Chapter 272: Liu Changqing’s Crisis

Madam, Please Behave

< p218" data-end="321"> November 23rd.

Saturday.

The arrival of the weekend was supposed to be something worth celebrating.

< p323" data-end="436"> After enduring a week of classes, Liu Xiazhi—who wasn’t a big fan of studying—finally felt a tiny bit of freedom.

< p438" data-end="607"> There was no doubt Liu Xiazhi loved her snacks. Stuff like sandwich cookies, potato chips, shrimp sticks, and chocolate from the supermarket were her absolute favorites.

< p609" data-end="728"> But her dad, Liu Changqing, had stopped buying her those tasty treats for quite a while now—for the sake of her health.

< p730" data-end="852"> Realizing her dad wasn’t reliable in this department, Liu Xiazhi, ever the clever one, set her sights on a different ally.

< p854" data-end="890"> That was none other than An Yuanyao.

< p892" data-end="1000"> For some reason, Liu Xiazhi had clearly noticed that An Yuanyao’s standing in the house was rising steadily.

< p1002" data-end="1090"> Even when she went to the bathroom, Liu Xiazhi would catch Dad waiting outside the door.

< p1092" data-end="1248"> Noticing this, Liu Xiazhi made a swift decision to cozy up to An Yuanyao. After a few days of effort, she managed to score some delicious snacks once again.

< p1250" data-end="1380"> And being the smart girl she was, Liu Xiazhi kept her snacks hidden, following her dad’s instructions to only eat two packs a day.

< p1382" data-end="1527"> At the moment, she was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, holding a big bag of chips, her mouth munching nonstop as she stared intently at the TV.

< p1529" data-end="1649"> The noise from the front door caught her attention slightly, making her instinctively turn her head toward the entrance.

< p1651" data-end="1763"> With the sound of the lock turning, the door opened, and Liu Zhiyue and Zhou Shiyan walked into the living room.

< p1765" data-end="1850"> As soon as Liu Xiazhi saw Zhou Shiyan, the look on her face changed to one of horror.

< p1852" data-end="1888"> Crap, the annoying one’s here again!

< p1890" data-end="2028"> Liu Xiazhi, who hated studying, also wasn’t a fan of Zhou Shiyan’s tutoring. Over time, she’d even started to dislike Zhou Shiyan herself.

< p2030" data-end="2182"> After all… this girl, always expressionless and making her repeat the same question over and over, felt like some kind of emotionless teaching assassin.

< p2184" data-end="2327"> Liu Changqing came out of the room and saw Zhou Shiyan. He nodded at the two of them, who were changing into indoor slippers, and greeted them.

< p2329" data-end="2388"> “Stay for lunch today… I’ll head out now to buy groceries.”

< p2390" data-end="2419"> “Okay. Thank you, Uncle Liu.”

< p2421" data-end="2536"> “No need to thank me… Treat this like your own home. I should be thanking you for helping Xiazhi with her studies.”

< p2538" data-end="2663"> He said with a smile, then walked toward the door to change his shoes and head out for the groceries needed for today’s meal.

< p2665" data-end="2702"> After Liu Changqing put on his shoes—

< p2704" data-end="2797"> An Yuanyao also came out from the room. When she saw Zhou Shiyan, she smiled and greeted her.

< p2799" data-end="2833"> Zhou Shiyan returned the greeting.

< p2835" data-end="3011"> But she looked curiously at An Yuanyao, who was now subconsciously holding her stomach—a gesture she hadn’t made when they met last week. It made Zhou Shiyan a little confused.

< p3013" data-end="3180"> With the sound of the door closing behind Liu Changqing, Zhou Shiyan slowly turned her gaze toward Liu Xiazhi, whose face was frozen in disbelief. The two locked eyes.

< p3182" data-end="3252"> They stared at each other for a while, until Zhou Shiyan finally said,

< p3254" data-end="3277"> “Let’s start studying.”

< p3279" data-end="3290"> “Nooooo!!!”

< p3292" data-end="3293"> —

< p3295" data-end="3427"> Downstairs, Liu Changqing walked a bit until he reached his car. He pulled out his keys, ready to drive to the market for groceries.

< p3429" data-end="3479"> Suddenly, a sound behind him caught his attention.

< p3481" data-end="3603"> He paused just as he was about to open the car door and turned to glance behind him, toward where the noise had come from.

< p3605" data-end="3613"> Nothing.

< p3615" data-end="3795"> Thinking he was being paranoid, Liu Changqing laughed to himself and shook his head. He reached for the car handle to open it—when he suddenly felt someone approaching from behind.

< p3797" data-end="3891"> Just as he turned his head to look, before he could react, something was pulled over his head.

< p3893" data-end="3923"> It all happened in an instant.

< p3925" data-end="4096"> By the time Liu Changqing processed what was going on, his hands had already been restrained by the people behind him. And he could clearly tell—it wasn’t just one person.

< p4098" data-end="4153"> At that moment, a figure popped into his mind: Ye Rong.

< p4155" data-end="4326"> Liu Changqing, a man who prided himself on his good character, didn’t think he had offended anyone. But in that split second, the biggest suspect was that old hag Ye Rong.

< p4328" data-end="4376"> The thought made Liu Changqing start struggling.

< p4378" data-end="4397"> But it was useless.

< p4399" data-end="4563"> He could feel the strength of the people restraining him—they were clearly powerful. Plus, with his hands pinned, Liu Changqing couldn’t even use his full strength.

< p4565" data-end="4718"> Still struggling, he was lifted off the ground. With the hood over his head, he couldn’t see a thing. He shouted and kicked as he was dragged into a car.

< p4720" data-end="4829"> The car door slammed shut, and the engine—clearly waiting—roared to life, quickly pulling away from the area.

< p4831" data-end="4885"> And… not a single person nearby saw what had happened.

< p4887" data-end="4946"> As the car drove off, the surroundings fell back into calm.

< p4948" data-end="4981"> As if… nothing had ever happened.

< p4983" data-end="4984"> —

< p4986" data-end="5001"> Inside the car.

< p5003" data-end="5148"> Realizing he was being moved, Liu Changqing stopped struggling. He was fully aware that someone on each side of him was gripping one of his arms.

< p5150" data-end="5276"> He tried pulling free, but when he realized it was useless, he gave up and started thinking about how to get out of this mess.

< p5278" data-end="5378"> After going through all the possibilities, Liu Changqing figured brute force wasn’t going to cut it.

< p5380" data-end="5430"> If that’s the case… then he needed another tactic.

< p5432" data-end="5470"> He calmed his voice a little and said,

< p5472" data-end="5600"> “Hey, brothers… how much are you getting for this job? Look, just let me go, and I’ll double it for you tomorrow. How about it?”

< p5602" data-end="5606"> “……”

< p5608" data-end="5665"> Silence was the only response, like these guys were mute.

< p5667" data-end="5720"> Unwilling to give up, Liu Changqing raised the offer.

< p5722" data-end="5731"> “Triple?”

< p5733" data-end="5737"> “……”

< p5739" data-end="5752"> “Four times!”

< p5754" data-end="5758"> “……”

< p5760" data-end="5822"> “Listen, you can’t be too greedy—five times. That’s my limit!”

< p5824" data-end="5828"> “……”

< p5830" data-end="5914"> Clearly, these guys weren’t tempted by money. Liu Changqing found himself in a bind.

< p5916" data-end="5977"> He was just trying to go buy groceries and cook for the kids!

< p5979" data-end="6133"> Thinking about his son and daughter at home, and An Yuanyao and the baby in her belly, Liu Changqing suddenly felt a surge of strength course through him.

< p6135" data-end="6204"> Images from all the action movies he’d seen flashed through his mind.

< p6206" data-end="6335"> First, break free from the guy on the left, knock out the one on the right, then take down the driver and make a dramatic escape.

< p6337" data-end="6453"> He played the scene out in his head once. With no other options, Liu Changqing figured—might as well give it a shot.

< p6455" data-end="6467"> Time to act.

< p6469" data-end="6647"> After a brief silence, Liu Changqing suddenly made his move. He twisted his left hand, digging into the flesh of the guy holding him, trying to break free and regain his freedom.

< p6649" data-end="6718"> But before he could fully act, he felt a sharp blow land on his back.

< p6720" data-end="6784"> And along with that hit came a deep, booming voice near his ear:

< p6786" data-end="6819"> “Sit still, or you’re in for it!”

< p6821" data-end="6869"> They weren’t even on the same level of strength.

< p6871" data-end="6967"> Realizing that, Liu Changqing forgot all about the pain in his back and immediately calmed down.

< p6969" data-end="7012"> Who knew how long the car had been driving…

< p7014" data-end="7121"> Eventually, it came to a stop. Liu Changqing, dragged out of the car, had no clue where he was being taken.

< p7123" data-end="7232"> He was led along, up some stairs, and then heard a door being opened. After that, he was shoved into a chair.

< p7234" data-end="7305"> After a brief wait, the thing covering his head was finally pulled off.

< p7307" data-end="7354"> And once again, he could see the world clearly.