Chapter 249 - 209: Dead Dog

Chapter 249: Chapter 209: Dead Dog

"Heh..."

Looking at the man’s smug expression, Gu Heng let out a soft chuckle. The sound sent an inexplicable, bone-chilling cold through Sun Fan.

"You have five minutes. I want the password to this camera."

Gu Heng looked back at Zhong Hua, his voice tinged with indifference.

"Yes."

Zhong Hua glanced down at Sun Fan, his own expression just as indifferent.

"Take him away."

He signaled to the three burly men in black behind him. Then, he grabbed Sun Fan by the collar and started walking toward the area behind the central bar.

"What are you doing?"

"Let me tell you, we live in a society with laws! You can’t just do this!"

Sun Fan truly began to panic. When he saw Gu Heng’s unchanging, indifferent expression, his panic turned into outright terror.

"Help!"

"Somebody, help me!"

"Help!"

"MMPH!"

"MMPHMMPH!"

Overcome with terror, Sun Fan tried to scream for help, but his cries were quickly muffled, and then all went quiet.

"Chairman Gu, they..."

Watching this unfold, a flicker of worry crossed Tian Xiqwei’s eyes.

"It’s nothing."

"They know their limits."

Gu Heng replied calmly.

Zhong Hua and his men were either ex-special forces or former secret agents—all professionally trained. Most people couldn’t withstand their methods, let alone a mere paparazzi.

A simple trick would be more than enough to scare the life out of him.

Tian Xiqwei gazed at Gu Heng, her beautiful eyes shining with fascination.

The Gu Heng before her now was like a completely different person from the man she had been drinking with alone just moments ago.

Commanding, decisive, imposing, authoritative, composed...

For Tian Xiqwei, who had never felt a true sense of security while navigating the entertainment industry, that aura of having everything under control was utterly intoxicating, like a potent drug.

It was a feeling that said, ’As long as he’s here, everything will be okay!’

"Another drink?"

Sensing the emotion in Tian Xiqwei’s gaze, Gu Heng asked with a soft chuckle.

"Mhm!"

"Let’s have another!"

Even though she was already slightly drunk after several cocktails, she found she couldn’t bring herself to refuse him. In fact, she strangely regretted telling Lu Ya to wait for her back in her room.

Seeing Tian Xiqwei agree, Gu Heng poured another glass of whiskey for each of them.

They had only exchanged a few more words when Zhong Hua and his men reappeared, bringing Sun Fan with them.

To be precise, he was dragged back like a dead dog.

His eyes were wide with terror, his forehead was drenched in sweat, and his pant cuffs were faintly dripping.

In just five minutes, he looked like a completely different person.

’What on earth did they do to him?’

Tian Xiqwei’s mind reeled. The Gu Heng before her seemed even more unfathomable now.

"I’ll ask you one more time."

Gu Heng’s voice was cold. "What is it you do?"

"Sir!"

"I’m a paparazzo!"

"A professional paparazzo!"

"I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have been taking secret photos of you and Miss Tian!"

"I was blind—I didn’t recognize who you were! Please, be the bigger man and don’t lower yourself to my level!"

"I was wrong!"

"I was so wrong!"

Sun Fan flinched reflexively at the sound of Gu Heng’s voice.

If Zhong Hua and the others weren’t still holding him up, he probably would have dropped to his knees.

’That was terrifying!’

’When they first dragged him to the back, he had been determined not to break, no matter what they did to him.’

’Until he saw one of them take out a pack of silver needles.’ ℯℯ𝑙.

’The man casually pulled one out—it was as long as a grown man’s hand.’

’Even in the dim light, its sharp tip glinted menacingly.’

’The man unhurriedly took hold of his middle finger. And in the moment Sun Fan watched, helpless, as the sharp needle lightly touched his nail, he completely broke. He was so terrified by Zhong Hua and his men that he’d pissed himself.’

’Oh my god!’

’Help me!’

’Why do these guys seem to radiate such a menacing black aura?!’

’Whenever he used to eat with his colleagues, Sun Fan always boasted that if a big opportunity came along, he’d risk his life to grab it.’

’Looking back, he realized what a load of bullshit that was!’

’Forget risking his life—he couldn’t even take them threatening a single finger!’

"What’s the password?"

Gu Heng ignored his pleas and asked again.

"697869!"

Sun Fan blurted out.

Upon hearing the number, Gu Heng picked up the DSLR camera again, keyed in the password Sun Fan had given him, and successfully opened the photo album.

In an instant, countless photos filled the screen.

Every single one was of Tian Xiqwei.

Gu Heng glanced at Tian Xiqwei and said, "According to the dates shown here, he’s been secretly following you for almost ten days."

"Ten days?"

Tian Xiqwei was shocked. "You started following me back in Han City?"

"Y-Yes..."

Sun Fan’s face was a mask of misery. "I’m sorry, Sister Tian. I’ll never follow you again, I swear. Please, just ask your boss to let me go... treat me like I’m nothing and let me go. I’ll never dare again!"

"You brought this on yourself!"

"Serves you right!"

Tian Xiqwei glared at Sun Fan, her cheeks puffed out in indignation.

The thought that for the past ten days, day or night, working or resting, someone had been constantly watching her, secretly pointing a DSLR camera in her direction... it made her feel incredibly violated, as if she were sitting on pins and needles.

And to think that just a moment ago, seeing Sun Fan’s miserable state, she had actually felt a pang of guilt.

Tian Xiqwei turned back to Gu Heng, only to find him staring intently at one of the photos.

"What is it?"

She leaned over, a little curious.

The photo he was staring at so intently was from shortly after she had arrived at the executive lounge—a shot of the moment she tried to act like a sophisticated seductress to tease him, only to have him turn the tables on her.

In the photo, the two of them looked as if they were only inches apart.

Because their surroundings were dim, with only a soft light illuminating them from above, the play of light and shadow in the photo was exquisite.

Gu Heng’s eyes were smiling, a slight smirk playing on his lips, while her own beautiful eyes were filled with emotion, her expression bashful.

The entire image had a beautiful, artistic quality to it.

"He actually made me look pretty handsome."

Gu Heng turned and chuckled, looking at Tian Xiqwei who had leaned in close.

"That’s because you’re already very handsome, Chairman Gu~"

Tian Xiqwei looked directly into Gu Heng’s eyes, a faint blush creeping up her fair cheeks. "Chairman Gu, I’d like to keep this photo. May I?"

"Of course."

Gu Heng’s gaze deepened slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Anything you want... I can give it to you..."

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