"Keep the trash off the streets."
My words hung in the damp alleyway air. Underworld Boss Ye Tianxing looked at the thrashing, wine-soaked waiter pinned to the asphalt, then back to me. A knowing, brutal smile cracked his weathered face.
"Consider it done, Mr. Chu," Ye Tianxing said, his voice regaining its raspy authority. He gestured to the two bouncers holding Lin Tian. "You boys. Hand him over to my men at the end of the block. Tell them to drop him at the precinct. Assault with a deadly weapon. I'll make sure the judge throws away the key."
"What?! No!" Lin Tian screamed, his eyes bulging with panic. "Old Master Ye, you are making a mistake! He fed you poison! I'm the real divine doctor! Chu Feng, you bastard, I'll kill you!"
I didn't even blink as they dragged him away, his pathetic threats fading into the background traffic.
[Ding! Protagonist arrested!] [Lin Tian's reputation takes a massive hit. Destiny Points -300!] [Host gains 300 Villain Points!]
Ye Tianxing painfully pulled himself to his feet, waving off my offer to help. He straightened his bloodied suit jacket with the dignity of a man who had survived a hundred assassinations.
"I won't forget this, Chu Feng. The Black Dragon Syndicate owes you a life," he said, pulling a sleek, matte-black card from his inner pocket and handing it to me. "Call that number day or night. Whatever you need in Jinghai City, it's yours."
"Take care of yourself, Old Master Ye. Get to a hospital," I replied smoothly, slipping the card into my pocket.
I didn't linger to kiss up to him. In this world, acting desperate for a mob boss's favor makes you look like a subordinate. Walking away after saving his life made me look like an equal.
I turned and walked back through the restaurant's rear exit, feeling the terrifying surge of my new Master-Level Martial Arts humming in my veins. My footsteps were completely silent. My breathing was perfectly regulated. If Lin Tian tried to fight me right now, I could probably snap his neck with two fingers.
When I stepped out the front doors of the restaurant, the cool night air hit me.
A sleek, black Maybach was idling at the curb. My driver, Old Chen, stood by the rear door. But what surprised me was the woman standing next to him, her arms crossed over her pristine white dress, her silver-blonde hair catching the streetlights.
Su Qingran.
She hadn't left.
I walked up, my face perfectly neutral. "I thought I told you to go home, Qingran."
She looked at me, her piercing blue eyes searching my face for any sign of the manic, arrogant man-child she was used to dealing with. Finding nothing but calm indifference, she frowned.
"You told me to get in the car," she corrected, her tone defensive. "You didn't say I had to leave. What happened back there? Why did it take you ten minutes to grab something from the VIP room?"
I pulled open the heavy car door and gestured for her to get in. "Just a minor pest control issue. Nothing you need to worry about."
She hesitated, then slid into the plush leather seat. I got in next to her, leaving a very deliberate, polite amount of space between us. Old Chen closed the door and slid into the driver's seat.
"The Su family estate, Chen," I ordered.
The privacy partition rolled up, sealing us in the quiet, luxurious back seat. For a few minutes, neither of us spoke. The original Chu Feng would have used this moment to creepily hit on her, beg for her affection, or brag about how much money he spent on dinner.
I just pulled out my phone and started checking the stock market, completely ignoring her.
I could feel her staring at the side of my head. The silence was clearly suffocating her.
"Chu Feng," she finally snapped, breaking the tension. "What kind of game are you playing?"
I didn't look up from my screen. "I'm checking the quarterly reports for Chu Consortium's tech division. What game are you referring to?"
"Don't play dumb," she said, her voice laced with frustration. "You've been acting entirely out of character since the waiter spilled the wine. You didn't yell. You didn't make a scene. You actually protected me. And now... you're ignoring me."
I finally locked my phone and turned to look at her. Our eyes met, and for a split second, I saw genuine uncertainty in her gaze. The untouchable Ice CEO was rattled.
"Qingran," I said softly, my voice devoid of any warmth or affection. "Earlier tonight, you told me that this engagement is just a corporate merger. You made it very clear that you will never share my bed or act like a real wife."
She swallowed hard, her posture stiffening. "I did. And I meant it."
"Good," I nodded slowly. "Because I agree."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You... what?"
"I'm done making a fool of myself chasing a woman who looks at me like I'm a disease," I said flatly, leaning back into the leather seat. "We will play the part for the cameras. We will merge our families' assets. But behind closed doors? We are business partners. Nothing more. You have your space, and I have mine. Does that sound acceptable to you?"
Su Qingran stared at me, completely speechless. This was the exact arrangement she had wanted for months. She had prayed for me to leave her alone.
So why did she look so furious?
[Ding!] [Su Qingran is experiencing severe cognitive dissonance and a sense of loss!] [Affection +10! Current Affection: 5 (Neutral/Curious).] [Host has successfully shattered the original 'Simp' persona. 200 Villain Points awarded!]
Before she could form a response, my system chimed again, flashing a blaring yellow alert across my vision.
[Plot Alert!] [The Protagonist, Lin Tian, has arrived at the Jinghai City Police Precinct.] [Due to the Heavenly Dao's interference, the officer assigned to his case is 'Xia Luo', the violent, beautiful police captain and the Protagonist's Second Destined Heroine!] [Warning: If Xia Luo interrogates Lin Tian, she will be charmed by his 'unyielding spirit' and uncover his identity as a Divine Doctor, leading to his release!]
My eyes narrowed as I read the prompt.
Lin Tian... you really are like a cockroach. Throw you in a cell, and you just happen to meet another heroine?
"Pull the car over, Old Chen," I said suddenly, tapping the glass partition.
Su Qingran looked at me, bewildered. "What? Why are we stopping?"
"Business," I said, opening the door as the Maybach pulled to the curb. I stepped out into the night, buttoning my suit jacket. "Take Miss Su home safely, Chen. I have an errand to run at the police station."