Shen Qian glanced at the caller ID, then quickly turned to Huo Ling'er and said, "I have to take a very important call, so please don't make a sound."

"oh."

After Huo Ling'er agreed, Shen Qian answered the phone.

"Why won't you answer the video call?" A cold voice drifted over from the other end of the phone.

"Oh, I'm still on my way home. It's a bit dark outside."

As he spoke, he rolled the window down a little to let in some of the wind.

"Then why did it take so long to answer?" Ding Yi asked again.

"Oh, it's just that the wind is too strong and I can't hear it!" Shen Qian rolled the window down a little further.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Ding suddenly asked, "Are you alone?"

Shen Qian glanced at Huo Ling'er's ears, which had perked up at some point, tightened the bracelet around her ear, and whispered, "Mm."

"Answer more clearly... one person or several people?" Ding Yi was clearly not so easily fooled.

"Alone," Shen Qian could only hum again.

"Speak louder, I can't hear you." Ding Yi's voice seemed a little colder.

“Yes, one person!” Chen Qian said firmly and loudly.

Ding Yi then let Shen Qian go, and the two chatted for a while longer. Shen Qian hung up the phone and quietly wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Huo Ling'er can no longer appear in Ding Yi's "sight"—this is a tacit understanding between the two, though unspoken.

"Who is it?" Huo Ling'er asked suspiciously. "And why did you say it's just one person?"

"Watch out!" Shen Qian suddenly shouted, pointing ahead.

"ah!"

Huo Ling'er was startled and quickly gripped the steering wheel, only to find there was nothing in front of her. She couldn't help but complain, "What are you doing?"

"I misread it." Shen Qian said nonchalantly, then said seriously, "There are countless roads, but safety is the most important. Don't get distracted by talking to me anymore, just drive carefully!"

"Oh..." Huo Ling'er frowned slightly, focusing on driving, but forgot what she was going to ask earlier.

Ha, what a weakling.

Feeling utterly unfulfilled, Shen Qian could only sigh inwardly that earning that thousand yuan was much easier than he had imagined.

After sending Huo Ling'er home, Shen Qian's bracelet vibrated again just as he was about to hail a taxi back.

He initially thought it was Ding Yi, who was already asleep, making a surprise check, but when he took out his bracelet, he was quite surprised because the person who called was Zhu Deyong.

"Mr. Zhu, what brings you here so late?" Shen Qian asked curiously.

“Brother Shen, I’m on a plane to Shanghai, and the signal is a bit weak… There’s something I feel I need to remind you of… The day we had a conflict at the martial arts gym… Your name is Zhao Xin, right?” Zhu Deyong’s voice came through intermittently.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Shen Qian filled in the blanks for a moment and roughly understood what Zhu Deyong was asking.

"I'm with the manager of the Beicheng store right now... and I've heard something... Zhao Xin has a very powerful background!"

"Hmm?" Shen Qian expressed his doubt.

Zhao Xin's father, Zhao Guangzhi, is doing alright, but he's not from a powerful or wealthy family. Where did he get his background?

“His uncle is Zhao Guangshou, he’s… the director of the branch bureau, and he also has a cousin in the police and armed forces detachment… I’m afraid he’ll retaliate against you… Be careful, I’ll help you think of a way to resolve this when I get back!”