Su Ning moved quickly, throwing a punch even in his drunken state. The sudden turn of events left everyone around him in shock.

Even Zhou Chunqing and her friend, who were sneaking a peek from outside, were astonished. They covered their mouths, retreating a few steps in silence. Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined there’d be an even bigger headline tonight than Jiang Chenfeng getting slapped.

The young master of Jianghai Media, Jiang Chenfeng, the top dog of Haicheng’s elite circles and the “gold belt” of Diao Chun Jiang’s nightlife, was forced down on his knees by Su Ning, unable to resist!

Damn!

Jiang Chenfeng, who had bullied his way through his circle for years and taken advantage of many people without a second thought, had never imagined anyone would dare to stand up to him. When Su Ning suddenly forced him to kneel, he was stunned at first but soon flew into a rage.

But Su Ning’s grip on him was strong. Jiang Chenfeng struggled and fought for quite a while, only managing to stand up again with the help of his flustered lackeys.

Ignoring his bruised ego, he could tell his arm might’ve been dislocated by Su Ning’s grip, and it hurt like hell. Though everyone in the room was visibly shaken, no one dared to confront Su Ning. Most of them were all bark and no bite, taking a few steps back in fear, even forgetting to call security.

So Su Ning remained standing firmly in front of Li Chu, shielding the boy in the corner, with no one daring to touch a single hair on his head.

“Su Ning!” Jiang Chenfeng panted, clutching his arm, his eyes practically blazing. “What the hell are you doing? You were the one begging me earlier to take down the trending post, and now…”

Yet the more he talked, the less it seemed to faze Su Ning.

Su Ning replied casually, “Haven’t you ever heard of someone changing their mind?”

“I think the trending post was spot on, and the criticism was well-deserved. No need to take it down. I’ve changed my mind. Got a problem with that?”

His calm demeanor left Jiang Chenfeng momentarily speechless. Was Su Ning out of his mind?

His arm throbbed in pain, and even the cheek Li Chu had slapped earlier hurt. Unwilling to let it go, he grabbed an empty bottle to regain control of the situation, only to be met with a swift kick from Su Ning to the back of his knee, sending him crashing to the ground again.

When had Su Ning become so capable?

Jiang Chenfeng couldn’t wrap his head around it.

The others in the room were equally stunned, watching as Su Ning extended a hand and helped the cowering Li Chu to his feet.

Su Ning was slightly surprised as he pulled Li Chu up. Despite looking dazed, the kid was resilient; otherwise, he wouldn’t have managed to hold his own with a broken glass shard for so long. He had some strength too—once pulled up, he quickly steadied himself and obediently hid behind Su Ning, looking even more pitiful.

This wasn’t a good place to linger, so Su Ning turned around and led Li Chu decisively toward the door.

Someone mustered the courage to step in their way, but Su Ning picked up a bottle, glared at them, and they backed off after a moment’s hesitation.

These people were bullies, cowards at heart. Seeing Jiang Chenfeng unable to fight back, they could only mutter curses. “Fine, Su Ning, you’ve got guts. Let’s see if you can walk out of here,” Jiang Chenfeng spat, panting heavily. “You’ll regret this!”

Earlier, he had used similar threats to coerce Su Ning, but Su Ning didn’t waver, hesitating only for a moment before continuing toward the door with Li Chu.

Before Jiang Chenfeng could revel in a sense of victory, Su Ning’s next move left him stunned.

Su Ning shrugged off his long coat—not to cover himself, but to wrap it around Li Chu.

Su Ning was much taller than Li Chu, so the coat enveloped him completely. He popped the collar, pulled out a pair of sunglasses and a mask from the pocket, and put them on Li Chu, covering him almost entirely, leaving only a small part of his legs visible.

Then everyone in the room heard Su Ning’s instruction to Li Chu: “Follow me. Don’t move, don’t say anything.”

His tone and swift, decisive actions left no room for refusal. After this, he didn’t hesitate, turning and walking out the door.

Seeing all this, Jiang Chenfeng was furious but did nothing. He turned around in a rage, clutching his arm, and yelled, “What are you idiots standing around for? Go get the doctor to patch me up!”

The group finally sprang into action, offering a cacophony of comfort. “Don’t worry, Brother Jiang, that idiot just drank too much and lost his mind. He’ll come back, apologizing and begging for forgiveness soon enough.”

“I’ll put someone on it and keep an eye on him now!”

As chaos reigned in the private room, Su Ning led Li Chu through the corridors, taking a few twists and turns. However, before they managed to leave, he realized what Jiang Chenfeng’s plan had been.

The layout of Diao Chun Jiang was purposefully maze-like, making it easy for people unfamiliar with the area to get lost without a guide. Even if paparazzi managed to sneak in, they’d struggle to locate anyone.

Su Ning finally spotted a staff member and was about to ask for directions when the staff member glanced at him, touched the earpiece of his radio, and then, without a word, politely stepped back and left.

They were doing this on purpose.

Diao Chun Jiang’s business catered to a high-end clientele. They wouldn’t dare lay a hand on someone like Su Ning due to his family’s status, but they’d play along with a valuable client like Jiang Chenfeng by subtly blocking his path.

Su Ning frowned at the realization, but just then, Li Chu, who’d been silent all this time, spoke up. His voice was soft, trembling slightly like a small, frightened animal.

“Young Master, you’re about to debut soon. You… you didn’t need to do all this for me.”

“I don’t blame you. I’m okay, really. This whole thing was a setup by him. I know you didn’t mean to.”

His gentle words and kindness seemed to give Su Ning an easy out, offering him a way to abandon him without guilt.

Wrapped securely in Su Ning’s coat, Li Chu couldn’t see Su Ning’s expression but sensed him pause briefly before replying, “Don’t worry. I have a plan.”

What a silly kid.

Su Ning thought to himself.

Having decided to take matters into his own hands, he had no intention of going back, regardless of the original storyline or the original host’s behavior.

Though the original host was no saint, he was still an honest-to-goodness wealthy second-generation heir. Su Ning touched his wrist thoughtfully, then led Li Chu to a hallway by the restroom to hide. Shortly after, a uniformed staff member walked by.

Su Ning quickly grabbed him, but when the staffer turned to protest, he silenced him by handing over his expensive wristwatch.

“There are no cameras here, so you don’t have to worry about being seen or reported,” Su Ning said bluntly. “I’ll give you this watch in exchange for directions to an exit.”

Despite its high security, even this place wouldn’t have cameras in the restroom areas.

The show didn’t allow phones, but nothing had been said about watches, so Su Ning had kept his pricey one on.

The watch was easily worth six figures, and anyone familiar with Diao Chun Jiang would recognize it—and also know who Su Ning was. All the servers near the private rooms had been briefed on him, so this wasn’t a bluff.

Though tips flowed freely here, a six-figure sum was hard to ignore.

“I know Jiang Chenfeng’s a big client, and you’ve got to listen to him,” Su Ning continued. “But Diao Chun Jiang doesn’t only do business with him. It wouldn’t hurt to stay in Guang Ying Entertainment’s good graces. And it’s not like he and I have a permanent grudge. We’ll still work together down the road. No need to put yourselves in such a tight spot.”

After a moment’s thought, the staff member made up his mind, reaching for the watch. But just then, Su Ning noticed a small figure motioning from the end of the hall—it was the round-faced girl from earlier, Zhou Chunqing.

Her position was perfect, hidden from the camera’s view. Since the staffer had his back to her, he couldn’t see her either.

Su Ning acted swiftly, pulling the watch back just as the staffer’s greedy hand reached for it. With a calm expression, he said, “Sorry, just a small test. Clearly, your loyalty to Young Master Jiang isn’t quite as sincere as you claim. How disappointing. Better luck next time.”

The staffer, thwarted and unable to vent his anger on Su Ning, threw a glare at Li Chu before stalking off.

Once he was gone, Su Ning swiftly joined Zhou Chunqing, who led him down a winding path to a secluded corner. Her face was taut with tension as she kept a watchful eye on their surroundings.

“Don’t trust the staff here. They’ll pretend to help, then turn around and report you,” she whispered. “I’ve learned that the hard way.”

Her expression dimmed, though she quickly put on a brave face.

“Jiang Chenfeng has people tailing you. My friend can distract them, but not for long. Follow this route, turn left at the end, then… finally, when you reach the screen, turn right and take the fire escape to level B2 in the parking lot. My car’s parked at space C-191.”

She handed Su Ning a hastily drawn map and continued explaining, “Diao Chun Jiang’s so remote that even if you called Guang Ying Entertainment, it’d take them hours to get here. If you wait any longer, Jiang Chenfeng will have you cornered by the time he’s patched up.”

“It’s a black van. If the doors are locked, my manager usually leaves the key and a phone by the rear tire. Just get in and hide in the backseat. I’ll find a friend to drive you out. Tell him my name.”

Since both she and Su Ning had been drinking, they couldn’t drive themselves, and without phones, calling for help wasn’t an option, especially with Jiang Chenfeng’s men likely searching for them.

Su Ning hadn’t expected this round-faced girl to be so brave. He offered her his watch as thanks, but Zhou Chunqing stepped back, refusing.

“I’m not doing this for that,” she said, her lips trembling as she looked directly at Li Chu. “Young Master Su, you need to take Li Chu with you. Don’t use him for things like this again. He’s a legitimate trainee at your company, not some object to trade.”

Although she couldn’t entirely trust Su Ning, he had, after all, kept his promise to get Li Chu out.

At this point, she had no choice but to take a gamble.

Diao Chun Jiang had always felt like Jiang Chenfeng’s personal playground, a place where he held the ultimate power. But watching him get taken down a notch brought her a sense of vindication. And for Li Chu’s sake, she had no choice but to bet on Su Ning.

Huddled in the oversized coat, Li Chu tentatively peeked out, his expression unreadable. He seemed about to speak but fell silent after glancing at Su Ning.

“I understand. I promise that tonight will be the last time this happens,” Su Ning assured her sincerely. “Come with us.”

“I won’t make it out with you. Just get going; that’ll help me enough,” Zhou Chunqing shook her head, resolute. “Jiang Chenfeng has a lot of people here. He might not notice me right away, so don’t worry.”

She shot Li Chu a last glance before hurrying away. Li Chu instinctively reached out, wanting to stop her, but Su Ning held him back.

“Didn’t you hear her? Wasting time would only put her in more danger,” Su Ning said firmly. “Let’s go.”

Following her directions, albeit a bit unclear due to her haste, Su Ning managed to navigate through the maze of Diao Chun Jiang. Tonight, the venue was bustling, with many colorful guests drifting in and out. The dim lights offered Su Ning a layer of cover as he carefully made his way to the fire escape.

The original host had consumed a lot of alcohol. Though Su Ning had briefly sobered up after throwing up earlier, and his anger had fueled him through the initial escape, the effects of the alcohol were starting to return. He felt increasingly dizzy as they approached the parking lot.

Luckily, they reached the designated parking spot without any trouble. The black van matched her description, but the vehicle seemed oddly high-end, out of place for a trainee like Zhou Chunqing.

Maybe it was a company car.

Su Ning didn’t have time to dwell on it. With the doors unlocked, he climbed into the backseat, pulling Li Chu in behind him.

Only then did he realize there was someone else in the vehicle.

It must be Zhou Chunqing’s friend who’d come to help them. He had taken a bit of time to find the way, so perhaps they’d arrived early.

The person in the passenger seat turned at the sound of the doors, looking over calmly.

Su Ning froze momentarily as he took in their face.

At first, he didn’t fully catch their features, only noticing their eyes illuminated by the car’s soft lights.

They were almond-shaped, slightly upturned, and as the person lowered the car window, their entire face came into view.

The man had strikingly clean, refined features, exuding a gentle, almost ink-painting-like elegance, with a small red mole under his eye that seemed to complete the picture. His expression, however, was icy, making him seem somewhat unapproachable.

In contrast to Su Ning’s sharp, intense looks, this person’s appearance seemed to radiate an effortless charm, the sort that would instantly appeal to anyone who saw him.

If it weren’t for the awkward circumstances, Su Ning, with his manager instincts, would’ve handed him a business card right there, inviting him to sign with his company. That face was just too perfect for show business.

Did Zhou Chunqing have such a remarkable friend?