Chapter 16

Tan Quelu remained calm, not even glancing at the other two young masters, and walked straight to Zhong Wan with a pure smile: "Zhong Wan, what do you want to see me about?"

He was still wearing his old T-shirt today, his face almost glowing white in the sunlight. A faint citrus scent wafted in the air; it was familiar—the smell of the hand sanitizer provided by St. Weston.

Zhong Wan looked at Que Lu and for a moment forgot to speak.

Those two hours last night were so wonderful, like a dream he had imagined.

Only now, with Tan Quelu standing before him, looking at him with those bright eyes, did Zhong Wan feel his heart gently return to its place.

It's not fake.

It's not a dream.

People genuinely wished him a happy birthday, smiled at him sincerely, gave him handmade gifts, and accompanied him across the cross-sea bridge on a summer night.

Very good.

For a fleeting, almost imperceptible moment, Zhong Wan's usually cold eyes softened. But it was only for a moment; he quickly regained his coldness, frowning as he stared at Tan Quelu: "Why didn't you change into the clothes I bought you yesterday?"

"You're still wearing these tattered clothes, it looks terrible, you know?"

Tan Quelu smiled and gently raised her hand.

Zhong Wan shuddered, thinking he was going to slap him in public like last night. How could this be allowed? There were so many students standing nearby, and Xie Chenbi and Wei Zhiyan were also there. If he were to be slapped in public, he would rather die than risk his life.

The blond boy coughed suddenly, no longer daring to pretend, and said stiffly and quickly, "But it looks good too, um, it suits your skin tone very well."

Tan Quelu blinked, reached out to smooth her hair, and smiled, "Really? I think so too, thank you for the compliment."

"You still haven't said what you're here for."

Zhong Wan coughed, handed the helmet to Tan Quelu, and gestured for him to get in the car: "Get in the car first."

"You're crazy. Do you think you're some kind of political commentator? Stop acting all high and mighty." Tan Quelu didn't answer, but laughed, "So where are we going?"

"I have study plans for today, I need to review."

Wei Zhiyan clicked his tongue, a little impatiently: "Did you hear that, Awan? He needs to study, don't disturb him."

Tan Quelu acted as if he hadn't heard a word, not even glancing at F3.

Zhong Wan didn't know why, but suddenly felt a little happy.

He slightly curled the corners of his lips, no longer thinking that Tan Quelu was ungrateful, and reluctantly explained, "It's an internal auction. I'll buy you some things. You just need to follow me."

So they came to deliver money.

Tan Quelu said "Oh," immediately took the helmet and put it on, then straddled it and sat on the back seat, looking down at him: "Let's go then."

Zhong Wan wasn't angry at all.

As soon as he got into the car, he felt Tan Quelu suddenly reach out and gently grab the hem of his clothes.

Zhong Wan's ears under her helmet instantly felt hot.

"Hold on tight." His voice was cold and stiff. "Let's go."

Okay.

The words fell.

Zhong Wan abandoned his two good brothers who were still standing there, and with a roar, he set off with Tan Quelu, full of vigor and without looking back.

Wei Zhiyan: "......"

He insisted on forcing Zhong Wan to get her brain checked!

-

The auction that Zhong Wan mentioned appeared in the novel's plot.

The system flipped through the original novel: [This is from the mid-to-late part of the story. The auction was hosted by the Xie family. The protagonist works at the auction during his winter break and unexpectedly encounters F2 and F3. He and F3 engage in an ambiguous push-and-pull situation in the changing room...]

The system wondered: [Why does the protagonist always seem to be working precisely in the territory of the F3s?]

Tan Quelu, thinking of Xia Xing still frantically scrubbing herself in the dorm, blinked and said, "[Someone up there must be someone there.]"

Their temples are the same, with a clear structure. Each palace has eight managers, each with subordinates who control the smaller leaders, who in turn develop their own downlines... and no one has ever seen the leader of the entire organization; only a very few people can contact him.

This pattern was so familiar that I immediately realized something was wrong on the very first day we talked about Peacock Green.

The director of the seagull welfare home is likely the protagonist's superior.

System Admiration: [Host is amazing! No wonder you're a central figure in the *cult*!]

Tan Quelu chuckled.

The black motorcycle quickly arrived at the luxurious clubhouse. Surprisingly, it wasn't far from St. Weston, less than ten minutes away, even though the F1 driver was deliberately driving slowly.

System comment: [Then why are those F3s driving? Just showing off, right?]

Zhong Wan casually tossed the car keys to the doorman, glancing at Tan Quelu's collar: "Next time, wear the clothes I bought for you, okay?"

Tan Quelu ignored him, pretending not to hear, and timidly looked at the club's entrance: "What are you going to buy for me? Don't buy anything too expensive, I can't afford to pay for it."

Zhong Wan scoffed, "Do you expect me to compensate you for what I've given away? Ha."

Wei Zhiyan and Xie Chenbi happened to hear this sentence when they got out of the car.

Wei Zhiyan was annoyed by his brother's pretentiousness and immediately stepped forward to interrupt: "What are you standing there for? Come on in, Shen Bi, this is your territory. Hurry up and entertain Little Green Sparrow. Let's go, let's go."

Without saying a word, he pulled Zhong Wan away and whispered, "Let's go to the private room to talk business, about my family's project."

Zhong Wan paused, frowned, turned around, and coldly instructed Xie Chenbi: "Chenbi, bring the peacock green to our private room."

He looked at the timid Tan Quelu, his heart softened, and he immediately said, "I'll be right there, wait for me for five minutes."

It must have been very uneasy and frightening for Tan Chuilu to be at such an occasion for the first time.

The boy nodded obediently, watched the two leave, then turned to Xie Chenbi with a slightly nervous look: "President, let's go."

Xie Chenbi is the student council president of St. Weston, which is not an incorrect title.

Xie Chenbi gave him a deep look with her dark eyes, said nothing, and strode towards the clubhouse.

Tan Quelu followed him through the corridor. The club was large and quiet, with employees constantly bowing and greeting Xie Chenbi. Xie Chenbi was clearly used to being fawned over, only nodding slightly without responding, behaving like a wicked capitalist.

The private box is located in the center of the second floor, directly opposite the auction stage. It hasn't officially started yet, and there aren't many people in the audience.

The waiter respectfully opened the door. Tan Quelu felt a little awkward as she walked into the quiet and spacious room, looking as if she didn't know where to sit.

Xie Chenbi stood in the shadows, his dark eyes watching him silently and indifferently.

He felt that Tan Quelu's demeanor was very different from that day in the basketball court.

Back then, when Tan Quelu emerged from the blood-soaked lounge, he could still scan a QR code to buy water, smiling as he asked someone to help him unscrew the cap and deliver it to Zhong Wan. This time, however, he was timid and silent, which aroused suspicion.

Is it because of his humble origins that he inevitably shows his timidity? Then how did he happen to appear at the Zhong family manor yesterday, and coincidentally give Zhong Wan a gift, causing Zhong Wan to act so foolishly until now?

The waiter pretended not to notice Tan Quelu's unease, handed over the menu, and respectfully asked in a low voice, "What would you like to drink? Ice or room temperature? Today, we only offer hot cocoa and pure milk as hot drinks."

Tan Quelu glanced at the menu; it was all in English.

He stammered for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Do you have bottled water? Room temperature is fine."

The waiter remained calm and smiled gently, "Of course, please wait a moment."

Just half a minute later, the waiter brought two bottles of room temperature water.

He had just picked it up.

Suddenly, a cell phone vibrated slightly beside me.

It was news from Xie Chenbi.

Tan Quelu didn't pay attention, awkwardly took a sip of water after unscrewing the bottle cap, and saw an antique clock directly opposite him, displaying the time: [9:57].

He put down the water and cautiously surveyed the private room. Xie Chenbi, who had been looking at her phone, was drawn to his actions. She glanced at him for a moment, then asked indifferently, "What are you looking at?"

Tan Quelu was startled and timidly looked away, saying, "It's nothing... I'm sorry."

Xie Chenbi frowned, but after a long while, he didn't say anything.

Tan Quelu glanced at the clock again: [10:02].

He lowered his eyes and counted the loose threads on his clothes.

However, not long after, Xie Chenbi, who was standing next to him, opened his phone. A few seconds later, the other person calmly stood up, beckoned several waiters, and whispered something to them.

Tan Quelu suddenly sprouted extremely fine hairs on the back of his neck.

He reacted extremely quickly, without even turning his head. With a sudden twist of his left hand, he blocked the attack, quickly twisted the attacker's upper arm upwards, and snapped it hard without hesitation.

The crisp sound of bones breaking rang out along with screams of agony.

Using the momentum, Tan Quelu pressed down on his shoulder, then hurled the vase on the table with her other hand, hitting another waiter squarely in the face. She then nimbly leaped up, flipped over, and swiftly appeared in front of Xie Chenbi, her expression unchanged.

Everything happened too fast, in just a few seconds.

Xie Chenbi had no idea of ​​Tan Quelu's skills and hadn't even made an excuse to leave before ordering his men to knock him out. As a result, he was caught off guard and kicked hard in the chest.

With a crisp crack of his ribs, Xie Chenbi groaned and rolled against the cold, hard wall, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs.

Tan Quelu picked up the stun gun dropped by the waiter, turned around, and dealt with all the bystanders in ten seconds, then blocked the door handle with her other hand.

The system then reacted, screaming in panic: [Host, what happened! Why is F2 suddenly attacking you!]

Tan Quelu ignored it, grabbed Xie Chenbi by the hair and dragged him inside, pinning him against the railing of the second-floor balcony, and punched him.

This private room offers excellent privacy; the balcony is sealed with one-way glass, and the number of times a sign is raised is only displayed on a screen outside.

So Xie Chenbi could only be held on the balcony by Tan Quelu, who smashed his nose with a single punch.

The overhead light shone down, revealing the boy's pure and handsome appearance as always, only his clean brows and eyes were tinged with a touch of crimson. Xie Chenbi, in the midst of excruciating pain, saw clearly into his eyes—holy compassion, righteous calm.

"Talk about... Greenery...!"

Looking into his sinister gaze, Tan Quelu realized that her first impression was indeed correct.

F2 is really sneaky.

Without a word, he reached into F2's pocket for his phone, forcefully pried open F2's eyelids with one hand, and scanned his iris to unlock the device: [System, immediately record F2's iris.]

【OK! 】

The page remains in a dialog box.

[Young Master, we've found out everything you asked us to investigate privately. No one else knows about it except me for now.]

[File.PDF]

Tan Chuanlu opened the file.

As expected, these are all the files of the main character.

Tan Quelu looked down and remembered Xia Xing's true identity: [Adopted son of the Xia family of Wujiang Group, illegitimate son of the Xie family of Tashan Group].

The information says that Xia Xing was unaware that he was the Xie family's illegitimate son.

So he was implicated because the protagonist's identity was exposed, and he was suspected as a result?

The system screamed: [You're doomed, host! The protagonist is actually F2's younger brother! F2 has always been an only child, and he'll kill the protagonist!]

【Shut up. 】

Tan Quelu opened the business card of her subordinate, quickly memorized the phone number on it, and looked at Xie Chenbi: "When did you start to suspect Xia Xing?"

Xie Chenbi stared at him indifferently, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and his sinister and cold face resembled a venomous snake: "Are you one of Xia Xing's people?"

The young master's expression remained aloof, seemingly certain that Tan Quelu wouldn't dare to do anything to him. The Xie family started in the medical field, and they could heal even the most serious injuries at any cost, provided he remained the Xie family's sole heir.

Tan Quelu let go of him.

Then, amidst the expected cold laugh, he pulled a fruit-cutting dagger from the coffee table, pinned the man down, and plunged the dagger into his terrified right eye.

"ah!!"

This guy's crazy!

Warm, fresh blood gushed forth, staining the boy's pure, porcelain-white face crimson.

"Answer me."

Xie Chenbi was breathing heavily, almost fainting, but Tan Quelu didn't hear his reply. She gripped the dagger, wanting to pull it out again and stab him in the left eye.

Xie Chenbi immediately and instinctively spoke in a hoarse voice: "At the basketball court, I felt something was wrong with you, so I had someone check... but you were fine, it was your roommate who was the problem..."

Let's talk about Greenery.

Therefore, he is the main suspect, and Xia Xing is implicated.

"I handed you water, but you doubted me."

I was just thinking of stunning him with electricity.

Tan Quelu looked down at Xie Chenbi, her eyes filled with pity: "You are guilty."

After saying that, he stabbed the other man in the carotid artery.

I stood up, looked up, and gazed at the ancient clock: [10:03]

Tan Quelu opened the door and ran as fast as she could under the horrified gazes of the waiters in the corridor. There was only two seconds of silence behind her before an incredibly horrific scream rang out.

He ignored it and silently counted down in his mind: 240 seconds, 239 seconds, 238 seconds, 237 seconds...

Tan Quelu ran out of the clubhouse, snatched the keys to a Mercedes convertible from the doorman, jumped into the driver's seat, and slammed on the gas pedal.

Amid screams, the convertible shot off like an arrow towards St. Weston. Tan Quelu reached out and, in the howling wind, brushed aside her blood-soaked bangs, revealing a scarlet face and compassionate eyes.

The system was terrified and didn't dare ask him what he wanted to do.

Tan Chuanlu's driving skills were exceptionally good; he floored the accelerator and miraculously didn't hit anyone. The sports car approached St. Weston, repeatedly honking its horn.

The system couldn't help but panic: [Host, the school gate is about to close! Stop now or you'll get hit!]

A loud bang.

Without batting an eye, Tan Quelu smashed through the railing and, amidst everyone's horrified gazes, quickly drove to Building 17 of Wenhua Building, swiped his card, and went upstairs to open the door.

Inside the living room, everything remained exactly as it had been when he left.

Xia Xing, who had bruised himself, stood by the table, looking down at the forum on his phone, cursing through gritted teeth.

"Zhong Wan, you scumbag, beast, lackey! Rich people, die! You all, die!"

"You gold digger, Tan Quelu, all you like is money, isn't it? I have money too, why don't you ask me for it!"

The door opened.

Xia Xing was startled and looked up to see the innocent-looking boy with his face covered in blood.

His voice was quickly caught in his throat.

Tan Quelu lowered his head and gave Xia Xing a rare, gentle smile.

The next second.

The warm corpse was kicked away.

[The protagonist is dead...] The electronic voice trembled: [The novel world will restart in five minutes. Reload your save and return to five minutes before Xia Xing's death!]

The protagonist's screen was still lit.

Time displayed: [10:07]

Tan Quelu poured herself a glass of water.

Yay!

Successfully secured the spot.

A note from the author: