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Chapter 20 - Ye Fan’s Thoughts

After the storm came silence.

The meal that followed was casual and relaxed. Lin Han and Luo Bingyan each ordered a few of their favorite dishes, without the usual stiffness that once lingered between them.

Ever since Ye Fan escaped last time, Lin Han had known he wouldn't give up easily. So, he'd been staying cautious, always on guard against another ambush.

After all, in Ye Fan's eyes, Lin Han was nothing more than a spoiled young master—yet that same "playboy" had humiliated him in public. There was no way Ye Fan would let that slide.

But after this incident, Lin Han could finally relax for a while.

Ye Fan's injuries were severe, and his combat ability would be greatly reduced. Moreover, with his temperament, once he realized Lin Han had a powerful protector by his side, he would no longer dare act recklessly.

If brute force failed, Ye Fan would no doubt turn to his connections—slowly expanding his influence until he could strike a decisive blow.

Lin Han chuckled.

If Ye Fan really tried that route, he'd be walking straight into Lin Han's trap.

He wondered what kind of expression Ye Fan would have when he realized that all those "connections" and "fortunes" that were supposed to belong to him had already been quietly taken away.

"What are you laughing at?"

Luo Bingyan used her fork to spear a piece of steak, her cheeks puffed out as she looked at him with suspicion.

"Just happy that one of my biggest problems has been taken care of."

Luo Bingyan nodded without comment. In truth, she felt much lighter herself—so much so that she was eating with little regard for elegance.

Lin Han placed a piece of crab meat on her plate. She rolled her eyes but didn't reject it.

That alone made Lin Han grin. As expected, this woman had the typical post-rescue affection bonus.

In the original story, this was Ye Fan's moment—the scene where he rescued Luo Bingyan and captured her heart.

But fate had twisted, and now that same plotline had returned to its rightful owner—him.

Poor protagonist.

And this version of Luo Bingyan seemed even sharper and calmer than before.

When they ran into acquaintances during the meal, she didn't need any guidance from Lin Han. She naturally held onto his arm, smiling faintly, her demeanor elegant and restrained.

That subtlety was more convincing than any grand display. No one would ever suspect that their relationship was merely for show.

Lin Han gave her another glance.

Now this… this is how a proper wife should act.

In a dilapidated, deserted house, Ye Fan lay amidst overgrown weeds, his body battered and bloodstained. The air reeked of iron and death.

He clenched a wooden stick between his teeth, face twisted in pain, as he used tweezers to pull bullets from his flesh. Then he poured gunpowder on the wounds and lit it to disinfect.

The searing pain nearly made him black out—but he didn't.

That was the so-called "protagonist's halo" at work.

When he finally finished treating himself, Ye Fan lay on his back, frowning deeply.

He had truly underestimated Lin Han this time.

He never imagined that Lin Han would have someone that skilled at his side.

The memory of that seemingly ordinary girl's deadly marksmanship made his skin crawl.

If she had chased him down, he might not have survived.

It had been a long time since Ye Fan had felt this close to death. Back in the Middle East, he had always been the hunter, never the prey.

Huaxia truly was a land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers—he couldn't afford to act rashly again.

If brute force couldn't win, then he would have to plan carefully, build his influence step by step, and eventually destroy Lin Han in one strike.

Then, a thought flickered through his mind.

The underground king of Beijing, Shen Qiang, had a daughter—Shen Ningning—who had recently been kidnapped. A massive ransom had been posted for her rescue.

This could be his chance.

If he managed to save her, he would gain a priceless favor in return.

From there, he could build new alliances and perhaps even seize Shen Qiang's entire underground network for himself.

A cruel smile spread across Ye Fan's face.

He had always been good at this sort of thing. Otherwise, how could he have risen to power as the leader of the number one mercenary group in the chaos of the Middle East?

And as for Shen Qiang's elder daughter, Shen Yueyue… he'd heard she was a beauty no less stunning than Luo Bingyan herself.

Since Luo Bingyan slipped through his fingers, he'd just have to take Shen Yueyue instead.

Once his wounds healed, he'd make his move—sooner rather than later.

In a villa on the outskirts of the city.

Shen Ningning sat in a hanging chair, swinging lazily as she flipped through a comic book.

Her twin ponytails swayed as she moved, and her cute bear-print romper left her pale, slender legs completely exposed, her tiny feet playfully brushing the carpet.

She couldn't even remember how many days she'd been locked up now.

Life here wasn't terrible—there were comics, TV, snacks, and even collectible figures. But none of it made her happy.

As the days passed, her optimism began to fade.

She felt like one of those pampered pigs on a farm—fed and cared for every day, but still destined to be slaughtered in the end.

She'd tried to resist—once by going on a hunger strike.

That lasted all of one day before her growling stomach betrayed her.

The kidnappers were far too cunning, constantly tempting her with all her favorite foods.

How could an innocent girl like her possibly withstand such cruel tactics?

She'd even tried escaping, but every time she slipped out the window, she'd be caught within minutes.

She'd begged them sweetly, pleaded pitifully, even tried to "cuteness-attack" her captors into submission…

But they'd just put on sunglasses to block her charm.

Pouting, Shen Ningning flopped back on the chair, her face pink with frustration.

She'd already accepted her fate—there was no way she could escape on her own.

As she glanced down at her comic book's "Prince saves the Princess" scene, she sighed dramatically and cried out,

"Where are you, my white knight? Come save me already! I'm really going to die here…"

Wall Street, United States — **** Investment Bank.

Su Wanqing walked out of the towering glass building, holding a small cardboard box in her arms.

She turned back to look at the place she had worked for three years, her gaze filled with mixed emotions.

This had once been her dream—ever since she studied abroad, she had longed to prove herself here, to carve out a future in the financial world.

But reality had crushed that dream.

No matter how hard she worked, no matter how many projects she handled flawlessly, she could never rise beyond her manager position.

Because she was Chinese.

The real seats of power would never allow someone with her skin color to enter their inner circle.

She was tired—tired of pretending not to see it.

Her pride and intuition told her that leaving was the right choice. Somewhere out there, a wider world awaited her.

And one day, she would return—stronger, unstoppable—and slap every one of those arrogant foreigners right across their smug faces.

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