From rejecting the beautiful female CEO to becoming extremely powerful

A black van drove out of the manor, its headlights quickly disappearing outside the gate.

Lu Yunzhou stood at the bottom of the steps, his fund card pressed against his thigh in his pocket.

The paper bag was tucked under his arm; it contained Mu's project information.

Xiao Sihai had already investigated Mu Qingying's schedule and even made a record of who she had been in contact with.

How long has this been planned? Could Su Qingwan really be completely unaware?

Lu Yunzhou turned around and went back to the villa.

The night breeze blew in from the entrance hall, carrying the sweet scent of osmanthus blossoms in the courtyard, their petals about to fall.

The tea and snacks in the living room have been removed, and the dining table has been cleaned up.

He changed into slippers, walked quietly, and went up the stairs.

The study on the second floor was lit, with the door ajar, letting in warm light that spilled onto the dark wooden floor of the hallway.

Su Qingwan sat behind her desk, looking down at the information about the old port of Nanwan.

She changed into a black nightgown, the fabric flowing smoothly against her shoulders. Her chestnut hair cascaded down her back, the ends slightly curled, and her snow-white neck was exposed outside the collar, the light from the table lamp faintly reflecting off her collarbone.

Three documents were spread out on the table, and a glass of water that had gone cold was placed next to them.

She seemed to have anticipated Lu Yunzhou's return.

Lu Yunzhou pushed open the door and threw the brown paper bag on the table.

He stared at Su Qingwan: "You already knew that Xiao Sihai asked me to pursue Mu Qingying, didn't you?"

Su Qingwan turned a page of the document: "He wants to get involved in the Mu family's projects; everyone in Sheng'an knows that."

She avoided the most crucial question.

Lu Yunzhou felt a burning sensation in his chest.

Picking him up from the airport, having dinner at the manor, arranging for him to accompany Mu Qingying to the old port—every step was pushed forward by someone.

Before Xiao Sihai made his point clear, Su Qingwan deliberately interrupted him with a few words.

Looking back now, those few words of argument were more like a show for Mu Qingying.

Lu Yunzhou pressed down on the corner of the table: "You're the one who called me here, and you're the one who let Xiao Sihai see my relationship with Qingying. Are you in cahoots with him?"

Su Qingwan closed the file and looked up at him.

She didn't intend to explain.

Su Qingwan glanced at his pocket: "You took the money and the documents, and now you come back to question me? Who are you trying to impress with this high and mighty attitude?"

These words ignited all of Lu Yunzhou's pent-up anger.

He walked around the desk, grabbed Su Qingwan's wrist, and pushed her in front of the bookshelf.

Several hardcover books were knocked askew, and one of them fell onto the carpet.

The two were very close together.

Su Qingwan's wrists were pinned to the side of her head, and her back was pressed against the bookshelf.

The collar of her bathrobe was slightly loose, but she didn't flinch, and there was no sign of panic on her face.

Lu Yunzhou stared at her: "You dragged Qingying into this, aren't you afraid I'll really hurt you?"

Su Qingwan met his gaze: "If you really wanted to hurt me, you would have done so in the living room. Why wait until Qingying left?"

Lu Yunzhou stopped applying force to his hand.

There were no footsteps in the second-floor corridor.

The door to the independent guest room on the east side was closed, and Mu Qingying's suitcase was placed outside the door.

Just now, when he went to the car to see Xiao Sihai, Su Qingwan asked the housekeeper to take Mu Qingying to the guest room to rest.

Mu Qingying thought Lu Yunzhou had left and had no idea he had returned.

Su Qingwan had already made room for the two of them to talk.

Lu Yunzhou released her wrist, but did not back away.

His face darkened: "You even foresaw this step, and you still dare to say you didn't know?"

Su Qingwan straightened her collar but did not answer.

The more she acted this way, the more convinced Lu Yunzhou was that she was hiding something.

Xiao Sihai wanted to use Mu Qingying to get close to the Mu family, while Su Qingwan wanted to use him to get rid of Xiao Sihai.

The two people in power treat everyone around them as pawns; whoever has value will be pushed into the game.

Now it's Mu Qingying's turn.

Lu Yunzhou bent down to pick up the fallen book and placed it heavily back on the bookshelf.

He didn't want Mu Qingying to be implicated, and he wouldn't allow Xiao Sihai to use her feelings for money.

Su Qingwan rubbed her wrist: "What's wrong? You were so quick to take the money, but now you're reluctant to part with it?"

Lu Yunzhou turned around: "I took this job to protect her."

Xiao Sihai has already made it clear.

If Lu Yunzhou doesn't accept the call, he'll find someone else.

No one can guarantee what methods the next group will use.

They create trouble, then step in to help.

Arrange danger, then take the opportunity to approach.

Xiao Sihai's men would use such dirty methods without batting an eye.

Lu Yunzhou staying by Mu Qingying's side can at least keep these things away.

Su Qingwan leaned against the bookshelf: "With so many women around you, can you protect them all?"

Lu Yunzhou ignored her teasing.

The fund card is merely a ticket to enter Xiao Sihai's plan.

Only by obtaining the card could he control the subsequent arrangements and also allow Xiao Sihai to temporarily abandon sending others to approach Mu Qingying.

He will end this personally if the opportunity arises.

Lu Yunzhou threw the fund card on the table: "I will find a chance to kill Xiao Sihai. As long as he is dead, Qingying will be safe, and you can get rid of him."

Su Qingwan looked at the card on the table, paused for two seconds, and then burst out laughing.

This time, she didn't try to hide the sarcasm on her face.

Lu Yunzhou saved her, stormed the Cloud Peak Club, and killed ancient martial arts masters.

If it were anyone else, they certainly wouldn't have the guts to stand in his way.

But he knew too little about Xiao Sihai.

Su Qingwan increased the distance between them: "You think you're qualified to kill him just because you can fight a few people?"

Lu Yunzhou's eyes were filled with suppressed anger: "As long as I get close, he will always have a moment when he lets his guard down."

Su Qingwan walked to the wine cabinet and poured half a glass of water.

Xiao Sihai would change vehicles every time he went out.

The bodyguards are only responsible for overt security; Tiger may not even know how many people are lurking in the shadows.

His residence is inspected daily, and food and drinks are stored separately.

Even when he returns to this manor, he doesn't tell us the time in advance.

The veterans of the Cloud Peak Club feared him, and it wasn't just because of money.

Su Qingwan, holding her water glass, said, "Over the years, I've managed to find his alcohol, medicine, car, and bed. If it were that easy, you wouldn't have had a chance to rush in."

That's an overly blunt statement.

Lu Yunzhou's gaze fell on her face.

The fact that Su Qingwan has been able to tolerate Xiao Sihai until today speaks volumes.

He took a step closer: "Then why haven't you killed him yet?"

Su Qingwan put down her water glass: "Because I can't kill him."

Lu Yunzhou frowned.

This was the first time Su Qingwan had admitted to him in person that she had no way to deal with Xiao Sihai.

She used to show only disgust when she mentioned that man.

Even when the two were besieged at the Cloud Peak Club, she never showed any intention of backing down.

This acknowledgment made Lu Yunzhou tense up.

Su Qingwan picked up the fund card on the table and put it back into his shirt pocket.

Her hand paused briefly on his chest before quickly withdrawing.

She looked at Lu Yunzhou: "If you want to protect Mu Qingying, then put on a good show. Don't think that just because Xiao Sihai gives you a few smiles, you can really take his life."

Lu Yunzhou did not back down: "No one can stop me from making my decision."

Su Qingwan's smile vanished completely: "Then go and die. I won't collect your body once Xiao Sihai throws it into the wilderness."