Chapter 287: The Protagonist is back to His Old Life

Bai Xue stopped laughing.

Rose started walking toward her.

"Wait."

"No."

"Rose..."

"Run."

Bai Xue’s eyes widened.

Then...

She ran.

Rose chased her.

The training grounds erupted into laughter.

Shen Tian remained sitting.

Then...

Lin Yue approached.

She looked down.

"You enjoyed that."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Being tackled?"

"Being on top of her."

Silence.

Shen Tian slowly smiled.

Lin Yue’s cheeks immediately warmed.

"I walked into that."

"Yes."

She sighed.

Then...

Extended her hand.

Shen Tian took it.

She pulled him up.

Their fingers remained together.

Lin Yue noticed.

Shen Tian noticed.

Her face became pink.

But...

She didn’t release immediately.

Instead...

She looked toward Rose chasing Bai Xue.

Then back.

"You really do have a strange effect on people."

"Charm."

Lin Yue laughed.

"I knew you were going to say that."

Shen Tian smiled.

Then...

He gently squeezed her hand once before releasing it.

Lin Yue froze.

Her cheeks became noticeably redder.

She looked at him.

He had already turned toward the others.

A smile slowly appeared.

Dangerous man.

. . .

That evening...

Gu Qingya and Tang Meilin prepared to leave.

Shen Tian walked them toward their cars.

Gu Qingya stopped beside hers.

Then...

Looked toward him.

"About the security contract."

"Hm?"

"The board approved it."

"Fast."

"We were attacked."

"Fair."

She smiled.

Then...

Her expression became softer.

"I feel better knowing your people will be there."

Shen Tian stared.

Gu Qingya realized.

Her cheeks warmed.

"I mean..."

"Security wise."

"Obviously."

He smiled.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Don’t."

"I’m not doing anything."

"Your face."

He laughed.

Then...

Gu Qingya looked down.

She hesitated.

Something had been bothering her.

Finally...

"Shen Tian."

"Yeah?"

"Rose."

He raised an eyebrow.

Gu Qingya immediately regretted starting.

Her cheeks warmed.

"What about her?"

"Do you..."

She stopped.

Shen Tian watched.

Gu Qingya’s pride fought with curiosity.

Curiosity won.

"...like her?"

Silence.

Tang Meilin, who had been opening her own car door...

Stopped.

Very quietly.

Shen Tian noticed.

Gu Qingya noticed Tang listening.

Tang immediately looked away.

"I wasn’t..."

"You’re terrible at pretending."

Tang Meilin’s face turned pink.

Shen Tian looked back toward Gu Qingya.

Then...

"Yes."

Gu Qingya froze.

Tang Meilin froze.

Shen Tian continued.

"I like Rose."

Simple.

No game.

No embarrassment.

Gu Qingya’s chest tightened slightly.

Then...

She forced herself to remain calm.

"How much?"

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"That’s harder."

Gu Qingya nodded slowly.

Then...

He smiled.

"I’m interested."

Her eyes met his.

"She’s fun."

"Strong."

"Honest."

"And..."

He paused.

"She’s cute when she blushes."

Gu Qingya’s cheeks immediately warmed.

She looked away.

Then...

Shen Tian smiled.

"So are you."

Gu Qingya froze completely.

Tang Meilin’s mouth opened.

Shen Tian continued.

"And her."

He pointed toward Tang.

Tang Meilin’s face became crimson.

"WHY AM I INVOLVED?"

Shen Tian laughed.

Gu Qingya stared at him.

Then...

Her lips curved upward despite herself.

"You really are shameless."

"Yes."

"Completely."

"Yes."

She sighed.

Then...

Looked at him again.

"Goodnight."

Shen Tian smiled.

"Goodnight, Qingya."

Her heartbeat skipped when he said her name like that.

She entered the car before her face betrayed her any further.

Tang Meilin remained.

Then...

Slowly looked toward Shen Tian.

"Was that true?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"That I’m..."

Her voice became smaller.

"...cute when I blush."

Shen Tian smiled.

Tang Meilin instantly regretted asking.

"Very."

Her entire face turned red.

She stood there.

Completely frozen.

Shen Tian leaned slightly closer.

"See?"

Tang Meilin’s eyes widened.

Then...

She shoved his shoulder lightly.

"Goodnight!"

She practically jumped into the car.

Shen Tian laughed as the door closed.

Inside...

Tang Meilin covered her face.

Her driver stared forward.

Very wisely.

. . .

One week later.

Middle East.

Lu Chen stood on a hill overlooking a burning enemy compound.

His clothes were covered in dust.

A rifle rested against his shoulder.

Below...

Black Wolf mercenaries secured the site.

Another victory.

Another contract.

Another group willing to follow War Wolf.

Lu Chen’s confidence had returned.

Not completely.

But...

Enough.

Viper approached.

"Twenty-two million."

Lu Chen looked toward him.

"What?"

"Contract value."

"Good."

"Three more groups want meetings."

"Set them up."

Viper smiled.

"War Wolf is back."

Lu Chen stared toward the smoke.

Then...

His expression hardened.

"No."

Viper raised an eyebrow.

"Not yet."

Lu Chen remembered.

Green eyes.

That smile.

Being forced to one knee.

His team signing Shen Tian’s contracts.

Rose blushing.

Lin Yue smiling.

Gu Qingya standing beside him.

"No."

His hand tightened around the rifle.

"I’m not back until he’s beneath me."

Viper smiled slightly.

There.

Exactly what Xue Long wanted.

Obsession.

Lu Chen’s phone vibrated.

A secure message.

A video.

He opened it.

Then...

Froze.

The footage showed a Chinese social media clip.

Shen Family charity event.

Shen Tian walking through a crowd.

Rose beside him.

She said something.

Shen Tian leaned closer to hear.

Rose’s cheeks turned pink.

Then...

She laughed.

Lu Chen’s face slowly changed.

Another clip.

Gu Qingya exiting Qinghe.

Shen Tian opened the car door for her.

She looked surprised.

Then smiled.

Another.

Tang Meilin at a business event.

Shen Tian brushed something from her shoulder.

She turned red.

Another.

Lin Yue speaking to reporters outside Central Hospital.

Someone asked about the accident response.

She smiled.

Then said...

"Young Master Shen helped save several patients."

Her face visibly warmed.

Lu Chen stopped the video.

His jaw tightened.

Viper looked over.

"Problem?"

"No."

"That looked like a problem."

Lu Chen lowered the phone.

His hatred sharpened.

But...

Unlike before...

He didn’t explode.

Didn’t shout.

Didn’t punch something.

Instead...

He became calm.

Very calm.

That was worse.

"Set the meetings."

Viper studied him.

"All of them?"

"All."

Lu Chen looked toward the burning compound.

"I want the biggest contracts."

"Most dangerous routes."

"Best fighters."

"Highest-paying jobs."

Viper slowly smiled.

"Trying to impress someone?"

Lu Chen’s eyes turned cold.

"No."

Then...

He looked at Shen Tian’s paused image.

"I’m building enough power..."

"...to destroy someone."

. . .

Back in China...

Xu Ning appeared beside Shen Tian.

He sat in the private garden.

Rose beside him.

Coffee between them.

Their promised coffee.

Finally.

Actually uninterrupted.

Mostly.

Xu Ning opened a panel.

Lu Chen Fate Recovery: +24,000

Current Fate Value: 330,000

Shen Tian glanced.

Then...

Ignored it.

Xu Ning stared.

[Host.]

"What?"

[He recovered another sixteen thousand.]

"I see."

[You’re still not going after him?]

"No."

Rose looked toward Shen Tian.

"You distracted?"

He smiled.

"Not anymore."

Her cheeks warmed slightly.

"Good."

Xu Ning crossed her arms.

[Host.]

He ignored her.

Rose took a sip.

Then...

She looked toward him.

"You know..."

"What?"

"This is weird."

"Coffee?"

"No."

She smiled.

"Normal."

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

Rose continued.

"My life hasn’t been normal in years."

"Operations."

"Flights."

"Safe houses."

"Weapons."

"Always watching exits."

"Then..."

She looked around.

Beautiful garden.

Quiet.

Safe.

"You."

Shen Tian smiled.

"I’m normal?"

Rose laughed.

"Absolutely not."

"Good."

"But..."

Her expression softened.

"I like this."

Shen Tian stared.

Then...

"Me too."

Rose’s cheeks warmed.

Silence.

She looked down at her coffee.

Then...

Slowly...

Her fingers moved across the table.

Closer to his.

Not touching.

Just...

Near.

Shen Tian noticed.

His hand moved too.

Their fingers touched.

Rose froze.

Neither pulled away.

Then...

Shen Tian turned his hand.

Palm up.

An invitation.

Rose stared.

Her heartbeat accelerated.

She slowly placed her hand in his.

Their fingers intertwined.

Rose’s face turned pink.

No joke.

No teasing.

Just...

Warmth.

She looked toward him.

Shen Tian’s green eyes met hers.

Rose smiled softly.

"This is dangerous."

"Why?"

"I might actually start liking you."

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"Start?"

Rose froze.

Then...

She laughed quietly.

"Shut up."

Her fingers tightened around his.

Shen Tian smiled.

"Make me."

Rose’s eyes widened.

Her blush deepened.

For one second...

Her gaze dropped toward his lips.

Then...

Back up.

Shen Tian saw.

She knew he saw.

Neither moved.

Not yet.

Slow burn.

Rose smiled.

"Maybe later."

Shen Tian’s smile widened.

"I’ll remember that."

Her face became redder.

Then...

Xu Ning opened another warning panel.

Protagonist Overseas Route Progress: 37%

Potential Fate Recovery Remaining: 56,000

Shen Tian glanced at it.

Then...

Back toward Rose.

He squeezed her hand.

Xu Ning stared.

[You’re seriously ignoring Fate for flirting.]

Shen Tian smiled.

He can wait.

Xu Ning froze.

Then...

Slowly smiled.

[Oh.]

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow mentally.

What?

[Nothing.]

Rose noticed his smile.

"There it is again."

"What?"

"The villain smile."

Shen Tian looked toward her.

Then...

His expression softened.

"Not for you."

Rose’s heart skipped.

"Good."

She moved slightly closer.

And thousands of kilometers away...

Lu Chen was rebuilding.

Growing stronger.

Recovering Fate.

Preparing for revenge.

He believed every victory overseas was taking him closer to the day he could return to China and finally crush Shen Tian.

Shen Tian?

He wasn’t worried.

He wasn’t chasing.

He wasn’t interfering.

Not yet.

Because the best part of letting a protagonist rebuild his castle...

Was watching his face when you finally arrived...

And took the whole thing.

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(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)

SEND POWESTONES!!!

ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!