Chapter 180: Overt and Covert Struggles
Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Overt and Covert Struggles
Xu Qingsui just felt that these two were acting strange today, both speaking in such a passive-aggressive manner.
She didn’t like listening to them talk like this, so she immediately interrupted, "Shen Yan, is there a reason you came over?"
Their verbal sparring interrupted, the two men exchanged a glance and ceased their bickering.
When Shen Yan looked back at Xu Qingsui, he wore his usual smiling expression, his tone returning to its everyday gentleness.
"I figured that since Captain Lu just arrived in the 27th District, he probably hasn’t found a place to stay yet. I came over specifically to arrange accommodations for them."
The truth was, Shen Yan didn’t want Lu Jingyu staying here and hovering around Xu Qingsui. But the man was already here. If they couldn’t settle down somewhere, Xu Qingsui would very likely let them stay with her for the time being.
Just like now—while the two of them were talking in the room, the rest of the team had been sent off to the camper van. That was only a temporary measure. If this became the permanent arrangement, Lu Jingyu would definitely use the opportunity to pull closer to Xu Qingsui. Shen Yan would absolutely not allow that. It was better to settle them in first to ensure Lu Jingyu couldn’t constantly guard Xu Qingsui’s side.
Xu Qingsui had originally intended to ask Shen Yan for this exact favor. Seeing him take the initiative, she immediately shot Lu Jingyu a meaningful glance. Then, speaking on Lu Jingyu’s behalf, she said, "Thank you, then. I was thinking the same thing earlier. I didn’t expect you to already have it covered before I even had to ask."
Shen Yan smiled and turned to Lu Jingyu. "Captain Lu, let me take you to see your room first."
"We just took a trip underground, and I’m covered in dust," Xu Qingsui said, looking at the grime on her clothes. Unable to stand it any longer, she told Lu Jingyu to go with Shen Yan. "Take everyone and follow Shen Yan to check out your rooms. I’ll come find you all later."
Lu Jingyu nodded and followed Shen Yan out of Xu Qingsui’s room.
The moment they stepped out, Lu Jingyu’s expression instantly turned icy, reverting to the cold demeanor he had when Xu Qingsui first met him. Meanwhile, the smile on Shen Yan’s typically beaming face faded considerably.
The two didn’t openly clash. Shen Yan simply gave Lu Jingyu an impassive look and said, "Call your people in. I’ll take them to their rooms."
With a cold face, Lu Jingyu said nothing, but he still went outside to call in the team members who had come with him. Seeing that everyone had arrived, Shen Yan remained silent as well, turning on his heel and heading for the stairwell.
The team looked at Lu Jingyu in confusion. Without a word, Lu Jingyu walked straight after him.
Heading up to the third floor first, Shen Yan promptly assigned rooms there to everyone except Lu Jingyu.
Lu Jingyu didn’t mind this arrangement. Seeing that he was the only one left, he finally spoke up. "Just put me in the room next to Qing Sui’s."
By now, everyone else had already retreated to their rooms to rest. Only Lu Jingyu and Shen Yan remained in the hallway.
Hearing Lu Jingyu’s words, Shen Yan halted. He stared at Lu Jingyu, his lips slowly curving into a smirk. "The room next to Qing Sui’s is mine."
Lu Jingyu’s pupils shrank slightly. He knew Shen Yan wasn’t lying; since the man had set his sights on Xu Qingsui, he would naturally make his move.
"Then putting me on the first floor will do."
After all, Shen Yan was the host and he was the guest. Since a guest should defer to their host, he couldn’t demand that Shen Yan give up his own room. He could only settle for the next best thing—being on the first floor meant he could at least keep an eye on Shen Yan.
Shen Yan’s smile widened with amusement. "My apologies. There was originally only one room left on the first floor, and it’s already been given to Qing Sui.
"Captain Lu, a guest defers to the host. You strike me as a man of etiquette, so I suggest you follow my arrangements and come with me."
Looking at Shen Yan’s smug expression, Lu Jingyu felt certain that Shen Yan had planned this all along. But there was nothing he could say right now. He could only follow Shen Yan to see exactly where the man intended to put him.
Shen Yan led the way up the stairs, ascending all the way to the fifth floor.
"Captain Lu, given your status, I absolutely must offer you our finest room," Shen Yan said. "So, during your stay in the 27th District, please reside here!
"If you need anything, feel free to tell me at any time. Though, considering you likely won’t be staying here for more than a day or two, you probably won’t need much."
Lu Jingyu’s face darkened. He was absolutely certain that if this building had more floors, Shen Yan would have kept leading him higher! All that talk about giving him the best room was nonsense. In his eyes, Shen Yan was clearly doing this on purpose, putting as much distance as possible between him and Xu Qingsui.
For a moment, their gazes met again, sparks flying in the air between them.
Because there were several floors below, guests were rarely accommodated on the fifth floor. At this very moment, the two of them were the only ones on the entire level.
Since this was the furthest point from Xu Qingsui’s room, there was no fear of her overhearing them. Lu Jingyu spoke up directly, "Boss Shen, there’s a rule of ’first come, first served’ in all things. I hope you won’t needlessly stick your nose in, or else I won’t hold back."
"Captain Lu, even if we’re talking about ’first come, first served,’ you actually have to seal the deal for it to count. As far as I know, you’re currently nothing to her.
"The item is still unclaimed, so anyone can—"
Before Shen Yan could finish his sentence, Lu Jingyu’s fist smashed into his face.
The moment Lu Jingyu heard Shen Yan refer to Xu Qingsui as an "unclaimed item," his fist moved on its own. After landing the punch, he glared viciously at Shen Yan. In his heart, he was more certain than ever that he couldn’t let this man near Xu Qingsui.
He had originally thought that Shen Yan was attracted to Xu Qingsui’s personality and the way she carried herself, just as he had fallen for her for those same reasons. If that were the case, it would have been a fair competition, and he could have sat down for a calm conversation with Shen Yan. But upon hearing Shen Yan compare Xu Qingsui to a mere object, he instantly realized that Shen Yan was nothing like him.
To Shen Yan, Xu Qingsui was just an item. How could a man who spoke like that ever treat her with genuine sincerity? Therefore, Shen Yan had absolutely no right to compete fairly with him.
"Shen Yan! Qing Sui isn’t some object. I don’t know what exactly made you target her, but with me here, I won’t let you succeed.
"I’m warning you right now. You’d best stop while you’re ahead, and I can pretend none of this ever happened. But if you refuse to give up, the moment I find out you’ve done anything to wrong Xu Qingsui, or if I discover you harbor some shady ulterior motives, I won’t let you off easily.
"When that time comes, I won’t care who you are or what your status is—I will make you pay."
Shen Yan had never expected Lu Jingyu to strike so suddenly. With blood rushing to his head, he geared up to fight back. But when he heard the rest of Lu Jingyu’s words, his movements inadvertently froze.