HuMing indeed had no time to accompany Ye QiuXue home today.
After all, he still had to deal with Liang Feng's matter.
At this moment, HuMing stood alone beneath a tree outside a building, keeping a close eye on a family in the distance.
Liang Feng stepped out of a car with a woman and a child beside him.
His face lit up with a smile as he carried his son in one arm and held his wife's hand with the other.
The three of them looked genuinely happy together.
Leaning against the tree, HuMing crossed his arms and watched the scene unfold.
This wasn't the first time he'd witnessed this scene. From the very start when he had decided to use Liang Feng, he had begun observing him closely.
Liang Feng had done quite a bit while working under Lee Tian. Whether any of those deeds were heinous, HuMing wasn't particularly interested.
Yet, seeing this moment of familial warmth, HuMing suddenly thought that perhaps resolving the issues might not be such a bad idea after all.
After all, in his original plan, he intended to use Liang Feng as bait to draw Lee Tian's attention.
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"If Liang Feng dies, they'd be heartbroken, wouldn't they?"
Watching their harmonious family scene, HuMing found himself reconsidering his plan.
In the past, HuMing would never have made such a decision.
Perhaps all his recent interactions with others had softened a part of him.
HuMin had told him that once a person had concerns, they would also have weaknesses.
"I'll allow myself this indulgence, just this once."
HuMing's gaze shifted to a parked vehicle nearby, which had been there since Liang Feng's arrival.
It stayed parked in the same spot as if observing something.
HuMing immediately recognized the license plate---it belonged to Lee Tian's men, must be to keep tabs on Liang Feng.
If Liang Feng's family tried to leave, those men would likely stop them immediately, as to what would happen after that, HuMing couldn't say. Knowing Lee Tian, it wouldn't end well.
With this in mind, he pulled up his hood, then carefully covered his face with a mask before striding directly toward that vehicle.
...
Meanwhile, Ye QiuXue couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. Ever since she'd left the school, she had the feeling of being followed.
But whenever she turned around, she couldn't spot a single figure.
After the last time she was locked up, she had made a habit of keeping her phone close at hand.
HuMing had also told her that as long as she called him, he would come to her aid immediately.
She glanced around her, then continued walking along the main road.
Not far behind her, hidden around a corner, a group of boys murmured among themselves.
"She seems pretty cautious. Looks like we might not get a chance today."
"Are you stupid? She's alone today, and she just ran in the school sports meet this afternoon. How much energy could she have left?"
"You guys chase her into the alley, then we'll crush her!"
The number of people on the street dwindled as Ye QiuXue kept walking. Suddenly, a few figures appeared in front of her.
Ye QiuXue came to an immediate halt, her eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on the boys blocking her path.
She recognized them right away. They were upperclassmen, and she had caught them breaking school rules several times before.
But their presence here, at this moment couldn't possibly mean anything good.
Ye QiuXue instinctively slipped her hand into her pocket, her eyes narrowing as she did so.
"It's you guys?"
"How rare. The president of the student council still remembers us. Let's go, we have something to talk about."
"Sorry, I don't talk outside of school." Ye QiuXue's expression turned cold, but the other party didn't care. One of them reached out to shove her.
Ye QiuXue dodged, avoiding the hand, and then darted away from them.
Seeing this, the group of boys didn't slow down; instead quickly pursued her.
At a different location, same time, HuMing stepped on a chair, playing with a phone. In front of him, several men lay unconscious on the ground.
He grabbed one of the men's hands, using it to unlock the phone.
Inside, numerous messages were exchanged with Lee Tian. These guys had been daily reporting about Liang Feng's family to Lee Tian.
However, Lee Tian probably never imagined that these men would be subdued so easily.
HuMing calmly pocketed the phone just as Liang Feng entered through the door.
When Liang Feng saw so many men sprawled out on the floor, he was momentarily stunned, but then his face lit up with joy.
"These are the people who have been watching my family, right?"
"Yes. I'll leave them to you. I trust that with your ability, you can handle all this."
"Thank you, really, thank you!"
Liang Feng tightly gripped HuMing's hand, his eyes brimming with gratitude.
HuMing waved the phone in his hand and continued:
"As for Lee Tian, I'll handle him for you. Make sure to find a safe place for your wife and kids, and then deal with the next steps."
Liang Feng looked at the man before him, realizing he still didn't know anything about his true identity, even after everything that had happened. His curiosity about HuMing's identity grew.
Noticing Liang Feng's gaze, HuMing slowly turned his head to meet his eyes.
"Mr. Liang, is there something else you want to ask?"
"No, I was just curious about your true identity."
Hearing this, HuMing chuckled softly, and Liang Feng realized how unrealistic his question was.
He quickly waved his hands and said:
"I was just joking. Please, don't take it too seriously."
"Liang Feng, after you leave Lee Tian, what are your plans?"
HuMing's words left Liang Feng stunned. Up until now, all he had thought about was how to escape Lee Tian's grasp---he had never considered what he might do once he was free.
He blinked, slowly realizing the deeper meaning behind HuMing's words.
A flicker of fervor lit up in Liang Feng's eyes, and he quickly asked
"You want to take over the Lee family?"
"No, not me. It's you."
Liang Feng's pupils contracted sharply, suddenly feeling that the person before him had ideas far more ambitious than he'd imagined. HuMing wanted him to be the public face, while he pulled the strings from behind the scenes.
Great rewards came with equally great risks, and Liang Feng fell into contemplation.
But HuMing waved a hand and said
"You still have time to think it over---whether you want to live a quiet life in a small town or step over Lee Tian's corpse to reach the top. It's all up to you."
Turning away, HuMing's phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.
It was a call from Ye QiuXue. But just as HuMing answered, he could faintly hear a male voice from the other end.
"You can't escape, Ye QiuXue!"
HuMing's gaze instantly turned icy.