Chapter 11 Quick Wisdom and Diverting Trouble
——＜A jealous dividing line＞
The cold murderous intent was like substance, almost freezing Su Yan's blood.
In a split second, his instinct for survival overwhelmed his panic. He knew any hesitation or excuse would be futile in front of a shrewd and ruthless man like Assistant Zhou. He had to come up with a reasonable explanation that would immediately divert his attention.
Just as Assistant Zhou's hand was about to touch his arm, Su Yan suddenly raised his head. His face was not filled with panic as if he had been hit, but rather a look of grievance and dissatisfaction. His voice also rose slightly due to "excitement":
"Assistant Zhou! You're just in time! I was just about to ask you something!"
His reaction of turning the tables caused Assistant Zhou's outstretched hand to freeze in mid-air, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Even Lin Qingyu, who was crying beside him, forgot to sob and stared at him blankly.
Su Yan didn't give Assistant Zhou time to think. He stepped forward quickly and deliberately separated Assistant Zhou and Lin Qingyu with his body. As if he didn't see Lin Qingyu, he faced Assistant Zhou directly and asked in a questioning tone:
"Let me ask you, where did Mr. Huo go for a social event tonight? Why can't I get through to him on the phone? Is it... is it that he went to meet someone he shouldn't meet again?" As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Lin Qingyu next to him, his eyes full of jealousy and vigilance of the "genuine" towards the "suspected third party."
At this moment, Su Yan perfectly portrayed the image of a "lover" who was anxious and uneasy because he couldn't contact the financial sponsor, and thus made random suspicions and even asked people around for information. He rationalized his eavesdropping behavior as a "check-up" out of "jealousy."
Assistant Zhou clearly hadn't expected Su Yan's reaction. He observed the perfectly balanced jealousy and uneasiness on Su Yan's face, then glanced at Lin Qingyu, who was clearly the source of the trouble, and his tense expression relaxed slightly. Perhaps in his view, Su Yan's jealous behavior, while foolish, was consistent with his status and mentality as a captive of Huo Shen, and was far easier to understand than "intentionally eavesdropping."
"Mr. Su, you're worrying too much." Assistant Zhou's tone returned to a somewhat formal calm. "Mr. Huo is meeting an important overseas client tonight, so it's inconvenient for him to answer the phone during the meeting. As for this Mr. Lin..." He glanced at Lin Qingyu coldly, "He just came here for help. It has nothing to do with Mr. Huo's personal affairs."
Su Yan breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that his quick wit had temporarily fooled Assistant Zhou. But his face remained skeptical, and he snorted, "That's better! If I knew..." He deliberately left the sentence unfinished, leaving a jealous tail.
"Mr. Su, please rest assured." Assistant Zhou had no intention of getting entangled in this boring drama of competing for favor. His focus was to deal with the troublesome Lin Qingyu as soon as possible. "I will take care of things here. Please go back to your room and rest first."
This is a warning and also an expulsion.
Su Yan knew he couldn't stay any longer, or he would arouse suspicion. He glared at Lin Qingyu with feigned reluctance before turning and leaving. As he passed by Lin Qingyu, he could sense the complex gaze she gave him: surprise, and perhaps a hint of... understanding?
Returning to the room, Su Yan closed the door and leaned against it, only then did he dare to breathe deeply. His back was already soaked with cold sweat. That moment just now was too dangerous!
Did it work? Did Assistant Zhou really believe his performance?
Not long after, he heard the sound of a car engine starting up and driving away downstairs. It must be Assistant Zhou taking Lin Qingyu away.
The apartment fell into silence again.
Su Yan's heart was restless. Lin Qingyu's appearance and the information he revealed confirmed that Huo Shen and he had indeed had a secret transaction. And Lin Qingyu's brother's debt problem was a new variable.
Should I tell Huo Shen about this?
No, it must not be brought up on his own initiative. If Huo Shen knew that he had overheard this, even if he believed his "jealousy" performance, he would definitely not be happy. Assistant Zhou would most likely not take the initiative to report this detail unless Huo Shen asked.
All he could do now was wait. Wait for Huo Shen to come back, observe his reaction, and then act accordingly.
Time passed by minute by minute, each second like torture. It was not until late at night that the sound of the door opening was heard from the entrance.
Huo Shen came back, with a strong smell of alcohol and the coldness of the night.
Su Yan immediately perked up and went to meet him. As usual, he helped him with his coat and handed him some hangover tea. But he deliberately made his movements a little awkward and silent, unlike his usual "docile" self.
Huo Shen obviously noticed it. He took the teacup and cast a deep gaze on Su Yan's face, asking with scrutiny, "What's wrong?"
Su Yan lowered his head, twisting the corner of his clothes with his fingers, and muttered softly with a tone of grievance and anger: "Nothing... I just tried to call you at night, but couldn't get through."
He chose to bring up the "phone call" incident, downplaying the evening's turmoil by simply saying, "I couldn't reach you, so I was a little unhappy." This not only matched his earlier performance to Assistant Zhou, but also served as a way to test whether Huo Shen had already learned anything from Assistant Zhou.
Huo Shen stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. He reached out and pulled him into his arms, his alcoholic breath brushing against his ear: "Are you jealous?"
There was a hint of amusement in his tone, and he didn't seem to be angry at all.
Su Yan felt relieved. It seemed that Assistant Zhou did not report the incident involving Lin Qingyu, or Huo Shen did not care.
He leaned into Huo Shen's arms, neither admitting nor denying, but said sullenly: "Can you answer my call when you are entertaining in the future?"
This is a cautious request, with a sense of dependence.
Huo Shen seemed to enjoy his gesture. His fingers gently stroked the skin on the back of his neck, and his voice was a little lazy: "Okay."
A small incident that seemed to be caused by "jealousy" was exposed in this way.
But Su Yan knew that the undercurrent was still surging. Lin Qingyu's "trouble" had not disappeared, and he himself, in front of smart people like Huo Shen and Assistant Zhou, every time he used his quick wits, he was walking a tightrope.
He must find a more secure foothold as soon as possible.
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