Oh no! I've only been a freshman and I've already been targeted by a mean upperclassman.

The afternoon sun was excessively strong, baking the asphalt road surface until it shimmered with an illusory sheen.

The Porsche 911 was parked in the shade of the trees below the girls' dormitory.

Yan Xi unbuckled her seatbelt and glanced at Li Chen.

She was still carrying the shopping bag full of clothes in one hand and holding the unfinished milk tea in the other.

"The student council will have a regular meeting this afternoon to discuss the rehearsal for the welcome party."

Yan Xi said, "Go back to your dorm and catch up on some sleep."

Li Chen nodded: "Okay, I'm sleepy too."

Yan Xi pushed open the car door, stepped out with one leg, and then stopped.

She turned around, extended a finger, and tapped the back of Li Chen's hand.

"Stay put at night and don't wander off."

"As my boyfriend, if I find out you're cheating on me with other girls... or guys."

Yan Xi narrowed her eyes, her tone icy: "I'll break your legs."

Li Chen chuckled: "Yes, my dear girlfriend."

Only after watching Yan Xi walk into the dormitory building and disappear behind the glass door did Li Chen turn his gaze away.

He shifted gears, released the handbrake, and the car slid out of the shade of the trees, heading towards the open-air parking lot behind the school.

Zhao Zixuan's car is too flashy; if it's parked downstairs in the dorm, it'll attract a lot of attention. It's better to park it further away.

There weren't many cars in the parking lot at the moment.

Li Chen parked the car in the innermost parking space and turned off the engine.

He pulled out the key, pushed open the door, and got out of the car.

Just as I closed the car door, I heard two hurried footsteps behind me.

Li Chen didn't turn around, but his lips twitched slightly.

After following him the whole way, he finally couldn't hold back anymore?

He turned around, leaned against the car door, fiddled with the car keys in his hand, and watched the two men emerge from the shadows.

They were the same two people we had been following on the pedestrian street.

However, at this moment, the two men no longer had that furtive look on their faces; instead, they looked somewhat embarrassed and...aweful?

Especially the one leading the group, Lao Zhang, who was wearing a black jacket and holding the milk tea cup he had crushed, looked at Li Chen as if he were looking at some rare animal.

"The two of you."

Li Chen spoke first, his tone relaxed, "You've been following me all morning, aren't you tired?"

Old Zhang was stunned for a moment.

Did this kid find out already?

The henchman next to him coughed and shrank behind Old Zhang.

They had just witnessed firsthand how the young lady fed this boy milk tea and bought him clothes at the mall.

This isn't just a pretty boy; he's clearly the Yan family's prospective son-in-law.

If you offend them, they'll suffer the consequences if they whisper in your ear later.

Old Zhang, being a seasoned criminal, quickly composed himself, stepped forward, and tried to make his voice sound less menacing.

"Mr. Li, is that right?"

Old Zhang forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace. "I apologize for bothering you."

Li Chen raised an eyebrow: "Something wrong?"

"that……"

Old Zhang rubbed his hands together. "Our boss wants to meet you."

"The boss?"

Li Chen asked knowingly, "Which boss?"

"Yan Zhen".

Old Zhang lowered his voice, "Miss Yan Xi's father."

Li Chen put the car keys in his pocket, showing no surprise whatsoever.

really.

He guessed it the moment he realized he was being followed.

Given Yan Xi's family background, it would be a miracle if her family didn't react when she started dating.

"OK."

Li Chen straightened up, dusted off the hem of his clothes, and said, "Lead the way."

Old Zhang and his younger brother exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

This kid... he's got some nerve.

Even if students don't know anything about Yan Zhen's past, just hearing the name would make their legs go weak.

At the very least, if he hears he's going to meet his girlfriend's father, who's a shady character, he'll probably hesitate for a moment, right?

He acted as if he were just visiting a neighbor.

Little did he know, Li Chen had only been in Linjiang for a short time and had never heard of Yan Zhen.

Furthermore, he is confident in his abilities.

"Mr. Li, please."

Old Zhang opened the door of a black Audi next to him, his attitude becoming much more respectful.

……

The car drove out of the school and headed north.

Half an hour later, we stopped in front of a teahouse called "Tingtaoxuan".

This place is located in a remote and quiet area, with two majestic stone lions at the entrance.

Li Chen followed Lao Zhang upstairs to the second floor.

The corridor was carpeted with thick carpets, making no sound when you stepped on them. A faint scent of sandalwood filled the air.

"The boss is inside."

Old Zhang stopped in front of a carved wooden door, knocked three times, then pushed the door open and made a "please" gesture.

Li Chen stepped inside.

The room was large and decorated in an antique style.

In the very center stands a huge root-carved tea table.

Behind the tea table sat a middle-aged man dressed in a Tang suit.

He had a buzz cut, graying temples, and was twirling two walnuts in his hand. Although his eyes were somewhat cloudy, they still exuded a chilling ruthlessness when he stared at people.

Yan Zhen.

Li Chen ran through the names in his mind.

She bears a striking resemblance to Senior Yan Xi, especially her commanding presence; they're practically identical.

"Hello, Uncle Yan."

Li Chen stood at the door, neither bowing nor trying to curry favor, but simply nodding politely.

Yan Zhen stopped picking up the walnuts.

He looked the young man up and down.

Tall and thin, but not frail.

He was wearing a plain black hoodie, jeans, and the baseball cap that Yan Xi had just bought for him.

He looks like an ordinary college student.

But this energy and spirit... something's not right.

In front of Yan Zhen, there are probably no five young people in Linjiang City who can remain neither humble nor arrogant.

"sit."

Yan Zhen pointed to the chair opposite him, his voice low and hoarse.

Li Chen didn't stand on ceremony and pulled out a chair to sit down.

He was relaxed and even picked up the teapot to pour himself a cup of tea.

"Good tea."

Li Chen took a sip. "Da Hong Pao?"

Yan Zhen's eyelid twitched.

This kid really doesn't consider himself an outsider.

"Do you know anything about tea?"

Yan Zhen asked.

"don't know."

Li Chen put down his teacup and said honestly, "I just feel thirsty."

Yan Zhen: "..."

He took a deep breath, put the walnuts in his hand on the table, and they made a crisp "crack" sound.

Do you know who I am?

"Know."

Li Chen nodded. "Yan Xi's father."

"Do you even know what I used to do?"

Yan Zhen leaned forward, and that murderous aura instantly pressed down on him.

Someone with weaker mental fortitude would probably be shaking by now.

Li Chen smiled.

"I heard Yan Xi mention it once."

She said you might have liked to kill people before, but now you've cultivated a more refined character.

Yan Zhen's lips twitched slightly.

This drafty little cotton-padded jacket!

"Since you know that, why do you still dare to sit here?"

Yan Zhen snorted coldly, "Aren't you afraid I'll throw you into the river?"

"Uncle Yan is joking."

Li Chen leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table in a steady rhythm.

"We live in a society governed by the rule of law."

"and……"

He paused, looking directly into Yan Zhen's eyes, "Yan Xi chose me. If you touch me, she will be unhappy."

This is a blunt statement, even a bit arrogant.

The subtext is: I have your daughter protecting me, I'm not afraid.

Yan Zhen was both angry and amused.

He'd been in the underworld for most of his life, and this was the first time he'd ever seen someone so brazenly living off a woman.

"Kid, you've got guts."