Chapter 374
Chapter 374 Your Life Is Tied Up With Mine Now
The moment Shen Yiyan received the photos, he immediately called Liu Yan.
“What's all this about?” the man demanded.
“Shouldn't you know better than me? Master Shen, if you don't like me, tell me to get lost to my face. I'll be sure to put a great distance between us and stay out of your sight,” Liu Yan remarked sarcastically. “You can send all the men you want to capture me, but why must you harm my friends?”
“I'll give you an explanation,” Shen Yiyan asserted, then immediately hung up.
Wu Nian looked at Liu Yan and observed, “Shen Yiyan may not have ordered this. Perhaps it was an underhand move by one of his subordinates.”
Liu Yan's eyes reddened with tears as she looked at Wu Nian. “He's the boss of that organization, yet one of his subordinates wants to kill me? Don’t dogs take after their owners? Even if it wasn't Shen Yiyan himself who commanded it, he must have allowed it nonetheless. He's A City's commander-in-chiefl Who would dare defy him?”
"Yan, nothing is that simple,” Wu Nian sighed, exhaling deeply.
“I want to leave,” Liu Yan's eyes were clouded with tears. She strode ahead without another word, not wanting to reveal too much in the presence of Aaron.
Wu Nian instantly understood what her friend meant.
For the past two years, Liu Yan had suffered at Shen Yiyan's side. She hadn't even wanted to be with him in the first place, and this incident only strengthened Liu Yan's resolve to leave him.
Wu Nian fully supported her decision. Assassinations like this, once set in motion, could hardly be halted. It was too dangerous for an innocent maiden like Yan to remain by Shen Yiyan's side.
Aaron placed Wu Nian gingerly on the sofa, chiding, “It'll be morning when you disembark. I have a few friends in Xenhall who I've called to pick you up and send you home. I won't be able to rest at the thought of you two girls all alone.”
Wu Nian shook her head. “Please don't trouble your friends. I've already arranged for someone to pick us up. We'll be safe! Don't worry about us.”
“It's no trouble at all. It's my duty. You're my girlfriend! Give me a chance to take care of you,” Aaron said tenderly.
“I'm not rejecting your offer, but I think you know who Yan is. The fewer people there are who know about Yan's identity, the better. Someone will come to pick us up. When we arrive safely, I'll be sure to give you a call,” Wu Nian promised.
Seeing that Wu Nian was set on her decision, Aaron decided not to pursue the matter. He smiled faintly and nodded. “I'll be waiting for your call tonight then. Don't keep me up worrying.”
After Aaron stepped off the yacht, everything whirred into action. Onboard with them were the helmsman and the steward.
Liu Yan stood at the bow, staring out at the vast, endless ocean. Her heart was abnormally heavy. Wu Nian knew of the tumult that was stirring within Liu Yan. She refrained from calling out to
her. Perhaps some time alone would do her good.
Half an hour later, Liu Yan sought Wu Nian, taking a seat beside her. The former then declared, “I have to ensure I get to work with Mo Xue this time.”
“Shen Yiyan is clever and subtle. No one can get past him or even figure out what he's thinking. If he agreed to let Bao travel with you for a month, he must have some other schemes in mind,” Wu Nian said thoughtfully.
"What should I do then?” Liu Yan cried out dazedly. “I don't ever want to live with him again. I'm afraid of him! And I'm afraid Bao will grow up to be exactly like him.”
“You should leave. Leave when Shen Yiyan isn't expecting you to,” Wu Nian urged.
“As long as I take Bao with me, Shen Yiyan's guard will be up,” Liu Yan said resignedly.
“Then he mustn't know that you've taken Bao,” Wu Nian reminded with a crafty gleam in her eye. "What do you mean? What should I do?” Liu Yan cried.
“This Saturday is Mo Xue's daughter's birthday party. Many people will attend and so will Stephen. As A City's commander-in-chief, it will be difficult for Shen Yiyan to make an appearance. He won't be expecting you to escape then,” Wu Nian began slowly.
"What about Bao then? I won't be able to bring him along with me to the party. You know as well as I do that Shen Yiyan's manor is strictly guarded. Aunt Yang and Aunt Zhang are always on the lookout for things to report! Besides, they don't usually bring Bao out of the grounds either,” Liu Yan fretted.
“The ideal plan would be for you to leave first. Stay in Dartan for a year to settle down first. Shen Yiyan will focus all of his energies on looking for you. That'll give me a chance to get Bao out,” Wu Nian reflected.
“Shen Yiyan will never forgive you! I can't do that. Perhaps I should wait until I've negotiated this collaboration. Shen Yiyan promised to let me bring Bao along for my travels.”
Wu Nian knew Liu Yan feared for her. However, the more her friend sacrificed for her, the more troubled Wu Nian felt.
It was 4 a.m. when they arrived at Shen Yiyan's manor.
After Liu Yan had gone to sleep, Wu Nian immediately called Aaron.
"Have you gotten home safe?” the man asked the moment he answered the call.
Multiple thoughts flashed through Wu Nian’s mind all at once.
She wanted to ask him for help, as he was a member of Ustrana’s royalty after all. However, Wu Nian did not see how she could return this favor.
"We're home, Aaron. Are you coming back tomorrow?” she probed tentatively.
"Yes, I am. Don't expect me too early, though. I might even be rather late,” Aaron said apologetically. "See you tomorrow night then.”
Aaron chuckled. “OK, I'll see you tomorrow night. It's getting late, and you're injured. You should quickly get some rest. Goodnight, sweet dreams.”
"Goodnight, sweet dreams,” Wu Nian replied wistfully.
She hurriedly took a shower after the call ended, careful not to get her right arm wet. By the time she lay down, it was already 5 in the morning. She soon drifted off to sleep.
She was roused the next day by the growling in her belly. When she opened her eyes, it was already past 3 in the afternoon.
After quickly washing up, Wu Nian headed out of her room in search of Liu Yan.
The moment the door swung open, she caught sight of Shen Yiyan reclining on the sofa. He was wearing a white shirt with black accents and had an air of cruelty about him. Shen Yiyan had another man pinned, kneeling, on the floor. With one hand, he extended a gun to Liu Yan, saying calmly, “Do whatever you want to him.”
Liu Yan didn’t have the capacity to kill a chicken, much less a human being.
She crouched down next to the man kneeling before them. “I won't kill you, but I want to know why you wanted to capture me so badly, even to the extent of killing my friends.”
The man turned to Liu Yan with a scornful look on his face. Vehemently, he scowled, “Because you're not good enough!”
The moment he uttered those words, Shen Yiyan directed a violent slap to the man’s face.
The man fell over onto his side from the force of the blow.
Towering above him, Shen Yiyan said in a hostile tone, “You don't get to decide whether or not she's good enough. That's up to me.”
A peculiar gleam shone in the eyes of the man. He suddenly reached out and grabbed the gun from Liu Yan's hands. Belligerently, he pointed it straight back at her.
Shen Yiyan immediately stood in front of Liu Yan, shielding her. His frigid glare was firmly locked onto the man lying before him.
"Commander-in-chief, she’s not worthy of your protection. You're causing your own ruin!” the man cried out in agitation.
At that, Shen Yiyan clenched his jaw, his gaze as cold as steel. “I'll spare you if you put the gun down now,” he commanded.
“I'd rather die,” the man replied simply. In a flash, he turned the barrel of the gun towards his own temple and fired. His eyes were still wide open when he sprawled dead onto the floor.
Shen Yiyan quickly turned and buried Liu Yan's face in his chest, not allowing her to witness the gruesome sight. “I'll never let anything like this happen ever again,” he swore.