Yang Gang led the way at the front, holding a machete in his hand. As he walked, he cut through weeds and branches blocking the path, clearing a way forward.
Following behind him was Lin Yuan, then Zhang Long and Zhou Feng, with He Yuwei and Wang Qianyue walking at the rear.
The mountain paths of Savage Peak were rugged and difficult to navigate. Every step required caution, so the group’s pace was slow.
As they moved forward, they chatted along the way.
“Brother Lin, how long do you plan to stay in Savage Peak?” Zhou Feng asked from behind.
“At most three to five days, at the least one or two. What about you?” Lin Yuan replied.
His purpose for coming here was to claim a fortuitous encounter that belonged to his future self. While he had a rough idea of the location, actually finding it would take time. He estimated it would take no more than four to five days, after which he could leave.
“Brother Lin is staying that long? We’re different—we just came for the experience. We’ll head back after one night,” Zhou Feng said.
Lin Yuan wasn’t surprised by his answer. He already had a clear sense of what these two were up to. However, what puzzled him was that his appearance likely wasn’t part of their original plan.
So, had he disrupted their scheme?
If that were the case, then why did they invite him along?
He had pondered this question the entire way, but still hadn’t figured it out. At that point, he simply gave up thinking about it and decided to take things step by step.
As dusk approached, they found a relatively flat spot. After clearing the weeds, they began setting up tents.
Yang Gang, Lin Yuan, Zhou Feng, and Zhang Long were responsible for pitching the tents, while He Yuwei and Wang Qianyue prepared the food.
Soon, the tents were up, and the food was ready.
“I brought some drinks with me. I got them specially for this trip. Let’s all have some together,” Zhou Feng said as he took out several bottles of beverages and handed them around.
Lin Yuan examined his carefully but found nothing suspicious. He unscrewed the cap, took a small sip, and set it aside.
The others—He Yuwei, Wang Qianyue, Yang Gang, Zhou Feng, and Zhang Long—each took a big gulp. They had just been working hard setting up tents and preparing food, so they welcomed the refreshment without hesitation.
Then, everyone began eating to restore their energy.
Meanwhile, back in distant North City, in the CEO’s office at Tengyuan Building… This story is hosted at novelping.com.
The young secretary looked at Gu Qingyi, who was staring at the bouquet of red roses on the desk.
It was already past office hours. Why wasn’t CEO Gu leaving yet? It made the secretary feel guilty for staying late too.
“Has Lin Yuan still not come?” Gu Qingyi asked her secretary.
“CEO Gu, you’ve already asked more than fifty times today. It’s already after hours. If Young Master Lin was coming, he would’ve shown up by now. Since he hasn’t, that means he’s not coming today.”
The secretary replied with a look of resignation.
Heavens… What was going on with the world? Gu Qingyi, who used to hate Lin Yuan, who used to hide from him like the plague, was now actually looking forward to his arrival?
“Alright, go home. You don’t need to keep me company,” Gu Qingyi said.
“Then… I’ll head out, CEO Gu.”
“Mhm.”
Feeling relieved, the secretary gathered her things and left the CEO’s office, humming happily on her way out.
Meanwhile, Gu Qingyi continued to stare at her phone on the desk. She had called Lin Yuan over a hundred times, but his phone had been off every single time—completely unreachable.
“That guy actually dared to stand me up!” Gu Qingyi felt a sudden wave of anger rise in her chest. She was extremely annoyed.
But she quickly forced the anger down. After a moment, she couldn’t help but find herself ridiculous.
Lin Yuan had chased after her for three years, and she always avoided him like the plague. Now that he had finally stopped pursuing her, she was the one hoping he would show up.
Deep down, she knew very well that what she really longed for wasn’t Lin Yuan himself… but the benefits he could bring her.
“Qingyi, not heading home yet?”
Just then, the door to the office was pushed open, and Long Haochen walked straight in.
Gu Qingyi frowned. She disliked this behavior immensely. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Even Lin Yuan would knock before entering her office. But Long Haochen just barged in without a second thought. He was completely lacking in manners.
“I’m waiting for someone,” Gu Qingyi said coldly.
“Waiting for someone? Who? Lin Yuan?” Long Haochen asked, glancing at the bouquet of red roses on her desk. He remembered that they were a gift from Lin Yuan.
He didn’t expect Gu Qingyi to keep them. She even found a vase and placed the roses inside. Could she really like Lin Yuan that much?
Long Haochen clenched his fists. Whether Gu Qingyi was serious or pretending for appearances, it made him incredibly upset.
“Yes, that’s right. I’m waiting for Lin Yuan,” Gu Qingyi replied on purpose.
“He’s not coming,” Long Haochen said.
“What do you mean?” Gu Qingyi stood up at once and looked at him, realizing that Lin Yuan’s absence today might have something to do with Long Haochen.
“I’m just stating the facts. He hasn’t shown up by now, has he?” Long Haochen said calmly.
“Did you do something to him?” Gu Qingyi asked.
She clearly remembered how afraid Lin Yuan had looked when facing Long Haochen. She didn’t know why, but if anyone could threaten Lin Yuan, Long Haochen was certainly one of them.
“Are you accusing me?”
“Long Haochen, I’m warning you—you’d better not have done anything. If you ruined something important to me, I won’t forgive you. Even if Grandpa protects you, I still won’t let it go,” Gu Qingyi said coldly.
“Now, leave. Immediately. And from now on, don’t barge into my office without permission. Do you hear me?”
Long Haochen’s expression didn’t change. He glanced at her, said nothing, and turned to leave, closing the door behind him.
Only after stepping out of Gu Qingyi’s office did Long Haochen reveal his dark, twisted expression.
It seemed the plan to eliminate Lin Yuan needed to be carried out as soon as possible.
This wasn’t his intention initially—it was merely a necessary precaution. He couldn’t let Gu Qingyi suffer any harm from staying close to Lin Yuan.