“Too late.”

The words were cold, harsh, and decisive. Lin Huaiyu barely spared a glance at the people behind him, his eyes hardening as he turned slightly to give an order to Qin Chuan, who stood beside him. “Take care of these two. Don’t let anyone talk about this.”

Without another word, he pulled the chaotic woman in his arms closer, his grip firm as he strode out of the bar.

Just a few steps later, a terrible sound echoed from behind them. The patrons of the bar, witnessing the scene, instinctively shrank back, their eyes filled with dread as they parted, creating a path for Lin Huaiyu.

Once outside, Su Weichu suddenly realized something was wrong. Her head spun as the adrenaline of the situation crashed down on her, and she forcefully pushed away from Lin Huaiyu. Stumbling slightly, she stood unsteadily and glared at him, her voice laced with confusion and anger.

“Who the hell are you? Who told you to drag me out of here?!”

She swayed, intent on heading back to the bar, but as she passed by Lin Huaiyu, a strong arm shot out and blocked her way.

Her hazy eyes met his, but the fog clouding her mind couldn’t make sense of his face.

“Who are you? Why are you stopping me?” she slurred, her voice sharp and insistent. “Move! I just want to drink!”

As she spoke, Su Weichu raised her hand and slapped it against Lin Huaiyu’s arm with a sharp crack. The sound echoed, loud enough to cut through the air, but the force behind it was minimal. With the fabric between them, the impact barely registered to him.

Lin Huaiyu observed the drunken woman before him, her movements erratic and her words slurred. He pressed his lips together, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he stepped forward and effortlessly lifted her off the ground, her body weightless in his arms.

For a moment, Su Weichu was disoriented, her mind lagging behind as she processed what had just happened. It only took a heartbeat before her senses returned and she began to thrash against him, kicking and hitting in a futile attempt to break free.

“What are you doing? Let me go!” she shouted, her fists pounding uselessly against him.

But it was all in vain.

Her head began to throb, a rush of blood clouding her thoughts, and an overwhelming nausea surged in her chest.

“Let me go! I’m going to puke—” she barely got the words out before the sensation hit her like a wave. She threw up, the acidic taste sharp on her tongue.

The stench was unbearable. Lin Huaiyu’s face darkened in disgust, but he didn’t waver. Still, he didn’t release her. He carried her with measured steps, heading toward the car with purpose. Once there, he shoved her into the passenger seat.

The aftereffects of the vomit left Su Weichu feeling miserable, her body weak from the nausea. For the first time that night, she was subdued, her rebellious energy spent. She collapsed back against the chair, her eyes unfocused and her body limp, lost in a fog of dizziness.

Lin Huaiyu stood outside the car door, his gaze lingering on the suddenly quiet woman in his arms. His eyes were clouded with complexity as if he were trying to make sense of the shift in her behavior. He stood still for several minutes, his mind racing before he finally climbed into the car and drove her to a nearby hotel.

Once they were inside the room, he gently laid the disoriented Su Weichu on the bed, intending to remove his dirty jacket, covered in the aftermath of their earlier ordeal.

But just as he was about to peel it off, something unexpected happened. What should have been a drunken stupor for Su Weichu suddenly lifted, and her eyes snapped open. She saw Lin Huaiyu standing before her, undressing.

In a split second, the room was filled with the shrill, piercing sound of her fury.

“Lin Huaiyu, you shameless bastard!”

Before he could react, Su Weichu, with a burst of anger, kicked out at him. The force of the strike landed squarely on his most sensitive area.

Lin Huaiyu hadn’t anticipated this sudden attack. He took the hit square on, and his handsome features contorted in pain, his body instinctively curling in defense.

“You’re actually kicking me like this? Do you want to destroy any chance of happiness you might have in the future?!” His voice was a harsh growl, eyes flashing red with pain as he gritted his teeth, glaring at Su Weichu.

Su Weichu stood frozen, staring at him in stunned silence, as if she hadn’t anticipated that this man would not dodge her outburst. Her mind slowly started to register the situation, and she heard his earlier words—those arrogant remarks—making her cheeks flush with an unbidden warmth.

“What future happiness?” she snapped, her voice tight with indignation. “I’m warning you, don’t say things like that!”

Lin Huaiyu’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Whether it’s nonsense or not, you know exactly in your heart.”

He paused, his tone turning serious once more. “Moreover, if you’ve broken anything important down there, you’ll have to take responsibility.”

Su Weichu felt her anger surge. She glared at him, her voice sharp.

“Lin Huaiyu, don’t try to extort me! I barely put any force into it. Besides, it’s not like I was the one who made the first move. You were the one who—” She cut herself off, her eyes flashing with fury.

“I was only defending myself, and trust me, I could’ve done worse! If I had called the police, your precious Lin family would be in for a real storm.”

Despite her words, a flicker of something stirred deep within her—a ripple of awareness. Though she had been hazy with drunkenness, she hadn’t been completely out of her mind. If it hadn’t been for Lin Huaiyu’s timely appearance, things could have turned out far worse for her.

She took a deep breath, forcing the fleeting vulnerability away. “Since you helped me before, I’ll let this slide. But now it’s late, and you should get some rest, Mr. Lin. I’ll be going now.”

With that, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door, her footsteps steady despite the storm of emotions swirling within her.

Just as she was about to step out the door, Su Weichu nearly collided with Qin Chuan, who was coming in the opposite direction.

“Young Madam, you’re awake,” Qin Chuan greeted her with a warm smile.

At the sight of him, something triggered in Su Weichu’s mind. She spun abruptly, her gaze locking onto the man still standing in the room. “Oh, and Lin Huaiyu,” she called sharply, her voice tinged with icy resolve, “don’t send anyone, to follow me again.”

With that, she turned her attention back to Qin Chuan, her expression freezing into a mask of indifference. “From now on, call me Miss Su or CEO Su. Leave the ‘Young Madam’ for Lin Huaiyu’s real wife.”

Without another word, she gave Qin Chuan a dismissive glance and strode past him, leaving the room without a backward glance.

Qin Chuan watched her retreating figure, a sheepish expression crossing his face as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He then turned and entered the hotel room. “CEO, those two have been dealt with,” he reported.

Lin Huaiyu gave a quiet grunt, his gaze fixed, unmoving.

Qin Chuan, noticing the change in his boss, couldn’t help but ask with concern, “CEO, is everything alright?” “

Get Jiang Haojin over here,” Lin Huaiyu ordered, his tone cold and unwavering.

Lin Huaiyu’s face twisted in discomfort as he issued a command, evidently unwilling to say more.

Though Qin Chuan found it strange, he didn’t question his boss and immediately set to work.

Less than half an hour later, a man appeared in the room, his black trench coat flowing behind him, an elegant air surrounding him. His presence was accompanied by the faint scent of refined fragance, as though he carried an invisible aura of mystery.

In the dim light, his features were strikingly androgynous, the fine angles of his face casting a soft, almost ethereal beauty. His long, jet-black hair framed his face like a perfect portrait, giving him the air of a character straight out of a dark, captivating manga—one might even think he could be a butler from the shadows of some gothic tale.

This man was Jiang Haojin, Lin Huaiyu’s private doctor, a partner in business, and—perhaps most importantly—a good friend.

He swept into the room with an amused glint in his eyes. “You called me out in the middle of the night, rushing me from the lab. I thought you were on the verge of death! I sped all the way here, and what do I find? You’re perfectly fine.”

Lin Huaiyu shot him a cold, piercing look. “What do you mean I’m fine? Do you seriously believe I’m well?”

Jiang Haojin was about to reply when he saw Lin Huaiyu standing there, stiff and wincing, then reaching to remove his clothes. His eyes widened in alarm. “What are you doing? Are you trying to strip for me? I mean, I know I’m a sight to behold, but I’m not interested in men. Women are more my taste!”

Qin Chuan, who had been silently observing, couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, a soft chuckle slipping from him.

Lin Huaiyu and Jiang Haojin both turned their gazes toward Qin Chuan.

….

“Uh… I just remembered I have some unfinished business to take care of. President Lin, Dr. Jiang, I’ll be taking my leave now.”

Without waiting for a response, Qin Chuan bolted from the room as if his life depended on it. He even had the courtesy to close the door behind him—a small but thoughtful gesture.

Jiang Haojin narrowed his phoenix-like eyes and smirked. “Your assistant is getting a little too perceptive, don’t you think? Knows far too much. Maybe it’s time to replace him.”

Lin Huaiyu had no patience for idle chatter. His voice was as cold as steel. “Five hundred thousand. Check-up.”

At the mention of money, Jiang Haojin’s entire demeanor shifted. He straightened up instantly, a glint of pure enthusiasm flashing in his eyes. “Ah, Boss, why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ll give you nothing but my finest service!”

If Jiang Haojin had a fatal flaw, it was his love for money.

With a grin, he turned to Lin Huaiyu, his tone dripping with mock professionalism. “Now then, where exactly are you injured? Rest assured, I’ll examine you with the utmost care.”