The Villain's Heroic Rescue of the Beauty

Upon hearing this, Qiu Wushui looked up and found that Su Chen was standing right in front of her. He was the one blocking those thugs. Now, Qiu Wushui had come to recognize his identity, but she was rather curious. This was because the Su Chen in front of her was very different from the rumors. Additionally, now that she could hear his inner thoughts, she became even more intrigued.

The thugs, on the other hand, were shocked by Su Chen's sudden appearance. They stood in bewilderment for a moment but quickly regrouped. Particularly the leader of the thugs, his eyes burning with rage, yelled at Su Chen, "Bastard, I'd advise you not to interfere. If you do, you'll know the consequences. We work for the young master of the Su family. You should know better!"

After all, Qiu Wushui was a beautiful lady, especially in a place like the university town. Many here had high social statuses, and it's common for them to step in, thinking of playing the hero. But bringing up the name of Su Chen, even other young masters from the ten major families would hesitate to intervene.

Su Chen looked at them, clearly exasperated. At least figure out who Su Chen really is before acting! 

[I'm standing right in front of you, and you don't even recognize me.] 

Su Chen's only comment about them was: "Braindead." This remark immediately angered them. They attempted to take on Su Chen, but he, with his superior martial prowess, quickly incapacitated them all.

The thugs didn't dare retaliate further, but their leader, always the bully, was quick to shift the blame. "This is all Su Chen's fault! We were just following orders!" Su Chen, in disbelief, thought how masterful their blame-shifting was.

Looking at them, Su Chen remarked, "It doesn't matter whose orders you were following. Your actions are reprehensible." But before he could finish, the thug's leader quickly interrupted, "Exactly! What's so great about Su Chen anyway? He's just using his family's power. Even I disapprove of his actions." The rest chimed in, echoing the sentiment.

"Enough!" Su Chen swiftly silenced them. The power of words is indeed formidable. However, Su Chen did appreciate the bad reputation he had, finding it protective in its own right. He finally dismissed them with a curt, "Leave!"

However, he could tell that while these men might not have acted on his direct command, someone had ordered them. He wondered who that might be but didn't want to delve deeper into it since it wasn't his concern.

"Wait!" Just as the thugs were about to leave, Qiu Wushui suddenly stopped them. They might not have wanted to listen to her, but with Su Chen nearby, they dared not disobey. His strength was formidable, evident in how he had effortlessly taken them down earlier. They feared that if they angered him further, he might not be so merciful next time.

Though Qiu Wushui felt a bit uneasy inside, she maintained her composure. She stood beside Su Chen, perhaps feeling safer in his presence.

Qiu Wushui immediately asked, "Did my father really owe Su Chen money?" "Yes, yes, we were forced to come and collect the debt. It has nothing to do with us," they replied. Su Chen slightly furrowed his brow, wondering what Qiu Wushui was truly aiming for.

"You leave a proof behind, and I'll personally go to Su Chen to repay the money. Don't come here again," Qiu Wushui stated. After saying that, she seemed somewhat embarrassed and didn't dare to look at Su Chen beside her. Since her father owed the money, she felt obligated to repay it. However, she harbored resentment towards these men, believing they were the main cause of her father's downfall. She felt it might be better to repay Su Chen directly, especially since he had saved her life.

"Um," the leader of the thugs hesitated. "Don't agree? Could it be that Su Chen didn't send you? Are you afraid?" Qiu Wushui pressed them. Also wary of the powerful Su Chen beside her, they eventually consented. They recorded a video and wrote an acknowledgment. They didn't care much; these were just formalities. Qiu Wushui might have been naive in thinking that these proofs would hold any significance.

After the thugs left, the situation was resolved. Su Chen thought this outcome was favorable, as it surely ruined his reputation further. Qiu Wushui probably wished to tear him apart. Su Chen glanced at Qiu Wushui beside him and cleared his throat, saying, "Now that everything's settled, I'll take my leave." Qiu Wushui wasn't just a simple protagonist in his eyes; she held an identity that made Su Chen wary of being around her for too long.

"Wait," Qiu Wushui halted Su Chen and then expressed her gratitude. She shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if Su Chen hadn't intervened. "Why did you help? Weren't you opposing Su Chen?" she suddenly inquired, trying to uncover the mystery behind Su Chen's actions.

Seeing the pure-faced Qiu Wushui, Su Chen could only give a wry smile. It was just something he had to do with Qin Yu absent. "It was just a small gesture," Su Chen replied nonchalantly, waving his hand, reluctant to explain further. 

[Qiu Wushui is a bit dangerous, technically the sister of Qin Yu. But she's so naive. She doesn't even realize that Qin Yu isn't her real brother, but rather the murderer of her real parents.]

Qiu Wushui's parents now were actually her adoptive parents. Years ago, she had been adopted by Qin Yu's parents. However, they were the very people who had killed her biological parents. All because Qiu Wushui held a significant secret within her. Qin Yu's return had significantly benefitted from her presence. Su Chen thought this twist in the story was quite intriguing. Multiple plot twists. 

[Such a pity. A good girl like her was ultimately deceived by Qin Yu. She died without knowing the truth. I must keep my distance from such a naive woman; she might bring trouble.]

Qiu Wushui's expression turned cold. "Qin Yu!" Of course, she recognized that name. It was her brother's name. Qiu Wushui clearly remembered the warm home they once shared, destroyed overnight, and she was subsequently adopted by her current parents. Even though she was young at the time, her memories were vivid.

Hearing Su Chen's words, she pondered, "Is Qin Yu back to find me?" The familiar figure of her brother flashed in her mind. However, from Su Chen's words, she perceived something different. Were Qin Yu and the others deceiving her? Was this Su Chen's secret? Qiu Wushui looked earnest.

From the moment she met Su Chen, she knew he was not as described in the rumors. But she was still not clear about the current situation. She was aware that there was no blood relation with the Qin family, but what concerned her now were the murderers of her biological parents that Su Chen alluded to.

She was just an ordinary person. Apart from being attractive, she had no particular strengths. For her, trying to uncover the secrets from the past with her current status was a daunting task. Hence, Su Chen appeared to be the best aid for her quest, especially since she could now hear Su Chen's inner thoughts. 

While it seemed absurd, Qiu Wushui chose to believe it. From her childhood, she had witnessed supernatural events that defied common sense. More importantly, she was curious to learn what kind of person Su Chen really was. The whole thing seemed intriguing to her.

While twirling her hair and smiling, she asked, "You don't look like a student. You're here for some important matter, aren't you?" "Yes, I have pressing matters. I shouldn't delay any longer," Su Chen replied, somewhat embarrassed, all the while mumbling internally. She seemed sharper than he gave her credit for, noticing so much in just one glance. Meeting her proved to be an eye-opener. 

[Well, even if we're honorable, when hiring a secretary, they should at least be pleasant to look at.] 

[Never mind, hiring a secretary has nothing to do with the main plot. Best not to let Qiu Wushui know my intentions. These heroines always tend to mess things up for me.] 

[Indeed, I should be cautious and not let her in on anything.] 

[There's a reason why villains act the way they do.] 

[But I must admit, having a girl like Qiu Wushui as my secretary would necessitate non-transparent office walls.] 

[Never mind, it's just a fleeting thought. These heroines are already a headache, adding the naive Qiu Wushui would likely drive me mad.] 

[I should find an excuse to leave soon; I believe my colleagues at the company should be ready.]

While Su Chen was lost in his thoughts, Qiu Wushui was keenly tuning into them, almost as if she would perk up her ears like a rabbit to catch every word. Job recruitment? A secretary? She surmised that perhaps Su Chen was under some constraint, which was why he put on such a playboy persona. Although the details weren't clear, she was aware of a job fair taking place at the university town that day. Was Su Chen's objective to hire a secretary? Learning this, Qiu Wushui felt a tinge of displeasure. She knew all too well the roles some secretaries played for their bosses. The implications were clear and left a distasteful image in her mind.

Qiu Wushui frowned, a sudden idea striking her. "Men are really incorrigible, wanting to hire secretaries like that. I cannot accept this. No, I should get close to Su Chen, try to find out about the past. It seems Su Chen fears me, though I'm not yet sure why. But staying close to him might speed up my investigation." Qiu Wushui's mind raced, almost on par with Su Chen's earlier contemplations. However, she quickly regained her composure.

After Su Chen helped set up her stall, he smiled and said, "Since everything's settled, I should take my leave." With that, he left Qiu Wushui with just a view of his retreating back, occasionally glancing back to check if she was following. 

[Not bad for a first encounter, she shouldn't be problematic.] 

[This is a good start.] 

[I hope I can find a suitable female secretary next.]

Lost in his musings, Su Chen was unaware of the cold smirk that graced Qiu Wushui's face. Meanwhile, all these subtle interactions were noted by her mother, Li Yan. For many years, this was the first time she saw such an expression on her daughter's face. Being experienced herself, Li Yan could guess what was on Qiu Wushui's mind and asked, " Xiao Wushui, have you taken a liking to him?"

"Huh?" Snapped out of her thoughts, Qiu Wushui responded, "Mom, what are you talking about? This is clearly our first meeting!" Though she denied it, her flushed face betrayed her feelings. The harmless image of Su Chen kept flashing in her mind, starkly contrasting his actual identity.

Li Yan simply smiled, saying nothing more than, "He's a good boy." Without realizing it, Qiu Wushui found herself nodding in agreement. He truly was commendable.

On this side, Su Chen finally arrived at the landmark scene of University Town. By now, the place was swarming with people. During the graduation season, the job fair in University Town is held on a massive scale, especially in places like Shanghai. Almost all major companies nationwide send out recruitment teams, ready to acquire the talent freshly out of the academies.

Of course, compared to companies from other regions, those based in Shanghai are far more preferred. These students are still keen to stay in Shanghai, a place filled with endless possibilities, provided the conditions are the same. Su Chen, amidst the crowd, looked at the students whose hearts were filled with hope, but whose faces showed a hint of trepidation. He was instantly reminded of his own job application scenario from the past – filled with anxiety and helplessness.

Along the way, Su Chen recognized quite a few familiar industries. In particular, the entertainment company opened by Zhang Li has seen its stock value rise alarmingly. Women with dreams were all waiting here for their interviews. However, if there's a company most people wanted to join, it was under the Su family's banner. Su Chen thought to himself, whether it's Zhang Li's company or the Su family's, if he went over now and revealed his identity, he could try out those legendary unwritten rules.

But Su Chen's main goal this time was the Lanxing Technology Company where he currently worked. The number of recruits here wasn't very high. After all, it's a newly risen company. Moreover, there's a severe shortage of tech talent. Naturally, they are the target of a recruitment frenzy from major companies. The Lanxing Tech getting outbid by others was expected.

Su Chen grabbed a loudspeaker and after taking a deep breath, he announced, "Su family's young master is hiring a personal secretary. Requirement: Must be a beautiful woman." After shouting this, Su Chen felt a bit upset. Damn, isn't this method a bit ridiculous? He sighed and consoled himself, thinking that this is just how a dandy should behave.

And believe it or not, this method indeed worked. Su Chen's recent reputation has grown immensely. Despite still being known as a dandy, he now also had a significant reputation. Upon hearing Su Chen's name, countless people flocked towards him. Of course, the majority of those applying for the secretary position were women. Su Chen, looking at those beautiful women's eager eyes, found it hard to meet their gaze. He had no choice but to lower his head, appreciating another kind of beauty. "1, 2, 367," Su Chen silently counted the number of people in his head.