At this moment, all three of them noticed that Lin Chuan's expression was somewhat off, and they all fell silent, not daring to make a sound.

"What happened to Brother Chuan?" Zhou Kai quietly asked.

"Don't know." Lu Dapao shook his head.

After a long silence, everyone seemed to sense that something was not quite right. Lin Chuan's face remained gloomy, looking dark and somber as if someone owed him millions.

"Xiao Yu, slow down." Bai Yifan held Tang Yumeng's hand and said, "You look so beautiful today, I fear no one in the entire opera house can match your beauty."

"Stop saying that." Tang Yumeng smiled shyly, her hand gently brushing her hair from her forehead, saying, "I'm really not used to this dress, I told you not to buy it. Not only is it expensive, but it's also uncomfortable to wear."

"But you look beautiful." Bai Yifan smiled, saying, "It was personally designed by a famous Italian designer, and it's purely handmade. There's only one of this dress in the world. You won't find a second one."

"Is that so?" Tang Yumeng smiled gracefully.

However, after only taking a few steps, Tang Yumeng immediately felt a gaze fixed on her. She glanced around and her face turned white in an instant.

Not far away, Lin Chuan and Zhou Kai's crew were leaning against the antique car. Lin Chuan's gaze was extremely dark, as if he had seen his own betrayal. Tang Yumeng shivered with fear; it never crossed her mind that Lin Chuan would appear in Jiangbei City—and right in front of the opera house. Could it be... Could it be that Lin Chuan had known about her date with Bai Yifan all along?

Tang Yumeng couldn't help but stop in her tracks.

"Xiao Yu, what's wrong?" Bai Yifan asked.

"Nothing, I... I just saw an acquaintance." Tang Yumeng smiled, "Yifan, you go ahead and wait for me, I want to talk to him for a moment. It's New Year's after all, and it's quite a coincidence to meet here."

Bai Yifan wasn't foolish, but at this moment, he knew he had to step away.

"Alright, I'll wait for you at the entrance." Bai Yifan nodded.

Having said that, Bai Yifan walked towards the steps. Tang Yumeng tried to put on a brave smile and then slowly approached Lin Chuan. Lin Chuan's face was extremely unsightly; even as the cigarette burned down to his fingers, he showed no reaction.

Zhou Kai noticed Tang Yumeng approaching and hastily made a gesture to Lu Dapao and Huang Bo. The trio quickly backed off. Lin Chuan still leaned against the hood of the car, his eyes fixated on Tang Yumeng. His heart was complex, yet his mind was blank.

"Lin Chuan, I... I, this is a misunderstanding." Tang Yumeng bit her red lips, her smiling face almost turning into a crying one.

"I have no misunderstanding." Lin Chuan shook his head, "Secretary Tang, you also have the right to pursue love. I am just a driver, what right do I have to stop you?"

"You!" Tang Yumeng became anxious, "Lin Chuan, this really isn't what you think it is."

"Sorry, I have things to take care of, and won't interrupt your date." Lin Chuan steeled his heart and turned to leave.

"Lin Chuan, don't be like this!" Tang Yumeng hurriedly chased after him.

Thump...

The gown restricted her, and it also tripped her. She had barely taken a few steps when she fell to the ground. Her hands scraped over the ground, leaving a trail of blood.

"Xiao Yu." At that moment, Bai Yifan quickly rushed over.

Lin Chuan turned his head for a glance, just about to go and help Tang Yumeng up, when he saw Bai Yifan flying over. He gritted his teeth and turned to leave. He quickly disappeared into the night. Zhou Kai and the crew were anxious, but since Lin Chuan had left, they could only quickly follow.

Tears filled Tang Yumeng's eyes, falling one by one down her cheeks onto the granite ground, shattering into pieces.

"Xiao Yu, are you okay?" Bai Yifan asked with great concern and heartache, "How could this happen?"

"It's nothing, I just fell by accident." Tang Yumeng said with tears.

"Quick, wipe it off." Bai Yifan hurriedly took out a facial tissue and wiped away Tang Yumeng's tears and the blood on her hands. He said with a pained expression, "Ah, why are you so careless? Look, your hand is scraped."

"It's nothing." Tang Yumeng shook her head, saying, "It's just a scratch, it's just a shame about this dress."

"What does the dress matter?" Bai Yifan glanced at Tang Yumeng and said, "As long as you're okay, that's what matters. We can buy another dress, but we can't replace you."

While talking, Bai Yifan helped Tang Yumeng up and walked towards the opera house.

Along the way, Tang Yumeng remained silent, with the image of Lin Chuan turning his back and leaving etched in her mind. This misunderstanding left her restless, causing her unsurmountable heartache. She felt guilty, she blamed herself; perhaps she really shouldn't have agreed to Bai Yifan's New Year's Eve date. She had already established a certain relationship with Lin Chuan, and at this moment, it seemed to have shattered in an instant. The gap between the two widened from face-to-face to a vast distance in a blink of an eye.

.........

Outside the opera house.

Lin Chuan leaned against a landscape tree as Zhou Kai and the others, huffing and puffing, caught up to him.

"Bro Chuanzi, what... what happened to you?" Zhou Kai asked anxiously.

"I'm fine," Lin Chuan shook his head.

Lin Chuan's remark silenced the trio. They huddled together, whispering among themselves.

"What's wrong with Bro Chuanzi?" Lu Dapao asked, puzzled. "He looks like he's been dumped. Could it be... could it be that Bro Chuanzi and Secretary Tang have a thing going on?"

"It's not unreasonable," Zhou Kai crossed his arms and pondered deeply, saying, "Bro Chuanzi is Secretary Tang's driver, they see each other every day, it's normal for feelings to develop over time. But, there's something that puzzles me."

"What's that?" Huang Bo asked curiously.

"Don't interrupt me," Lu Dapao gave Huang Bo a glare.

Zhou Kai narrowed his eyes and said, "If Chuanzi and Secretary Tang are indeed in a relationship, then... who is that man?"

"The third party!" Lu Dapao and Huang Bo exclaimed almost in unison.

"That's right," Zhou Kai said coldly, "Wouldn't have thought Secretary Tang could two-time? Playing the field?"

"No wonder Bro Chuanzi looks like he's been heartbroken," Lu Dapao suddenly realized, saying, "So... what do we do now?"

"What can we do?" Zhou Kai sighed, saying, "Matters of the heart, they have to be resolved on their own. This is something Bro Chuanzi has to deal with himself. There's nothing we can do to help."

Everyone wore helpless expressions as if they all felt a touch of regret. If Secretary Tang and Lin Chuan got together, it would've been a huge help for the transportation market, for their own transportation company. Unfortunately, this romantic affair was doomed from the start; they were mismatched in terms of social standing and status.

"Bro Chuanzi, love is like sand held in your hand," Zhou Kai began to play the role of a spiritual advisor, patting Lin Chuan's shoulder. "The tighter you grasp it, the faster it slips away. To keep a woman's heart, you have to relax your hold, learn to practice 'catch and release.'

"Get lost," Lin Chuan glanced at Zhou Kai.

At that moment, a Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled up, followed by two vans. The vehicles stopped right in front of them. Three people got out of the Grand Cherokee; it was clear that the guy in a cowboy jacket with a few braids on his head getting off from the back seat was the boss of the bunch.

"You're Zhou Kai?" The leader strolled over.

"That's right," Zhou Kai nodded and said with a cold laugh, "Buddy, what can I do for you? Where's my brother Liu Cheng?"

"Bring him up," the leader waved his hand.

At this point, more than a dozen people squeezed out from the two vans, with Liu Cheng bound tightly and bloodied all over. It seemed they had given Liu Cheng a rough lesson. Zhou Kai narrowed his eyes and said, "We had a deal, 300,000 yuan for the ransom. Why did you beat him up like this?"

"This is a lesson for him," the leader said disdainfully, "The fucker dared to steal my stuff, seems like he's tired of living."

"He's already received his due punishment, spent five years in prison," Zhou Kai angrily said.

"That's just the punishment from the law, not my punishment," the leader said with a calm smile, as if all this was nothing to him. Then, he asked coldly, "Got the money? Money for the man. If you didn't bring the cash, heh, don't blame me for being inhospitable."

"What are you going to do?" Lu Dapao asked.

"I, Old Wu, am someone who respects principles," he said with a laugh, weighing the machete in his hand, "I'll chop off his two arms, give him the punishment he deserves. Let him remember, anyone who dares to steal from Old Wu is asking for death."

"There's no money," Lin Chuan said, hands in his pockets, "We're here just to take our man."

Old Wu was startled, his smile froze, "You fucking kidding me?"

"That's right," Lin Chuan's expression turned grim, he had just been provoked, and was in a particularly bad mood. Originally, he planned to talk things over with the other party, but now, he was definitely ready to throw punches, to vent the frustration and anger within. Lin Chuan sneered, "You dare to touch my people with your crappy moves?"

"What are you?" Old Wu stared at Lin Chuan in surprise, asking with doubt, "You've got some nerve to be so arrogant on my turf? You're the first one! I don't care who you are today, I'm taking your arms."

Old Wu, a brash man, was like this in the provincial city and the same elsewhere. That he dared to kidnap people in Jiangbei City was evidence of his arrogance. Such was his nature and temperament.

"Zhou Kai, no more talking," Lin Chuan took off his jacket.

"All right," seeing Lin Chuan ready to fight, Zhou Kai didn't say any more. He directly took weapons from the car, tossing them to Lu Dapao and Huang Bo, saying, "Brothers, get ready for a fight."

"Heh, heh," Lu Dapao waved the machete in his hand, laughing, "It's been a long time since I've had a fight, today's going to be satisfying."

"A bunch of lunatics," Old Wu was baffled. Were these twenty or so men just air? Could they not see them? Old Wu's face was almost comical, "Are you fucking blind to how many men I have? Are you not afraid to die?"

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