Wan Tong and Jian Shitong stepped out of the café. As they waited for him to bring the car around, a van suddenly stopped right in front of her. As soon as the door slid open, a pair of hands reached out toward her.
This wasn’t the first time Wan Tong had encountered such a scene. Almost the moment the van stopped, she instinctively stepped back, causing the assailants to miss their mark.
When two men jumped out of the vehicle to grab her, she immediately took off running.
Before they could chase after her, a suited man appeared out of nowhere and swiftly subdued them with a few well-placed strikes. He then turned to Wan Tong with concern. “Miss Jian, are you alright?”
Wan Tong froze for a moment, suddenly recalling that her family had mentioned hiring a bodyguard for her. She hadn’t expected him to be following her all this time.
Just then, Jian Shitong hurried back. “Tongtong, are you okay?”
“I’m fine…” Wan Tong shook her head.
Onlookers had begun to gather. The bodyguard glanced at the van speeding away and said, “Mr. Jian, the vehicle got away.”
“Take these two to the police station. We’ll get something out of them,” Jian Shitong said coldly.
After the previous traffic accident, they had been more vigilant. They hadn’t expected another incident so soon.
“Yes, Mr. Jian,” the bodyguard nodded.
Jian Shitong then turned to Wan Tong. “Tongtong, let’s go home first.”
When they returned to the apartment, Old Master Jian was still there, and he seemed to be having a lively conversation with Chu Yuanxun.
Wan Tong was surprised. Her Grandpa had a notoriously bad temper. He could maintain a polite facade in public, but in private, he was the type to drive people up the wall. Yet, somehow, Chu Yuanxun was handling him just fine?
Even Jian Shitong looked a little taken aback. This guy was definitely something else.
After sending the guests off, Wan Tong turned to Chu Yuanxun and asked, “How did you win over my Grandpa? What did you say to him?”
“I didn’t say much,” Chu Yuanxun admitted honestly.
The moment the old man walked in, he had started nitpicking, finding faults with everything in sight like a grumpy old child.
Each time, Chu Yuanxun simply responded with, “Tongtong likes it this way,” “This is how Tongtong wanted it,” or “Tongtong picked this herself.”
Eventually, the old man’s attitude softened.
Chu Yuanxun understood that the old man wasn’t being difficult on purpose. He was just worried about his granddaughter and didn’t want her to end up with the wrong person.
Later that night, news came from Jian Shitong that the police had managed to extract a name from the captured men. As expected, it was Yuan Qingqing.
However, she was cunning and had already disappeared without a trace.
When Chu Yuanxun found out, he became even more concerned for Wan Tong’s safety. He no longer allowed her to go out alone, not even to take out the trash, insisting on staying by her side at all times.
This led to them being spotted together frequently, with photos circulating online. Netizens jokingly called him a ‘wife slave’ and a ‘clingy shadow.’
Some people speculated that, given his background, he was just clinging to Wan Tong to avoid working hard for the next twenty years.
Then, when Chu Yuanxun shut down his law firm and turned down an offer to stay on as a professor at B University, public opinion shifted. People started mocking him as a ‘gold digger’ living off Wan Tong, saying he had no ambition or dignity.
Meanwhile, Wan Tong became an object of envy and admiration among many young women.
In reality, Chu Yuanxun had simply started taking on responsibilities within his family business. Most of his time was spent coordinating with Jiang Xianchen on transitional matters and continuing the search for Yuan Qingqing.
Thanks to both her family’s protection and the Chu family’s influence in B City, Wan Tong managed to evade multiple assassination attempts orchestrated by Yuan Qingqing.
Chu Yuanxun’s favorability rating of Yuan Qingqing had dropped into the negatives. But even with Shishi’s help to track her, she always managed to slip away at the last moment.
Yuan Qingqing was determined to kill Wan Tong. Even if she could only complete this one task before she died, it would be better than leaving the world empty-handed. That was why she kept launching these reckless attacks.
At the beginning of August, during one of Wan Tong’s overseas performances, gunshots suddenly rang out, cutting off her music.
The venue erupted into panicked screams, and the overhead lights flickered with a sharp buzzing sound.
Wan Tong was tightly held in Chu Yuanxun’s arms, while a row of bodyguards shielded them in front.
The thick scent of blood filled her nose. Amidst the chaos, she saw a patch of red on Chu Yuanxun’s shoulder, his clothes had been pierced by a bullet, the wound seeping blood.
“Ah Xun, you’re hurt!”
“I’m fine…” His voice trembled, yet he still clung tightly to her hand.
He would protect even her fingernails from harm.
Jian Shitong rushed over and helped support Chu Yuanxun. “We need to get out of here.”
Wan Tong gritted her teeth, scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes.
She had anticipated that being abroad would be even more dangerous, but she hadn’t expected Yuan Qingqing to act so brazenly, right in the middle of a live-broadcast concert.
In the panicked crowd, Yuan Qingqing was slipping away. Before leaving, she shot a venomous glare toward the stage where Wan Tong stood, her teeth clenched in fury.
Chu Yuanxun was the world’s chosen one, someone blessed with immense luck. Directly opposing him had brought her nothing but trouble. Even Wan Tong was surrounded by layers of protection, making her repeated attempts fruitless.
But no matter what price she had to pay, she was determined to kill that woman.
“Yuan Qingqing!”
As she left the passageway, Yuan Qingqing suddenly turned her head and saw Wan Tong just a short distance away.
She prided herself on her disguise, yet she hadn’t expected Jian Wantong to recognize her. Seeing that she had been exposed, she simply removed her mask, her snake-like eyes locking onto Wan Tong. “Jian Wantong, are you here to die? Excellent!”
Everyone at the scene had already left, leaving only the two of them in the passageway.
How could Yuan Qingqing possibly let go of such a perfect opportunity to kill her?
“The one who came to die is you.” Wan Tong walked toward her, rubbing her fingers against the dried blood on them, a deep disgust rising in her heart.
Yuan Qingqing let out a mocking laugh and swiftly drew a Swiss Army knife from her pocket.
But just then, a faint clicking sound reached her ears, and she was suddenly overcome with a chilling dread. Her gaze instinctively shifted to Wan Tong’s loose sleeves.
The modified Hanfu she wore made her appear fragile and completely unthreatening.
But Yuan Qingqing knew exactly what was hidden in those sleeves.
Jian Wantong had a gun.
Her first instinct was to stab toward Wan Tong’s arm.
*Bang!*
But to her utter shock, a deafening gunshot rang out from behind. A sharp pain shot through her leg, and she collapsed to the ground.
Wan Tong was also momentarily stunned. Not far away, Chu Yuanxun stood with a gun in his hand, his expression cold. Beside him, another man pressed down on his hand, slightly lowering the gun’s barrel.
Otherwise, the bullet would have hit more than just Yuan Qingqing’s leg.
The man cursed under his breath and swiftly snatched the gun from Chu Yuanxun’s grip.
“Cousin, A’Xun…”
Wan Tong stood frozen, instinctively drawing her hands back.
Her Eldest Cousin was a firearms fanatic who had spent years in this region. The gun in her hand had been secretly taken from him.
Now, both men had reached her. The scruffy-bearded man grabbed her wrist, forcefully prying the small silver gun from her hand. He scowled and growled, “Jian Wantong, I swear I could beat the hell out of you.”
This little brat had been hanging around him for weeks, and now he realized it was all for this.
A girl messing with guns, was that even acceptable?
Wan Tong felt wronged. This Cousin of hers was more than twenty years older than her and had always treated her like a daughter. This was the first time he had ever spoken to her so harshly.
Chu Yuanxun, pale and silent, pulled Wan Tong into his arms. “It’s over now, Tongtong.”
Wan Tong was fine, but Chu Yuanxun’s body was visibly tense. The one who had truly been scared was him.
“Mm…” Wan Tong whimpered softly and hugged him tightly.
She had only intended to injure Yuan Qingqing, but in the end, it was Chu Yuanxun who had pulled the trigger.
Her Cousin, watching the two of them huddled together, suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. But his worry still prevailed, and he turned to scold Chu Yuanxun. “And you! Where the hell were you aiming? Do you want me to beat both of you up?”
Wan Tong immediately burst into tears.
Chu Yuanxun’s heart clenched. He lifted his eyes to meet her Cousin’s gaze and said flatly, “I haven’t stopped recording. Do you want me to send this to Grandpa Jian?”
Her Cousin fell silent at once. He reached out his long arms and pulled them both into a hug. “Tongtong, you scared me half to death! Damn those mercenaries!”
As he spoke, he kicked the unconscious Yuan Qingqing at his feet.
Wan Tong : “…Cousin, you were scolding me just now.”
Her Cousin’s face remained stern as he pointed at the blood seeping from Chu Yuanxun’s shoulder. “Hey, he’s hurt. Get him to the hospital.”
Wan Tong’s attention immediately shifted.
At that moment, Jian Shitong arrived with reinforcements. Amidst the commotion, Wan Tong accompanied Chu Yuanxun to the hospital.
Meanwhile, her Cousin stroked his stubble and reported everything word for word to the Cub Protection Squad 2 group chat.
Two minutes later, someone finally spoke.
Grandpa Jian : [Are you sure Tongtong was about to pull the trigger?]
Her Cousin immediately replied : [Definitely! If we had been a second later, she would’ve fired. The bullet was already in the chamber!]
That was why he had been so quick to scold her. Who would’ve thought Tongtong would actually dare to handle a gun?
After that, the group chat fell into a long silence.
Jian Tong : [It’s good for Tongtong to learn some self-defense skills. When you have time, take her to the shooting range.]
Zheng Tianqiong : [Suddenly, I’m no longer worried about Tongtong being bullied by Chu Yuanxun.]
Then, the same sentence started flooding the chat.
Her Cousin sighed. He had been worried at first, but now he suddenly felt proud.
Of course, she was his little cousin, skilled in both guqin and firearms. A true badass.
That night, the entire incident exploded online, starting with a video posted by a fan who had been attending Wan Tong’s performance.
There had been no fatalities at the scene, but Chu Yuanxun had suffered a shoulder injury, a bullet grazing wound.
Netizens debated fiercely, and when they discovered that Yuan Qingqing had orchestrated the assassination, the online outrage reached a fever pitch.
Compared to foreign environments, things are truly peaceful back home. No matter how imaginative netizens can be, no one expected Yuan Qingqing to plot murder over relationship troubles.
This dramatic love triangle has been watched by the entire internet and is bound to become a historic event.
Meanwhile, after everything they’ve been through, the JianXun couple has received countless heartfelt blessings. After all, true love is revealed in adversity. Having faced life and death together, what could possibly stand in their way now?
The most shocking revelation came after the incident when a media outlet suddenly exposed that Chu Yuanxun is actually the sole heir of the Chu family, the wealthiest family in B City! He has already begun taking over the Chu family business.
So, Chu Yuanxun isn’t living off his girlfriend, he’s actually a wealthy heir!
Netizens eating popcorn suddenly understood why Yuan Qingqing lost her mind. Chu Yuanxun turned out to be a treasure.
Now, JianXun are perfectly matched. Their relationship is locked in, no doubt about it.
That night, the Raider left, and Wan Tong finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Chu Yuanxun’s injuries weren’t serious, so a few days later, he and Wan Tong returned home.
To Wan Tong’s surprise, a film company reached out to her, wanting to collaborate.
First, they wanted to buy the rights to her and Chu Yuanxun’s love story. Second, they wanted her to play the female lead herself. With such a sensational premise, even if she had no acting skills, the film would be a guaranteed hit.
She rejected the acting offer outright, but after discussing it with Chu Yuanxun, she agreed to let them make a movie based on their story.
Since it was a real-life story, the two of them naturally had to share details with the screenwriters.
However, there was one thing Wan Tong absolutely refused to mention—her obsession with Adam’s apples.
But Chu Yuanxun, being mischievous, added at the last moment, “Oh, by the way, she’s really into my Adam’s apple. Like, she sees it and can’t look away.”
The female screenwriter blushed on the spot, holding back laughter as she left.
But honestly, wasn’t this already an open secret?
As a result, Wan Tong didn’t let Chu Yuanxun into the master bedroom for three days.
Even after using all his best tricks to appease her, nothing worked. He asked Leng Jing for advice, only to be laughed at. Frustrated, he took to Weibo for help.
Chu Yuanxun : [I have a friend whose girlfriend is mad at him. How should he make it up to her?]
The replies were filled with laughter, with a few top-rated suggestions:
[I have a friend who says to go for the direct approach. Pin her against the wall and kiss her. If one kiss doesn’t work, go for two.]
[I have a friend who said that hugs, kisses, and picking her up like a princess will definitely work!]
[I have a friend who says letting her touch her favorite ‘art piece’ works best… (a past photo of Chu Yuanxun’s Adam’s apple attached)]
Chu Yuanxun pinned this comment and replied : [Tried it. Art piece failed.]
The replies under his comment were full of knowing reactions.
Then he added a clarification : [I meant my friend.]
When Wan Tong saw the post, she was so furious her head hurt. She stormed out of the bedroom and threw a pillow at the figure lounging on the couch.
“Chu Yuanxun!”
He caught the pillow, downed a glass of iced water, and, under Wan Tong’s glare, set down his phone and approached her.
Without a word, he placed the pillow back in her arms, then suddenly hoisted her up over his shoulder.
Before she could react, he had already tossed her onto the master bed, pinning her down with undeniable strength.
“Tongtong, I think the netizens were right. Sometimes, making up should be a little rough. If one round isn’t enough… how about two?” His deep voice teased as his hand skillfully found her waist.
“You’re twisting their words! They said ‘pin against the wall and kiss’—not this!”
She protested, but the ticklish sensation at her waist made her voice falter.
Chu Yuanxun chuckled, his handsome face inching closer. “Mmm, strong kiss.”
Then, he put words into action.
“…Mmph.” Wan Tong was both angry and amused, but as his kiss deepened, her mind gradually drifted away in a daze.
He knew her body best—where to touch to make her melt completely…
After two rounds, Wan Tong still wanted to hold him accountable, but before she could, Chu Yuanxun flipped her over and pressed her down again.
“The netizens didn’t say anything about a third round!” She widened her eyes in warning.
Chu Yuanxun pressed against her, planting a kiss at the corner of her eye, his voice husky. “I think the netizens aren’t very reliable.”
Wan Tong : …
Netizens : ???
The next morning, Chu Yuanxun deleted last night’s Weibo post.
Netizens : !!!
So… she forgave him? But which method worked…?
This couple was getting more addictive to follow by the day.
Later, Chu Yuanxun took Wan Tong back to his small mountain village to visit his adoptive father, a simple and honest man.
Chu Yuanxun originally wanted to bring him to B City, but the old man refused. He felt guilty and ashamed; after all, he had bought a child. Now that Chu Yuanxun had found his real family, how could he still cling to him?
In the end, Chu Yuanxun hired someone locally to take care of him before leaving.
Chu Yuanxun became increasingly busy, but he never moved in with Wantong to the Chu family’s mansion. As for the public banquet that Mrs. Chu had suggested, after being postponed twice, it was simply canceled.
Chu Yuanxun disliked such occasions, and since his status as the heir of the Chu family was well known, not just in B City’s elite circles but across the entire country, there was really no need for it.
After setting aside the Chu family’s miscellaneous affairs, Jiang Xianchen had been deliberately or unintentionally trying to get closer to Wan Tong.
When Chu Yuanxun noticed this, he inevitably got jealous and handed over a few more projects to Jiang Xianchen, making him even busier than before.
Even Wan Tong couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
In truth, Jiang Xianchen had no love for business and preferred the arts. He simply wanted to visit her Grandpa.
Six months later, amid great anticipation from the entire internet, Wan Tong and Chu Yuanxun got their marriage certificate.
Online, people joked that Chu Yuanxun was a cold and aloof yet devoted husband, always eager to show off his wife. Even when Wan Tong delivered lunch to him at the Chu Corporation, he would make a point to post about it, much to Wan Tong’s amusement and exasperation.
Her family finally stopped interfering in her relationship with Chu Yuanxun. Occasionally, her Eldest Cousin would take her to the shooting range, where she ended up with a few more calluses on her fingers.
She had memories of using firearms, so after a few practice sessions, she achieved a perfect hit rate.
Her Cousin swallowed hard and posted a video in the group chat Cub Protection Base 2 only to receive a string of silent “……” responses.
Since when did Tongtong have such a talent? They were so shocked they didn’t even dare to comment, feeling her sheer intimidation even through the screen.
Behind Wan Tong, Chu Yuanxun silently drank his iced water to calm himself.
Thankfully, she preferred playing the guqin. Thankfully, she wasn’t very strong. Thankfully, she disliked the sun and refused certain training courses. Otherwise, if she ever got angry, he might not even be able to enter his own room.
Elsewhere, a wealthy second-generation heir at the shooting range uploaded Wan Tong’s video online. Her focused and valiant demeanor attracted a wave of new fans, and her once ethereal ‘ancient-style fairy’ image now had a new tag—”A爆” (cool and badass).
Under Chu Yuanxun’s leadership, the Chu Corporation began venturing into artificial intelligence, just as the plot had originally mentioned. He was almost following the script to the letter.
His team spent two years developing a software utilizing facial recognition technology to help locate missing children. Used by anti-trafficking police, it was linked to surveillance big data. Once a missing child’s facial data was uploaded, the system could immediately retrieve matching faces from surveillance footage. It even supported cross-age recognition, meaning the system could predict a child’s appearance as they grew older. No matter how many years had passed, families could still find their lost loved ones through this software.
During the one-month trial period, the software helped reunite over 3,000 families with their long-lost children. Many of these children had grown up and were already in the workforce, and the sudden reunion with their families left them deeply emotional.
Regardless, this software fulfilled one of Chu Yuanxun’s dreams. More and more human trafficking rings were dismantled, making a real difference in the world.
rokumi’s note : just like the previous few worlds, there was a little bit more to this chapter, but it’s the start of a new world, so I put it directly in Chapter 193.