He Chuan Zhou typed a few lines consecutively. First "Not needed," then "Uncertain," but neither could be
considered a definitive response. Knowing she could easily predict Zhou Tuoxing's next reply, she deleted
them all.
She couldn't decide what to say, so she set her phone aside for the time being.
It was almost time to clock out, and somehow, Brother Huang and the others had shifted their chat to
team-building activities. They were discussing how to foster better harmony within their team with minimal
or no funds.
Brother Huang, always the troublemaker, wanted Shao Zhixin to experience He Chuan Zhou's gentleness once
again and encouraged him to ask her.
After hanging around for a while, possibly realizing that He Chuan Zhou wasn't as terrifying as rumored,
Shao Zhixin made a token refusal before awkwardly approaching her, ears perked and body tilted, ready to
flee at any moment.
"He Chuan Zhou, do you like BBQ?" he asked lazily.
"No," she replied in a lazy tone.
"Uh..." Shao Zhixin asked again, "Do you like watching movies?"
Without lifting her eyes from the screen, she responded, "No."
Shao Zhixin gave an "Oh," and with his fleeting courage almost visible, he turned to head back to his
workstation. Halfway there, curiosity got the better of him, and he returned to ask, "I don't mean to imply
you have low tastes... Do you like playing cards?"
Finally, He Chuan Zhou looked up, giving him a direct, clear reply, "No."
Seeing that Shao Zhixin still had something to say, she slightly impatiently added, "My leisure life is dull
and uninteresting. Do you have anything else to ask?"
Shao Zhixin's whole body broke out in goosebumps, and his survival instincts made him shake his head
vigorously.
With crisp efficiency, He Chuan Zhou spat out a single word, "Go."
Shao Zhixin quickly jumped back to his seat.
Brother Huang, in a mystical tone, remarked, "Ah, He Chuan Zhou, young people need to relax sometimes. How
can you bear to see your friends lonely and isolated?"
She realized Shao Zhixin was staring at him with a face full of grievance, and said critically, "Your
questions were somewhat problematic."
Shao Zhixin thought that common human likes were just a few things. At most, he could add games, but He
Chuan Zhou didn't seem like someone interested in that. He humbly asked for advice, "Please enlighten me,
Brother."
Brother Huang pointed at He Chuan Zhou, then at Shao Zhixin, subtly saying, "All the things you asked about
are group activities."
Emphasizing the first word, Shao Zhixin didn't catch on at first, but Xu Yu quickly responded, dramatically
saying, "I don't deserve it!"
He Chuan Zhou quietly watched their performance. Hearing their fake crying, she chuckled lightly and said,
"I have plans after work."
Brother Huang stretched his neck and asked, "What about tomorrow?"
He Chuan Zhou thought for a moment and then edited a reply to Zhou Tuoxing.
He Chuan Zhou: I'll tell you after work.
Holding her phone with one hand, she said, "If there's no unexpected situation tomorrow, I can."
Brother Huang hadn't expected it to go so smoothly. After all, He Chuan Zhou rarely joined their private
gatherings, always working like a machine. He immediately led an applause, excitedly announcing, "Brothers!
He Chuan Zhou is treating us for the team-building event!"
Xu Yu led the cheers.
Before long, her phone started vibrating again. Messages from Zhou Tuoxing and Xiao Chen came in almost
simultaneously.
Zhou Tuoxing's reply was succinct, "Okay." Xiao Chen sent a photo of a group celebrating around a dinner
table, glasses raised in a noisy scene.
Xiao Chen: Our team is celebrating tonight because the test results of the new model were excellent.
[Hahaha]
Xiao Chen: Ah Tuo isn't sociable. He ran off right after work, saying he wanted to relax alone. I guess he's
with you. [Grin]
Xiao Chen, the ultimate wingman, could assist Zhou Tuoxing whether present or not.
As soon as the clock struck, Shao Zhixin and the others grabbed their things and happily ran out.
He Chuan Zhou called Zhou Tuoxing and found out he was already waiting in a parking lot near the station. If
she had worked overtime, he probably would have waited there too.
When He Chuan Zhou arrived, he was leaning against the car door, scrolling on his tablet. His gaze was
focused and calm. Seeing her, he raised his eyes indifferently, put away his things, and opened the car door
for her.
He didn't start the car immediately but slowly buckled his seatbelt and naturally asked, "I've been busy
lately, but two tasks are temporarily finished. What do you want to eat? My treat."
He Chuan Zhou said, "I heard from Xiao Chen that your company is celebrating today."
Zhou Tuoxing nodded, "It went smoothly."
He Chuan Zhou said, "Congratulations."
Zhou Tuoxing was silent for a moment, his fingers tightening slightly on the steering wheel. He seriously
said, "Success isn't guaranteed. Just having a product doesn't mean we'll make money. The competition in
this industry is fierce. Without sufficient funding, we could go bankrupt."
He Chuan Zhou turned to look at him.
If Xiao Chen heard this, he might be infuriated. He wouldn't want to accept even a word of this kind of good
brother's blessing.
Zhou Tuoxing also turned his face, silently and attentively meeting her gaze. If it weren't for his Adam's
apple moving slightly, his real emotions would be completely hidden.
He Chuan Zhou blinked, her vision blurred by the twilight light. She found it amusing and indeed laughed,
saying, "What? Want to come to my place for dinner?"
When an adult male expresses a desire to accompany you without any legitimate reason or simply creates
opportunities to see you, he's not just treating you as family.
This was something He Chuan Zhou could deduce without any life experience, just from the emotional gossip
stories Brother Huang had shared.
However, Zhou Tuoxing's straightforwardness was extremely sincere, yet not overly reckless, with a touch of
his unique subtlety, presenting himself as a clumsy and pitiable figure. His image was so perfect that He
Chuan Zhou even suspected there might be a bit of deliberate intention she hadn't noticed.
It's hard to harbor much malice towards someone playing the sincerity card.
Especially when that person is Zhou Tuoxing.
Zhou Tuoxing hesitated, didn't respond, and He Chuan Zhou didn't continue the topic. She casually changed
the subject, "I want stir-fried dishes."
So Zhou Tuoxing took her to a Chinese restaurant.
The sky darkened quickly. Feeling awkward about dragging He Chuan Zhou around, Zhou Tuoxing drove her back
right after the meal.
The entrance to the community was blocked by two parked cars. Zhou Tuoxing tapped the steering wheel, his
face darkening as he said grimly, "Call a tow truck."
He Chuan Zhou found his pettiness amusing and said, "The hazard lights are on; they probably have a
temporary issue. I'll just get out and walk in. You can head back."
She opened the door, squeezed through the gap, and as she looked back, Zhou Tuoxing's car had already driven
off.
Inside the community, only a few streetlights were on. He Chuan Zhou noticed one was out.
The tree shadows swayed, and the sound of the wind mingled with the rustling leaves, mixed with some furtive
noises.
A sense of vigilance arose in He Chuan Zhou. She slowed her steps without turning around, pulled out her
phone, and quickly dialed an emergency number, swiftly reporting an address.
"Ziyang Street, Baiyun Community, Building 13..."
Before she finished speaking, footsteps suddenly accelerated behind her, rushing towards her.
He Chuan Zhou forcefully enunciated the second half of her sentence: "There's a fight."
As she turned around, she immediately kicked backward.
Her boot struck the attacker's arm. Although it wasn't a direct hit, the hard sole of her Martin boots
caused enough pain to make the assailant stumble back a couple of steps, dropping the wooden stick in his
hand.
In the dim light, she quickly scanned her surroundings and noticed another figure standing in the shadows.
But she couldn't focus on him for now. Instead, she turned her attention to the young man nearby who was
gasping in pain and kicked him again.
He instinctively raised his arm to block, and this kick landed in the same spot. The masked young man
couldn't help but cry out in pain, quickly stifling the sound.
Nowadays, the enthusiasm of bystanders for online events far exceeds that for real-life incidents, and the
scream didn't attract much attention. Moreover, most of the residents in this building were elderly and
uninterested in external disturbances.
He Chuan Zhou, worried that these people might be carrying knives, didn't call for help. She planned to
stall for time, hoping the nearby police station would send someone soon.
The attackers were disorganized. Seeing their companion hurt, they chaotically rushed out from their hiding
spots.
He Chuan Zhou's ears were bombarded with chaotic sounds, realizing there were more people than she had
anticipated—at least three.
As she was about to turn around, she heard a swift whooshing sound behind her. Almost instinctively, she
dodged to the side and saw a wooden stick coming at her.
The weapon was makeshift, likely picked up from somewhere, not thick or sturdy, with little lethality. By
the time it got in front of her, it had already lost momentum and dropped to the ground.
These poorly equipped attackers slightly reassured He Chuan Zhou. They probably just wanted to "teach her a
lesson" without intending to kill.
With a cold expression, He Chuan Zhou glanced at the people closing in from both sides. Maintaining her
posture, she moved towards the young man on her right, and as he hesitated, she landed a powerful punch on
his face.
The young man clutched his nose, swearing, unable to straighten up.
He Chuan Zhou quickly turned back to see someone in front of her raising a weapon, this time a thinner,
longer iron rod. His exposed eyes were fierce and ruthless, clearly not intending to show mercy.
As she prepared to dodge, she was struck hard on the back. The pain made her bend over, realizing there were
four attackers in total.
He Chuan Zhou grunted, anger welling up inside her, but her face showed a cold smile.
The expected thud of the iron rod never hit her.
He Chuan Zhou frowned and turned around to see Zhou Tuoxing had returned at some point, blocking the blow
with his arm. His head was lowered, hiding his expression, but his rigid stance suggested he was in pain.
Her cold smile vanished, replaced by a stern, grim look. When she was angry, a murderous intent seemed to
gather like an impending storm, making anyone watching feel a bit scared.
The sound of police sirens echoed through the streets outside the community. Sensing the situation turning
against them, the attackers shouted, "Run!" and scattered.
He Chuan Zhou glanced at Zhou Tuoxing, noticing his labored breathing and pale face. "Are you okay?" she
asked.
Zhou Tuoxing shook his head.
After a moment of hesitation, He Chuan Zhou said, "Stay here and don't move." Then she chased after one of
the fleeing attackers.
A patrol officer on a bike arrived just as two of the attackers opened a car door, ready to escape. He Chuan
Zhou shouted, "Stop them!"
The vehicle hadn't started yet, and the officer pulled the one lagging behind out of the car. The scene
became chaotic, with shouts of "Don't move!" from the officers. Realizing they couldn't escape, the driver
raised his hands and got out.
The patrol officer, holding his baton, directed the two to kneel by the roadside, keeping an eye on them
while asking He Chuan Zhou, "What happened? Did you call the police?"
Looking down at the two, He Chuan Zhou took a few seconds before pulling out her credentials, explaining,
"Criminal Police Unit, He Chuan Zhou."
The patrol officer nodded, "Got it. Are you injured?"
He Chuan Zhou moved her back muscles, feeling some soreness but nothing severe. "I'm fine, but two of them
got away."
The patrol officer said, "They won't get far. I'll have my colleagues search the area. Can you describe
them?"
There weren't many people running around at night, and with their companions caught, the other two probably
didn't expect them not to give them up. The remaining two were soon brought back by the police.