sip of juice.

After the meal, it was time for family members to mingle.

The main table was nearly empty, with everyone in different corners chatting with relatives they hadn't seen in a long time.

This meal gave Xu Qingran a deeper understanding of the Shen family.

The Shen family elders were mainly divided into two groups.

One group, like Shen Tingyu, were officers in the Golden Wing Battalion, with spiritual pool levels generally between S-3S. They seemed more formal and serious, even at meals.

The other group were politicians.

They worked in key government offices under the empire, and some with higher positions often entered and exited the palace. These relatives were more polished and easy to get along with, asking questions in a gentle tone, with a very proper attitude regardless of their impression.

There was also a small group, like Shen Tianheng, who were businessmen.

What set the Shen family apart was their investment in military research for the Golden Wing Battalion. They worked with the empire to research and upgrade military weapons and artillery, and were also one of the main arms suppliers for the Golden Wing Battalion.

In any case, it sounded pretty impressive.

No wonder the Shen family's reputation alone could intimidate people.

Xu Qingran's seats on either side were now empty.

Shen Tingyu got a call in the middle of the meal and stepped out to a quieter spot to discuss business. Shen Tianyi, the youngest mascot, hadn't been seen by many in a while, so he was carried around to different tables.

They also got him lots of candies and toys, which made the kid very happy.

Shen Zhuanghao had asked him a few questions earlier.

They were just some basic personal information and background, asking about his future development direction and plans, his thoughts on Shen Tianyi, and how he got along with Shen Tingyu and his nephew.

Xu Qingran couldn't quite figure out the old man's attitude.

Seeing Shen Tianheng casually scrolling through his phone, he took the initiative to ask a question he had been curious about since he arrived: "Are the Shen family members afraid of Shen Tingyu?"

Shen Tingyu's attitude towards the Shen family wasn't particularly close, but it was still polite and gentle.

However, he noticed that at the main table—most of those sitting should be his 'siblings'—they had very little interaction with him. They even avoided eye contact with him, and unless necessary, they wouldn't initiate conversation with him.

They were even more distant than an outsider like himself.

"Is it because he's an E-type?" Xu Qingran added another question.

Hearing this, Shen Tianheng put down his phone and thought for a while before answering: "If you say so, then yes."

He glanced at Shen Zhuanghao, who was chatting with Shen Tingyu's uncles at another table, and lowered his voice: "My grandfather has quite a few children, just my uncles and aunts add up to more than ten."

"But do you know? My uncle's only nephews and nieces are me, Tianyi, and two cousins working at the Shen family's research institute."

"Any idea why?"

Xu Qingran's gaze froze.

He crossed his arms, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Because your uncle killed the others?"

Shen Tianheng's enigmatic expression faltered slightly.

He was surprised, as this wasn’t an answer most people would think of, and blurted out, "Did my uncle tell you about this?"

"Not exactly," Xu Qingran said.

Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu seemed to be cut from the same cloth. Instead of asking outright, they preferred gradually discovering new things about each other. So, they had an unspoken agreement not to pry into each other’s family or personal matters.

He smiled, "I just guessed."

"It couldn’t be because his E-type curse made his siblings infertile, could it? That’d be a wild reason."

Shen Tianheng: "..."

Xu Qingran might not believe it, but this had been the most popular theory in recent years.

"I’m sure he had his reasons," Xu Qingran added.

"Maybe his odd temper or intimidating E-type made him a target for his siblings’ mockery and bullying." Xu Qingran thought for a while and continued, "I noticed there’s a big age gap between him and his older siblings. Maybe it was their kids who bullied Shen Tingyu."

Considering Shen Tingyu’s time at the Tower of Evil as a kid, his childhood couldn’t have been great.

Shen Tianheng listened in silence.

Honestly, Xu Qingran had pretty much nailed it.

In fact, Shen Tingyu's background was a bit more complicated, and he had only heard some of it.

Apparently, his grandfather, Shen Zhuanghao, suddenly brought home a newborn when his youngest was already ten. He gravely announced that this was his child.

That child was Shen Tingyu.

His mother’s identity was a mystery, and his origins were murky. At the time, everyone suspected and even tested Shen Tingyu's bloodline with the Shen family, confirming that he was indeed a Shen family child. Naturally, Shen Tingyu was seen as Shen Zhuanghao’s illegitimate child and became a target for his siblings.

So, his living environment in the Shen family from a young age wasn’t great.

Beatings, starvation, being locked in dark rooms, and isolation were all part of his daily life. This shaped his introverted, reclusive nature, making him avoid people. Later, when he was diagnosed as an E-type at a young age and began to show aggression, he started to fight back.

Anyone who crossed him ended up dead or badly hurt.

Eventually, the siblings or their kids who bullied him, too scared to deal with him, plotted to send him to the Tower of Evil.

Three years later, Shen Tingyu returned.

He came back emotionally stable, a completely different person. But the ruthlessness in his bones hadn’t changed at all. After returning, he joined the military and climbed the ranks. Once he gained power and confidence, those who’d bullied him or turned their backs on him mysteriously died.

Most of them met with ‘accidents.’

Although Shen Tingyu never explicitly admitted to doing it, Shen Tianheng's other uncles and aunts quickly suspected him. They finally couldn’t hold back and cried and made a scene in front of Shen Zhuanghao, even bringing up the issue of the illegitimate child openly.

Shen Zhuanghao probably also felt that Shen Tingyu had grown up and was becoming harder to control, so he called several of his children and Shen Tingyu to his study in the main house for a night-long conversation.

What exactly was discussed, only those who were called to the study those days know.

In any case, after his uncles and aunts came out of the study, they suddenly stopped calling Shen Tingyu a bastard, stopped targeting him, and even stopped grieving excessively for their lost children. When asked, they all remained tight-lipped, quietly making amends for their past actions against Shen Tingyu.

Under such circumstances, one certainly couldn't expect their relationship with Shen Tingyu to be close.

Fear was, of course, natural. There were even rumors that Shen Tingyu had warned them that if they dared to continue having children, those children wouldn't survive.

Shen Tianheng, however, wasn't convinced.

Not that he thought his uncle was incapable of such actions, but he didn't strike him as the type to outright say such things. Moreover, he heard that his aunt was recently pregnant, and she attended tonight's banquet. Everyone at the dinner table had just brought it up.

She must have cleared it with his uncle.

Seeing that Xu Qingran had directly guessed it and even pieced together the underlying story, Shen Tianheng briefly summarized the situation.

Xu Qingran's first reaction after hearing this wasn't fear but rather curiosity, asking, "Then why are you and Tianyi still alive?"

Shen Tianheng paused, then said, "Tianyi, I'm not sure, maybe because his parents died in an accident soon after he was born. But it had nothing to do with my uncle; they were killed by enemies who framed them."

"As for me," Shen Tianheng smiled and adjusted his glasses, continuing, "A wise person knows when to yield. Smart people naturally choose to align themselves with my uncle, showing their stance and attitude."

When Shen Tianheng was young, he had seen his siblings tormenting Shen Tingyu.

Poking him with needles and burning him with incense were tame; there were even more extreme acts.

At that time, his mind was solely focused on studying, and he had no interest in participating in their petty antics.

Later, when he grew up and heard about the consequences they faced for their past actions, he felt they deserved it.

Shen Tianheng was an excessively logical person.

Having seen his parents' heartless leniency and even praising those children for venting their anger, he felt that their values and principles were incompatible, so he distanced himself from them.

However, fearing that the ruthless Shen Tingyu might kill him too, he proactively reached out to him early on, expressing his stance and wanting to cooperate.

Shen Tingyu agreed, and now Shen Tianheng is one of Shen Tingyu's few trusted confidants within the Shen family. This uncle not only spared him but also helped him rise to a high position in the business sector, allowing him to assume some managerial roles at a young age.

Shen Tianheng stood apart from most of his family.

Although he also feared Shen Tingyu, it was more awe than fear. He admired his methods and leaned towards aligning with him. After all, his uncle was now the most powerful figure in the Shen family; aligning with him was the path to success!

Thinking of this, he looked at Xu Qingran, who remained unfazed after hearing all this, and couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid?"

Xu Qingran was puzzled, "Afraid of what? Your uncle?"

He smiled and said, "Anyway, he can't kill me, so why should I be afraid?"

"Moreover, I've done things very similar to his."

Xu Qingran's voice was calm, without any fluctuation: "Those who have hurt me should be repaid tenfold, a hundredfold."

Shen Tianheng slightly retracted his neck.

Thinking to himself, his poor cousin. First, he has to deal with such an uncle, and now he's matched with an equally ruthless fiancé. Is this his fate?

Let's sympathize for three seconds.

The small banquet hall was lively and bustling.

Xu Qingran was likely the only one in the entire room focused on eating.

When Shen Tingyu came back from outside, he was carrying two slices of cake and set them down in front of Xu Qingran.

Xu Qingran recognized the animal cartoon designs on the cake as part of the seven-layer cake Xu Yan had custom-made for Xu Qingan.

He asked, “What’s the deal with bringing me Xu Qingan’s birthday cake?”

Shen Tingyu replied, “This cake’s from Yuntian Tower’s kitchen—it’s really good.”

He smiled lightly and added, “I saw the waiter wheeling it away when I got back. Not sure if they were going to toss it or keep it, so I snagged a couple of slices.”

“The Xu family already paid for it, so why not enjoy it?”

Shen Tingyu’s explanation made Xu Qingran see the cake in a new light.

Sure, Xu Qingan was annoying, but the cake didn’t do anything wrong.

He took a fork, cut a small piece, and tasted it—the sweetness was perfect for him.

Then Shen Tingyu said, “Your birthday was at the academy this year, and we didn’t celebrate it, so I figured I’d use this chance to give you some cake.”

Xu Qingran paused mid-cut, looked down, and said, “It’s fine. I never really celebrated it before anyway.”

After a moment’s thought, he asked politely, “When’s your birthday?”

“November 1st,” Shen Tingyu said with a grin, “Why? You planning to celebrate it for me?”

Xu Qingran smirked and pointed to the other slice he was eating, “Since you borrowed the flower, I’ll borrow one too.”

Shen Tianheng looked up and saw them eating alone. He asked angrily, “Uncle, why’d you bring cake for Qingran but not me? I’m sitting right here with you!”

Shen Tingyu glanced at him, as if just remembering he was there, “Sorry, I forgot. Next time, for sure.”

Shen Tianheng: “...”

The Shen family’s gathering lasted about three hours that night.

It wasn’t until near the end that Shen Zhuanghao came back to the main table and told Xu Qingran something specific.

“The Empire sent a notice to the Shen family, hoping to let you do a soul compatibility match with all the E-types in the country who don’t have a partner yet.”

Shen Zhuanghao’s voice, slow and weathered like an old tree, said, “After all, you’re a D-type, and the Shen family can’t easily refuse this, so I’ve already agreed.”

Xu Qingran nodded, “As long as the Shen family’s fine with it, I don’t have any objections.”

If a highly compatible E-type shows up, it’d be the Shen family losing their future ‘daughter-in-law.’ Besides, the 99% match he set up before was just to get close to Shen Tingyu and avoid being set up with Boss Chen by Xu Qingan and his dear sister.

Now that the crisis is over, and he and Shen Tingyu are friends, even without this relationship tying them together, he can still keep in touch with him in the future.

So, whether this relationship sticks around or not, it doesn’t matter to him anymore.

The dinner was winding down.

As the group left the banquet hall and headed to the ground floor lobby, they found a crowd gathered there, along with guards in Silver Dragon and Golden Wing Battalion uniforms.

They were cooperating with the staff of Yuntian Building to guide the guests from the building to a designated area outside.

A waiter approached them upon seeing them descend and said, "We are very sorry, but there has been an emergency situation in the building. We need your cooperation to evacuate to the outer courtyard, and you are temporarily not allowed to leave the perimeter of the security line."

Murmurs of surprise filled the surroundings, and Shen Zhuanghao frowned slightly.

Shen Tingyu glanced at the guests evacuating outside and asked, "Is it convenient to tell us what the incident is?"

The waiter hesitated for a moment, then, aware of his status, replied with a worried expression, "The management of Yuntian Building just received an anonymous email claiming that a bomb has been placed in the building, which will explode after midnight."

The Shen family was immediately shocked.

The waiter continued with a troubled expression, "We don't know yet whether this is true or not. The guards are currently verifying the information, and the restaurant is cooperating with them to screen for suspects. But for everyone's safety, we can only arrange for an evacuation as quickly as possible."

The waiters were also very frustrated.

They wondered what kind of day this was, with so many things happening!

Most of the people in the Shen family's banquet hall were prominent figures and could understand the need for cooperation in such emergencies, so they easily accepted the restaurant's arrangements.

Many members of the Shen family were well-known to the guards.

Especially Shen Tingyu, who was instantly recognizable in the crowd, so their group was quickly noticed by the guards who were entering the building to carry out their tasks.

The guards stationed in the Tian Shen faction were from both camps.

However, only those wearing the Golden Wing uniforms approached them, specifically to check on their situation.

Shen Tingyu watched as the Shen family members left the building as arranged. Instead of following, he said to the leader of the Golden Wing unit beside him, "There are still three hours left. I can help you with the search operation."

"This... we deeply apologize, General. You rarely have a chance to dine with your family, and now we have to trouble you with work." Given the urgency of the situation, the leader did not refuse Shen Tingyu's offer of help.

"It's no trouble, it's also my duty," Shen Tingyu replied.

Xu Qingran walked up to Shen Tingyu and asked before he took action, "General Shen, how about taking this recently graduated military student with you?"

"In my opinion, for a graduate like me, practical experience is the best training."

Disarming bombs, it's been a while since I've done this job.

In my previous life, my enemies often set up these kinds of traps, so I was forced to learn how to dismantle them. I just don't know if the bombs in this world are the same as those I saw in the apocalypse.

Shen Tingyu agreed.

Seeing Shen Tianyi gazing at them expectantly, he handed him over to Shen Tianheng: "Tianyi, stay with your brother for now, and don't run around."

Shen Tianyi didn't know exactly what was happening, but seeing how serious everyone was, he obediently nodded and took Shen Tianheng's hand.

Shen Tianheng said, "Don't worry, Uncle, I'll watch over him."

"Good, if you don't, you'll be in trouble too."

"...Okay."

After confirming the ongoing search efforts with the military personnel, Shen Tingyu and Xu Qingran returned to the eighth floor and started searching from there upwards.

The staff of Yuntian Building bustling about could be seen everywhere, coordinating the evacuation of guests in various banquet halls, and the elevators were overcrowded.

Each floor had many banquet halls and private rooms.

The guests in the hall were still making arrangements to evacuate, so they began searching the quieter, less crowded small rooms and lounges.

When Xu Qingran forcefully kicked open the door to a locked VIP lounge, two people who were so engrossed in comforting each other, with their clothes in disarray, hurriedly got up from the sofa, panicked.

Shen Tingyu raised an eyebrow.

He observed the two with keen interest.

Lu Cheng's injured arm had already been bandaged, and Xu Qingan's eyes were red and puffy from crying, like a rabbit's.

Likely because the atmosphere was perfect with no one else around, they began embracing on the sofa. The mood was intensifying, but it was abruptly shattered when Xu Qingran, after several unanswered knocks, kicked the door open.

Upon seeing him, Xu Qingan, who had just calmed down, became agitated again: "Xu Qingran, what do you think you're doing?!"

"You've already wrecked my birthday banquet today, why are you still harassing me and Lu Cheng?!"

Seeing Xu Qingan's insecure expression, as if fearing his fiancé might be taken away, Xu Qingran sneered, "Don't think everyone's out to steal your fiancé. There's a bomb in Yun Tian Lou, and it's chaos out there, haven't you heard?"

As he spoke, he checked the time on his health tracker: "But we still have some time before the explosion. If you hurry and cooperate with a quick check, you might still have time for some fun before the explosion."

Lu Cheng, less thick-skinned, immediately blushed and shouted in anger: "Xu Qingran!"

Ignoring him, Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu began searching the lounge as if they were alone, muttering, "If Major General Lu has any sense of duty, even if he doesn't help, at least don't get in the way."

Xu Qingran conducted a very casual search of the lounge.

He even advised Shen Tingyu to take it easy.

Before leaving, he addressed the two, their expressions a mix of emotions: "You can search the rest of the area yourselves, be thorough, and don't blame us if something goes wrong later."

"Oh, and once you're done, head downstairs on your own. Everyone is busy, so if you're sensible, don't waste human resources."

After saying this, he left with Shen Tingyu.

Xu Qingan, feeling uneasy from his words, grabbed Lu Cheng's hand and asked, "Do you think... this could be another scheme by Xu Qingran?"

"Maybe he planted the bomb, he just wants to hurt me."

Lu Cheng frowned and immediately dismissed his speculation: "Qingan, Qingran wouldn't do such a thing."

Over this period, he had come to realize that no matter how fiercely Xu Qingran acted or how much he disregarded face, it was usually only directed at those who had bullied him or caused him trouble. So he knew that even if Xu Qingran disliked him and Xu Qingan now, he wouldn't involve other innocent people in Yun Tian Lou.

Thinking of this, Lu Cheng sighed lightly.

So Xu Qingran, after all, is still as kind as before, right?

Outside, Xu Qingran, who had left with Shen Tingyu to search the next lounge, suddenly sneezed.

Shen Tingyu asked him, "Caught a cold?"

Xu Qingran pinched his nose: "Who knows? Maybe someone behind my back has some strange thoughts about me again."

The two of them worked for a while longer until they reached the tenth floor.

Outside a certain room, someone was arguing loudly with the staff of Yun Tian Lou.

"Why?!"

"I waited so long for the food to be served, and before I could even eat, you're telling me to evacuate? Are you trying to scam me?"

The man who was loudly cursing at the waiters was an incredibly overweight man.

He wore a fur coat, with various gold ornaments on his hands and neck. His face was as ugly as if it had been carelessly molded by an unhappy Nuwa (a goddess in Chinese mythology who created humans), giving off an inexplicably greasy and off-putting vibe.

The man was accompanied by several burly bodyguards.

The waiters who came to inform them of the evacuation couldn't argue back and could only lower their heads, red-eyed, enduring the scolding while continuing to say, "We are very sorry for what happened today, and we will provide proper compensation..."

"Really unlucky! I came here for a meal and ended up getting caught up in this mess," the man snarled, his greasy face looking even uglier.

He kept ranting, "Compensation? You think I care about that little money? I'm pissed because I've been starving all day, and you still won't let me eat!"

The waiters hesitantly reminded him, "After all, your safety is more important. Please cooperate with us for the evacuation..."

The man seemed to want to continue cursing, but someone next to him pulled him and said, "Forget it, Boss Chen, it's a bomb. If it's real, you could lose your life in a heartbeat."

"We should evacuate first."

Xu Qingran, who hadn't recognized the man before, suddenly understood when he heard the title.

So this was the Boss Chen who had almost been set up for him back then?

Most of the guests invited by Boss Chen in the private room were still scared for their lives.

Upon hearing about the danger, they immediately headed downstairs.

Only Chen Shengfei was still muttering, "What a pain!"

Just as he was about to leave, he saw Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu appear together.

They said something to the waiter, apparently preparing to enter his private room.

When Chen Shengfei saw Xu Qingran, his eyes widened.

It was the man he'd always wanted but could never have! He hadn't seen him for a while, and he had heard that Xu Qingran had gone to the military academy. Now that he was back, his physique was even more toned and fit, still as handsome as ever!

"Isn't this Qingran?" While everyone else was evacuating, only Chen Shengfei approached with a sleazy grin.

Seeing the handsome young man looking at him with confusion, he pointed at himself and said, "It's me, Chen Shengfei. We met many years ago."

Xu Qingran glanced at him with no emotion in his eyes, his voice cold, "Don't remember."

After saying that, he followed Shen Tingyu into the private room Chen Shengfei had reserved, conducting a brief search.

Chen Shengfei, as if entranced, followed them, his eyes glued to Xu Qingran's striking figure, instinctively wanting to take advantage of the situation. But just as his hand reached out, someone suddenly grabbed it.

The hand with distinct knuckles gripped his wrist with a force so strong that he could hear the bones groaning under the strain.

Chen Shengfei wasn't one to handle pain well, and he let out a scream like a stuck pig, "It hurts, let go, let go now...!"

Looking up, he met Shen Tingyu's piercing eyes.

Shen Tingyu shoved his hand aside and warned in a cold voice, "Don't touch what you shouldn't."

Chen Shengfei didn't dare to cross this general from the Golden Wing Battalion, so he could only curse him in his heart.

Even though Shen Tingyu was handsome, Chen Shengfei didn't care for him. Shen Tingyu was too aggressive-looking and a wild Type E, which didn't suit his taste.

Xu Qingran knew about Chen Shengfei's little move, but he trusted Shen Tingyu completely, so he didn't bother to look back. Instead, he walked straight toward the corner. There was a trash can with a black bag inside, holding a suspiciously wrapped object.

A few seconds later, he suddenly smiled.

Turning to look at Chen Shengfei, who was staring at him, he narrowed his eyes and asked, "Boss Chen, is it?"

"I just heard you telling the waiter that you're very hungry and reluctant to leave?"

Chen Shengfei didn't quite catch what he was asking, just nodded with a grin, "Yes, yes."

Xu Qingran's lips curved into a cold smile as he said to Shen Tingyu beside Chen Shengfei, "Lock the door behind him."

"Since Boss Chen wants to eat, he won't leave today until he's finished his meal."

Chen Shengfei thought that was great—not only would he get to eat, but he could also enjoy the view of a 'beauty'.

But soon, his smile faded.

At the dining table, Chen Shengfei sat on a chair, one shoulder pressed down by Shen Tingyu's hand.

Xu Qingran, sitting across the round table, held a bomb that was still counting down, gently rotating it as he asked, "Eat, why aren't you eating?"

"If you don't finish, you're not leaving here today."

Chen Shengfei stared at the bomb, his bulky frame trembling.

...It's real!

What's going on with Xu Qingran? Is what he's holding real? But if it is, how can he be so calm?!

Shen Tingyu, standing behind Chen Shengfei, was communicating with the leader downstairs through a communicator: "Yes, room 1046 on the tenth floor. We've found the item."

Xu Qingran glanced at the timer on the bomb and smiled indifferently, "Boss Chen, you still have two hours to eat. No rush."

Chen Shengfei couldn't get angry at Xu Qingran, just chuckled awkwardly, "Qingran, kid, are you joking with your uncle? Haha. This thing is very dangerous. Let the professionals handle it. Let's leave first, okay?"

Xu Qingran smiled at him and said, "Now, you have two choices."

"Eat your meal, or eat what's in my hand?"

From Xu Qingran's cold gaze, Chen Shengfei realized he wasn't joking.

He could only tremble slightly, pick up his chopsticks, and start picking at his food.

A piece of meat—he tried to pick it up four or five times.

Under the dual pressure of Shen Tingyu and Xu Qingran, and the ticking of the bomb counting down, he ate the most unpalatable meal of his life, sweating profusely. The food in his mouth instantly lost its flavor.

Until there was a knock at the door.

It was the guards coming to join Shen Tingyu; they had even found the suspect.

The moment the handcuffed person was pushed in, Xu Qingran was taken aback again.

—Isn't this the woman from Silver Dragon United Hospital who said he deserved trash like Boss Chen and swapped his and Lu Cheng's sample chips for Xu Qingan?

The middle-aged woman looked much more haggard than the last time he saw her.

Her eyes were bloodshot; she looked like a madwoman, glaring at Chen Shengfei in the room with extreme hatred.