Chapter 28: There Is an Assassin

“Come on, this is called having a unique style,” Lin Fan said as he stuffed another fish ball into Zhao Ying’s mouth. Zhao Ying made a token protest but still swallowed it.

“It’s so spicy! Boss, two more bottles of beer!” Lin Fan carelessly brushed his bangs aside, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and called out.

“You brought this on yourself, serves you right for being such a glutton,” Zhao Ying scolded, then happened to look up and notice a faint scar on Lin Fan’s forehead. She was increasingly convinced that Lin Fan wasn’t an ordinary person. She hadn’t even called the chief today, yet someone higher up had phoned on Lin Fan’s behalf. Clearly, he was far from simple. If Zhao Ying knew that the caller had been her own father, who knows what expression she would have made.

Lin Fan just chuckled and didn’t bother to argue with her. He poured himself a glass of beer and downed it in one gulp, instantly feeling refreshed.

“Ying’er, what brings you to a place like this for dinner?” As Zhao Ying was quietly savoring her hotpot, a man’s voice cut through.

“I told you to call me Zhao Ying. What’s so strange about being here? You’re here too, aren’t you?” Zhao Ying didn’t even look up as she replied. She had no patience for that grating voice—it could only be Wei Liang.

“I just happened to be passing by…” Wei Liang only got half his sentence out before Lin Fan looked up at him, startling him. He’d been so focused on Zhao Ying that he hadn’t even noticed Lin Fan was there. According to Wei Liang’s calculations, Lin Fan should have been sitting in a cell right now. How could he suddenly appear here? That’s why he’d approached Zhao Ying with such brazenness.

“Well, if it isn’t Young Master Wei! Seems our paths are destined to cross,” Lin Fan said, wiping his mouth, a cold smile playing at his lips as he stood up.

Wei Liang, suddenly confronted by Lin Fan, instinctively covered his nose, terrified Lin Fan might take a swing at him. He was caught—he couldn’t leave without looking cowardly in front of Zhao Ying, but if he stayed, he was bound to suffer for it. As he hesitated, an idea occurred to him. “Zhao Ying, there’s an auction at Zhentian Group in a few days. I’d like to invite you—and Mr. Lin as well,” Wei Liang said, glancing nervously at Lin Fan.

Since breaking up with Wei Liang, Zhao Ying had done some digging into his background and discovered a mountain of unsavory problems—a hypocrite through and through. She’d even once felt something for him, but at this point she couldn’t even bring herself to look at him. Her disappointment was palpable. “No need. I have a lot to deal with next week,” she replied coldly.

Lin Fan saw right through Wei Liang’s attempt to distract him and defuse the situation. Seeing Zhao Ying reject the invitation, Lin Fan smiled slightly, moved to her side, and naturally slipped his arm around her slender waist. “Ying’er, since Mr. Wei is so sincere, it wouldn’t be polite to refuse. Let’s go together—I’ve never been to an auction before.” Zhao Ying seemed used to Lin Fan’s hand around her waist by now. It was summer, and her clothing was light; though his hand touched her through fabric, the sensation still gave her a strange feeling, as if for a moment she truly saw Lin Fan as her boyfriend.

She was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Lin Fan to accept Wei Liang’s invitation. But noticing the sly smile at the corner of Lin Fan’s lips, she realized this scoundrel must be up to something again. She rolled her eyes at him. “Whatever you say, I’ll listen to you.”

Catching the affectionate look in Zhao Ying’s eyes, Lin Fan’s heart skipped a beat. It didn’t seem like she was pretending. “Could she really be falling for me?” he wondered.

Lin Fan’s acceptance took Wei Liang by surprise. He’d only wanted to make conversation and then slip away at the first opportunity, but now Lin Fan had agreed, which made Wei Liang feel elated. In his mind, Lin Fan must have been bailed out of the police station by Zhao Ying’s father. And now, bringing Zhao Ying to such a shabby place for dinner only proved he was broke. At the auction, Wei Liang planned to humiliate him with sheer wealth, to show Zhao Ying who her real Prince Charming was.

Imagining Lin Fan’s impending embarrassment and Zhao Ying falling into his arms, Wei Liang wore a smug expression. Noticing Lin Fan and Zhao Ying staring at him, he quickly straightened his face. “Zhao Ying, I’ll be going now. I’ll call you with the details,” he said, then turned and left—he didn’t dare linger a second longer. If Lin Fan lost his temper, his nose would be the first casualty. He’d deliver his blow at the auction, where money would do all the talking.

“Take your hand off me now,” Zhao Ying said. Though Lin Fan’s little liberties always gave her a strange feeling, a woman’s heart is an ocean of secrets—men can never truly fathom it.

“Can’t you be reasonable? I’m your boyfriend, after all. Besides, renting one costs several hundred a day. I’m not charging you a penny—it’d be a shame not to get some benefit out of this,” Lin Fan pouted, feigning injury.

Zhao Ying shot him a glare. “There’s no shortage of men chasing after me—I don’t need a thug like you.”

“If I’m a thug, I’ll only ever be your thug,” Lin Fan laughed.

Suddenly, a sense of murderous intent washed over him. He frowned, scanning the crowd behind him, but saw nothing unusual. Could he be mistaken? But the killing intent was so strong—he couldn’t possibly have imagined it. The only explanation was that the person had instantly concealed it.

Seeing Lin Fan’s face suddenly grow grave, Zhao Ying felt an inexplicable foreboding. “What’s wrong?” she asked anxiously.

“Nothing, nothing!” Lin Fan forced a laugh, but his mind was racing. Who was the one radiating that murderous intent just now? Was he the target, or was it Zhao Ying? “I’m going to the restroom. You keep eating,” he said lightly.

Zhao Ying eyed him suspiciously, clearly not believing his reassurance.

Before she could say anything, Lin Fan had already left. On his way to the restroom, his ears were pricked, keenly listening for any unusual sounds behind him. His senses were on high alert, searching every corner inch by inch. Though he no longer sensed the killing intent, he still felt a pair of eyes fixed on his back. That only confirmed his suspicion that he, not Zhao Ying, was the target. After all, Zhao Ying was just a low-ranking officer, but he was another matter entirely. Regardless of who the real target was, he knew he had to separate from Zhao Ying first.