In the past, during New Year's and Lantern Festival celebrations in the south, the four beautiful Su sisters would usually watch lion dances and the like.
But the north was different. Besides lion and dragon dances, there were also stilt walkers.
Ordinary stilts were only about sixty centimeters to one meter high.
Exceptional stilts were said to reach up to five meters!
The stilt troupe performing in this small square tonight didn't have the tallest stilts, but they were certainly not short, standing at about one and a half meters.
The key was that the event organizers would lay out a carpet on the ground.
If any of the onlookers felt the stilt troupe's performance was spectacular, they could place banknotes or good cigarettes on the carpet.
For the stilt performers to receive these rewards, they had to have real skill.
They had to kneel on the carpet while on stilts, pick up the reward, and then do a somersault to stand up.
The four Su sisters, having rarely seen such an event, were quite interested and squeezed into the innermost part of the crowd.
Except for the Empress, who was more mature, steady, and reserved, the other three "caterpillars" among them kept throwing money onto the carpet.
After all, they were rich—
A clown among the stilt performers was the most adept at picking up money.
Each time he did a somersault to lighten the load of rewards, he would cup his fists, jump in place, and bow to the four Su sisters in thanks (and to encourage more rewards).
Even though they were throwing money away, they could still gain considerable attention from the crowd, especially by bringing good fortune.
The Su family's "caterpillars" transformed into bringers of wealth tonight.
Du Yaoyao, in particular, didn't even bat an eye while tossing money.
At most, she would think to herself, "I've just thrown away another hundred yuan. But I mustn't forget to ask Qianfan to reimburse me later."
"Mom, you should give them some reward money too. You're a billionaire with a net worth of tens of billions, and you're just watching without giving a cent. Honestly, I'm embarrassed for you."
Du Yaoyao, after blooming like a flower, was becoming more and more like an innocent young girl in front of her family.
Su Nanyin really liked this change in her.
This was how a girl her age should be.
"Alright, since my pocket money comes from winning it from you all, I don't feel bad spending it."
Su Nanyin, saying something that would surely sting Yaoyao's heart, took out a few banknotes, walked to the carpet in the open space, and bent down to place the money.
Though she was giving rewards, Su Nanyin didn't just toss the banknotes like trash, as some people did.
She placed them.
This was a sign of respect for the stilt performers.
Whoosh—
Seeing a stunningly beautiful young woman placing money in such a manner, many onlookers instinctively applauded, praising her for her good manners.
Su Nanyin, however, didn't think there was anything to praise.
She simply smiled and was about to raise her head when she suddenly heard Yaoyao's startled shout from behind her, "Mom, get out of the way quickly!"
What happened?
Although Su Nanyin didn't have martial arts training, her reaction speed was incredibly fast. She immediately tilted her head and sidestepped.
Whoosh—
The clown, who had cupped his fists to thank her for the "lady's reward," his feet on the one-and-a-half-meter stilts, zipped past Su Nanyin's ear, leaving a blur.
Su Nanyin's peripheral vision even caught a glint of cold light in the afterimage!
"The clown had blades attached to the bottom of his stilts."
"These must be people from the dark web!"
"They are using this opportunity to assassinate me."
In a flash, Su Nanyin deduced all of this.
Almost simultaneously, she clearly felt a sharp pain from below her left shoulder blade.
After hearing Yaoyao's startled warning, Su Nanyin's evasive maneuver was quick, but the clown who had launched a surprise attack on her was even faster!
If Su Nanyin's dodge had been even a tenth of a second slower, the blade under the right stilt of the clown would have easily pierced her heart, killing her on the spot.
After failing to assassinate her with one leg, the clown, without waiting for his right stilt to land, lunged towards Su Nanyin's throat like a venomous snake, swiping horizontally.
But—
How could Du Junlin, who had warned her first, allow him another chance to assassinate Su Nanyin!?
Bang!
Du Junlin, who lunged forward like lightning, raised his leg and blocked the clown's stilt.
The instant her left foot collided fiercely with the clown's tall stilt, Shen Yun, with a speed that no one noticed, had already rushed behind Su Nanyin, scooped her up by the waist, and turned to leave.
She felt both anger and regret in her heart.
She was angry that she hadn't even imagined someone would dare to assassinate her mother in broad daylight.
Shen Yun regretted that—
If Du Junlin hadn't "timely" lunged forward and blocked her angle, the phone in Shen Yun's right hand would have shattered the clown's throat with a speed faster than lightning!!
There would have been no chance for the clown to kick back again.
As Shen Yun scooped up Su Nanyin, she yelled at Su Zui in a low voice, "Maomao, hurry! Go find Qianfan outside!"
Su Nanyin and Su Zui both needed protection.
Especially Su Zui, who was heavily pregnant, already had difficulty moving, and was powerless.
Most crucially, there were people everywhere!
Shen Yun couldn't be sure if there were any assassins hiding among the crowd.
She could only ensure Su Nanyin's safety while telling Su Zui to quickly push through the crowd and find Li Qianfan.
Although Su Zui was pregnant, her reaction was not slow at all.
She understood clearly that this was not the time to worry about her mother's injuries; her own safety came first.
Amidst the screams of many around them, Su Zui turned to push her way out of the now chaotic crowd, only to bump into someone's arms.
"Oh no! This one is also an assassin!"
As Su Zui's waist was embraced by this person, her heart trembled violently.
She instinctively wanted to struggle—
But then she heard Li Qianfan's voice, "Don't be afraid, it's me!"
Su Zui's wavering heart instantly calmed down.
Bang.
Ah!
Li Qianfan, who had arrived just in time and shielded Su Zui in his arms, heard a dull thud and a scream.
It was Du Junlin, who had landed a punch on the clown's left ribs.
With all her might!!
Du Junlin's punch directly broke several of the clown's left ribs.
Unable to withstand the heavy blow, the clown screamed and was sent flying backward.
After successfully striking, Du Junlin did not pursue.
The most important thing at this moment—
Was to ensure the absolute safety of Su Nanyin, Su Zui, and Shen Yun!
Du Junlin quickly retreated.
Seeing Li Qianfan arrive in time to protect Su Zui, Du Junlin breathed a sigh of relief.
The sudden incident—
Threw the thousands of onlookers into chaos, with everyone pushing and shoving, trying to evacuate the area urgently.
This was the perfect opportunity for assassins to strike at the three Su beauties (excluding Du Junlin) amidst the confusion.
Li Qianfan, of course, wasn't foolish enough to chase after the clown who, enduring the severe pain, was already climbing to his feet and fleeing on his stilts.
After Du Junlin's timely defensive maneuver, he simply pushed Su Zui back into her arms.
Du Junlin protected Su Zui.
Li Qianfan protected the injured Su Nanyin and Shen Yun, who everyone assumed was defenseless.
"Give her to me! Chongchong, get behind me."
With a low shout from Li Qianfan, he took Su Nanyin from Shen Yun's embrace and held her horizontally in his arms.
At the same time.
Du Junlin quickly positioned herself with her back to Su Zui, and together with Li Qianfan, they shielded Su Zui and Shen Yun behind them.
"Qianfan, you cover the rear, I'll go ahead! Maomao and Chongchong, in the middle! We'll retreat with the crowd to avoid potential gunfire from assassins."
Du Junlin's combat experience was considerable. Speaking in a low voice, she grabbed Shen Zui's hand and quickly walked towards the road with the chaotic crowd.
Su Zui and Shen Yun held hands, following closely behind.
Li Qianfan, with Su Nanyin held horizontally in his arms and his back to them, retreated rapidly, his head constantly scanning back and forth, his gaze icy.
On the third floor of a building north of the plaza.
A tall, slender figure stood behind an unlit window, holding binoculars, his gaze fixed on Li Qianfan and the others retreating with the crowd.
Several special agents responsible for maintaining现场 security sounded their sirens.
Sigh.
The shadowy figure sighed, picked up his phone, and said in a low voice, "Assassination mission canceled. Everyone withdraw from the scene immediately, no lingering. Also, send people to the nearest hospitals to pose as doctors. Eliminate Su Nanyin while treating her wounds."
Without waiting for a response from the other end of the line, the shadowy figure ended the call and disappeared from the window.
Du Junlin in the front, Li Qianfan covering the rear.
The five of them quickly reached the road, crossed it, and then went over the green belt.
There was no one here.
The streetlights were bright.
If any assassins appeared, Li Qianfan and Du Junlin could divide their roles; one to apprehend the assassin, the other to protect Su Nanyin and the other two.
No suspicious individuals appeared.
"How is Mom's injury?"
Su Zui asked with concern.
Li Qianfan looked down.
Su Nanyin, held horizontally in his arms, had closed her eyes.
Her face, illuminated by the streetlight, was as pale as paper.
Blood had seeped from her left shoulder, staining a large portion of her clothes.
At this moment.
Li Qianfan could no longer afford to think of anything else. He bent down and laid Su Nanyin across his knees. "Yaoyao, be on guard."
"Okay. Hurry and bandage Mom's wound,"
Du Junlin replied loudly, while Shen Yun had already unbuttoned Su Nanyin's collar.