Night fell, as if someone had pressed a mute button.
The night market, noisy just moments ago, became so quiet that one could hear their own heartbeat.
Not far away, a pair of chopsticks slipped from a diner’s fingers, hitting the ground with a soft clack—a tiny sound that felt shockingly loud in the dead silence.
Everyone seemed frozen in place, staring in disbelief at the surreal scene unfolding before them.
Lin Nian was completely stunned.
She was still holding the big ladle in her hand. The hot broth inside trembled slightly, reflecting her face filled with shock and confusion.
Just now… what did she hear?
Lu Tingchuan.
The man in her memories—the one who treasured Bai Yueru like a precious jewel.
The man who, just to vent Bai Yueru’s anger, had tossed her—the legal wife—straight into the mud without hesitation.
That man had just, in front of all these people, used a voice cold enough to be filled with ice shards, and said to Bai Yueru…
Get lost?
Lin Nian seriously suspected something was wrong with her ears.
Or maybe something was wrong with this world.
Bai Yueru clearly had the same thought. Her perfectly maintained elegant expression cracked apart, her face turning pale as paper. Her beautiful eyes quickly filled with tears, making her look fragile and helpless.
“Tingchuan… Brother Tingchuan… what did you say?”
Her voice trembled, as if she was trying to confirm that what she heard had just been an illusion.
But Lu Tingchuan didn’t even have the patience to look at her again.
He only glanced at her coldly.
In that glance, there wasn’t a single trace of pity or hesitation—only suffocating disgust and extreme impatience.
That look hurt more than a slap. It was more humiliating, more devastating.
It was like the sharpest blade, stripping Bai Yueru of all her dignity and pride in front of the entire crowd, leaving nothing behind but bloody embarrassment.
“Wah—!”
Unable to endure the crushing blow, Bai Yueru covered her face and let out a heartbreaking scream before running off into the darkness like a frightened bird.
“Yueru!”
Lu Tingting finally snapped out of her shock. She shot Lu Tingchuan a vicious glare, then slashed Lin Nian with another venomous look before stomping after Bai Yueru.
A scene everyone expected to turn into “the wife tearing apart the mistress” ended abruptly in the strangest way imaginable.
Even the night market wind seemed to stop.
Every gaze in the crowd was drawn like metal to a magnet—focused entirely on the two people at the center of the storm.
Lu Tingchuan.
And Lin Nian.
Lin Nian felt her scalp tingle painfully.
Right now, she would rather Lu Tingchuan had come to cause trouble for her. Even flipping her stall would be better than this bizarre situation.
What exactly was he trying to do?
First he humiliated Bai Yueru, and now he was looking at her with that deep, terrifying gaze…
Was this some kind of new PUA technique?
Give you a candy to lower your guard, then slap you hard afterward?
Lin Nian’s brain was spinning, countless conspiracy theories flashing through her mind.
The book described Lu Tingchuan as a man with a deep mind, ruthless methods, and a talent for scheming.
What he did today absolutely wasn’t a moment of impulse.
He was warning people!
Yes—he was warning everyone. By humiliating Bai Yueru, he was telling the world that Bai Yueru was under his protection, and nobody was allowed to bully her.
And Lin Nian… she was the “chicken” used as an example for the warning!
No! No, wait!
He humiliated Bai Yueru, not her.
Lin Nian’s thoughts were a complete mess.
Could it be… he was warning Bai Yueru and Lu Tingting not to mess with her?
But why?
Because she was his ex-wife? Because she gave birth to his child?
Impossible! The man in the book despised his ex-wife and the child. He couldn’t stand either of them!
Then… could it be…
A more terrifying possibility surfaced.
He saw her as his possession. A toy he found interesting.
He could bully her and push her down, but would never allow others to touch her. Bai Yueru and Lu Tingting’s actions earlier had triggered his twisted sense of territoriality!
Yes. That must be it!
The more Lin Nian thought about it, the more she felt this explanation fit his domineering and dark personality perfectly.
Goosebumps crawled all over her skin. Her eyes held deeper fear as she looked at Lu Tingchuan.
Just as she was spiraling into her thoughts, Lu Tingchuan finally moved.
He didn’t walk toward her. Instead, he turned around and faced the entire night market.
His sharp eyes slowly swept over every person present. Everyone he looked at immediately lowered their heads, unable to meet his gaze.
“Commander Zhang,” he said calmly.
The guard captain behind him immediately stepped forward. “Here!”
“Market administrator Zhao Jianguo has repeatedly abused his position to demand ‘management fees’ from vendors, and retaliated against those who refused. The evidence is solid. The impact is extremely negative.”
Lu Tingchuan’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word rang clearly through the night market.
In the crowd, a middle-aged man with a beer belly froze instantly, his face turning white.
Zhao Hong’s relative—Zhao Jianguo.
He had been giving Lin Nian a hard time recently.
“From this moment, remove all of Zhao Jianguo’s duties. He is to be immediately transferred to the Military District Discipline Department for full investigation.”
Lu Tingchuan’s tone was emotionless, yet filled with absolute authority.
“Yes, sir!” Commander Zhang answered loudly, signaling his men.
Two tall guards stepped forward, lifting the now-limp Zhao Jianguo by both arms.
“I—I didn’t! Commander Lu, I’m being framed!” he stammered.
But Lu Tingchuan didn’t even look at him. “Gag him and take him away.”
“Yes, sir!”
The swift and merciless “anti-corruption action” unfolded right in front of everyone’s eyes.
The night market vendors were stunned—then thrilled. Quiet cheers spread like small ripples.
Zhao Jianguo had been a tumor in the market. Everyone hated him but didn’t dare to say anything.
No one expected the new commander to wipe him out in one go.
It was satisfying—extremely satisfying.
But Lin Nian couldn’t smile.
Her back felt cold.
Killing the chicken to warn the monkey.
This was his true intention.
By taking down Zhao Jianguo publicly, he was telling Lin Nian—and everyone else—that he was the one who set the rules here.
He could lift someone up easily.
And destroy someone just as easily.
He made sure she understood that her livelihood, her stability, her everything… was in his hands.
This man… was terrifying.
After dealing with Zhao Jianguo, Lu Tingchuan looked as if he had just done something trivial.
He glanced at Lin Nian one last time—a look so complex that she couldn’t decipher it at all.
Then he turned around and walked off with his men, disappearing quickly into the night.
Only when the green jeep completely vanished did the frozen night market come back to life, exploding into a storm of chatter.
“Oh my god! Did you guys see? Commander Lu was totally standing up for Boss Lin!”
“What do you mean standing up for her? That was basically raging on behalf of his beauty!”
“He even yelled at Doctor Bai, and punished Zhao Hong’s relative! Who on earth is Boss Lin?!”
“What else could she be? Definitely Commander Lu’s woman! I’d bet nine out of ten!”
The rumors spread like wildfire, growing wildly in every direction.
Lin Nian stood in the middle of the chatter, feeling icy cold from head to toe.
She looked toward the direction Lu Tingchuan left, clenching her fists tightly.
Lu Tingchuan, what exactly are you trying to do?
Do you think I’ll be grateful?
Do you think I’ll beg you?
You’re wrong.
The more you do this…
The more dangerous you become.
And the farther I’ll stay away from you.