Chapter 270: Seeing Xu Linger Again
Li Zhonglou might still not know who Fan Da was, but how could Ning Lang not know?
Back in the day, Fan Da was a fierce warrior who single-handedly took down seven enemies.
As a commoner, he once beheaded a powerful figure who had dominated the scene at the time—right in the man’s own home. Not only did he escape punishment, but he also became the captain of the Eagle Special Forces.
In just five short years, he led the Eagles to soar to new heights, turning them into a special forces unit that captured the world’s attention.
Their ranking skyrocketed, putting them on par with elite units like the Green Berets and the Navy SEALs.
They became one of the strongest lines of defense protecting China.
A man like him had undoubtedly walked a path paved with thorns, never an easy road.
In his philosophy, how could one achieve greatness without enduring hardships?
Over the years, Li Zhonglou wasn’t the only person Fan Lei had taken an interest in.
But not a single one had truly been able to take his place—proof of just how brutal the process was.
As the saying goes: *When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a man, it first tests his resolve, exhausts his body, and starves his flesh.*
Fan Da had mastered this philosophy to perfection.
It would have been fine if Li Zhonglou had refused to join the military, but now that their agreement was in effect, the trials had officially begun.
---
“Zhonglou, what’s your next move?” Ning Lang asked as he got into his car, finally letting out a long sigh of relief once they left the military base.
He hadn’t said much—after all, he had no idea what methods Fan Lei would use to test Li Zhonglou.
All he could do was hope that Li Zhonglou had what it took to handle it himself.
“First, I’ll get the shop from Zeng Wang. I’ve already found someone to manage it,” Li Zhonglou replied calmly, eyes closed in thought.
This trip to the military base to meet Fan Lei hadn’t worried him.
As he’d thought earlier, if Fan Lei had wanted him dead, he would’ve been killed long ago.
Not only had he walked away unscathed, but he’d also eliminated a major threat.
With foreign assassins out of the picture, Huang’s influence had been significantly weakened—narrowing the gap between them, if only slightly.
But there was one area where Li Zhonglou couldn’t hope to compete: influence and authority.
Beating Huang in the business world was unrealistic. The man was, after all, one of the top ten wealthiest individuals globally.
Without a special opportunity or a stroke of luck, even a thousand years of hard work might not be enough for Li Zhonglou to match his wealth.
His only chance lay in antiques.
The world of antiques, by its very nature, attracted the wealthy and powerful.
Some might argue—can’t you play the antique game without money?
You can, but you’ll never get your hands on the truly valuable pieces.
It’s not just about money—it’s about choices.
For example, if a man with a million in the bank owns an unidentified artifact and someone offers him a hundred thousand for it, he can afford to refuse if he doesn’t need the money.
But a poorer person? The moment they get their hands on something valuable, before they even fully understand its worth, someone makes an offer.
Add in the temptation to show off, and the process accelerates.
An offer of just a hundred thousand might be enough to make them sell in a hurry.
As for the expertise and experience needed to appraise antiques—skills honed by handling countless genuine pieces—that goes without saying.
If Li Zhonglou wanted to quickly build a reputation capable of rivaling Huang’s, antiques were his best shortcut.
Starting from Yong’an, he would expand nationwide.
Combining physical stores with online operations, adopting a “rural areas encircling the cities” strategy to catch his opponent off guard.
Beyond dealing with Huang, Li Zhonglou had another, more important goal: protecting his loved ones.
Only by growing stronger and more influential could he turn that from an empty promise into reality.
That was why he could resolutely reject Fan Lei’s offers and recruitment—his determination was unshakable.
---
“Good. I’ll go with you now. Old Zeng can be a bit of a procrastinator—if we don’t push him, he might just forget,” Ning Lang said, his eyebrows rising with interest.
He had always been passionate about antiques, and now that Li Zhonglou was opening a shop, he stood to benefit the most.
*The moon is brightest closest to home.*
He could drop by whenever he pleased, maybe even stumble upon a bargain or two. The thought alone was thrilling.
With the biggest threats gone and his revenge fulfilled, Yong’an was entirely under his control.
He had nothing left to strive for.
It was time to retire—for real this time!
---
Zheng Rui, seeing the stark difference in the two men’s moods before and after their meeting, couldn’t help but sigh in relief.
Nearly two hours later, around 5 p.m., they arrived at the Silver Plaza CBD building.
Zeng Wang was in a meeting.
A secretary led Li Zhonglou and Ning Lang to a lounge to wait.
Ning Lang sat for a while, chatting with Li Zhonglou about antiques, before excusing himself to use the restroom.
As soon as Ning Lang left, Li Zhonglou’s gaze drifted through the glass walls into the employee workspace.
His eyes suddenly sharpened.
A familiar figure caught his attention.
It was Xu Tianyou’s younger sister, Xu Linger—the girl who had “accidentally” bumped into him during his first visit to the water gun club.
He hadn’t expected to see her working here.
As if drawn by an invisible force, the moment Li Zhonglou looked at her, Xu Linger also glanced up.
Their eyes met.
A flicker of surprise crossed her delicate features before a bright smile spread across her face. She waved at him through the glass.
Clearly, she remembered the man who had nearly been beaten up by her brother because of her.
---
“Xu Linger, this is work time. What are you doing?” A sharp, shrill voice cut through the workspace.
Xu Linger immediately retracted her hand, sticking out her tongue sheepishly as she lowered her head.
A middle-aged man in a suit, his hair slicked into a severe part, stopped beside her.
His beady eyes roamed over Xu Linger’s figure with undisguised lust.
Xu Linger was petite and delicate, standing just 1.6 meters tall—a height that made her all the more endearing.
Combined with her sweet, doll-like face, she stood out in any crowd.
After a long leer, the man sneered, “Do you know the company rules? A rookie like you, still on probation, dares to slack off? What’ll you do next, skip work entirely?”
“Whether you stay at Silver Plaza or not is entirely up to me.”
“Manager Zhao… I—I’m sorry. Please let it go this time,” Xu Linger pleaded, her face a picture of pitiful innocence.
Her expression only fueled the man’s desire.
His smirk deepened as he changed tactics. “Let it go?”
“That’s possible… but only if you understand the *rules*.”
“You know about our company’s *ice-breaking* culture, right?”
Xu Linger nodded hesitantly, then quickly shook her head.
“‘Ice-breaking’ means breaking through your own limits,” Zhao Tianci said, his tone dripping with innuendo. “If you want to stay at Silver Plaza, you’ll come with me after work.”
“I promise you won’t regret it.”
Xu Linger blinked in confusion, not quite grasping his meaning.
But she wasn’t stupid—she could tell his intentions were far from pure.
She shook her head firmly.
Zhao’s face darkened instantly. “No?”
“Then get ready to be fired. Let me make this clear—your fate is in my hands.”
“Not only will Silver Plaza never hire you again, but no mall in Yong’an will dare take you in.”
“That’s a promise from Zhao Tianci!”
The arrogance of a man long used to bullying others oozed from every word.
Tears welled up in Xu Linger’s large eyes, her face a mix of fear and helplessness.
---
“So Silver Plaza executives make a habit of threatening to assault young girls?” A voice spoke up from behind Zhao.
It was Li Zhonglou.
Though he couldn’t hear the conversation from the lounge, he had read most of it from their lips.
A young girl like Xu Linger might not fully understand, but a seasoned man like Li Zhonglou saw right through it.
This Zhao was using his position to pressure an intern into going out with him—likely as a prelude to coercion or worse.
Had it been anyone else, Li Zhonglou might have let it slide. Such things happened every day.
If a girl didn’t know how to protect herself, she’d inevitably suffer.
But Xu Linger was Liu Ping’er’s friend. Just yesterday, he’d seen Liu Ping’er and even had Wu Hao plant a file-stealing program in her phone.
Li Zhonglou wasn’t a saint. Though his intentions had been good, he still felt a twinge of guilt.
Now that he’d stumbled upon this situation, how could he not step in?
---
“Who the hell are you?”
Zhao Tianci turned to glare at Li Zhonglou, sizing him up. “You don’t look familiar. Not a Silver Plaza employee, are you?”
“Here to move goods? Pick up a delivery? Or are you just a damn food courier?”
Silver Plaza was a massive enterprise, with logistics and courier services handled on-site.
Employees from partner companies often came in casual wear to collect packages.
Nearby restaurants also sent staff to deliver meals for overtime workers.
Seeing Li Zhonglou’s unfamiliar face, Zhao immediately pegged him as one of these three types.
Li Zhonglou ignored the question, instead smiling at Xu Linger. “Linger, not all men are like your brother—protective and caring.”
“Most just want to take something from you. Some want your body, others your money.”
“You need to learn to tell the difference.”
Xu Linger’s eyes widened in understanding. She nodded obediently. “I understand, Brother Zhonglou.”
She had been present during Li Zhonglou’s conversation with Liu Ping’er.
Later, she’d heard how he’d fought off assassins at the club, saving her brother and Liu Ping’er. Though they’d only met once, she admired and respected him deeply.
---
“‘Brother’? Xu Linger, you look so innocent, but you’re just a little slut, aren’t you?” Zhao Tianci’s pupils contracted, malice dripping from his voice. “You’ve only been here a few days, and you’re already cozying up to a delivery boy? Calling him *brother*?”
He then jabbed a finger at Li Zhonglou. “And you—stupid courier—deliver your damn food and get out!”
“A high-class place like Silver Plaza isn’t for sweaty lowlifes like you to loiter in!”
“Mind your own business, or you might just get hit by a car on your way out!”
The threat in his words was unmistakable.
Zhao deliberately raised his voice, ensuring the entire office could hear.
Employees stood up, turning to watch.
Seeing Zhao’s dark expression, they exchanged knowing glances.
Someone was about to get screwed.