Trouble at the University City

Under the covers.

After indulging himself sufficiently, Su Chen finally left his house. He first visited his company, only to find that Yang Yuxin wasn't there. Su Chen had sought out Yang Yuxin specifically to inquire about Qin Yu's situation. Even though the system hadn't given any notifications, he remembered the three-day deadline. 

This meant that he was now cast in the role of the main antagonist. Naturally, he had to diligently gather information on Qin Yu in order to be prepared. But coincidentally, Yang Yuxin was absent. Giving it some thought, Su Chen suspected she might be handling matters related to Qin Yu.

In all honesty, Su Chen admired Qin Yu. Clearly destined to be the male lead, why would he do something as foolish as escaping from prison? This simply confirmed his guilt. Su Chen had learned everything from Chen Yuxin's own lips. It was simple for him to get Chen Yuxin to spill the beans; just one glance was enough. After finding out, Su Chen thought Qin Yu was absurd. He was the main character, yet so fearful of an antagonist like him. It was even rumored that Qin Yu got scared by just hearing his name. He was simply useless.

Starting with eliminating the Black Dragon gang and then escaping from prison, Qin Yu now seemed to be disconnected from both the underworld and legitimate circles of Beijing. Instead, they were all after him. After learning this, Su Chen realized that Qin Yu wouldn't be able to come out for some time. Now, Su Chen was uncertain of his next move. 

Arriving at the company and seeing the busy staff, he felt a pang of nostalgia. In the beginning, he hadn't cared about some trivial script. He acted freely and faced many penalties, making him fearful. Over time, he began acting less on impulse and more on reason.

Now that the male lead was practically incapacitated and the system seemed dormant, Su Chen felt he should try doing what he really desired. "But what should I do?" he pondered, rubbing his chin. Since he didn't know what to do next, he thought, "I should check out the company's needs." Considering who he should consult, an idea struck him. He needed a secretary! The thought of hiring a secretary excited him. As a big boss, having an efficient female secretary could be advantageous. They could play games when he was in a good mood, and she could be of immense help when he wasn't.

Su Chen felt that he had indeed failed in many ways in this world. Even though it was a fictional universe, there were many enjoyable aspects. There was no need to constantly waste time on the male and female leads. With the decision to recruit a secretary, he set his sights on campuses. It was the graduation season, and the female college students were pure and innocent, naive, and trainable. So, from any perspective, they were suitable to be secretaries. Normally, one would go to a job market, but Su Chen felt a campus would be more refreshing.

Along the way, he took pleasure in the sights and felt that the things he discovered about himself could only be described as bizarre. It felt as if someone, or rather a group, was steering the plot. Arriving at Shanghai University City, Su Chen was instantly awe-struck by its grandeur. It housed the renowned universities from all over the country.

Especially seeing the vibrant youthfulness on the faces of the college students, he felt a touch of nostalgia.

However, what brought him the most joy were the groups of female students approaching him. It seemed they were sizing him up. In his previous life, whenever Su Chen encountered such a situation, he assumed he was the center of attention. He would strike a pose with both hands in his pockets, pretending to be indifferent and aloof. 

However, the truth often was that they didn't spare him an extra glance. But now, Su Chen felt things were different. He brimmed with confidence. His perspective had shifted; he no longer cared about their views. Instead, it seemed they were the ones deeply interested in him.

As he walked, Su Chen overheard numerous female students whispering, their eyes passionately scanning him. Even many male students stared at him with envy. Su Chen recognized that look well, as it brought back memories from his past life. 

As he continued on, he suddenly felt hungry. He quickly remembered that around schools there are typically many food stalls, commonly referred to as snack streets. Su Chen eagerly wanted to sample from any stall. 

But when he looked up, he discovered an unsettling scene. Right before him, a snack stall was being surrounded by a gang of thugs who clearly had ill intentions. The stall was run by a woman who, despite being a bit older, still retained her charm.

Without even having to think about it, Su Chen could predict what was about to unfold. This scene was all too familiar. Three. Two. One. "Stop! What are you doing here?" A pleasant voice rang out, and a stunning young woman made her appearance. 

Wearing a white blouse, with a slender waist and a short skirt that showcased her alluring legs, Su Chen could tell she was a college student. He didn't need to guess the nature of the unfolding drama; it was a cliché. The radiant young woman was clearly some campus beauty, likely from a modest background. The stall owner was surely her mother. 

The thugs were now poised to cause trouble. Normally, this would be the cue for the hero to bravely step in, drive the thugs away, and win the hearts of the two women. A win-win situation, showcasing the allure of the hero.

Wait! Wasn't Qin Yu the hero? Su Chen looked around but found no sign of Qin Yu. He realized that, given Qin Yu was currently on the run, it would be too unbelievable for him to suddenly appear here. As Su Chen continued to ponder, the thugs, undeterred by the woman resembling the female lead, began vandalizing the stall. 

They spared the woman, named Li Yan, from any physical harm. She was helpless. Her husband owed a lot of money. Their family had no means to repay the debt. By all accounts, she couldn't blame the thugs entirely. However, tears welled up in Li Yan's mature eyes. They reflected despair for her life, resentment towards her husband, and guilt towards her daughter.

"What are you doing?" Qiu Wushui, seeing the thugs menacingly approach her mother, felt compelled to intervene. She glared at the thugs and angrily said, "Who are you people? Don't you know this is illegal?" Qiu Wushui detested such behavior. 

Moreover, seeing it directed at her own mother, she wouldn't treat these men kindly. However, she didn't realize that her defiant stance made the thugs even more gleeful. Especially given Qiu Wushui's impressive figure and her facial expression when angry.

Instantly, all the thugs halted their actions, their eyes fixated on Qiu Wushui. Their gazes were intense, their facial expressions despicable. "Hahaha, no wonder she's the beauty of Shanghai University, she's truly stunning," one remarked. "It's unbelievable that old Li, that useless man, has such a beautiful daughter," another commented.

Leading the group of thugs was a man who looked to be in his fifties. His gaze was constantly fixed on Qiu Wushui. "Qiu Wushui, your father owes us millions. Since he's hiding, we've come to collect from you. It's only right," he declared. "I'm aware that such an amount is significant for your family. Your father, with his stall here and paying for your education, couldn't possibly have that kind of money," he continued, making Qiu Wushui's face pale.

She had suspected as much. These thugs were here because of her father's debts. Once, they had been a happy family, but her father was led astray by these men. While she was angry with her father, she couldn't truly hate him because she felt his love for her. Swallowing her fear, Qiu Wushui calmly responded, "The money my father, Li Si, owes you will be repaid in the future. Harassing us here is pointless."

Though she knew that these men had malicious intentions, she felt helpless. All she wanted now was to send them away. However, the leader of the thugs clearly had ulterior motives. Their purpose for being here was specifically for Qiu Wushui, the beautiful young woman before them. "To be frank, we were ordered to come here for you. If you come with us willingly, there will be no issues. But if you resist, things will get unpleasant," he threatened.

Qiu Wushui was momentarily stunned but maintained her composure, coldly asking, "Who's backing you?" The thugs exchanged gleeful looks. "The Su family, young master Su," they responded. "Su Chen?" Qiu Wushui was familiar with that name. He was a notorious playboy, known for his misdeeds. Yet, she had also recently heard of Su Chen's many impressive feats.

Li Yan quickly stepped in front of her daughter, holding back her fear, "I don't care about your young master Su. Leave now and don't think of laying a finger on my daughter, or I'll call the police." The head thug smirked, "Call the police? Do you know the power of young master Su?" Su Chen was a figure rarely seen, someone without any public photos due to the fear he inspired. 

The surrounding students, despite their youthful vigor, were no fools. They dared not cross Su Chen. One by one, they fled the scene, leaving behind murmurs of resentment towards Su Chen and the situation.

These murmurs reached Su Chen's ears, leaving him flabbergasted. When had he ever issued such orders? This was absurd! What was happening in front of him? Was someone using his name for their wicked schemes? It dawned on Su Chen that his tarnished reputation was likely because of others exploiting his name. It seemed he had become a scapegoat. 

[What's happening? Why am I facing this? I, Su Chen, just want to cry out that I've been wronged.]

[ Aren't these people senseless? If everyone starts acting wickedly under my name, who will dare to intervene?]

Initially despondent, Qiu Wushui suddenly caught wind of these thoughts. At first, she was confused. It seemed only she could hear them. Was this someone's inner voice? This was truly strange. She scanned her surroundings, trying to identify the source. Could it be him? 

The area was nearly empty; Su Chen's notorious reputation was too overwhelming. Almost no one dared to confront him. Yet, not far from her, there stood a young man not much older than she was.

[Damn, Qiu Wushui, why are you looking at me? Don't look at me!] 

[Speaking of which, I'm quite unlucky to bump into Qiu Wushui.] 

Qiu Wushui seemed a bit stunned, wondering to herself, does he recognize me? From the voice she heard earlier, could he actually be Su Chen? The number one profligate of Beijing? But before Qiu Wushui could think further, an evil voice echoed. 

"Guys, tie up this beauty Qiu Wushui for me. Tonight, we'll deliver her to Su for his amusement."

"Don't!" Li Yan immediately shielded her daughter behind her. 

"You all keep saying you're sent by Su Chen. If that's the case, let him come in person. I'm willing to go with him. Let him come!" Qiu Wushui said calmly. She was taking a gamble. If it was really Su Chen, she wouldn't have any choice. He was the top profligate in Beijing. Even Lin Qingyan, such an excellent woman, couldn't escape Su Chen's grasp, let alone her.

However, if it's not Su Chen, these people would surely be scared of Su Chen finding out about this. As expected, upon hearing Qiu Wushui's words, the expressions on their faces showed evident trouble. "There's no need. If you want to meet our Su, we'll take you to him." After hearing this, Qiu Wushui quickly deduced these people were imposters. She regained her composure almost instantly. "Maybe you don't know, but Su Chen and I are acquainted. Let me call him." Saying this, Qiu Wushui took out her phone.

Meanwhile, Su Chen hurriedly turned off his phone, fearing that if Qiu Wushui called, his phone would indeed ring. ["What's the deal with Qiu Wushui? Is she really this clever? She didn't actually call my number, did she?"] What do you mean, am I really this clever? Qiu Wushui felt indignant. She's a top student at Shanghai University. Since childhood, no matter the subject, she never scored less than perfect. On the contrary, you, the top profligate of Beijing, have never passed any exams.

Qiu Wushui knew a bit about Su Chen's affairs. He was indeed the disgrace of Shanghai University. At the same time, she became certain that the man not far away was the infamous profligate of Beijing she had heard so much about. On the other side, realizing their cover was blown, the thugs became frantic. They immediately tried to kidnap Qiu Wushui. This sudden turn of events caught Qiu Wushui off guard. She never imagined these people would be so bold, and despair flashed in her eyes. "Stop!"