Wronged Husband at the Door, Threats

"That's what he said," Li Ming explained cautiously.

He had actually wanted to pocket the money, but the dorms were cleared out at night, so he had to leave eventually.

After thinking it over, he decided to honestly pass along the message.

They would have to meet sooner or later. Realizing this, Su Chen could not help feeling troubled.

This guy harbored ill intentions, and who knew what kind of game he and Jiang He were playing.

But just as he had expected, Qi Chuan had clearly taken him as the point of breakthrough, while Jiang He was fully aware that he was being used as bait.

"I understand. Go tell him I'll come down in a while." Su Chen nodded.

Li Ming looked as though he had been granted amnesty and turned to leave.

"Wait..."

His steps froze. He really wanted to ignore him and hurry downstairs, but after weighing it up for a moment, he reluctantly turned back.

"This is for you." Su Chen flicked out a gold coin. Li Ming hurriedly caught it, looking somewhat surprised.

"Thanks..." He forced out the two words before heading downstairs.

After thinking for a moment, Su Chen simply returned to his room to continue improving the Candlefire Mental Training Method.

Since they had to meet eventually, they might as well meet later. He would deal with it tomorrow. He was not hungry anyway.

Time passed, and Southwind City's artificial lights gradually shifted to a soft earthy yellow.

Downstairs from the dormitory, Jiang He's wronged husband lifted his head with a cold expression, staring at a certain floor.

Early the next morning, Su Chen woke leisurely and stretched. From yesterday afternoon until night, he had trained both his body and mind, leaving himself utterly exhausted, so he had slept deeply.

This place was relatively safe. Southwind Academy's principal was the city lord. The last time he had heard of a student dying within the academy was three years ago. The city lord had personally sent people to investigate three times, implicating nearly a hundred people before finally letting the matter rest.

The progress on the panel was obvious.

[Strongman: 3%]
[Candlefire Mental Training Method—Proficient: 15%]

He had already broken through his limits three times, and the requirement for [Scholar] had been reduced by another three months.

The reduction was not fixed each time. Once, it had directly dropped by two months. The speed was far faster than he had imagined.

This visible progress meant that every bit of effort brought tangible gains, filling him with motivation.

"Still, I really have to go out now."

After washing up, Su Chen rubbed his stomach and muttered to himself, "He couldn't have waited downstairs all night, could he..."

The moment Su Chen walked out of the dormitory building, he sensed a gaze settle on him. Following it, he saw a figure standing beneath a thick yellow maple tree across from him.

He wore a custom-tailored blackish-brown suit, immaculate in every detail. He was indeed handsome, with well-defined features and a pair of captivating blue eyes.

He really waited all night. Su Chen sighed inwardly.

Their gazes met. Qi Chuan stared quietly at Su Chen. Sure enough, he had a fine face. No wonder he had caught his wife's eye.

This brat had been intimate with Jiang He in his own home. By all rights, he should have known what he looked like. Qi Chuan tried to find panic and unease on Su Chen's face, but found only calm.

When a lover was caught by the husband, he should at least look guilty. Recalling yesterday's humiliation, Qi Chuan's mood worsened further.

Though he was thinking this, he made no move, merely standing where he was and waiting for Su Chen to come over, keeping the initiative in his own hands.

Then Qi Chuan's face darkened when he saw Su Chen turn around, seemingly intending to go back inside. Left with no choice, he called out sharply, "Su Chen!"

Quite a few passing students cast strange looks their way, but none paid much attention.

Annoyed, Qi Chuan walked behind Su Chen and decided to strike first. "You dare do it but not admit it?"

Su Chen turned around slowly. "You are?"

"Stop pretending. I'm Jiang He's husband!" Qi Chuan lowered his voice slightly as the dormitory guards watched the two of them suspiciously.

"So you're one of the same ilk. My respects." Su Chen looked enlightened.

Qi Chuan paused, then sneered. "You're rather fearless. Do you think Jiang He will protect you?"

"No, I just saw that a senior like you was refined and courteous. You surely aren't the sort of person with no manners," Su Chen explained.

Qi Chuan frowned slightly. This guy's reaction was beyond his expectations, making the many lines he had prepared difficult to use. Still, he said coldly, "Why did you toy with me yesterday?"

"I didn't. Didn't I come down? The gap was just a little long, that's all." Su Chen asked in confusion.

Qi Chuan stalled. Too lazy to keep bickering, he said in a chilling tone, "Kid, don't think you can rest easy. Aren't you curious why your time to leave the city changed from three months to half a month?"

"Wasn't it half a month from the start?" Su Chen looked utterly bewildered.

Qi Chuan choked on his breath. The brat before him did not seem like some lowborn drifter who had never seen the world. He had thought the identity of Jiang He's husband would leave him flustered and at a loss.

Instead, threats and intimidation landed like blows on cotton, stirring up a nameless rage within him.

"No, brother, what exactly do you mean? Don't important people like you all play your own games? Don't you have a lover too?" Su Chen feigned confusion. "You're really flying into a rage just because I slept with your wife once?"

Qi Chuan's eyes flickered. This brat was smarter than he had expected. He would have to change tactics.

The sinister look vanished from his face, replaced by calm. He led Su Chen to a corner and lowered his voice. "You're a smart person, so I'll be direct. I want to know what exactly happened that night."

"That night?" Su Chen looked startled. He sized Qi Chuan up and down, seeming to want to speak but stopping himself.

Qi Chuan's gaze deepened. Su Chen's reaction did not escape his notice. This brat really did know.

"You important people really are hard to understand..." Su Chen fidgeted awkwardly, looking troubled. With a sigh, he said, "Fine. You are Jiang He's husband, after all. I can understand..."

"That night, I went to see her... she took off my clothes... red wine ran across... her cheeks were flushed... I said... she said... her voice was so... we had a wonderful time..."

At first, Qi Chuan listened intently, but his expression gradually turned ugly. He roared, "Enough!"

His eyes were dark and menacing, blazing flames nearly bursting forth from them. Though he had ulterior motives, how could he possibly remain truly calm while hearing such a vivid account of his own wife's affair?

Eyes that can shoot fire? What kind of profession is that? Su Chen thought instinctively.

"Why are you angry? You asked me to tell you. I thought Jiang He was joking when she said you had unusual tastes." Su Chen backed away repeatedly, looking completely baffled. "I didn't want to talk about it in the first place. I don't have any unusual tastes."

Unusual tastes? Qi Chuan's expression shifted. He understood what kind of taste the other party meant, and red lines appeared across his cheeks.

No... He took a deep breath and suppressed his anger again. The strange changes on his body gradually faded, and he tried his best to speak calmly. "That isn't what I want to know."

"Then what do you want to know?" Su Chen frowned.

Qi Chuan fell silent. Looking at the seemingly confused guy before him, he felt unable to see through him. He had nearly lost control.

"...Southwind Academy is the cradle that trains Southwind City's core strength. Every class has a group of people selected for special cultivation. Resources, status, knowledge... everything is available," he said slowly, no longer questioning him.

"Since you're a smart person, you should understand that Jiang He cannot invest many resources in you. Tell me what you know, and I can arrange for you to enter the special training list."

"I can even postpone your departure from the city, giving you at least some ability to protect yourself."

Su Chen said helplessly, "What exactly do you want to know?"

Qi Chuan stared at him without pressing further. He simply tossed him a gilded card and said blandly, "Think it over carefully. Once you've figured it out, break it."