Huang San struggled violently, clearly agitated.

Zhang Lan, being a slight woman, couldn't match his strength. With just one struggle, he broke free from her grasp and lunged toward Zhang Yang.

Mi Xue stood right next to Zhang Yang, her arm linked with his.

Zhang Yang’s hand rested gently on Mi Xue’s delicate one, a sight that instantly turned Huang San’s eyes bloodshot.

“Huang San, in my heart, he is infinitely better than you, thousands of times better. Let me tell you one last time: I have a boyfriend. Stop pestering me from now on!”

Mi Xue’s expression was icy. Her temper was actually quite fierce, but she always presented a gentle demeanor in front of Zhang Yang. It wasn't for lack of temper that she earned the nickname 'Thorn Rose.'

For Mi Xue, the most important person was Zhang Yang. No one could insult him. Huang San’s claim that Zhang Yang wasn't better than him had clearly crossed a line, explaining her sudden burst of anger.

“Zhang Yang, let’s go. I need to change my clothes!”

With that, Mi Xue tugged Zhang Yang’s arm again and flashed him a sweet smile.

Looking at Mi Xue’s beautiful smile, Huang San’s eyes grew even redder. He had pursued Mi Xue for days, and she had never smiled at him like that. His heart felt as if it were being sliced by a knife. Jealousy and possessiveness boiled up, making his head suddenly hot. He actually swung his fist, aiming directly for Zhang Yang’s head.

This kid was usually arrogant at school, but he had kept himself in check in front of Mi Xue until now. Seeing the intimacy between Mi Xue and Zhang Yang, he simply couldn't control himself anymore, flying into a frenzy.

“Ah!”

Huang San roared, but halfway through his shout, his voice plummeted rapidly, becoming soft and nauseatingly weak.

Zhang Yang’s hand had already seized the man’s fist. In terms of sheer power, a hundred of him wouldn't be a match for Zhang Yang.

“Ow, ow!”

Huang San whimpered softly. He had started off incredibly ferocious, bellowing like Zhang Fei, but the moment Zhang Yang gripped his fist, his cry transformed into something fragile and effeminate, almost like a sound long extinct in the imperial courts.

The shift from fierce to weak was so sudden that even Zhang Lan looked at him with disdain.

“Mi Xue said she doesn't like you. I kindly ask you not to bother her again,” Zhang Yang said calmly. Only then did he release his grip. This fellow was merely one of Mi Xue’s pursuers, not truly malicious; a simple lesson would suffice.

Zhang Yang let go. Huang San staggered back a step, almost losing his balance, then glared venomously at Zhang Yang.

Their commotion had drawn a crowd of nearby customers and some staff members, who were now looking over. “Mi Xue, Zhang Lan, what are you doing?”

A man in his early twenties approached quickly from a short distance away. He wore a white shirt and held a walkie-talkie, his expression stern.

“Nothing, Captain Zhou. It’s just a small misunderstanding; Mi Xue’s boyfriend came to see her,” Zhang Lan replied hastily, giving Mi Xue a meaningful look to urge her to leave quickly.

The newcomer was Zhou Yaozong, the supermarket’s security captain. Though young, only twenty-five, he had transferred from the Armed Police and possessed formidable martial skills and sharp wits.

“Mi Xue’s boyfriend?”

Zhou Yaozong froze momentarily before looking intently at Mi Xue and Zhang Yang.

Zhang Lan blinked, a sharp pang of dread hitting her heart. In her haste, she had completely forgotten that Zhou Yaozong was also one of Mi Xue’s suitors. In fact, many young, single male employees at the supermarket were interested in Mi Xue; quite a few had confessed their feelings. Mi Xue was the prettiest girl there, with a good nature, admired by nearly half the male staff.

“Mi Xue is on leave; they are about to leave now!” Zhang Lan called out anxiously. Zhou Yaozong was known for being petty, and because of this flaw, no one in the security team—

—so they sometimes suffered retaliation from Zhou Yaozong. If he learned that Mi Xue had a boyfriend here, who knew what he would assume.

“Even if she’s on leave, as long as she’s wearing the uniform here, she’s our employee! And these two—fighting in the supermarket! Someone, take them both to the security office!”

Zhou Yaozong suddenly shouted fiercely. Several security guards approached at his command and immediately moved to grab Zhang Yang and Huang San. A cruel glint flashed in his eyes, though when he looked at Mi Xue, an undisguised desire flickered there.

“Don't touch me! We’re leaving, what’s with all the fuss, little guards? I’ll settle accounts with you later!”

Huang San struggled free a few times, then turned back to glare hatefully at Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang had stolen his goddess and made him lose face publicly moments ago. If he could, he wanted to tear Zhang Yang apart.

“Zhou Yaozong, I don’t report to you, and besides, I’m on leave. On what grounds are you making me go with you?”

Mi Xue was no longer willing to stay quiet. Zhang Yang had just returned, and she hadn't expected so much trouble to erupt right here. This made her anxious and angry. She genuinely worried Zhang Yang might think too much of the situation.

“On the grounds that you caused trouble here! Anyone who causes trouble falls under my jurisdiction!” Zhou Yaozong stated coldly. Technically, he had no authority over Mi Xue, as they weren't in the same department. This situation presented him with an opportunity. A fight had broken out here, and he intended to use it to demonstrate his capabilities to Mi Xue. As for Mi Xue’s boyfriend—daring to compete with him for a woman—he absolutely had to let him taste what 'sweet fruit' felt like.

“Let’s talk over there. There are too many people here,” Zhang Yang said, subtly pulling Mi Xue as he spoke. A large crowd of onlookers had gathered; fights in a supermarket were rare occurrences, especially with a beautiful girl like Mi Xue involved.

Mi Xue glanced around and nodded. She wasn't truly afraid of Zhou Yaozong, but if the situation escalated, he technically had a reason to intervene. She didn't want to cause trouble for her direct supervisor, who had always been very good to her.

Watching them leave, Zhang Lan felt a fresh wave of worry. Unfortunately, the situation was beyond her control. All she could do was silently pray for Zhang Yang. Zhou Yaozong was no good person; she hoped Zhang Yang wouldn't suffer any loss. She had a somewhat poor initial impression of Zhang Yang, but since he was Mi Xue’s chosen boyfriend, she would certainly side with Mi Xue, especially since she despised Zhou Yaozong as well.

The group was escorted by the guards into the security office. Large supermarkets like this employed numerous guards, and the security office was well-appointed, spacious, and divided into several rooms.

“Search them!”

As soon as they entered the security room, Zhou Yaozong commanded the guards beside him, simultaneously giving them a significant look. For a simple fight, he couldn't truly harm these two, especially Mi Xue's boyfriend. But theft was different; if they found anything on them, the ensuing punishment—beating or worse—would be entirely at his discretion. He had pulled stunts like this before, and the guards understood his intent, stepping forward to conduct the body searches.

“Don’t touch me! What right do you have to search me?” Zhang Yang frowned slightly. Huang San immediately began shouting. Lightning and Shadow also poked their heads out of the canvas bag but were swiftly pressed back down by Zhang Yang.

“What right? The right of this baton in my hand! Behave, or you’ll suffer!” The guard brandished his baton to intimidate Huang San, who immediately shrank his head slightly. Nevertheless, he braced himself and continued yelling.

“Don’t mess around! I’m friends with Brother Long. If you provoke me, he won't let you go!”

“Brother Long? Which Brother Long?” Zhou Yaozong frowned slightly and walked over to inquire. He had seen Huang San a few times; every time, he was pestering Mi Xue, which always annoyed Zhou Yaozong. He was looking forward to using this opportunity to deal with Huang San, but Huang San’s mention of 'Brother Long' gave him pause.

Zhou Yaozong understood perfectly: he was merely a security captain, relying on the backing of the large corporation, Hongfa, to act arrogantly. But if he offended someone with strong connections, he would also face repercussions.

“Who else could it be? Around here, who doesn’t know Brother Long from Daobei!” Daobei referred to the area north of the railway tracks, a common designation for the north side of the train station. The Daobei area was vast, but there was only one most famous person named Brother Long—a true figure from the underworld. Zhou Yaozong knew of his existence and felt genuine apprehension.

Zhou Yaozong considered the situation, then forced a smile: “Haha, what a coincidence! I know Brother Long too. If you really are his brother, then this is just a misunderstanding. Brother, why don’t you give Brother Long a call and explain?” He gestured toward the nearby telephone. He didn't fully believe Huang San, but he couldn't completely dismiss it either. Having him call was a safe bet; if the issue involved Brother Long's men, it would be bad for him, and he certainly had to show Brother Long respect. Frankly, he was just a security guard; scaring ordinary citizens was fine, but these genuine triad members were people they truly dared not offend. However, if Huang San called and Brother Long didn't answer, or if it wasn't the right one, Huang San would be in deep trouble today.

“Fine, I’ll call!”

Huang San was furious and immediately sat down by the phone to dial. He actually had his own mobile phone, but he hadn't brought it today; otherwise, he would have called for backup earlier. He dialed a pager number. Shortly after he finished his call, the phone rang back. While Huang San was occupied, Zhou Yaozong approached Zhang Yang again. Huang San was annoying, but the one who truly drew his hatred was the man standing before him. Huang San, after all, was only unrequitedly in love; this man was Mi Xue’s recognized boyfriend. Unspeakable jealousy consumed him. Even if this fellow had powerful connections, Zhou Yaozong had decided to teach him a lesson today, ensuring he stayed far away from Mi Xue.

“Why haven’t you searched him yet?” Zhou Yaozong suddenly snapped at the guard beside him. The guard startled slightly and immediately moved toward Zhang Yang. Hidden in the guard’s hand was a box of high-end gifts worth several hundred yuan—small in size but significant in value. It was perfect for planting evidence, a method they had successfully used many times before.