She is the most beautiful rose

Chapter 350: Driving the tiger away from the mountain
Shen Manzhi blinked, and as the figure drew closer, she realized it wasn't a hallucination.

His black overcoat paired with a matching turtleneck sweater gave him a cool and aloof appearance, yet his lowered gaze was gentle as he looked at her.

In the small attic, the clear, silvery moonlight illuminated each other in the dim night.

Perhaps it was the cold outside, but Qin Yanfeng's face was too pale, and there was a deep weariness in his eyes.

He crouched down and took her hand in his. "Aren't you cold?"

Shen Manzhi took off her coat and sweatshirt as soon as she came in, revealing a thin-strapped butterfly vest she wore when dancing underneath. However, since it was indoors and heated, she wasn't cold.

"Qin Yanfeng".

"Ok?"

She lay on her side on the sofa, her hand hanging down, which Qin Yanfeng held. He didn't even raise his voice; his voice was low, casual, and indifferent, "Why do you always lie to people?"

Qin Yanfeng raised an eyebrow, thinking it was because she had always said she wouldn't go to see her, but then suddenly appeared in front of her.

He rubbed her cold hands and didn't refute, "I sent you a message."

Shen Manzhi looked at him, pursing her lips and remaining silent.

Qin Yanfeng took out his phone and showed her a message he had sent half an hour earlier: "Wait for me."

Perhaps because she was listening to music or thinking about something, she didn't notice her phone vibrating on the sofa.

Shen Manzhi sat up, her listless expression brightening slightly. "Why do you look so pale?"

I hadn't noticed him when he was in the shadows, but now that he's right in front of me, I realize that his face and lips are very pale.

Qin Yanfeng slightly raised his eyelashes, got up to get a coat from the coat rack and draped it over her shoulders, saying, "You came out in a hurry and weren't wearing enough."

Shen Manzhi, unsuspecting, casually asked, "How is the old man's health?"

Qin Yanfeng was holding the down jacket she was wearing today. He stopped before he could even put it on. Shen Manzhi looked up and saw his gaze resting on her shoulder.

The little moon was still hanging on her fair shoulder, surrounded by redness and swelling. She had taken off her clothes to avoid rubbing against it.

The jacket wasn't ultimately draped over her. "Did you get a tattoo?"

Shen Manzhi chuckled, "Just a whim."

Qin Yanfeng stared at the moon for a while, then squatted down in front of her. "Does it hurt?"

She didn't answer, her gaze drifting lightly to his face, because the hand resting on his lap had slowly moved up to her waist, caressing it intimately.

Qin Yanfeng lifted his eyelids, shifting his gaze from her smooth, silky waist to meet hers. His fingertips traced the taut abs around her waist. "Others can look, but I can't touch?"

Shen Manzhi's expression shifted slightly as she recalled what Afei had just mentioned about trending on social media. "You saw the video online?"

"Yeah, she's trending again," he said with a hint of amusement, as if he were happy for her, but he didn't show it on his face, since he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. "Did you want me to come to the event today last night?"

It's trending again...

This means he also knew about the thing that went viral last year.

Shen Manzhi glanced at him, her voice somewhat indifferent, "You're overthinking it."

Qin Yanfeng was used to her saying one thing but meaning another, which meant she was still a little bothered that he hadn't come to the scene in person.

“I looked at it many times on the way here,” he said, withdrawing his hand from her waist and holding her hands in his, his gaze tender. “The internet is flooded with praise, everyone says they’re bewitched by a beautiful woman. Do you know what I was thinking?”

Knowing it might be a trap, Shen Manzhi still asked instinctively, "What?"

Qin Yanfeng's deep eyes held a hint of a smile, and his gentle tone revealed a touch of possessiveness. "I was thinking, if only I could lock you up, that way only I could see this side of you."

I want to make you public, but I also want to possess you privately.

Shen Manzhi's breathing became slightly sluggish, and then she heard him say something.

"But I really love how bright and free you are on stage, so I had to sneak up and kiss you."

Only in this way can I be sure that you are mine.

As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up, bent down like a gentleman, supported her neck, and leaned down to kiss her.

A very gentle, and cherished kiss.

Only then did I realize that this was his hidden possessiveness.

Shen Manzhi felt a surge of emotion welling up inside her, yet she found it difficult to breathe.

As they parted, his handsome face was inches away. She smiled, her tongue pressed against her palate, one hand supporting her body as she leaned back slightly, while the other hand gently pinched his face with two fingers.

With a slight sigh and a smile, she said softly, "Your mouth... you're still so eloquent even in your old age?"

Qin Yanfeng supported himself behind her, gently holding her wrist in front of him. Instead of pulling away, he used the position to gently rub her fingertips with the corner of his lips.

A subtle light flickered in his eyes, like ripples on a moonlit lake stirred by a gentle breeze.

"That depends on whether I'm talking to you or not." His voice was tinged with laughter, slightly hoarse, like aged wine, mellow and rich, permeating the air.

He spoke words that sounded intimately sweet and affectionate without any sense of incongruity, just like the gentleness that emanated from his cool and casual demeanor.

It doesn't feel like a lie paved with sweet words, but rather a genuine expression of feelings.

Shen Manzhi's fingertips curled up. "What about others?"

He laughed, "Where is anyone else?"

He gently took her hand, which was resting beside him, into his palm, intertwined their fingers, and pressed them against the sofa, forming a gentle yet inescapable restraint. At this close distance, he carefully traced her eyebrows and eyes with his gaze.

"Are you tired?" he asked softly, his breath lightly brushing against her lips.

Shen Manzhi looked into his deep eyes, where there was undisguised affection and a knowing understanding of everything.

It wasn't just the energy she had expended on stage that I understood, but also other things.

At this moment, being held in his arms in such a protective manner, her tense nerves involuntarily relaxed.

She didn't answer, but tilted her head slightly and placed a light kiss on his Adam's apple.

Then I clearly felt the hand holding her tighten suddenly for a moment.

A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Yanfeng's eyes, as if he hadn't expected her to respond like that, it was as if...

If you ask a wary stray cat if it's hungry, it will obediently lie down under your hand and sniff your scent affectionately.

He could sense that Shen Manzhi needed him.

He gently returned the kiss, picked up her coat and straightened up, his expression slightly unnatural but quickly concealing it.

"have you eaten?"

Shen Manzhi shook her head, got up and went to the wardrobe in the corner to find a new loose sweatshirt to put on. "They're having barbecue nearby, shall we go get some together?"

I just mentioned it on the phone; she said she was going to have dinner with friends, probably the ones from the tea house.

Qin Yanfeng was stunned for a moment.

This was the first time she had taken the initiative to invite him to meet her friends.

He casually hooked his arm around hers. "Let's do it another day. I'll treat them. Shall I take you there first?"

Shen Manzhi took his hand and walked out with him, saying, "What will you do if I go?"

Qin Yanfeng smiled and said, "I've already eaten. I'll wait for you at home."

The wind chimes on the eaves swayed gently, their melodious sound filling the air. Shen Manzhi squeezed his palm.

He turned his head slightly. "What's wrong?"

Shen Manzhi looked at him, her eyes deep, and was about to say something when a phone rang urgently.

Minglan's voice was even more urgent than the phone ringing, "Something happened at the barbecue restaurant at No. 37 Zhengjie Street, and your friends are there too."

Shen Manzhi and Qin Yanfeng exchanged a glance.

The barbecue restaurant was the same one Afei and his friends went to, located in the night market on the main street of the East District. The tea house was at the end of another street, a little distance away.

Normally, when there are many customers, tables are set up on the side of the street. All kinds of shops around here do the same. But on the eve of the Lunar New Year, the place was packed with customers. The central street was so crowded that even ambulances and police cars were parked at another intersection.

When the two rushed over, they saw two medical staff members carrying a stretcher hurriedly squeezing in from a distance, with Minglan standing a head higher in the crowd ahead of them.

Shen Manyi grabbed Qin Yanfeng's hand and shoved him into the shop next door, saying, "Boss, let's go through the back door!"

The owner picked up the towel draped around his neck to wipe his sweat, busied himself serving dishes, and responded with a curt "Yes" without even looking up.

The back door of the small restaurant was messy and dark, with only two old tungsten filament lamps occasionally lit. If it weren't for the person behind her, she would have practically dashed towards the barbecue restaurant. Qin Yanfeng squeezed her hand back, quickening his pace to avoid putting too much strain on her shoulder. "Don't worry too much."

Shen Manzhi responded and two minutes later led him to the back door of the barbecue restaurant. Inside, they saw people standing or sitting together, crowding around an open space in the middle.

A man lay unconscious on the ground, his body contorted in spasms. A woman beside him placed soft clothing under his head and tilted it to one side with practiced ease. She appeared to be a family member. She glanced outside frequently, her expression tense and anxious. "Why hasn't the ambulance arrived yet?"

Qin Yanfeng patted Shen Manzhi's waist reassuringly. She looked around and saw the young people gathered in the corner, who didn't seem to be involved.

"Hey everyone, make way! The medical staff are coming!"

Minglan led the way in, and the tense atmosphere eased slightly.

The woman, her eyes brimming with tears, described the situation to the doctor: "My husband has been taking medication and hasn't had a relapse in six months. I don't know why he suddenly did this today, and even fainted..."

Minglan breathed a sigh of relief, saw Shen Manzhi across from her, walked through the crowd, saw the man beside her, nodded slightly and said to her, "It should be an epileptic seizure. The guards here said it startled everyone around, and many people ran out in a panic. I thought something serious had happened, so I called you in advance. I brought over the medical staff I saw on the way. How come you were faster than me?"

Shen Manzhi saw the doctor tell the crowd to disperse and carry the man onto a stretcher and out. She felt something was wrong, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then it dawned on her: "They went through the back door."

Ah Fei and the others saw her too. The customers returned to their seats, and he raised his arm, "Sister Zhi, over here!"

Shen Manzhi led Qin Yanfeng over and looked at everyone one by one. Jiang Yue, Chen Lin, and He Jia were all there.

The group then greeted Qin Yanfeng, who was standing behind her, one by one.

"Are you guys okay?"

“It’s alright, their table is far from us,” He Jia, who was sitting on the far side, got up to make room for them. “I’ll go add a seat.”

Minglan waved her hand and took a half step back. "You guys eat, I'm going out for a walk."

Shen Manzhi turned to look at Qin Yanfeng, who gently nudged her waist, gesturing for her to sit down.

"what happened to you?"

She frowned, touched his face with the back of her hand, and found it wasn't cold.

Qin Yanfeng shook his head, his eyes slightly lowered, "I might be a little tired today."

Afei and Chen Lin exchanged a glance. "Sister Zhi, why don't you take Mr. Qin back to rest? We can get together another day."

He Jia also said, "The temperature dropped sharply today; Mr. Qin probably caught a cold."

Qin Yanfeng was about to say it was nothing when Shen Manzhi gestured to the people at the table and said first, "Okay, I'll treat everyone to dinner another day."

Minglan followed her out the back door of the shop, when she suddenly saw her turn around.

Shen Manzhi looked at the familiar group of people at the table, and they raised their glasses again to celebrate.

A cold sweat broke out on my back, and the unease that I had just suppressed surged up again.

Several people from the tea house were here, including her.

Seeing that her expression was off, Minglan couldn't help but say, "Go ahead and eat if you want. I can take Mr. Qin home..."

"wrong."

Shen Manzhi looked up at Qin Yanfeng, who had already sensed what she was thinking. "Shall we go back to the museum?"

Without hesitation, the two rushed out the back door in the next second. Minglan was a little confused, and after a half-second of stunned silence, she followed them, asking, "What happened?"

"Send your men to the teahouse..."

Before she could finish speaking, Minglan's phone rang incessantly. His expression changed slightly, and he seemed to sense what Shen Manzhi was worried about. "Speak."

"Someone at the tea house is on drugs and acting crazy. Our people can't get in; the doors are locked!"

His incoherent words were scattered by the cold winter wind. Shen Manzhi snatched his phone and said sternly, "Evacuate the crowd, control him, and don't draw blood. There's a spare key behind the attic door on the second floor. Try to open it!"

Minglan chased after them frantically, adjusting the earpiece hanging in his ear and directing them towards the tea house. They left the main street through a narrow alley, and he glanced to the side through the alley.

It remains a street packed with people, completely congested.

If Shen Manzhi and the others had squeezed into the barbecue restaurant from the main street in the first place, they probably wouldn't be able to squeeze out by now.

His brow twitched; just at that moment, something happened at the teahouse.

Tune the tiger away from the mountain?

By the time he figured it out, he had already been led to the plaza behind the tea house.

Several people were gathered around the back door of the tea house. Minglan recognized them as her own people at a glance. They had obviously failed to open the roller shutter door and were trying to force their way in, but they couldn't find the right tools.

"Shunzi went to get the pliers. Can we pick the lock?"

Shen Manzhi nodded, took two steps back, and looked up at the second floor.

The upper floor is the attic.

"Minglan!"

Minglan turned around.

Shen Manzhi raised her chin. "You squat down, I'll climb up."

Minglan had no objections and squatted down in a horse stance under the pillar of the eaves.

Qin Yanfeng disapprovedly and pulled her back, saying, "I'll go."

Shen Manzhi knew he was worried about her shoulder. "No, none of you can get in."

As soon as she finished speaking, she stepped on Minglan's leg, and then he lifted her hand and stepped on her shoulder, nimbly climbing up the eaves of the pavilion like a leopard, her whole body hanging in the air.

Qin Yanfeng looked worriedly at her body, which was suspended by only her arms, and then saw her twist up to the top with great strength in her waist and abdomen.

The skylight in the attic was very small, installed as a top-hung skylight. To facilitate ventilation, Shen Manzhi pushed it open slightly, creating enough space for her size before jumping down.

As soon as she opened the attic door, she heard a rough roar. Startled, she rushed downstairs without hesitation.

The liquor tower below the stage was overturned and lying on the ground in a mess, with liquid flowing everywhere. Several people dressed in black separated the crowd and surrounded the insane man in the middle who was gesticulating wildly and incoherently.

The store staff also cooperated by gathering customers in a corner, trying to avoid the men in the center.

She looked closely and saw that the man was holding a knife.

The man looked very young, probably not even thirty. His face was flushed, and he kept rubbing his hair and face, shaking his head frantically. His eyes darted around, then became violent. He brandished a knife at the people around him, muttering something under his breath. He then gripped the hand holding the knife and screamed, "Ah, I don't want to! Ahhhhhh..."

It's as if he's about to lose control of his behavior.

For a moment, Shen Manzhi felt that the scene was very familiar, so familiar that she felt a chill run down her spine.

Her eyes were fierce. She grabbed an empty beer bottle from the nearby table and threw it at the man, dashing towards him like an arrow as she threw it, yelling, "Get out of the way!"

The people of Minglan were all very familiar with Shen Manzhi. Not to mention that he was the number one figure in the underground boxing gym in his early years, he was also a friend of the owner. When they saw him in person, they all tacitly protected the customers behind them and stepped back.

In the blink of an eye, the man in the middle was hit hard by a beer bottle. He was stunned for a while before he suddenly looked at the person rushing towards him, but he only saw a blur before he was kicked hard in the chest. He staggered back several steps, but seemed to be completely unharmed, as if he had just lost his balance due to being unsteady.

A stiff and strange expression suddenly appeared on his face, and even his body stiffened. He stared at Shen Manzhi with a gloomy look, and the knife in his hand rushed straight towards her, causing a gasp from the people around him.

Shen Manzhi realized almost instantly that he was essentially the same as the previous mentally ill person who had maliciously injured others.

No one was better suited to fight someone like that than her. She subdued him without even needing any special skills. She struck the man's throat with her elbow, crossed her hands like a pair of pincers to wring his hands, brought the knife down, then twisted it behind his back, and kicked the man's hind leg, forcing him to kneel on the ground.

"I'm knocking, I'm knocking! That guy is terrifying!"

"He's so handsome, my god!"

"Isn't this the center of the dance just now? How come they're fighting?"

"I'm safe now, I was so scared."

……

The people behind them were still talking, as if they weren't the ones who were too scared to speak during the tense and exciting atmosphere just now.

Several men in black stepped forward to take the man from Shen Manzhi's hands. Suddenly, the main door was pried open from the outside, and uniformed police officers rushed in. Shen Manzhi stood up, pulling the man with his wrists tied. But the man seemed to be provoked and suddenly went berserk, turning his head sharply to bite Shen Manzhi beside him.

Shen Manzhi's expression changed slightly, and he pushed the man hard on the waist with his palm. A figure rushed over and knocked the man away. The bound man had no way to avoid it and took two steps back before falling down. There were broken wine and glass shards on the ground.

Shen Manzhi's pupils contracted slightly. She grabbed the man's clothes and pushed him to the other side, but lost her strength and fell to the ground. She felt a sharp pain as she braced herself with her hand.

"elder sister!"

Shen Manzhi turned around with a cold face and saw the policewoman named Joey.

Sorry, I've been busy writing my thesis lately and haven't updated in a long time.