Chapter 72 of 100
Chapter 72
10 min read2,598 words
As night fell and the city lights began to twinkle, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, escorted by two Audi Q7s, slowly drove into the wealthy Ziyuan neighborhood, heading towards Villa No. 18 along the road.
A middle-aged man sat in the back of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, holding a pipe and gently smoking it.
Bathed in the light from the neon signs that shone into the car, one could see that the man was wearing a traditional Chinese tunic, with broad shoulders that made him look very robust. His face, a standard square shape, was chiseled like it had been carved, with sharp features and thick, dense eyebrows, somewhat resembling Guan Yu from the Three Kingdoms.
Due to years of boxing, his knuckles were mostly worn down, but... his hands were not as smooth as Ye Fan's; instead, they had many calluses and dead skin from hitting the wooden桩s.
In the quiet car, the man seemed to be dealing with a difficult issue, his brows slightly furrowed and his gaze flickering.
"Xiao Si, do you think Nan Qinghong will use Ruo Shui's participation in the game competition in Hanghu to make trouble?"
As the Rolls-Royce Phantom was about to arrive at Villa No. 18, the middle-aged man came to his senses, gently tapped the ash from his pipe, and asked the driver.
"Brother Chen, I think he will."
The driver, nicknamed Xiao Si, glanced at the middle-aged man through the rearview mirror and sighed inwardly when he saw the man's hesitant expression.
He sighed because he knew that there was only one person in the world who could make the man behind him so conflicted—Situ Ruo Shui!
This was the kind of conflict a father would have when worrying about his daughter!
"Then you must go with Ruo Shui to Hanghu and ensure her safety!" The car stopped, and Situ Chen made his decision.
Xiao Si hesitated for a moment and shook his head. "Brother Chen, if I go, your safety won't be guaranteed. I suggest not letting Miss go to Hanghu."
"Ah."
Situ Chen sighed helplessly. "Ruo Shui has only one hobby—gaming. If I were to take that away from her, I couldn't bear it."
"Brother Chen, if that's the case, let Hao Tian take a team to accompany Ruo Shui. Hao Tian is always cautious, and with the support of the Tian Army, it should be safe." Xiao Si hesitated for a moment before suggesting.
Situ Chen frowned and looked at Xiao Si.
Xiao Si sighed. "Brother Chen, I'm afraid Lin Tianyi might use a feint to lure us away and then strike at you."
"Ruo Shui's mother left me, and I can't just stand by and watch her in danger!" Situ Chen's voice was low, and he involuntarily clenched his fists.
Xiao Si pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Chen, let Hao Tian take Xiao Jiu and a few more capable hands, plus the support of the Tian Army. Unless Lin Tianyi sends a postnatal grandmaster, there should be no danger. And... you know, postnatal grandmasters are respected figures in the martial world and would never stoop to kidnapping!"
"That's true, but Lin Tianyi has always been ruthless and unscrupulous. I'm afraid he might not care about his reputation!" Situ Chen was still uneasy, unwilling to see a tragedy repeat itself.
"If he really does that, you can protect Ruo Shui for a while, but not forever!" Xiao Si pointed out bluntly.
Situ Chen's body trembled slightly, and he was speechless.
As the godfather of the black underworld in the Yangtze River Delta, although he had many capable subordinates, only Xiao Si had reached the postnatal grandmaster level.
Thus, if Lin Tianyi, the leader of Nan Qinghong, insisted on sending a postnatal grandmaster to target Situ Ruo Shui, he would have no way to prevent it.
After a long silence, Situ Chen finally agreed to Xiao Si's suggestion, deciding to let his adopted son, Situ Hao Tian, take a team to protect Situ Ruo Shui as she went to Hanghu for the national e-sports competition.
Making the decision, Situ Chen felt much lighter. He adjusted his emotions, got out of the car, and walked towards the main building of the villa.
"Mr. Situ."
In the dining room, Aunt Yang was clearing the table. Seeing Situ Chen return, she greeted him.
"Where's Ruo Shui?"
"Miss went upstairs after dinner." Aunt Yang hesitated for a moment and added, "Mr. Situ, Miss is in a bad mood tonight."
"Oh?" Situ Chen was taken aback. "What happened?"
"During dinner, Miss said she wanted to go to Lingyin Temple to make a wish..." Aunt Yang didn't finish her sentence, but she believed Situ Chen would understand her meaning—Situ Ruo Shui's mother used to go there every year to make and fulfill wishes while she was alive.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Situ Chen's brows furrowed, and he hurried upstairs.
Soon, Situ Chen arrived at the door of Situ Ruo Shui's room on the second floor. Through the gap in the door, he clearly saw Situ Ruo Shui hugging a doll, leaning against the headboard, lost in thought.
Under the light, her usually cheerful and cute face was now filled with a heart-wrenching sadness.
Seeing this, Situ Chen felt a pang of pain in his heart. After a moment, he adjusted his emotions, gently knocked on the door, and pushed it open without waiting for a response.
"Dad."
Situ Ruo Shui looked at the door blankly. Seeing it was Situ Chen, she was somewhat surprised, as if she hadn't expected him to return.
Noticing this, Situ Chen was instantly filled with self-reproach—his special status made his life much harder than an ordinary person's, with endless matters to handle every day, so he had spent very little time with Situ Ruo Shui over the years... very little...
"Didn't you play games today?" Situ Chen forced down his guilt and asked with a forced smile.
Situ Ruo Shui replied obediently, "I have to go to Hanghu early tomorrow for the competition, so I need to go to bed early tonight."
"That's right. Rest well so you can perform at your best tomorrow." Situ Chen walked to the bed, sat down, and gently pinched Situ Ruo Shui's nose. "Do you have confidence in winning the championship?"
"Dad, you're underestimating me. Our Barbie team is the best!" Situ Ruo Shui pouted, looking proud.
"Look at you, so full of yourself." Situ Chen laughed, then hesitated before asking, "I heard from Aunt Yang that you want to go to Lingyin Temple to make a wish?"
"Uh-huh."
Situ Ruo Shui nodded lightly, and the joy on her face gradually faded.
"Why do you want to go to Lingyin Temple to make a wish?" Situ Chen asked, his tone tinged with worry.
He was worried because if Situ Ruo Shui was only participating in the e-sports competition, it would be hard for Nan Qinghong to cause trouble. But if she went to Lingyin Temple, it would be different—Lingyin, located on the west side of West Lake, was sparsely populated and could easily be ambushed by Nan Qinghong.
"Mom said that making a wish at Lingyin Temple is the most effective." Situ Ruo Shui lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers, speaking softly.
"Is that so..."
Situ Chen's heart ached. After some deliberation, he said, "Ruo Shui, how about this: don't go to Lingyin Temple this time. Let's go together during the National Day holiday, okay?"
"No." Situ Ruo Shui shook her head.
"Why not?"
"I haven't dreamed of Mom in a long time. I want to make a wish for the Buddha to help me dream of her soon." Situ Ruo Shui's body trembled slightly, and her voice was tinged with sobs.
Situ Chen opened his mouth but couldn't say a word. He just reached out and pulled Situ Ruo Shui into his arms.
"I miss Mom, so much."
Situ Ruo Shui leaned against Situ Chen's chest, tears streaming down her face.
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