By the time the banquet guests had all departed, Qiu Yuelian found herself in a state of panic.
Suddenly, she spotted one person remaining in the hall – Wang Sheng, the same man from earlier.
"Wang Sheng, you haven't left yet. Perfect, save me! Someone's trying to take advantage of me!"
"What?"
Wang Sheng immediately pressed the alarm, pulled Qiu Yuelian into his arms, and draped his suit jacket over her.
"Go quickly!"
The man soon pursued them. He attempted to attack Wang Sheng and recapture Qiu Yuelian. To his surprise, Wang Sheng's skills were far beyond ordinary. With a swing of his strong, muscular arm, the man was sent sprawling again, blood gushing from his nose.
The two quickly engaged in a fight. The man, realizing Wang Sheng was no easy opponent, shed his flippant demeanor.
"How dare you bully Miss Qiu! You must be tired of living!"
Seeing Wang Sheng present, hearing the incessant alarms, and the approaching footsteps of security guards, the man, filled with unwilling frustration, kicked a nearby stool and fled in the opposite direction.
"Miss Qiu, are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Thank you, Wang Sheng. If it weren't for you, that guy would have certainly caught me."
Qiu Yuelian was still shaken by the thought of what might have happened.
The Qiu family soon learned of the incident. Qiu Wenlong and Qiu Yuanhang were enraged.
"What? Who has such audacity to treat our young lady like that?"
"Have you found out who it was?"
The head bodyguard bowed his head and replied, "Master, we couldn't apprehend him. He escaped the country."
"Abroad?"
"What's going on here?"
"That man is from a foreign country. He's very cunning and exploited legal loopholes. Not only can we not act against him now, but we also have to guard against the video he possesses..."
The bodyguard trailed off, unable to continue. Qiu Yuanhang slammed his fist on the table, exclaiming, "What a curse! What a curse indeed!"
"Look at the daughter you've raised!"
Qiu Yuelian couldn't bring herself to face anyone. She was now not only worried about the video leaking but also about the man possessing evidence that she had caused the death of her uncle's only son, Qiu Yunfeng. If he were to send it to her uncle, not only would her uncle kill her, but perhaps even her father and grandfather couldn't save her.
"It wasn't intentional, I... No, I need to find a way."
None of her friends were reliable; they were all fair-weather companions. Furthermore, she couldn't expose her vulnerabilities to them. Suddenly, she thought of someone: Wang Sheng. He wasn't from a prominent family, just someone with a bit of money, a nouveau riche. Such people were easy to handle and placate. And he seemed quite attentive to her.
Qiu Yuelian dialed his number.
"Wang Sheng, can you meet me?"
At this moment, Zhou Xuan, looking at the information in Wang Sheng's hand, smiled slightly.
"Very good, the fish has taken the bait. Reel it in."
Wang Sheng lowered his head and replied, "Miss Qiu, please don't be so formal. If you consider me a friend, just give me your orders directly. Wang Sheng is willing to serve you."
After speaking, he stood beside Zhou Xuan, awaiting Qiu Yuelian's instructions.
Qiu Yuelian thought for a moment before replying, "Alright! Tomorrow night, at the Royal Hotel, seaside, private room 802. We'll contact each other then."
Wang Sheng was elated upon hearing her agreement. Zhou Xuan patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Well done!"
Wang Sheng chuckled and scratched his head. He then left the monitoring room and departed from Zhou Xuan's office. Zhou Xuan returned to his chair and continued reviewing the materials Wang Sheng had just provided.
It was a detailed report on all the rooms at the Royal Hotel. This establishment was a top-tier luxury hotel globally, hosting banquets regularly. It was rumored that very influential individuals resided there, with some whispers even suggesting the presence of a mysterious figure. Tonight, a banquet was being held in room 8888.
Zhou Xuan studied the document, contemplating how to meet this particular guest.
Room 8888.
Zhou Xuan arrived in front of room 8888. Two bodyguards stood at the entrance, dressed in black suits, their expressions impassive and demeanor stern.
"Excuse me, do you have an invitation?" one of the bodyguards approached Zhou Xuan to inquire.
Zhou Xuan nodded and asked, "Can I not enter without one?"
"This is a private gathering. The entire floor has been booked. You cannot enter without an invitation."
Zhou Xuan felt helpless. He had to leave for now.
...
The following evening, around seven o'clock, Zhou Xuan prepared a vehicle and, with a few companions, headed towards the seaside. Wang Sheng followed Zhou Xuan, arriving at the seaside a little before eight. He rushed to a seaside coffee shop.
His eyes immediately fell upon Qiu Yuelian, seated by the window. She was wearing a beige dress, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, and a pair of sunglasses adorned her fair, delicate face.
"Miss Qiu, you are truly beautiful! Tonight's moonlight doesn't compare to your radiance."
Wang Sheng said with a sincere expression and strode towards Qiu Yuelian.
"Don't be in such a hurry! I haven't said I wouldn't wait for you."
Qiu Yuelian slightly raised her arm and pointed to a coffee cup on the table. "Have a cup of tea first, then I'll talk to you."
Wang Sheng nodded, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then set it down.
"How could I be impatient with a beauty's request? If I were late, wouldn't that be a betrayal of Miss Qiu's regard for me?"
"You haven't eaten yet, do you want something to eat?" Qiu Yuelian asked again.
Wang Sheng shook his head. "I'd rather help Miss Qiu solve her problem first. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to eat."
Having been showered with adoration, this kind of devoted, attentive behavior quickly elicited a smile from Qiu Yuelian.
"You're something else. Actually, it's nothing much. It's just that the man from last time has reportedly fled back to the country, and he has evidence against me. It's a video of me showering."
Wang Sheng feigned outrage, slapping the chair. "What? It was too good of him that we didn't beat him to death last time!"
"That's not all. He's threatening me with the video, demanding a million per month, or he'll make it impossible for me to stay in the country."
"Scum!!!"
"Miss Qiu, what do we do now?"
Qiu Yuelian put on a pitiful face. "Wang Sheng, I know this is an unreasonable request, but you're the only friend I can trust. If others found out, they'd either laugh at me or be eager for this video to be released. Money is one thing, but I can't let my father and the others lose face. Wang Sheng, *sob sob*... What should I do?"
Qiu Yuelian, overcome with tears, leaned towards Wang Sheng.
"Damn it, Boss, why didn't you find me for this good deed? Wang Sheng gets to benefit." Baili Lie watched Wang Sheng on the monitor, filled with envy.
Zhou Xuan delivered a light tap to his head. "This is a man-eating flower. If you like, you can go. It's not too late."
"Alas, forget it. Qiu Yuelian can tell at a glance that I'm your person. She won't fall for it."