The time the two spent together wasn't long. Considering Ye QiuXue had school the next day, HuMing personally escorted her to the building below her apartment.
It was a small rented room in JingDu—tiny in size, yet painfully expensive.
Just as Ye QiuXue had previously considered, if she hadn't chosen to study in the capital, she could have saved quite a bit of money.
However, the benefits offered by the school were quite tempting for her.
But now, with HuMing telling her in person that he would be staying in the capital as well, the weight in her heart tilted entirely in one direction.
Even if it meant she wouldn't be able to return to her hometown for a long time, Ye QiuXue thought—if she could buy her grandma a smartphone and teach her how to video chat, that would be enough.
It wasn't unreasonable for her to think that way. After all, even when she was home, she couldn't always visit her grandma often.
Now that HuMing was in the capital, she felt it was finally time to make her decision.
She turned to look at HuMing. He handed her the stuffed bear in his hands, his voice calm.
"Here, take this. I don't play with stuff ."
"Eh? Really? Don't you think it's cute?"
Ye QiuXue hugged the bear, gently stroking its soft fur. It was the prize they had won together—of course, she liked it. Truthfully, she had been wondering how to ask HuMing for it, but she hadn't expected him to give it to her so readily.
"As long as you think it's cute, that's what matters. Go on upstairs now. Don't you have class tomorrow?"
HuMing stood where he was, waiting for Ye QiuXue to head inside. She glanced back at him—at that familiar face—and took a deep breath.
"HuMing, today was the happiest day I've had since coming to the capital. I'm really glad you came to find me, and I'm really happy you played those little street games with me. But don't forget what I told you today! Or I'll beat you up."
Ye QiuXue playfully raised her fist, then quickly turned toward the stairs.
HuMing watched her disappearing figure, but just as she was about to vanish around the corner, she peeked out again, sticking out her tongue.
HuMing nodded, turning toward the exit.
Meanwhile, Ye QiuXue rushed into her room, flinging open the window. She propped her chin on her palm, a smile tugging at her lips as she watched HuMing's retreating figure.
Today truly was a wonderful day. Hopefully, there will be many more like it.
Lan Jun had been waiting by the roadside for hours. He knew HuMing had gone to catch up with an old classmate, but he hadn't expected it to take this long.
When HuMing finally appeared, it was already 11:30 P.M.
"A date with a female classmate? That girl from before... Ye QiuXue, right?"
"It wasn't a date—just catching up." HuMing leaned against the window, eyes fixed on the starry night sky.
Lan Jun started the car, his tone teasing.
"Catching up? What girl spends half the night catching up with a guy? I'd say she has got feelings for you."
"She's a genius. Top grades, top athlete—a future valedictorian in the making. I'm just an ordinary guy. Why would she be interested in me?"
"Ordinary guy?" Lan Jun nearly choked.
If HuMing weren't his boss, he would've punched him.
What kind of "ordinary guy" faces assassins without breaking a sweat, aces exams, sends criminals to prison, and stays utterly composed through it all?
Are you some kind of Japanese high school student?
"HuMing, aren't you setting your standards a little low? You're part of the Gu family. Just your identity alone would have girls throwing themselves at you. Besides... you've known Ye QiuXue for a while now. You really can't see it?"
"...So what if I can? Do you think someone like me should get involved with her right now?"
His voice was lazy, as if he had no intention of dwelling on the topic.
Lan Jun sighed. He couldn't argue with that.
In his current situation, any girl who got close to HuMing would only be dragged into danger.
At least HuMing was thoughtful enough to realize that.
"So what's the plan? Wait for Gu ZhaoChuan to make his move? Though, if I were him, I'd probably come at you from another angle. As long as you don't expose the truth, he'll always be part of the Gu family."
"He's been playing that role for years—he can keep playing it a little longer. They want to use a puppet to control me? Then I'll show them just how weak that puppet really is. Once he slips up... don't you think Gu ZhaoChuan will grow desperate to prove his worth?"
Lan Jun glanced at HuMing in the rearview mirror.
HuMing sat with one leg crossed over the other, utterly relaxed.
"You're really trying to scheme everyone to death, huh?"
"I'm not scheming them. They're the ones trying to scheme me. The more desperate they get, the easier it is to spot their weaknesses. But for now... I can't let Gu ZhaoChuan die. If he dies, the trail goes cold."
HuMing's eyes flicked toward the mirror, narrowing slightly.
A car had been tailing them since they left the city center.
"Lan Jun, step on it."
Lan Jun blinked, then quickly noticed the car behind them. His brows furrowed as he slammed down the accelerator.
At the same time, the car behind them accelerated, trying to pull alongside—clearly with some special intent.
HuMing narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in his gaze.
"Looks like someone’s trying to get rid of us... Take a guess—could it be Gu ZhaoChuan?"
"You still have time to think about that? What if they have a gun—"
Before the words were even finished, the car behind finally aligned itself with Lan Jun's. The window rolled down, revealing a man wearing a black hood.
In his hand was a silenced pistol, finger resting dangerously on the trigger.
Lan Jun gritted his teeth—without hesitation, he jerked the steering wheel hard, ramming their car into the enemy vehicle.
At breakneck speed, the two cars collided—metal screeched against metal—before both shot past the guardrail, plunging straight into the river below...
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