Su Qianmo and Gu Chenan sat at a street-side barbecue stall, savoring various skewers amidst the smoke and aroma of the grilling food.
Gu Chenan had indulged in such skewers many times before, but it was a different story for Su Qianmo.
In her world, she had been pampered with the finest luxuries from birth, her meals meticulously prepared by the family's national banquet chefs. Thus, these unrefined skewers offered her a unique experience.
Gu Chenan had introduced her to this delight once, and since then, she had been unable to forget the tantalizing flavors.
Blowing in the evening breeze, munching on hot skewers, and sipping cold cola, Su Qianmo found this quite delightful.
Meanwhile, in a Jinbei minivan parked at a street corner, Li Lin and his gang of underlings peered through the windows, observing the couple's every move.
"Lin Ge, what's the CEO doing with her boyfriend at a roadside stall? This is quite the spectacle," one of the men, a tattooed guy in a sleeveless shirt, expressed his confusion.
Su Qianmo, after all, was the CEO of Caiying. She wouldn't typically choose such a place to dine, especially with Gu Chenan.
Logically, if they wanted a private moment, they would opt for a secluded, upscale restaurant, not a bustling street stall.
Li Lin himself was equally puzzled. Originally, he had planned to ambush the couple once they ventured into a secluded alley or after they left their vehicle.
But to his surprise, the duo had driven straight from Caiying to this barbecue spot?
This was far from a secluded area, so all he could do was wait.
"No matter what game they're playing, keep a close eye on them!"
...
Half an hour later.
Gu Chenan finished his cola in one gulp and said, "Let's go."
Su Qianmo wiped the chili from the corner of her mouth with a tissue, still savoring the taste. "It was so delicious!"
Gu Chenan smiled. "Next time, I'll take you to a better place."
"Great!"
Su Qianmo nodded, and the couple got into their car, slowly heading towards the main road.
"Follow them," Li Lin instructed from the minivan. "Find a secluded spot to intercept."
Gu Chenan drove steadily on the main road, with the Jinbei van a hundred meters behind, maintaining the same speed.
Such an obvious tailing method would soon raise suspicions.
If Gu Chenan hadn't had a conflict with Liu Dong, he might have thought it was a coincidence.
But now, he clearly saw the Jinbei van as a deliberate pursuit!
So, Gu Chenan accelerated, only for the van to speed up as well.
"Heh, they've come, haven't they?" Gu Chenan smirked, glancing at the rearview mirror.
"What's wrong, Chenan? Who's coming?" Su Qianmo asked, puzzled.
Gu Chenan nodded slightly. "Someone's following us."
"Huh?"
Su Qianmo was about to turn around to look.
"Don't turn around. Pretend you don't know," Gu Chenan advised, keeping his eyes forward, unconcerned about the van behind.
In the novel's world, he had faced Li Rufeng of the ancient martial arts family of Suhang multiple times without flinching. How could he fear a mere van?
Even if Liu Dong had extensive connections in Shanghai, without firearms, Gu Chenan felt no fear, only a slight thrill.
Ignoring the van, Gu Chenan drove steadily for a few minutes on the main road. When the next intersection appeared, he abruptly turned off the main road into a less-traveled side street.
Then, he slowed down, clearly inviting the van to catch up.
Seeing Gu Chenan's car enter a secluded street, Li Lin almost laughed out loud.
He had planned to find a secluded spot to intercept, but Gu Chenan had unwittingly entered a deserted area. Wasn't this perfect?
"Quick, Gu Chenan's car is slowing down. Speed up and cut them off!"
"Got it!"
The driver floored the accelerator, and the van surged forward, screeching as it performed a drift, blocking Gu Chenan's path.
Seeing this, Gu Chenan was slightly impressed. Liu Dong's men had some driving skills.
The van doors swung open, and half a dozen tattooed tough guys stepped out, blocking Gu Chenan's car.
Li Lin was the last to exit, striding through his men with a smug, mocking expression, and tapped on the driver's window.
"Get out, both of you."
Gu Chenan tightened the handbrake, glanced at Su Qianmo, and said, "I'll be right back."
"You..." Su Qianmo hesitated, instinctively wanting to stop him, but knowing Gu Chenan's capabilities, she finally said, "Be careful."
The door slammed shut, and Gu Chenan unbuttoned his cufflinks, hands in his pockets, standing before Li Lin.
"What's the matter?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Li Lin didn't waste words, pulling out a switchblade. "Our boss Liu Dong gave you a chance."
"So you're Liu Dong's men?" Gu Chenan feigned realization.
"Heh, you should have figured it out sooner," Li Lin said, brandishing the switchblade as he approached.
The five or six men behind him closed in, surrounding Gu Chenan, each pulling out a switchblade, their eyes mocking the man before them.
In their eyes, Gu Chenan was like a lamb among wolves, with only two outcomes.
Either he would submit now, agreeing to let Liu Wan slap him in public as per Liu Dong's demand, or he would vanish from this world.
"I don't like to waste words. You should know your situation."
"You have two choices: either agree to Liu Dong's terms, or I'll make sure you and the woman in the car disappear for good."
"Think carefully about how to deal with us." Li Lin toyed with his switchblade, indifferently staring at Gu Chenan.
In the dark night, on a dimly lit side street, a man stood unarmed, surrounded by half a dozen burly men wielding sharp blades.
Anyone would assume the surrounded man would beg for mercy. Li Lin and his men had done this many times, expecting Gu Chenan to spout phrases like "Forgive and forget" or "A great man can tolerate much."
They were already imagining celebrating with a big drink after the job.
But to their surprise, Gu Chenan not only didn't cower but also smiled lightly.
"Funny, I don't like to waste words either. Let's get it over with."
Before Li Lin and his men could react, Gu Chenan's figure blurred, and a tightly clenched fist instantly struck Li Lin's face.