CHAPTER 462: CHAPTER 459 [HE WOULDN’T DARE]

Chapter 459: He Wouldn’t Dare

Boss Luo’s mistress was named He Qian, a twenty-one-year-old art major at a non-prestigious college in Jinling City. It wasn’t a formal institution but rather a continuing education college—the kind where one could pay to just drift through their days. However, she did indeed have good looks and a nice figure, and she was trained in dance. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have caught Boss Luo’s eye.

At the moment, He Qian was luxuriating in a bath. In 2001, living in a luxuriously decorated apartment over a hundred square meters in size, with all the latest imported home appliances, was quite something. What He Qian particularly loved was the large bathtub in the bathroom, and its thermostatic control feature, which was very advanced for the time.

The apartment belonged to Boss Luo. After she got together with Old Luo, he had He Qian move in and even gave her a monthly allowance. He would occasionally buy her a handbag or clothes, too. He Qian found this kind of life very carefree. Perhaps after buttering up Old Luo for a few more days, he might be willing to invest in a film and make her a little star, or something.

He Qian, while bathing, was on the phone, her brow furrowed as she complained to one of her close friends.

"...This was all very sudden for me too. I just don’t know why I’m so unlucky. Old Luo has been quite generous with me, and my life had just taken a turn for the better when this mess happened... Mhm... Mhm... Mhm... Yeah! Can you believe how unlucky I am? Old Luo had already agreed that once I got my driver’s license in a couple of months, he’d get me a car. I’d even picked out a BMW! But then, he got into a car accident! Tell me, what am I supposed to do? At his age, if he doesn’t pull through, if he doesn’t make it, I’ll be completely lost! It’s like stepping into thin air... Sigh... Oh, you don’t understand! Old Luo is a cunning man. He gives me money, sure, bits here and there, and he’s generous when it comes to buying me things. But when it comes to the big stuff, he’s very shrewd! This apartment I’m living in, it’s registered in his name; I’m just staying here. If Old Luo really doesn’t make it, once he kicks the bucket, his family will come knocking to evict me, and I’ll have to pack up and scram without a word! Money... I haven’t saved any! I’ve spent so much on cosmetics, clothes, and shoes... Oh dear, I didn’t know something like this would happen! Who would have thought? I was under the impression that Old Luo was smitten with me, that I could milk him for more, but it’s only been a few days! Now I’ve ended up with neither a house nor a car... Ugh, I can’t even talk about it, it’s so damn annoying!

"...Go to the hospital? Of course, I want to! I’m not stupid! Now is the time to make a good impression at the hospital. In case the old man pulls through, it’ll be brownie points for me! I’m taking a bath right now, you see. I plan to get dressed and head to the hospital right after I’m done. Hey, what do you think I should do when I get there? Should I just sit by the old man’s bedside and burst into tears as soon as I enter, or should I sit silently and let the tears stream down my face?

"...Oh, right, the old man has a son, about your age, I think. Seems like he doesn’t have a girlfriend yet. If the old man kicks the bucket, his vast wealth will all go to his son! ...Cut the crap! How the heck am I supposed to hook up with him? I’ve already shared a bed with his father! He’s not an idiot either!! Mhm... Don’t say I don’t look out for you! We’re sisters, after all. When the time comes, you come to the hospital in the afternoon and say you’re there to see me. I’ll find a way to introduce you to the old man’s son... Whether you can hook up with him or not, that’s up to your skills. HAHAHAHA... Great, so you’ll call me stepmom then? HAHAHAHAHA..."

---

Chen Nuo and Lu Xiaojun entered the residential complex. As Lu Xiaojun walked, he noticed Chen Nuo’s strange expression and frowned. "What’s wrong?"

"...Nothing much, just overheard something funny," Chen Nuo said, shaking his head.

Overheard? Overheard what? Lu Xiaojun stared; there wasn’t much noise around.

They went upstairs, arrived at the door, and rang the doorbell several times. Soon, a sound came from inside. The doors in this high-end residential area were quite sturdy and equipped with an electronic peephole.

He Qian’s voice came from inside, "Who are you looking for?"

Lu Xiaojun replied, "I’m a friend of Old Luo’s, here to pick something up."

He Qian was obviously a bit nervous. "O-Old Luo’s friend?"

"Yes, open the door," Lu Xiaojun said, his tone indifferent.

For Lu Xiaojun, Boss Luo’s private affairs were not his concern, nor would he ask about them—he was well aware that Boss Luo wouldn’t genuinely fall for these women. It was just for fun. Therefore, he didn’t need to put on a pleasant face for these women fluttering around Boss Luo. She wasn’t a proper sister-in-law, just a plaything.

---

When He Qian opened the door, she was actually a bit nervous. Could Old Luo have kicked the bucket? Had his family come to evict her and repossess the house? No way! It couldn’t happen that fast, could it?

Seeing He Qian’s nervous expression, Lu Xiaojun and Chen Nuo entered. He Qian was wearing a silk house robe, the kind few ordinary people wore in this era. Her hair was still damp.

Lu Xiaojun frowned, walked straight in, and sat on the living room sofa. "Miss He, why don’t you go change into something more comfortable and dry your hair?"

"...Okay, please wait a moment." He Qian quickly ran inside and came out shortly after in a sweatshirt.

"Would you like some water? Coke or tea? Um... how about an orange? The oranges here are imported, really sweet. I was just taking a shower, preparing to go to the hospital afterward. How’s Old Luo doing now? He..."

He Qian fumbled for words, trying hard to show her concern for Old Luo.

Chen Nuo glanced at her—her looks and figure were quite good. Outwardly, she seemed the innocent type, but her character... had nothing to do with innocence. Tall, with slender limbs, she was well-endowed, with an ample chest and a shapely rear; indeed, a rare good figure. Her face... had been worked on. Her double eyelids were surgically created, her nose reshaped, and her chin augmented. In this era, she was quite avant-garde.

After a quick glance, Chen Nuo looked away from her, his eyes scanning the apartment’s furnishings. Old Luo... certainly enjoyed spending money on luxuries. Well, that’s men for you. The appliances were all top-of-the-line. The apartment itself was nice too, a south-facing corner unit with a large balcony and excellent lighting. The décor was quite exquisite.

He recalled the time he had drinks with Old Luo, chatting late into the night. Boss Luo really knew how to live. He had his own approach to women: physical only, no emotions involved. Materially, I give you the best enjoyment. In return, you provide me with the finest pleasure a man could want. A fair exchange, no one loses out, quite good.

So, Chen Nuo wasn’t at all surprised that he had been able to overhear He Qian’s phone conversation using his spiritual power earlier. With Boss Luo’s shrewdness and experience, how could he not know He Qian’s true character? But most likely, Old Luo didn’t care.

Lu Xiaojun responded to He Qian. "Old Luo’s condition is stable for now. That is to say, he’s been pulled back from the brink. All is well, but his recovery time will depend on how he progresses."

After briefly updating her on Old Luo’s condition, Lu Xiaojun changed the subject. "As for you, you don’t need to go to the hospital. He’s in the ICU; you won’t be able to see him or make contact, and he hasn’t woken up. Let me put it this way: if you go, he won’t even know you were there. So, it’s pointless. Do you understand?"

He Qian’s face reddened slightly, a hint of guilt in her eyes.

Chen Nuo glanced at Lu Xiaojun. This guy is sharp too.

"You just stay here quietly. Continue with your usual routine. Eat when you need to eat, sleep when you need to sleep. When Old Luo wakes up and recovers, he’ll contact you himself when he’s ready. We came today to ask you something else."

After Lu Xiaojun finished speaking, He Qian visibly relaxed, and some of the apprehension faded from her face. Why? Lu Xiaojun had started by saying, "Just stay here quietly." So they weren’t here to repossess the house and evict her. That’s good!

"What do you want to ask?" He Qian inquired.

"Last night, how did Old Luo end up leaving in the middle of the night?" Lu Xiaojun asked, feigning a calm tone, but his eyes carefully observed He Qian’s expression.

Beside him, Chen Nuo was also quietly using his spiritual power to monitor He Qian’s heartbeat, breathing, and even the frequency of her conscious thoughts.

He Qian’s reaction was very normal. She paused for a moment, then said casually, "Oh, is that all you came to ask? The police already called me about it last night."

Nevertheless, He Qian recounted truthfully. "Last night, Old Luo and I had both gone to bed. Then, in the middle of the night, his phone rang, waking him up and me too. You know, Old Luo’s in business, so he never turns off his phone or puts it on silent when he sleeps. Then, still groggy, I heard him get up to answer the call. He said a few words and then went into the living room. I also heard Old Luo sounding a bit unhappy, a bit angry."

Chen Nuo’s interest was piqued. "What did he say to the person on the phone?"

He Qian shook her head. "I was also half-asleep at the time, not very clear-headed, so I didn’t hear exactly what was said."

"You didn’t catch a single sentence?" Chen Nuo smiled. "Think carefully. Anything at all, whatever you can remember."

He Qian hesitated, then tried to recall seriously. "I think I heard... Old Luo curse a few harsh words at the person. It sounded like he was scolding someone..." she said uncertainly.

"What did he say?" Chen Nuo asked with a smile, simultaneously sending a trace of his spiritual power to soothe He Qian’s mind, easing her tension.

He Qian pondered for a moment. "I don’t know if I heard correctly at the time, I’m just telling you what I think I heard... Maybe I misheard, but... I seem to recall... He was cursing, saying that person was some low-class brothel owner. I don’t remember the exact words, but that was the gist..."

As she spoke, He Qian’s eyes suddenly lit up; she had indeed remembered a specific phrase. "Ah, right! I remember now! There was one thing he yelled at the person on the other end. He said... ’You’re running a damn bathhouse, not the freaking Qingmu Sect! You really think you’re somebody important, huh?!’ Yes, yes, yes, that was it."

Chen Nuo’s expression suddenly became quite intriguing. A brothel owner? And a damn bathhouse at that? What a coincidence. He shook his head, suppressing an inward sneer, and continued nonchalantly, "And then what?"

"Then, he hung up and came back into the room. He lay on the bed, smoking angrily. I usually don’t like him smoking in the bedroom, but he looked so upset at that moment, I didn’t dare say anything."

"He didn’t leave immediately?" Lu Xiaojun frowned.

"Mm... not right away. Then he made another call. But this time, he left the room and went into the study to make it, closing the door behind him. I didn’t hear a single word—not that I was trying to eavesdrop. I never ask about his business matters."

Chen Nuo and Lu Xiaojun exchanged a glance. So, there were actually two calls: one received, one made.

"After the second call, he came back, but this time he was even more upset. He just went back to the room, got dressed, and told me he was leaving. He was fuming at the time, so I didn’t dare ask much, and then... he left."

He Qian, having said this, looked at the two men. "That’s all I know. I told the police the same thing, but... they didn’t ask me much more." After a pause, she grew a bit anxious. "This... there isn’t any trouble involved in this, is there?"

"No trouble at all," Chen Nuo said with a smile, standing up. "Don’t worry, we just wanted to clarify things. Old Luo had some business issues last night, so he was in a bad mood. Yes, it involves the company, so we had to ask—mainly because he’s unconscious from the car accident and hasn’t woken up, so we can’t ask him. We had to come to you. The company matter is quite urgent, but it really is just business. Don’t overthink it. The police have already asked, right? It’s just a car accident, and he’s been saved. He’ll recover in a few days."

Infused with a hint of spiritual power, these words helped to calm He Qian’s thoughts.

---

Leaving He Qian’s apartment, Chen Nuo and Lu Xiaojun walked downstairs.

"What do you think?" Lu Xiaojun asked Chen Nuo. He was actually quite wary of this young man, as his background and skills were a mystery to him.

"Those two calls are definitely related. The first one, the one he received, might have been from Li Qingshan," Chen Nuo said frankly.

"Hmm, I think so too," Lu Xiaojun nodded. "That old fox Li Qingshan is full of schemes. A couple of days ago, Old Luo told me Li Qingshan had been acting up lately, trying to meddle in a project we were working on, but Old Luo rejected him." As Lu Xiaojun spoke, his expression changed. "You mean, you suspect Li Qingshan..."

Chen Nuo shook his head and said calmly, "He wouldn’t dare."

On this point, Chen Nuo was very certain. There was something suspicious about Old Luo’s car accident, but Chen Nuo didn’t believe Li Qingshan was behind it; he probably wasn’t even involved. Because Li Qingshan absolutely wouldn’t dare. Given Chen Nuo’s relationship with Luo’s House—Li Qingshan himself had been at Boss Luo’s home and witnessed Chen Nuo visiting, and knew Chen Nuo and Luo Qing were classmates and close friends—for Li Qingshan to dare harm Boss Luo, considering his fear of Chen Nuo? Is he tired of living?

Chen Nuo’s firm "He wouldn’t dare" made Lu Xiaojun take notice. This young man apparently knew Li Qingshan—which was no small thing, as Li Qingshan was a local bigwig. Moreover, Chen Nuo’s tone clearly carried a hint of disdain and dismissal.

"Alright," Chen Nuo mused for a moment, then looked at Lu Xiaojun with a gentle tone. "Uncle Lu, let’s split up. These two phone calls are the key right now. I’ll go find Li Qingshan and ask him what he said to Boss Luo so late last night. You... you can go to the mobile service provider or the police, whatever it takes, and find out who Boss Luo called for that second conversation. How does that sound?"

Lu Xiaojun was somewhat skeptical. "You’re going to find Li Qingshan? Will he... talk to you?" Li Qingshan’s status was on par with Luo Dachanzi. Lu Xiaojun doubted that even he himself could easily get Li Qingshan to talk, depending on the old fox’s mood.

Chen Nuo, still smiling, replied with just four words, "He wouldn’t dare."

---

Before they parted ways, Chen Nuo gave Lu Xiaojun a few more instructions. "There’s no concrete evidence yet that someone deliberately caused Old Luo’s car accident. However, I’ve seen the scene, and the way the guardrail was broken felt a bit off to me. You should try to find out if the firefighters had to cut a section of the guardrail during the rescue operation at the crash site last night. This detail is crucial. Also... just in case, even though things aren’t clear yet, you should arrange for a few more people to keep an eye on things at the hospital. If, and I mean *if*, the car accident was orchestrated by someone, then Old Luo’s safety must be ensured right now... Actually, never mind, I’ll handle that part. You just arrange for people at the hospital to watch over Old Luo and Luo Qing."

After saying this, Chen Nuo had Lu Xiaojun take out his phone, keyed in his own number, and then turned and left.

Watching the young man stroll away casually, hands in his pockets, Lu Xiaojun’s expression was solemn. After a moment of thought, he took out his phone and first called Luo Qing.

"Qingzi... there’s something I need to ask you to clarify first. Your friend, Chen Nuo. What... exactly is his background?"

---

Chen Nuo sat in a taxi. After giving the driver the address, he took out his phone and dialed a number. The call connected quickly.

"Old Guo! How’s business today? Is the noodle shop busy?" Chen Nuo asked cheerfully.

"Get to the point," Boss Guo replied succinctly. "What do you need?"

"Do me a favor."

"Go on."

Chen Nuo smiled. "XX Hospital in the city. Go find Luo Qing and his father. Until I get back to the hospital, I need you to watch over them and make sure nothing happens to them."

"Alright, I’m heading out now," Boss Guo agreed promptly and hung up.

Chen Nuo felt reassured. What kind of power did Ramen Guo possess? After being integrated into the 17/17, his life force and spiritual power had received a boost from me! Boss Guo’s current strength was already at the pinnacle for a Destroyer. One could say he was just a step below the ceiling of a Controller. Across the entire world, unless he encountered a Controller, Boss Guo feared no opponent! With Old Guo guarding Luo Qing and his father at the hospital, unless a Controller showed up, they would be as safe as if guarded by Mount Tai!

Are there any Controllers in Jinling City? Yes! One is me, and the other is my wife! And we’re ranked among the TOP 2 Controllers in the world.