Su Chen Discovers

Inside the bar, the "Young Master Ye" the muscular man spoke of, both Su Chen and Zhang Li guessed simultaneously, was none other than that annoying Ye Haotian.

Based on Zhang Li's speculation, her report to Ye Lanxiang probably reached Ye Haotian's ears, leading him to deduce she was in this bar. Frankly, she didn't want to see Ye Haotian. He was just a persistent suitor, but she had no way to resist because of his immense power. Moreover, her entire family strongly suggested she marry Ye Haotian. But Zhang Li was well aware of Ye Haotian's bloodthirsty nature, always acting ruthlessly. She didn't really care about his bad deeds, but she was indeed bothered by his clinginess. In contrast, Su Chen was so cooperative no matter what she did!

Holding that thought, Zhang Li, already nestled in Su Chen's embrace, snuggled even closer.

[Damn it, it's that Ye Haotian again!] 

[Come to think of it, isn't his fawning over Zhang Li similar to my sycophantic behavior towards Lin Qingyan?] 

[But what I truly admire about Ye Haotian is that he shares my tastes in women.]

Zhang Li was taken aback. On reflection, Su Chen's behavior did resemble Ye Haotian's. Yet, why did she feel no aversion towards Su Chen at all? Maybe it's because Su Chen was kind-hearted. Though he appeared to be involved in violence and chaos in the media, behind closed doors, Zhang Li knew he hadn't committed any of those illegal activities.

Ye Haotian? Su Chen didn't expect him to show up so soon. He assumed Ye Haotian would be on his way. If he arrives, escaping would become troublesome. So, Su Chen planned to intimidate Zhang Li, making these people retreat. He even rehearsed his lines. Zhang Li was on the same page as him. Unlike Yang Yuxin, who possessed a strong sense of justice, Zhang Li wasn't keen on confronting Ye Haotian. Such matters meant little to her. But, with the current standoff, she grew anxious.

"Didn't you hear me? Everyone, back off!" An agitated Zhang Li shouted at the muscular man.

"Miss Zhang, don't worry. Our young master will be here shortly. This man isn't escaping!"

"What if something happens to me, given he's holding a knife? Do I need to spell out the consequences for you?" Zhang Li's gaze was icy as she stared them down.

The realization jolted the man awake. Earlier, he was misled by Zhang Li's calm demeanor and unconsciously dismissed the situation as trivial. But now, he saw the fruit knife in Su Chen's hand and recognized the dire nature of the predicament. Zhang Li's life could very well be in danger.

If such an incident were to occur, the man could already envision his grim fate. Not just him, his subordinates too were baffled, looking at Zhang Li who seemed unafraid. They were left speechless.

"Miss, you've been kidnapped. Can you not be so calm, even cooperative?" They thought she was acting like those docile characters they saw on television. Yes, at this moment, they seemed to have a sudden realization. Zhang Li, in the arms of the kidnapper, with her blushing cheeks, looked shy. She didn't seem like a kidnap victim at all but more like a young lady eloping with her lover.

"What are you waiting for? Move back now!" Zhang Li shouted impatiently and even excitedly. "Don't come near me and don't follow." The crowd, who had previously surrounded them, immediately stepped back, clearing a large path. Su Chen was dumbfounded. But, seeing a clear path, he naturally walked through, holding Zhang Li, though puzzled. He had just thought about using Zhang Li as a threat, but she acted first.

After leaving the bar, Su Chen wasn't going to depart easily, aware of the shadows trailing them. Now, not only did he have the villain's role but also the hero's. Saving Zhang Li was his responsibility. So, after blindfolding her, he quickly employed his skills to shake off the trackers.

Elsewhere, in a police station on another street, Yang Yuxin continued her work in the office after settling company matters. Her desk was piled with files, making her agitated. Yang Yuxin had a habit: whenever she felt upset, she'd think of something pleasant to elevate her mood. For her, the pleasant thoughts always revolved around Su Chen. Thinking about yesterday, when Su Xian'er was outshined, always brought her joy. 

Even though Su Xian'er had taken a lead, her peculiar status made it challenging to communicate with Chen Qing. Thus, the position of Su family's daughter-in-law was rightfully hers. Go, Yang Yuxin! Being the second miss of the Yang family, not only was she beautiful but also gentle. She believed it was only a matter of time before Su Chen would be hers.

At that moment, a policewoman rushed in, exclaiming, "Sis, there's big trouble!"

"What's the matter? Calm down. You look so flustered," Yang Yuxin replied calmly, confident about the security of the city, thanks to her efforts. Criminal investigations weren't her responsibility anymore, so most issues were minor.

"There's been a major kidnapping incident at the 'Peach Blossom Spring' bar just a street away!" The policewoman took a deep breath, continuing, "The kidnapped individual is the young Miss from the Zhang family."

"Zhang Li?" Yang Yuxin felt an ominous premonition.

Why did it have to be her of all people?

Could it have something to do with Su Chen? Yang Yuxin suddenly realized that since Su Chen is now the protagonist, he could interact freely with the female lead. Clearly, Zhang Li was one of them.

Yang Yuxin panicked. She instinctively grabbed her phone, tapped into the group chat, and sure enough, Zhang Li had posted a message. "My dearest little sister Yang Yuxin, Su Chen will be sleeping at my place tonight." Accompanied by an emoji.

"Damn it, it's this wretched woman!" Yang Yuxin slammed her desk in fury, startling the young policewoman beside her into silence. Today was supposed to be the day for Zhang Li's mission. Yang Yuxin regretted not forcibly taking Su Chen away the previous night. That way, Zhang Li wouldn't have had the opportunity. But regrets were now too late.

"Sis, should we dispatch now?" The young policewoman, thinking there might be some conflict between Zhang Li and Yang Yuxin, asked nervously. She greatly admired Yang Yuxin. Despite her status, Yang Yuxin remained committed to the frontline, and she admired her strong sense of justice. She hoped Yang Yuxin wouldn't withhold deployment due to personal grudges against Zhang Li. Otherwise, she'd be at a loss.

"Of course, we must deploy immediately!" Yang Yuxin wasn't worried about Zhang Li. She knew Su Chen too well. He probably wanted to kidnap Zhang Li himself and then heroically rescue her, thus completing the hero's mission while maintaining his villain persona. Su Chen was just an obedient puppy; he couldn't outplay a cunning woman like Zhang Li. She eagerly wanted to reach the scene and stop that wicked woman's actions.

Elsewhere, Zhang Li was taken by Su Chen to a small rented room. He had prepared it in advance, initially for kidnapping Chen Yuxin. Unexpectedly, he ended up bringing Zhang Li. The clothes were all tailored for Chen Yuxin, nothing suited Zhang Li! At this moment, with her eyes covered, Zhang Li looked adorably naive, making Su Chen momentarily dazed.

"Mr. Kidnapper, are you still there?" Zhang Li thought being blindfolded wasn't a bad thing; at least she wouldn't be too embarrassed if Su Chen tried anything mischievous.

"Stop talking, and don't try any tricks!" Su Chen warned, feeling exasperated. Was it due to Zhang Li's role as the female lead or was she naturally audacious? Now that she was kidnapped, she still seemed so restless. That's not right; did Zhang Li truly find out? Even if she had, she shouldn't be reacting like this. It seemed as if she was eagerly awaiting the kidnap; Su Chen never imagined Zhang Li having such a preference.

"No worries, I won't make any moves. If you're unsure, tie me up!" As Su Chen pondered his next move, Zhang Li suddenly spoke up.

Su Chen snapped back to reality, only to see Zhang Li had somehow found a rope and had tied her own hands together. She bit down on the rope with determination, tying a knot in it. Then, she lay down on the bed, looking as if she was waiting for Su Chen to take advantage of her.

Her alluring feet were only a foot away from Su Chen, easily within his reach. "What are you trying to do?" Su Chen was completely baffled by Zhang Li's actions. He was utterly confused.

"Do I really need to explain? You're quite an unprofessional kidnapper. Just a blindfold isn't enough. Tying the hands is the safest action," Zhang Li said with her chest heaving, then added righteously, "By the way, I brought this rope myself."

Su Chen was stunned. Was the problem really about the rope? What was this foolish woman, Zhang Li, trying to do? The more she acted this way, the more unsettled he felt. He couldn't grasp what this leading lady was up to. Was she actually enjoying being tied up?

As Su Chen tried to make sense of the situation, he suddenly noticed a fleeting smirk at the corner of Zhang Li's mouth. What did that mean? Why was she smiling? Was there some plot in the making?

Su Chen felt that these notions, stemming from his past 33 lives, were likely flawed. In this life, many of his decisions had been influenced by the previous 33 lives, leading him to make incorrect judgments. A saying popped into Su Chen's mind: "When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." This meant Zhang Li knew he was her kidnapper. That's why she remained calm. Did she know that he wouldn't harm her?

Suddenly, Su Chen looked up. He saw Zhang Li with her hair cascading down, blindfolded, and hands tied, and a more absurd thought crossed his mind. Could it be that she was anticipating he would do something to her?