Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang left the memorial hall, strolled around nearby, leisurely spending time until around five or six in the evening.
In the end, neither of them bothered to call Qi Miaomiao, the third wheel, to join them. They had dinner at a small restaurant nearby.
After dinner, the two wandered through the bustling streets, buying souvenirs. They chatted and laughed along the way, just like a normal young couple.
“Brother Yun Ting, what’s wrong?”
Gu Luotang, who was strolling through the lively night market, asked curiously as she noticed the man kept looking back.
“Someone’s been sneakily following and filming us!”
Wan Yunting’s gaze narrowed as he looked back at a young man in a black trench coat standing in front of a stall, pretending to browse, but holding a camera under his right hand amidst the crowded night market street.
“Is it a reporter?”
Gu Luotang was startled and a little nervous, as she didn’t want their relationship to be confirmed.
Back in the disaster area, they were trapped in the Ling Mountain cave, and after escaping together, rumors of their scandalous affair had spread. However, these were just speculative writings by unscrupulous media outlets, not yet confirmed.
Now that they had arrived in Shaoxing City, they lived like ordinary people, and there were no news reporters interviewing them.
Since Wan Yunting’s participation in the Calligraphy Lanting Award competition was not publicly announced by Fang Guowen, people in Huadu City had no idea that Wan Yunting was participating in a calligraphy competition in Shaoxing City.
As a result, the young man behind them had been sneakily following them all afternoon, taking photos and videos of him and Luotang. Initially, Wan Yunting had assumed he was a reporter or a paparazzo, but his persistent following until now made Wan Yunting feel that something was amiss.
“I don’t know.”
Wan Yunting shook his head, then pointed to a small drink shop ahead. “Luotang, go sit there for a while. I want to see what he’s up to.”
Gu Luotang linked her arm through his and said worriedly, “Be careful then.”
Wan Yunting gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I just want to see what he’s doing. Nothing will happen. You go ahead, and I’ll come find you after I’ve dealt with this.”
“Okay…”
Gu Luotang knew her man’s capabilities, so she went to the drink shop to sit down, ordered a drink, and waited for him.
Wan Yunting turned around and saw the young man still pretending to shop at the stall. He couldn’t help but smile and walked towards him.
The young man also noticed Wan Yunting approaching him and was startled. He quickly turned around and squeezed into the crowd, trying to escape. But Wan Yunting quickened his pace, his sharp eyes fixed on the young man like a predator. Soon, his large hand rested on the young man’s right shoulder, making him tremble and swallow nervously.
Suddenly, the young man pushed aside the pedestrians in front of him and bolted.
Wan Yunting pointed a finger, and a surge of Qi struck. The young man instantly stiffened, unable to move, no matter how hard he struggled.
“What’s wrong with this guy?”
“I don’t know…”
Passersby on the street watched the young man sweat profusely, his face filled with panic, gritting his teeth and struggling. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free because Wan Yunting had used his Qi to press his acupoints. He couldn’t even open his mouth to shout for help.
“Heh heh…”
Wan Yunting walked over, placed his left hand on the young man’s shoulder, and took the camera from his right hand. Seeing the young man’s panicked and scared expression, Wan Yunting smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you. Let’s find a place to talk.”
Wan Yunting then released his acupoints, but his left hand remained firmly on the young man’s shoulder, making escape impossible. Wan Yunting forcibly led him away from the bustling street into a narrow, deserted alley. Wan Yunting pressed his acupoints again, immobilizing him but allowing him to speak.
“Wha-what did you do to me? Why can’t I move?”
The young man was extremely nervous and scared, his heart pounding. He felt that Wan Yunting in front of him was terrifying, and he didn’t know what kind of sorcery he had used to make him completely immobile.
“Don’t worry, I just pressed your acupoints. If you cooperate, I’ll release them, and you won’t be in pain.”
Wan Yunting fiddled with the camera, unfamiliar with such devices, and asked the young man, “Is this the button to turn it on?”
The young man, named A’Qi, trembling, responded with an “Mm.” Wan Yunting then turned on the camera and found the intimate photos and even a few videos of him and Gu Luotang that he had taken all afternoon. “Heh heh, you’re quite good, a professional, aren’t you?”
A’Qi looked at him nervously. “Mr. Wan, I’m a reporter from Xingdao Media Company. I was just trying to write a news story about you, nothing else. If Mr. Wan doesn’t approve, you can delete the photos and videos now, and I’ll pretend I never took them. Mr. Wan, please let me go. I really didn’t mean any harm…”
“You’re lying!”
Wan Yunting looked up, his sharp gaze directly at him, his lips curling into a cold smile.
A’Qi’s heart jolted. He felt as if Wan Yunting’s gaze could see through his very organs, making him involuntarily panic. “I… I’m not lying, I’m telling the truth…”
“Heh heh.”
Wan Yunting held up the camera and sneered. “Then tell me, how did you know I was in Shaoxing City? My participation in the calligraphy competition was not publicly announced.”
A’Qi’s eyes darted around, and he dared not meet Wan Yunting’s gaze. “I… I happened to run into you, so I just wanted to take some pictures…”
“Happened to, what a coincidence.”
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled, then his expression turned stern, and he glared at A’Qi. “If you don’t want to be sued, I suggest you tell the truth. Who sent you to follow and photograph me?”
A’Qi was instantly terrified by his sharp, sword-like gaze. His immobile body trembled violently with fear. After all, A’Qi was a paparazzi and knew Wan Yunting’s identity and abilities. If he truly pursued this, A’Qi would be in serious trouble, his face involuntarily showing nervousness and fear. Even in the cold weather, he was sweating.
“I believe you were just doing this for money, right?”
Wan Yunting observed him. Based on A’Qi’s expression and flustered demeanor, this person was definitely not sent by Sima Boyong, nor by Fang Tai or Chen Guangyang.
Therefore, it must be someone else!
A’Qi swallowed hard. He finally couldn’t hold back and nodded. “Mr. Wan, I… I was indeed just paid by someone to follow and take some photos of you. I really didn’t have any… other intentions…”
Seeing that he confessed, Wan Yunting nodded and smiled. “Tell me, who hired you?”
A’Qi nervously replied, “I don’t know his full name, only that his surname is Gao. I call him Boss Gao!”
“Surname Gao?”
Hearing the surname, Wan Yunting raised an eyebrow, wondering who it could be. He didn’t seem to have any grudges with anyone named Gao recently.
Could it be the Gao family from Shenzhen?
That’s impossible. The Gao family in Shenzhen had collapsed due to the Gao Zhe incident.
Moreover, in that incident, Gao Zhe was apprehended by the police for drug trafficking. Even if Wan Yunting personally arrested him, leading to his death by gunfire, the other members of the Gao family shouldn’t blame him.
Therefore, Wan Yunting was certain that the person named Gao mentioned by A’Qi was definitely not from the Gao family in Shenzhen!
“Oh, right…”
A’Qi immediately added, “He’s also staying at the Shimao Hotel. He arranged to meet me and even told me the floor and room number where you’re staying. He told me to take photos and videos of you together, and he’d give me five thousand yuan for it!”
“Oh, staying at the same hotel as me?”
Wan Yunting narrowed his eyes. This information narrowed down the scope, but he still didn’t know who the person named Gao was.
Looking at A’Qi, Wan Yunting didn’t make things difficult for him and released his acupoints. A’Qi finally relaxed, feeling relieved that he could move, and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Mr. Wan, you… what did you do to me earlier that made me completely unable to move?”
Wan Yunting smiled. “Do you know about acupoint striking? It’s like in those ancient TV dramas where they press acupoints. Well, enough about that. How much did this camera cost?”
A’Qi was suddenly confused by the question. He reacted and said, “It cost eighteen thousand yuan…”
“Alright, I’ll buy the camera. Take out your phone, and I’ll transfer the money.”
Wan Yunting directly took out his phone. A’Qi was stunned and quickly said, “No, Mr. Wan, this camera has other data. Could you possibly…”
“No!”
Wan Yunting glared at him with sharp eyes, scaring A’Qi into silence. He could only obediently take out his phone and open his QR code for receiving payments. Wan Yunting scanned it and transferred the money.
“Thirty thousand…”
A’Qi was shocked when he saw the transfer amount.
Wan Yunting put away his phone, took the camera, and walked out. “The extra money is for your data. Also, I advise you to go into hiding for a couple of days and return after the Calligraphy Lanting Award competition is over.”
A’Qi, who had recovered, nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Mr. Wan…”